Podcast Summary: Reveal – "How Minneapolis Taught America to Fight Back" (February 7, 2026)

Main Theme

This episode of Reveal investigates the ongoing impact of massive federal immigration raids in Minneapolis and the historic resistance and solidarity that has emerged in response. Drawing from deeply personal accounts of postal workers, healthcare providers, restaurateurs, and targeted residents, Reveal uncovers the layers of fear, resilience, and community action at the heart of one city now serving as a national symbol of anti-authoritarian activism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

I. Life on the Ground: Postal Workers' Perspectives

• The Postal Service as Community Lifeline
  • Letter carriers like Emmett Bongarts describe the USPS as a "logistical masterpiece" (02:08), underscoring its irreplaceable presence in every American neighborhood, even amid tear gas and ICE raids.
  • Quote: “The mailman’s still going to deliver your mail.” — Emmett Bongarts (03:26)
• ICE Raids Upend Daily Life
  • Postal workers began noticing “ghost cars”—abandoned vehicles signaling arrests (06:18).
  • An upswing in DHS letters and the palpable fear among residents became increasingly visible, with families removing their names from mailboxes and avoiding leaving home (09:31).
  • Quote: “You’ll just see a car… and at this point now, when you see that, you know, this person was taken by ICE." — Emmett Bongarts (06:18)
• Personal Toll and Responsibility
  • Postal workers, some from targeted communities themselves, describe fear for their own safety (09:46). Many wear uniforms home as protection.
  • Carriers witness and provide comfort during tragedies, including the killings of Renee Goode and Alex Preddy, whose packages kept coming after their deaths (11:07).
  • Emotional Moment: “I wore my uniform home because I’m too scared not to. I could be targeted.” — Bianca Sonnenberg (09:59)

II. Civic and Economic Fallout

• Community Adapts to Fear
  • People are hoarding supplies, skipping errands, and anxiously awaiting documentation—most notably passports—which have become essential for people of color (12:11).
  • Kids no longer play outside; local businesses keep doors locked; neighborhoods are patrolled for signs of ICE (13:13).
  • Quote: “The letter carrier is not the main character... but they're always in the background.” — Emmett Bongarts (12:49)
• Childhood Joys on Hold
  • Emmett and others mourn the disappearance of simple neighborhood pleasures, like kids riding bikes and yelling out greetings (13:21, 14:08).

III. Acts of Resistance and Hidden Solidarity

• Everyday Acts of Courage
  • Residents covertly drive neighbors’ kids to school to avoid ICE (19:58).
  • At home, families rely on informal networks for medicine and basic care, shunning public places and transit.
  • Quote: “We’re just driving kids to school... and yet nothing about this feels normal.” — Nate Halverson (20:39)
• Restaurants and Public Spaces under Siege
  • Renowned chef Sean Sherman describes his staff being racially profiled and his restaurant shuttered for safety (21:52–22:28).
  • Employers now organize safe rides, maintain strict documentation, and collaborate citywide, while launching petitions to demand reform (24:37).
  • Quote: “This isn’t sustainable in the long run. Like, we can’t all live like this forever.” — Sean Sherman (24:37)
• Healthcare in Crisis
  • Clinics serving immigrant and uninsured populations operate in “triage mode,” prioritizing only urgent needs, conducting house calls, and handing out whistles as safety tools (27:43–28:24).
  • Quote: "I'd love to know how well somebody's kidneys are functioning today... I'm going to wait. I don't want them to come in for a lab appointment that's not critical." — Emily (28:02)

IV. The Targeted

• Sophia's Story: The Trauma of Arbitrary Detention
  • Sophia, an undocumented Minnesotan, recounts her sudden arrest, traumatic transport to Texas, and the emotional scars of seeing herself and other Latinas treated “like business” (31:19–37:13).
  • Quote: "You know, when you put cows in the slaughterhouse—it's how I feel, because it’s how they treat you." — Sophia (33:37)
  • Sophia’s experience affirms widespread chaos within the ICE system, compounded by the terror of loved ones’ disappearances and chaotic, arbitrary releases (35:52–36:31).
  • Quote: “Everything is emotional, so they can kill you emotionally.” — Sophia (36:31)

V. Protest and Political Pressure

• Solidarity at the Whipple Building
  • Protesters gather to provide hope and voice for detainees (38:10).
  • Quote: “People shouldn’t be stuck in their homes, terrified something’s going to happen to them or their loved ones.” — Harvey, protester (38:41)
• Legislative Response
  • Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) outlines three core demands for ICE reform: end roving patrols, eliminate secret police tactics, and ensure accountability (44:17).
  • Quote: "This is a version of ethnic cleansing. I just want to be honest with you." — Sen. Chris Murphy (40:49)
  • Democrats wield budgetary leverage in the Senate, threatening to withhold funding if reforms aren’t enacted (43:03, 45:47).
  • Murphy calls for both legislative and public action, affirming the necessity of protest for meaningful reform (50:04).
  • Quote: “It’s hard for people to get inspired to take chances if they don’t see members of the Senate taking chances.” — Chris Murphy (39:18, 50:04)
  • Quote: "Standing on the overpass with my sign doesn't make a difference. It just does." — Chris Murphy (50:08)

VI. Memory and Mourning

• Tribute to Alex Preddy
  • The episode closes with a vigil for ICU nurse Alex Preddy, led by mentee Jessica Hauser, who shares what she learned from him about hope and crisis (50:58–52:10).
  • Quote: “Nursing is more than the skills we carry… it is the presence we bring with us.” — Jessica Hauser (51:28)
  • Minnesotans move through grief to clarity and resistance, reflected in their enduring presence on the streets and in their communities (52:10).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• "I think the USPS really is like in a way, like a logistical masterpiece." – Emmett Bongarts (02:08)
• "Ghost cars are...a far too regular occurrence...when you see that, you know this person was taken by ICE." – Emmett Bongarts (06:18)
• “I wore my uniform home because I’m too scared not to. I could be targeted.” – Bianca Sonnenberg (09:59)
• "Carrying a passport has become more common in Minneapolis. Just in case something happens." – Artis Cheriscus (12:11)
• “We’re seeing staff just being afraid...we’re protecting our own staff who feel vulnerable.” — Sean Sherman (21:52)
• "If he checks out, we'll bring him right back... but you can't believe that because he ended up in Texas by morning." — Sean Sherman (24:01)
• “I feel as if we are crawling with ICE... we don’t feel safe at all because we are out of Minneapolis.” — Emily (26:18)
• "It's the constant grinding fear and stress that is leading to lack of sleep, extreme anxiety, depression..." — Emily (29:25)
• "You know, when you put cows in the slaughterhouse—that’s how I feel, because that’s how they treat you.” — Sophia (33:37)
• “It's hard for people to get inspired to take chances...if they don’t see members of the Senate taking chances.” — Sen. Chris Murphy (39:18, 50:04)
• "Standing on the overpass with my sign doesn't make a difference. It just does." — Sen. Chris Murphy (50:08)
• “Nursing is more than the skills we carry... it is the presence we bring with us.” — Jessica Hauser (51:28)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 01:51 — Introduction & Emmett Bongarts’ love for the USPS
• 04:48 — Reporter Artis Cheriscus interviews Emmett and other postal workers
• 10:21 — Bianca Sonnenberg shares her experiences during the raids
• 13:13 — How neighborhoods and families are coping
• 17:49 — Reporter Nate Halverson returns to Minnesota; community response
• 21:23 — Chef Sean Sherman on business impacts and organizing resistance
• 26:18 — Emily, a rural MN nurse practitioner, shares how clinics adapt under ICE threats
• 30:55 — Sophia's story: arrest, detention, trauma, and return
• 38:10 — Protesters at the Whipple Building; solidarity with detainees
• 39:18 — Interview: Senator Chris Murphy on ICE reform, accountability, protest, and Senate action
• 50:36 — Vigil for Alex Preddy; closing reflections on community clarity and resilience

Conclusion

"How Minneapolis Taught America to Fight Back" is a deeply reported episode capturing a city thrust into a constitutional and humanitarian crisis—where government overreach and community response collide. Through the voices of postal workers, healthcare providers, immigrants, activists, and lawmakers, Reveal illustrates both the unbearable tension of daily life under siege and the extraordinary acts of everyday courage that are teaching America how to resist.

For more gripping investigative stories, visit revealnews.org/learn.