Hi John,  

In just the first weeks of this year, federal agents have shot and killed U.S. citizens. Our streets are becoming more militarized. Abuse of power is escalating, and extrajudicial violence is being meted out by the state. Our communities are in danger.

When people’s lives and rights are under attack, our responsibility is to one another — to care for each other, to keep organizing, and to fight for a future where all of us can live safely and freely without the threat of state violence, ICE terror, or eroded rights.

This moment calls for organized resistance- and that is exactly what we are doing. Last week, over 200,000 activists joined us for an emergency training, Eyes on ICE: Document and Record, where we shared critical information about the constitutional right to document and record ICE and other federal agents. This knowledge strengthens our ability to protect one another and to make abuses public.

ACLU People Power is a community. And in moments like this, community is how we endure. Community is how we win.

Even amid loss and brutality, people across the country are organizing, resisting, and holding the Trump administration accountable. Here’s where that work is unfolding right now.

On January 7th, ICE agents shot and killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good while she sat unarmed in her car in a South Minneapolis neighborhood. The killing came one day after the Department of Homeland Security announced “the largest DHS operation ever” in Minnesota, deploying more than 2,000 federal immigration officers across the state. 

Federal violence continues to escalate. Just recently, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was also killed in Minneapolis. The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good have sent shockwaves and calls for justice rippling across the nation. 

And activists have refused to bow to fear or violence. On January 26, tens of thousands of Minnesota residents walked out of work and school and into the streets, marching in subzero temperatures to demand justice, accountability, and ICE out of Minnesota. During the march in Minneapolis, staff from ACLU National and the ACLU of Minnesota distributed thousands of Know Your Rights cards in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong.

"The people of Minneapolis showed UP and showed OUT. They know that when we get organized, when we proudly exercise and defend our rights, we win. Thanks to everyone at our Minnesota affiliate who is working around the clock to support their communities and stop ICE's attacks on our rights." - Zachary Kolbusz, ACLU National Organizer

The ACLU and ACLU of MN have strongly condemned the killings of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti and are calling for an immediate halt to ICE escalations. 

In response to the ongoing abuses, the ACLU of Minnesota has taken critical legal action: 

If you experienced or witnessed federal agents violating rights in Minnesota, you can report it through the ACLU of Minnesota.

When B.P.J. and Hecox reached the Supreme Court on January 13, People Power activists showed up outside the building to make clear that attacks on trans lives will not go unanswered.

These cases center on efforts by local governments to uphold bans on transgender girls participating in girls’ sports. The stakes, however, reach far beyond athletics. A sweeping ruling could open the door to discrimination across public life — from schools and workplaces to community spaces — at a moment when the Trump administration is already abusing its power to target trans people and govern through fear.

Outside the Court, hundreds of ACLU activists, advocates, families, and organizers from across the country gathered to affirm a different reality: trans youth belong, and we will not allow the courts to be used to push them out of public life.

“I’m from a small place in West Virginia, and sometimes it doesn’t hit me how large this case is and what it means to people. As I left the Supreme Court, there was a huge rally as I was walking down the steps. They were chanting “Trans power,” and they were chanting my name and my mom’s name. I was just in this courtroom for four hours, and now, suddenly, there are hundreds of people supporting me. It felt like if you’re in a really cold house, and then suddenly you open the oven, and there’s all this warmth that’s coming at you. - Becky Pepper Jackson

In January, the Rethinking Public Safety town hall in Albuquerque — hosted by the ACLU of New Mexico and the All Safe NM coalition — brought together 70 community members for a robust discussion on the dangers of involuntary commitment, expanding access to housing and care, and protecting community safety.

The panel was moderated by Daniel Williams of ACLU National and featured Lisa Chavez (Senior Director of Programs and Services, Families and Youth Innovations Plus), Monet Silva (Executive Director, New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness), and Tara Stutsman (ACLU Senior Campaign Strategist).

In Southern California, activists continue to gather in monthly virtual volunteer meetings to build power for immigrant rights.

The We Keep Us Safe virtual huddle convened activists for conversations on safety, incarceration, detention, and the harms these systems cause — and how communities can protect one another. Recordings are available here.

More than 250 college students attended the ACLU’s National Advocacy Institute in New York City in January. Over four days, students learned about ACLU issue areas and built organizing skills alongside affiliate and national staff — leaving with a clear understanding of this historic moment and how to organize on their campuses for change.

Our strongest defense has always been collective action — millions of us showing up, speaking out, and protecting one another. Here are concrete ways to stay engaged right now:

We can't wait around while ICE harms more people. Send a message emphasizing that Congress MUST demand an end to these reckless immigration raids and oppose any bill that would add to ICE's already massive budget – including the most recent appropriations bill.

Call now and tell your Senator that they must push for an appropriations bill that puts serious restrictions on ICE and does not add a penny more to its already bloated budget of over $170 billion. 

This toolkit is designed to help you take action and defend your community and your rights. The time to act is now. Click to use our activist toolkit. 

NDLON improves the lives of day laborers, migrants and low-wage workers. Check out their website below and support their work! Please note that the link below will take you to a third-party site. NDLON will know you came from us, and their privacy policy applies. 

Detention watch network can connect you with community organizing already happening in your area. Sign the petition now and support the Communities Not Cages Campaign. Please note that the link below will take you to a third-party site. The organization will know you came from us, and their privacy policy applies. 

Join and share the next Eyes on ICE: Document and Record Training taking place on Thursday, February 5th, 2026, at 8 PM ET. RSVP for the link.

Our national volunteer teams are organizing on the ground and online to protect civil liberties every day, and we want you with us. We’ll train you in the skills you need to defend your communities. Whether it’s first amendment rights or immigrant rights, we won’t back down - and we hope you’ll join our activist community. 

Our path forward isn’t just about resisting or reacting. It’s about reimagining what freedom looks like when people take power back, one action at a time. Let’s keep building our vision for the future, together, from now through 2026.

Want to stay connected between newsletters? Visit our new People Power website at aclu.org/peoplepower for real-time updates, upcoming actions, and organizing resources.

In Solidarity,

The ACLU People Power Team