Masses turn out in solidarity with Minneapolis

The workers, youth and communities of Minneapolis shut the city down on Jan. 23. What’s more, this was no ordinary economic strike. The shutdown — no work, no school, no shopping — was a political response to the terrorist thugs of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) who invaded Minneapolis under the orders of President Donald Trump in early December and who killed Renee Good on Jan. 7.

This powerful political strike brought 50,000 people out in the streets — on a workday and in subzero temperatures! The historic action had the official backing of many unions in Minneapolis. Pro-immigrant clergy shut down the city’s airport.

Minneapolis strike: Big step forward in class struggle

This marks a big step forward in the class struggle. It takes place a few months before the 20th anniversary of May Day 2006, a historic strike which brought out 10 million immigrants and defeated the xenophobic Sensenbrenner Bill in Congress. But this time workers of every nationality, gender, age and immigration status marched together.

Solidarity actions took place around the U.S. in hundreds of cities. While “ICE out!” was the official slogan of many protests, “Abolish ICE!” signs and leaflets were well-received.

Unmoved, ICE agents murdered another immigrant rights activist in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 — Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse who worked at the Veterans Administration and was a member of American Federation of Government Employees. This execution led to spontaneous actions on the same day in Minneapolis and across the country despite below freezing conditions. Protests against ICE are continuing on a daily basis.

Unions out in Boston

Despite freezing temperatures, over 1,000 protesters answered the Greater Boston Labor Council’s (GBLC) call to rally on Jan. 23 in solidarity with that day’s general strike in Minneapolis. The action took place outside of the Target store at Dorchester’s South Bay Mall and demanded an end to the torture, kidnapping and murder unleashed by ICE. 

A coalition of dozens of Boston unions and local community groups  — including UNITE HERE! Local 26; SEIU Locals 1199 and 32BJ; Massachusetts Federation of Teachers and Boston Teachers Union; Painters District 35;  Massachusetts Nurses Association; Clean Water Action; and Community Labor United – organized the action.  

The rally was chaired by members of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of Massachusetts. Speakers and signs demanded an end to ICE activity from Boston to Minneapolis, in solidarity with the millions of people who have taken to the streets since the Jan. 7 ICE murder of Renee Good.  Hundreds of Minneapolis businesses closed in protest. (workers.org/2026/01/90275/)

Friday’s Day of Solidarity came in response to “Operation Metro Surge,” the Trump administration’s latest terror campaign, which continues to target Indigenous and migrant communities. On Jan. 24, a Border Patrol agent murdered another civilian, Alex Pretti.

In response to Pretti’s killing, hundreds of people have already mobilized and more protests will take place across the country. As part of “Metro Surge,” ICE is intensifying its crackdown in Lewiston, Maine –– home to a large Somali community.  Boston organizers are preparing for a new round of ICE raids locally. 

“We’re Brown, Black, white, poor, rich, and they came to our streets to make us feel like we don’t belong there,” said Alica Lopez, co-leader of Mujeres Victoriosas, which has been protecting undocumented migrants in New Bedford, Massachusetts. “But we belong there because we make those streets. Those streets belong to us.” (wgbh.org, Jan. 23) 

After the program, demonstrators picketed Target — whose corporate headquarters is in Minneapolis — while a delegation led by Darlene Lombos, president of GBLC, went inside the store to demand management stop cooperating with ICE. Abetted by corporate bosses, ICE agents have staked out undocumented employees and day laborers looking for work outside Target and Home Depot outlets. 

Significant delegations of socialist organizations joined the action. Activists from Democratic Socialists of America, Party for Socialism and Liberation and Workers World Party led the picketers on bullhorns chanting: “ICE out now!” and “Hey hey, ho ho, these ICE operations have got to go!” Chants, signs and banners demanding “Abolish ICE!” were the most popular. 

As they left, demonstrators vowed to keep coming back to defend migrant workers and communities from ICE terror. 

New Yorkers chant: ‘No justice, no peace, ICE off our streets!’

Thousands of people marched in New York City on Jan. 23 as part of nationwide protests in solidarity with Minneapolis, as its residents fiercely fight the kidnapping of immigrants and escalating violence by ICE agents. Behind lead banners demanding “ICE Out for Good!” and “Stop Disappearing Our Neighbors,” protesters chanted “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” and “No justice, no peace, we want ICE off our streets!” 

The protest targeted Amazon and Palantir, whose web services and systems are used by ICE to target immigrants, and The Home Depot, which has allowed ICE to conduct raids in its parking lots. Numerous union and community organizations participated in this massive march from Union Square to Madison Square Park. 

A Workers World Party contingent carried signs declaring “Abolish ICE!” and “End Occupations from Minneapolis to Palestine!” that were well received by the crowd. Many eagerly took the latest issue of Workers World newspaper with the headline “When people are occupied, resistance is justified!” and an article about Minneapolis unity vs ICE terror.

‘ICE out of Philly too!’

Over 500 people turned out Jan. 23 at Philadelphia City Hall to show their solidarity with the Minneapolis ICE Out demonstration of 50,000 people, and to say “ICE Out of Philly too!” After a short rally, people took to the streets with “F-ck ICE” and “Union Members Against ICE” banners at the front. 

The march ended at the 12-story, 628-cell Federal Detention Center at 700 Arch St., where ICE has an agreement to use 125 beds to house kidnapped male migrant workers before they are sent to the 1,875-bed Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center, a private facility in Philipsburg, Pennsylvania, owned by the GEO Group. The final rally speakers said how important it is that workers, especially those in unions, organize resistance to government policies that target our migrant neighbors.

As Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spoke inside Philadelphia’s Central Library on Jan. 24, over 150 people protested outside. 

Speakers repeatedly asked participants to call Gov. Shapiro at (717) 787-2500 or text (717) 788-8990 and ask him to end state collaboration with ICE and take proactive action to protect immigrant communities.

Now is the time for Shapiro to use his power to take administrative action – ending database access for ICE, ending collaboration between the State Department of Corrections and ICE, strengthening the state trooper policy against working with ICE, protecting information on public benefit programs from ICE, prohibiting immigration enforcement arrests in state facilities, and prohibiting leasing state facilities to ICE. Shapiro could also allow Pennsylvania departments to offer support for the “drivers licenses for all” campaign (House Bill 1518).

Cleveland: student walkouts; Seattle activists oppose ICE

Cleveland activists demonstrated on Jan. 23 outside a Hilton hotel to protest the hotel chain’s practice of housing ICE agents. A Hilton hotel in Minneapolis had its franchise cancelled when it refused to rent rooms to members of ICE. Protesters carried signs and a large banner reading “ICE sleeps with Hilton.”

Earlier in the week students in multiple Cleveland public schools and at Case Western Reserve University walked out of classes to protest ICE.

Over 1,000 people marched against ICE violence on Jan. 24 in Seattle, condemning the brutal murder of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. People also marched in solidarity with the Minneapolis general strike. The protest was called by Freedom Road Socialist Organization and other groups.

Will Hodgkinson, Jim McMahan, Joe Piette and Brenda Ryan contributed to this article.