From Fear to Advocacy: Forward-Thinking Leaders Can Work to Safeguard Employees Amid Rising Political Threats

There’s something deeply unsettling in the air...and your employees feel it.

The tone of our national discourse is shifting, and political rhetoric is escalating. When elected officials float ideas like deporting U.S. citizens to foreign prisons, we’ve crossed into a new territory of uncertainty. Even if these ideas never become law, they’re already doing harm. They stoke fear and create confusion.

As organizational leaders, we can’t afford to wait for policy to catch up before we respond. If you’ve built coalitions or safety nets for green card-holding employees, and/or for your undocumented community members, it’s time to expand that support to U.S. citizens. If you didn't know before, now you know that anyone living in the U.S. has basic rights under the consitution, specifically the right to due process.

The Chilling Effect of Political Rhetoric on Employee Well-Being

When folks in power start musing about deporting Americans to places like El Salvador’s mega-prison, employees notice. And for some - especially those who belong to communities historically and currently already targeted by political rhetoric - this adds additional physical and emotional stress beyond what we already experience daily.

Leadership means recognizing the emotional labor and risk calculations employees are carrying. It means responding with empathy and clear action.

This fear isn’t unfounded. Visas are being revoked. People are being detained. People are erroneously sent to prison outside of the US, and our current federal administration says they can't bring them back. Past cases of U.S. citizens being wrongfully detained or deported show us how real the risks are, especially when systems are overwhelmed or weaponized.

Expanding Workplace Coalitions

What happens when your employees become vulnerable because of how they look, where their family is from, or the kind of work they do? *Hint - you should already know the answer to this question because it isn't new. The difference is that there is a lower sense of security for a lot more people. The answer is DEI practices.

This is the time to build cross-functional coalitions that can mobilize in support of all employees. That includes legal access, rapid response teams, and partnerships with advocacy organizations. Planning for what many viewed as the unthinkable has become even more of our responsibility, because the unimaginable is being said aloud.

Protecting Employees Engaged in Social Impact Work and Those Most At Risk

People doing work that touches equity, justice, or systemic change are often labeled “divisive.” That label used to be frustrating. Now, in some contexts, it can become dangerous. Employees working in DEI, sustainability, or advocacy are being watched more closely simply for doing their jobs.

And it’s not just the work, it’s also who people are. Employees who belong to minoritized or marginalized communities may face heightened scrutiny, risk, or retaliation based on their identity alone, regardless of their role.

If your team includes people who are engaged in social impact or who are vulnerable because of their gender, religion, immigration history, or lived experience (for starters), they need to know the organization has their back. That includes access to legal support, trauma-informed HR practices, and a clear public stance from leadership. Safety and value should never be in conflict.

Revising Corporate Travel Policies with Employee Safety in Mind

It’s time to refresh corporate travel policies. This goes beyond logistics to include safety.

This may include opt-out options for international travel without penalty, more robust virtual participation pathways, and clear protocols if someone is stopped or detained within the US. Corporate travel risk is evolving, and policies must reflect real threats and prioritize people.

Developing Crisis Preparedness Plans for Non-Standard Risks

Crisis planning isn’t just about cybersecurity or earthquakes. It should include scenarios that account for identity-based threats, detainment, or retaliation tied to political climates for your marginalized or vulnerable employees.

Build a plan that covers legal steps, internal communication strategies, and emotional support resources. Make sure HR, legal, and communications are all aligned, so that if something happens, the response is coordinated and grounded in care.

The Reputational Risks of Silence

Silence sends a message. It communicates a choice, whether we intend it or not. Stakeholders are paying attention to whether companies stand up for human rights and dignity. Employees are, too.

Organizations that respond with transparency and care build trust. Those that stay quiet risk eroding their credibility. Reputation is shaped as much by what you don’t say as by what you do.

Establishing Internal Safe Spaces for Dialogue

When external tensions rise, internal spaces matter even more. Employees need time and space to process what’s happening, to ask questions, and to hear directly from leaders that they are seen and supported.

Listening sessions or facilitated discussions aren’t less about venting and more about resilience. They provide leaders with insight and employees with grounding in a time that feels anything but stable.

Collaborating with Advocacy Organizations

We don’t have to do this alone. There are organizations with deep expertise in civil liberties, immigration rights, and employee safety. Partner with them. Bring them in.

These partnerships extend your organization’s ability to show up for your team. They also model the kind of interdependence that sustains movements, not just workplaces.

Keep DEI Rooted in Resilience

DEI cannot live in checklists. Not in moments like this. It has to be embedded in your organization’s decisions, culture, and operations. That means treating it as core strategy, not a side project. This is where your DEI strategy has to evolve. If it only lives in workshops or slide decks, it won’t hold up under pressure. Transformational DEI is about policies, protections, and structures that make people feel like they belong and are safe.

When DEI is truly transformational, it strengthens your organization’s resilience. It helps you lead with clarity, even when the world feels unpredictable. It aligns your values with your actions across every level of your business. This approach pays off, especially when external pressure is high.

In this moment, leadership isn’t just about profitability or market share. It’s about care. It’s about courage. It’s about deciding what kind of workplace, and world, you’re helping to build.

And it’s going to take all of us.