News

Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Louis spent nearly two decades in a refugee camp in neighboring Zambia before he and his family were resettled in Minnesota in 2019. Six years later, with help from the Institute’s immigration team, Louis became a U.S. citizen. “[I was] over the moon about getting citizenship. It was a privilege that day to become an American. It was a dream come true,” he said about the experience.

Bring Me The News | Sub Pop Records is releasing a mutual aid compilation with an eye on Minnesota. The compilation is a benefit for the International Institute of Minnesota, a nonprofit that offers a wide variety of services to refugees and immigrants.

The New Yorker | Michael Cavlan had settled into a routine of patrolling his neighborhood by car most mornings when, early on January 7th, he received an alert on his phone informing him about Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity near his house in Powderhorn, in South Minneapolis.

Our Summer 2026 interns shared their experience with us on what this internship meant to them and what they learned. Read more in this Intern Q&A Reflection! Also, learn more about future internship opportunities at the Institute.

Spokesman Recorder | President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” or H.R. 1, made several consequential changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), through which low-income people can access food support.

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

• New Immigration Services walk-in hours
• Parking updates during Minnesota State Fair
• Volunteer Spotlight
• Small Business Resource Fair: September 25
• Breakfast Circle: September 18
• Submit public comments on increasing citizenship application fees

Kevin Harding and Anita Terry are a dynamic husband and wife duo who are regular volunteers at the Institute. They volunteer in several programs and classes, including refugee services, citizenship, entrepreneurship, employment assistance, and more. Learn more in this question-and-answer series about what inspires and motivates Kevin and Anita.

Thomas McCartney | After nearly four decades at the International Institute of Minnesota, Jane Graupman has seen refugees rebuild their lives, sustain essential institutions, and endure policies that treat their humanity as expendable.

MPR News | For more than four decades, Minnesota has been one of the country’s leading refugee resettlement states for people fleeing war, persecution and humanitarian crises. On average, about 2,000 to 3,000 refugees arrived in the state each year over the previous 45 years. That system has changed dramatically over the past year.