Uh, er, um … WE Dems might want to spend some time with this piece this morning too. It makes an excellent pairing. Feel free to cleans the palate with gall. Don’t worry. Be happy. And above all have a hope filled day.
I cannot fathom how any Democrat could vote for ANY funding for ICE until they are brought under control. They are thugs terrorizing and murdering citizens and migrants and have turned Minneapolis into a war zone. There cannot be any both-sidesing of this by calling them law enforcement requiring funding. This is un-American, enraging and the Democrats need to take this stand.
Can the Minnesota National Guard be used to protect people against ICE. They are governed by the state. Also we need to keep the Epstein case front and center like the brave Detroit auto worker calling out Trump.
I've asked Harry Litman this question, and also with regards to local police, and his answer was essentially "no". There is really no legal path for National Guard to intervene in policing or federal enforcement. Now, I think what ICE is doing legally cannot be "policing", but it is enforcement. The fact that they put the word "Police" on their stormtrooper uniforms probably should not be allowed.
Now, it would seem to me, however, that apart from the legal aspect, National Guard could probably be deployed as witnesses and observers, and generally to maintain order. I'm not sure how you would implement something, however, without potentially making things more dangerous. Watching those videos, the ICE people and CBP agents never have the scene under control and things immediately erupt into pure chaos.
So I don't know what you do. I think we need witnesses, maybe local cops to deal with anyone who does get out of hand so that ICE isn't doing it, and then prosecutions of ICE, CPB agents who commit crimes.
Maybe the National Guard or Mpls. Police could be deployed to stop illegal 4th amendment-violating searches. This doesn't seem like a stretch to me.
Thanks for the summary. Seeing the state I grew up in and (still) spent most of my life in being terrorized by ICE has a visceral impact to me. I know it shouldn't matter where it happens. But it does. The guy Ryan Ecklund, another US citizen apprehended by ICE and later set free, lives in the city I grew up in, Woodbury MN.
I'll choose another of our campaigns to give a recurring donation to, probably $10/month. I am also going to an event locally, an organizing event, with David Jolly. I want to see if I can get involved in voter registration, because I think this is going to be key here in FL. We aren't going to win unless we register new voters.
Like Ted Cruz and JD Vance, Lawler looks like Satan to me.
It's not the facial hair that I judge -- I've no problem with that -- it's the difference between when you think someone is making a fashion, religious, or cultural choice, and when one is trying to hide something.
Thank you for not only calling out what is wrong and identifying essential concerns and questions we should explore, but pointing out concrete actions we must take together. It is those suggested actions you offer that make real differences in outcomes. Thank you.
As a resident of the Twin Cities, I cannot describe for you what is happening here and capture it accurately. There are over 2000 ICE agents here. As I understand it, the Minneapolis police force is 1,200 full time officers. As Simon mentioned, they are going door to door in some neighborhoods without warrants. They are pulling US citizens out of cars for no reason and jailing them for hours. They are making traffic stops (which they have zero authority to do) and pulling US citizens out of cars and jailing them.
We are under siege and that is not hyperbole. Schools are closed. Families are not leaving their homes. Networks have sprung up, led by a number of churches, to deliver food to families. Whatever you are seeing or reading in the news is not nearly capturing the lawlessness, the fear and the anger.
The bravery of our citizens in pushing back cannot be overstated. The observers who keep document these atrocities are heroes. The organizations that are training constitutional observers deserve our thanks. Minnesota is not going to go down without giving it our all.
Tim, all of us are with you, brother, and grateful for the courage of the people of Minnesota in this challenging time for the nation. You have become an inspiration to us all.
From my perspective, I would ask everyone that has a Democratic Senator, please call your senator and tell them not to vote for the budget deal that is being worked on unless it reins in ICE. They are completely out of control at this point and it's only a matter of time until another person is killed by them. Shut down the government until ICE is brought to heel.
To be clear, I am not saying "Defund ICE" or "Abolish ICE". I don't want to fall into that political trap. But it needs to be brought to heel and reformed.
That was my message to my 2 Dem senators today: work to abolish ICE and in the meantime to rein it in even if that means another government shutdown. I said ICE is not a law enforcement agency; it's a law-breaking agency.
Hi Tim - Minneapolis is a beautiful diverse city with wonderful warm people. We are all contacting our electeds daily begging them to stop this invasion just as you all are hitting the streets in force pushing back. Please be safe and know we are all in Minneapolis in our heads every day.
Dec 15, ICE inked a deal with Constellis Holdings to provide “skip tracing” services, tasking the company with hunting immigrants down and relaying their locations to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations wing for apprehension.
The government has so far paid Constellis $1.5 million, with the potential for the total to grow to more than $113 million.
This hurts my heart, brings me to tears. It must stop!
I just wrote to our Congressional reps again, as follows.
I am begging you to do everything you can for Congress to stop the maga invasion of our cities, including immediately putting the reins on ICE. Please help the people of Our Country. They need your action now.
We are all appalled at trump's ICE assault on Minnesota and also amazed at the courage and endurance of you Minnesotans! I knew you had to be tough to endure Minnesota's winters, but I think we all underestimated just *how* tough!
Keep holding on and know that we are hounding our MoCs via every possible medium to stand with you and stop ICE!
There are also lots of rumors about surveillance, including drones. And they're detaining protestors and asking them to give up protest leaders. People who do mutual aid aren't doing ICE watch for fear their vehicle will be tagged and they'll lead ICE to someone's residence. One of the groups just reported that ICE is driving around Spanish immersion preschools today taunting observers. Oh, and the president of the city council was assaulted.
Some Dem reps are out there on social media reminding every one of their constitutional rights, but there are no rights here right now.
And yes, Minnesotans are not taking this lying down. There's so much on the ground organization happening. I'm so proud of everyone.
Anne, do you have any links for organizations in that area the train ICE observers? I'd like to donate. I did donate to the local "Immigrant Defense Network" there at your suggestion a few days ago.
Here, an activist put this site together. I note the website for Monarca, which does trainings, is private right now, and that they've been getting a lot of attention in the RW press.
What a nightmare. Is there any talk of mobilizing the National Guard to help with traffic control? That assistance alone would reduce the chances of harm.
Tim, I can't imagine what you are going through right now. I've been following closely and it's clear that ICE is purposely creating an environment of domination and fear. I've only been to Minneapolis a few times but it struck me as the kind of Midwest city where you get into dances at 4-way stop signs because everybody is waving everybody else through. The perseverance and resilience ordinary citizens are showing there is genuinely inspiring.
I posted in the resolutions chat last night about a local city council vote coming up in Burnsville, MN on Jan. 20. The proposal, drafted by the city council, would ban ICE from using city property. If there are any Hopium community members who are residents of Burnsville, or live nearby, it could be a meeting worth attending. I wonder whether it's the kind of thing that might spread in that area (and everywhere). Here's an article
Called my rep this morning and thanked the staffer for my rep’s appearance at the protest Sunday. Then told her that I was “incandescently angry” about what ICE is doing and the Dems should use the budget to get what we want for BOTH ACA and ICE.
Simon, thank you for the polling information; it's encouraging. Also, yesterday, Dems won another special election. Chris Dzadovsky won a runoff election for the Fort Pierce City Commission, flipping the commission to Democratic control. My understanding is that the person being replaced was MAGA. Every seat counts.
I called my congressman and senators and am writing postcards to NC voters today.
I meant to add: I'm asking them to get all the Democratic representatives out in front of the Capitol and announce that breaking our NATO treaty by invading Greenland is an impeachable offense. Impeachment seems to scare him. That's not all that needs to be done, but it's one way to get attention.
Last night I attended a grief support group for survivors of violence and trauma, which has been such an integral part of reducing gun death here in NJ--being in community, talking about your experiences--it all matters. (Note: the entire city of Minneapolis will need this type of support when sanity is restored. They are all in trauma right now.)
Working on news boosting postcards for Prog Turnout Project, and am going to do more, just have to look into options. Phone calls to Rep. Smith (Traitor-NJ04), Kim & Booker on the ICE stuff are on my schedule as well.
NJ is gearing up for special election in NJ11 and working on plans to flip NJ07 (Kean's district). We are perpetually in election mode here in the Garden State! Gov. Murphy's last State of the State was yesterday, and he leaves an impressive record. Counting the days till the Sherrill Administration and planning the Moms Demand meeting with our new AG, Jennifer Davenport (whom I would love to see here in Hopium!).
Standing in solidarity with Minnesota, where residents have just been relentless in their refusal to back down from peaceful protest. So impressive, and a model for the nation. Thank you all, and Keep Going!
Hi Lisa - I feel so helpless too about the situation in Minneapolis, a city and people I've enjoyed many times in my professional life. Contacting my two good Illinois Senators feels far too little. I have considered driving up to Minneapolis just to witness and march with them.
Thank you, Lisa! Being in community is so important. Tonight I'm teaching a class on homelessness through my church. It will run for the next eight weeks. Normally we have about ten people sign up for these social justice classes -- this time we have 23! (And I'm struggling to figure out how we're all going to fit in my living room.) I think people are desperate to gather in community and to do something positive for their local communities. Onward!
Self report: Communicated with both MI Senators and my rep...
Dear
This letter repeats my multiple prior requests to you. I continue to ask for your support of the following things:
1. Please stand with Ukraine and our European allies, and far more forcefully challenge the president’s traitorous efforts to sell out the US and the West to Russia; demand Congress rebuke/issue a no confidence vote on his current efforts to force Ukraine to surrender
2. Please stand forcefully for the rule of law in the Caribbean and the Pacific - these illegal strikes must end; no war can be waged without Congressional approval; there must accountability for those who have broken the law, and the US must withdraw from Venezuela and cease other threats that violate the UN Charter and the sovereignty of other nations
3. Please roll back this Administration’s terrible, illegal tariffs that are re-igniting inflation, driving up prices, shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to working people, hurting small businesses and farmers, reviving tyrannical “taxation without representation,” and alienating governments and people throughout the world. To put America on a sounder fiscal course due to the enormous deficits brought by Trump’s 2025 tax cuts please reverse these cuts to the wealthy and corporations
4. Please defend our democracy, rule of law, and our liberties by blocking the expansion of ICE; restoring due process for immigrants across the country; vigorously defending the 1st Amendment; warring against this administration’s outrageous targeting of the president’s domestic political opponents; ending the use of the military on our streets and the dangerous occupation of our cities; stopping the unprecedented corruption; and by forcing the Administration to finally comply with Congress end the rancid cover up of the Epstein crimes.
5. Please fight against the president’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA, Medicaid and our clean energy investments; support and co-sponsor the Stand Up For Science/Rep. Haley Stevens effort to remove Robert Kennedy from HHS.
Thank you for your efforts to ensure that this country can continue it’s democratic experiment.
This article from Lincoln Square is the clearest articulation of what ICE is doing and what it's for. I think it is important that our rhetoric be about ICE's actual purpose, rather than its ostensible purpose, "immigration enforcement." It is time, for those who are worried about being labelled a "conspiracy theorist" or "hysterical" etc, to set aside those concerns.
Good article, thanks. “Greg Bovino and his boys are operating exactly as designed for a political system that values dominance over legitimacy and intimidation over consent.”
I attended the Whatcom County Council meeting at which they considered a resolution "Affirming the Dignity and Civil and Human Rights of All Whatcom County Residents, Regardless of Immigration and Citizenship Status." I was among the members of the general public who offered testimony on this resolution.
The meeting was long. It started at 6 pm, and I left after the resolution passed after 11 pm. Some of the public testimony was powerful. One Spanish-speaking man was brave enough to testify, through an interpreter, about his experience with ICE. A woman talked about her experience of being detained and kept in a facility because ICE wanted to capture her immigrant boyfriend. Another talked about how she was pulled from her car as ICE raided a nearby apartment building. Only one man spoke against the resolution, impugning the character of immigrants, saying they weren't "honorable." He was followed by a woman who made a point of talking about her honorable immigrant parents.
The Council, after discussion and amendments, easily passed the resolution 5-2. The two voting "no" couldn't marshal a rational argument against the resolution. At one point, a Councilmember said she was "struggling" to understand what he was saying. Another "no"-voting Councilmember wondered what legal immigrants thought of the resolution. Had he not been listening? We heard testimony from legal immigrants who were critical of ICE. One of the sponsors of the resolution spoke about how his uncle was, after 30 years in this country, was living with fear. The Council President told me on Monday that this resolution is a first step, and more steps will follow.
I'm tired today. I will make phone calls to my members of Congress and debrief with my wife about the Indivisible meeting I missed last night. Otherwise, I'm going to take it easy today and visit with some friends.
💙 💙 💙 Congratulations, David E., for passing the resolution "Affirming the Dignity and Civil and Human Rights of All Whatcom County Residents, Regardless of Immigration and Citizenship Status" and especially for your testimony. 💙 💙 💙
The amended final version isn't yet available and won't be until perhaps early next week.
A couple of "Resolves" stand out to me:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County condemns the pursuit of arrest and deportation activities on or adjacent to county property by federal law enforcement agencies;"
Here the resolution becomes, briefly, a resolution of condemnation. There was some debate about this, but it survived in the original language.
This Resolve is the amended final version:
"BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that
Whatcom County strives to cultivate a community where all individuals are free, have equal protection and are provided due process under the law, and are safe to live their lives and pursue their personal, familial, educational, and economic goals without fear of surveillance, harassment, intimidation, injury, abduction, or death."
No, it is not hyperbole to speak of "fear of surveillance, harassment, intimidation, injury, abduction, or death."
Thank you Simon! Your work is so important. Morning calls are in to Wisconsin Republican members of Congress regarding ICE in MN and #4 of our 5 part agenda. I’ll call Dem and Rep members this afternoon with other parts of the agenda.
Uh, er, um … WE Dems might want to spend some time with this piece this morning too. It makes an excellent pairing. Feel free to cleans the palate with gall. Don’t worry. Be happy. And above all have a hope filled day.
… https://open.substack.com/pub/steveschmidt/p/a-is-for-appeasers?r=3codzl&utm_medium=ios&shareImageVariant=overlay
I cannot fathom how any Democrat could vote for ANY funding for ICE until they are brought under control. They are thugs terrorizing and murdering citizens and migrants and have turned Minneapolis into a war zone. There cannot be any both-sidesing of this by calling them law enforcement requiring funding. This is un-American, enraging and the Democrats need to take this stand.
Can the Minnesota National Guard be used to protect people against ICE. They are governed by the state. Also we need to keep the Epstein case front and center like the brave Detroit auto worker calling out Trump.
I've asked Harry Litman this question, and also with regards to local police, and his answer was essentially "no". There is really no legal path for National Guard to intervene in policing or federal enforcement. Now, I think what ICE is doing legally cannot be "policing", but it is enforcement. The fact that they put the word "Police" on their stormtrooper uniforms probably should not be allowed.
Now, it would seem to me, however, that apart from the legal aspect, National Guard could probably be deployed as witnesses and observers, and generally to maintain order. I'm not sure how you would implement something, however, without potentially making things more dangerous. Watching those videos, the ICE people and CBP agents never have the scene under control and things immediately erupt into pure chaos.
So I don't know what you do. I think we need witnesses, maybe local cops to deal with anyone who does get out of hand so that ICE isn't doing it, and then prosecutions of ICE, CPB agents who commit crimes.
Maybe the National Guard or Mpls. Police could be deployed to stop illegal 4th amendment-violating searches. This doesn't seem like a stretch to me.
Thanks for the summary. Seeing the state I grew up in and (still) spent most of my life in being terrorized by ICE has a visceral impact to me. I know it shouldn't matter where it happens. But it does. The guy Ryan Ecklund, another US citizen apprehended by ICE and later set free, lives in the city I grew up in, Woodbury MN.
I'll choose another of our campaigns to give a recurring donation to, probably $10/month. I am also going to an event locally, an organizing event, with David Jolly. I want to see if I can get involved in voter registration, because I think this is going to be key here in FL. We aren't going to win unless we register new voters.
I put in $20/month more for "Winning Ohio".
When Republican Congressmen like Mike Lawler are taking to social media to speak out against defunding ICE, you know we changed the narrative!
Like Ted Cruz and JD Vance, Lawler looks like Satan to me.
It's not the facial hair that I judge -- I've no problem with that -- it's the difference between when you think someone is making a fashion, religious, or cultural choice, and when one is trying to hide something.
Thank you for not only calling out what is wrong and identifying essential concerns and questions we should explore, but pointing out concrete actions we must take together. It is those suggested actions you offer that make real differences in outcomes. Thank you.
As a resident of the Twin Cities, I cannot describe for you what is happening here and capture it accurately. There are over 2000 ICE agents here. As I understand it, the Minneapolis police force is 1,200 full time officers. As Simon mentioned, they are going door to door in some neighborhoods without warrants. They are pulling US citizens out of cars for no reason and jailing them for hours. They are making traffic stops (which they have zero authority to do) and pulling US citizens out of cars and jailing them.
We are under siege and that is not hyperbole. Schools are closed. Families are not leaving their homes. Networks have sprung up, led by a number of churches, to deliver food to families. Whatever you are seeing or reading in the news is not nearly capturing the lawlessness, the fear and the anger.
The bravery of our citizens in pushing back cannot be overstated. The observers who keep document these atrocities are heroes. The organizations that are training constitutional observers deserve our thanks. Minnesota is not going to go down without giving it our all.
Tim, all of us are with you, brother, and grateful for the courage of the people of Minnesota in this challenging time for the nation. You have become an inspiration to us all.
Hang in there. I've been thinking about MN all week.
Tim, what can we do to help? It's so frustrating and infuriating to watch this crap.
From my perspective, I would ask everyone that has a Democratic Senator, please call your senator and tell them not to vote for the budget deal that is being worked on unless it reins in ICE. They are completely out of control at this point and it's only a matter of time until another person is killed by them. Shut down the government until ICE is brought to heel.
To be clear, I am not saying "Defund ICE" or "Abolish ICE". I don't want to fall into that political trap. But it needs to be brought to heel and reformed.
On it. Thank you--have already called Booker & Kim and my rep on this, will make it a daily call instead of switching out my messaging.
I live in a blue state. I will call both my Senators later today.
This was my message to my DEM reps, Tim.
Done.
That was my message to my 2 Dem senators today: work to abolish ICE and in the meantime to rein it in even if that means another government shutdown. I said ICE is not a law enforcement agency; it's a law-breaking agency.
Hi Tim - Minneapolis is a beautiful diverse city with wonderful warm people. We are all contacting our electeds daily begging them to stop this invasion just as you all are hitting the streets in force pushing back. Please be safe and know we are all in Minneapolis in our heads every day.
Dec 15, ICE inked a deal with Constellis Holdings to provide “skip tracing” services, tasking the company with hunting immigrants down and relaying their locations to ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations wing for apprehension.
The government has so far paid Constellis $1.5 million, with the potential for the total to grow to more than $113 million.
https://theintercept.com/2026/01/03/blackwater-successor-constellis-omniplex-hunts-immigrants-for-ice/
This hurts my heart, brings me to tears. It must stop!
I just wrote to our Congressional reps again, as follows.
I am begging you to do everything you can for Congress to stop the maga invasion of our cities, including immediately putting the reins on ICE. Please help the people of Our Country. They need your action now.
We are all appalled at trump's ICE assault on Minnesota and also amazed at the courage and endurance of you Minnesotans! I knew you had to be tough to endure Minnesota's winters, but I think we all underestimated just *how* tough!
Keep holding on and know that we are hounding our MoCs via every possible medium to stand with you and stop ICE!
There are also lots of rumors about surveillance, including drones. And they're detaining protestors and asking them to give up protest leaders. People who do mutual aid aren't doing ICE watch for fear their vehicle will be tagged and they'll lead ICE to someone's residence. One of the groups just reported that ICE is driving around Spanish immersion preschools today taunting observers. Oh, and the president of the city council was assaulted.
Some Dem reps are out there on social media reminding every one of their constitutional rights, but there are no rights here right now.
And yes, Minnesotans are not taking this lying down. There's so much on the ground organization happening. I'm so proud of everyone.
Amen Anne. Your words are exactly right. This is what is happening here.
Anne, do you have any links for organizations in that area the train ICE observers? I'd like to donate. I did donate to the local "Immigrant Defense Network" there at your suggestion a few days ago.
Here, an activist put this site together. I note the website for Monarca, which does trainings, is private right now, and that they've been getting a lot of attention in the RW press.
https://www.standwithminnesota.com
Thanks, donated to Unidos
that's a good one. thank you.
What a nightmare. Is there any talk of mobilizing the National Guard to help with traffic control? That assistance alone would reduce the chances of harm.
Tim, I can't imagine what you are going through right now. I've been following closely and it's clear that ICE is purposely creating an environment of domination and fear. I've only been to Minneapolis a few times but it struck me as the kind of Midwest city where you get into dances at 4-way stop signs because everybody is waving everybody else through. The perseverance and resilience ordinary citizens are showing there is genuinely inspiring.
I posted in the resolutions chat last night about a local city council vote coming up in Burnsville, MN on Jan. 20. The proposal, drafted by the city council, would ban ICE from using city property. If there are any Hopium community members who are residents of Burnsville, or live nearby, it could be a meeting worth attending. I wonder whether it's the kind of thing that might spread in that area (and everywhere). Here's an article
https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/community/burnsville/burnsville-council-moves-to-keep-ice-off-city-property/article_576f924a-ed90-4831-a9d5-acebcd8d688f.html
FWIW this says 500 patrol officers in MPD:
https://www.minneapolis.org/safety-updates/future-of-public-safety/
Fuck face sent four times the amount of cops
I believe you.
Here’s a preview of who is next.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/13/upenn-trump-jews-list
Called my rep this morning and thanked the staffer for my rep’s appearance at the protest Sunday. Then told her that I was “incandescently angry” about what ICE is doing and the Dems should use the budget to get what we want for BOTH ACA and ICE.
Simon, thank you for the polling information; it's encouraging. Also, yesterday, Dems won another special election. Chris Dzadovsky won a runoff election for the Fort Pierce City Commission, flipping the commission to Democratic control. My understanding is that the person being replaced was MAGA. Every seat counts.
I called my congressman and senators and am writing postcards to NC voters today.
I meant to add: I'm asking them to get all the Democratic representatives out in front of the Capitol and announce that breaking our NATO treaty by invading Greenland is an impeachable offense. Impeachment seems to scare him. That's not all that needs to be done, but it's one way to get attention.
Ecklund was detained for "recording ICE" with no charges. He has visible injuries and was detained for 10 hours.
https://substack.com/@letsgetintoit2025/note/c-199428942
Last night I attended a grief support group for survivors of violence and trauma, which has been such an integral part of reducing gun death here in NJ--being in community, talking about your experiences--it all matters. (Note: the entire city of Minneapolis will need this type of support when sanity is restored. They are all in trauma right now.)
Working on news boosting postcards for Prog Turnout Project, and am going to do more, just have to look into options. Phone calls to Rep. Smith (Traitor-NJ04), Kim & Booker on the ICE stuff are on my schedule as well.
NJ is gearing up for special election in NJ11 and working on plans to flip NJ07 (Kean's district). We are perpetually in election mode here in the Garden State! Gov. Murphy's last State of the State was yesterday, and he leaves an impressive record. Counting the days till the Sherrill Administration and planning the Moms Demand meeting with our new AG, Jennifer Davenport (whom I would love to see here in Hopium!).
Standing in solidarity with Minnesota, where residents have just been relentless in their refusal to back down from peaceful protest. So impressive, and a model for the nation. Thank you all, and Keep Going!
Hi Lisa - I feel so helpless too about the situation in Minneapolis, a city and people I've enjoyed many times in my professional life. Contacting my two good Illinois Senators feels far too little. I have considered driving up to Minneapolis just to witness and march with them.
Thank you, Lisa! Being in community is so important. Tonight I'm teaching a class on homelessness through my church. It will run for the next eight weeks. Normally we have about ten people sign up for these social justice classes -- this time we have 23! (And I'm struggling to figure out how we're all going to fit in my living room.) I think people are desperate to gather in community and to do something positive for their local communities. Onward!
Self report: Communicated with both MI Senators and my rep...
Dear
This letter repeats my multiple prior requests to you. I continue to ask for your support of the following things:
1. Please stand with Ukraine and our European allies, and far more forcefully challenge the president’s traitorous efforts to sell out the US and the West to Russia; demand Congress rebuke/issue a no confidence vote on his current efforts to force Ukraine to surrender
2. Please stand forcefully for the rule of law in the Caribbean and the Pacific - these illegal strikes must end; no war can be waged without Congressional approval; there must accountability for those who have broken the law, and the US must withdraw from Venezuela and cease other threats that violate the UN Charter and the sovereignty of other nations
3. Please roll back this Administration’s terrible, illegal tariffs that are re-igniting inflation, driving up prices, shifting the tax burden from the wealthy to working people, hurting small businesses and farmers, reviving tyrannical “taxation without representation,” and alienating governments and people throughout the world. To put America on a sounder fiscal course due to the enormous deficits brought by Trump’s 2025 tax cuts please reverse these cuts to the wealthy and corporations
4. Please defend our democracy, rule of law, and our liberties by blocking the expansion of ICE; restoring due process for immigrants across the country; vigorously defending the 1st Amendment; warring against this administration’s outrageous targeting of the president’s domestic political opponents; ending the use of the military on our streets and the dangerous occupation of our cities; stopping the unprecedented corruption; and by forcing the Administration to finally comply with Congress end the rancid cover up of the Epstein crimes.
5. Please fight against the president’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA, Medicaid and our clean energy investments; support and co-sponsor the Stand Up For Science/Rep. Haley Stevens effort to remove Robert Kennedy from HHS.
Thank you for your efforts to ensure that this country can continue it’s democratic experiment.
This article from Lincoln Square is the clearest articulation of what ICE is doing and what it's for. I think it is important that our rhetoric be about ICE's actual purpose, rather than its ostensible purpose, "immigration enforcement." It is time, for those who are worried about being labelled a "conspiracy theorist" or "hysterical" etc, to set aside those concerns.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lincolnsquare/p/ice-is-enforcing-fear-because-trump?utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Good article, thanks. “Greg Bovino and his boys are operating exactly as designed for a political system that values dominance over legitimacy and intimidation over consent.”
Excellent article, describing how ICE is purposefully waging a terror campaign, not enforcing immigration laws.
Self-report:
I attended the Whatcom County Council meeting at which they considered a resolution "Affirming the Dignity and Civil and Human Rights of All Whatcom County Residents, Regardless of Immigration and Citizenship Status." I was among the members of the general public who offered testimony on this resolution.
The meeting was long. It started at 6 pm, and I left after the resolution passed after 11 pm. Some of the public testimony was powerful. One Spanish-speaking man was brave enough to testify, through an interpreter, about his experience with ICE. A woman talked about her experience of being detained and kept in a facility because ICE wanted to capture her immigrant boyfriend. Another talked about how she was pulled from her car as ICE raided a nearby apartment building. Only one man spoke against the resolution, impugning the character of immigrants, saying they weren't "honorable." He was followed by a woman who made a point of talking about her honorable immigrant parents.
The Council, after discussion and amendments, easily passed the resolution 5-2. The two voting "no" couldn't marshal a rational argument against the resolution. At one point, a Councilmember said she was "struggling" to understand what he was saying. Another "no"-voting Councilmember wondered what legal immigrants thought of the resolution. Had he not been listening? We heard testimony from legal immigrants who were critical of ICE. One of the sponsors of the resolution spoke about how his uncle was, after 30 years in this country, was living with fear. The Council President told me on Monday that this resolution is a first step, and more steps will follow.
I'm tired today. I will make phone calls to my members of Congress and debrief with my wife about the Indivisible meeting I missed last night. Otherwise, I'm going to take it easy today and visit with some friends.
Thank you.
💙 💙 💙 Congratulations, David E., for passing the resolution "Affirming the Dignity and Civil and Human Rights of All Whatcom County Residents, Regardless of Immigration and Citizenship Status" and especially for your testimony. 💙 💙 💙
I will look for the video and put a cross-reference on the Resolutions Page. Copy of substitute resolution that was subsequently amended during the meeting is here (need final copy). https://whatcom.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=15072008&GUID=72FAE446-811B-4933-892F-8C60E3BC9A44
Thanks, Deborah. The video is long. The public testimony during open session included a lot of testimony from recent flood victims in Sumas.
If you want to hear my testimony, such as it is, you can find it here:
https://whatcom.granicus.com/player/clip/1450?view_id=1&redirect=true
I speak at about the 1:19:15 mark.
The amended final version isn't yet available and won't be until perhaps early next week.
A couple of "Resolves" stand out to me:
"BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that Whatcom County condemns the pursuit of arrest and deportation activities on or adjacent to county property by federal law enforcement agencies;"
Here the resolution becomes, briefly, a resolution of condemnation. There was some debate about this, but it survived in the original language.
This Resolve is the amended final version:
"BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED by the Whatcom County Council that
Whatcom County strives to cultivate a community where all individuals are free, have equal protection and are provided due process under the law, and are safe to live their lives and pursue their personal, familial, educational, and economic goals without fear of surveillance, harassment, intimidation, injury, abduction, or death."
No, it is not hyperbole to speak of "fear of surveillance, harassment, intimidation, injury, abduction, or death."
Your oral testimony was marvelous!
Found this articles helpful in thinking about ways to rein in ICE!
https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/ice-businesses-boycott-campaign/
Here is what Indivisible is recommending.
Thank you Simon! Your work is so important. Morning calls are in to Wisconsin Republican members of Congress regarding ICE in MN and #4 of our 5 part agenda. I’ll call Dem and Rep members this afternoon with other parts of the agenda.