A typical day turned into something straight out of an action movie for a man in Minneapolis, Minnesota who had to hide his Korean colleague in a freezer from ICE agents who came to raid their workplace without a warrant.
The heroic man recounted the event in a TikTok video. “I almost got killed by ICE tonight,” the man started. He noted that he worked at a Korean bakery where he was one of the only two white people working there. The man added that they had already closed the bakery and were cleaning up when they heard a loud bang on the door. “I turned around to see two completely masked men banging on the door. They were wearing the signature ‘ICE look’, if you know what I mean,” he said.
The man explained that he already knew what the men were there for, and he was certain everybody in the building was documented, “but who brings documents with them to work? Nobody, nobody does that. Not even United States-born citizens.” Without wasting any time, he and the other white person hid the Korean ladies in freezers, “World War 2 style,” the man recalled. He shared that he approached the door while the other white person was on the phone with the police. He asked the agents if they had the warrants, and they literally told him that they “didn’t care and didn’t need that.”
The heroic man shared that he told the agents that he would not let them in, mainly due to the recent happenings in the Midwest. “It’s getting really bad. People are being killed for recording ICE agents now,” he stated. Then one of the agents took out their handgun and pointed it at him. He then told the agents that if he actually did shoot him in front of the other White person, on camera, with the police on the way, his life was definitely over. All the while, all that was running through the TikToker’s mind was, “Oh my God, I’m going to die.”
The man explained that the police finally got to the scene, and the agents left. He and the other person had to go in to give their statements. He added that he was still trying to process the entire encounter.
“If you’re in any major metro area or in the Midwest, end of story, and you’re working or living in a place with immigrants, you’re not free from ICE,” he concluded. Many netizens admired the man’s bravery, while others were shaken by what had become of the country.
“I’m glad you’re ok. I have no words. Hiding people in freezers is Anne Frank vibes,” one noted. “A young man working at a restaurant shouldn’t have to be a hero, but you’re one. You did the right thing,” another said. “This is what white people need to do. We need to be helpers. Thank you for sharing and helping. Stay safe,” one TikToker wrote. “Breathe. You are a Jedi. If you had reacted in any other way, most likely it would have been bad. Everything you did was out of instinct,” someone else said. “Thank you for sharing this and protecting your coworkers. I can’t imagine how scary this must’ve been. This is so dystopian,” another noted.
Many other users applauded the man’s actions.
“Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Not just for using your witness and privilege the way that all white people should be doing right now, but for simply acting the way Good people should,” one wrote. “What a hero without a cape. You thought of your other people, and you put yourself at risk. I am in see, and you never should have been in the position,” another noted.
Some people lamented, “Aren’t you only supposed to point your weapon at someone if like… there’s some kind of reason to? Aren’t there any policies about this???” Another chimed in, “This is America. Can’t believe it.”
