Wisconsin Immigrant Workers Strike Back on May Day, Demanding an End to ICE Terror

This Friday, Wisconsin’s immigrant communities and their allies are taking a stand with a “Day Without Immigrants” strike, part of a broader May Day Strong national wave of actions. Organized by Milwaukee’s Voces de la Frontera and supported by unions like Madison Teachers Inc., the protests spotlight the state’s complicity in immigration enforcement abuses and the growing economic divide.

In Milwaukee, protesters will assemble at Voces’ offices before marching to the Federal Building. Meanwhile, Madison demonstrators gather at the University of Wisconsin’s Library Mall and plan a march to the state Capitol. Anticipating widespread participation, Madison Public Schools canceled classes Friday, and the teachers’ union officially endorsed the walkout.

MTI’s statement is unambiguous: “Our country is in crisis, and our vulnerable communities are paying the price.” They highlight the chilling impact of ICE raids on children’s mental health, with students living in fear of deportation targeting their families. This strike is both a protest and a call for systemic change.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera, framed this May Day as a “national escalation of resistance” against the “growing inequality between the ultra rich and working people.” She called for abolishing ICE and granting citizenship for all, while pressing state-specific demands to dismantle 287g agreements that deputize local police to enforce federal immigration laws—agreements she describes as “growing like a cancer” in Wisconsin.

The protests also demand the closure of the ICE processing facility in Milwaukee, which has been linked to violent raids, racial profiling, warrantless arrests, and deadly detention conditions. Neumann-Ortiz emphasized the day’s role in defending constitutional rights “regardless of immigration status” against a backdrop of state-sanctioned terror.

With nearly 40 actions planned statewide, Wisconsin’s May Day protests are a powerful reminder that immigrant communities will not quietly endure the Trump administration’s authoritarian overreach and ICE’s inhumane tactics. This is a direct challenge to the systems enabling these abuses—and a call to all who believe in justice and democracy to stand in solidarity.