Minneapolis, MN: The truth stands clear. This morning, several individuals detained in recent ICE raids in Rochester were released on bond after it was confirmed that they had no criminal records. This fact reaffirms what our communities have long known: these raids are not targeting violent criminals, as the administration claims, but rather hardworking, honest individuals who contribute daily to our economy and simply seek the fundamental right to provide for their families.
COPAL MN strongly condemns these unjustified attacks on immigrant families. While the federal administration continues to speak of humanity in the enforcement of immigration laws, what we are witnessing in practice are operations that only instill fear, separate families, and destabilize communities.
Our community is NOT a threat. We are the ones who build, care for, cultivate, and weave the bonds that keep this state standing. We are parents, workers, dreamers, and fighters seeking a dignified life—not persecution.
“This is not justice. This is cruelty.” – ICE is choosing pain, family separation, and the destruction of our local economies. We choose love, family, and a better life here in Minnesota. We will not allow persecution to define our future. Immigrant families are the heart of our community, and we will continue fighting for a dignified life, free from fear.
—Ryan Pérez, Director of Organizing, COPAL MN
We demand that ICE end its unjustified attacks on our communities and that society as a whole open its eyes to what is truly happening.
COPAL MN remains steadfast in defending those affected by these raids and urgently calls on our state and local leaders to take immediate action to protect our immigrant communities. We urge the public to get informed, support legal defense efforts, and hold federal agencies accountable for the ongoing harm inflicted on working families. Now is the time to act, to unite, and to ensure a future of justice, dignity, and respect for all.
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COPAL Minnesota is a membership-based organization committed to improving the quality of life for Latino communities in Minnesota. For more information, visit www.copalmn.org.
