Dear MPHA Members & Friends,

Recently our colleagues in the American Public Health Association (APHA) asked about current events in our beloved state. This document was prepared to provide information requested by APHA regarding federal immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) activity in Minnesota. It summarizes reported observations, community experiences, and public health concerns shared by local partners, health care providers, and public sources. The information reflects conditions as understood at the time of writing and is provided for informational and educational purposes to support awareness and dialogue among public health professionals.

January 27, 2026

To our American Public Health Association Colleagues, We are sharing the below information from Minnesota to: 1) work in partnership in communicating current events in our state and 2) coordinate with APHA to amplify a response with other state affiliates.

Over the last few weeks, thousands of armed, masked federal agents have come to Minnesota. Their aggressive tactics, meant to intimidate, are causing incredible harm, leading to palpable tension and fear across our community. As public health professionals driven to promote and protect the health of all people and their communities, we have a duty to speak up. We are asking you to encourage your members to contact their representatives to demand restraint and a halt to ICE activities that are violating constitutional and human rights, harming the health and well-being of people living in our state and across the nation.

Neighborhoods in our state, such as in St. Paul’s East Side, have been targeted by ICE since at least November. It is the scale and severity of operations and the use of observer’s video recordings that has increased our awareness and response now. Many people became aware of the ICE presence in Minnesota following the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by ICE agents and subsequent protests. While photographs of direct confrontation between ICE agents and protestors are often the photos that accompany news stories, these incidents are only part of the story of what is happening in communities across our state.

• While activity is highly localized, it is common to see ICE agents, masked and with military gear, in our neighborhoods or their vehicles, typically with dark-tinted windows, patrolling. They move through residential neighborhoods, business districts, and also near schools and places of worship.
• There are multiple examples of ICE agents being aggressive while making arrests, such as taking a teenager away from his job at Target, pulling people out of their cars, tackling people on the street, breaking down residential doors, or ramming their cars into vehicles to create an accident in order to question and arrest a driver.
• ICE agents have been accused of pointing firearms at people who pose no threat, spraying chemical irritants, breaking car windows, and using force against bystanders and observers who are recording interactions to help ensure human rights are not violated.
• Racial profiling is being used to question people on the streets about their immigration status and demand proof of citizenship. Their sweeping actions have led to legal, documented citizens, including Native American residents, being detained and unreachable to their family and friends. There have been reports of agents going door to door in areas with large immigrant populations, demanding entrance without warrants, or breaking down doors at incorrect addresses. In addition, ICE has targeted immigrant residents, including long-term refugees and citizens, for old, minor offenses
• ICE agents have patrolled near emergency department entrances and entered hospitals, sometimes without warrants, where they have remained present during patient care, at times handcuffing patients to their beds or denying visits from family.

The reckless and broad tactics being used by federal agents, including actions that have led to lawful residents being unlawfully detained, are contributing to fear and safety concerns for residents across the state. Because of concerns about racial profiling, people of color are asking for accommodations to work remotely and are carrying proof of citizenship anytime they leave their home. Businesses have posted signs and locked their doors to deny consent to unwarranted searches. Health care clinics report people cancelling appointments and have raised concerns about people delaying or avoiding care for both physical and mental health needs. Schools in Minnesota have created online learning options for students who do not feel safe coming to school, and are holding recess indoors when ICE agents are present in the neighborhood.

Deportations have occurred under every administration. However, no other administration in recent history has chosen to deploy an occupying presence and repeatedly use hateful rhetoric and misleading language to characterize all immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers as hardened, violent criminals on this scale. We acknowledge that, across our diverse membership, there may be wide variation in how people feel about immigration policy. However, as an association, we feel strongly that – regardless of those nuanced differences – we can stand firm in our opposition to the reckless, aggressive, and violent tactics being used by the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies. Further, we can only anticipate that the outcomes of this enforcement operation, and the actions that become normalized, will shape what happens in other parts of the country.

While the primary aim of the letter is to encourage you - our public health colleagues - to speak up against the harm being perpetrated by Operation Metro Surge, the story would be incomplete if it focused only on the constitutional and human rights violations occurring in our state. Saidiya Hartman, Black American scholar, wrote, “Care is the antidote to violence.” And that is also what we see so clearly in Minnesota. We are coming together to raise funds, deliver food, provide rides, alert people to the presence of ICE, peacefully protest, and bear witness. The community organizing taking place is not only being led by local advocacy organizations, but by hyper-local groups of residents who are finding ways to help address needs as they emerge. It is through these efforts that we remain hopeful.

On behalf of the members of our affiliate association, we appreciate you taking action to inform your members, people in your state, and your Congressional representatives about what is really happening in Minnesota and to call for de-escalation and an end to the use of enforcement tactics of intimidation that are contributing to harm. We encourage our affiliates to contact their representatives in the Senate to vote against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill as written and to provide oversight requiring DHS to rein in the tactics being used by ICE and other immigration enforcement departments that are creating harm and threatening the public health of our communities.

Take Action Here

In Solidarity,

Merry Grande, Executive Director, admin@mpha.net
Tyler Pyle, MPHA President
Melanie Ferris, MPHA-President Elect

Minnesota’s local elections are Tuesday, November 4th - make a plan to vote today!

By Sunniva Berg, MPHA Intern for Health Equity and Policy & Advocacy Committees

Did you know that local elections are decided by much smaller margins than state and federal elections? Your vote matters!

Join Sunniva Berg, MPHA intern and other MPHA members for a virtual coffee chat to discuss the connections between voting and health, and what local elections you are paying attention to. Register for the event on October 3, 2025 here!

Importance of Voting to Health

Local elections affect many aspects of your everyday life, including but not limited to public health, housing and zoning decisions, sanitation and water quality, public transit, libraries, and school curriculum and funding. 

The American Public Health Association believes that “removing barriers to voting and working to ensure inclusive voting systems are essential to advance health equity and improve health and well-being for all”. Additionally, in 2022, the American Medical Association released a statement (Support for Safe and Equitable Access to Voting H-440.805) that “acknowledges voting is a social determinant of health and significantly contributes to the analyses of other social determinants of health as a key metric”. The Institute for Responsive Government’s report on the Health and Democracy Index further analyzes the links between higher rates of voting and healthier communities. MPHA has recognized the importance of voter registration and participation for years; including with our member approved resolution on Voter Registration and Participation.

Voter Turnout

In 2024, Minnesota was the state with highest voter turnout at 75.9% (behind Washington, DC at 79.5%). However, local elections on non presidential and congressional election years have significantly lower turnout and sometimes end in ties! In 2023 (the last off year), registered voter turnout was 31% in the City of Minneapolis, and a little over half of registered voters in Duluth turned out for their competitive mayoral race and city council races in 2023. 

In 2020, some of the top reasons that registered voters didn't vote were, “Did not like candidates or campaign issues” (17.6%), “Too busy, conflicting schedule” (13.1%), “Illness or disability” (13%). Voters with disability reported barriers to voting at a higher rate than those without a disability –20% to 6%. 

Furthermore, a recent study led by Dr. Ross Arena published in Public Health in Practice found that there’s an association that “suggests poor health may be a powerful contributor to lower participation in the voting process”. Their findings indicate that “both health status and measures of social vulnerability may be important drivers of voter turnout”. 

It is important to acknowledge the ways voting may be inaccessible to people, including the physical accessibility of polling places, language barriers, housing instability, and voter ID rules. Voting can be difficult if someone has an inability to register or does not know how to register to vote. Voting itself can also be difficult and confusing, be it the language on a ballot or navigating the voting location. In Minnesota, we are fortunate to not require an ID if your registration is current and active. Here and below are resources for checking your voter registration and for a guide for encouraging your friends and family to vote in November elections. 

Why vote in local elections?

Voting in local elections is especially important this year. Federal funding cuts will likely significantly affect state and local jurisdictions budgets. Having a strong stance for public health at the local level could mitigate harms that can result from these budget cuts. It is important that we elect leaders who will prioritize public health and understand the ways that school, city, and county policies affect constituents' health. Local elections can include, mayor, city council, township, school board, judicial, parks and recreation board, sheriff and more.  

Researching and following local elections can be challenging. General definitions of elected local officials' roles and functions can be found here. The city council and mayor often influence public health, including its budget, priorities and departments within the city. You can use the resources linked below to research candidates and the most pressing issues in your city or county. News organizations like the Minnesota Star Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the Sahan Journal, and the Minnesota Spokesman Recorder, along with local news stations and newspapers throughout the state, may post articles discussing candidates’ positions on issues in the coming month and may be a good place to start your research. 

Races to Watch in your Community

MPHA encourages you to vote, but to first research candidates' perspectives on public health policies before voting. Below and in the “voting resources” section are some additional resources to assist you!

Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State provides information on the next election, if one is scheduled, polling place location, list of candidates and questions on your ballot. 

The League of Women Voters Minnesota offers nonpartisan resources on candidates by your location. Recordings of local candidate forums and future dates are also available along with information on how to research candidates. 

MPHA has included a list of topics and questions that can help guide you . These are questions you could ask if you attend a candidate forum in your community, and may help guide your research of candidates and their policies. This guide has been adapted from MN SOPHE’s 2022 guide for candidates. 

MPHA encourages you to vote, but to first research candidates' perspectives on public health policies before voting. See the resources below!

Voting resources

• Register to vote in MN or update registration 

• Polling place finder which includes a list of candidates and questions on your ballot 

• Questions for candidates - adapted from MN SOPHE

• Guide for encouraging your friends and family to vote 

• League of Women Voters Vote411

• League of Women Voters MN candidate forum dates and recordings 

• League of Women Voters how to research candidates

• Local campaign finance reports - who is funding the elections

  
  

Important Dates

• September 19, 2025 - Early voting begins. Details on how to vote here. 

• Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025 11:59 p.m - Online registration deadline

• Tuesday, Oct. 14., 2025 5 p.m. - Register by mail deadline

• Tuesday, Nov. 4., 2025 - In-person registration deadline. You can register at your polling place with an ID too.

• Tuesday, November 4, 2025 - Voting Day! Polls open 7 am to 8 pm.

If you are interested in diving deeper into our non-partisian work of the interconnectedness between democracy & health, please email Merry admin@mpha.net to be connected to MPHA's MN Health and Democracy Partners workgroup.

$880 billion Medicaid Cuts: Implications for Minnesota’s Public Health

The fight over Medicaid is intensifying as Congress approved $880 billion in cuts over the next decade, with far-reaching consequences for Minnesota’s public health landscape.  While the details have to be worked out, advocacy becomes a key tool to shape the ultimate outcomes.  Medicaid provides essential coverage to one in five Americans, including children, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. However, proposed reforms—such as block grants, work requirements, and funding reductions—could dramatically impact access to healthcare, state budgets, and health equity.

Why This Matters to Minnesota

Minnesota has been a leader in Medicaid innovation, using its expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to increase access and improve health outcomes. However, the proposed cuts could:

• Threaten coverage for nearly 1.5 million Minnesotans, particularly low-income adults and children.
• Strain rural hospitals, as Medicaid supports over 50% of births and 62% of nursing home residents and 42% of long term care.
• Increase financial pressure on the state, which may need to compensate for federal funding losses or limit enrollment and services.

Polling indicates that 77% of Americans support Medicaid, with even conservative-leaning voters expressing concerns about cuts. As the debate unfolds, public health professionals in Minnesota must be prepared to advocate for sustainable funding, defend access to care, and support affected populations.

The MPHA Policy & Advocacy Committee is committed to being a strong voice in ensuring Medicaid remains a vital safety net. As legislative battles continue, we will inform and urge you with tools and tactics to engage in advocacy, educate policymakers, and support community health efforts.

Stay informed. Stay engaged. The future of public health depends on it.

Contact us at: policy@mpha.net.

Sharing advancing racial equity resources from the Othering and Belonging Institute:

We know that many of you are struggling to navigate this new and evolving legal and political environment with regards to what's permissible and what's not concerning policies at your organizations to promote diversity. To hopefully clear up some of the confusion we've just updated our legal guidance document we published two years ago to help racial equity advocates and DEI practitioners advance their goals within the bounds of the law.

This revised and expanded guidance is your first stop to answer all of your questions about what is possible and what is not, and how to adjust or adapt to this new environment. In addition to an expanded guidance, we have created a pithy new FAQ to directly and succinctly answer the most difficult legal questions you may have.

View Legal Guidance Document

Read FAQ

A Public Health Approach to Building Mental Wellness and Resilience in the Face of the Climate Crisis

Rising extreme weather events are worsening anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. With a national shortage of mental health professionals, a public health approach is crucial. This guide offers strategies for community-based, trauma-informed initiatives to strengthen collective resilience against climate-related mental health impacts. Explore and share this resource with your networks.

January 30, 2025

Dear MPHA Members and Friends,

As you likely know, the American Public Health Association (APHA), along with the National Council of Nonprofits, Main Street Alliance and SAGE, filed a lawsuit against the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directive that halted the distribution of all federal funds and grants that includes financial assistance “for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal.” The suit was filed on Tuesday afternoon by Democracy Forward. Right before it was scheduled to go into effect at 5pm, a judge stayed the order and set a time on Monday, February 3rd, for the case to be heard in full.

What can you do?

First, APHA's lawyers are asking us to help gather information and stories about the impact of this freeze on the public's health in the short- and long-term. This is an urgent request - response is needed by Friday, January 31, 11 am CT.

Do you (or does anyone you know) have a federal grant that serves the public and would you be willing to share information about the impact of the freeze? APHA created this Google form to gather information to share with their lawyers. 

Share Impact with APHA by Jan 31, 11 am

Secondly, the MN Council of Nonprofits (MCN) is also collecting stories to measure the impact. Please feel free to share your stories there as well. This information will help MCN communicate with federal and state leadership about the negative impact of this freeze.

MCN Federal Grant Freeze Form

For more information on Executive Orders affecting nonprofits, please see this chart from the National Council of Nonprofits. The press release on the rescinded order from MCN lists additional actions you can take.

MPHA acknowledges the stress and uncertainties over the past week and a half due to changes at the national level are affecting your families, communities, colleagues and programs. As an independent, non-partisan public health association, MPHA remains committed to supporting you with our mission of creating a healthier Minnesota through effective public health practice and engaged citizens. If there is something specific you need help with, or have ideas to share, please reach out to us.

Merry Grande, Executive Director and Kristin Moore, President

Infectious Diseases Education & Assessment (IDEA) Program updates from 9/9/24 – 1/6/25. 

National HIV Curriculum

• NEW National HIV Curriculum Podcast episodes explore practice-changing issues and updates in HIV diagnosis, management, and prevention through case discussions, expert interviews, and literature reviews:         

 

National HIV PrEP Curriculum 

• New Clinician’s Information Guide: Doxy PEP for STI Prevention helps health care professionals implement CDC’s June 2024 guidelines on the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP).

 

National STD Curriculum 

• NEW National STD Curriculum Podcast episodes explore innovative and significant STD issues and discuss the clinical implications through conference summaries, expert interviews, and literature reviews:

 

• New Clinician’s Information Guide: Doxy PEP for STI Prevention helps health care professionals implement CDC’s June 2024 guidelines on the use of doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP).

 

Hepatitis C Online

• NEW Hepatitis C Online Mini-Lectures where national experts discuss clinically relevant topics:

Many MPHA 2024 Conference attendees have asked for the reading of President Dr. Antonia Wilcoxon's remarks. Please read the full article here:

Dreams Of A Beloved Public Health: Confronting White Supremacy In Our Field

By Ryan J. Petteway, Oregon Health and Science University (OSHU), published February 9, 2021 on Health Affairs.org website.

June 5th is celebrated internationally as World Environment Day to call individuals and communities to reflect and take action. This year’s theme, Only One Earth calls for “collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.” Following shortly after our 2022 Annual Conference Together, for Planet and Community, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the #OnlyOneEarth Practical Guide to living sustainably in harmony with nature. Take a gander today!

The COVID-19 pandemic is beginning to expose the vast disparities present within the United States. While the recent outrage is warranted, it’s something that many public health and medical professionals have been warning about for weeks. In an article from CNN published yesterday, Dr. Monica Peek an internist at the University of Chicago Medical Center is quoted saying:

"What pandemics, natural disasters, economic disasters do is uncover the everyday lived experiences of these structural inequities that communities live with all the time.”

It’s important that amidst all of the current chaos and confusion, all efforts to combat the pandemic are done so through a health equity lens. As a report from the NAACP on Ten Equity Implications of the outbreak reminds us, our government (bolding is my own)“… must ensure necessary policies and practices are in place so that needed information, training, resources, and care are available equitably and reach all people in all communities.”

Images from those on the frontlines of fighting this virus are terrifying and unforgettable. Patients lining up in hallways. Medical professionals with bruises on their faces from their masks, overrun with emotion. Organized chaos. Or maybe just chaos in some places. But as many remind us, it’s important that we look toward to the future. That we have hope; hope is something that can help us get through this. Hope for an effective treatment. Hope for a vaccine.

However, as groups around the world race to find these treatments and vaccines, we can’t forget that clinical trials are another area where racial disparities are rampant.  In a review of over 200 trials supporting FDA oncology drug approvals from July 2008 to June 2018, Blacks represented only 3% of trial participants and Hispanics only 6%. The disparities are even more evident in genomic studies that seek to find associations between genetic variations and certain diseases. As of a review in 2018, 78% of people who participated in those studies were of European descent with only 10% being of Asian descent, 2% African descent, and 1% Hispanic descent.

Distrust among these populations is not unwarranted- remember! it was only in 1972 that the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was finally stopped after 40 years. But it’s important to push for the inclusion of diverse study populations because there are instances where medications don’t work as effectively in certain groups of the population.

Instead of sweeping the lack of diversity in research studies “under the rug”, I have seen more researchers are calling for this to end. And what’s great is that it’s not just young researchers (who are often more diverse themselves). Instead, it’s researchers who are well-known in their fields. This has been incredibly heartening as an early-stage researcher myself.

One effort underway to improve diversity in research is the All of Us research program. The goal of the program is to strive for better health for all of us. It’s a national effort to build one of the most diverse health databases in history through a historic effort to collect and study data from one million or more people living in the United States. Not only can you sign up and participate in the study, but there are also opportunities for researchers (traditional and nontraditional) to get involved. You can learn more at https://allofus.nih.gov/.

It is up to all of us - researchers, public health professionals, medical professionals, and the general public - to push towards greater inclusion. Studies that include diverse individuals - whether that be race, ethnicity, sex, socioeconomic status, or other characteristics - will ultimately be required to better understand the world around us. How can we learn what will protect all of us if studies don’t include people who look like all of us? And these studies might be more important now than ever before as we fight against this virus. We need to continue to push for inclusion in research studies. If we don’t, it’ll only serve to widen the disparities that are already present. 

Written by Kristin Moore, PhD MPH, Cancer Disparities Postdoctoral Fellow, Program in Health Disparities Research, University of Minnesota Medical School.

This blog post is for the Minnesota Public Health Association's National Public Health Week (NPHW) 2020 activities.