Teachers’ Union Calls for Back-to-School Boycott of Target Over Immigration Enforcement Response
A major teachers’ union is urging its members to avoid shopping at Target for back-to-school supplies, marking a new chapter in ongoing activism against the retailer. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), which represents 1.8 million members, passed a resolution on Thursday citing Target’s insufficient response to a surge in federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis last winter that resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
Resolution Targets Minneapolis Immigration Raid Response
The AFT, affiliated with the AFL-CIO, plans to advocate for similar resolutions at the AFL-CIO convention in Minneapolis this summer and at gatherings of other groups, including the NAACP and LULAC. AFT President Randi Weingarten stated the union had previously engaged with Target, sending a letter and meeting with staff, but felt the company did not adequately address the community impact of the ICE operation in its hometown.
“Target was negotiating with our colleagues in the civil rights community for weeks and weeks and weeks,” Weingarten said in an interview. “They could have very easily dealt with both [concerns about DEI and immigration enforcement] and they chose not to.” She characterized the retailer as being “more worried about standing with the Trump administration than the communities that made them a profitable company.”
Target’s Turnaround Plan Faces New Headwinds
The boycott call arrives as Target is actively working to reverse a three-year streak of annual sales declines. New CEO Michael Fiddelke presented an ambitious strategy in early March to refresh stores, improve merchandise, and return to growth, projecting a roughly 2% net sales increase for the current fiscal year with growth expected every quarter.
Target has pointed to backlash over its rollback of major diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives as one factor in its sales slump, alongside merchandising missteps and weaker store experiences. The company recently highlighted the conclusion of a yearlong “Target Fast” boycott led by Atlanta pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant, who cited Target’s subsequent investments in Black businesses and Historically Black Colleges and Universities as reasons to end the protest. However, other activists, including former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner, continue to urge shoppers to avoid the retailer.
In a statement to CNBC, Target did not directly address the AFT resolution but reiterated its “longstanding commitment to strengthening the communities we serve,” noting its policy of donating 5% of profits and offering educator discounts. The company has also emphasized ongoing conversations with boycott organizers.
CEO’s Measured Response to Minneapolis Incident
Following the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti during the January ICE operation, Target’s CEO Fiddelke co-signed a letter with other Minnesota corporate executives calling for “immediate de-escalation.” However, the letter did not name the victims, specify the incident, or critique federal immigration policies or agents. Fiddelke also shared an internal video acknowledging the events but stopped short of calling for ICE’s removal or demanding accountability.
Weingarten dismissed the executives’ letter as “insulting” and “basically blamed both sides.” The AFT believes its back-to-school boycott, timed for the critical summer and fall shopping season, can exert significant financial pressure. “By passing the resolution now,” Weingarten said, “we can get the word out to members and give Target enough time to come back to its senses.”
Context: A History of Activist Pressure
The AFT previously supported the DEI-related boycott, demonstrating the union’s willingness to leverage its collective economic influence. Target’s leadership acknowledges the challenge of rebuilding trust. In a recent email to employees, Fiddelke noted progress, citing the end of the Target Fast boycott and stating that organizers had “acknowledged the meaningful contributions Target has made.” The company is also cutting prices on thousands of items and recently opened its 2,000th store.
The union’s new resolution adds another layer to Target’s complex path to recovery, testing whether its community investments and strategic shifts can outweigh activist concerns over its perceived political stance on immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
