Hundreds of businesses are closing their doors in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in the midwestern United States, as anti-ICE protesters continue to call for the federal agency to leave the city as part of a large-scale economic protest that has been named The Day of Truth and Freedom.
Friday’s walkout includes small businesses, unions, faith groups, and educators across the city, which has become a focal point of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency’s aggressive actions. The call, organised by a coalition of community groups, also urges a suspension of consumer spending.
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“It is time to suspend the normal order of business to demand immediate cessation of ICE actions in MN,” the group organising the protest wrote on its website.
There are solidarity marches in cities across the US, including New York City, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, Seattle, among others.
At the Minneapolis protest, the group is also planning a march that begins at 2pm local time (20:00 GMT) and ends at the Target Center — an arena in downtown Minneapolis.
Eyes on Target
The big-box retailer, in particular, has been in the crosshairs of organisers because of the company’s close ties to Minneapolis, where its headquarters are located, and it is the state’s fourth-largest employer.
The group is calling for Target stores to exercise protections under the Fourth Amendment, which would mean federal agents do not have the legal authority to enter a residence or place of business without a warrant signed by a judge.
In a document shared with organisers, the group pointed to two incidents of concern. One on January 8, when Customs and Border Patrol aggressively forced two US citizens onto the ground and subsequently detained them while working at a store in Richfield, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, and another three days later in nearby St Paul, where Customs and Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino entered a store with other agents.
“Where Target leads, others follow. Our state is under occupation from federal agents, and they are attacking Minnesotans quite literally inside of Target stores. We need Target to stand with Minnesotans against these attacks,” the document said.
Target has been quiet about the protests and calls from its workers to take a stance. The company sent a memo to staff, according to Bloomberg News, warning of potential disruptions.
The pressure by anti-ICE protesters is the latest in a wave of pushback against the retail giant by progressives in the past year. There was a call for boycotts after the company rolled back its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, which the company later attributed to a reason for a downturn in sales in early 2025.
The looming tensions have not made a dent on Wall Street, as the company’s stock is up 1.3 percent in midday trading.
Target did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
The political response
“The Trump Administration’s immigration enforcement operations have resulted in countless dangerous criminal illegals being removed from the streets – including rapists, murderers, burglars, drunk drivers, and more. Making American communities safer will create an environment in which all businesses can thrive in the long term and their customers can feel safe. Joe Biden and Democrat leaders should’ve never let countless dangerous criminal illegals enter our country to begin with. And now the Trump Administration is cleaning up the Democrats’ mess,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Al Jazeera in a statement.
When pressed for a response to this reasoning and asked whether ICE would commit to holding accountable agents who break the law, the White House declined to provide additional comment.
The allegations concerning the agency’s conduct have led to the protests, including claims that ICE’s actions violated First and Fourth Amendment protections and threats towards protesters.
Among them are the fatal shooting of Renee Good, a case that has drawn scrutiny from civil liberties advocates, and the Department of Justice’s decision not to investigate the agent behind the shooting, which has invoked further outrage. One of the economic blackout’s calls is to hold Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot and killed Renee Good, legally accountable.
“I understand why people are choosing to participate in the January 23 blackout, and I support those decisions. At the same time, our small businesses, especially immigrant-owned businesses, are under a lot of pressure right now, and they could really use our support. However you choose to show up, I hope we keep our neighbours and local businesses in mind,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement provided to Al Jazeera.
Representatives for Governor Tim Walz did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
