Mennonite Church USA responds to recent violence in Minneapolis and calls for peacemaking, urging faith-based action rooted in justice, nonviolence and the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In recent weeks, communities nationwide have watched with growing alarm as masked ICE recruits and federal agents operate without meaningful oversight, employing tactics that appear calculated to frighten, provoke and endanger residents of American cities. These approaches have now led to shootings and deaths and have created widespread fear among asylum seekers and immigrants — both documented and undocumented — who are part of our communities. Despite these outcomes, the current administration has not moved toward greater discipline or accountability for the agents under its authority. Instead, officials have offered explanations for the deaths that lack thorough investigation and appear to conflict with available video documentation.
The deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, as well as others, serve as yet another wake-up call for every follower of Jesus, that our commitment to peacemaking cannot wait.
While those who serve in federal and immigration law enforcement may face challenging responsibilities, we, as people of faith, believe these duties must be carried out ethically, lawfully and with accountability.
Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) cares deeply about our neighbors and the strangers among us who face threats, forced family separations and death. We believe God calls us to be followers of Jesus Christ and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to grow as communities of grace, joy and peace, so that God’s healing and hope flow through us to the world. In the 2025 Revised Statement on Immigration, we affirmed our identity as citizens of God’s kingdom and as “aliens” and “exiles” in the country where we reside. We renounce the indifference toward and mistreatment of asylum seekers and immigrants — both documented and undocumented — and commit to God’s reconciling mission.
In February of 2025, MC USA joined more than two dozen Christian and Jewish denominations and associations suing the Department of Homeland Security to protect religious freedoms. We need to keep taking bold steps. Now is the time for our historic peace church to act.
We invite our congregations and members to move in both intentional, fervent prayer and active witness:
- Provide sanctuary and support: In alignment with our values of loving our neighbors and welcoming the stranger, we urge congregations to offer sanctuary where possible, legal resources and/or financial aid to neighbors facing deportation or government-sponsored intimidation.
- Engage in the Minneapolis response: The MC USA staff is currently communicating with area conferences to address urgent needs in the Minneapolis area.
- Contribute to the MC USA Justice Fund to support local grassroots efforts and the families of those affected by recent federal enforcement actions. Make your donation online here (noting Justice Fund in the notes field) or by sending a check to Mennonite Church USA, 718 N. Main St., Newton, KS 67114, noting Justice Fund in the memo line.
- For additional ways to help, connect with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)-Central States.
- Advocate for policy reform: Use the MCC Washington Office toolkit to contact federal representatives. Demand an end to violent enforcement tactics and advocate for legislation that prioritizes human rights and restorative justice over militarized policing.
- Participate in nonviolent witness: Join local vigils and peaceful demonstrations for immigration justice. We encourage congregations to utilize peacebuilding resources, such as those found in MC USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join: Conflict Transformation” initiative, to train members in de-escalation and nonviolent intervention.
- Use and hand out copies of “The Christian Peace Pledge.”
We act not from political allegiance, but from our primary commitment to Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. We condemn gun violence and political violence in all forms, and we pray for compassion and wisdom for our nation’s leaders as we work for justice and peace in our communities.