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'What can I do?'
For those watching the tragic events unfolding in Minnesota and Maine, it can be frustrating to be on the outside looking in. But there are ways you can help.
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Ali Daniels via AP
There’s not much that’s more frustrating than watching a tragedy unfolding on TV or reading news accounts and wondering what you can do to help.
That’s how a lot of Americans feel watching ICE and Border Patrol agents wreak havoc in Minneapolis in their frenzied hunt for undocumented immigrants to meet their quotas. It’s the classic novel theme: Man’s inhumanity to man.
But you can help. There are a ton of organizations here that need donations. The question is, how to choose? Maybe pick a group that has some relevance to you. Are you an attorney, a teacher, a mental health counselor, an auto mechanic? Are you Black, Jewish, Muslim, Afro/Indigenous? Do you have kids? Do you do your family’s grocery shopping? During the pandemic, I donated to a group set up to help out-of-work journalists. Pick an interest, if that helps.
Here are some ideas:
💵 How to help no matter where you live
DONATE MONEY
Probably the single most effective thing everyone can do is to send money to organizations that are fighting to protect immigrants: Coalitions working to help immigrants with food and shelter, lawyers who go to court to fight for their rights, groups that are organizing peaceful protests and are training observers to monitor and record video of federal agents, those providing mental health services for beleaguered immigrants, refugee settlement groups, and more.
A subreddit called r/minnesota, run by a member named catalooo, has assembled this list of groups in Minnesota that could use donations:
Immigrant support
Immigrant Defense Network – Coalition of 90+ groups organizing rapid response and collecting evidence.
Immigrant Law Center of MN – Free immigration legal representation to low-income immigrants and refugees.
COPAL – Advocacy, organizing, phone hotline. Focus on Latine community.
Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee (MIRAC) – Education and protest organizing.
Interfaith Coalition on Immigration – Advocacy, aid, events.
Monarca MN – Training and phone hotline.
Unidos MN – Education, protests, advocacy.
Center for Victims of Torture – Advocacy and mental health services for immigrants.
International Institute of Minnesota – Refugee resettlement group that provides support and legal help to vulnerable new-to-country families.
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota – Offers services to refugees, including legal aid to non-citizens.
Food support
Some of the following orgs take food donations, though donating money tends to be the most flexible and allows them to purchase food with bulk discounts.
Mutual aid funds & community support
Leo’s Tow (Venmo @leostowingmn) and Galeana’s Towing & Services are towing cars back to families if a car is stranded when someone is detained.
More links
MN50501 Mutual Aid Linktree – Well-organized list of various Twin Cities groups.
Mplsmutualaid Linktree – Many neighborhood and individual GoFundMes.
Mpls.St.Paul Magazine – Scroll down to Food Drives and Fundraisers.
Stand with Minnesota – Extensive list of organizations, mutual aid, and crowdfunding campaigns.
Neighborhood House - Programs and support for families.