'ICE Out' strike and nationwide protests planned across US
On Saturday, a broader mobilisation titled the “ICE Out of Everywhere National Day of Action” will take place, coordinated by the national grassroots organisation 50501
A wave of strikes and mass demonstrations against US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to sweep across the United States on 30 and 31 January, as grassroots organisers mobilise against immigration enforcement practices and alleged abuses in communities nationwide.
According to a report by The Guardian, the two-day action follows the deaths of at least eight people linked to ICE operations since the beginning of the year, including the widely publicised killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Activists are demanding the permanent removal of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from towns and cities across the country.
The first phase of the action, scheduled for Friday, has been framed as a "national shutdown" by organisers led by student groups at the University of Minnesota. The call urges people to halt work, education, and consumer activity under the slogan: "No work. No school. No shopping. Stop funding ICE." The move, described online as a "blackout" or "general strike", is intended to disrupt economic activity in protest of federal immigration enforcement.
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On Saturday, a broader mobilisation titled the "ICE Out of Everywhere National Day of Action" will take place, coordinated by the national grassroots organisation 50501. The protests are expected to include rallies, demonstrations, and vigils across all 50 states and Washington DC.
Organisers say the actions are aimed at seeking justice for individuals detained by ICE and those who have died during enforcement operations or while in custody. Among the cases cited are the death of 55-year-old Cuban immigrant Geraldo Lunas Campos at an ICE facility in El Paso, Texas, on 3 January; the detention of five-year-old Liam Ramos in Minnesota while returning home from school; and the fatal shooting of 43-year-old Keith Porter Jr in Los Angeles on New Year's Eve.
Public anger has intensified following video footage of the killings of Good and Pretti in Minneapolis earlier this month. Recent polling by YouGov indicates growing opposition to ICE, with more Americans now supporting abolition than opposing it.
"We are responding to people's outrage. We've seen the Overton window shifting," said Gloriann Sahay, a national coordinator with 50501. "We're seeing people from typically non-political spectrums get involved in this conversation and say: 'This doesn't feel like America.'"
The planned protests build on last weekend's mass mobilisation in Minneapolis, where hundreds of businesses closed, and thousands joined a general strike on 23 January to oppose a surge in local immigration enforcement.
The campaign has also gained momentum online, with widespread social media engagement and endorsements from public figures. Singer Ariana Grande shared an infographic about the strike on Instagram, while actor Pedro Pascal posted drawings of Good and Pretti with the caption: "Pretti Good reason for a national strike."
On Friday, student-led walkouts are expected across Minnesota, organised by groups including the Somali Student Association, Black Student Union and Graduate Labor Union at the University of Minnesota. Calling on students nationwide to join, the groups stated online: "Students are always at the heart of movements for justice across the world. We demand ICE out for good!"
Saturday's demonstrations will expand to ICE detention centres, field offices, and airports, targeting airlines accused of transporting ICE detainees, including Global Crossing Airlines and World Atlantic Airlines. Protests are also planned outside the offices of members of Congress who support ICE.
Organisers have further signalled plans to challenge Democratic lawmakers who have voted to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or to expand ICE's authority. They say they are tracking immigration-related votes and intend to back primary challengers against what they describe as "pro-ICE" incumbents.
Calls are also growing for Congress to block DHS funding until ICE is dismantled and to pass legislation ending federal cooperation with local law enforcement agencies. Earlier this week, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans to accept restrictions on ICE operations, including mandatory body cameras and a ban on face coverings, before approving DHS funding to avert a partial government shutdown.
In Florida, activists plan to continue vigils and protests at immigration detention facilities, including the Alligator Alcatraz centre in south Florida, and at the Sarasota school board, following the adoption of a resolution supporting cooperation with ICE.
"Rapid response is not new to Florida," said Sarah Parker, a Tampa-based national coordinator with 50501. "We have the infrastructure, we have the will, and we are not giving up."
Beyond street protests, 50501 has launched pressure campaigns targeting what it calls the support systems behind immigration enforcement. One initiative, "No Housing for ICE", urges hotels to stop accommodating ICE, CBP and DHS agents, encouraging demonstrations, boycotts and online campaigns against participating businesses.
Another campaign, "#DontServeICE", aims to persuade local businesses to refuse service to ICE agents through consumer boycotts and public pressure. Organisers are also urging chambers of commerce and business associations to adopt non-cooperation pledges.
In Washington DC, the advocacy group Free DC plans protests at all Target stores on 31 January, following the detention of Target employees by ICE earlier this month in Minnesota. Activists have renewed calls for a boycott of the retailer.
Organisers say the protests reflect a broader national struggle over immigration enforcement, police accountability and federal authority in local communities. Demonstrations against ICE have intensified over the past year, with rallies, marches, sit-ins and strikes reported in major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and Portland, as well as in smaller cities nationwide.
Saturday's National Day of Action is not expected to mark the end of the campaign. Organisers say further actions are planned, including participation in an "Impeach Trump National Day of Lobbying" on 17 February.
"The temperature has drastically changed," Sahay said. "It has increased from a burning fire to an inferno and I hope that people who have never taken up the call before come out for their neighbors and for the fabric of America."
