The news: Retailers around the country are bracing for a planned economic shutdown today, as activists call for a national strike to protest increasingly aggressive and violent incidents involving US federal law enforcement agents.

The goal is to build upon a similar blackout held last week in Minnesota, where hundreds of businesses closed for the day and consumers withheld spending as part of a general strike.

A difficult landscape: Regardless of whether they participate in the economic blackout, retailers face growing pressure to speak out about the Trump administration’s immigration policies. But many are reluctant to do so due to fears of retribution from the White House and concerns about alienating some consumers.

However, some companies are beginning to realize that silence is not a viable option. More than 60 CEOs of Minnesota-based companies—including Target, Best Buy, General Mills, and 3M—signed an open letter calling for “an immediate deescalation of tensions and for state, local, and federal officials to work together to find real solutions.” While the letter was a rare instance of major corporations criticizing the White House, it was also an example of political hedging, with no mentions of ICE or two highly publicized civilian deaths during Minnesota US immigration enforcement operations.

That restraint does not appear to have appeased Target employees, hundreds of whom signed a separate letter urging the company to issue a public statement calling for an end to ICE activity in Minnesota and for ICE agents to be barred from entering its stores.

Other companies that have refrained from taking a public position include Home Depot, whose stores are a popular target for immigration raids due to the presence of day laborers. The retailer has not said whether ICE activity is hurting business—although, like other companies in the home improvement space, Home Depot’s sales are already under pressure due to the tough housing market.

Implications for retailers: Retailers are understandably wary about provoking the White House. But staying silent risks eroding ties to local communities and alienating employees and customers alike—which could have lasting repercussions for retailers’ ability to generate sales and attract talent.

• Roughly 1 in 4 shoppers—26%—have reduced or stopped purchasing from a company due to politics or current events, according to an April 2025 Ipsos poll. That share is far higher among Democrats (42%) than Independents (16%) or Republicans (15%).
• More than half of consumers—55%—feel more loyalty to brands that publicly share their values, and 29% are more likely to buy from brands that support social causes, according to a Givsly report.

Brands that do decide to make a statement should do so in a way that is true to their values as an organization, and avoid hedging to escape potential accusations of inauthenticity.