Minnesota statewide strike, economic blackout to protest ICE on Friday

Thousands of union members, religious faithful and ordinary citizens are expected to participate in a massive statewide economic strike on Friday that organizers are hoping will bring an end to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Minnesota.

The event, called “A Day of Truth and Freedom,” is being organized by union representatives, faith leaders and community members. They are urging Minnesotans not to go to work, school or go shopping in response to the ongoing federal immigration enforcement surge in the state.

Officials from the Minnesota AFL-CIO, the state’s federation of more than 1,000 affiliated local unions, said Tuesday that they voted to endorse the event to protest “against ICE’s occupation of our communities and the unconstitutional detention of countless innocent Minnesotans, including a significant number of union members.”

“They are indiscriminately targeting Minnesotans of color, regardless of citizenship or immigration status,” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham said. “Many people are fearful of daily activities like going to work, shopping for groceries and sending their children to school.”

She said union members on Friday would join fellow Minnesotans “to call for ICE to leave our state, no additional funding for ICE, legal accountability for ICE’s killing of Renee Good and for Minnesota’s large corporations to stop cooperating with ICE.”

Good, 37, of Minneapolis, was fatally shot by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on Jan. 7. The shooting was recorded on several phones, including one held by Ross.

ICE enforcement in the state has intensified since the shooting, causing many workers to fear for their lives, said Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation of the AFL-CIO, which represents more than 175 local unions and 80,000 union members.

Some workers represented by the union have been detained or are afraid to go to work, Gabiou said at a press conference on Monday. “They’ve had to make gut-wrenching, life-altering choices about whether or not they’re going to go to work, so they can put food on the table, or whether they’re going to stay home, and stay safe, and stay alive,” she said.

Stores closing

Businesses and stores across the metro area have announced plans to be closed on Friday. Among them is Mississippi Market Co-op, which has three stores in St. Paul, joining forces with the two Wedge Community Co-ops in Minneapolis, Eastside Food Co-op in Minneapolis, the Seward Community Co-op locations in Minneapolis and River Market Co-op in Stillwater.

“As a cooperative, we believe our shared labor, time, and economic participation are powerful tools,” Mississippi Market officials wrote in a statement shared on social media. “This coordinated statewide pause reflects our commitment to democratic action, mutual responsibility, and concern for our communities. Acting together is one way we live our cooperative values. We stand with those calling for justice and demand ICE leave Minnesota now.”

Dozens of St. Paul restaurants and bars also are planning to close Friday in support of the strike, including 620 Club, the Black Hart of St. Paul, Caydence Records and Coffee, Claddagh Coffee, Emerald Lounge, Estelle, Hyacinth, J. Selby’s, Lost Fox, Marc Heu Patisserie, Mucci’s Italian, Quixotic Coffee and others.

Craft stores Wet Paint and the Yarnery also plan to close for the day.

Some businesses are modifying their approach: Catzen Coffee, on Grand Avenue in St. Paul, plans to pause its regular business model to open for the day as a community space with free drip coffee.

Dual Citizen Brewing will be open from 3-10 p.m. Friday to raise funds for Every Meal, a Roseville-based nonprofit working to ensure children have access to good food.

“We recognize the fear and uncertainty many families in our community are experiencing right now,” Dual Citizen officials said in a statement. “Instead of closing, we have decided to stay open and donate 100% of our revenue from the day to Every Meal. The increased presence of ICE has created fear and uncertainty within communities and schools, often preventing families and children from accessing essential resources like food. We believe this is a moment to come together as a community — to support one another, care for kids, and show up in a constructive and meaningful way.”

Holly Weinkauf, the owner of the Red Balloon Bookshop on Grand Avenue, called the decision to shutter her shop on Friday “complex.”

“The biggest thing for us is wanting to be in solidarity with our community, with our neighbors who are being significantly impacted.”

Weinkauf said her employees were unanimous in their support of the closure. “Everyone felt that this was the best way to show up for our community,” she said. “They felt strongly that, whether they were paid or not, we should be closed. I made the choice that people will be paid for that day.”

The whole situation already is taking a financial toll on the Twin Cities, she said, but she thinks Friday’s strike will send a message if enough people participate.

“I do struggle with the financial impact to our cities that are already struggling with so much,” Weinkauf said. “It is important. It is beyond not normal.”

“We need to suspend the normal order of business and demand the immediate end of ICE actions in our state,” said Lisa Erbes, a co-leader for Indivisible Twin Cities, which is helping organize the event. “We demand that the federal agents who have caused loss of life and abuse to many Minnesota residents be held accountable, and we call for Congress to intervene immediately.”

ICE activity is “violating the constitutional and human rights of Americans and our neighbors,” Erbes said, and businesses must “do their part in getting ICE out of Minnesota.”

Somali business owners were planning their own news conference Wednesday in Minneapolis to endorse the Friday shutdown.

Reflection, prayer, solidarity

Clergy from around the country are expected to come to Minnesota on Friday to participate in the economic strike.

Asad Zaman, executive director and imam with the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, spoke at a press conference Tuesday morning at Redeemer Lutheran Church in St. Paul that was organized by St. Paul-based nonprofit ISAIAH.

“Over the last few weeks, Minnesotans have witnessed scenes we imagined do not happen in our country,” Zaman said. “We have witnessed elderly people dragged out of their homes in their underwear. We have witnessed workers being assaulted and kidnapped when they are at work trying to take the garbage out. We have witnessed people being beaten up for the simple act of videotaping and photographing activities. And we have witnessed a mother being murdered moments after she dropped off her child,” in reference to Good.

While the “heavy-handed tactics” appear to be designed to spread fear, Minnesotans “have responded with calm … and peaceful protests, and we intend to continue to do so,” he said.

Clergy are asking for Friday to be a “day of reflection, of prayer, of invocation, and a day of solidarity,” he said. “We ask for all Minnesotans to stay home or to protest peacefully as they are called to do so. We call upon all employers to take the day off so the people can spend a day in solidarity and in quiet prayer and reflection.”

The Minnesota Nurses Association supports participation in the economic strike, but is not calling for a work stoppage or walkout.

“Nurses hold a unique and essential role as caregivers and patient advocates, and MNA encourages members to honor the no-strike provisions of their contracts and report to work as scheduled,” officials said in a statement. “Continuing to provide care is not an absence from this moment — it is an act of solidarity. By showing up for patients while standing together, nurses are protecting Minnesota’s most vulnerable community members in the ways only nurses can.”

The union represents nurses and health care workers, including many who are immigrants or have immigrant loved ones directly impacted by ICE enforcement, officials said.

The University of St. Thomas will continue with normal operations on Friday “to serve its students,” according to a statement from the university. “However, employees who wish to participate in this, or any other peaceful demonstration, can work with their managers and request time off to attend.”

Hamline University will be open and holding classes as scheduled on Friday. A spokesman for Macalester College in St. Paul declined to comment.

A rally, march — and plea

“A Day of Truth and Freedom” will culminate in a 2 p.m. rally and march through downtown Minneapolis. The rally will start at the Commons, at 425 Portland Ave. S., organizers say.

While the work stoppage will be hard on small businesses, business owners “recognize that this is an emergency,” said Kate Havelin, a spokeswoman for Indivisible Twin Cities. “We have to stop ICE. This is an emergency, and we have to deal with it.”

Organizers of the economic strike are particularly calling on officials at Target, Home Depot, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Hilton and Delta Airlines to “speak out and demand ICE leave Minnesota,” according to Havelin.

Two employees who were working at the Target in Richfield were arrested inside the store by ICE agents. Both young men were U.S. citizens, she said, and Target officials did not intervene.

“Target and other businesses could post signs saying ICE is not allowed in unless they have a signed warrant,” Havelin said. “There is something businesses can do to protect their workers and to protect their customers because when you are letting ICE wander into your store or hang out or stage in your parking lot, you are not protecting your staff, and you’re not protecting your customers. And that doesn’t seem like good business sense.”

Target officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jared Kaufman contributed to this report.