How Wedge Showed Up: Lessons from Our ICE Response

Editor's Note- The leadership of Wedge co-op along with Merriman Management Support, where this presentation was originally given, has given Garlic and Roses permission to share this video recording. We appreciate them both for helping to share this story.

The story and video are the work of Lisa Coyne and Doug Peterson, Store Directors at the Wedge co-op's two retail locations.

How Wedge Showed Up: Lessons from Our ICE Response

In recent months, increased ICE activity in the Twin Cities created fear, uncertainty, and real concern for many in our community. For Wedge Community Co‑op, this moment required us to hold multiple responsibilities at once: staying true to our values, protecting staff, complying with the law, and keeping our business running to continue serving the community.

What follows is not a story about heroism. It’s an honest look at how those priorities came into tension - and what we learned by responding with preparation, clarity, and care.

Laying the Groundwork

In March 2025, Wedge partnered with an immigration attorney to develop a legally compliant ICE response policy. The policy was shared with all staff, not just managers, and all back‑of‑house spaces were clearly marked as employee‑only. This early preparation created clarity and shared understanding long before pressure mounted.

When ICE activity increased across Twin Cities businesses in fall 2025, we shifted into an escalation phase focused on repetition and communication. We re‑shared the policy, answered questions, and made adjustments as new scenarios came up. We learned that silence—even when nothing is actively happening—breeds anxiety. Clear, repeated communication helped steady staff during an uncertain time.

Full Activation During Operation Metro Surge

Everything changed with Operation Metro Surge, when we moved into full crisis response mode. That included daily leadership coordination, updated signage, detailed staff instructions, and close collaboration with other co‑ops and community partners. At this stage, leadership presence and consistency mattered more than perfect messaging.

Our immediate actions focused on three things: communication, visibility, and guardrails. For the first two weeks, leadership met daily. Store‑level huddles happened every day, and leaders were intentionally present on the sales floor. That visibility helped calm fears and stop rumors before they escalated.

We also made a deliberate decision to post signage stating that ICE and federal enforcement were not permitted in the store or parking lot. This served as both a legal boundary and a values statement—communicating solidarity without placing enforcement responsibility on frontline staff.

Protecting Staff Through Clear Boundaries

Staff instructions were very specific and reviewed by legal counsel. Some ideas that initially felt supportive actually created legal risk and were removed. Revising guidance quickly when confusion emerged helped protect employees from being placed in unsafe or impossible situations.

We also made targeted employee policy adjustments, including flexible time off, paid observer training, transportation support, paycheck advances, and time off for organized community actions. All of this was done in partnership with UFCW, which strengthened trust and alignment during an incredibly stressful moment.

Co‑operation Multiplies Impact

One of the most powerful elements of this response was collective action. Twin Cities co‑ops issued a joint statement and made a shared donation to The Advocates for Human Rights, amplifying impact beyond what any single organization could have done alone. We also closed in solidarity for the Day of Truth & Freedom, showing up alongside tens of thousands of community members despite extreme weather.

What We Learned

Preparation reduces panic. Clear guidance reduces fear. Leadership presence matters. Guardrails protect staff. And co‑operation amplifies impact.

This moment reminded us that keeping stores open, staffed, and stable is itself a form of community support - and that how we show up, especially in times of crisis, truly matters.