Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada urges congregations in immigrant communities to remind those to know their rights, have family preparedness plans in place, and be aware of ICE officers in plainclothes and unmarked vehicles.

If ICE comes to your home, you have the right to:

• See a warrant BEFORE you open the door. You have the right to refuse to allow ICE or police to enter your home unless the officers show a court warrant signed by a judicial officer (usually a judge).

• A warrant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is never enough! You have the right to ask ICE to slide

the warrant under the door so you can inspect it. You do not have to open the door until they do. If it is an arrest warrant, it must be signed by a judicial officer and have your name on it. If it is a search warrant, it must be signed by a judicial officer and have the exact address of your home. If you open the door to ICE without a court warrant, this may be seen as giving “consent” to have your home entered and searched.

• Remain silent. Present the Rights Card to officers. If you talk about your immigration status, your country of origin or how you got to the U.S., this information could be used against you.

NOTE: ICE agents can and do lie in order to gain entrance to your home.

Know Your Rights: https://nvimmigrantcoalition.org/

A federal judge has ruled that people with disabilities or serious health conditions do not have to prove they are unable to work to qualify for the “medically frail” exemption from new Medicaid work requirements.

Nevada was one of the states that challenged the federal guidance. The judge found that requiring people to prove their condition also prevents them from working could make it harder for eligible Nevadans to keep their coverage and continue receiving care.

This is an important step for people managing serious or complex health conditions. But the broader Medicaid work requirements are still scheduled to take effect January 1, 2027. Most adults covered through Medicaid expansion will still need to meet the monthly work, education, or community activity requirements unless they qualify for an exemption. Some paperwork rules also remain in place.

We should keep watching how Nevada Medicaid responds and make sure people get clear information about their coverage. Access to health care should not depend on a person being able to navigate a maze of paperwork while managing a serious illness.

Read More: Nevada Current

Microplastics have been found in freshly fallen snow across the Sierra Nevada, including in remote locations. This raises questions for Nevada, where the Sierra Nevada snowpack supplies much of Northern Nevada’s freshwater. The study does not tell us how much plastic reaches drinking water or what the health impacts may be. We need careful research, ongoing monitoring, and a commitment to care for the water and land we share.

Read more from the Nevada Current

The following resource provides guidance and inspiration for Lutheran Office for World Community response to challenges affecting the world today through advocacy, public voice, policy and political engagements. Learn more from the new resource linked in the comments below

Today is the day! Please remember to vote, and bring a neighbor with you. Already voted? Text someone and remind them to make a plan to vote, too.

Click here to find your polling location.

Prayer for Election Day

We pray for our country, for election workers, and for the electoral process. In this time of uncertainty, when division and hatred threaten to separate us, remind us of the cross and of Christ’s suffering and love. Help us care for our neighbors and trust in your amazing grace.

We pray for the United States, our communities, and our congregations as we face this time of anxiety. Give us courage, compassion, and hope. Strengthen us to keep working until all are fed, housed, and clothed.

Amen.