Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota shut their doors on Friday as part of an economic protest against the immigration crackdown in their state.
Hundreds of businesses in Minnesota shut their doors on Friday as part of an economic protest against the immigration crackdown in their state.
Organisers called for residents to skip work or school if possible and refrain from shopping in a show of opposition to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).
They also planned rallies in St. Paul and Minneapolis, two cities that have seen intense immigration enforcement activity.
Critics have warned that migrants with no criminal record and US citizens are being detained too.
Thousands of federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota as part of Operation Metro Surge on Wednesday.
Department of Homeland Security Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement the government had arrested 10,000 criminal illegal aliens in Minnesota since President Trump returned to office a year ago.
But the killing of a 37-year-old woman, Renee Goode, earlier this month, has sparked widespread protests across the state and condemnation from local officials.
While many protests remain peaceful, some have led to violent clashes between demonstrators and federal officers.
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