Stolen Neighbors: 11,000-Patch Quilt Honors Immigrants Detained or Missing in Minnesota
On September 22, a seven-meter quilt named Stolen Neighbors was revealed at the Minnesota State Capitol. This quilt, composed of around 11,000 fabric squares, represents individuals who have been detained or gone missing during ICE operations. Over a span of five months, more than 100 volunteers, under the guidance of the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC), crafted the quilt following Operation Metro Surge, which involved upwards of 3,000 police and ICE personnel. Activists reported three shootings, resulting in the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. The quilt draws from protest traditions and features contributions from multiple states. During its unveiling, activists called on Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to halt police cooperation with ICE, with potential for project expansion as new cases emerge.
Key facts
- A seven-meter quilt titled Stolen Neighbors was presented on September 22 at the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda.
- The work consists of approximately 11,000 fabric squares, each associated with a person detained or disappeared in ICE operations in Minnesota.
- More than one hundred volunteers created the quilt over five months, organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).
- The project followed Operation Metro Surge, which deployed over 3,000 police officers and ICE agents in Minnesota.
- Activists say three people were shot by agents, including Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, killed during Minneapolis protests; Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was wounded in the leg and survived.
- Owen Lubozynski conceived the quilt, which references the AIDS Memorial Quilt and the American tradition of protest quilts.
- Panels arrived from Nebraska, Montana, California, South Carolina, Washington, and Florida, with the Minnesota Textile Center as collection point.
- A July workshop with Art Buddies at Whittier International Elementary School involved children and teenagers; some squares honor specific individuals like Victor Manual Diaz, while others carry only labels such as Mother, Daughter, Son, and Father.
- During the Capitol action, activists called on Governor Tim Walz to issue an executive order blocking state police collaboration with ICE.
Entities
Artists
- Owen Lubozynski
- Renee Nicole Good
- Alex Pretti
- Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis
- Victor Manual Diaz
- Tim Walz
- Donald Trump
Institutions
- Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC)
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
- Hyperallergic
- Art Buddies
- Whittier International Elementary School
- Minnesota Textile Center
- Minnesota State Capitol
- Dasartes
- Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- PBS NewsHour
Locations
- Minnesota
- United States
- Minneapolis
- Twin Cities
- Nebraska
- Montana
- California
- South Carolina
- Washington
- Florida
- Texas
- Venezuela