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- By Native News Online Staff
Native Vote 2026. As communities across Minnesota grapple with the human toll of what has been described as the largest federal immigration enforcement operation in American history, Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan — a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Tina Smith — has continued to show up. In moments of grief, protest, healing, and mutual aid, Flanagan has stood alongside families, elders, faith leaders, and organizers working to protect and support one another.
In the weeks after the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, Flanagan (White Earth Ojibwe) joined thousands of Minnesotans at vigils and memorials honoring their lives. She attended a candlelight vigil for Renee Good at the State Capitol and participated in the “Wokiksuye” memorial in Minneapolis led by Indigenous spiritual leaders. Wokiksuye, a Dakota and Lakota word, means “to remember” or “to call someone back into presence.” She also joined Native leaders for a prayer service at PowWow Grounds Coffee, stood with health care workers and veterans at the Minneapolis VA memorial for Alex Pretti, and marched with more than 100,000 Minnesotans in subzero temperatures calling for ICE to leave the state.
Beyond public events, Flanagan has supported families behind the scenes. She volunteered as a legal observer at an elementary school, helped pack and deliver groceries to immigrant families too fearful to leave their homes, and worked with community partners to protect children, elders, and workers. She has stood with parents, teachers, and students organizing to safeguard children during the enforcement surge — including at a rally at Lake Hiawatha Park — and supported efforts to protect school bus stops, classrooms, and recess areas. Throughout the crisis, she has prioritized meeting directly with volunteers and community members on the front lines.
Flanagan’s approach reflects a lifelong commitment to organizing and community-centered leadership. From raising the minimum wage and securing paid family and medical leave to strengthening Tribal–state relations and expanding access to food and health care, she has focused on policies grounded in dignity, fairness, and accountability.
As Native and immigrant communities confront the fallout of federal enforcement actions, voters are scrutinizing the records of those serving in Washington. Congresswoman Angie Craig has publicly acknowledged voting with Rep. Tom Emmer roughly 45 percent of the time. That record includes her vote for the Laken Riley Act, which expanded ICE’s authority, and a vote praising ICE during operations in Los Angeles. On the one-year anniversary of the bill’s passage, Rep. Emmer publicly thanked Craig for her support.
By contrast, Flanagan has consistently opposed policies she believes weaken due process or put immigrant communities at risk. She has centered her work on protecting families and standing with communities when it matters most. As Minnesotans navigate this challenging moment, her leadership reflects a clear belief: public service requires showing up, telling the truth, and putting people before politics — especially in difficult times. She says that is the leadership she would bring to the United States Senate.
Although federal officials have announced that Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota is ending, many families and neighborhoods continue to feel its impact. Flanagan has emphasized that ending the operation is only a first step, arguing that the federal government must also repair the harm done — from the trauma experienced by families to the erosion of trust across communities. She is calling for accountability and sustained support to help Minnesota communities recover and heal.
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