Minnesota Labor Movement Denounces Federal Surveillance and Political Repression

A coalition of Minnesota labor, faith, and community leaders is denouncing a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) surveillance operation, dubbed “Operation Puppet Master,” which allegedly targeted activists and union members during the earlier “Operation Metro Surge.” The coalition is now demanding that major state-based corporations sign a “business for democracy” pledge.

The Origins of Operation Puppet Master

The campaign came to light following a discovery motion filed by attorney Kevin Riach on behalf of healthcare worker Isaac Sant. According to the motion, federal agents recorded dozens of conversations with individuals protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities in Minnesota. The filing alleges that agents compiled dossiers on these citizens using law enforcement databases and internet searches, creating records that are now available across the federal agency.

This surveillance effort was reportedly tied to “Operation Metro Surge,” an initiative that resulted in the indictment of 15 individuals, including several rank-and-file union members. The government’s court filings suggest a broad conspiracy, naming organizations such as the AFL-CIO, the Minneapolis Federation of Educators (MFE) Local 59, the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), and the Grease Pit bicycle repair shop. The motion for discovery asserts that these organizations were linked to Direct Action Minnesota (DAMN) without sufficient evidence to support the conspiracy claims.

Surveillance of Organized Labor and Financial Records

The scope of the federal inquiry reached deep into the financial operations of organized labor. Documents indicate that Homeland Security Investigations issued subpoenas for the financial records of several unions, including Communication Workers of America (CWA) and various SEIU locals in Minnesota.

“The revelation of Operation Puppet Master exposes that while the government was targeting immigrant communities, tearing families apart, abducting children and murdering folks in the street, they were also attempting to disrupt and dismantle one of the facets of Minnesota that makes us so unique, and that is our strong and unified labor movement,” said Alec Stewart, a MAPE union member and one of the 15 individuals indicted in the case.

The Demand for Corporate Accountability

The coalition has specifically targeted Target Corporation, noting that federal agents allegedly detained two citizens inside a Richfield, Minnesota, store. Despite these events, the corporation has remained silent, prompting calls for a boycott during the back-to-school shopping season. The American Federation of Teachers and the national AFL-CIO have both supported this boycott.

“They sat in our libraries, in training rooms, and wrote down what we thought about the Constitution. They took down license plates outside a church in Roseville, and built files of the families inside, their addresses, children, and where they work,” said Emilia Gonzalez Avalos, executive director of Unidos MN. Beyond Target, the coalition is pressuring other major Minnesota-based entities, including Best Buy, 3M, and Cargill, to publicly commit to the “business for democracy” pledge before the September 15 early voting deadline.

The Broader Impact on Civil Dissent

According to a report by Human Rights Watch, the tactics employed during Operation Metro Surge constituted a “manufactured crisis.” Participants in the labor movement argue that the current federal response is an extension of that strategy, aimed at criminalizing dissent.

As the legal battle for the “Minnesota 15” continues, the coalition remains adamant that federal surveillance will not deter their efforts.

“The government feels so threatened by our ability to come together and use our protected First Amendment rights, our legal rights as unionists that they feel they must surveil and disrupt,” said Treasure Thoreson, an MFE Local 59 executive board member. “However, that to me is a signal that what we are doing is effective, impactful, and powerful.”

As this situation develops, the interaction between federal oversight and the rights of labor unions remains a central point of contention.