In response to the Chamber’s call for deescalation, MUID calls for an immediate end to ICE’s Operation Metro Surge and urges public accountability and solidarity with affected communities.
On January 26, 2026, the Metropolitan Urban Indian Directors Group (MUID) a coalition of more than thirty-five American Indian organizations serving the Twin Cities—issued a formal letter to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in response to the Chamber’s January 25 call for “deescalation of tensions.”
MUID asserts that true deescalation is impossible while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) continues “Operation Metro Surge” in Minnesota. The letter outlines serious concerns over violent and traumatic ICE actions impacting U.S. citizens, with disproportionate harm to communities of color and Urban American Indian communities. MUID calls for the immediate end of ICE operations in Minnesota as a necessary first step toward any meaningful dialogue or collaboration.
The letter also calls on the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and its members to clearly state where they stand by publicly condemning ICE’s actions and standing with impacted communities. Continued silence, MUID warns, risks irreparable harm to trust and partnership.
We strongly encourage all readers to take the time to read the full letter below. It speaks directly to this moment, raises critical questions about values and accountability, and calls on all of us to consider where we stand and how we move forward together.
As ongoing crises impact immigrant communities and families facing detention, housing, and food insecurity, our team is providing increased support and sharing a community resource guide for legal, housing, and basic needs assistance.
Several times a week, a team of American Indian OIC career counselors head out of the office and into prisons and jails to engage in the challenging work of supporting youth and adults as they prepare to leave incarceration and integrate back into the community.
We’re thrilled to share a success story from our job training program, the Takoda Institute of Higher Education. One recent phlebotomy graduate, Sarah, secured a job in a hospital lab, just two miles from her home. This achievement is especially meaningful as her journey was filled with challenges and self-doubt. During these tough times, her instructor Katie offered unwavering support, helping her recognize her strengths and reassuring her that things would come together – and they did.
