Annie Comes Home: Resisting ICE’s lawless violence requires an all-hands-on-deck approach

Saturday, January 24, 2026

Resisting ICE’s lawless violence requires an all-hands-on-deck approach

"The sense of safety in our community and around our schools is shaken. I can speak on behalf of all school staff when I say our hearts are shattered."

Pamela, that's how Zena Stenvik, the school superintendent in Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, describes the situation on the ground where Liam Conejo Ramos — a preschooler — was detained by ICE on Thursday.[1]

People across Minnesota are struggling, yet bravely protesting as ICE agents terrorize their communities. The Trump administration appears hell-bent on escalation. Right now, active duty soldiers across Colorado, North Carolina, and Alaska are on alert and awaiting deployment orders to Minneapolis.

And our work is reaching a fever pitch. Whether it's supporting servicemembers with information about their rights if faced with illegal orders as part of Trump's deployments to our communities, calling on Congress to rein this lawless agency in, or mobilizing activists to demand their elected officials unmask, defund, and get ICE out of our communities, we're pulling every lever possible to keep people safe.

That includes supporting and partnering with groups like Monarca: a coalition of thousands of Minnesotans — including workers, students, people of faith, parents, clergy, business owners, teachers, caregivers, and young people — who work to protect people's rights where it matters most: on the ground, in their communities.

We won't stop ICE or build the more peaceful world we all want and deserve alone. That's why we're part of a movement that includes organizations like Monarca — an organization that also relies on the generous support of grassroots donors to fuel its urgent work. Can we depend on you?

Donate now to support Win Without War and Monarca. Every donation will be split equally.

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In the six weeks since Trump deployed a flood of federal immigration agents to Minnesota, the situation has become dire. The violence has gone well beyond the tragic killing of Renee Good, a mother of three. Just this week, ICE agents have forcibly entered homes without warrants, tear-gassed protestors, and detained several children, including Liam, who is just five years old.[2]

Meanwhile, Trump and his administration continue to defend and attempt to justify the violence they've unleashed. There's simply no justification.

People like us — people like you, Pamela — refuse the violent, authoritarian world Trump is building.

The struggle in Minneapolis has repercussions for us all. Run by Unidos MN, Monarca provides a critical piece of rapid response infrastructure. They have trained 26,000 people to observe, document, and respond to ICE presence in Minnesota. These volunteers blow whistles to warn others that ICE is near. They offer rides to people too scared to walk or who need to get to a warm and safe place after a family member has been abducted. They, like you, are a beacon.

As ICE's violence deepens and expands across the country, groups like ours will be tested. But as a member of the Indigenous Protectors Movement said at a vigil for Renee Good, mutual aid and solidarity can't just be words. With your support, we'll meet this moment — and all the ones ahead.

Will you make a donation, split 50/50 between Monarca and Win Without War, to help us defend our communities and build a safer world?

Pamela, our impact comes from your dedication, support, and activism. When we say we want to build a world where everyone can have dignity and thrive without the fear of violence, we know it will require groups and people here in the United States and around the world.

Together, we will choose what tomorrow looks like.

Thank you for working for peace,
The Win Without War team