Protesters across the United States orchestrated coordinated 'no work, no school, no shopping' strikes on Friday to oppose President Trump's intensified immigration enforcement operations, marking one of the largest civil actions since his return to office.
The demonstrations responded directly to two fatal shootings by federal agents that galvanized public anger. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot multiple times after recording Border Patrol officers conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. Renee Good, also 37, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer while driving her vehicle.
The Department of Justice announced it would open a civil rights investigation into Pretti's killing, though Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the division does not investigate every law enforcement shooting. He explained there must be specific circumstances that 'warrant an investigation,' suggesting a selective approach to federal oversight of immigration enforcement actions.
Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota actively promoted the strike, telling demonstrators: 'You're changing the world.' Major demonstrations occurred in Minneapolis, Washington DC, Portland, Atlanta, and numerous other cities. Schools in Arizona and Colorado canceled classes anticipating mass absences among students and staff.
The White House dismissed protesters as 'paid insurrectionists' and 'paid troublemakers,' citing their 'professionally made' signs as evidence of organized funding rather than organic outrage. This characterization sparked additional controversy, with critics arguing the administration was delegitimizing legitimate civil protest.
The strikes represent growing tensions over immigration enforcement methods and broader concerns about federal law enforcement accountability. Civil rights organizations have called for comprehensive investigations into both shootings and systemic reviews of use-of-force policies in immigration operations.