Hundreds of businesses across Minnesota shut their doors this week in a coordinated protest against the presence and operations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), marking one of the largest acts of economic protest in the state tied to immigration enforcement in recent years.
The closures—spanning restaurants, retail shops, service providers, and small family-owned enterprises—were organized by local business associations, labor groups, and immigrant-rights advocates. Participants said the action was intended to demonstrate solidarity with immigrant communities and to draw attention to what organizers described as aggressive enforcement activity that has generated fear among workers and customers alike.
“We Are Part of This Community”
In Minneapolis, St. Paul, and surrounding suburbs, handwritten signs appeared on storefronts reading “Closed in Solidarity,” “No Business as Usual,” and “Communities Over Fear.” Business owners said the decision to close, even temporarily, came at a real financial cost—but one they viewed as necessary.
“Our workers are scared, our customers are scared, and that affects everyone,” said a restaurant owner in south Minneapolis who joined the protest. “Closing for a day is about showing that immigrants are not invisible. We are part of this community and its economy.”
Organizers said many employees had reported staying home due to concerns about immigration checks or the presence of federal agents in nearby neighborhoods. Community leaders emphasized that even the perception of heightened enforcement can ripple through local economies, particularly in areas heavily reliant on immigrant labor.
Economic Impact as a Form of Protest
Supporters of the action said the coordinated shutdown was designed to illustrate the economic contribution of immigrants to Minnesota’s cities and towns. According to local business coalitions, immigrant-owned enterprises account for a significant share of small businesses in urban corridors, employing thousands of residents regardless of immigration status.
“When businesses close en masse, it sends a clear message,” said a spokesperson for one organizing group. “Immigrants are essential to the functioning of this state’s economy. Policies that destabilize families also destabilize neighborhoods.”
While exact figures on lost revenue were not immediately available, organizers estimated that the closures collectively represented millions of dollars in halted economic activity over the course of the day.
Officials Respond, Tensions Remain
State and city officials acknowledged the protest but offered varied responses. Some local leaders expressed sympathy with business owners and called for clearer boundaries between federal immigration enforcement and local communities. Others stressed that immigration policy is primarily a federal responsibility and urged calm.
ICE, in a brief statement, said it carries out its duties in accordance with federal law and declined to comment directly on the protests. The agency reiterated that it focuses on enforcement priorities set by the federal government.
Advocacy groups countered that recent enforcement actions—whether real or perceived—have had a chilling effect on daily life. They argue that the fear generated extends beyond undocumented residents to legal immigrants and U.S. citizens in mixed-status families.
A Broader National Conversation
The Minnesota shutdown comes amid renewed national debate over immigration enforcement, sanctuary policies, and the role of local economies in political protest. Similar actions have occurred in other states in recent years, but organizers said the scale of participation in Minnesota reflects growing frustration.
Several business groups said additional actions are under discussion if concerns are not addressed, including longer closures or coordinated advocacy campaigns aimed at state and federal lawmakers.
For now, many businesses have reopened, but owners say the underlying anxiety remains.
“This wasn’t just a one-day protest,” said a shop owner in St. Paul. “It was a warning about what happens when fear is allowed to spread unchecked.”
Source: Statements from local business associations, immigrant-rights organizations, and official comments from ICE.
Tags: Minnesota News, Immigration Policy, ICE, Business Protest, Immigrant Rights
News by The Vagabond News
