Minnesota daycare fights back against ICE with volunteer 'abuelitas' and Lyft rides
A child care centre in St. Paul, Minnesota, has launched a community effort to protect its immigrant staff from heightened immigration enforcement. The initiative comes after false claims about daycare programmes in Minneapolis and St. Paul led to increased ICE activity in the area. Staff members, fearing encounters with federal agents, now rely on volunteers for safe transport to and from work.
The centre's director, Diana, has warned that the situation remains unresolved and could persist for years. Since January, her husband Michael has left his job early each day to monitor security cameras during dismissal. His role is to watch for ICE vehicles near the Spanish-immersion facility.
Volunteers, affectionately called *abuelitas*, have stepped in to drive 10 immigrant staff members home. They also act as observers and translators if federal agents stop any vehicles. The centre now operates with 60 volunteers working in shifts to ensure safe transport for employees. To further support staff and parents, director Lily Crooks organised a fundraiser for Lyft gift cards. The aim is to help people avoid bus stops where ICE agents have been active. While this enforcement surge has been limited to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, its impact is significant—nationally, one in five child care workers are immigrants, making such actions particularly disruptive to the sector.
The centre's response provides a model for other child care facilities facing similar challenges. With volunteers, fundraising, and careful monitoring, they have created a system to shield staff from enforcement risks. The efforts highlight the broader impact of immigration policies on essential workers in early education.
