REFRAMING AMERICA: How to Message the Occupation of Minnesota

EDITOR’S NOTE: This Substack “Reframing America” blog was shared by Pioneer columnist Jim Heffernan – “Here’s one of my favorites I thought was great.”

“One-pager” and more from Antonia Scatton and the Minnesota Messaging Group

By Antonia Scatton

Jan 26, 2026

Please use this document to craft your own messages.

Share this document as a whole or in part with attribution, or incorporate the recommended language into your own messaging. This language not only works for this moment, but is designed to evoke our underlying values and rights. What follows is a one pager, and then more detail for those who want to go deeper available on Substack.

One Pager – What to Say

The actions of the Trump administration violate the most sacred promise of our Constitution: that our freedom never be trampled by our own government.

The Trump administration is carrying out an illegal and unconstitutional military occupation of the state of Minnesota, in rural and urban communities alike. Trump is waging a campaign of terror and brutality to instill fear in all those who would stand up to him. He sought to make an example of Minnesota, and instead, the people of Minnesota are showing the world what standing up to tyranny looks like.

Federal agents with DHS and ICE have executed two American citizen legal observers, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Masked, poorly trained agents are stopping, assaulting, and abducting anyone they choose. They are using chemical weapons indiscriminately. People of color are afraid to go to work or school. Businesses are closed and medical facilities dangerously understaffed, especially in rural areas. No one should have to fear leaving their home.

ICE and DHS are violating our Constitutional rights to freedom of speech and to not be deprived of life or liberty without due process of law. We have the right to object to wrong-doing by our government, to not be stopped and questioned without cause, to not be searched or arrested without a warrant signed by a judge, and to legal representation and a fair hearing.

Constitutional rights apply to everyone in the United States, whether they are citizens, legal immigrants, those in the process of seeking asylum or legal status, visitors and even undocumented immigrants.

This is a political attack, both to take the heat off of Trump’s failure to release 99% of the Epstein files (despite being required to by bipartisan federal law) and to punish states that did not vote for him and compel their leaders to comply with illegal demands for private voter data and other unconstitutional violations of state authority.

What We Want

ICE and other federal immigration agents must cease operations now and leave Minnesota.
All incidents of illegal arrests and violent or lethal confrontation must be investigated.
Account for every person detained, assure that their rights are being respected and that they are being held under humane conditions.
Create clear and enforceable operating parameters that strictly limit use of force and require agents to operate within the bounds of the law and constitution.
Federal agents must not operate in any state, city or locality without the approval of local leadership and supervision by local law enforcement.
Federal funding for ICE should be frozen. If ICE will not operate within the law and the Constitution, it should be disbanded and replaced with law enforcement that will.

What NOT to Say

Do not repeat or spread their arguments, not even to debunk them. Their messaging is designed to sow doubt in the mind of the listener, even when you are making the case against what they are saying. Always write and speak from our perspective.

Do not accidentally expose people to our opponents’ framing. Our opponents try to associate us with negative concepts. When we put two ideas together in a sentence, a neural connection is made between them no matter what other words also appear in the sentence. For example: “Renee Good was not a paid agitator” is processed by the brain as: “Renee Good” plus “paid agitator.” Instead you could say: “Renee Good was a legal observer,” connecting the words “Renee Good” and “legal observer”. Become conscious of using the words “not” or “don’t”.
Talk about how you feel and don’t use jargon. Talk in clear everyday language. Talk about right and wrong, not policies.
Don’t label. Describe. Using labels like “fascism” tends to sound like name calling. It calls into question what you mean and what your motives are. It is always better to talk about what the person or group is doing. Then the listener is focused on judging their behavior, not yours.
Project the image of peaceful non-violence. This is messaging too. Throwing things makes us look violent to voters. Remember what Dr King taught us about making a stark contrast between our peaceful protesting and the violent cruelty of our opponents. DO NOT work against our goals.