Gender Justice Documenting Violence by Federal Immigration Agents in Minnesota
Montana organization Gender Justice is currently investigating reports of unlawful gender-based verbal, physical, and sexual harm by federal immigration agents, such as ICE.
Gender Justice is a Montana-based organization that helps its community fight gender inequality while maintaining a safe space for individuals to thrive. “We work to ensure that people of all genders have a meaningful right to bodily autonomy, safety, health, and opportunity,” explains their mission statement. Their about section continues with the idea that there is never a wrong time to stand up for people’s rights. They make that clear with the reporting form available on their site.
With growing reports of harassment, intimidation, and violence toward women, transgender, gender-nonconforming, and LGBTQ+ people by federal immigration agents such as ICE, Gender Justice launched a confidential reporting form to file and aid investigations of unlawful conduct. If someone has personally experienced gender-based violence or witnessed something related firsthand, they are highly encouraged to report it via the online form for documentation purposes.
Gender Justice makes it clear that it’s not a guarantee of legal representation or a way to create an automatic legal attorney-client relationship. “Please be aware that all legal claims have time deadlines, and we do not provide advice about deadlines. If you have any questions or concerns regarding a time deadline for your case, please consult an attorney.”
“History has long shown that gender‑based violence is a feature, not a bug of oppressive systems,” says Megan Peterson, executive director of Gender Justice. “The flood of reports from Minnesotans—and the murder of Renee Nicole Good, a queer woman, by a federal immigration agent—show that gender-based violence is unfolding here now. By documenting what people have experienced and witnessed, we can demand accountability, and ensure this history is not rewritten by those in power.”
Accountability, history, power. We desire accountability, a history without repetition, and a balance of power. Not even two weeks ago, we unfortunately lost Renee Good, a loving wife and mother, to an ICE agent who bore no bodycam. If Becca Good wanted to, which I’m sure she has already done some form of, she could report to Gender Justice.
In a world of injustice, as our LGBTQ+ community is hurting, we need all the support we can get. Gender Justice is doing amazing work by giving victims a voice and a resource to get the justice they deserve. Although legal representation is not a guarantee, at least Gender Justice is doing something. They are raising voices to hopefully lower those wrongfully in charge.
