12 Protocols for Surviving Trump's Paramilitary Occupation
The Old Rules For Resisting No Longer Apply
And So It Begins
Federal law enforcement has crossed a threshold in Minnesota, transforming the Twin Cities into a theater of paramilitary operations.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot dead by federal agents this past Saturday while trying to assist a woman who had been pepper-sprayed. His killing follows the death of Renee Nicole Good, another U.S. citizen killed by ICE agents less than three weeks ago.
These are not isolated tragedies. They are the calculated outcomes of “Operation Metro Surge,” a deployment that has flooded Minneapolis with 3,000 federal agents—including snipers and tactical teams—who operate with near-total impunity.
Minneapolis is the laboratory. The rest of America is the control group. Operation Metro Surge is not merely a crackdown on one city; it is a proof-of-concept for a much wider campaign of federal dominance.
The tactics being refined in the Twin Cities - the suspension of due process, the use of lethal force, and the weaponization of immigration law against dissenters - are designed to be exported.
Understanding what is happening here is no longer just a local necessity; it is a national survival imperative.
The Strategy of Tension
The administration’s goal is to provoke a reaction that justifies a wider crackdown. Tom Homan, the “border czar” currently overseeing operations in Minnesota, and DHS officials have branded victims like Pretti as “domestic terrorists” without evidence, using the violence they instigated to argue for more force.
Engaging them in the streets plays into this strategy. They want confrontation. They want chaos. They want a reason to invoke the Insurrection Act.
Our response must be disciplined evasion and survival. We cannot fight tanks with stones, and we cannot win a legal battle from inside a black site if no one knows we are there.
The following protocols are designed to keep you free, safe, and capable of resisting another day.
12 Protocols for Survival in 2026
These actions are not theoretical; they are drawn from the hard-learned lessons of those currently surviving the occupation and are designed to mitigate specific surveillance and tactical threats.
1. The Gray Man Protocol
Invisibility is your best armor. The “Gray Man” concept dictates that you must blend completely into the baseline of your environment. Do not wear political slogans, bright colors, or “tactical” clothing that marks you as the opposition or a combatant.
Cover distinct tattoos. If you are near a zone of federal activity, you should look like a bored commuter or a tired shopper. Agents are looking for outliers; do not be one.
2. The Digital Faraday Shield
Your phone is a tracking beacon. ICE and CBP utilize “Stingray” devices (IMSI catchers) to harvest identity data from every mobile device in a geofenced area. Airplane mode is often insufficient.
If you must travel through an area with federal agents, your phone should be powered off and placed in a Faraday bag - a shielded pouch that blocks all radio signals.
If you do not have one, wrap the phone in multiple layers of aluminum foil. Deny them the digital evidence of your presence.
3. Biometric Lockout
Federal agents can physically force your thumb onto a scanner or hold a phone up to your face to unlock it. They cannot legally force you to divulge a passcode without a court order.
Disable FaceID and TouchID immediately. Set a strong, 6-digit (or longer) alphanumeric passcode. This converts the contents of your phone from physical evidence (which they can seize) into testimonial evidence (which is protected by the Fifth Amendment).
4. The Signal Standard
Standard SMS and phone calls are insecure and easily intercepted. Move all sensitive communication to Signal. Enable “Disappearing Messages” for all chats, setting them to expire after 1 hour or 24 hours. This ensures that even if your device (or your friend’s device) is seized later, the conversation history has already evaporated. Never discuss immigration status or location details on an open line.
5. The Judicial Warrant Rule
Federal agents rely on fear to bypass the Fourth Amendment. They often bang on doors shouting “Police!” to trick residents into opening up. Do not open your door.
ICE agents rarely have a “judicial warrant” signed by a judge; they usually carry “administrative warrants” signed by their own supervisors, which do not grant them legal authority to enter a private home without consent.
Talk through the closed door. Ask them to slide the warrant under the door. If it is not signed by a judge, do not open it.
6. The Safety Pod
Isolation is dangerous. Form a “Safety Pod” of 3 to 5 trusted people. Share your location only with this group. If you must go out, tell your pod where you are going and when you will be back.
If you are detained, these are the people who will notice your silence and activate your support network. Do not rely on loose acquaintances; rely on people who have agreed to be responsible for your safety.
7. The Dead Man’s Switch
Establish a check-in protocol with your pod. If you are in a high-risk area, agree to text a specific emoji every hour.
If you miss a check-in and cannot be reached within 15 minutes, your pod immediately assumes you have been detained and begins calling the legal hotlines and jails.
Speed is critical. The toddler in Minnesota was flown to Texas within hours; a delayed reaction can mean a loved one is moved out of state before a lawyer can intervene.
8. Legal Armor (The G-28)
Prepare for the worst while you are free. If you are a non-citizen or a high-risk activist, have a signed Form G-28 (Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney) on file with a trusted lawyer or legal aid organization.
This document authorizes a lawyer to represent you immediately upon detention. Carry the phone number of a rapid response legal fund written on your arm in permanent marker. Agents will take your phone; they cannot easily erase your skin.
9. Tactical Evasion
Distance is victory. If you see federal agents or unmarked vans, retreat to a safe distance. Do not stay to film from a short distance. Do not shout at them.
The arrest of a grandfather in his underwear proves that proximity alone is enough to trigger a violent detention. If you witness an arrest, film from a safe distance or a concealed location, but prioritize your own escape.
You cannot help the resistance movement if you are in a cage.
10. The Non-Citizen Firewall
Undocumented individuals and visa holders face existential risks. Do not carry documents from your country of origin (like a foreign passport), as this facilitates immediate deportation.
Carry a “Know Your Rights” card that states you are exercising your right to remain silent. If stopped, present only state-issued ID if available, or no ID. Assert your rights verbally but do not physically resist. Silence is your only safe harbor.
11. Biological Defense
Chemical weapons like tear gas are now standard. Do not wear oil-based lotions, sunscreens, or makeup, as they trap chemicals against the skin.
Do not wear contact lenses, which can trap gas and permanently damage your eyes. If exposed, rinse eyes only with water—never milk or baking soda solutions, which can lead to infection.
12. The Metadata Scrub
Before posting any photos or videos, you must remove the metadata (EXIF data) that reveals the time, date, and GPS coordinates of the image. Federal agencies scrape social media to identify participants.
Use a metadata removal tool or, more simply, take a screenshot of your photo and post the screenshot. Blur the faces of all fellow activists to prevent facial recognition software from building a dossier on your community.
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Conclusion: The Light Through the Cracks
Authoritarianism relies on the illusion of total control, but these crackdowns reveal the administration’s fear, not its strength. They are deploying snipers and kidnapping toddlers because they are terrified of a populace that refuses to break.
Every time you evade a checkpoint, every time you protect a neighbor with a safety pod, and every time you deny them the violence they crave, you are winning.
We are building something stronger than their fear: a community that cannot be shattered. The winter in Minnesota is cold, but our solidarity is an unquenchable fire. Stay safe, stay hidden, and hold the line. We will outlast them.
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Thank you for writing this for all of the protesters
Excellent info. Thank you for your time and effort to put it together!