"Youth Peace & Justice Foundation," Releases Brief As ICE Community Conflicts Increase Nationwide
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- Oct 20
- 4 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer West
Title: Media Relations Lead, "Youth Peace & Justice Foundation," Releases Brief As ICE Community Conflicts Increase Nationwide
YOUTH PEACE & JUSTICE FOUNDATION AMBASSADORS ISSUE DECLARATION MANDATING TACTICAL DE-ESCALATION AND NON-VIOLENT CIVIL ACTION AMIDST WORSENING URBAN CONFLICTS NATIONWIDE
NEW YORK, NY – October 20, 2025 – The Student Ambassador Team of the Youth Peace & Justice Foundation, a national 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to advancing systemic equity and community healing, today formally published a critical national analysis titled “A Declaration of Peace—Protecting Youth from Political and Community Volatility.”
The Declaration, distributed to major community leaders, local and national law enforcement officials, lawmakers and media outlets nationwide today; serves as an urgent denunciation of the escalating national instability driven by two critical and interdependent factors: the aggressive, often militarized, enforcement actions executed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the subsequent cycle of counter-aggression in community responses
The foundation noted that this toxic dynamic has contributed to the proliferation of volatile urban conflicts, as seen in cities like Portland, Oregon, and others nationwide, where peaceful citizens are frequently caught in the crossfire, and the rule of law is eroded by escalating tactical responses.
The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation is founded upon decades of direct engagement and empirical observation. We empower young people to become the architects of change, demanding justice and positive transformation in neighborhoods marked by systemic neglect. It is through this established lens that we issue this strategic declaration to national policymakers, community leaders, and educators.
The Policy-Driven Breakdown of Community Trust:
We recognize the inherent governmental functions of ensuring national security. However, we must unequivocally assert that the current enforcement paradigm represents a profound systemic failure. The political environment is characterized by the weaponization of policy in a manner that systematically dismantles the fundamental safety infrastructure of our communities.
The widespread rescission of protections for sensitive locations—including educational, medical, and social service centers—creates a state of systemic precarity. Families are forced into the untenable position of choosing between accessing essential care and the legitimate fear of detention or familial separation. This environment of fear does not enhance public safety; it is the genesis of deep-seated distrust and institutional cruelty, which are direct precursors to urban unrest.
The Psychosocial Impact on Developing Youth:
For youth, particularly in communities already contending with compounding structural vulnerabilities, this constant environment of anxiety fosters what psychosocial researchers identify as "silent trauma." This pervasive uncertainty significantly disrupts normative developmental pathways, hinders educational attainment, and increases overall psychosocial fragility. Educators and community leaders must recognize that when the institutions meant to secure safety are perceived as the primary source of threat, the established community trust architecture begins to collapse.
The Strategic Mandate for Peace and Protection:
In the face of these formidable challenges, the necessary response must be deliberate, constructive, and strategically centered on peace. We hereby issue a dual-pronged mandate:
I. A Call to Law Enforcement for Tactical Reform and Constitutional Compliance:
We issue a specific and urgent call to law enforcement agencies and relevant national policymakers to mandate immediate and comprehensive tactical adjustments. These adjustments must be focused on de-escalation protocols and the absolute preservation of constitutional rights for all citizens and residents.
The current pattern of tactical escalation during protests—leading to non-protesting citizens being injured or detained—is unacceptable. The response to civil disobedience must be disciplined, proportional, and compliant with the foundational principles of democracy, assuring peaceful outcomes and protecting the rights of those caught in the ensuing conflict.
II. The Mandate for Non-Violent Civil Disobedience: To students, parents, and community leaders, we mandate a unified movement of non-violent civil disobedience and principled civic action as the most vital defense for community youth. Protest is not merely dissent; it is a profound act of civic pedagogy. By organizing and mobilizing without aggression, we establish protective spaces—both physical and moral—for the minors who observe us.
Peaceful demonstration channels justified outrage into focused, strategic action, teaching youth that collective voice holds political capital and that power is derived from unity, not violence.
We urge the rejection of cynicism and despair in favor of organized, non-violent civic engagement. This includes:
Establishing Inter-Community Dialogues: Focused on evidence-based solutions and joint advocacy.
Advocating for Sanctuary Policies:
Peacefully lobbying for local protections that reinforce community stability:
Mobilizing Educational Resources: Utilizing art and education to convey messages of resilience and hope. The fight for peace and justice is inextricably linked to the fight for the stability and well-being of our children. By demonstrating dignity, courage, and an unwavering commitment to non-violence in our public actions, we send a clear, powerful message: the future of our communities will be determined by empathy, collaboration, and the strategic power of peace, not by volatility or systemic violence.
We are observing. We are organizing. We are peaceful. We are enduring.
About the Youth Peace & Justice Foundation
Previously Known As The Uvalde Foundation For Kids, The Youth Peace & Justice Foundation is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to ending cycles of violence by empowering young leaders to advocate for systemic change and community healing. Through political education and focused civic engagement, the Foundation prepares youth to transform their neighborhoods into places of justice, opportunity and peace.
Media Contact: Jennifer West
(254) 499-8027
