MnNEAT RAPID ICE-RELATED COMMUNITY RESOURCES
Statement
MnNEAT stands firmly with our communities and against ICE. Across Minnesota and beyond, we have witnessed violence so deep that words fail to describe it—violence that words may never fully capture.
The disabled community has faced ongoing threats and hardships on multiple fronts from the current administration. The recent surge in ICE activity across Minnesota has inflicted real and disproportionate harm on marginalized communities, with immigrant communities among those most deeply impacted. We have listened to immigrant parents and caregivers who have shared their deep fears for their disabled children and family members, uncertain about what might happen as these situations unfold day after day.
We value our community members—neighbors, friends, and even strangers—for their actions in building powerful networks of care. Only through interdependence and collective support can resistance be sustainable. Helpers are never on the wrong side of history.
Visual examples of Printed Materials
Individual Cards
Portable cards designed to be hole-punched and carried on a ring or lanyard, allowing individuals to invoke rights clearly without needing to verbally explain or justify themselves.
Support Information
A form intended for individuals to carry and hand to someone in the event of an emergency, including accommodation needs, emergency contact, lawyer, medications, etc.
Boards
Boards that support multiple access needs, including rights invocation, spelling-based communication, and direct expression of basic needs, designed for use across different environments and stress levels.
Pocket Sized Cards
Minimal, direct information cards for people who may not be able to carry multiple items or communicate during periods of distress.
Resources
We want you to know that we approached these materials with care and a deep commitment to inclusion and cultural humility. As two disabled people, we spent three days creating these resources, drawing on the insights and feedback of our community while providing direct support services to those we serve.
Traditional AAC icons were not used in order to make the resources as inclusive as possible, avoiding the infantilization of disabled adults and the ableist, racial, and gender biases often present in disability resources. At the same time, some icons were chosen to be easily recognized in different contexts—for example, a fork and knife for food—while acknowledging that using utensils in this way is not representative of all cultures.
While we recognize that many of the experiences described here fall under the broad umbrella of Neurodivergent, our primary focus at this moment is harm reduction. Our goal is to share these resources as quickly and as accessibly as possible, knowing that timely access reduces risk and supports safety.
All resources are free and open access to download, print, and distribute.
We encourage sharing these tools to support community care, access, and communication in urgent situations.
These materials are provided for informational and harm-reduction purposes only. They are not legal or medical advice, and they are not a substitute for individualized legal counsel. Use of these resources does not create a professional or client relationship with MnNEAT. MnNEAT cannot guarantee how these materials will be interpreted or respected by third parties, including law enforcement or immigration authorities. Individuals are encouraged to make choices that best align with their safety, access needs, and circumstances, and to consult qualified legal or medical professionals when possible.
3 x 3 - General Individual Cards
This set includes four pages of 3×3 communication cards once cut. These cards are not intended to replace robust communication access; they are designed to help bridge the gap between existing supports and what is happening in the moment.
Some cards focus on supporting children who may be isolated from their caregiver or guardian. These are included intentionally, while recognizing that adults engaging with these materials should not be infantilized. If you are printing these for another adult, we trust that you are centering their autonomy, respecting their culture, honoring their choices, and presuming competence for all individuals.
The gray dotted lines are visual guides for cutting. Not all cards will be used—there are options to adapt to individual situations, preferences, and needs. Cards have been clustered where possible to reduce paper and printing waste. Printing on cardstock is recommended, with lamination for durability and repeated use.
3 x 3 - Adult & Protest Focused
This set includes two pages of 3×3 communication cards. These cards are not intended to replace robust communication access; they are designed to help bridge the gap between existing supports and what is happening in the moment.
The cards are focused on supporting adults in invoking basic rights, asking questions, and engaging in community action. One card contains profanity, reflecting the direct language some individuals may choose to express themselves.
The gray dotted lines are visual guides for cutting. Not all cards will be used—there are options to adapt to individual situations, preferences, and needs. Cards have been clustered where possible to reduce paper and printing waste. Printing on cardstock is recommended, with lamination for durability and repeated use.
If you are printing these for another adult, we trust that you are centering their autonomy, respecting their culture, honoring their choices, and presuming competence for all individuals.
3 x 3 - Brain Feeling Cards
These are included because we need ways to share how we are feeling. In moments like these—when people are being taken from their families, children are left without their parents, and community members are removed from their lives—there are often no words that fully capture what is being experienced.
They intentionally do not include words or labels, recognizing that feelings and bodily experiences do not always have names and that language can be limiting or inaccessible during stress. Expecting words or “correct” labels in these moments is ableist. Emotions and psychological sensations are not fixed, universal, or right or wrong. By removing labels, these boards honor the reality that internal experiences are complex, and often felt in the body rather than easily translated into 'words'
We hope this serves as a reminder to intentionally create space to be with the feelings of others—where feelings can be held, witnessed, and expressed.
These images are intentionally cartoonish, child-focused style to make them accessible and relatable for young people
Full Page Communication Board
The communication board is more limited in terms of individualization. These boards are not intended to replace robust communication access; they are designed to help bridge the gap between existing supports and what is happening in the moment.
The design includes a spelling board, though we acknowledge it requires fine and gross motor skills that not all individuals may be able to access.
If you choose to use the board, consider also having a support information sheet or a pocket-sized card with you.
Full-sized boards are 8 x 11.5 inches and designed to be printed front and back. Printing on cardstock is recommended, with use of a sheet protector or lamination for repeated use.
Half Sized Commuication Board
The communication board is more limited in terms of individualization. These boards are not intended to replace robust communication access; they are designed to help bridge the gap between existing supports and what is happening in the moment.
The design includes a spelling board, though we acknowledge it requires fine and gross motor skills that not all individuals may be able to access.
If you choose to use the board, consider also having a support information sheet or a pocket-sized card with you.
These boards are half-page size and designed for easier access and portability, such as fitting into a bag or backpack.
The gray dotted line indicates where to cut. They are intended to be printed front and back and offer the same communication support as the full page, in a smaller, more portable option.
Pocket Sized Cards
Pocket-sized cards fold to business-card size and can be filled out by hand or edited digitally before printing. They are designed for low-stimulation access to essential information and rights when carrying larger materials isn’t accessible.
The button below will take you to a dedicated page for these cards.
We’ve organized them into seven disability categories to reduce executive function demands when navigating a 30-page document.
A full description and guidance are available on that page.
DISABLED STUDENT - SAFETY ACCESS EMAIL TEMPLATE
An email template parents and caregivers can copy, paste, and personalize. Providing language on what to say and how to say it.
Addresses immediate planning and implementation of accommodations for a student if ICE activity occurs or is occurring. Centers the child’s safety and disability needs.
No, Disabled Student's should not be expected to “earn” participation, complete assignments, or have 'expected' behavior during times of enforcement-related disruption.
ICE-Related Absence Template
An email template parents and caregivers can copy, paste, and personalize. Providing language on what to say and how to say it.
Addresses concerns around truancy and educational neglect reporting from the district. Centers the current risk to the child and family, emphasizing that attending school during ICE activity compromises safety, and requests excused absences while ensuring the district understands the reason is safety.
Medic AAC Board
This board was originally designed for immediate medical response at festivals, conventions, and other events, and intended to be shared with medic response teams.
It is uploaded here in case it is a support that someone might find useful.
This set includes three pages. The boards are best printed on paper, laminated, and used with a wet-erase marker to ensure important information is not accidentally erased. Cardstock with a sheet protector is another alternative.
These boards are not intended to replace robust communication access; they are a tool to support quick, clear communication in urgent medical situations when speaking or thinking is difficult, or access to communication is limited.
Informed consent: Some icons and words depict genitalia.