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Urgent joint statement: Esperanza United and Violence Free Minnesota on the destabilization of victim services and immediate need for economic support

The unprecedented surge in immigration enforcement by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has created a crisis that extends far beyond immigration policy. It is actively dismantling the safety net for survivors of domestic and sexual violence across Minnesota. Together, Esperanza United¹ and Violence Free Minnesota² […]

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Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Migdalia Loyola Meléndez

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take communities, working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.  To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. is […]

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Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Carolina Ureña

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take communities, working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.  To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. is […]

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Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Celina de Sola

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take communities, working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.  To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. is […]

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Jasmin García — A journey rooted in community, guided by hope 

When Jasmin García first stepped into her undergraduate classes, she carried a quiet dream: to serve Latin@ communities through research that honored their voices and experiences. She didn’t yet know where that path would begin, only that she felt called to it.  As a sophomore searching for directions, Jasmin reached out […]

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Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Maricarmen Garza

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take communities, working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.  To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. is […]

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Survivors’ voices heard at last: The Epstein Files Transparency Act 

In September, survivors climbed Capitol Hill to demand justice. Now, these brave women are asking all of us to stand with them. Hear their message.  https://youtu.be/FEz_Yoa1QCE?si=2X4ukEn623YNoG6V Yesterday, November 18, 2025, our government listened to survivors and passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This law requires that the Department of Justice release […]

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Survivors can’t afford to trade healthcare for food security

The chaos surrounding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) continues. After weeks of conflicting court orders and agency directives, some families began receiving their November SNAP benefits over the weekend, while millions more across the country are still waiting, uncertain when help will arrive.  Yesterday, on November 12th, President Trump signed […]

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Leadership in Community with Vivian Huelgo and Patricia Torres Ray

At Esperanza United, we know no single organization or person is going to end gender-based violence alone – it will take communities, working together. That’s why Latina leadership and community-based solutions are two of our organizational values.  To advance this strengths-based approach, Esperanza United President and CEO Vivian Huelgo, J.D. is […]

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Policy alert: Federal court temporarily blocks annual asylum fee

This year, Congress passed new fees related to asylum applications; these include a $100 fee for filing an initial asylum application and a new $100 annual asylum fee (AAF) that asylum seekers must pay for having a pending application.  In response to a lawsuit by ASAP against USCIS, a federal judge […]

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