Statewide Strike Encouraged in Minnesota in Response to Heavy Handed Immigration and Customs Enforcement Action

With federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents showing no signs of leaving Minnesota, local organizers want to display a strong sense of solidarity in condemning the heavy-handed tactics of ICE enforcement.

Major union partners are part of a push for a statewide strike planned for January 23rd, billed as a “Day of Truth and Freedom.” A delegation of labor offices is calling on people around the state to stay out of stores and, if they can, stay home from work or school on Friday.

Mirroring what community voices are saying, union leaders said people in targeted neighborhoods, including workers, are already being forced into hiding regardless of their immigration status.

Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation AFL-CIO, hopes fellow residents take a stand. “We need everyone to pay attention. We think that on January 23rd, if we all stand together in solidarity and mass mobilization, we can get the attention of the folks who need to step in and make this chaos stop.”

Federal officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, appeared on weekend national talk shows to defend ICE activity in Minnesota. But this month’s fatal shooting of Renee Good, along with social media videos showing aggressive ICE enforcement, are leading to more calls for the operation to end.

Glaubitz Gabiou noted they hope to send a message to political leaders and notable businesses with influence. Retail chains like Target face scrutiny for not being as vocal, even with some workers being detained while on the job.

Glaubitz Gabiou argued business leaders should not worry about retaliation from the Trump administration. While they are appealing to all elected officials, unions decry the federal government for reportedly investigating Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. Officials claim Walz and Frey are impeding the operation with their criticism of ICE activity.

Glaubitz Gabiou countered that false labels are being applied to the pushback, saying the reality is people are buying whistles to alert their neighbors and filming ICE arrests with their phones, noting it is rooted in peace, love and determination.

“It is true grit of the folks that are showing up,” Glaubitz Gabiou stressed. “The people who live in these neighborhoods – these are not paid protesters. We cannot understate enough the amount of community support and neighborhood support that has been built.”

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