Over 250 people came together at the Hopkins clocktower plaza to hold a rally asking ICE to stop terrorizing our communities. A small group of us organized the rally and the community showed up to peacefully express their first amendment rights. There were plenty of handmade signs, music, and families as well as coffee and hot chocolate served.
It was an expression of hope from a community of folks who have stepped up in so many to take care of their neighbors. I am so proud of our small city of Hopkins, founded by Czech immigrants, who truly believe that all are welcome here.
Our schools are places of learning that are supposed to be safe and healthy for our students and staff. School safety was in the news this summer after the shooting at Annunciation and is in the news once again as the Department of Homeland Security deployed 3,000 ICE agents into our communities.
We were told that ICE’s presence in our communities was to go after the worse of the worst and to investigate fraud. Their mission has warped beyond that and is directly impacting our student’s education as well as their mental health. Parents and students are speaking up. You can see the coverage from a press conference our parents and community members held outside of Aquila Elementary in St. Louis Park following an ICE operation across the street from the school. Teachers had to keep the blinds closed in order to shield their students. You can see the coverage of the press conference here.
In 2023, we invested money in our K-12 system to support our student’s mental health by increasing school counselors, nurses, social workers, and psychologists in our schools. And, just when we saw our students’ mental health improve, actions from ICE are taking us a step backwards. From storming onto the grounds and deploying tear gas at Roosevelt High School to taking a child’s parent away at a bus stop in front of a busload of students, ICE’s actions are subjecting our students to unnecessary fear and violence.
ICE does not belong in our schools, on school grounds, or at our bus stops. As the Co-Chair for the House Education Finance Committee, I joined my DFL Co-Vice Chair and the DFL Co-Chair and Co-Vice Chair of the House Education Policy Committee in a statement about ICE in our schools. I did reach out to our House GOP Co-Chair/Co-Vice Chair colleagues, but they were not ready to join us in a statement at this time.
A friendly reminder to join me for our upcoming January Community Conversations. Here are the dates and locations below:
Saturday, January 24 – 11:00 am to 12:30 pm at the Hopkins Library (22 11th Ave. N., Hopkins)
Tuesday, January 27 – 6:30-8:00 pm at the St. Louis Park Library (3240 Library Lane, St. Louis Park)
Wednesday, January 28 – 6:30-8:00 pm at the Edina Library (5280 Grandview Square, Edina)
With February around the corner, I hope you can mark your calendars for next month’s community conversations series:
Wednesday, February 4 – 6:30-8:00 pm at the Hopkins Library (22 11th Ave. N., Hopkins)
Wednesday, February 11 – 6:30-8:00 pm at Edina Library (5280 Grandview Square, Edina)
Saturday, February 21 – 10:30 am to Noon at the St. Louis Park Library (3240 Library Lane, St. Louis Park)
Governor’s State Address
Governor Walz addressed Minnesotans this week about the federal government’s ongoing presence in our state. In his remarks, he acknowledged the fear and anger many are feeling, but emphasized the critical importance of remaining peaceful in our response. He encouraged Minnesotans to continue looking out for one another, to document what we’re witnessing in our communities, and to remember that accountability will come through the ballot box and the courts. The Governor was clear: we have a right to protest loudly and urgently, but we cannot let violence prevail. He reminded us that this is a moment to show who we are as Minnesotans—people who believe in the rule of law, human dignity, and taking care of our neighbors. Please stay safe, stay peaceful, and continue to support one another. You can watch and listen to the governor’s remarks by clicking this link.
Below are resources to familiarize yourself with, as well as connections to community organizations that are providing important training opportunities.
Earlier this week, parents and local leaders had a press conference highlighting the concern of ICE activity across the street from the school. This activity caused teachers to keep blinds drawn and increased students and parents anxiety.
Our schools must remain safe spaces for learning. The presence of ICE agents near school grounds creates an environment of fear and anxiety that disrupts education for everyone—students lose focus, teachers struggle to maintain normalcy, and administrators face impossible situations. Parents shouldn’t have to stand guard at their children’s schools. Our kids deserve to learn without fear, and our educators deserve to teach without interference. Schools are for education, not enforcement.
Here is the statement from our DFL Chairs and Vice Chairs of our house Education Finance and Policy Committees:
ICE’s chaos has no place in Minnesota’s schools. As federal actions continue to undermine the security and learning environment in classrooms across the state, students are missing out on critical educational milestones.
We have made strong investments in the mental health of our students, critical support staff, and in improving school attendance. And just as we are starting to see the results of those investments, ICE’s presence in our school communities has taken us steps back. ICE has no place in our schools or interfering with our students’ education.
Know Your Rights
Together with Hennepin County Commissioner Heather Edelson and my legislative colleagues, I’m co-hosting a virtual Know Your Rights training session. Residents of District 50A are invited to join us.
Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions or input. Email is the quickest way to get in touch.
It’s been a violent and volatile start to the year, and with the eyes of the world once again on Minneapolis. On Wednesday, the day after President Trump deployed the largest ICE operation in U.S. history – sending over 2,000 more agents into Minneapolis – a Minnesotan was shot and killed.
Renee Good should still be with us and my heart is broken thinking of her family, friends, and community who is missing her presence. My heart goes out to communities all over the state where ICE has been targeting and terrorizing our fellow Minnesotans.
One of our jobs as public servants is to keep Minnesotans safe from anyone that puts them at risk – and right now, ICE has been proven to be dangerous. My colleagues and I are moving forward, fighting for and demanding accountability and solutions to ensure this never happens again. Our Minnesota Executive branch has said that they are going to seek accountability and justice as well.
None of ‘Operation Metro Surge’ is about public safety – in fact, ICE is destabilizing our communities and making us all less safe. Whether it’s speeding down a one way the wrong way, abandoning children, kneeling on pregnant women, pushing and handcuffing educators and administrators, ICE is making everyday living dangerous for all of us. I have had reports coming out of Hopkins and St. Louis Park just today of ICE detaining, and at times threatening, our neighbors who are merely there to be constitutional observers. None of these actions are okay. If you see erratic driving, folks breaking traffic laws, or vehicles without license plates, please call 911.
I would like to share with you the Minneapolis Legislative Delegation statement here on the killing of Renee Good.
All of us are just trying to live our lives – and armed, masked individuals are coming in, arresting people without cause, sowing fear, wreaking havoc, and now they’ve killed one of our neighbors. Every law enforcement-involved shooting must have a thorough and integrity-filled investigation. I’m working towards accountability since Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was kicked off the FBI investigation.
The widely circulated, graphic video of Ms. Good’s death contradicts statements of DHS Secretary Noem. Propaganda and its spread is dangerous, and with an ever-evolving tech society, we all bear a collective responsibility, grounded in our shared humanity and fundamental decency, to stand firmly against it and promote the truth. Words matter.
Last night, thousands gathered at the site where Renee was killed, and it was indicative of how powerful and comforting standing with community can be. There will be more opportunities to gather, mourn, raise our voices, and peacefully protest – when doing so I encourage you to stay safe and know your rights. Below are resources to familiarize yourself with, as well as connections to community organizations that are providing important rapid response and constitutional observer training opportunities:
Immigration Legal Resource Center – Red Cards. Cards you can print to keep so that you know your rights: https://www.ilrc.org/redcards
State officials are here to ensure people have the ability to express their constitutional rights. But I encourage people to do so peacefully. In the words of Governor Walz; They want a show, let’s not give it to them. Please stay safe, do not buy into propaganda from Homeland Security, and to continue to look out for one another.
Many of us have been working with our neighbors to make sure folks are safe as they go to school, work, or just go to the store. We will continue to do that. I have been heartened by watching so many people in Hopkins, Edina, and St. Louis Park stepping up to take care of each other. I am so very proud of our communities!
Federal Freeze on Childcare Assistance
Today, I was on a call with childcare providers from around the state. They were expressing great concern about the Trump administration freezing over $10 billion in funding that helps low-income families afford childcare, housing, and food. They shared their stories on how this freeze could affect their businesses and the families that they serve. Many of them are small business owners who work with very small margins and a lengthy freeze of funding could cause them to close their doors.
Attorney General Ellison, and four other state attorneys general, are suing the Trump administration for illegally freezing these funds and this sledgehammer approach. This freeze puts vulnerable families at immediate risk by jeopardizing critical anti-poverty programs. I’m glad to see AG Ellison working hard to freeze this unlawful action and stop it from being implemented.
Community Conversation Reminder
On January 24, I’m kicking off my first Community Conversation of 2026 at the Hopkins library. This is a space for community to come together, get a brief update from me, share their thoughts, and talk with their neighbors. I will be posting the February and March dates soon. Here are the dates, times, and locations for the January series:
January 24, Hopkins Library, 11:00 a.m-12:30 p.m
January 27, St. Louis Park Library, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
January 28, Edina Library, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov or 651-296-9889 with questions or input. Email is the quickest way to get in touch.
Rep. Cheryl Youakim 46B – Hopkins, Edina, & St. Louis Park
Events on January 7 left my heart broken thinking of Renee Good who should be home with her family tonight. And, for our communities all over the state where ICE has been terrorizing our fellow Minnesotans.
One of our jobs as public servants is to keep Minnesotans safe from anyone that puts them at risk, and right now that seems to be ICE. My colleagues and I are moving forward, fighting for and demanding accountability and solutions to ensure this never happens again. Our Minnesota Executive branch has said that they are going to seek accountability and justice as well.
We encourage peace and our state officials are here to ensure people have the ability to express their constitutional rights. I also stand with my legislative colleagues from Minneapolis as they ask community members to stay safe, to not buy into propaganda from Homeland Security, and to look out for one another. In the words of Governor Walz, they want a show, let’s not give it to them.
Many of us have been working in our communities with our neighbors to make sure folks are safe as they go to school, work, or just go to the store. We will continue to do that. I have been heartened by watching so many people in Hopkins, Edina, and St. Louis Park stepped up to take care of each other. Minnesotans are strong and resilient and I am very proud of our communities!
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