An anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protest movement calling for “no work, no school, and no shopping” is set to sweep the nation today.
Organizers say more than 300 locations are now hosting actions across almost every state aimed at pressuring leaders to “stop funding ICE” and remove federal immigration agents from local communities.
Newsweek reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) via email for comment.
Why It Matters
The coordinated wave of walkouts and street demonstrations follows the fatal shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis, events that have ignited a national outcry.
Organizers behind the shutdown say the killings in Minneapolis, along with additional incidents in places such as Los Angeles and Chicago, have become a turning point in public anger over aggressive immigration enforcement.
Student groups, labor unions, civil rights coalitions, and community organizations argue that federal agents are deploying aggressive tactics to “sow fear” in U.S. cities and that only a large‑scale economic and social disruption will force political leaders to act.
What To Know
The shutdown began as a Minnesota‑based movement but has rapidly expanded into a national mobilization that now reaches most states.
The most concentrated pockets of action are unfolding in California’s major cities—including Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Francisco—followed by dense clusters in Texas, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and a string of highly active hotspots such as Portland, Chicago, Seattle, Denver, and Atlanta, according to the event entries on the campaign website, which names events in a total of 47 states and Washington, D.C.
Organizers say the intent is clear: create a visible economic blackout to demonstrate public rejection of continued federal funding for ICE.
Businesses in numerous cities have announced closures for the day, while student organizations nationwide are coordinating synchronized walkouts using graphics, tool kits, and planning guides shared on social media.
Student groups also circulated a nationwide walkout guide and endorsements tied to the shutdown, urging school-based actions and after-school protests.
A statement on the National Shutdown website reads: “The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country–to stop ICE’s reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN. On Friday, January 30, join a nationwide day of no school, no work and no shopping.
“The entire country is shocked and outraged at the brutal killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good by federal agents. While Trump and other right-wing politicians are slandering them as ‘terrorists’, the video evidence makes it clear beyond all doubt: they were gunned down in broad daylight simply for exercising their First Amendment right to protest mass deportation.”
California
California has one of the largest concentrations of planned actions, with dozens of events spread across major population centers and college campuses.
Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Fresno, Chico, Rohnert Park, Alameda, Visalia, Hawthorne, Modesto, Pasadena, Azusa, Belmont, and Mountain View are holding separate gatherings, ranging from rallies outside city halls to campus‑based demonstrations at Stanford University, UC Davis, and CSU Chico.
New York
New York will host a significant volume of activity, including events in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Syracuse, Buffalo, Newburgh, Canandaigua, Schenectady, Kingston, Great Valley, and Germantown. These range from courthouse gatherings to public‑square meetups and campus‑based events.
North Carolina
North Carolina also has a dense cluster of planned actions, spanning Durham, Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Chapel Hill, Statesville, and Lenoir. Many are tied to civic buildings, downtown squares, universities, and federal facilities.
Texas
Texas hosts numerous events across its major cities, including Austin, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Waco, and Tyler, with sites ranging from state capitols and downtown parks to high‑school campuses and community centers.
Florida
Florida has multiple actions planned in Miami, Orlando, Pensacola, Jacksonville, Gainesville, St. Petersburg, Boynton Beach, and Tarpon Springs. These include gatherings at high schools, downtown squares, and public parks.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania features repeated activity in cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Indiana, Johnstown, Lancaster, Oil City, and Phoenixville. Many of these are centered around city halls, civic squares, or local arts venues.
Michigan
Michigan has a notable spread of events across Flint, Novi, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Beverly Hills, Escanaba, Hazel Park, and Rochester Hills, with a mixture of downtown locations, schools, and neighborhood‑based meetups.
Ohio
Ohio shows activity in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton, Kent, and Marysville, with gatherings at statehouses, courthouses, public squares, and local parks.
Washington State
Washington has actions in Seattle, Spokane, Wenatchee, Richland, Issaquah, the Tacoma area, and Bellingham. These range from campus rallies to city‑hall marches.
Oregon
Oregon has overlapping activity in Portland, Corvallis, Springfield, Bend, Newport, and Astoria, frequently centered around city halls and downtown civic spaces.
Colorado
Colorado has a sizable cluster around Denver, Durango, Fort Collins, Golden, Arvada, Commerce City, and Colorado Springs. Events range from downtown parks to bike shops to state capitol areas.
Arizona
Arizona has multiple actions in Tucson, Phoenix, Sanders, and Goodyear, including both downtown gatherings and school‑based events.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts shows events in Boston, Amherst, Worcester, Cambridge, Watertown, Hyannis, and Acton, with locations ranging from town commons to university campuses.
South Carolina
South Carolina has clusters in Columbia, Chester, and Charleston, with gatherings at state and city government buildings.
Louisiana
Louisiana sees activity in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Hammond, mostly centered on parks and civic intersections.
Vermont
Vermont has multiple entries for Burlington and Waterbury, including meetups at local bridges and town halls.
Connecticut
Connecticut’s events are grouped around New London, New Haven, Norwalk, and Guilford.
New Mexico
New Mexico’s gatherings appear in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Eunice, and Las Cruces.
What People Are Saying
Daniela Diaz, a Proof Bakery worker-owner, told ABC7 Los Angeles: “We want to show solidarity… We’ve seen historically that strikes work… I hope the violence stops. I want ICE out of our communities.”
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin previously told Newsweek: “Attacks and demonization of ICE are wrong. ICE officers are now facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults.
“Illegal aliens that ICE is deporting broke our nation’s laws. DHS is a law enforcement agency, and it will continue to carry out immigration enforcement for the safety of Americans who have been victimized by rapists, murderers, drug traffickers, and gang members.
What Happens Next
Organizers will continue to promote abstaining from work, school, and shopping throughout the day and will encourage participants to document local actions for national amplification, based on guidance and listings connected to the campaign.
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