Thousands Brave Bitter Cold to Demand ICE Leave Minneapolis/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Tens of thousands of Minnesotans marched and rallied in subzero temperatures to protest the Trump administration’s ICE surge. Organizers declared a general strike as businesses shuttered, clergy were arrested, and calls grew for ICE to leave Minneapolis. The movement follows weeks of tension and outrage, including the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by ICE agents.
Minneapolis ICE Protests: Quick Looks
- Estimated 50,000 marchers defy -20°F wind chills to protest ICE presence.
- General strike led to widespread business closures across Minnesota.
- Target Center rally drew thousands, including religious, Indigenous, and labor leaders.
- Dozens of clergy arrested in peaceful protest at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport.
- Call for justice over ICE killing of U.S. citizen Renee Good.
- Faith in Minnesota and other organizers call for corporate accountability and ICE withdrawal.
- VP JD Vance urged calm but defended ICE operations during recent visit.
- Protestors decry what they call a “federal occupation” on Indigenous land.
- Large companies like Target, 3M, and UnitedHealth remain silent amid pressure.
Deep Look: Tens of Thousands Protest ICE Surge in Frozen Minneapolis Streets
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 23 — Undeterred by bone-chilling temperatures plunging below -20°F (-29°C), thousands of Minnesotans poured into the streets Friday in a massive protest against the Trump administration’s surge of immigration enforcement officers in the Twin Cities.
Dubbed the “ICE OUT!” general strike, the day of action culminated in a packed rally at the Target Center, where religious, Indigenous, and labor leaders took the stage to denounce what they described as a federal invasion on “unceded Dakota land.”
Organizers claim up to 50,000 protesters took part in the strike, which also led to the closure of hundreds of businesses across the state — from bakeries to bookstores. Reuters could not independently verify the attendance, and local law enforcement declined to provide an estimate.
“This is more than a protest. It’s a message — to ICE, to our politicians, and to our neighbors — that this community will not be silenced,” said Miguel Hernandez, a local baker who shuttered his shop, bundled up in layers, and joined the march.
Tensions Rising After ICE Killing
Protests have intensified since Renee Good, a U.S. citizen monitoring ICE activity, was fatally shot by an immigration officer earlier this month. Protesters and organizers are demanding full accountability for the shooting, which they call a defining moment in the ongoing immigration crisis.
During one emotional protest at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, dozens of clergy members knelt in prayer and song, blocking roads and demanding ICE’s withdrawal. Police responded with arrests, zip-tying over 100 clergy and loading them into buses. Many of them did not resist, opting for peaceful civil disobedience.
Faith-based groups like Faith in Minnesota highlighted ICE’s alleged detentions of airport workers, calling on airlines to publicly denounce the enforcement surge and stand in solidarity with local residents.
VP JD Vance Defends ICE Presence
Vice President JD Vance made a high-profile visit to Minneapolis the day before the protests, defending the federal deployment of 3,000 ICE agents and urging city officials to tone down the rhetoric.
Despite his appeal, the response from the streets was overwhelming — a wave of resistance stretching from downtown Minneapolis to suburban communities, amplified by faith leaders, labor activists, and immigrant families.
“This is not about politics anymore,” said Rachel Dionne-Thunder, vice president of the Indigenous Protector Movement. “This is about reclaiming our communities from an occupying force.”
Corporate Silence Draws Criticism
Minnesota’s biggest corporations — including Target, Best Buy, UnitedHealth, and 3M — have remained notably silent on the ICE operations unfolding in their own backyard.
Target Corporation, headquartered in Minneapolis, has come under increased scrutiny for retreating from its previous public commitments to diversity and equity. Calls are growing for these companies to issue statements or reveal protocols on how to protect employees from potential ICE encounters.
State lawmakers are pressing Target and others for transparency, especially following allegations that workers have been detained while on the job.
Comedian and activist Lizz Winstead, who hosted the rally, called out the silence from Fortune 500 firms: “When your neighbors are being detained, when children are being taken — your silence is complicity.”
The Bigger Picture
President Donald Trump, reelected in 2024 on a hardline immigration platform, has sent waves of federal officers into Democratic-run cities like Minneapolis, vowing to crack down on undocumented immigrants and criminal elements. But critics argue the surge has resulted in widespread civil rights violations, community trauma, and political overreach.
Among the stories fueling outrage:
- A U.S. citizen arrested in his underwear from his home;
- Children as young as 5 years old detained in public;
- The fatal shooting of an unarmed citizen monitoring ICE activity.
Democrats, advocacy groups, and community leaders argue that the crackdown is disproportionate, unconstitutional, and racially discriminatory.
Still, Trump’s administration maintains the deployment is lawful and necessary to enforce immigration statutes.
Looking Ahead
With tensions running high and winter deepening, Minneapolis has become a national flashpoint for immigration rights — and a litmus test for how communities respond to federal enforcement crackdowns.
As more protests are expected in the coming days, organizers vow they won’t back down.
“We’re not going anywhere,” said Jennifer Gutierrez, a clergy member who helped coordinate solidarity actions across states. “ICE can’t freeze us out.”
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