Joins Jill Stein in Support of Anti-ICE Action

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Claudia de la Cruz, the 2024 presidential candidate for the Party for Socialism and Liberation, has thrown her support behind a call for a nationwide general strike scheduled for Friday, January 30. The call to action follows the killing of a second resident by federal agents in Minneapolis and aims to directly pressure a looming Senate vote on ICE funding.

On Monday, De la Cruz posted a simple but direct message on social media: “Expand the general strike!” Her endorsement brings a national profile to a movement initiated by student organizations in Minneapolis who were instrumental in organizing the massive statewide shutdown last week.

Minnesota-based Somali and Black students have allegedly initiated calls for a “NATIONWIDE SHUTDOWN!” on January 30, with the demands “ICE OUT! Justice for Alex Pretti! Justice for Renee Good!” from The slogan “NO WORK. NO SCHOOL. NO SHOPPING” encourages a total cessation of economic activity. A central march is planned for 2 p.m. in Downtown Minneapolis.

According to BreakThrough News, which first reported the organizers’ statement, the strike is timed to influence an upcoming Senate vote on whether to renew funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “This ICE terror on our communities in Minneapolis must end,” the organizers’ statement reads. “We will not back down.”

The call for a general strike comes as Minnesota experiences a significant surge in labor organization. According to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report covering 2024, union membership in the state grew by 23,000 people, increasing Minnesota’s union density to 14.2%, the 11th highest in the nation. This growing labor power is seen by activists as a key leverage point in making the strike effective.

Nationally, the same BLS report noted that the median weekly earnings for union workers were 17.5% higher than for their non-union counterparts. Events will prove whether this will help fuel widespread participation in Friday’s shutdown and send a clear message to lawmakers in Washington that they desire.