Legislation Updates

Arc Northland Statement: Commitment to Community Inclusion

At The Arc Northland, we stand with our immigrant neighbors and affirm that disability knows no borders, no language barriers, and no immigration status.

People with disabilities are part of every community. Many individuals with disabilities, their family members, caregivers, and the direct support professionals who provide essential care are immigrants. Our mission is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves safety, dignity, and access to supports without fear.

We recognize that immigration enforcement practices can create fear and instability in communities. When people are afraid to seek healthcare, attend school, go to work, or access services, the harm extends beyond individuals to families and entire support systems. For people with disabilities, disruptions to care, routines, and trusted relationships can be especially damaging.

The Arc Northland is committed to being a welcoming and inclusive space. No one should be afraid to reach out for disability services or community support. We believe in protecting privacy, honoring due process, and supporting family unity, because these are essential to well-being and self-determination.

We also acknowledge the critical role immigrant workers play in disability services. Caregivers and direct support professionals are the backbone of our systems of care. When they are targeted or destabilized, people with disabilities are directly impacted.

Disability justice and immigrant justice are deeply connected. We reject narratives that divide communities or dehumanize our neighbors. Instead, we choose care over fear, dignity over discrimination, and community over exclusion.

We reaffirm our commitment to standing with immigrant communities and to ensuring that our services reflect respect, inclusion, and humanity for all.

Our Future Starts at Home

Our Future Starts at Home is a coalition of advocates, community leaders, faith leaders and housing champions who believe housing is a basic need and a basic human right. The Arc Northland sees access to affordable accessible housing as a civil right, a social driver of health and one of the first and most important steps in fostering financial stability.

For more information or to get involved visit the Our Future Starts at Home website

Legislative Advocacy Initiatives

Arc Northland works closely with The Arc of Minnesota on legislative advocacy initiatives. Arc Northland is able to keep a pulse on the unique needs of the Arrowhead Region while supporting Minnesotans with disabilities as a whole.

Through public policy work, we can:

Promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Advance equity

Support true belonging in community

2025 policy goals cover five main areas:

Social and Community Context

Education Access and Quality

Economic Stability

Neighborhood and Built Environment

Health Access and Quality

These are called Social Determinants (Drivers) of Health. Building our agenda around the Social Determinants (Drivers) of Health shows how different policy issues are connected as they impact the lives of people with disabilities.

View the 2025 Legislative Agenda Here

View The Arc of the United States Advocacy & Policy Initiatives Here