Medium Shuts Down Friday in Solidarity with ICE Strike; Homan Vows Continued Minneapolis Operations Despite Criticism
Medium paused operations Friday as CEO Tony Stubblebine empowered employees to participate in a nationwide general strike protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), according to BREAKING: TechCrunch. This decision highlighted the intersection of tech culture and social activism, with Medium ensuring business continuity while allowing individual employee choice in engaging with the strike's goals. The shutdown coincided with ongoing controversy surrounding ICE operations in Minneapolis, where President Trump's "border czar," Tom Homan, vowed to continue making arrests despite mounting public outcry.
Homan, a former acting head of ICE, was hastily sent to Minnesota on Monday night for emergency meetings with local officials, according to Time. He told reporters in Minneapolis on Thursday that immigration agents would continue their work, stating, "We are not going to surrender our mission at all, we're just going to do it smarter." This announcement came after public outcry over two fatal shootings in Minneapolis at the hands of federal immigration officials, evidence of indiscriminate stops of U.S. citizens, and widespread allegations of unconstitutional search and seizure violations, according to Time.
The situation in Minnesota has also drawn criticism from Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, who accused President Trump of using "hateful rhetoric" against her and suggested he has made her a target for other attacks, according to Time. "What the facts have shown, since Ive gotten into elected office, is that every time the President of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket," Omar said on Wednesday, according to Time. She added, "I wouldn’t be where I am at today, having to pay for security, having the government to think about providing me security, if Donald Trump wasnt in office and if he wasnt so obsessed with me."
Meanwhile, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has faced increasing scrutiny, with some critics dubbing her "ICE Barbie," according to Vox. Even some Republicans have begun calling for her resignation, according to Vox.
The ICE strike and the controversy surrounding operations in Minneapolis occurred amidst broader concerns about climate change impacting polar bear populations in Norway, according to Vox.
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