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35,000+ Constitutional Observer's Trained
People trained to safely observe and document federal activity.
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77 of 87 Minnesota Counties Reached
A statewide network reaching communities far beyond the Twin Cities.
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10,000+ Volunteers Mobilized
Neighbors supporting food delivery, transportation, court accompaniment, translation, and more.
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$2.5M+ Mobilized for Families impacted by ICE
Resources mobilized to help families affected by immigration enforcement.
When Our Communities Were Tested, Thousands Chose Courage
Operation Metro Surge brought an unprecedented level of federal immigration enforcement into Minnesota communities. Families were separated, businesses and schools were disrupted, neighbors were detained, and fear reached far beyond immigrant households. The City of Minneapolis ultimately described the operation as an ongoing community protection crisis with profound impacts on families, livelihoods, education, health, and public trust.
But that is not the whole story.
Across Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, people chose to show up for one another.
The Brave of Us Tour brought communities together to learn their constitutional rights, become trained Constitutional Observers, support impacted neighbors, and transform concern into meaningful action.
The Brave of US Midwest Tour
Turning Witness Into Protection
Everyone deserves to live with dignity, safety, and freedom—regardless of where they were born.
As federal enforcement activity increased, communities needed trained people who could safely observe, document, and report what they witnessed.
That is why the Immigrant Defense Network launched the Constitutional Observer program.
Constitutional Observers are trained to understand their rights, safely document federal activity, use the S.A.L.U.T.E. framework, and help create reliable records that can support accountability and legal advocacy.
Voices of the Brave: Every Act of Courage Has a Story
The Brave of Us Tour in the News
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Immigrant Defense Network goes statewide with observer training
The training program in Rochester was part of the IDN’s Brave of Us Tour, a 30-city campaign to expand the organization’s reach across the Midwest. According to the IDN’s network manager, Edwin Torres Desantiago, the need to expand the network’s training efforts was apparent.
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How the Immigrant Defense Network trained nearly 30,000 Minnesotans as constitutional observers
The Immigrant Defense Network helped band together more than 100 organizations to assist struggling families and defend immigrants’ constitutional rights. In January, the network registered an average of 2,000 volunteers per week to train as constitutional observers. A constitutional observer is a trained community member who observes and documents federal law enforcement activity to help ensure constitutional rights are followed.
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ICE Observation Safety Training
MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - The Immigrant Defense Network was in Mankato to educate citizens on their constitutional rights and provide safe observer training. Their goal is to have every day Americans become Constitutional Observers, and prepare them to interact with federal agents while advocating for civil rights and due process. Established last year, the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN) is a network of over 90 immigrant, labor, legal, faith, and community organizations. Their objectives are protecting the constitutional rights of immigrant communities by giving people the tools to organize, engage in the political process, and defend human and civil rights .
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Minnesotans are training to become constitutional observers — of ICE
About a half hour away in the suburb of Minnetonka, people in heavy winter coats file into a church. They pick up bright-yellow vests and signs with messages like, stand with immigrant families, and ICE off my property, get a warrant.
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Hundreds gather for constitutional observer training in Moorhead
The group leading the training, the Immigrant Defense Network, was founded in Minnesota a year ago, in an effort to address the sweeping and aggressive deportation plans announced by President Donald Trump when he took office for his second term. The training was one of 30 being sponsored by IDN as part of its "Brave of Us" tour across the Upper Midwest "to strengthen community readiness, solidarity and response."
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Preparing for ICE – Constitutional observer class teaches communities how to stay safe while observing immigration enforcement
Rural Minnesota resident Nick Olson hopes the skills he teaches as part of Minnesota’s Immigrant Defense Network will help the public stay safe if or when U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement — or ICE — agents begin operations in their communities. He taught a constitutional observer class to a couple dozen participants last Thursday night in downtown Decorah. “I want…
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Surge in federal agents prompts ramp up in constitutional observer trainings
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Immigrant Defense Network kicked off a series of constitutional observer trainings in St. Paul to help document the crackdown on undocumented immigrants.
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Hundreds take part in constitutional observer training amid ICE presence
IDN’s North Mankato stop is among 30 constitutional observer trainings the organization plans to host throughout the state. In partnership with COPAL Minnesota, Tuesday’s event armed attendees with a variety of tools.
