News

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll learn about:

• Volunteer Appreciation Month
• Success story of our College Readiness Academy graduate Claudia
• Citizenship services
• Supporting our student businesses
• New Americans New Beginnings fundraising gala

Sahan Journal | The number of Minnesotans becoming U.S. citizens has slowed to a trickle due to several Trump administration policies, including a pause on naturalization interviews and oath ceremonies.

Since the launch of the Institute’s Entrepreneurship Training nearly three years ago, our innovative graduates have used what they learned in the class to start businesses of their own. Browse our students’ businesses and find out how to support them!

In this month’s newsletter, you’ll learn about:

• 2025 Annual Report
• Thank you to small businesses and organizations
• Fight ignorance, not immigrants lawn signs
• 3rd annual New Americans New Beginnings fundraising event
• January and February graduates
• Volunteer attorneys needed 
• Volunteer spotlight

We want to express our gratitude to the businesses and organizations near and far who stepped up during these times of crisis when our immigrant and refugee community needed us the most. Read more about the support we have received from businesses near and far and how you can be part of these efforts here.

PBS News Hour | Minnesota continues to deal with the fallout from the monthslong federal immigration crackdown. Even though the number of agents in the state has dwindled, many immigrants in Minnesota say they remain fearful.

Learn about volunteering for the International Institute of Minnesota in this question and answer series with our dedicated volunteers. Today, meet John, a business lawyer who volunteers as a guest speaker in Business Pathway classes, workshops and at our Small Business resource fair. He also offers consultations to students to help them understand legal implications of different aspects of their businesses.

Spectrum Noticias | El padre de un niño de cinco años detenido por agentes de inmigración en Minnesota niega haber abandonado a su hijo, como asegura el gobierno federal.

One tourism commercial convinced Mimi that Minnesota was where she belonged, so at age 20 with an infant less than one-year-old, she packed her things to head north. Mimi now works as a director at an assisted living facility and has eight children, most of whom are young adults working in the healthcare field or studying to enter it soon.