Editor’s Note: On Sunday, August 17, 2025, Minnesota-based advocacy group MN8 held an emergency press conference and rally at the East Side Freedom Library in Saint Paul to protest recent ICE deportations. The event was a response to the deportation of several Southeast Asian community members, including at least five Hmong individuals from Minnesota, on August 11, 2025.
By Dr. SK Lo Board Chair & Founding President, AAUC
On August 17, I attended MN8’s press conference in a small community library gathering that left a profound impression on my heart and conscience. What I expected to be a formal event quickly unfolded into something far more intimate: a space of grief, resilience, and profound hospitality. As I listened to the stories shared by Southeast Asian community members, many of whom have endured a decade of ICE raids, detentions, and deportations, I was struck not only by the intensity of their pain, but by the generosity with which they welcomed us.
They offered the best of themselves: fresh bakery, cooling drinks, and homegrown produce. These gestures, simple on the surface, carried deep meaning. They reminded me that even in the face of systemic violence, communities find ways to nurture, to connect, and to resist. I felt a deep sense of belonging among them—a shared understanding that our struggles are intertwined, and that our liberation must be collective.
MN8’s statement, released shortly before the press conference, is a powerful condemnation of the ongoing ICE raids sweeping the nation. It describes masked agents in unmarked vans tearing families apart, violating civil rights, and traumatizing entire communities. These are not isolated incidents—they are part of a broader pattern of racialized violence rooted in white supremacy and colonialism.
The administration claims these deportations target “criminals,” yet many of those being removed committed minor offenses as youth, served their time, and have since lived law-abiding lives. Some are community leaders, parents, and caregivers. The reality is that the president’s campaign promises to deport millions each year has created a dangerous quota system. Once the list of immigrants with criminal records is exhausted, who will be next? This looming question generates fear and instability across all immigrant communities of color.
As Asian Americans, we must confront the historical forces that brought many of us here. The Vietnam War, often framed narrowly in textbooks, spread across Southeast Asia, displacing over 3.3 million people. The U.S. dropped more than 2 million tons of bombs on Laos and Cambodia, destabilizing entire regions and forcing countless families to flee. The claim that “we are here because the U.S. was there” is not just a slogan—it is a historical truth that has shaped the lives of millions.
Yet this truth is rarely acknowledged. Instead, Southeast Asian refugees are met with suspicion, silence, and systemic racism. MN8’s statement draws a direct line from past injustices—like the Chinese Exclusion Act and Japanese internment—to today’s ICE raids and travel bans. It reminds us that anti-immigrant policies have always been racialized, targeting communities of color under the guise of national security.
What moved me most was MN8’s unwavering commitment to love and justice. Their rallying cry, “families belong together,” is not just a plea—it’s a demand for dignity, for recognition, and for action. It calls on all of us to reject false narratives that criminalize immigrants and to stand against the militarization of our communities.
As the Asian American Unity Coalition (AAUC), we have a responsibility to amplify these voices. We must honor the grief of our Southeast Asian siblings by telling the full story—by acknowledging the U.S.’s role in their displacement and by standing with them in their fight for justice. We must reject the notion that ICE protects us and instead recognize it as a force that perpetuates fear, division, and harm.
This is not just about policy, it’s about humanity. When we stay silent, we betray our shared values. When we act, we affirm our commitment to a future rooted in truth, compassion, and solidarity.
I urge AAUC members and allies to read MN8’s statement, reflect on its message, and sign on in support. Let us show that we stand united—not just in words, but in action. Let us carry forward the legacy of resistance, love, and hope that defines our community.
Together, we rise.
To sign on or learn more, please visit minnesota8.org website.
