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!
The dropping temperatures make it a cozy time to enjoy the holiday season. Please stay safe out there on the sidewalks and roads. Dropping temperatures can make things very icy. Minnesotans embrace any weather, so The Sun Sailor has put together a Free West Metro Winter Calendar of family friendly events; and a couple feature St. Louis Park and Hopkins! Check it out here.
On December 8th, I had knee replacement surgery. I would like to thank the folks at TRIA and Methodist Hospital for the incredible care! Jacques was able to take time off of work to help with my recovery and I would like to thank family and friends for all of the well wishes and support. Our small four-season porch has been a nice place to recoup and continue to do my legislative work.
I am also thankful that my husband had sick time available to take care of me and that I have health insurance, which covered most of the cost. I am proud of the work we have done on Paid Family and Medical Leave, as well as earned sick and safe leave so that others have the same opportunities to take care of themselves and their family members. While we have done a lot of work, there is still more to do to support people and their health. My colleagues and I will continue to fight for affordable and accessible health care for all Minnesotans.
Community Conversations
Input from our communities is critical, especially now with federal chaos impacting our neighbors in Minnesota. That’s why I’m hosting a series of Community Conversations, January through March, to gain input from community members on issues that matter to you the most. These are an open format where I provide a brief update on what to expect this session and then open up the table for questions and discussion. Here are the dates for January:
January
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)
Addressing Fraud
I believe in a government that works for people, and public dollars should serve public needs like child care, health care, senior care, and more. That’s why fraud in any form — targeting consumers, veterans, small businesses, and government programs — is unacceptable.
Last week, Tim O’Malley joined as Minnesota’s Director of Program Integrity, and I’m encouraged by Governor Walz’s appointment. Working together, we will continue to protect taxpayer dollars, vital services, and ensure accountability across state government. Read more here.
Through a variety of tools such as executive action, bipartisan legislation, and agency-level reforms, Minnesota has also:
Ordered audit and pause of payments for 14 high-risk Medicaid programs tied to the federal investigation and shut down HSS entirely
Created a centralized fraud investigations unit within the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
Established a statewide Inspector General Coordinating Council to improve cross-agency collaboration
Invested in an Office of Inspector General in the Minnesota Department of Education
Funded additional auditors, internal control specialists, and grant oversight professionals
Expanded whistleblower protections and anti-kickback penalties
Required enhanced licensing, documentation, training, and unannounced site visits for high-risk providers
Implemented new tools for data analytics, prepayment review, and fraud reporting
Are you missing money?
It is that time of year when we remind Minnesotans that we have an unclaimed property database that folks can access. Nearly 33 million people in the United States (1 in every 7) have unclaimed property. Unclaimed property is any type of financial asset, such as a dormant bank account, uncashed checks, insurance payouts, or unclaimed deposits that are transferred to the state after an owner fails to collect it. This is essentially Minnesota’s financial lost and found. The Minnesota Department of Commerce has a video explaining how Minnesotans could have money and property that goes unclaimed. The video also explains how to find out if you have property to claim. Search Commerce’s Unclaimed Property by clicking the link.
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.
As we close the chapter on 2025, let us look ahead, to the light of 2026 with hope. Thank you for the honor to serve you in the Minnesota House.
A huge thank you to folks from St Louis Park, Edina, and Hopkins that helped Rep. Kraft and I fill up the STEP food shelf van! You all contributed 589 pounds of food and $100 in donations in two short hours. This will make a big difference for our neighbors in need this holiday season. Rep. Kraft and I intend to do another food shelf and school supply drive next year.
Since I last wrote, the federal government is back up and running, however, this is at a major cost to the American people, and we’re feeling the crunch in Minnesota.
This week’s economic forecast shows that while Minnesota’s budget outlook has improved in both the short and long term, despite the federal chaos created with tariffs and skyrocketing health care costs, our future remains uncertain.
Since President Trump and the congressional majority ended valuable tax credits that help reduce health insurance costs in the private market, premiums are expected to rise by as much as 50% next year, with farmers, small business owners, and older adults hit the hardest. They also stripped Medicaid coverage from more than 140,000 Minnesotans, including some of our most vulnerable neighbors. Outcomes from these cuts include fewer people receiving the care they need, additional strain on our hospitals, and – ultimately – more expensive health care for everyone.
I’m working with my colleagues to make health care more affordable, and as part of this work, I want to hear from you. Please take a moment to share how rising health care costs are affecting you and your family by completing this short survey.
Skyrocketing health care prices and reduced coverage are putting more pressure on working families already struggling with an affordability crisis, as costs of food, energy, child care, and housing continue to rise. Your experiences can help shape real solutions to fix our broken system and make health care more affordable.
Paid Leave Launches January 1
The U.S. is the only developed country in the world that doesn’t guarantee some form of paid leave, forcing most workers to make impossible choices between a paycheck and caring for a new child, an aging parent, or their own serious health condition. But in Minnesota, that’s about to change with the launch of Paid Leave on January 1, 2026. As we prepare for Paid Leave to take effect, I want to share the basics of the new law, how it impacts you, and how to use it next month.
Paid Leave provides partial wage replacement for up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave for your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and recovery. It also provides up to 12 weeks of paid family leave to care for a new child or a seriously ill loved one. If using both medical and family leave, workers can use up to a total of 20 weeks annually. A short video explaining the basics of how it works is available here:
The program will have a small cost but offer powerful support. The premium rate for 2026 will be 0.88%, with employers responsible for at least half. If the employer chooses to split the premium with the employee, each will pay 0.44%. For an employee earning the average annual income, this amounts to about $5 per week each for the worker and the employer. Paid Leave will level the playing field for small businesses that have wanted to offer this benefit but haven’t been able to do so sustainably.
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has developed helpful toolkits with resources for workers and businesses alike. The toolkit for workers can help you find out if you’re eligible for coverage, when Paid Leave can be used, how much time you can take, how you’ll be compensated, and more. The toolkit for businesses includes information about upcoming public engagement events, premium rates and contributions, equivalent plans for Paid Leave, and other FAQs.?
This isn’t a new concept – twelve other states and the District of Columbia currently offer Paid Family and Medical Leave. Despite attempts to weaken, delay, and repeal this hard-fought progress before families could even benefit from it, DFLers succeeded in protecting this hard-fought win for middle-class Minnesotans. I’m thrilled that families across our community and throughout Minnesota will finally have the peace of mind they deserve. As the program’s launch approaches, I encourage you to explore the comprehensive resources available at pl.mn.gov.
Immigration Resources
I’m proud to live in a state with a long history of welcoming immigrants seeking safety and a better life—free from poverty, war, and oppression.
Our immigrant neighbors are colleagues, friends, and familiar faces at the grocery store and in our schools. They’re integral to what makes Minnesota special, enriching our communities with their diversity and strengthening our economy every day.
As ICE ramps up their efforts in Minnesota by targeting our immigrant neighbors, many have reached out looking for ways to support neighbors in our community. The Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota has a myriad of resources here. You can also check out the Monarca Rapid Response Line to learn more about legal observation and advocacy here.
I would also like to give a share the article about suburban school districts and their response to ICE showing up in our communities. This article gives a special shoutout to St. Louis Park and Hopkins School Districts.
Cold Weather Rule & Energy Assistance
As we head into colder weather, I want to remind you of the resources available to ensure that all Minnesotans stay warm and are protected from utility service shut-offs.
Minnesota’s Cold Weather Rule is in effect from October 1 to April 30, protecting residential utility customers from having their electric or natural gas service shut off. To protect your service from disconnection, you must make and keep a reasonable payment plan that you and your utility agree on. You can set up a payment plan any time during the rule season.
Call your natural gas, electric, municipal utility, or electric cooperative for more information, or contact the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Office at consumer.puc@state.mn.us or call 651-296-0406, 1-800-657-3782.
Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps ensure that struggling Minnesota families can afford their energy. Both renters and homeowners can qualify to receive funding to help cover energy costs, and eligibility is based on income and household size.
LIHEAP is federally funded and administered by the Department of Commerce, which works with local service providers throughout the state. While the government shutdown is now over, LIHEAP is still waiting for federal funding for this program year. Most benefits cannot be issued until that funding is received. However, they are accepting applications and encourage you to apply. You can find more information here.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me anytime with what’s on your mind. Email is the quickest way to get in touch at rep.cheryl.youakim@house.mn.gov.
Thank you for the honor of representing our Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Edina neighbors at the State Capitol.
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