Labor Unions, faith groups, and community leaders participated in an economic blackout in Minnesota last Friday, January 23, 2026, in protest against the surge of federal immigration officials in the state and to mourn the tragic loss of Renee Good.
Who was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month, which is the largest city in Minnesota. An economic blackout is a series of 24-hour consumer spending boycotts that took place on February 28, 2025, in the U.S. They are organized by a group of people in the Union USA activist group. The protest brought motivation and inspiration to Americans to refrain from making any purchases for an entire day. A video shows protesters inside a church in Minnesota chanting, “Justice for Renee Good” and “ICE Out.”
Justice Department authorities accused protesters of violating the house of worship, saying they will investigate for civil rights contravention. President Trump has called them insurrectionists and agitators. Anti-ICE protests are proceeding in the state against Trump’s immigration crackdown.
The movement started small at the time and is gaining momentum as more unions, businesses, and programs join. But, participation levels of 10 to 1,000 of Minnesotans. A small business in South Minneapolis, Benched Press, closed on Friday to show solidarity for the unions, programs, and protesters. Co-owner of Benched Press, Jane Shannon, said they wanted to figure out a way to join in solidarity with other companies and express that what is happening is not right for their community. The strike is a part of a really huge effort by Minnesota companies, unions, and faith organizations to halt economic activity and send a message to the world. They are enhancing no school, no work, no shopping to descalate Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity at the location.
The president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA) local 7250 in Minneapolis, which is a Minneapolis-based chapter of the
Communications Workers of America (CWA), a labor union primarily promoting AT&T workers in retail and call centers across the Midwest, working conditions, fighting better for wages, and unexpanded union representation against AT&T’s outsourcing, as seen in actions like store advocacy and blitzes for worker rights.
On Monday, representatives from Minnesota labor unions publicly endorsed the economic blackout and strike. The group represents about 80,000 members in the West Metro and Minneapolis. According to a spokesperson, they are confident most members will participate in some ways. President of the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiuo, said if they have to go to work or do their job, then they are not going to shop. If they do send kids to school, then they will find another strategy to show up in the community.
ICE is abducting union authorities who are commuting to and from work, and tearing apart families. It appears that parents are being forced to stay home, fearing for their lives to be detained by ICE, students are being held out of school, and all while the employer class remains silent, according to Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou. She also added that our schools, our hardworking people, and communities are under attack from the whole ICE controversy. Shocking news from The Minnesota Star Tribune, they said that Anti-ICE protestors have forced their way into the city’s church on Summit Avenue in St.Paul, Minnesota, which is a thriving Baptist church, along with chanting and confronting one of the church’s pastors, who also serves as the acting director of ICE’s St. Paul field office. The program came to a halt, and worshipers fled the church. Those watching the protest live were treated to the spectacle of Don Lemon, ex-host of CNN joing the protestors and attempting to grill
the church’s lead pastor on the 1st Amendent while disrupting the church’s service.
Co-owner of Benched Press, Andrew Shannon, said that, unfortunately, we have to sacrifice our own money, our payroll, to send a message. Unfortunately, money is what makes people think and talk, and also adds to what really breaks his heart. The consequences are predictable and rapid. Commenters called out online that people can’t mob a church service to make a political point. A Department of Justice authority publicly said an investigation and potential charges for the agitators. Pam Bondi, United States Attorney General, said in a statement, “Attacks against law enforcement and the intimidation of Christians are going to be met with the force of federal law.” A Minnesota Star Tribune reporter said that while they were watching this unfold, they felt a mixture of disbelief and anger.
People with legitimate questions about Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its tactics should remember that their rivals, including Secretary Kristi Noem and President Trump, will take incidents like these and turn them into public support for law and order and their immigration laws. 35-year-old Matt Klein, Senator of Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Mendota Heights, reported encountering transgressions of patient rights for the 1st time in his career since thousands of ICE agents have poured into Minnesota. In sudden news, he heard accounts of people avoiding medical care due to fear of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and patients’ privacy was compromised while in federal guardianship.
Klein said that patients are intimidated to come in and seek care. When patients do come in, ICE is following them, with or without justification or legal means, and their medical employees feel afraid to do the good work they should do. According to the Legislative chair for the Minnesota section of the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, Dr. Erin Stevens emphasized that multiple patients who were undocumented, U.S.-born, and naturalized citizens are afraid of leaving their homes to access health care.
Sources: https://www.theguardian.com, https://kstp.com, https://www.bbc.com, https://www.mprnews.org, https://www.startribune.com
