Ive got some of black mink/ news paper tubes boxes I've never had much luck with them but I was wondering if i would have been luck if I cut the other end open and patched it with some mesh wire maybe even window screen it would give the appearance of a tunnel with light on both ends instead of a dark hole

I have the same issue here. Mink will not go in the boxes I have and I use a 7" x6" x 24'" plastic box with slots on the sides. I was thinking of doing the same thing. I have even buried the box in a log jam and still no mink enter. But then I realized I can walk one way or the other and make a decent blind set or some other set and leave the boxes home. I am curious if others have the same issue.

I don't think adding some screen is going to make much of a difference. But you never know.
I don't have much luck using any kind of box for mink trapping.

Me either i usually just leave them home but I always try at least one a year with no luck so far

I have built my own boxes, maybe 16" long. They have screen covering the back. I also have no bottom in my box in the front half of the box to try and make it closer to natural.

Multi species box, I have some 120 boxes with deep slots and would turn the trap around to be closer to the bait