Above: Watch the teaser trailer for Minnestoa Neighbors
Minnesota Neighbors: Not In Our Town New Film
Minnesota Neighbors profiles the brave actions of Minnesota residents during ICE’s Operation Metro Surge. The film captures the beauty and strength of unity displayed by people from every walk of life who stepped into harsh winter streets at all hours to support their neighbors. Portraits include immigrants bravely speaking up, clergy, journalists, teachers, local officials, doctors, restaurateurs, unions, business owners and families who overcame their own fears to stand up for each other and for our freedoms as Americans.
Their stories provide guidance, hope and inspiration for communities everywhere.
About The Film & Community Engagement Campaign
Not In Our Town presents: Minnesota Neighbors, a new film profiling the brave actions of Minnesota residents during ICE’s Operation Metro Surge. Learn more and support the film.
As ICE operations spread fear and danger in the Twin Cities, Minnesotans show the power of kindness, courage and community-wide peaceful actions as they unite with immigrant neighbors. Their stories provide hope, inspiration and guidance for communities everywhere.
Context & Story
Millions of people watched the escalating level of racial profiling and violence in Minnesota this winter with the brutal execution of ICE’s Operation Metro Surge. In the aftermath of two killings of U.S. citizens by federal agents, tens of thousands of Minnesotans used their voices, presence and know-how to stand in compassion with those who were harmed, and affirm their commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
NIOT’s film Minnesota Neighbors captures the beauty and strength of unity displayed by residents from every walk of life, ethnic background, and religion who stepped into harsh winter streets at all hours to support their neighbors. The lessons from these moments are portrayed in the film by a chorus of characters who show what is at stake and also what is possible when a community unites for mutual aid. Portraits in the film include immigrants bravely speaking up, clergy, journalists, teachers, local officials, doctors, restaurateurs, unions, business owners, and families who overcame their own fears to stand up—for each other and for our freedoms as Americans.
Showing the power of ordinary people
Most remarkably, this massive force of “neighboring” led to the current end of ICE’s brutal tactics and mass detentions in the region. The stories provide guidance, hope and inspiration for communities everywhere facing evolving threats in the coming years.
Top Supporters
Take Action & Resources for Communities
Following are resources that can help your community unite and stand together to promote safety and belonging – and respond when neighbors are threatened.
Welcoming Neighbors
Standing Up for Welcoming: Four practical actions for local leaders
Welcoming America outlines practical actions local leaders can take to help counter fear and division, respond to attacks against immigrants in the community, and build the infrastructure to support and engage immigrant and non-immigrant residents in the long-term.
Narrative in Action: A Toolkit for Framing, Messaging, and Storytelling in Welcoming Communities
Welcoming America’s toolkit helps residents create an effective welcoming narrative built on shared values about community, belonging, and what a good neighbor does – so we can help create a country where people from all backgrounds feel safe, valued, and able to shape what comes next.
Know Your Rights
ACLU
An overview of rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, regardless of immigration status, including different scenarios.
iAmerica
Guidance for “What to do if…”, a downloadable Know Your Rights Card, and shareable infographics.
Red Cards
Immigrant Legal Resource Center’s “red cards” give examples of how all people in the United States, regardless of immigration status, can exercise rights and protections provided under the U.S. Constitution.
Legal Observer Training
Monarca Legal Observer Training (Minnesota)
Featured in the film, the Monarca Response Network trained over 50,000 everyday Minnesotans as neighborhood observers to help protect people’s rights during ICE interactions.
National Lawyers Guild
Many NLG chapters partner with local community groups to present Legal Observer Trainings. Check for your local chapter:
Rapid Response & Mutual Aid Networks
Habeas Project
The National Immigration Project’s Habeas Project works with local partners in priority regions to help unlawfully detained noncitizens connect with pro bono legal representation to seek release through habeas corpus petitions.
Preparation & Rapid Response Resources for Immigrants and Community Allies
Welcoming America maintains this extensive compilation of links to information and resources to aid in preparing individuals, families, and communities for rapid response and longer-term preparation for shifts and challenges in the United States. Resources include legal services, guidance for schools and universities, health and wellness care, advice for creating a family immigration raid emergency…
Protecting Our Students and Higher Ed Employees: ICE Rapid Response System Checklist
American Federation of Teachers offers a checklist to help schools prepare for early detection of suspected activity, rapid communication, and coordination among institutions, unions, student groups and community partners.
Defend the 612 (Minneapolis)
In response to ICE’s Operation Metro Surge, volunteers created Defend the 612 to help community members and neighbors get connected to one another. Hundreds of thousands of residents across dozens of neighborhoods and cities mounted hyper-local decentralized community defense structures and actions to keep each other informed about ICE activity in real-time and quickly come…
Examples of other regional networks include:
“What we are experiencing on the streets is so egregious and so different than anything we’ve seen before that we need right now is not just witness, but courageous people to come and bring that spirit and bring that momentum to our streets.”
-Neighbor
Film Credits
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- American Federation of Teachers
- American Legion American Library Association, Public Programs Office/Programming Librarian
- Beliefnet.com
- California Police Chiefs Association
- Everyday Democracy Episcopal Church, Ecumenical and Interfaith Collaboration
- International Association of Chiefs of Police
- Interfaith Alliance
- International Association of Chiefs of Police – Smaller Law Enforcement Agency Program
- International Association of Official Human Rights Agencies
- Japanese American Citizens League
- Leadership Conference of Women Religious
- Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights
- Muslim Public Affairs Council
- National Association of Attorneys General
- National Center for Victims of Crime
- National Civic League National Crime Prevention Council
- National Criminal Justice Association
- National Education Association
- National Network for Arab American Communities
- National Sheriffs’ Association
- Religion Communicators Council
- Sikh Coalition
- South Asian Legal Defense and Education Fund
- South Asian American Policy & Research Institute
- Teaching Tolerance
- United Methodist Women
- United Religions Initiative
- United Sikhs
- WITNESS
Help Support the Film and Community Engagement
A new film that profiles the brave actions of Minnesota residents during ICE’s Operation Metro Surge standing up with their immigrant neighbors.