Minneapolis, MN —January 27, 2026 — As fear and outrage ripple through communities across Minnesota and the nation, the National Parents Union is standing in solidarity with parents, educators, and Democratic leaders calling for accountability following an aggressive federal immigration enforcement operation that resulted in the death of Alex Pretti, an American intensive care nurse.
Today at 2:00 p.m., National Parents Union President Keri Rodrigues will join school leaders, parents, and community advocates at a press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol to condemn the escalation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity and to urge the U.S. Senate to reject the current Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, which would further fund these enforcement actions without meaningful safeguards.
The fatal Homeland Security operation has ignited national outrage and intensified fear in communities already grappling with aggressive and unaccountable federal enforcement. The killing, coupled with a broader pattern of excessive force and disruption to daily life, raises urgent questions about oversight, civil liberties, and the federal government’s responsibility to protect, not endanger, the people it serves.
“When families are afraid to let their children walk to school, wait at the bus stop, or sit in a classroom, this is no longer a political debate — it is a crisis,” said Rodrigues. “Schools are supposed to be sacred spaces. Instead, this administration has turned them into a battleground. The result is immediate and devastating: children aren’t learning, teachers aren’t teaching, and families are living in fear inside their own homes.”
The National Parents Union is calling on the U.S. Senate to reject the current version of the DHS appropriations bill and renegotiate its language to ensure it explicitly protects the constitutional rights of all Americans. This includes enforceable safeguards for First and Second Amendment rights, clear protections for sensitive locations such as schools and places of worship, and firm guardrails governing the deployment and use of force by federal law enforcement.
“Congress has a constitutional responsibility to act,” Rodrigues continued. “You don’t fund misconduct. If federal dollars are being used to erode civil liberties, terrorize communities, and undermine public trust, then Congress must stop paying for it.”
The organization further urges Senate leadership to remove DHS funding from the current appropriations package and proceed with votes on the remaining bills while DHS language is reconsidered. Separating DHS funding would allow for a serious, bipartisan process centered on accountability, transparency, and the rule of law.
“The Constitution is not optional,” Rodrigues said. “Americans should be able to live, learn, worship, and organize in their communities without fear of federal overreach. Our families and our democracy deserve nothing less.”
###
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/