Minnesota socialists tell workers to fake sick leave for anti-ICE protests

Media

Minnesota socialists tell workers to fake sick leave for anti-ICE protests

Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America reference state law allowing one-day absences without documentation

Rachel del Guidice Fox News

Published

January 21, 2026 6:00pm EST

Video

Anti-ICE agitators harass federal agents in Minneapolis

Fox News' Matt Finn reports the latest on the anti-ICE protests in Minneapolis as Minnesota and Illinois take legal action against DHS.

NEW

You can now listen to Fox News articles!

The Twin Cities chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is encouraging Minnesota workers to use "sick and safe time" to protest ICE on Friday.

"Taking off work can be hard, even when there aren’t fascist ICE agents terrorizing our streets," a post this week from the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America reads.

"But no matter what your employment situation is, we’re here to help you organize your workplace and participate in the strike on January 23rd—whether that means navigating non-union management or educating your friendly yet uninformed boss on why they should shut down for the day."

ICE SAYS 2 DEMONSTRATORS WERE ARRESTED IN MINNESOTA FOR ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING OFFICERS

Protesters gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol in response to the death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in St. Paul, Minn. (Abbie Parr/AP Photo)

Protests are planned in Minnesota on Friday to oppose ICE, which has faced heightened criticism since the shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

"Twin Cities DSA is marching and rallying with unions and other community members on January 23rd because this military occupation is a war on the working class," the post reads. "Workers have the leverage. When we withhold our labor, the economy grinds to a halt. No work, no school, no shopping. Only community, conscience, and collective resistance to ICE and injustice. Let’s melt ICE out of MN."

Slides in the post also reference Minnesota’s Earned Sick and Safe Time (ESST) law, where they write if, "you are out for only ONE DAY, you DO NOT have to provide documentation of the reason for your absence to your employer."

TRUMP URGES DHS, ICE TO PUBLICIZE ARRESTS, SAYS CRACKDOWN IS 'SAVING MANY INNOCENT LIVES'

High school students hold signs and gather outside a state capitol building during a protest.

High school students gather for an anti-ICE protest outside the State Capitol in St. Paul, Minnesota, Jan. 14, 2026. (Octavio Jones/AFP via Getty Images)

"Take a mental health day with ESST if you don’t want to explain why you’re not working," one of the slides in the post reads.

The post also encourages workers to ask their employers to close down for the day if management is sympathetic.

"If your employer is friendly, talk to them about closing for the day," it reads. "Trump and ICE are detrimental to business – if community suffering isn’t enough, share the impact from an economic perspective."

DHS SAYS ICE AGENTS RAMMED BY VEHICLES AMID MINNEAPOLIS ENFORCEMENT SURGE: 'AGGRESSIVELY ASSAULTED'

Hundreds of students and allies gather in front of the Minnesota State Capitol to protest the ongoing Immigration Enforcement Operations in Minnesota and to denounce the killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE officer last week, St. Paul, Minnesota, January 14, 2026. (Mostafa Bassim/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A separate Instagram post from a group called Ice Out of Twin Ports, which will be part of an anti-ICE march on Thursday and advertising a sit-in on Friday, says, "White folks need to put their bodies in the way and first do everything they can to make sure Black folks are not subject to police violence."

One of the techniques highlighted in the Ice Out of Twin Ports post encourages protesters to strike police officers, writing, "Push or pull the cop off the arrestee. Break their hold by hitting the cop’s hand."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Another technique suggested to protesters is to "Open the cop car/paddy wagon doors and let people out. Learn how to break zip tie cuffs with a bobby pin and set arrestees free."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America and Ice Out of Twin Ports for comment.

Rachel del Guidice is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to rachel.delguidice@fox.com.

Minnesota socialists tell workers to fake sick leave for anti-ICE protests