Target (TGT) Stock Faces New Boycott From 1.8M-Member Teachers Union Over ICE Response

TLDR

• The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) passed a resolution calling on its 1.8 million members to skip Target for back-to-school shopping
• The boycott is over Target’s response to ICE enforcement in Minneapolis, where two U.S. citizens were killed by federal agents
• CEO Michael Fiddelke co-signed a letter calling for “de-escalation” but did not name victims or call out federal agents directly
• Target earlier this month ended a separate yearlong boycott over DEI rollbacks, after making investments in Black businesses and HBCUs
• Target expects net sales to rise ~2% this fiscal year as part of its turnaround plan under new CEO Fiddelke

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Target (TGT) is navigating yet another reputational challenge as it tries to steady a business that has posted three straight years of sales declines.

Target Corporation, TGT

The American Federation of Teachers passed a resolution Thursday calling on its 1.8 million members to shop at local stores rather than Target for back-to-school supplies. The union’s complaint centers on Target’s response — or lack thereof — to aggressive federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis this winter.

During ICE operations in the Twin Cities, two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were shot and killed by federal agents. The AFT said Target failed to adequately address what it called an “occupation” of the city where the retailer is headquartered.

AFT President Randi Weingarten said the union sent a letter to Target and met with its staff before moving to pass the resolution. She said Target “could have very easily dealt with both” the DEI and immigration concerns and chose not to.

CEO Michael Fiddelke did co-sign a letter in late January alongside other Minnesota executives calling for “immediate de-escalation.” But the letter didn’t name the victims or call out the president, his immigration policies, or federal agents — a move Weingarten called “insulting.”

Fiddelke also shared a video message with employees acknowledging current events but stopped short of calling for ICE agents to leave or for accountability in the two deaths.

The AFT plans to push a similar boycott resolution at AFL-CIO’s summer convention in Minneapolis and at NAACP and LULAC conventions.

A Boycott Cycle That Won’t Quit

This is not Target’s first rodeo with organized consumer pressure. Last year, the retailer faced a major boycott — dubbed “Target Fast” — led by Atlanta-area pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant over its rollback of DEI programs.

That boycott formally ended earlier this month after Target made investments in Black businesses and donated to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Bryant acknowledged the “meaningful contributions” the company had made to the Black community.

But not everyone is satisfied. Former Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner and other activists say they’re still calling for shoppers to avoid Target. And now the AFT — which had supported the DEI boycott — has pivoted to a new cause.

Weingarten said the back-to-school season gives the union maximum financial leverage, and the timing of Thursday’s resolution gives Target “enough time to come back to its senses.”

Turnaround in Progress

New CEO Fiddelke laid out an ambitious plan at an investor meeting in Minneapolis earlier this month. The plan includes refreshing stores, improving merchandise, and cutting prices on more than 3,000 items.

Target also opened its 2,000th store and projects net sales growth of roughly 2% this fiscal year — with growth expected every quarter.

The company has attributed past sales losses partly to boycott backlash from the DEI decision, alongside merchandise missteps and softer consumer spending.

Target declined to comment on the AFT resolution specifically but pointed to its 5% profit donation commitment and a discount program for educators.

The AFT’s back-to-school push is timed to hit Target where it hurts most — the summer shopping season that typically drives a meaningful chunk of retail volume for the category.

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