What Minneapolis’s immigrant communities need from you now. Plus, why you should consider legal aid, becoming an observer, or supporting local organizations.
In recent weeks, Minnesota has borne the brunt of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration strategy, with federal officials detaining thousands of people, from preschoolers to, occasionally, US citizens. Minnesotans on the ground have responded in turn by establishing remarkable models of community resistance, including vast networks of volunteers monitoring ICE activity, as well as handing out free diapers, food, and other essentials to families in need.
But over the weekend, tensions spiked after federal border patrol agents shot and killed yet another civilian, Alex Pretti, which came 17 days after an agent from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) killed Renee Nicole Good.
Such overt violence against immigrants and protesters — often captured in graphic video — has left many Americans feeling aghast, but also powerlessness over how to respond. Even conservatives have begun taking a much harder stance on ICE’s activities, with nearly one in five Republicans voicing support for abolishing the agency in the wake of Pretti’s killing.
At times like these, perhaps the best way to deal with these feelings is to channel them into helping people who need it, not just in Minneapolis, but in your community too. Fortunately there are countless organizations, religious groups, and mutual aid networks that have organized tirelessly over the past year or more to protect vulnerable populations. And it’s never too late for you to join them, whether through donating to immigrant groups, volunteering your time, or your advocacy for more humane policies.
Here’s how to help.
If you want to support immigrants and their supporters in Minneapolis specifically, two local volunteers have created an extensive repository called Stand With Minnesota, filled with nonprofits, mutual aid networks, and crowdfunding links for specific schools, neighborhoods, and families that need support.
You can choose from an immigrant-serving nonprofit that’s over a century old to a GoFundMe offering rent relief in the same neighborhood where Good was killed. If you want someone else to make the decision for you on where to donate, the Immigrant Rapid Response Fund is a pooled philanthropic fund from the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota that can direct your donation to where it’s needed most.
