No work, no school, no shopping: ‘ICE Out’ protest calls for nationwide strike across US

Hundreds of protesters are expected to take to the streets across the United States from Friday to demonstrate against the recent actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The protests follow at least eight deaths linked to encounters with ICE agents since the start of the year, including those of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. The incidents have triggered nationwide outrage and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement.

Student organisers in Minnesota have called for walkouts and demonstrations across the country, demanding that federal immigration agents withdraw from the state. The call comes after large-scale protests last week in Minneapolis, where thousands marched against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.

‘ICE Out’ national shutdown

Under the banner “ICE Out,” protesters are planning demonstrations on January 30 and 31 across the country, calling for the permanent removal of ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from American communities. The protests are backed by several civil rights and student groups.

Organisers, led by student groups at the University of Minnesota, have called for a “national shutdown” on Friday. Their campaign urges people to refrain from work, school, and shopping, with the slogan: “No work. No school. No shopping. Stop funding ICE.”

According to organisers, protests are planned at around 250 locations across 46 states, including major cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

In a statement on their website, organisers said the country was “shocked and outraged” by the deaths of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, Silverio Villegas González, and Keith Porter Jr., accusing federal agents of using excessive force and spreading fear in immigrant communities.

Protesters’ demands

Protesters are demanding justice for those detained by ICE and for people who have died in custody or during enforcement actions.

On Friday, student groups in Minnesota will lead walkouts, encouraging similar actions nationwide. On Saturday, organisers plan an “ICE Out of Everywhere National Day of Action,” featuring protests, demonstrations, and vigils in all 50 states and Washington, DC.

Trump’s response

Amid growing protests, President Donald Trump said he wanted to “de-escalate” tensions and appointed border chief Tom Homan to oversee the situation in Minneapolis. Homan has indicated that some federal agents could be withdrawn from the city after weeks of unrest.

However, Trump described Alex Pretti as an “agitator” and “perhaps an insurrectionist” in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Following Pretti’s death, the two agents involved in the shooting were placed on leave. The killings of Pretti and Good sparked widespread public anger and intensified calls for accountability.

Public opinion and political response

A recent YouGov poll shows that opposition to ICE has increased in recent weeks. More Americans now say they support abolishing the agency than oppose it. A majority of respondents said ICE’s tactics are too aggressive, while around half strongly disapprove of how it operates.

Democrats have also taken a tougher stance, demanding changes to Department of Homeland Security funding to impose stricter limits on immigration enforcement agencies.

Meanwhile, LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman has urged leaders in the technology sector to speak out against what he called the Trump administration’s “excesses,” following the recent killings that have drawn global attention.