‘No work, no school’: Minneapolis anti-ICE rally sees thousands take to streets in 10°F cold

WASHINGTON, DC: Thousands of protesters gathered in Minneapolis on Friday, January 30, to oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and federal immigration policies.

People skipped work and students left school classes to take to the streets in the twin cities despite the biting winter temperatures of 10°F.

Other major cities across the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, also saw citizens come out to protest as part of a coordinated national day of action sparked by public outrage over the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renée Good by federal immigration agents during operations in Minneapolis earlier this month.

Minneapolis protests focus on federal enforcement presence

Demonstrations took place in cold conditions in downtown Minneapolis, where thousands marched and rallied in opposition to “Operation Metro Surge”.

This federal immigration crackdown deployed thousands of armed agents to the Twin Cities. Officials have called it a targeted enforcement surge, but that statementn has doen little to allay public anger and fear.

Protesters talked about real fear spreading in immigrant neighborhoods, especially after some recent shootings involving federal agents. 

Organizers, too, said turnout reflected growing frustration over what they described as aggressive enforcement tactics and a lack of transparency.

They promoted the events as a “national shutdown,” encouraging people to skip work, school, and shopping as a form of protest.

Carrying signs reading “ICE Out” and “Protect Immigrant Communities,” marchers gathered near government buildings and moved through major streets under police supervision.

Marches were largely peaceful and drew participation from labor groups, immigrant rights organizations, students and faith leaders.

In several locations, students walked out of classes, while unions and advocacy groups held rallies near federal buildings.

New York protests say no to ICE

Demonstrations were also organized in other US cities, including Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and Portland, Maine.

Thousands chanted and marched in New York City on Friday to protest the Trump administration’s escalating mass deportation campaign.

“Abolish ICE!” and “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA!” the crowds chanted. They also chanted, “Chinga la migra” – which is a colloquial way of saying “f*** immigration enforcement” in Spanish.

The demonstration in New York was part of a nationwide day of action advocating for “no work, no school, no shopping” to protest the Trump administration’s brutal immigration crackdowns.

Brad Lander, a congressional candidate and former New York City comptroller who unsuccessfully ran for mayor, said, people in Minneapolis “are heartbroken – and they are enraged”.

Young people and students led many of the chants on Friday, January 30.

John Eddy, a student from Las Vegas, came to the anti-ICE protest after refusing to attend class all day.

“We’re students – we took the full day off of school,” Eddy said. “We haven’t been to any classes at all. We are out here.”

Photographs from the demonstrations showed large crowds, including families and young people, holding banners and flags.

In some cities, speakers addressed the crowd with calls for immigration reform, reduced funding for ICE, and expanded protections for undocumented immigrants.

These protests came after the Department of Justice announced a civil rights probe into the shooting death of Minneapolis resident and ICU nurse Alex Pretti but not of Renee Macklin Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on January 7.