Tens of thousands marched in Minneapolis on Jan. 23 despite subzero temperatures to demand that ICE end its intensified operations in the state. Organizers estimated up to 50,000 participants, many of whom later gathered at the Target Center, and numerous businesses closed in solidarity. Dozens of clergy who knelt and prayed at Minneapolis–Saint Paul Airport were arrested — organizers said about 100 were detained — while leaders demanded accountability for the shooting of Renee Good and criticized corporate silence.
Tens of Thousands Brave Subzero Cold in Minneapolis Demanding ICE Withdrawal
People take part in a rally on the day of a general strike to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement officers on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans
MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 23 — Tens of thousands of demonstrators braved subzero temperatures to march through Minneapolis on Friday, demanding an end to intensified federal immigration enforcement in the city as part of a broader “ICE OUT!” action organizers described as a general strike.
A community member wears a gas mask amid tear gas, as federal immigration agents conduct immigration enforcement tasks in south Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Seth Herald
What Happened
Organizers estimated as many as 50,000 people participated in the day of protests, though Reuters could not independently verify that figure and Minneapolis police did not provide a crowd estimate. The day began with temperatures near minus 20°F (about minus 29°C). Many marchers later moved indoors to the Target Center, a sports arena with a 20,000-person capacity that appeared more than half full.
A police officer detains a protester, during a rally on the day of a general strike to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement officers on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans
Demonstrators and organizers said scores of businesses across Minnesota closed so employees could attend street protests and marches. The events followed weeks of sometimes confrontational clashes between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and residents opposing the federal deployment.
People take part in a rally on the day of a general strike to protest U.S. President Donald Trump's deployment of thousands of immigration enforcement officers on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans
Airport Action and Arrests
In one of the most dramatic scenes, dozens of clergy knelt, sang hymns and prayed on a roadway at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to call for the withdrawal of roughly 3,000 federal law-enforcement officers sent to the area. Local police ordered the group to clear the road; officers later arrested and zip-tied many of the protesters — who did not resist — and loaded them onto buses. Reuters observed dozens of arrests, and organizers said about 100 clergy members were detained.
Grace Sontra, a barista, volunteers at Native-owned coffee shop Pow Wow Grounds while it is closed for business but open to community members, during a statewide pause in daily economic activity to protest the U.S. government's surge in immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. The coffee shop has acted as a resource hub coordinated by the Indigenous Protector Movement for donations and community care as ICE operations have escalated. REUTERS/Erica Dischino
Faith in Minnesota, a nonprofit advocacy group that helped organize the protests, said the clergy were also highlighting cases of airport and airline workers detained by ICE while on the job and urged airlines to call for an immediate end to the surge.
Grace Sontra, a barista, volunteers at Native-owned coffee shop Pow Wow Grounds while it is closed for business but open to community members, during a statewide pause in daily economic activity to protest the U.S. government's surge in immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 23, 2026. The coffee shop has acted as a resource hub coordinated by the Indigenous Protector Movement for donations and community care as ICE operations have escalated. REUTERS/Erica Dischino
Key Demands and Voices
Protest leaders called for ICE to withdraw from Minnesota and for legal accountability after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a U.S. citizen who organizers said was monitoring ICE activity from her car when she was shot earlier this month. Organizers urged investigations and accountability for the officer involved.
Volunteers bring in donations to Native-owned coffee shop Pow Wow Grounds while it is closed for business but open to the community, during a statewide pause in daily economic activity to protest the U.S. government's surge in immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., on January 23, 2026. The coffee shop has acted as a resource hub coordinated by the Indigenous Protector Movement for donations and community care as ICE operations have escalated. REUTERS/Erica Dischino
“Make no mistake, we are facing a full federal occupation by the United States government through the arm of ICE on unceded Dakota land,” Rachel Dionne-Thunder, vice president of the Indigenous Protector Movement, told the crowd at the Target Center.
Lizz Winstead, the event host and comedian, criticized ICE practices and corporate silence: “We’ve seen an agency that seems to have no guardrails, as they have caused this pain and suffering all across Minnesota.”
Political and Corporate Context
One day earlier, Vice President JD Vance visited Minneapolis to express support for ICE officers and urged local leaders and activists to reduce tensions, saying ICE was fulfilling an important role in detaining immigration violators. The aggressive deployment of federal law-enforcement into Democratic-led cities has deepened political polarization, particularly after several high-profile incidents cited by protesters, including the shooting of Renee Good and accounts of U.S. citizens and children being detained.
Organizers and participants criticized major Minnesota companies for not speaking out. Minneapolis-based Target — which has faced scrutiny over its corporate positions in recent years — declined to comment when contacted. Reuters also reached out to several other Minnesota-headquartered firms, including UnitedHealth, Medtronic, Abbott Laboratories, Best Buy, Hormel, General Mills, 3M and Fastenal; none immediately responded.
Community Response
Local business owners such as Miguel Hernandez of Lito’s Bakery closed for the day and joined the protests despite the extreme cold, saying their participation signaled solidarity with those affected by the raids and a call for elected officials to take substantive action.
The protests demonstrated a broad coalition of indigenous, religious, labor and community groups demanding a withdrawal of federal officers, thorough investigations into alleged abuses, and greater protections for immigrant and worker rights in Minnesota.
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