AfP Call to Action: De-Escalate Crisis in Minneapolis and Prevent and Reduce Further Political Violence Across the U.S.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2026
CONTACT
Nick Zuroski | nick@allianceforpeacebuilding.org
Washington, DC, USA — Today, the Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), a network of 270+ organizations working to prevent violent conflict and build sustainable peace in 181 countries, joins the growing call, including Republican and Democratic Congressional and state leaders, corporations, sports teams, non-governmental organizations, and faith leaders, urging the U.S. Government to immediately de-escalate the current crisis in Minneapolis. AfP also calls on the Administration to uphold the rule of law in its immigration enforcement. Further, the increasing political violence and instability across the U.S. underscores the urgency for all Americans, from leaders to everyday people, to answer AfP’s call to action to join its Peacebuilding Starts at Home initiative and work collectively to prevent violence and build a strong, resilient, and peaceful society.
AfP has been warning for years that dangerous conflict dynamics are increasing in the U.S. While the ongoing violence in Minneapolis resulting in the death of another American is dominating the news, poll after poll finds a majority of Americans, across all walks of life and political affiliations, fear increasing instability and even the possibility of another civil war. Political violence and declining democracy are driving these fears.
While the U.S. Government has the right to determine who can legally enter and reside in its territory, it is a country of laws. All government officials must follow and be accountable to the legal system, including the cornerstones of the U.S. Constitution—the rights to due process, assembly, and freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures. AfP calls on bipartisan political leaders to lower tensions, including by ensuring a thorough investigation of and remedial actions for ICE agents. AfP applauds increasing Congressional bipartisan calls for an investigation after the fatal shooting in Minneapolis by ICE agents, including from Democratic leadership and Republican Members of Congress, such as Senators Cassidy, Curtis, Cruz, and Moran and Representative McCaul. Representative McCaul further added, “As an attorney and former federal prosecutor, I believe a thorough investigation is necessary—both to get to the bottom of these incidents and to maintain Americans’ confidence in our justice system.” AfP calls on the Administration to cooperate with state and local officials to ensure a thorough and impartial investigation, including via Congressional hearings and other oversight mechanisms. To reduce and prevent future violence, AfP also urges the federal government to mandate use-of-force, de-escalation, and public safety training for ICE agents, require public reporting on operations, and ensure compliance with civil rights protections.
While these measures can mitigate the current crisis, Americans must also work to reduce and prevent greater drivers of violence and instability, such as increasing political polarization, democratic decline, and extremism. Fortunately, people all over the country are heeding this call. AfP welcomes Republican Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Democrat Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s bipartisan effort to combat political violence and promote civility, commonly known as “Disagree Better.” AfP’s Peacebuilding Starts at Home project is a call to action for everyday Americans to learn what is driving conflict in the U.S., how to prevent and reduce it, and how to engage with AfP’s members and partners already doing this much-needed work. Across the U.S., AfP is also mobilizing policy and lawmakers, the private sector, and all people to champion practical and actionable conflict prevention and peacebuilding programs, policies, and laws at the community, state, and national level. But peace doesn’t just happen, we must build it.
The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), named the “number one influencer and change agent” among peacebuilding institutions worldwide, is an award-winning nonprofit and nonpartisan network of 270+ organizations working in 181 countries to prevent and reduce violent conflict and build sustainable peace. AfP cultivates a network to strengthen and advance the peacebuilding field, enabling peacebuilding organizations to achieve greater impact—tackling issues too large for any one organization to address alone.