Hundreds of businesses in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have closed as anti-ICE demonstrators continue to demand that federal agencies leave the city as part of a massive economic protest dubbed “Truth and Freedom Day.”
Friday’s walkout included small businesses, unions, religious groups and educators across the city, and is the focus of aggressive action by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The call, organized by a coalition of community groups, also calls for a moratorium on consumer spending.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
“It’s time to suspend normal business order to demand an immediate end to ICE’s actions in Minnesota,” the group organizing the protest wrote on its website.
Solidarity marches are being held in cities across the country, including New York City, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, and Seattle.
At the Minneapolis protest, the group is also planning a march that will begin at 2pm local time (2pm Japan time) and end at the Target Center, an arena in downtown Minneapolis.
keep an eye on the target
The retail giant is particularly targeted by organizers because of its close ties to Minneapolis, where it is headquartered, and because it is the state’s fourth-largest employer.
The group is asking Target stores to invoke protections under the Fourth Amendment, which means federal agents have no legal authority to enter homes or businesses without a warrant signed by a judge.
In a document shared with organizers, the group pointed to two concerning incidents. One incident took place on January 8, when Customs and Border Protection officers aggressively pushed two Americans to the ground and then detained them as they worked at a store in Litchfield, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis, and the other occurred three days later in nearby St. Paul, where Customs and Border Protection Chief Greg Bovino entered the store with other agents.
“If Target leads, other companies will follow. Our state is under occupation by federal agents who are literally attacking Minnesotans inside Target stores. We need Target to stand with Minnesotans against these attacks,” the letter reads.
Target has remained silent about the protests and statements from its employees. According to Bloomberg News, the company sent a memo to employees warning them of the potential disruption.
The push by anti-ICE protesters is the latest in a wave of pushback against the retail giant by progressives over the past year. Calls for a boycott came after the company scaled back its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, which the company later attributed to a sales decline in early 2025.
The looming tensions have not affected Wall Street, with the company’s shares up 1.3% in midday trading.
Target did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
political response
“The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has taken countless dangerous illegal criminals off the streets, including rapists, murderers, robbers, and drunk drivers. Making America’s communities safer creates an environment in which all businesses can thrive in the long term and customers feel safe. Joe Biden and Democratic leaders should never have allowed countless dangerous illegal criminals into our country in the first place, and now the Trump administration is cleaning up the Democratic Party’s mess.” House of Representatives spokesperson Abigail Jackson told Al Jazeera in a statement.
Asked to respond to this reasoning and whether ICE intends to hold its law-breaking officers accountable, the White House declined further comment.
Allegations about the agency’s conduct have led to protests, including claims that ICE’s actions violate First and Fourth Amendment protections and intimidate protesters.
These include the shooting death of Renee Good, which has drawn scrutiny from civil liberties groups, and the Justice Department’s decision not to investigate the shooter, which has sparked further outrage. One of Economic Blackout’s demands is for Jonathan Ross, the investigator who shot and killed Renee Good, to be held accountable.
“I understand why people chose to participate in the January 23 power outage, and I support that decision. At the same time, our small businesses, particularly immigrant-owned businesses, are under tremendous pressure right now, and they could really use our support. No matter how you choose to participate, we ask that you keep your neighbors 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.
