A national strike planned for Friday in protest of federal immigration enforcement has drawn significant participation from Oregon’s small businesses and students. Local organizers say the movement could inspire similar solidarity actions in southwest Washington, where some community members have family or labor ties across the Columbia River.

According to reporting by Oregon Public Broadcasting, protesters are denouncing the recent shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis and other violent incidents involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection. The general strike—organized online through networks including NationalShutdown.org—encourages closures, walkouts, and rallies nationwide.

Some Oregon businesses, such as Portland’s Mis Tacones restaurant, opted to close for the day in solidarity, while others, like Azar Indulgences in downtown Portland, chose to remain open and contribute proceeds to support immigrant communities. Portland Public Schools and other Oregon districts anticipate student walkouts, with participants gathering at parks and public spaces to speak out against deportations and immigration detentions.

While the demonstrations are centered in Oregon, the Pacific Northwest’s cross-border workforce means the events could resonate locally. Cowlitz County industries including agriculture, hospitality, and manufacturing have immigrant workers and depend on federal labor and immigration policies. Unions and civic groups in Longview and Kelso have not announced any formal participation as of Friday morning, but several residents have expressed support for peaceful protest and policy reform online.

Public school officials in both states have emphasized students’ constitutional rights to free expression while reminding families that unexcused absences may carry academic consequences. Meanwhile, business owners across the region are weighing how to show solidarity without compromising already thin profit margins amid rising costs.

The general strike coincides with growing national discussion about accountability within federal immigration enforcement and renewed calls for limits on detention operations. Whether the demonstrations in Portland and other cities extend northward remains to be seen, but local observers say the issues at stake—community safety, labor rights, and due process—are as relevant in Cowlitz County as anywhere else in the country.

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting