Fargo Residents Knit Red Hats to Protest ICE Operations

The red hats are a symbolic gesture against what some see as authoritarian immigration enforcement tactics.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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People in the Fargo-Moorhead area are knitting red hats to show their opposition to the tactics used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in conducting immigration enforcement operations. The red hats are a symbolic gesture, with the color and style being inspired by a similar protest against Nazi occupation in Norway during World War II.

Why it matters

The red hat protest is a grassroots effort to voice concerns about what some see as overly aggressive and inhumane immigration enforcement tactics by ICE, including the detention of individuals without due process. The comparison to Nazi occupation tactics is meant to highlight the perceived authoritarian nature of current ICE operations.

The details

Cheryl Rostad, who has been making the red hats, believes the way ICE is handling immigration enforcement in places like the Twin Cities is akin to an 'authoritarian occupation.' She argues that while those who have committed serious crimes like rape or murder deserve to be deported, many of those being arrested by ICE are being taken from their homes without due process. Ivan Thompson, who is part of the red hat movement, sees the hats as a way for people of color to know they have allies standing with them.

  • The red hat protest effort began in early 2026.

The players

Cheryl Rostad

A Fargo resident who has been making the red hats to protest ICE operations.

Ivan Thompson

A Fargo resident who is part of the red hat protest movement.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal agency responsible for immigration enforcement that has been the target of the red hat protest.

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What they’re saying

“They're rounding up people, they are taking them from their homes and they are sending them places that their families don't even know where they're going without due process.”

— Cheryl Rostad (am1100theflag.com)

“It signifies that it's not just small people being affected, a certain demographic being affected. We still want to show people that we are uniting, we are believing in each other.”

— Ivan Thompson (am1100theflag.com)

The takeaway

The red hat protest in Fargo-Moorhead is a symbolic gesture of solidarity and opposition to what some see as heavy-handed and inhumane immigration enforcement tactics by ICE. The comparison to Nazi occupation tactics is meant to highlight the perceived authoritarian nature of current operations, though the appropriateness of that comparison is debated.