Labor unions, faith leaders, community groups and activists in Minnesota have launched a campaign calling for a general strike on Friday, Jan. 23, urging residents to observe a day of “no work, no school, and no shopping” to pressure federal authorities to remove U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from the state.
The unprecedented mobilization follows intensifying tensions over a federal immigration enforcement operation in the Twin Cities and the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent earlier this month, a tragedy that has ignited widespread protests and calls for accountability.
At a Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, press conference held outside the Hennepin County Government Center, Auxiliary Minister JaNaé Bates Imari of St. Paul’s Camphor Memorial United Methodist Church called on Minnesotans to use their collective economic power to demand change.
“We are asking every single person, every family member, every teacher, every bus driver, every childcare worker, to come together, to be in community, to stand with one another,” Bates Imari said, framing the action as a Day of Truth and Freedom that rejects what organizers describe as “economic violence” inflicted by federal immigration enforcement.
Organizers say the strike is meant to send a clear message: ICE must leave Minnesota, justice must be delivered for Renee Good, and what they characterize as “ICE terror” must end.
A broad coalition has signed on, including major local labor unions such as Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1005, SEIU Local 26, UNITE HERE Local 17, CWA Local 7250, and the St. Paul Federation of Educators Local 28. Faith-based groups including Faith in Minnesota, have also endorsed the call for economic withdrawal.
Supporters argue the strike could unify workers, students, families and community members in a coordinated demonstration of resistance to federal policy, though some critics have raised concerns about the impact of a one-day stoppage on local businesses and workers who may lack protections if they participate.
In addition to the general strike, plans include a public march and rally in downtown Minneapolis on Jan. 23, where demonstrators will gather to amplify their demands.
The call for statewide action comes as local and state officials escalate their dispute with federal authorities, with Minnesota leaders pursuing legal challenges and intensified scrutiny of ICE’s expanded operations across the state.
