Dear friends and colleagues,
ChangeLab Solutions condemns acts of violence and unlawful overreach by federal immigration agents, including the deaths of two US citizens in Minnesota. These recent tragedies happened during a large, ongoing deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and United States Border Patrol (USBP) agents in Minneapolis. They are the direct result of a reckless federal immigration enforcement strategy that is escalating violence and harm instead of promoting safety and trust.
High‑profile incidents are only the visible part of a much larger issue, with further illegal violence and abuse likely occurring at detention centers and out of the public eye. Instead of accountability and transparency, communities targeted by enforcement actions have seen their basic civil rights endangered by the violent use of militarized federal power within US cities and towns.
Current Immigration Policy Harms Community Health
The surge of ICE and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis and elsewhere has direct implications for communities across the country. Aggressive immigration enforcement disproportionately targets and harms immigrants, refugees, low-income residents, and communities of color — groups already facing structural barriers to health and wellbeing.
These operations are actively sowing fear and trauma within communities already at greater risk of poor health outcomes. When residents and families are afraid to seek medical care, report crimes, access essential public services, or move freely within their neighborhoods, preventable harms compound.
As a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that helps advance equitable laws and policies for better health, respects the rule of law, and embraces the values and vision of the US Constitution, we at ChangeLab Solutions are saddened and outraged by the escalating violence against the people of our country — residents and citizens alike.
Violent Immigration Enforcement Undermines Democracy
A few months ago, we shared a timely blog post about the importance of equitable governance practices and how they are key to a functioning democracy and the overall health of communities and individuals. In that statement, we emphasized the importance of good governance principles that are widely accepted by policymakers and civic leaders, both nationally and globally. These principles include ensuring meaningful participation in government, transparency and accountability, respect for the rule of law, efficacy and responsiveness in times of need, and understanding community context. The recent actions by federal agents at the direction of the executive branch are in direct opposition to these widely regarded principles.
As we call for the de-escalation of unlawful and violent immigration enforcement, it is critical that we name and center communities that have historically been subjugated by government actions. Violence against Black and Brown people, immigrants, and LGBTQ+ communities is not new. The violence over the past few weeks in Minnesota (and now spreading to other states) makes it clear that the current administration is supportive of militarized policing within US borders and demonstrates their intention to continue weakening our democracy. Today, we must heed the warnings of countless academics, policymakers, and community organizers, that if we don’t take action, we are condoning the further erosion of democracy.
As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Vote Against Department of Homeland Security Funding
There are actions at every level of government that we can take to oppose these violent escalations and to support our democracy. This week, senators in the US Congress are expected to vote on a series of funding bills, one of which is for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the federal agency that oversees ICE and USBP. Many senate leaders have already signaled that they will not advance a spending package that includes DHS funding without fundamental changes to prevent future violence and enforcement overreach.
Take Action: One way you can speak out is by sending a message to your senators to tell them to oppose increased funding for ICE, DHS, and Border Patrol in the upcoming appropriations bill. In addition, please see the supplemental resources listed below.
Sincerely,
Sarah de Guia and the ChangeLab Solutions team
Additional Resources:
- Health in Partnership: Immigrant Justice Guide and Talking Points, created to support public health workers in taking action against immigration enforcement
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): Statement on House Vote for Excessive ICE Funding Without Limitations
- National Immigrant Law Center: Congressional Letter: DHS Funding
- Unidos US: National Civil Rights and Latino Leaders Demand Congressional Accountability for Escalating Federal Abuse and Executive Overreach
Learn more about the connection between equitable implementation and good governance:
- What Are the Basic Structure and Functions of Government? (short video)
- Democracy & Governance (blog series)
- Supporting Equitable Community Engagement (guide)
- Equitable Enforcement to Achieve Health Equity (guide)
Image by: Fibonacci Blue
1/28/2026