John,

The news coming out of Minnesota has been devastating. Many of us are carrying grief, anger, and fear as we watch the Trump Administration turn our neighborhoods into a militarized zone, arresting small children, searching homes with no warrants, murdering citizens in the streets and then smearing the victims.

In moments like this, we are reminded of something fundamental: action is the antidote to despair.

The Trump administration is banking on us feeling demoralized and afraid. We will not let them win. Here is how States Win (formerly Sister District) is taking action right now. ➡️

We’re supporting leaders running for re-election this year who are on the frontlines of immigration justice:

Rep. Mai Xiong (Michigan), a Hmong refugee, introduced HB 4849, which could prohibit ICE arrests in schools, places of worship, and hospitals. Beyond legislation, she has visited detention centers, spoken directly with detainees, and demanded their release.
Rep. Lorena Austin (Arizona), who holds a degree in immigration policy, has been a consistent leader in advancing immigrant justice. They have marched in the streets in solidarity with Minnesota, fought back against anti-immigrant legislation, and stood with communities targeted by enforcement and surveillance.
Sen. Lisa Grafstein (North Carolina), a civil rights lawyer since 1995, has been one of the most vocal opponents of North Carolina Republicans’ efforts to advance a bill that would require local sheriffs to hold undocumented immigrants for ICE.

Tomorrow, States Win Action will announce new State Bridges partners, with a special focus on refugee and immigrant-led organizations. In 2025, States Win Action resourced grassroots partners who delivered real wins for immigrant communities, including:

Arizona Center for Empowerment, which helped defeat 12 anti-immigrant bills, including one that would have paid police $2,500 per detained undocumented individual, and organized 18 actions demanding fair and humane immigration laws.
Rural Arizona Engagement, which launched a hotline and resource network for communities impacted by immigration policies, coordinated rapid response to ICE activity in rural borderlands, and hosted bilingual Know Your Rights trainings in English and Spanish.

We are building Democratic trifectas in states that can protect people without Republican obstruction. Last year, we helped secure a Democratic trifecta in Virginia, delivering the largest majority in the Virginia House of Delegates in nearly 40 years.

Within the first few weeks of unified Democratic leadership, Virginia lawmakers began advancing legislation that can stand up to ICE, including:

Restricting ICE activity near hospitals, schools, courthouses, and polling places
Reversing a policy from the previous Republican governor that encouraged state police and corrections officers to assist ICE
A bill introduced by our alumna, Del. Elizabeth Guzman, that would stop state and local agencies from partnering with ICE

Nearly a decade of organizing has taught us that state legislatures are the key to protecting our communities. This is how we turn grief into power. This is how we protect our communities, not just in moments of crisis, but for the long haul.

In solidarity,

States Win

P.S. If you want to stand with our 2026 endorsed candidates, who are on the frontlines of this moment, a donation today goes 100% to their campaigns and helps them win in November.