Solidarity with the ICE Out / Day of Truth and Freedom
-1/23/25-
Dear friends, partners, and community members,
On Friday, January 23, people across Minnesota are participating in a Day of Truth and Freedom — an ICE Out strike and pause from work, school, and shopping — to call attention to the real and escalating harms of federal immigration enforcement. Thousands of federal agents have been deployed through Operation Metro Surge, creating fear, instability, and trauma in communities across our state.
As self-advocate leaders in this movement, Advocating Change Together (ACT) aligns itself with this action and with our immigrant neighbors. We also join calls for truth, accountability, and justice following the killing of Renee Good, a Minnesota resident who was shot and killed by a federal ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026. State violence — in all its forms — causes lasting harm, particularly to communities already facing systemic oppression.
For disabled people, seniors, people on fixed incomes, and the care workers who support them, these harms do not exist in isolation. Immigration enforcement, economic instability, and ongoing and proposed cuts to Medicaid and long-term care services intersect in ways that threaten people’s safety, health, and ability to remain connected to their communities. When Medicaid is weakened, people lose access to home care, personal care assistance, healthcare, and the supports that make daily life possible. Disability justice teaches us that care, access, and dignity are not optional — they are essential to real safety.
Many organizers are calling for public actions, including the rally planned at Commons Park in downtown Minneapolis, to raise awareness and demand change. At the same time, we recognize that not everyone is able to participate in large public gatherings. Barriers related to disability, chronic illness, caregiving responsibilities, sensory access, transportation, and personal safety are real and must be respected.
ACT encourages each person to participate in ways that feel safest and most accessible for them — whether that means attending a gathering, organizing locally, supporting from home, or taking needed rest. Disability justice means honoring people’s autonomy, capacity, and wellbeing, especially in moments of collective grief and uncertainty.
This is a heavy time. Many in our community are grieving, scared, or overwhelmed. We reject violence and the systems that create it. We believe real safety comes from protecting people’s lives, health, and belonging — not from fear, force, or the stripping away of care and public supports like Medicaid. You are not alone. If you need support, a listening ear, or accessible resources, please reach out. Taking care of ourselves and each other is how we build peace and make lasting changes.
We remain committed to speaking out, aligning ourselves with our communities, and continuing this conversation in the days ahead — including more directly addressing the serious harm that Medicaid cuts cause to disabled people across Minnesota, and how these cuts intersect with ICE enforcement and economic pressure. Disabled people have too often been erased, excluded, or ignored in movements for justice, despite being deeply impacted and central to the economy that keeps our communities functioning.
ACT is committed to ensuring that disability justice is not sidelined but centered. Minnesota has shown — again and again — a powerful community heart that reaches far beyond our borders. Because of that, we know change is possible when we refuse to leave anyone behind.
In solidarity, care, and commitment to justice,
All of us at ACT
Justice for Renee Good
-1/12/25-
Dear friends, partners, and community members,
We are writing during a painful and unsettling moment in Minnesota. Last week, a 37-year-old mother was killed by federal immigration enforcement. Her death has sparked grief, fear, and outrage across our state and the country, and communities are rightly demanding accountability and justice.
Her name was Renee Good.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of enforcement and rhetoric that has brought harm and terror to immigrant families, people of color, disabled people, and other marginalized communities. The climate of enforcement and violence affects us all, regardless of where we live or work.
Many in the disability community, and our staff personally, have deep roots across St. Paul, Minneapolis, and throughout Minnesota — including communities served by all SAM regions, from Winona to Cambridge, St. Cloud to Rochester, Duluth to East Grand Forks, and beyond. We know firsthand that fear and uncertainty do not stop at city limits, and that what happens in one community quickly ripples across others.
Out of care for the safety and well-being of our staff and community, Advocating Change Together is temporarily encouraging staff to work from home and closing our physical office space while federal immigration enforcement activity continues in Minnesota and we assess safety on an ongoing basis. This decision is about safety, care, and reducing harm — not fear, compliance, or disengagement from our mission.
During this time, we are also placing in-person events and gatherings on hold. We know how important being together is, and this pause is not taken lightly. If you need support, have questions, or are unsure how this affects your participation, please reach out to us by phone or email. We will do our best to be responsive, flexible, and supportive during this time.
As a disability justice organization, we know that safety is collective, that oppression is interconnected, and that protecting one another is part of how we fight ableism and state violence. At the same time, we are navigating the real tension between maintaining a clear justice lens and making decisions that prioritize immediate safety. Taking care of ourselves and each other is not separate from the work — it is the work.
During this period, we will continue:
· Advancing disability justice and leadership across Minnesota
· Staying connected with cross-movement partners working toward community safety, accountability, and care
· Sharing accessible and meaningful ways to stay engaged and support one another
We know this moment is heavy. Fear and grief are real. And isolation only deepens harm. Please reach out if you need connection, resources, or support — and let’s continue to care for one another through this moment.
In solidarity and care,
All of us at ACT