Minnesotans will observe a “Day of Truth and Freedom” on Friday, January 23, as hundreds of places of worship, businesses, and labor unions unite in protest against federal immigration enforcement operations in the state.
The day of action includes a rally and march scheduled for 2 p.m. in downtown Minneapolis. Organizers are asking residents not to go to work, attend school, or make purchases as a form of nonviolent moral action.
Minister JaNaé Bates Imari, co-executive director of the St. Paul-based nonprofit Isaiah, addressed federal agents at a news conference Tuesday. “ICE, you may go in peace. You surely couldn’t stay in peace, and so we are asking that you leave in peace,” she said.
Faith leaders announced Tuesday that hundreds of Minnesota places of worship will participate in the shutdown. Several unions have joined the effort, including the St. Paul Federation of Educators, Minneapolis Federation of Educators, Unite Here Local 17, SEIU Local 26, and the transit union ATU.
Numerous restaurants and local businesses have already announced closures for Friday. Organizers are encouraging residents to fast and pray if they are able.
The protests stem from tensions that have escalated since January 7, when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a poet and mother of three, while she was observing federal agents in her Minneapolis neighborhood. A week later, another federal agent shot a Venezuelan immigrant in the leg.
The Department of Homeland Security reports that approximately 3,000 federal immigration officers have been deployed to Minnesota as part of what officials call “Operation Metro Surge.” Federal agents have used tear gas, pepper spray, and flash bangs during recent confrontations with protesters.
Demonstrations have occurred daily in Minneapolis since the shooting, with thousands participating in rallies across the city. Saturday’s protest, which began at Powderhorn Park and ended at the site where Good was killed, drew large crowds despite frigid temperatures and snow flurries. Minneapolis police reported no arrests during that demonstration.
The growing momentum builds on organizing networks established during the 2020 protests following George Floyd’s death. Student walkouts have occurred at Roosevelt High School, where ICE agents have reportedly used gas on students and teachers.
A federal judge in Minnesota on Friday barred immigration agents from arresting or detaining peaceful protesters and individuals observing ICE activities. The injunction also prohibits the use of pepper spray and other crowd-control munitions against peaceful demonstrators.
Chicago Teachers Union Vice President Jackson Potter, speaking for the national May Day Strong Coalition, indicated that other cities may follow Minnesota’s example. “The way things are going, we will have no choice but to emulate this fearless example as a nation on May 1st,” he said.
President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy military forces to Minneapolis. In response, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a warning order directing National Guard units to stage across Minneapolis and surrounding areas. Walz stated that Minnesota did not request federal troops and emphasized that any Guard deployment would operate strictly under state control.
The Pentagon has placed 1,500 active duty soldiers on standby for Minnesota, though Walz has made clear the staging does not signal support for federal immigration enforcement but ensures the state retains authority over crowd management.
Events leading up to Friday’s action include “Taco Tuesday,” encouraging residents to eat at local, immigrant-owned restaurants.
