Dear supporters,
We now have 671 supporters and 748 signatures standing with Colorado's family caregivers. Thank you!!!
This weekend proved what we've been saying: caregivers are the shock absorbers of a country in crisis.
What Happened This Weekend
The national ICE-Out strike that began Friday reached unprecedented scale:
- Over 300 separate demonstrations across all 50 states
- Largest turnouts in Minneapolis, New York City, Los Angeles, and Portland, Maine
- "No work, no school, no shopping" strike led to closure of hundreds of small businesses
- High school walkouts in San Antonio, TX and Seattle, WA
And caregivers absorbed every tremor.
While streets filled with protests, caregivers were still managing medications, meals, safety plans, and the emotional fallout inside their homes.
We don't get to pause for a national strike.
We don't get to walk out.
We don't get to wait for clarity.
We keep families functioning when the world outside is shaking.
The Casualties
The movement was sparked by a devastating reality: 8 people have died in connection with ICE enforcement since January 1st-including U.S. citizens.
Among them: Renee Good and Alex Pretti, whose deaths triggered the political earthquake we're witnessing.
Today, the Department of Justice announced a federal civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti's killing in Minneapolis. But notably, they declined a similar probe for Renee Good at this time.
New Political Reality: 11 Days to February 13
This morning, Congress struck a deal to separate DHS funding from the broader spending package. The Department of Homeland Security is now on temporary funding until February 13-giving lawmakers just 11 days to negotiate new restrictions on ICE operations.
The federal government is scrambling. And caregivers are still absorbing the instability.
Operational Shifts Under Pressure
The protests are working:
- Maine: Senator Susan Collins announced ICE is ending its "surge" operations in the state following local backlash
- Minneapolis: Lead Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino was removed from his post and replaced by Tom Homan
- Nationwide: The #DontServeICE campaign has led dozens of hotels and restaurants to publicly refuse cooperation with federal agents
But the cost is real:
ACLED conflict data shows that physical confrontations are 4 times more likely in states currently undergoing major ICE operations like Minnesota and Illinois.
A Caregiving Moment: "Can You Take Me Home?"
Amid all this national chaos, something quieter has been unfolding in caregiving households across the country.
My mother has slipped back into her anxiety loop about "going home"-not the home she's lived in for nine years, but the one from decades ago that her memory still holds.
When she asks, "Can you take me home?" we respond:
"We would love for you to stay here in our home tonight. We have a room for you, and your things are here."
She softens. "Okay," she says.
I used to push back more, trying to anchor her in reality. But her anxiety is sharper now, and I've learned that truth isn't always the kindest answer. Safety is. Reassurance is. A calm voice is.
This is the emotional labor that never shows up in policy debates.
The micro-adjustments. The constant recalibration of what helps and what harms.
And it's why stability matters so much.
Because when the world outside is unstable-300 demonstrations, 8 deaths, an 11-day deadline, physical confrontations 4x more likely-caregivers are still doing this quiet, essential work inside their homes. Hour by hour. Moment by moment.
Colorado's Response: Still Silence
While Washington races toward a February 13 deadline, Colorado lawmakers face an $850 million to $1.1 billion deficit.
Every conversation is about what to cut, what to delay, how to prepare for federal Medicaid reductions.
What's still missing: the 600,000 family caregivers providing $9-12 billion in unpaid labor annually.
This is the hidden subsidy keeping Colorado's long-term care system from collapsing.
Caregivers are the only part of the healthcare system that:
- Doesn't show up in the budget
- Doesn't require appropriations
- Doesn't get line-item protection
- Cannot be cut without catastrophic consequences
Colorado is trying to solve a budget crisis while ignoring the workforce crisis underneath it.
That's fiscal malpractice.
Why the CARE Act Matters More Than Ever
This weekend proved it: when federal systems destabilize, caregivers need state-level protections.
The Colorado CARE Act is a stability policy designed for moments exactly like this one.
It costs the state nothing. It saves money long-term. It reduces Medicaid churn. It prevents forced institutionalization. It keeps mid-career workers employed. It protects small businesses with safe harbors and grace periods.
The CARE Act says:
- Remote work is a reasonable accommodation when already proven
- Employers must justify revoking flexibility
- Constructive dismissal is prohibited
- Documentation is required
- Small employers get time, support, and exemptions
- Budget-neutral. TABOR-neutral. Non-punitive.
When 300 demonstrations shake the country, when 8 people have died, when lawmakers have 11 days to negotiate, when physical confrontations multiply-caregivers need workplace stability more than ever.
What You Can Do Right Now
1. Read the full analysis from Saturday's shutdown:
2. Share this petition widely:
Every signature strengthens our case for legislative sponsorship. We're approaching 750 signatures-help us reach 1,000 by the February 13 DHS deadline.
3. Email your story:
Your experience as a caregiver navigating national instability matters. Personal stories make policy real.
4. Contact Colorado legislators:
Tell them: 300 demonstrations, 8 deaths, 11-day deadline. Caregivers are absorbing this crisis hour by hour. We need state-level workplace protections NOW.
Find your legislators: house.gov and senate.gov and in Colorado: leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator
The Next 11 Days
Between now and February 13, Congress will negotiate ICE restrictions and DHS funding.
Between now and February 13, Colorado lawmakers will continue budget conversations.
Between now and February 13, caregivers will continue doing the quiet work of keeping families functioning-managing medications, redirecting anxiety, providing safety and reassurance-while the world outside shakes.
We deserve a system that holds us back.
Kindly and Gratefully,
Mark Fukae
Founder, CASI - Caregiver Advocacy Support Initiative
Director of Advocacy, Professionals Who Care
Registered Colorado Volunteer Lobbyist
300 demonstrations. 8 deaths. 11 days. Caregivers are holding the line.
Sign. Share. Speak up.