Thousands of Americans took to the streets across the United States on Friday to protest the presence of federal immigration agents in Minnesota, following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during operations known as Operation Metro Surge.
Protests spanned major cities, including Minneapolis, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C., where citizens, students, and workers staged walkouts, school closures, and business boycotts. Demonstrators rallied under the slogan: “No work. No school. No shopping. Stop funding ICE.” They demanded the withdrawal of federal immigration operations and reforms to U.S. immigration policy.
In Minneapolis, hundreds of protesters gathered in sub-freezing temperatures in the city center, calling for the removal of thousands of federal officers deployed to enforce immigration laws. The presence of these officers, including approximately 3,000 federal personnel—a force larger than the city’s police department—was authorized by President Donald Trump to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations.
While the White House defended the operations as necessary to enforce immigration laws, civil society groups and protesters condemned the tactics as aggressive and excessive, highlighting concerns over civil rights violations. Some demonstrations were met with police interventions to disperse crowds. Families of the victims and human rights activists called for accountability and justice.
The protests reflect growing tension over federal immigration enforcement, particularly as the Trump administration continues to prioritize aggressive deportation measures. Observers note that the nationwide demonstrations could influence the administration’s approach to immigration policy ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
