A nationwide strike and mass protests unfolded across the United States on January 30 and 31, as grassroots organizations mobilized against immigration enforcement agencies following a series of deaths linked to their operations.
Activists across the country targeted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), condemning what they described as unchecked violence and repression under the administration of Donald Trump.
At least eight people have died in connection with ICE activity since the start of the year, including the widely publicized killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Other cases highlighted by organizers included Geraldo Lunas Campos, who died in ICE custody in Texas, and Keith Porter Jr., who was shot by ICE agents in Los Angeles.
‘National shutdown’ disrupts campuses and workplaces
On January 30, student groups and grassroots networks carried out what organizers described as a “national shutdown,” with walkouts, work stoppages, and consumer boycotts reported in multiple cities.
Led in part by organizations at the University of Minnesota, students staged coordinated walkouts, echoing calls to “stop funding ICE” and remove the agency from communities.
The action built on earlier mobilizations in Minneapolis, where a general strike the previous week saw businesses close and thousands protest a surge in local immigration enforcement.
Protests erupt nationwide: ‘ICE out of everywhere’
On January 31, demonstrations took place across all 50 states and Washington, D.C., as part of a National Day of Action organized by 50501.
Protesters gathered outside detention centers, ICE field offices, and airports, including sites linked to airlines accused of transporting detainees. Actions were also held outside the offices of elected officials who support immigration enforcement policies.
Organizers said the protests reflected a widening base of opposition. “We’re seeing people from across the spectrum getting involved,” said 50501 coordinator Gloriann Sahay. “There’s a growing sense that this cannot continue.”
Migrant groups: ‘End the executions’
Migrant and solidarity organizations framed the mobilizations as part of a broader struggle against state violence. In a statement, BAYAN USA condemned what it described as “executions” carried out by immigration authorities.
“ICE, CBP, and other state forces continue to occupy our cities, terrorize our communities, and detain, torture, and deport our loved ones,” the group said. “We demand an end to this impunity.”
The organization also criticized the Philippine government for failing to take a strong stand in defense of Filipino migrants affected by US immigration policies.
“We will continue to organize and resist state fascism—from the U.S. to the Philippines—until our people are free,” the statement added.
Growing movement against detention and deportation
The two days of action highlighted growing national opposition to ICE, fueled not only by high-profile killings but also by longstanding grievances over detention conditions, family separations, and deportations.
Organizers said the scale of participation, from student walkouts to mass street protests, demonstrated a deepening movement calling for the abolition of ICE and an end to immigration enforcement policies that target migrant communities.
