Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Minneapolis on Friday as students across the United States staged walkouts and rallies demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration agents from Minnesota following the fatal shootings of two US citizens.
The demonstrations were part of a national day of protest that saw students and teachers abandon classrooms from California to New York.
The actions came amid conflicting signals from the Trump administration over whether it would scale back Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement campaign, according to Reuters.
Protests extended well beyond Minnesota, with organizers forecasting about 250 demonstrations across 46 states. Major rallies were held in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and Washington under the slogan: “No work. No school. No shopping. Stop funding ICE.”
In Minneapolis, several thousand people gathered in the downtown area despite sub-freezing temperatures. The crowd included families with young children, elderly couples and student activists, all protesting what they described as aggressive tactics used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Meanwhile, The New York Times, citing an internal ICE memo it reviewed, reported that federal agents were recently instructed they now have expanded authority to arrest individuals without a warrant.
The change broadens the powers of lower-level ICE agents, allowing them to detain suspected undocumented immigrants encountered during enforcement operations.
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