Bruce Springsteen’s Moving “Streets of Minneapolis” Video Brings Together Footage Showing ICE Aggression in a striking new lyric video that blends music, protest, and raw emotion. Released just a day after he publicly criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in his latest song, the visual amplifies the message behind “Streets of Minneapolis” with unfiltered scenes from the city’s ongoing demonstrations.
The video, shared on Thursday (Jan. 29), cuts between intense studio footage of Springsteen recording the track and real-life moments unfolding on the snowy streets of Minneapolis. Viewers see crowds of residents marching, holding signs demanding ICE leave the city, alongside disturbing clips of officers forcefully confronting protesters. The contrast between the Boss’s impassioned performance and the unrest on the ground gives the song an added layer of urgency and gravity.
Lyrically, Springsteen doesn’t hold back. He calls out what he sees as injustice and systemic abuse, singing lines that question the morality of enforcement practices and highlight the fear faced by communities of color. The chorus echoes the chants heard in the streets, reinforcing the idea that even amid shattered glass and visible pain, the city’s spirit refuses to break.
Springsteen’s stance places him among a growing list of artists speaking out against ICE following national outrage over two fatal shootings in Minnesota earlier this month. In January, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed Renee Good, followed weeks later by another officer fatally shooting Alex Pretti. While the Trump administration has defended both incidents as acts of self-defense, eyewitness videos have fueled public skepticism and intensified protests nationwide.
The rock legend addressed the situation directly during a Jan. 17 concert in New Jersey, delivering a fiery speech that drew loud reactions from the crowd. He condemned what he described as militarized federal forces operating within American cities and urged fans to speak out. Quoting Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Springsteen bluntly declared that ICE should leave the city.
“Streets of Minneapolis” now stands as one of the most overtly political songs in Springsteen’s storied career. In a statement accompanying its release, he explained that the track was born out of his response to what he called “state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis.”
With its fusion of protest footage and soulful performance, the lyric video doesn’t just accompany the song—it deepens its impact, turning it into a visual document of resistance and solidarity.
