By Fibonacci Blue – https://www.flickr.com/photos/44550450@N04/55033874420/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=181941429
Having graduated from a military university, I can say that the Minnesota protests are following a “color revolution” playbook rather than representing organic civil unrest. The term refers to non-violent or semi-violent uprisings often backed by external actors to overthrow governments, as seen in Ukraine or Georgia.
One odd twist is that usually a color revolution is kicked off by a significant government scandal, which is the last straw for the people who then revolt against the government. But in Minnesota, the scandal is that the Minnesota government is accused of being complicit in billions of stolen taxpayer dollars, and the revolution is against the federal government, which wants to investigate the fraud.
The rioters are extremely useful in helping a handful of guilty people maintain power and get rich. Two of them have given their lives for this cause now, and many have been injured, but somehow they still believe that ICE deportations are so important to them that they have to continue to riot.
Another aspect of a color revolution is the propaganda, generally emanating from outside of the country where the unrest is taking place. In this case, anti-ICE and anti-Trump social media, along with mainstream media, have convinced much of the population that the federal government is wrong for wanting to enforce immigration law and to investigate fraud.
Whether by design, collusion, or some explainable feedback loop, mainstream media is amplifying the same messages and wording as anti-ICE and anti-Trump social media. They are also intentionally distorting media stories, putting out a bad narrative, which is then picked up by social media, fueling the protests. Media told us a five-year-old boy was kidnapped by ICE and used as bait; they said Renee Good and Nurse Pretti were minding their own business when ICE attacked them.
The media told us that Abrigo Garcia was a Maryland man; they claimed that ICE broke into a man’s house and dragged him out in his underwear; and they have even claimed that citizens have been deported. Each of these narratives and the associated stories was either a gross distortion of the facts or, in some cases, an outright lie. The outrage these false stories spurred has already contributed to this ongoing chaos and violence as well as two deaths.
The typical pattern begins by provoking chaos, deploying legal observers as shields, and laundering radical activism through nonprofit organizations. The term “legal observer” has suddenly entered the vocabulary of the Minnesota protests, with Renee Good and Nurse Pretti being referred to as legal observers, a label that ignores the fact that they were actively interfering with ICE operations. While liberals claim that these and other activists were merely exercising First Amendment rights and the right to film, it is clear from the videos that in both instances the so-called legal observers were participants, not observers.
Zero Hedge referenced alleged involvement by CCP-linked billionaire Neville Roy Singham’s NGO network in funding anti-ICE protests nationwide. George Soros linked organziatonas have also provided funding. So, the international connection is there.
Consistent with other aspects of a color revolution, the protests were organized by labor unions including National Nurses United, SEIU Local 26, AFSCME Council 5, and the AFL-CIO, along with community organizations and faith leaders.
Leaked Signal chats revealed organized efforts to track ICE agents through “ICE Watch” coordination, with accusations of systematic organization behind riots now under FBI investigation. And while the leaked evidence is helpful, many of the anti-ICE organizations have websites in which they provide details about the types of training they provide and how anti-ICE groups can organize at the community level.
Anti-ICE training handbooks and manuals have also been published and are readily available online. In connection with the Minnesota unrest, the most prominently mentioned one matching this description is the “De-Arrest Primer,” also referred to as a “de-arresting manual” or “de-arrest primer manual.” It was published in spring 2024, according to the front cover noted in reports, and was shared and reposted by MN ICE Watch, the network Renee Good was part of.
Additionally, groups such as COPAL MN (Comunidades Organizando El Poder y la Acción Latina), the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN), and related organizations have conducted trainings for “constitutional observers” or “ICE watchers.”
The Handbook for Constitutional Observers, published by COPAL and the Immigrant Defense Network, has been used in trainings across Minnesota, including a session in Mankato in January 2026. It focuses on safe observation, documenting ICE actions, constitutional rights, whistle use for alerts, and reporting sightings. While it emphasizes non-interference, it also includes rapid response activation.
A Constitutional Observer Booklet has also been provided during IDN and STAC (States at the Core) trainings and is available online through their websites. It covers monitoring raids, the use of vests and whistles, and community alert systems, including “La Migra” warnings.
Designing, writing, and producing these books is expensive. Running free training programs is also costly, which brings us back to the central question: who is funding these programs, and who is behind the funding for the entire “almost–color revolution”?
Anti-ICE training programs are generally held in public or semi-public spaces. Some of these venues are obtained for free, while others, such as hotel conference rooms and ballrooms, are expensive.
Schools and universities are common locations. Student unions and campus chapels are frequently used. Organizations such as Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) or local “immigrant rights” clubs often host these events on campus to take advantage of university-funded room rentals.
Libraries and community centers are also used. These spaces provide a “neutral” ground that is difficult for ICE to enter without significant political blowback.
Private and institutional spaces are also common. Churches are frequently used, as many anti-ICE movements operate under the “sanctuary” umbrella. Churches, including locations such as Cities Church or Lutheran Social Services hubs in Minnesota, often host trainings because they are considered “sensitive locations” under DHS policy, making agents hesitant to enter.
Union halls are another venue. Teacher unions, such as the Oregon Education Association or New York City’s United Federation of Teachers, frequently host trainings for their members and the public to “de-escalate” ICE encounters.
Hotels are used for large-scale summits or mobilization weekends. These events are often held in mid-range hotels, such as Hilton or Marriott properties, in major cities. They are usually closed-door events paid for by national NGOs. While the training is “free” to participants, the cost of the venue, trainer salaries, and printed materials is substantial.
The funding typically follows a three-tier model.
Tier 1: The megafoundations.
The largest source of capital comes from multi-billion-dollar philanthropic organizations. These groups generally do not fund protests directly. Instead, they fund civil-rights advocacy or legal-defense grants. Examples include the Tides Foundation, which operates as a donor-advised fund allowing wealthy donors to remain anonymous while funneling money to radical causes; Open Society Foundations, historically a major funder of civil-society organizations conducting “know your rights” trainings; and the Ford and Kellogg Foundations, which provide general operating support to nonprofits running these programs.
Tier 2: National pass-through NGOs.
These organizations receive large grants and distribute them to local chapters. The National Lawyers Guild trains the legal observers referenced earlier and is funded through member dues as well as grants from the NLG Foundation for mass-defense programs. The Immigrant Legal Resource Center serves as a major hub for developing the curriculum used in anti-ICE trainings nationwide.
Tier 3: Local activist hubs.
In Minnesota, organizations such as Unidos MN and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota act as local administrators. They receive a mix of state and local grants, bail-fund support, and crowdfunding. In sanctuary cities and states, taxpayer money is sometimes diverted into immigrant-defense funds that pay for these trainings. After the 2020 unrest, millions of dollars in small-donor contributions, often routed through platforms such as ActBlue, were redirected into rapid-response funds.
I am not a lawyer and have no formal legal training, but my instincts and basic logic tell me something is deeply wrong here. The use of public money to fund anti-government activity feels like it should violate a core principle of law. Likewise, when a state government finances training designed to help citizens resist federal authority, it begins to resemble something close to insurrection.
Compounding the issue, these activities are shielded by tax-exempt nonprofit status, allowing political interference to be laundered as education or legal aid. A children’s cancer charity and a group teaching “de-arresting” and “swarming” techniques to be used against ICE in order to protect illegal immigrants are treated the same under the tax code. This fits the definition of laundering activism through nonprofits.
Commentators including Joe Rogan and Erik Prince described the events as a coordinated effort to cause chaos rather than organic protests, suggesting potential foreign or communist influences. Right-leaning outlets pointed to figures like Maria Stephan, linked to the National Endowment for Democracy and regime-change strategies, as evidence of a playbook being used against the Trump administration. Some analysts argue that Governor Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison are the actual revolutionaries using street protests to justify breaking from federal oversight.
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