MINNESOTA — Unidos MN launched democracy defense trainings in Minnesota in late April 2025. The organization previously trained Minnesotans to document immigration enforcement.

The trainings instruct participants to canvass neighbors to facilitate voting and to be prepared to respond to potential challenges to the election process.

David Brauer helped lead a training for Monarca, a project of Unidos MN. "We’ve got to make sure that everybody who wants to vote can vote, and everybody’s vote is counted, and those votes and the will of the majority is respected," Brauer said. He added, "Once they’re cast, we know we’ll have to defend them." Brauer described the efforts as "Basic stuff, but so crucial right now," and noted, "But that’s just the first step."

Jess Marsden, counsel and director of impact programs at Protect Democracy, said, "The Department of Justice is attempting to intimidate critics and punish those who organize to expose the administration’s abuses." Marsden added, "They know how much easier it is to tilt the electoral playing field if people stay home and stay quiet, which is why it’s important to name these abuses now, push back against attacks, and prepare for additional action ahead of November." Protect Democracy is a nonprofit that advocates against authoritarianism and characterized charges against anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement activists as an indicator of potential attempts to undermine the vote.

Luis Argueta Jr., the communications director of Unidos MN, said hundreds of individuals have registered for the trainings. He noted he is not aware of similar grassroots trainings occurring elsewhere in the country, though he has received inquiries from groups in other states. "So, what do you do?" Argueta said. "Do you sit around and wait and hope that nothing happens, or do you start building something, do you start organizing and making sure that people are able to actually step up and defend?"

During the immigration crackdown, a former federal worker who was fired last year trained approximately 2,500 people on constitutional observation through numerous lessons. That worker asked to be identified only by her first name, expressing concerns about potential retaliation. The president announced that California’s election results would be investigated. Officials in some states have implemented laws and strengthened election security measures in an effort to prevent federal overreach. The Department of Justice has charged 15 individuals with broad conspiracy charges in connection with their responses to Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. Hundreds of people were detained and deported from Minnesota. Worry among some Minnesota residents increased due to a plan to convert a private prison into a detention facility, and additional apprehensions occurred throughout Minnesota this summer. On one evening of the training at a suburban church, four other training sessions were held concurrently in the Twin Cities area.