January 30, 2026 protests against ICE
Part of the protests against mass deportation during the second Trump administration
ICE Out protest in Durham, North Carolina on January 30, 2026.
Date January 30, 2026[1]
Location
USA
Caused by
  • Killing of Renée Good
  • Killing of Alex Pretti
  • Killing of Silverio Villegas González[2]
  • Killing of Keith Porter[2]
  • Deportations in the second Trump administration
  • Operation Metro Surge
Goals
  • Arrest of Jonathan Ross and those involved in the Killing of Alex Pretti
  • Defunding or the abolition of ICE
  • End of ICE operations in Minnesota and immediate Withdrawal of ICE from Minnesota
  • Expanded protections for international and immigrant students
Methods General strike, demonstrations, walkouts, business closures
Status Concluded
  • Failure to achieve any of the strike's goals
Concessions None
Parties

Protesters and strikers:

  • Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation[3]
  • AFSCME Local 3800[4]
  • A.N.S.W.E.R.[5]
  • CodePink[6]
  • Council on American-Islamic Relations[6]
  • Defend Immigrant Families Campaign[6]
  • Democratic Socialists of America[5]
  • Los Angeles Tenants Union[6]
  • New York State Nurses Association[7]
  • North Carolina Poor People's Campaign[6]
  • North Texas Area Labor Federation[6]
  • Palestinian Youth Movement[6]
  • Party for Socialism and Liberation[8][5]
  • UMN Graduate Labor Union[4]
  • University of Minnesota Student Government[4]
  • Federal Government
    • Department of Homeland Security
      • Customs and Border Protection
        • Border Patrol
      • Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Lead figures
  • Donald Trump
  • J.D. Vance
  • Kristi Noem
  • Troy Edgar
  • Todd Lyons
  • Charles Wall

The January 30, 2026 protests against ICE, also known as the National Shutdown or ICE Out,[9][2] was a protest which took place across the United States on January 30, 2026, in opposition to expanded federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and the Donald Trump administration's mass deportation policies.[10][11][12]

There was intended to be a labor stoppage on that same day—the stoppage never materialized to any significant extent.[13]

Background

Main articles: Killing of Renée Good, Killing of Alex Pretti, and Deportation in the second Trump administration

On January 23, 2026, the 2026 Minnesota general strike took place in opposition to Operation Metro Surge and in protest of the lack of investigation or prosecution of ICE agents involved in the Killing of Renée Good on January 7, 2026. Despite the strike, the Federal Government did not meet the demands of the strikers and protesters. The following day, January 24, 2026, Alex Pretti was killed after being shot multiple times by Customs and Border Protection Agents.[14][15]

Organization

An anti-ICE sign in Los Angeles featuring a frog

On January 26, 2026, University of Minnesota Student Unions called for a second general strike on January 30, 2026.[16][17] This was in response to the killing of Alex Pretti on January 24, 2026, and the general strike in Minneapolis.[18] On January 27, 2026, it was announced the event would be called the 'National Shutdown'.[5] The organizing coalition comprises the UMN Graduate Labor Union, AFSCME Local 3800, the Black Student Union, and the University of Minnesota's Student Government, among others. The organizers stated their demands are as follows:

  • The immediate withdrawal of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection from Minnesota.
  • Criminal prosecution and legal accountability for officers involved in the deaths of Good and Pretti.
  • An end to what organizers describe as institutional neutrality, with expanded protections for international and immigrant students within the university system.[4]

The organizers also demanded for ICE to be abolished.[19]

The strike

The strike itself largely failed to materialize, though some protests were held.[20]

Responses

On January 30, on the same day the general strike was to occur, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that there would be a federal civil rights investigation into the killing of Pretti, and the DHS announced that the FBI would lead the investigation.[21][22] Blanche refused to also lead an investigation regarding the killing of Renée Good.[23]

Members of the Federal government, namely Donald Trump[24] and Stephen Miller, stated there would be no de-escalation or change in policy. Steven Bannon responded by saying “You don’t need to bring down the temperature; raise the temperature!”[25]

Protests in Eugene, Oregon were declared a riot and the local police force deployed tear gas at the protesters. Police officials claimed that protesters had illegally entered the Police Department building, though there is no known evidence of this.[26]

On January 31, a coalition including the 50501 movement and the Women's March organized over 300 "ICE Out of Everywhere" protests as a follow-up action to the January 30th "National Shutdown."[27] CNN described "massive crowds of protestors [...] marching across the nation," and organizers claimed that around 50,000 people joined the demonstration in Minneapolis.[28][29][30]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to January 30, 2026 protests against ICE.
  • 2026 U.S. immigration enforcement protests
  • George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul
  • Minneapolis general strike of 1934
  • Timeline of protests against Donald Trump

References

  1. ^ Debusmann Jr, Bernd; Goodwin, Grace Eliza (January 29, 2026). "Republicans and Democrats reach funding package deal, US president says". BBC News. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c Anderson, Brooke (January 29, 2026). "'National Shutdown Day': Anti-ICE general strike planned across US for 30 January". The New Arab. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  3. ^ Kaplan, Juliana (January 29, 2026). "No work, no school, no shopping: A general strike to protest ICE is attempting to go national". Business Insider. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d Akaolisa, Tom (January 26, 2026). "UMN Student Unions Escalate Protests With Second General Strike Set for Jan. 30". Minneapolimedia. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  5. ^ a b c d "FRI JAN 30 NATIONAL SHUTDOWN". National Shutdown. January 27, 2026. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Adamczeski, Ryan (January 29, 2026). "No work, no school, no shopping: What to know about the Jan. 30 general strike". Advocate. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  7. ^ Litwin, Laura (January 30, 2026). "'We Have a Voice': Nurses Provide a Firsthand Look at the New York City Nurses Strike". Cancer Nursing Today.
  8. ^ "PSL Statement: Another murder by federal agents in Minneapolis – Expand the General Strike!". January 24, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  9. ^ Cineas, Fabiola (January 29, 2026). "'ICE Out' strike and protests: what to know about demonstrations across the US". The Guardian. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  10. ^ O'Connor, Michael (January 29, 2026). "Virginia groups join call for nationwide general strike on Friday". Virginia Dogwood. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  11. ^ Garcia, Nia (January 27, 2026). "Anti-ICE "National Shutdown" protest scheduled for Friday". FOX11. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  12. ^ Barraza, Paris (January 29, 2026). "'What else can we do?' Boyle Heights to participate in Jan. 30 strike". USA Today.
  13. ^ Blanc, Eric (February 2, 2026). "How to Build a Real General Strike Against ICE". Labor Politics.
  14. ^ Mackey, Robert (January 25, 2026). "Alex Pretti did not brandish gun, witnesses say in sworn testimony". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on January 25, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  15. ^ Breen, Kerry (January 24, 2026). "37-year-old man shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Here's what to know". CBS News. Archived from the original on January 25, 2026. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  16. ^ Walters, Lili (January 26, 2026). "Outrage and Organization in Minneapolis: Chronicle from a Historic Uprising". Left Voice. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  17. ^ Vračar, Ana (January 26, 2026). "Trade unions, left in Europe express solidarity with Minnesota general strike". People's Dispatch. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  18. ^ Kennedy, Kaitlyn (January 26, 2026). "University of Minnesota student groups call for expanded strike against ICE terror". Tag24. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  19. ^ Stevenson, Sam (January 27, 2026). "Anti-ICE Protesters Call For Nationwide Shutdown on January 30". Newsweek. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  20. ^ Blanc, Eric (February 2, 2026). "How to Build a Real General Strike Against ICE". Labor Politics.
  21. ^ Biesecker, Michael; Santana, Rebecca (January 30, 2026). "DOJ has opened a federal civil rights probe into the death of Alex Pretti, deputy AG says". AP News. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  22. ^ "Massive crowds turn out at anti-ICE protests as DOJ opens civil rights probe into Pretti's shooting death". CNN. January 30, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  23. ^ Kim, Clarissa-Jan; McShane, Julianne (January 30, 2026). "DOJ doing civil rights investigation of Pretti killing after all". MS NOW. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  24. ^ Benen, Stephen (January 30, 2026). "Rejecting 'de-escalation,' Trump ups the ante in his offensive against Alex Pretti". MS NOW.
  25. ^ Kanno-Youngs, Zolan (January 30, 2026). "Trump Called for 'De-Escalation' in Minneapolis. It Didn't Last Long". New York Times.
  26. ^ Wilk, Nathan; Ziegler, Zac (January 30, 2026). "Protest in Eugene declared a 'riot' by police after daylong 'general strike' events". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  27. ^ Wright, Kristin (January 31, 2026). "Anti-ICE protesters call for national action against federal immigration tactics". NPR.
  28. ^ Wolfe, Elizabeth; Sottile, Zoe (January 31, 2026). "More anti-ICE protests underway nationwide after judge declines to immediately halt Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota". CNN.
  29. ^ Cineas, Fabiola (January 31, 2026). "More than 300 anti-ICE protests planned across US this weekend". The Guardian.
  30. ^ "50501 Movement & Women's March Take to the Streets for ICE Out of Everywhere, Mobilize for Upcoming Action" (Press release). 50501. February 3, 2026.