'ICE Out of Minnesota' Protest Receives Support from Over 300 Businesses: 'No Work, No School, No Shopping'

The streets of the Twin Cities have transformed into a landscape of locked doors and handwritten signs as a historic economic blackout takes hold. On Friday, 23 January 2026, the 'ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom' brought daily commerce to a standstill across the state.

This collective action represents an unprecedented coalition of entrepreneurs, labour unions, and faith leaders to reclaim the state from ICE agents who have been patrolling the area and bringing terror to the residents.The residents in Minnesota are demanding the immediate withdrawal of federal immigration agents from the region following a surge in enforcement actions and community-wide trauma.

Hundreds of Businesses Close Down on Friday

Dozens of businesses, including restaurants, grocery co-ops, and yoga studios, have officially closed their doors for the day to support the call for sending the ICE agents out of the state. The protest's primary goal is to create a 'nonviolent pause for reflection' that compels both local and federal authorities to cease current immigration operations.

According to Bring Me the News, over 375 businesses have signed up to support the ICE Out of Minnesota protest. Participants have adopted the mantra of 'no work, no school, no shopping' to highlight the economic power of the immigrant community and their allies.

The promotions for the protest are already visible in the city. 'Everyone is welcome here, except I.C.E,' a door sign at Wrecktangle Pizza read.

Jeff Rogers, one of the owners of the pizzeria, confirmed that the pizza restaurant would be closed on Friday. He also said he would attend the protest.

'It's tearing our restaurant community apart ... everyone's seen all the evidence of all this bulls---. It's horrific and not something we condone,' he said (via NBC News).

Meanwhile, Vanessa Beardsley, owner of Catzen Coffee, had a different approach. She told Axios that instead of conducting regular business, they would keep their shop open to offer free drip coffee to anyone who would stop by.

'This is an opportunity for all of us - and when I say us, I mean our neighborhood, our city and our state - to stand together and show not only ourselves but everyone who's watching how much power the people really have,' she explained.

For many shop owners, the decision to close was financially significant, especially because Friday is one of the busiest nights of the week. They, however, believe in the power of economic protest.

'Unprecedented and Outrageous Attack'

Days before the economic blackout protest was announced, several residents had already complained about the surge of federal immigration agents in the state as they mourned for Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent on 7 January. Also, thousands of protesters have been arrested in the past weeks.

'There is an unprecedented and outrageous attack being waged against the people of Minnesota. I have never seen anything like it in my life,' said Kieran Knutson, the president of Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 7250 in Minneapolis. 'This is just an outrageous acceleration and escalation of violence toward working-class people.'

Joe Rogan likened the ICE raids in Minnesota to the Gestapo, the secret state police of Nazi Germany. The influential podcaster disapproved of the presence of the men in uniform roaming and 'snatching people up.'

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also admitted that he didn't see this coming -- that the city would be 'invaded by our own federal government.' He, however, stood firm that they would 'not be intimidated' by the federal government's actions.

Tragic Violence and the Arrests

The catalyst for this movement was the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. Witnesses and activists claim Good was attempting to drive away from the scene when she was killed, sparking nationwide outrage and subsequent vigils.

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, however, defended the ICE agent. Vance even claimed there would be no charges against Ross because he was protected by 'absolute immunity,' which seasoned lawyers disagreed.

Tensions further escalated following the non-stop arrests of individuals who supported the protests for Good. Rev Kenny Callaghan of All God's Children MCC was among those arrested by federal agents after he joined the crowd chanting 'We are not afraid.'

According to him, the officers held him at gun point and detained him inside an SUV. They repeatedly asked him, 'Are you afraid yet?' and his answer was always 'No, I am not.' Eventually the agents released him, telling him, 'Well, you're white, and you wouldn't be any fun anyway.'

'These ICE raids are really about fear and intimidation,' Callaghan said after the incident.