Minnesota Launches Mass Economic Strike Over Trump’s ICE Crackdown/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Hundreds of Minnesota businesses closed Friday in a statewide strike protesting Trump’s immigration enforcement surge. Activists, labor unions, and clergy organized the mass action as ICE agents fill Minneapolis streets. Protesters liken ICE presence to an invasion, sparking citywide marches, store closures, and faith-led resistance.
Minnesota’s ICE Protest – Quick Looks
- Over 700 businesses closed across Minnesota in a general strike
- Organized in protest of Trump’s immigration enforcement surge
- Labor unions, religious groups, and civil rights activists coordinated the day of action
- Flyers read: “ICE OUT! NO WORK. NO SCHOOL. NO SHOPPING.”
- A march in downtown Minneapolis planned for Friday afternoon
- Federal officers have used tear gas and flash-bangs on protesters
- Somali communities particularly affected by workforce and sales disruptions
- Vice President JD Vance urges calm, asks cities to cooperate
- Civil rights attorney and others arrested at earlier church protest
- Bitter cold: Wind chill hits -40°F during protest day
Deep Look: Minnesotans Launch Mass Strike to Protest Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 23, 2026) — In the heart of a bitterly cold Minnesota winter, hundreds of businesses across the state closed their doors Friday in a sweeping economic strike and day of protest against President Donald Trump’s surge of federal immigration agents in the Twin Cities.
The mass mobilization, organized by a coalition of labor unions, progressive civic groups, and religious leaders, marks the most coordinated resistance yet to the administration’s escalated immigration enforcement campaign — a campaign that has particularly targeted Minneapolis’ large Somali American population.
Flyers reading “ICE OUT! NO WORK. NO SCHOOL. NO SHOPPING.” hung on shuttered storefronts throughout the city. Activists say more than 700 businesses, from Grand Marais near the Canadian border to the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis, participated in the strike.
“We’re achieving something historic,” said Kate Havelin, of Indivisible Twin Cities.
“This is not just a protest — it’s a city-wide act of resistance.”
Daily ICE Presence Sparks Widespread Fear
The strike follows weeks of mounting tensions as federal agents flooded Minneapolis and St. Paul, resulting in daily clashes with protesters and immigrant communities. The situation escalated dramatically after Renee Good, a local resident, was fatally shot by an ICE officer on January 7.
Since then, residents have responded with relentless noise demonstrations, late-night whistles, and street protests — scenes met by agents deploying tear gas and flash-bang grenades.
The Trump administration claims ICE agents have faced harassment and obstruction, while critics describe the enforcement as militarized overreach.
Somali Communities, Businesses Hit Hard
As the crackdown intensifies, many Somali-owned businesses have seen sales plummet. Fear of detainment has kept workers and customers home, even before Friday’s coordinated shutdown.
“What’s happening with ICE in our community means we can’t do business as usual,” Havelin said.
“It’s like a snow emergency — everyone has to respond.”
Vice President Vance Visits Minneapolis Amid Unrest
Vice President JD Vance arrived in Minneapolis Thursday to meet with ICE officials and address the press.
He called for calm and cooperation, urging local leaders to “work with, not against” federal agencies. His visit comes amid growing concern that the unrest could spiral into wider conflict as protest actions continue.
Civil Disobedience, Arrests, and Interfaith Solidarity
Thursday also saw the arrest of a prominent civil rights lawyer and two others following a protest during a Sunday church service in St. Paul. They remain in federal custody.
Meanwhile, faith communities are mobilizing in growing numbers. A multifaith delegation of Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian clergy joined Friday’s march and planned prayer services and fasting in solidarity with immigrants.
“We want ICE out of Minnesota,” said Bishop Dwayne Royster of Faith in Action, a national progressive network.
“And we want them out of cities across the country where they’re abusing their authority.”
Royster said 50+ faith organizers joined the protest, some flying in from Los Angeles, where a similar ICE operation last year sparked protests and widespread fear.
“It was a harrowing experience,” recalled Rev. Jennifer Gutierrez.
“But we believe God is on the side of migrants.”
Bitter Cold Doesn’t Stop Protest Plans
Despite sub-zero temperatures and a wind chill near -40°F (-40°C), organizers moved forward with a planned march through downtown Minneapolis Friday afternoon.
While public schools in Minneapolis and St. Paul shifted to remote learning, others closed due to extreme weather. The University of Minnesota canceled in-person classes, though officials avoided linking closures to the protest.
Corporate Silence Amid Rising Pressure
Minnesota-based Fortune 500 companies — including Target, 3M, Best Buy, and General Mills — have largely stayed silent, drawing criticism from activists and lawmakers.
Target, headquartered in Minneapolis, faced particular backlash after backing away from diversity policies last year. Lawmakers have pressed the company to reveal what instructions, if any, it has given employees about handling ICE officers entering their stores.
Target declined to comment. Other major Minnesota firms — including UnitedHealth, Medtronic, Hormel, and Fastenal — also failed to respond to requests from Reuters.
The Movement Grows
With tensions mounting and national attention turning to Minnesota, organizers say Friday’s strike is just the beginning of a larger resistance movement.
“We will keep fighting,” said Havelin.
“Because what’s at stake here is not just immigration enforcement — it’s the soul of our communities.”
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