Courtesy of Bench Pressed
On Friday, Jan. 23, many shops, restaurants, and other businesses around the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota will be closed as part of an “ICE Out of Minnesota” general strike. Organized by Minnesota faith leaders, community groups, and unions, the strike is meant to be an economic blackout, and neighbors are encouraged to stay home from work, school, and shopping to show their solidarity with immigrant communities. According to the ICE Out of MN website, organizers are putting forth four demands: That federal ICE agents leave Minnesota immediately; that the officer who killed Renee Good on Jan. 7 be held legally accountable; that ICE is denied federal funding from Congress and is investigated for rights violations; and that Minnesota businesses stop allowing ICE to use their businesses or property. As part of the general strike, ICE Out of MN will also host a march at The Commons in downtown Minneapolis at 2 p.m. on Jan. 23.
“The way we win is to convince the economic powerhouses of our state to stand with us and demand ICE leave Minnesota. They should side with our communities and state,” say strike organizers. A long list of businesses have already announced their plans to participate in the strike by closing on Jan. 23, including grocery stores like Mississippi Market Co-op in St. Paul, bars like Meteor in Minneapolis, restaurants like DelSur Empanadas in Minnetonka, and many, many more. Other spots are staying open and taking action by donating some of their sales to immigration advocacy organizations or community volunteers—or, like creative space Blackbird Revolt in Minneapolis, offering space and supplies for poster-making and other free, community-building activities.
As federal immigration enforcement activity continues across the Twin Cities, small businesses are making changes—sometimes on the fly—to keep their employees and customers safe. Temporary closures, limited hours, staffing changes, and other adaptations have two edges. On one hand, they help foster a sense of safety in numbers—for example, limiting hours at a restaurant allows more personnel to be active during a given shift.
On the other hand, these changes are having an impact on local businesses’ bottom lines. The Minnesota Star Tribune reports that revenue is down between 50% and 100% at the immigrant-run businesses that are clustered in neighborhoods like Lake Street in Minneapolis or on the east side of St. Paul. That’s partly due to decreased foot traffic, as customers opt to stay home, and partly due to increased expenses related to safety and security, like paying for ride shares so employees don’t have to take public transportation to work.
Some businesses are implementing safety plans during their open hours, like locking their doors. In a post on Instagram, Minneapolis restaurant Asian Duck Cafe wrote, “We are still open our regular hours but have decided to implement a safety protocol for the safety of ourselves, our staff, and our guests. Beginning Monday, January 19, our doors will remain locked during business hours.” Guests can call the cafe’s main number to be let in.
Courtesy of Asian Duck Cafe
In the immediate aftermath of the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent, many Twin Cities and greater-Minnesota businesses closed fully for several days and have now reopened (some with limited hours or a limited menu). Those include:
- El Burrito Mercado, St. Paul
- Bravis, Shakopee
- Vive Tropico, Minneapolis
- Mothership Pizza Paradise, Edina
- Boca Chica Restaurante y Cantina, St. Paul
- Nico’s Tacos Uptown, Minneapolis
- Zao Bakery & Cafe (open only Friday-Sunday until further notice), West St. Paul
- Brasa, St. Paul
Some businesses remain closed until further notice, including:
- Casa Deli, Savage and Hopkins
- Don Papi Chulo, Inver Grove Heights
- La Loma Tamales, Minneapolis
- Salsa a la Salsa, Minneapolis
- El Sazon Tacos & More, Eagan
- Nachos Mexican Grill, Hopkins
- Don Julio, White Bear Lake
- Don Pablo’s Mexican Restaurant, Detroit Lakes and Fergus Falls
- Dragon Star Buffet, Burnsville
- Great Moon Buffet, Maplewood
- Pizzeria Lola’s Pizza Trailer at Indeed Brewing
- Machete Cocina Mexicana, Woodbury
- Los Ocampo, St. Paul
- Sushi By Baaska at Bar Brava, Minneapolis
- El Tapatio, Willmar
And many businesses, especially restaurants that rely on a largely immigrant workforce, have plans to close on specific dates in the coming weeks—to offer respite to staff members, to cover staffing shortages, in solidarity with immigrant communities, and for other reasons.
To help mitigate the economic impact of the past few weeks, restaurants are asking patrons to show up in whatever ways they can. “Stop into the restaurant if you feel safe and able,” wrote the eM Que Viet team in an Instagram post. “The more people who are inside, the better. It keeps us safe. Order takeout or delivery … Purchase gift cards to use at a later time. These are available on our website, and they help to fund our operations and our staff.”
Courtesy of Northeast Tea House
Businesses are also showing up for each other. St. Paul’s Fair Play Projects and Toys is donating 15% of all sales Jan. 19-21 to the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee. Many shops are accepting food and item donations for their neighbors, too. The Restaurant Opportunities Center of MN, a food-service industry workers’ organization, is offering know-your-rights training for restaurant employees on Jan. 21. “Across the country, food service workers are facing fear and uncertainty due to raids and ICE activity,” the center said in a statement. “Knowledge is one of our strongest tools, and being prepared can make the difference between panic and protection for ourselves and our coworkers.”
Updated Jan. 21, 2026. Check with a particular business for their current hours. To submit an update, email managing editor Jennifer Pitterle at jpitterle@greenspring.com.
