Bay Area protests live updates: Thousands take to SF streets to protest ICE, Trump

The Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis is providing insights into the surveillance technologies the government is using in its mass deportation campaign.

Department of Homeland Security officials insist their immigration enforcement operations are "highly targeted." But some American citizens have been caught up in the raids as the Trump administration has built new surveillance tools and fused together datasets on citizens and noncitizens alike.

Over the last year, the agency's expanding digital dragnet has empowered federal agents to collect and analyze vast volumes of information. The Department of Homeland Security says it will not disclose law enforcement-sensitive methods.

In the Bay Area, thousands of high school students are walking out of class on Friday to protest ICE and march in solidarity with those in Minnesota.

ABC7 News was there when several dozen students walked out of Woodside High School around 9:30 a.m. carrying signs denouncing President Donald Trump and his administration's actions against immigrants.

This is part of the National Day of Action. Organizers are encouraging people to avoid school, shopping, and work in solidarity with protesters in Minnesota.

Woodside High is just one of the schools where students are expected to walk out Friday. In addition, many small businesses are closing their doors.

In San Mateo, students are planning to start gathering for the walkouts about 11:30 a.m. and end by 4 p.m.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the death of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed by Border Patrol officers.

The Department of Homeland Security also said Friday that the FBI will lead the federal probe. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem first disclosed the shift in which agency was leading the investigation.

DHS previously said that Homeland Security Investigations would lead the investigation.

The change comes after other videos emerged of an earlier altercation between Pretti and federal immigration officers 11 days before his death.

On Friday, a 'National Day of Action' is planned, encouraging people to avoid shopping, school and work in solidarity with protesters in Minnesota.

On Friday, a 'National Day of Action' is planned, encouraging people to avoid shopping, school and work in solidarity with protesters in Minnesota.

Across the street from the VA in Menlo Park, community members gathered on Thursday evening to remember and honor Alex Pretti. The 37-year-old was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis last weekend. Pretti worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as an ICU nurse.

"For me it was seeing a fellow federal worker getting murdered in the street and seeing nothing from the administration," on protester said.

Organizations supporting the event included Veterans for Peace, Raging Grannies, the local chapter of a government employees union and more. Many federal workers telling us since they can't strike - this is how they're making their voices heard.

San Francisco resident Josh Zeier said this moment in time feels like a turning point.

MORE: Bay Area protesters rally after ICU nurse Alex Pretti fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis

"I don't think I've ever cried so much over someone I never met and so, I just really like it was really important to say something and to do something to honor his memory and to speak to the values that we hold as people who work in healthcare and take care of Veterans every day," Zeier said.

The demonstration encourages people to avoid shopping, school and work in solidarity with protesters in Minnesota. From a running store in Burlingame, to a bakery in Oakland. Many small businesses are closing their doors for the day.

We spoke with worker and owner Adrien Sanderson of Arizmendi Bakery, a cooperatively-run bakery.

"We felt that, that was part of what it meant to be in solidarity that these small inconveniences were so insignificant to what is actually happening to the country and it is the least that we can do to manage these inconveniences on our end in order to stand in solidarity," Sanderson said.

Back in Menlo Park, one organizer told us it's demonstrations like these that feel inspiring and show the best in humanity during times the worst may be on display.