Hi, all, and happy Thursday!
I know there’s so much awful stuff happening, but I want to draw your attention, for a moment, to the AMAZING work activists like you are doing across the country. I mean, just extraordinary.
First, look at what’s happening in Charlotte and other parts of North Carolina. The resistance to ICE is an incredible thing to behold. It’s as if every new place targeted is taking strength from the places that have come before! NC community members are showing a level of grit and determination that is spectacular to see, and every event scheduled to train folks to help fight ICE is being filled to capacity. It’s deeply inspiring. To those of you there, thank you— and hats off!
Next, I got this from a subscriber in Wisconsin:
I don’t know if you are aware of it but this week, there was a HUGE WIN AGAINST ICE in the tiny village of Palmyra, Wisconsin, population about 1700.
The Police Chief had made the decision to enter into the 287g agreement with ICE because their budget was short. Word got out [and] the progressive community mobilized! Mari, the Indivisible leader in Palmyra, the ACLU and other progressive groups mobilized.
They showed that 80% of the community opposed the plan, that any anticipated revenue would likely be lost to litigation, and even helped identify grants that could replace the expected 287(g) funds.
That grassroots pressure worked—and it’s an inspiring model for how we can drive change in our rural communities. They started with a “carrot” (a positive action including helping to find that grant) and had a “stick” ready (press push and resistance actions) but the “carrot” worked.
It not only offers the rest of a blueprint (I’m about four hours north of Palmyra in a rural area of northern Wisconsin), it shows that Chenoweth/Stefan’s recommendation of attacking the pillars of support and shifting allyship really does work!
There are so many other stories like this. I know Trump is threatening lawmakers with death now—and that is truly terrifying. But let’s also recognize that he’s threatening because he’s cornered. He knows he’s losing. And he’s losing because of people just like you.
So let’s not focus on Trump and his minions. Let’s focus, instead, on our amazing communities and how they’re rallying to help, protect, and save each other in this moment of crisis. Remember, what we focus on tends to grow, so let’s not forget to focus on the beautiful, growing, and powerful thing that is the Resistance.
Now let’s get to work.
P.S. — Here’s today’s Practivist Pod, in which Steve and I talk about the passage of the Epstein Files bill and the Texas maps being struck down. Followed by an interview with Alyssa Cass on how we’re closer to ditching the electoral college than you might think!
P.P.S. — I also had the chance to interview Senator Schumer briefly yesterday about how the Epstein vote played out. I’m mostly not a fan of his—and oddly he knows it!—but we had a good conversation about how he got that Senate vote through so fast and what comes next. Find it here.
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
I understand there is now a discharge petition in the House to extend the ACA premium tax credits. I would like to know if the Congressmember has signed on to it—I certainly hope so? While I support Medicare for All we aren’t going to get that by January. This is an emergency and we need those credits extended for at least a year or this already terrible economy is going to crash with all the people going bankrupt. We need help. Congress needs to act. Thanks.
Extra Credit
So we just found out that RFK Jr. has wiped the CDC Vaccines and Autism page and filled it with anti-vaxx propaganda. This just happened yesterday—I only heard about it because I am in touch with several accounts run by former federal employees. They are urging us to do two things:
Do not trust information coming out of the CDC. Instead, follow these accounts on Instagram or subscribe to the incredible to get reliable medical news.
We’re also being asked to call Senator Cassidy in his capacity as Chair of the Senate HELP Committee and ask him to do something, fast.
202-224-5824.
Hi my name is _______ and I’m calling from [city, state]. I’m calling the Senator in his capacity as chair of the Senate HELP Committee because I am really upset that RFK Junior has scrubbed the CDC vaccine autism website and filled it with anti-VAX propaganda. This is a public health emergency in the making. He needs to be fired and the website needs to be restored immediately. Lives are in danger and I expect the Senator to act. He voted to confirm this man. It’s now his job to fix what he broke. Thank you.
Extra Extra Credit ✅
I’m putting this Dodgers petition here one more time. It doesn’t matter if you live in L.A.—please please sign it. Everything happening with ICE right now is fueling my determination that we must not give Trump this win.
We’re asking the Dodgers not to attend the traditional ceremony at the White House. Ask the team to honor the unity, integrity and diversity they themselves represent.
Sign here. And please please text this petition to anyone you know in Los Angeles!
Get Smart! 📚
The Environmental Voter Project did a super-nerdy, data-filled, “no hot takes” analysis of the 2025 election. It’s SO worth a watch. Nathaniel Stinnett is an incredibly shrewd political mind, and his analyses are always incredibly enlightening.
So here’s a recording of his “No Hot Takes” Analysis of the 2025 Election. Please watch, enjoy, and share with anybody who might be interested.
Anti-ICE resources
A mom in Chicago who was part of a group volunteering to help protect school kids from ICE sent me this amazing resource for parents organizing in other states.
The introduction says:
This document shares some lessons learned from Chicago parents responding to aggressive ICE/CBP presence. Across the city, Chicago parents had an interest in making sure that all kids in the city could feel safe going to school.
We know that every community is different, and will be differently affected by ICE/CBP presence. Same for community members. This document is written from the perspective of allies – people not vulnerable to ICE/CBP or their racial profiling – who supported school & community responses.
Please use it if it’s helpful—looking at you, North Carolina—and/or share it with folks who might need it.
Give 💰!
EMERGENCY! The Trump administration is poised to push a new five-year plan that would reopen previously protected waters to offshore drilling — from the California coast to the eastern Gulf and the Alaskan Arctic — and accelerate approvals for major projects like BP’s Kaskida.
This plan is reckless and unnecessary. It would expose millions of people to health risks, devastate coastal economies and tourism, threaten Indigenous subsistence and culture, accelerate climate change and gamble away fragile ecosystems to the risks of oil spills and other dangers of offshore drilling — all to boost oil industry profits.
Expanding drilling to justify short-term profit for polluting industries ignores long-term costs - particularly when the U.S. is already producing more oil than any nation in history. Once again, Earthjustice, my favorite environmental law firm, is taking the Trump Administration to court, and they need our help. As a nonprofit, their attorneys fight for everyone’s right to a healthy environment — always free of charge — because they believe the earth, and its people, need a good lawyer. I swear by this org—they have stopped SO MUCH destruction—they’re the ones who fought for the closure of Alligator Alcatraz! I am donating and I hope some of you will join me. We absolutely HAVE to stop this.
Get in the Streets! 🪧
Friendly reminder about Remove the Regime, happening on Saturday in DC! Hope some of you can go!
Win Races! 🗳
Aftyn’s election is now just under two weeks away! Any time you find yourself thinking “I don’t like phonebanking,” or “I hear this is a tough district. I’d be wasting my time,” remember that our margins of victory in red districts in the recent elections were wider in many places than the margin we need to overcome here. Also, a win here could well mark the figurative end of Trump’s presidency. If Republicans see us flip this seat they’ll know they’re in for serious pain next year if they don’t distance themselves from him.
It would have seismic impacts.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T] [Text SIGN PCKZXY to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
As your constituent, I urge you to extend the enhanced ACA premium tax credits and reverse the Medicaid cuts in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” Tens of millions of people rely on these programs to afford health care. Without immediate action, millions will be forced to go uninsured. It would be catastrophic to our health care system.
Instead of tax breaks for billionaires, Congress needs to reduce health costs and protect the health care of tens of millions of Americans. Please listen to your constituents and save our access to health care.
Please let me know what actions you have taken to extend expiring tax credits that help people afford health care, and what you are doing to reverse deep cuts to Medicaid and other basic needs programs enacted last summer. Thanks.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
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