Response to ICE Activity and Violence Escalation: Public Statement from YWCA Minneapolis

January 7, 2026 

Today’s violence in the Twin Cities represents a tragic and unacceptable loss of life amid an escalating climate of fear and attacks impacting our community. What we witnessed today is an affront to what YWCA Minneapolis stands for and we demand accountability.  

At YWCA Minneapolis, our mission is clear: eliminating racism, empowering women and girls and ensuring peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. This work calls us to confront violence, affirm the value of every life and stand with communities disproportionately affected by fear and loss. We remain grounded in equity, compassion and the belief that safety and dignity are human rights.  

We hold close those who are grieving, those who are fearful and those who feel especially vulnerable right now. We also affirm what we know to be true: that our strength as a community lies in how we care for one another, how we honor human dignity and how firmly we reject violence and dehumanization. 

We want to be clear. YWCA Minneapolis does not collaborate with ICE. Our facilities and programs are spaces of belonging and care, and we remain committed to protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of all who engage with us. 

YWCA Minneapolis remains committed to showing up with clarity, compassion and courage — standing with our community in this moment and beyond. 

— Shelley Carthen Watson, President & CEO, YWCA Minneapolis