Thousands rally in Minneapolis as immigration anger boils

Thousands protest in Minneapolis against Trump's immigration policies following recent shootings by federal agents, igniting national outrage.

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Minneapolis on Friday (January 30, 2026) in the latest show of anger over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, as a prominent U.S. journalist was charged over his coverage of protests in the northern city.

People marched with signs blasting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agency leading Mr. Trump’s mass deportation drive, in response to a call for a “national shutdown” across the United States.

Minneapolis has become the epicentre of the immigration policy backlash after two protesters, both U.S. citizens, were shot dead by federal agents this month.

“I don’t think our Federal Government should be terrorising our people like this,” Sushma Santhana, 24, told AFP as protesters chanted “our streets!” around her.

The crowd gathered in freezing temperatures after Bruce Springsteen performed at an anti-ICE concert in the city. The U.S. rock legend recently released “Streets of Minneapolis,” a tribute to the two killed protesters.

Another protester, 24-year-old Max Maffor, said he was demonstrating “to conserve what we would consider our democracy and all the liberties that we get from living in America.”