Angered by the brutal tactics of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Minneapolis, activists in late January called for a national shutdown on Jan. 30. “No work. No School. No Shopping. Stop Funding ICE,” Minnesota activists declared on their website.

The call for action quickly drew endorsements from student and immigration groups, both locally and across the country, from Boston to Detroit and North Texas. The aim was to disrupt daily routines—and spending—in protest of federal immigration enforcement, using the collective power of consumers and workers to apply pressure.

But as the movement spread, it also revealed the limits of that strategy in practice. Some restaurants voiced support for the action but said they could not fully participate.