In a historic show of resistance, 15,000 protesters defied -24°C temperatures in Minneapolis on Friday, January 23, 2026, demanding the removal of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) amid escalating tensions over federal operations. ✊
Freezing Fury: A City United
Protesters blocked airport roads, shut down 700+ businesses, and marched downtown with signs reading 'ICE Out Now.' Organizers called it Minnesota's largest demonstration since the 1934 Truckers' Strike. 'This cold says everything—people are *done*,' said Amal Ahmed, 30, who joined after her City Hall shift.
Spark of Outrage
The protests follow the January 7 killing of U.S. citizen Renee Good, 37, by an ICE agent during a raid. Her death, ruled a homicide, ignited fury over 'Operation Metro Surge'—a DHS deployment of 3,000+ federal agents since December 2025 that's led to 3,000+ arrests. 🚨
Unions, Faith Leaders & Frozen Solidarity
Labor unions and airport workers spearheaded the action, with striking employees singing hymns at dawn. 'Our members are being detained—this isn’t safety, it’s terror,' a union rep told crowds. Doctors like Avalon warned ICE's presence is keeping patients from clinics: 'Our hospitals feel like war zones.'
Federal vs. Local Showdown
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey slammed ICE's actions as 'political retribution,' while Minnesota AG Keith Ellison sued to halt the operation, citing racial profiling. Federal agents insist their work is 'legal and moral.' A court just freed a 2-year-old detainee—but Monday’s hearing could decide more.
As solidarity protests erupted from NYC to LA, Somali American Abdi Hassan, 19, summed up the fear: 'I could be snatched any day. This isn’t the America I know.' 🌐
