Morning all from a snowy DC. Hope all of you feeling the storm this morning are staying safe and warm.
Starting with a video (above) of Alex Pretti reading the final salute to an unnamed veteran posted by the veteran’s son - in thanks - on social media last night. Prepare yourself.
Thank you to the brave people of Minnesota, like Alex Pretti, who rushed to the aid of a woman being assaulted by ICE and was murdered for it. Your courage, bravery, humanity, and patriotism continue to inspire us every day.
I posted three times yesterday on the tragic events unfolding in Minnesota:
The Courage Of The People Of Minnesota Are Lifting Up And Inspiring A Nation
Big News - Senate Dems Will Not Vote For DHS Funding Bill In Current Form
To all of you who are protesting, calling, texting, donating, volunteering - thank you. As we saw with the Senate Dems withdrawing support for the funding package last night, our work, our advocacy, the day in day out pressure we put on the system can make a difference. Hopium has been calling on Dems to fight over the DHS appropriations bill since the summer. And here we are. In that fight, and we need to rest up today and get ready to hit the phones, emails etc tomorrow morning.
Our community members with red Senators or Rep have a particularly important role to play this week. Organize your friends and family to call, and just keep calling as there are signs of cracks in Congressional Republican support for the Trump-Vance-Miller-Bovino terror campaign.
First, the polling. Despite the unrelenting propaganda 20%-25% of Trump voters now disapprove of ICE. The regime has lost the argument with the American people:
37%-57% ICE approve/disapprove YouGov (new)
36%-63% ICE approve/disapprove - NYT
37%-57% ICE beneficial/harmful - Emerson
“Abolishing ICE” is no longer a fringe position. It’s +12 with Independents in a new Economist/You Gov poll:
Here’s the screaming headline this morning on the Politico website:
Here’s how the article begins:
President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportation campaign is starting to make some Republicans uneasy.
As midterms approach, GOP lawmakers, candidates, strategists and people close to the White House are warning that the administration’s mass deportations policy — and the wall-to-wall coverage of enforcement operations, arrests of U.S. citizens and clashes between protesters and federal officials — could cost them their razor-thin House majority.
The administration’s forceful approach across the U.S. risks repelling the swing voters who fueled Trump’s return to the White House but are increasingly wary of how the president is implementing a central campaign promise. Further complicating the issue is that Republicans are split on the best way to address the eroding support, with some in the party viewing it as a messaging problem, while others argue that the administration’s policy itself is driving voters’ concerns.
“If we don’t change our approach, it will have a negative effect on the midterms, for sure,” said Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), who recently decided not to seek reelection.
Last night, at 7pm on a Saturday night, the House Homeland Security Committee, Chaired by Long Island Congressman Charles Garbarino, worriedly announced a hearing into the DHS terror campaign:
Actions like this one, or statements like this one below, on a Saturday night, is the sign of a party losing faith in Trump-Miller and scrambling:
A very influential Republican Homeland Security professional, John Mitnick, who served in the first Trump government, has called for Trump’s removal over DHS’s ”lawlessness, fascism, and cruelty”:
I don’t know what is going to happen this week. But the politics of ICE have shifted, and we need be on offense now, and stop playing defense. Here’s how the WaPo sees the week ahead:
Senate Democrats plan to block a sweeping government funding package after U.S. Border Patrol agents killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday — increasing the likelihood of another shutdown at the end of the week.
……..
Democrats said they could not vote for legislation to continue U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s funding without changes to how the agency operates.
“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling — and unacceptable in any American city. Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill, but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the [Department of Homeland Security] bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement.] I will vote no,” Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) said in a statement. “Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included.”
…….
The legislation set to come to the Senate floor this week includes six government funding bills spanning multiple agencies — including large agencies like the Departments of Defense and Health and Human Services — and makes up the majority of discretionary spending. It would appropriate $64.4 billion for Homeland Security, including $10 billion for ICE.
Existing government funding runs out at the end of the day on Friday, and most of the government would shut down if a funding bill is not approved in time. At least seven Senate Democrats would need to vote for the legislation for it to pass in the upper chamber, where 60 votes are needed to overcome the filibuster.
Lawmakers could try to split the Homeland Security bill from the legislation to fund the rest of the government, which has stronger bipartisan support. A spokesperson for Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is “exploring all options” to pass the remaining government funding bills in time.
Here is the ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Patty Murray, yesterday:
I don’t know what’s going to happen this week. Trump-Miller retreated and were humiliated last week on Greenland, their big global play. I have a hard time believing they are going retreat here, again, particularly after Miller’s completely unhinged statements yesterday:
We’ve been advocating since the summer for Democrats to make a stand on the fiscal year 2026 DHS appropriations bill and fight. And now they have. We are in the fight we wanted everyone. The American people are on our side. The law is on our side. But as get ready to do battle this week we must lift our gaze up a bit, and focus on how we can organize ourselves to make it far more likely we are successful in the days, months, and years ahead:
to see this fight through Democrats must come together and act as one here. There needs to be a unified approach - Govs, Congressional leaders, big city mayors - where we lay out our vision and then fight for it, together. Senate and House Democrats should not be expected to make this fight alone. Just as Europe rallied for Denmark, and used their collective power to force Trump to retreat, we must now come together and use our collective power over what will be a grueling fight with Trump-Miller-Vance to force their retreat.
Here is what I wrote to you on Friday:
We are here now, deep into dangerous Mad King/Bond Villain territory. 2026 is no longer about affordability or restoring the ACA subsidies. It is about pro-democracy movement somehow coming together and forming a unified and far more powerful front against his dangerous Imperial and dictatorial designs.
In an ideal world, what we would see next week is a public statement signed by all Dem Governors, AGs, Senate and House Democrats that states clearly that
Rule of law must be re-established in America, ICE must be reined in, and Trump’s outrageous plunder and corruption must end
That he must back off his illegal and destructive territorial ambitions, end all these ridiculous tariffs, and re-commit to the Trans-Atlantic Alliance
Stake in ground. Unified voice. Muscular defense of liberty, democracy, and the American creed. Yes, it is time now for something akin to our Letter to America, and for our leaders to make clear, before it is too late, that we are willing to come together and fight for America, freedom, and democracy; and for us to start listing, clearly, his modern day “injuries,” “abuses,” and “usurpations.” That we elected an American President and not a dictator, and it is way past fucking time he start acting like one.
As we discussed yesterday the Europeans have shown us the way - no appeasement, only strength; come together for we are always stronger together than apart. To me these are the two big lessons from history - appeasement signals weakness, and encourages authoritarian escalation; and we must stick together at all costs no matter how hard that is at times.
Rest up peeps, say a prayer for the good people of Minnesota, and let’s hit the ground running tomorrow morning…..
Yes, We Have Lots To Do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Winning The Midterms - Support Our Candidates
Hopium’s Winning The House Campaign (2026) - $90,000 raised, $250,000 goal (new stretch goal) - Donate to all four endorsed House challengers with one click | Learn More | Enjoy our new conversations with Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Mayor Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), and Janelle Stelson (PA-10)
Mary Peltola For Alaska Senate - $21,000 raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Volunteer and learn more. Amazing start everyone!
Winning Ohio - $41,000 raised, $250,000 goal - Our new campaign splits contributions evenly among Sherrod Brown, the Acton/Pepper ticket, and the Ohio Democratic Party. Donate today and help us turn this critical 2026 battleground blue! | Watch my conversation with David Pepper, who does a great overview of the opportunities we have in Ohio this year. Note a generous donor has sent $21,000 worth of Hopium-infused contributions directly to the candidates which are not included in this total.
Roy Cooper for NC Senate (2026) - $69k raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Enjoy my conversation with Gov. Cooper and a new, terrific one with NC Dem Party Chair Anderson Clayton
Jon Ossoff GA Senate (2026) - $114k raised, $250,000 goal - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Enjoy my inspiring conversation with Senator Ossoff
Expanding The Senate and Electoral College Maps, Winning In Red States and Red Places (2026-2032)
Hopium’s Audacious Expansion Fund - $336,100 raised, $500,000 goal (new stretch goal) - Join our new campaign to expand our map by investing in the Democratic Parties of Alaska, Florida, Iowa, Maine, and Texas. Many thanks to two generous Hopium community members who have audaciously donated $10,000 to each of our five state parties
3 Campaigns Where We’ve Hit Our Goals, But Are Still Active - We have three campaigns where we’ve hit our goals but that folks can still participate in - Ken Martin’s New DNC, Anderson Clayton and the North Carolina Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party of Minnesota (DFL).
We got the following note from Cynthia this week. She is one of the 3,000 Hopium subscribers in Minnesota:
I am a Minnesotan and cannot adequately express the depth of my gratitude to Simon for this conversation with Richard and organizing this fundraiser and to each person that donated. My heart is full and tears are running down my face. Thank you to everyone who has supported and spoke up for Minnesota in any way and pushed back against ICE and DHS anywhere.
This is the absolutely the most unsafe I’ve ever felt where I live. It far exceeds anything I’ve experienced, and I am white. It affects my decisions every time I go outside. I continue to call my reps and work with my friends and my partner to offer mutual aid, get training, and help others. My neighborhood has been quiet and we’re looking for more ways to help others in more affected areas. We are attending the Solidarity Mobilizations this coming Tues and next: https://www.mobilize.us/surj/event/885616/
I attended an excellent online event with Indivisible this week about the caucuses, plan to attend myself, and have gotten 2 more people to go already, with more on my call list.
I went to the annual art sled rally this weekend. It is one of my favorite events of the year! So much laughter, fun, and delight. Thankfully, there wasn’t ICE presence during the event that I’m aware of. Look for the Minnesota 2026 art sled rally on YouTube if you haven’t seen it yet!
Ran out of space for the rest of our work together. If you are looking for our 5 part agenda or more info on our Resolutions Project please head back to yesterday morning’s post.
Keep working hard everyone, and I remain so incredibly proud to be in this righteous fight with all of you - Simon
