Giant crowds collect downtown in subzero temperatures as lots of of Minnesota companies shut in a statewide “ICE Out” protest and strike towards federal immigration enforcement and the expanded ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 23, 2026.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
Giant crowds flooded downtown Minneapolis Friday afternoon, regardless of subzero temperatures, as a part of a march and rally to protest the biggest and most aggressive immigration enforcement operation introduced by the federal authorities to this point.
In coordination with the protests, companies throughout Minnesota – eating places, museums, ebook shops, espresso retailers – additionally shut their doorways for the day. Labor unions, religion leaders and group activists organized the financial blackout, known as “ICE Out of Minnesota: A Day of Fact and Freedom.” They’re encouraging folks within the state to remain dwelling from work and college, and to chorus from purchasing or eating out.
On the downtown rally, protesters – closely bundled towards the acute chilly – chanted “ICE out” and held indicators that learn “The North is stronger” and “Immigrants make America nice.”
1000’s of individuals marched downtown in sub-zero temperatures in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 23, 2026.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
Protesters maintain indicators demanding justice for Renee Good, who was killed by an ICE agent, and calling to cease ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 23, 2026.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
“There are people who find themselves scared to go exterior. And individuals who aren’t being focused, I really feel like there’s an obligation for these folks to face up for many who are being focused. So I am simply right here to indicate my assist for my neighbors,” Man Hammink, a St. Paul resident, advised NPR on the protest.
Friday morning, protesters additionally gathered on the Minneapolis-St. Paul Worldwide Airport, the place the Division of Homeland Safety has chartered flights of individuals detained within the state to detention facilities out of state. Clergy and group members sang hymns and prayed exterior the airport. Round 100 clergy had been arrested at that protest, organizers advised NPR. Airport Police mentioned these arrested had been issued misdemeanor citations for trespassing and failure to adjust to a peace officer, and had been launched.
Organizers of the protests and financial blackout are demanding that immigration officers go away the state; that Congress offers no extra funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE; that firms stop enterprise relations with ICE; and that Jonathan Ross, the ICE officer who killed Renee Macklin Good greater than two weeks in the past, be held legally accountable.
Past the actions right now, hundreds of individuals throughout the state have for weeks been coordinating an enormous community of group resistance towards the federal immigration enforcement marketing campaign.
Neighbors are delivering meals to folks too fearful to depart their houses; mother and father and group members are standing guard exterior faculties, daycares and immigrant-owned companies, and lots of of on a regular basis individuals are becoming a member of neighborhood chats to trace the actions of immigration officers. They typically then present up in protest — honking, whistling, yelling and filming — when federal brokers make arrests.
“We all know that ICE is coming to our city, so we have to prepare. We have discovered a lot from the folks of Minneapolis, actually. It has been superb,” Rev. Susanne Intriligator, a Unitarian Universalist, advised NPR on the downtown protest. She traveled to Minnesota from Massachusetts to attend a coaching held by organizers and to attend the protest.
Many individuals within the Twin Cities area and past have been residing in a state of concern and nervousness, as immigration officers escalate aggressive techniques towards Minnesotans. NPR reporters have witnessed immigration officers utilizing tear gasoline, flash bangs and pepper balls to disperse crowds, ramming into the automobile of a Latino U.S. citizen after which asking for his identification, and stopping and even detaining folks of shade, seemingly at random. There are actually as many as 3,000 federal immigration officers within the state.
“We’re in complete disaster right here in Minnesota with this ICE surge. 1000’s of brokers are terrorizing our communities, not simply Minneapolis, however throughout the state,” says Martha Bardwell, the lead pastor at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in South Minneapolis, who’s collaborating within the day’s occasions. “They’re tearing aside households. They are saying that they are right here to spherical up the worst of the worst, however we all know with our personal eyes that’s completely not true.”
Final week, a household attempting to drive round a tense protest was tear gassed, and their 6-month-old was hospitalized. This week, federal officers detained a 5-year-old boy and his father within the northern suburb of Columbia Heights.
Officers with the college district there say federal brokers used the kid as “bait” to attract relations out of the house. DHS officers confirmed the boy and his father are actually at a detention heart in Texas, although they declare the daddy fled and “deserted” his youngster throughout his apprehension. The household’s lawyer and witnesses have denied the federal government’s account.
Some U.S. Residents are additionally talking out about being stopped or detained by immigration brokers. Nasra Ahmed, a U.S. citizen and a Somali-American, was detained for 2 days, she advised reporters at a press convention Wednesday.
Members of the Get together for Socialism and Liberation, or PSL, had been among the many attendees at a rally in Minneapolis, Minn., Jan. 23, 2026.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
1000’s collect downtown for the protest and strike towards federal immigration enforcement and the expanded ICE operations in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jan. 23, 2026.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
“They had been simply utilizing loads of pressure to arrest me, and I used to be screaming, I used to be crying, I used to be so scared, I’ve by no means been arrested in my life,” Ahmed says.
Ahmed mentioned the federal officers arresting her made racist remarks throughout her arrest. Vice President JD Vance visited Minneapolis to indicate assist for ICE on Thursday, and advised reporters the federal government takes allegations of racial profiling critically. However Ahmed is hardly the one particular person with a narrative like that. This week, police leaders from three native companies advised reporters their very own off-duty officers had been racially profiled by federal brokers, who demanded to see their IDs. One of many officers mentioned the federal brokers had their weapons drawn.
Trump administration officers additionally appear to be taking a more durable stance on some protesters. Federal officers arrested three folks Thursday who had been concerned in a protest that disrupted a church service in St. Paul final Sunday, the place one of many pastors can be an area ICE official.
“For those who go and storm a church, for those who go to assault a federal regulation enforcement officer, we will attempt very exhausting, we will use each useful resource of the federal authorities to place you in jail,” Vice President Vance mentioned at a press convention Thursday.
Federal officers mentioned the three protesters had been arrested on prices associated to a conspiracy to deprive different folks of their rights. Vance drew a distinction between violent and nonviolent protests, however movies of the church protest present folks marching and chanting and don’t seem violent.
The Pentagon has additionally put a number of hundred navy troops on standby, in case President Trump invokes the Rebellion Act, which might give the president sweeping powers to deploy the navy right here with out the state’s consent.
This can be a growing story and could also be up to date.
