The recent statement shared by Dolores Huerta, in which she shares she experienced sexual harm from César Chávez, is profoundly painful and unsettling. This moment is especially difficult for many within the organizing, labor, and immigrant rights movements, communities that have long drawn inspiration from the historic struggles led during that era. 

We recognize that important advances for workers’ rights and immigrant justice emerged from that movement. At the same time, we must be clear: truth matters, and harm must be named. There is no place for gender-based violence in our movements. Leaders are human, and while they may contribute to transformative change, they can also cause harm that must be acknowledged and addressed. 

Movements do not belong to one individual. They belong to the people, to the farmworkers, families, women, and communities who continue to organize for dignity today. 

We acknowledge the immense courage it takes for a woman to speak about harm, particularly when it involves a powerful or widely respected figure. Creating cultures where survivors can speak and be heard is essential to building movements rooted in justice. 

For COPAL, dignity is not selective. It is a human right that must be upheld in our workplaces, our communities, and within our own movements. 

This moment reminds us of the importance of critical consciousness, ethical leadership, and accountability. Our commitment to immigrant justice, labor rights, and human dignity requires us to confront uncomfortable truths while continuing to organize toward a more just and humane future. 

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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. 

Operation Metro Surge brought horror to communities in Minnesota. Homes were raided. Families were separated. Individuals were threatened, harassed, and detained without due process. Families lived in constant fear as federal agents carried out these operations. And people died at the hands of ICE.  

“The changes we are beginning to see did not happen by accident,” stated Francisco Segovia Executive Director of COPAL. “They happened because people chose bravery. Community members spoke up, documented abuse, and questioned the leadership responsible for the treatment of our communities. But a new name at the top does not fix a broken system”  

These were not isolated incidents. They were systematic, cruel tactics that tore apart neighborhoods, destroyed livelihoods, and violated the basic rights guaranteed to everyone under the United States Constitution. And the impact is still being felt: trauma lingers, families are still struggling economically, and communities remain on edge. 

And yet the fight is far from over. ICE remains active in Minnesota, families continue to face harassment and fear, and no real accountability has been delivered for the harm caused by this administration. Our communities continue to demand truth, justice, and policies that protect dignity, democracy, and human rights.   

While the removal of Secretary Noem signals that the public is paying closer attention to these enforcement practices, COPAL demands accountability. Minnesotans are still owed a full investigation into the actions carried out by federal agents during Metro Surge. 

This moment shows that when communities raise their voices, the country begins to listen, but listening is only the first step. COPAL’s work is not finished. Continued public attention and community vigilance are essential to ensuring that the rights and dignity of our communities are protected. 

COPAL encourages community members to remain informed, continue documenting abuses, and report enforcement activity to ensure that the fight for accountability remains a priority and immigrant families across Minnesota are not forced to face these challenges alone. 

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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. 

The Minnesota delegation is composed of community leaders and organizers from a range of organizations committed to advancing civil rights and democratic participation. The delegation includes members of COPAL and the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN), along with representatives from other community-based organizations, human rights advocates, and civic leaders working across the state to strengthen civic engagement and build more just and inclusive communities.

“We are making this journey because we felt it was important to stand where the struggle for voting rights reshaped the nation. The lessons of 1965 continue to shape how communities show up for one another today,” said Edwin Torres DeSantiago, IDN Manager. 

Selma remains one of the most powerful symbols of organized moral courage in American history. The events of March 7, 1965, when peaceful marchers were attacked while demanding voting rights, helped catalyze national action and led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. For the Minnesota delegation, visiting Selma is an opportunity to honor that legacy while deepening their commitment to strengthening democracy in their own communities.

Across the country, immigrant communities continue to face barriers to civic participation, threats to due process, and policies that undermine equal protection under the law. “While every movement and community has its own history, Selma represents a turning point in U.S. history when organized communities reshaped federal policy and redefined democracy. We see that legacy as directly connected to the work happening in Minnesota now,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director, COPAL.

During their visit, Minnesota leaders will join commemorative events honoring the Civil Rights Movement, connect with other organizers and community leaders from across the country, and reflect on how the lessons of Selma can continue to inspire civic engagement and multiracial solidarity in Minnesota and beyond.

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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 the 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.  For more information, please visit immigrantdefensenetwork.org.

We understand the urgency of housing needs. While the intake of applications is paused, we encourage you to explore the following resources for additional support:

This rapid-response emergency fundraising effort was launched as immigration enforcement actions intensified at the start of the second Trump administration and further escalated during Operations Metro Surge and Parris, destabilizing communities across the region. These operations separated families, displaced children, injured elders, and exposed neighborhoods to chemical agents. The ripple effects extended far beyond immediate arrests: workers missed shifts, small businesses saw sharp declines in customers, schools reported attendance drops, and families experienced profound psychological and economic strain. 

“Families are still terrified,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director of COPAL. “Parents hesitate to send their children to school. Workers forgo wages out of fear of detention. Families delay critical medical care. This support is stabilizing households facing immediate crisis.” 

Although federal authorities announced the end of Operation Metro Surge, ICE activity continues statewide, sustaining what community leaders describe as an ongoing climate of fear, grief, and economic disruption. 

“The trauma inflicted by these enforcement actions will not disappear when headlines fade,” said Edwin Torres DeSantiago of the Immigrant Defense Network. “Families are still bearing the human and economic toll of this campaign. Sustained community support is essential to long-term recovery.” 

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, COPAL and IDN have responded to an unprecedented surge in community need, receiving more than 20,000 calls to COPAL’s Navigator Line, including requests for rent assistance, groceries, medical care, and other emergency support. 

In addition to direct family assistance, COPAL and IDN have strengthened regional infrastructure by supporting community partners, including: 

• A partnership expanding access to in‑home healthcare through a coordinated network of providers 
• Direct support to 10 food shelves statewide, nine located in Greater Minnesota, addressing unprecedented demand.
• Support for eight partner organizations, including one in South Dakota, to strengthen regional capacity and coordinated response efforts.

This effort ensures critical resources reach families directly, helping them pay rent, access food, obtain medical care, and regain stability during a period of sustained disruption. 

“We are so grateful to every community member, donor, and partner who has shown up,” said Carolina Ortiz, Associate Executive Director of COPAL. “Your support is making a difference. But this is not over—families still need support, and we will continue standing with them while demanding accountability from the federal government.” 

COPAL and IDN remain committed to ensuring immigrant families across Minnesota can live with safety, dignity, and long-term stability. 

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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 the 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.  For more information, please visit immigrantdefensenetwork.org.

COPAL and the Immigrant Defense Network are building a network of trained community members prepared to stand for dignity, accountability, and the protection of civil rights.

Trainings will be held every Wednesday at 5:00 PM at Saint John’s Episcopal Church, 302 Warren St, Mankato, MN 56001.
The trainings will be held in English. Register for the date of your choice.

Attendees discussed issues such as immigration, healthcare, education, housing, environmental justice, and workers’ rights.  

“Latine communities have long been left out of decisions that shape our daily lives, and recent federal enforcement actions have only made that gap more visible,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director at COPAL. “Our 2026 legislative agenda ensures our voices are heard, our families are protected, and that we can actively shape a Minnesota where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.” 

COPAL’s legislative priorities for 2026 include:  

Defending: 

• Driver’s Licenses for All: Protecting the right to drive for all Minnesota families, regardless of immigration status. 
• The North Star Promise Program: Defending the right to higher education for Minnesota students. 

Advancing: 

• North STAR Act: Protecting the rights of undocumented immigrants and creating safer communities across Minnesota. 
• MinnesotaCare Public Option: Establishing a MinnesotaCare public option, paving the way for a universal healthcare system. 
• A Constitutional Amendment for Housing: Advancing a constitutional amendment that would dedicate sustainable, predictable, and ongoing funding to the housing crisis. 
• The Latino Center for Community Engagement: Advancing investment in a community‑driven hub that expands access to holistic support services, civic engagement, and economic opportunity for Minnesota’s Latine residents—strengthening local economies, improving community wellbeing, and delivering statewide benefits for all who call Minnesota home. 

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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. 

Held just ahead of Valentine’s Day, the press conference uplifted a clear message from the community: real love shows up in action by protecting families, defending human rights, and caring for one another in moments of crisis. 

The Love Your Immigrant Neighbor campaign was launched in the aftermath of the first ICE raid in Rochester, Minnesota, following the start of Trump’s second term. What began as a response to one raid has since grown into a statewide movement grounded in solidarity. While federal officials recently announced the end of Operation Metro Surge, community leaders emphasized that the harm inflicted has not been addressed. 

“Our cities have been left in ruins, our families live in fear, and our businesses are struggling to survive. This administration must be held accountable. This has never been only about immigration; immigrants are being used as a vehicle to undermine our democracy,” said Francisco Segovia, Executive Director of COPAL. “We are here to protect our families and defend our democracy.” 

Speakers addressed the lasting impact of Operation Metro Surge, which flooded neighborhoods with military-style enforcement tactics for more than two months. Community members and organizers detailed widespread human rights violations resulting from the operation.  

“From a network perspective, this was not just traumatic—it was destabilizing,” said Edwin Torres DeSantiago of the Immigrant Defense Network. “Dozens of small businesses have shut down. Millions drained from local economies. Thousands of families living in fear. We documented heart attacks triggered by raids. Broken bones. Head injuries. People shot. People killed.” 

During Operation Metro Surge, many community members lost access to critical medical care. Families were afraid to seek medical care, disrupting access to life-saving medications, and essential health services for both adults and children. Munira Maalimisaaq, Family Nurse Practitioner and CEO of Inspire Change Clinic, described how her team stepped in to provide rapid, home-based medical support. 

“What happened, happened to us as a community, and I am proud to say we showed up and have been able to meet people where they’re at. But this is not over. The trauma that has happened is going to take years to get over.” 

Her team has already mobilized over 150 volunteer doctors to provide care to immigrant communities, deliver medications, and meet families’ urgent needs at home where they feel safest. 

Speakers emphasized that the consequences of these enforcement actions extended beyond immigrant communities, affecting U.S. citizens, permanent residents, children, workers, and local economies.  

“At Whipple, I was placed in a cell with no bed, given minimal food and water, and kept restrained. Eventually, I was walked out of the building and released at the front gate,” said community member and U.S.-born citizen Luis Cruz Torres. “This should never happen. ICE is detaining U.S. citizens and terrorizing our communities across this state. It is time to end these inhumane practices and remove ICE from our streets. Thank you.” 

COPAL renewed its call for a full investigation into Operation Metro Surge. Ending the operation does not end its consequences, and our communities deserve transparency, accountability, protection, and resources needed to heal. 

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Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina (COPAL), is a member-based organization established in 2018 to improve the quality of life of Latine families by creating opportunities, building collective power, and transforming systems. 

Media Contact: Wendy Zuñiga, (952) 564-0834, [email protected]