ICE Activity Driving Mental Health Crisis for Minnesotans With Serious Mental Illnesses, NAMI Minnesota Warns
Published: February 4, 2026.
TWIN CITIES, MINNESOTA — NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is sounding the alarm over what it describes as a rapidly intensifying mental health crisis across the state, particularly among Minnesotans living with serious and persistent mental illnesses. According to the organization, ongoing enforcement activity by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is fueling fear, trauma, and instability for people already vulnerable due to conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression, and other serious mental health disorders.
Drawing on helpline data and direct outreach in communities statewide, NAMI Minnesota reports a surge in calls and contacts from individuals experiencing worsening symptoms, decompensation, and acute psychiatric crises. The organization says sustained stress tied to enforcement activity, constant exposure to graphic imagery, and breaking news coverage is having a destabilizing effect, especially for people who struggle with paranoia, anxiety, or trauma-related symptoms.
While the broader public is feeling the strain of heightened uncertainty, NAMI Minnesota says the harm is falling disproportionately on people with serious mental illnesses and their families. For many, the stress is not fleeting.
“Our communities are navigating intense fear, and for people with serious and persistent mental illnesses, that fear can quickly become overwhelming,” said Marcus Schmit, executive director of NAMI Minnesota. “We are seeing people who were previously stable experience rapid deterioration in their mental health.”
Rise in Suicidal Crises and Treatment Disruptions
NAMI Minnesota also reports an increase in contacts related to suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. The organization says calls are coming both from people in crisis and from family members urgently seeking help for loved ones who are expressing thoughts of suicide or have recently attempted self-harm.
“We are hearing from families who are terrified because their loved one is talking about suicide or has already attempted,” Schmit said. “These are not abstract concerns. These are immediate, life-threatening situations.”
In addition, NAMI Minnesota says fear surrounding ICE activity is leading some individuals to stop taking prescribed medications, disengage from therapy, or isolate themselves entirely—choices that can have severe consequences for people managing serious mental illnesses.
“When people stop treatment because they are afraid, the consequences can be severe,” Schmit said. “For someone with a serious mental illness, losing access to care can mean the difference between stability and crisis.”
Urgent Call to Use Mobile Crisis Response Teams
In response, NAMI Minnesota is urging residents to make use of Minnesota’s Mobile Crisis Response Teams when someone is experiencing a mental health emergency, including decompensation, suicidal ideation, or acute psychiatric symptoms. Every Minnesota county, along with four tribal communities, has access to these teams, which provide professional mental health support either remotely or in person, at homes, schools, workplaces, or other community locations.
Staffed by licensed mental health professionals, Mobile Crisis Response Teams focus on de-escalation, risk assessment, safety planning, and connecting individuals to ongoing care. Contact information for each county’s team is available at JustCallMN.com.
“We’ve worked hard to build this system,” Schmit said. “When someone experiences a mental health crisis, getting the right help at the right time can make all the difference. Minnesota’s Mobile Crisis Response Teams provide in-person support with no out-of-pocket costs, offering professional care when it’s needed most.”
NAMI Minnesota emphasized that Mobile Crisis Response Teams are available to everyone, regardless of immigration status. While insurance may be billed when available, services are never denied based on ability to pay, and all interactions are confidential, an assurance the organization says is critical as privacy concerns continue to deter people from seeking help.
“Confidentiality is essential,” Schmit said. “People need to know they can reach out for help without fear. These services exist to support safety, dignity, and mental health.”
Help Is Available
NAMI Minnesota is encouraging parents, caregivers, educators, employers, and community members to save their county’s Mobile Crisis Response Team phone number in their contacts so help is immediately accessible when it is needed most.
If you or someone you love is in crisis, support is available by contacting your local Mobile Crisis Response Team. Information for every Minnesota county is available at JustCallMN.com.
About NAMI Minnesota
NAMI Minnesota is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with mental illnesses and their families through education, support, and advocacy. For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Victor Molina, Marketing and Communications for NAMI Minnesota, at marcomm@namimn.org.
