Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Minneapolis despite freezing temperatures to protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in the city. The demonstration, dubbed a general strike by organizers, saw an estimated 50,000 participants, according to organizers, while official crowd estimates were unavailable.
The protest included workers from various businesses across Minnesota, with some closing for the day to join the marches against the recent actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The demonstration followed a series of conflicts between ICE agents and protesters critical of Trump’s immigration enforcement strategy.
Vice-President JD Vance visited Minneapolis the day before to express support for ICE officers and urge local leaders and activists to ease tensions. In a notable protest, clergy members were arrested at the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport as they called for the withdrawal of federal law enforcement officers deployed to the area.
Among the demands of the protesters was accountability for the ICE agent responsible for the shooting death of U.S. citizen Renee Good during an ICE activity monitoring incident. The clergy members, who were arrested for refusing to clear the road, also highlighted the detention of airport and airline workers by ICE during work.
The protest, organized by Faith in Minnesota, aimed to draw attention to the increasing federal presence in the state through ICE operations. Various community leaders, including Indigenous representatives, called for a thorough investigation into Good’s shooting and the withdrawal of ICE from the region.
The deployment of federal law enforcement officers by Trump has intensified political divisions in the country, particularly following incidents involving U.S. citizens being detained by ICE. The protest received support from local businesses and community members, emphasizing the need for solidarity and proactive action from political leaders.
Despite the significant impact of the protest, major Minnesota corporations, including Target, have not publicly addressed the immigration raids or ICE activities. Lawmakers have pressured companies like Target for transparency on their response protocols if confronted by ICE officers at their establishments, with little response from the corporations. The silence of these corporations on the matter has drawn criticism from protest organizers and community advocates.
