As thousands protested in the Twin Cities and across Minnesota against the ICE occupation, a day-long sit in was held at Duluth City Hall on Friday.

The actions were part of the ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom events organized in part and endorsed by the Minnesota AFL-CIO and member area labor councils, including the North East Area Labor Council.

In Minneapolis, thousands marched downtown to protest the presence and actions of ICE agents across the state. In other towns, people gathered to protest and remember Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an ICE agent earlier this month.

In Duluth, the sit-in was organized around a wide variety of demands. SEIU members talked about the devastation that federal cuts have made to child care and other care efforts, and how families and caregivers have been staying home out of fear.

Elected officials including Rep. Pete Johnson (DFL-08A) spoke.

Demands included ending Duluth Police Department collaboration with ICE, CBP and HSI; ending a city contract with Flock Safety, various anti-ICE demands, calling for an eviction moratorium, and so on.

While there have been some ICE actions that resulted in people being taken over the past few months, Duluth has not seen the same level of oppression other smaller towns have.

As part of the Day of Truth and Freedom, organizers encouraged “no work, no school, no purchases.” A couple dozen businesses in Duluth were closed on Friday, while others stayed open and donated proceeds or served as gathering spots for community building and organizing. Across the state, hundreds of businesses closed their doors. Across the country, supporters held more than 200 solidarity actions. Read more in the February issue of the Labor World.