Key West Immigrant Network Plans Two-Day Peaceful Work Strike at DHS

The Key West Immigrant Support Network (KWISN) announced a two-day "peaceful work strike" and morning "mass solidarity protest" to be staged in front of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security office at 2000 N. Roosevelt, with demonstrations set for 8 a.m. to noon on Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28. Organizers framed the action as a direct response to intensified immigration enforcement and said the stoppage is intended to show the community impact of recent raids.

In its announcement, KWISN instructed supporters in blunt, logistical terms: "No school. No work. No restaurants. No deliveries. No shopping," the local group said. Organizers described the demonstrations as "peaceful and lawful," and called on business owners, faith leaders and community organizations to join morning pickets outside the federal office to spotlight immigrant families’ contributions to the island’s workforce.

KWISN’s statement included a contested enforcement tally: the group claims "that since June 2025, nearly 500 members of Key West’s immigrant community have been taken by U.S, immigration enforcement agencies, the majority of whom are Latino individuals with pending immigration cases, Social Security numbers, and valid work permits." A separate account summarized the claim more broadly: "In the statement, organizers said that since mid‑2025, hundreds of members of the local immigrant community have been detained or taken into custody by federal immigration authorities. Those claims could not be independently verified Monday."

Local outlets reporting the call identified a slate of backers cited by KWISN: local labor and community allies, Latino community leaders, faith groups and immigrant advocacy organizations. Coverage noted the action’s dual aims, to protest what organizers called the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns and to highlight the economic and social role immigrant workers on Key West’s service and hospitality payrolls play in day-to-day island life.

Media reports also noted that federal agencies and local officials had not responded to requests for comment. "Federal immigration agencies and local officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the planned strike or the enforcement claims outlined in the release," one report said, reflecting that the nearly‑500 figure remains an organizer's allegation without independent confirmation in the public record.

News accounts vary on the street suffix for the staging address, listing 2000 North Roosevelt Street in some copies and 2000 N. Roosevelt Blvd in others; all sources agree on the numeric address and Roosevelt as the site for morning demonstrations. The two-day action is scheduled to run 8 a.m. to noon both days and is intended as a visible show of solidarity outside the DHS location at 2000 N. Roosevelt.