Minneapolis 'ICE Out' Friday: Businesses Close and Volunteers Mobilize After Fatal Shooting

MINNEAPOLIS — Despite a forecast of sub‑freezing temperatures, residents and business owners across Minneapolis are preparing for an "ICE Out" day of protest on Friday, urging people to skip work, school and shopping in response to recent immigration enforcement activity and the shooting death of Renee Nicole Good.

Business Closures and Local Response

Several neighborhood businesses — including Wrecktangle Pizza and Beckett's sports bar — announced they will close for the day to join the coordinated action. Window posters and signs near the University of Minnesota and in the LynLake area advertise a march and rally and inform patrons that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents are not welcome inside without a valid judicial warrant.

Signs posted at businesses in Minneapolis, Minn., on Wednesday. (Suzanne Gamboa / NBC News)(Suzanne Gamboa)

"This is a bigger thing than the weather," said Larry Weiss, a retired resident who patrols his block. "They are trying to break us and we are not going to be broken."

Background: The Shooting and Federal Activity

The protest movement gained momentum in the three weeks since 37‑year‑old U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer. Federal officials — including Border Patrol commander‑at‑large Greg Bovino and ICE's Marcos Charles — said at a news conference that more than 3,000 arrests have been made in the Minneapolis region since last month and that the operations included "some of the most dangerous offenders." Officials described the agents' conduct as "professional" and "lawful."

U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and protesters near Roosevelt High School, in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 7. (Kerem Yucel / AFP - Getty Images)(Kerem Yucel)

Community Monitoring and Rapid Response

Residents have been keeping watch for federal enforcement activity despite bitter cold. Volunteer networks described by organizers as "dispatch" groups have grown rapidly; thousands of volunteers act as rapid responders to document arrests, and volunteer medics and chaplains patrol neighborhoods where ICE operations occur to assist anyone affected by crowd‑control measures.

Relief and Mutual Aid Efforts

Sergio Amezcua, pastor of Dios Habla Hoy church in Minneapolis, has been overseeing a collection and distribution of food to families, many of them immigrants. (Suzanne Gamboa / NBC News)(Suzanne Gamboa)

Local organizations and businesses are mobilizing relief operations similar to disaster responses. Wrecktangle Pizza said it shortened hours to prepare frozen pizzas and meal kits for immigrant families and announced on social media that it had raised about $200,000 to support nonprofits and continue distributions. At Dios Habla Hoy church in south Minneapolis, Pastor Sergio Amezcua coordinates roughly 4,000 volunteers; the church says it delivered food boxes to about 1,500 families in six hours and distributes about 100 tons of food weekly.

Voices From the Community

Community members described a mix of fear, resolve and solidarity. Some business owners have locked doors to offer safe spaces for students and residents. Singing groups and other peaceful gatherings have taken place at the site where Good died as neighbors seek to honor her memory and support those who feel unable to leave their homes.

Boxes prepared for delivery to families at the Dios Habla Hoy church. (Suzanne Gamboa / NBC News)(Suzanne Gamboa)

Looking Ahead

Friday's "ICE Out" seeks to draw attention to local concerns over immigration enforcement, to show solidarity with immigrant communities, and to pressure officials for accountability. Organizers emphasize peaceful protest while community groups continue relief work to support residents who say they fear leaving home.

This article was adapted from reporting originally published on NBCNews.com.