COPAL and the Immigrant Defense Network will activate Senate District Action Groups, multilingual voter support and a trusted community helpline ahead of the November election
MINNEAPOLIS — The Immigrant Defense Network (IDN), a project of COPAL, is launching a statewide, nonpartisan Democracy Protection Initiative to carry the community infrastructure we built during the immigration enforcement crisis into the 2026 election.
During Operation Metro Surge, more than 35,000 Minnesotans trained as Constitutional Observers through IDN. Together, we learned how to understand our constitutional rights, document enforcement activity, de-escalate dangerous situations, and connect our neighbors with trusted information and support. Our community helpline received tens of thousands of calls from people looking for reliable information during a time of extraordinary fear and uncertainty.
Now, we are carrying those lessons and relationships into the election — supporting Constitutional Observers to become Democracy Protectors and organizing volunteers through Senate District Action Groups across Minnesota.
“When our neighbors needed us, Minnesotans showed up. Democracy asks the same thing of us now,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director of COPAL. “Tens of thousands of people learned how to organize, communicate and protect one another during Operation Metro Surge. We are carrying those relationships forward so eligible voters have the trusted information, support and freedom they need to make their voices heard.”
At the heart of this work are Senate District Action Groups: trained volunteers organizing where they live to help their neighbors understand their rights, make a voting plan, and navigate barriers to participation.
“People should not have to navigate our democracy alone,” said Rico Duran, Organizing Director at COPAL. “Whether someone needs information in their language, help making a voting plan, a ride to the polls or simply a trusted person who can point them in the right direction, we want every eligible voter to know: you belong in our democracy, and your community is here with you.”
COPAL and IDN are bringing our voter engagement and democracy protection work together so our communities have what they need to participate with confidence. COPAL will reach voters through bilingual, culturally responsive outreach — door knocking, phone banking, texting, community events and trusted messengers — while our Senate District Action Groups help neighbors navigate barriers, make a voting plan and connect to reliable information and support.
From the start of early voting on September 18 through Election Day on November 3, we will expand multilingual voter education, vote-by-mail support, relational organizing and district-level volunteer coordination. In the final week, we plan to activate more than 20 community-based Democracy Protection Centers where trained volunteers can provide information, language assistance, referrals, and other election support.
Operation Metro Surge taught us what is possible when ordinary people organize to protect one another. We showed up for our neighbors then, and we are carrying that same spirit into this election — building relationships, leadership and community power that will last long after November 3.
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About COPAL
COPAL Minnesota is a member-based organization driven to improve the quality of life for Minnesota’s Latine communities. For more information, please visit www.copalmn.org.
About Immigrant Defense Network (IDN)
The Immigrant Defense Network is a statewide network of more than 100 organizations committed to defending and advancing the rights, dignity, and safety of immigrant communities through rapid response, legal support, community organizing, and narrative change. Learn more: immigrantdefensenetwork.org.
