MINNEAPOLIS — Hundreds of Minnesota businesses closed their doors Friday as thousands of people took to the streets. The marchers were protesting a surge in federal immigration enforcement and the growing number of agents in the state.

The mass closures were part of a coordinated statewide protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. Despite temperatures reaching 9 degrees below zero, thousands of demonstrators walked through downtown Minneapolis chanting and playing music. The group eventually held a large rally at the Target Center.

Airport Arrests

Airport police at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport arrested about 100 religious leaders on Friday. These leaders gathered to ask U.S. airlines to stop transporting people detained by ICE.

Officials said they arrested the group for violating the terms of their protest permit. The demonstration caused disruptions at the airport and drew attention to how airlines are involved in federal deportations.

Operation Metro Surge

The protests come during a spike in federal activity known as "Operation Metro Surge." The six-week program has brought thousands of additional federal officers into the region under orders from the Trump administration.

Federal officials say the operation keeps the public safe by targeting criminals. However, many local residents and leaders have pushed back against the program. On Thursday, Vice President JD Vance called for Minnesota law enforcement to work with federal agents. He made the request despite local "sanctuary" policies, which are rules that limit how much city police can help federal agents with immigration arrests.

Detention of Children

Community anger has grown after federal agents detained several children. On Thursday, Jan. 22, federal agents in south Minneapolis took a two-year-old child into custody. The child was returning from a grocery store with an undocumented parent.

Earlier in the week, federal agents also detained four students from the Columbia Heights school district. The students were ages 5 to 17. These arrests have angered local school officials and community members.

Government Resignations

The federal operations have also led to several government resignations. Six federal prosecutors from the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney’s office resigned this month to protest the handling of recent immigration cases.

An FBI agent in Minneapolis also resigned this week. She claimed her supervisors pressured her to change her report on the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old woman in January. That shooting is another reason for the recent local protests. Residents and officials still disagree on exactly what happened during that incident.