Resistance is in the news

Senate to vote on war powers resolution to prevent Trump from continuing Iran conflict

Minnesota launches investigation that could bring charges against US immigration officers

US DoJ drops legal case against law firms that stood up to Trump’s executive orders

Ruby red state refuses to cooperate with Trump Justice Department - Alternet.org

Federal judge issues ‘final notice’ to Trump admin over unlawful jailing of immigrants in WV

Judges in a Trump stronghold condemn ICE tactics

‘Liberty Vans’ appear across US to help immigrants – and document ICE raids

California fast food workers, still reeling from ICE raids, demand employers step up

‘Not a done deal’: California vows ‘vigorous’ review of Paramount-Warner Bros takeover

‘I’ve never been so frightened’: the veteran reporter who turned his lens on the empty bedrooms of school shooting victims

Democrats in four states seek to bar ICE employees from future civil service jobs

Anthropic says it ‘cannot in good conscience’ allow Pentagon to remove AI checks

Judge rules IRS broke law by disclosing taxpayer info 42,695 times

A steel mill the president might not be able to seize

Senate Democrats investigate CBS over blocked Colbert interview

US datacenters face slew of problems amid grassroots protests against AI

She’s raised almost $20m to help Minnesota – she thinks you can do it too

Trans activists say restoring traditional Pride flag at Stonewall isn’t enough

‘We want to rebuild trust’: fired CDC workers form group to combat Trump’s war on science

US farmers are rejecting multimillion-dollar datacenter bids for their land: ‘I’m not for sale’

California bill would ban ICE agents from being near polling sites

Our running list of judges who have ruled on ICE’s mass detention policy

Justice department moves to drop charges against men accused of hitting ICE officer in Minnesota

NM U.S. Rep. Leger Fernández, Sen. Schumer introduce ‘Virginia’s Law,” named for Epstein survivor

US bishops warn ICE mega-detention plan is 'moral inflection point' for America

Federal judge rules DOJ can ‘no longer’ be trusted in voter roll crusade - Democracy Docket

Canada and France open Greenland consulates in show of Denmark support

Broadway - ‘The People’s Filibuster’ turns the Public Theater into a civic stage

California ScholarShare 529 Plan Strengthens Performance and Reduces Fossil Fuel Exposure with New Vanguard Fund Selection

West Virginians Protest Across State; Six Arrested In Morgantown - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Holy No: Rabbis Take a Stand Against Conversion Therapy | Instinct Magazine

Court Rules Trump-Vance Administration Cannot Block Members of Congress From Conducting Oversight at Federal Immigration Detention Facilities

Climate Cabinet - creating real change at the local level

Whitney Bauck at The Guardian has a great feature on Climate Cabinet:

... an organization focused on supporting pro-climate candidates in under-the-radar races at the state or city level. Climate Cabinet uses data science to comb through the more than 500,000 public offices that US citizens have the opportunity to vote on every cycle, identifies candidates who could make a real impact on the climate, and offers them financial and policy support.

Climate Cabinet has had extraordinary impact by getting climate-aware candidates elected at local levels where they can make a huge difference:

“There has been so much focus on national politics in the last decade that people are missing really monumental decisions that are happening at the local level. The nine members of the Naperville city council have a major impact on one of the 10 largest greenhouse gas generators in the country,” said Holzhauer. “We’ve had two elections the last four years, and both of those elections were decided by under 60 votes.”

Bauck makes an important point about how this approach isn't limited to climate issues:

Though Climate Cabinet’s approach is focused specifically on climate, its focus on using local offices to advance action offers a blueprint for anyone looking for ways to make progress in a challenging political moment. Holzhauer, the city council member from Naperville, said he saw local government as a “lab” where leaders can try out policies that can sometimes go on to influence broader policy, citing two separate bans Naperville passed on assault weapons and puppy mills – both of which Illinois eventually decided to implement statewide.

It's a great article, well worth a read. It reminds me how much change can happen all over the country, even when the federal government is dismissing the needs of the people.

Whistleblower Shares Evidence That Federal Prison Camp Warden is Pampering Ghislaine Maxwell, Maxwell Also Filing a “Commutation Application” With Trump Administration

Hundreds protest outside ICE building in Durango after 2 children, father detained

Magalloway Conservation Initiative Aims to Protect 78,000 Acres in Western Maine

1000 people at Charlottesville town hall - but Rep. John McGuire is absent

Virginia news station 29 News reports on a town hall in Charlottesville, VA, sponsored by Indivisible:

Roughly 1,000 people from the area filled up Charlottesville High School’s Performing Arts Center, with attendees including Democrat State Representatives from the area, Charlottesville City Councilors, and Albemarle County Supervisors.

Those participating took turns asking “questions” to McGuire, who was not there. In his place, a full-sized cardboard cut-out of the Congressman.

Some of the most common concerns shared included cuts to federal funding, with many calling for McGuire to take a stronger stance against President Trump’s actions.

Most of all, the people there wanted to be able to voice concerns to their Congressman.

 

People in Republican districts are angry about cuts to federal funding, and they're asking questions and making their voices heard.

Things you can do:

• Call your reps and ask them to hold a town hall.
• If your rep has recently held a town hall, contact their office and thank them.
• Look for organizations in your town or state to discuss requesting a meeting with your representative.

Millions protest across the US, around the world

On April 19, large protests took place in cities across the USA - Washington, New York, Chicago - and states like Rhode Island, Maryland, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, Ohio, Kentucky, California, and Pennsylvania. Americans abroad also signaled their opposition to the Trump agenda in Dublin and other cities.

Judge issues injunction protecting trans persons in passport case

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction after finding that an executive order by President Trump and a State Department policy prohibiting updates to sex designations on passports is likely unconstitutional and in violation of the law. The preliminary injunction requires the State Department to allow six transgender and nonbinary people to obtain passports with sex designations consistent with their gender identity while the lawsuit proceeds. Though the court order applies only to six of the plaintiffs in the case, the plaintiffs plan to quickly file a motion asking the court to certify a class of people affected by the State Department policy and to extend the preliminary injunction to that entire class.

Sen Van Hollen succeeds in meeting with Ábrego García

Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen was able to meet with Kilmar Ábrego García, who was sent to a notorious prison in El Salvador despite a government order that he could not be sent there. Authorities in El Salvador originally refused to allow the meeting, but Sen. Van Hollen persisted.

Court orders ICE to return student to Vermont, proceed with trial

The U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont ruled that Rümeysa Öztürk’s challenge to her unconstitutional detention by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should continue in Vermont and that the government should transfer her back to a facility in Vermont no later than May 1.

Harvard refuses illegal demands, stands up for guaranteed rights

Harvard University responded to a slew of illegal demands to "audit" the viewpoints of Harvard students, faculty, and staff by refusing to comply and defending the students' and faculty's right to free speech and free thought, despite the administration's threat to illegally withhold Congressionally-mandated funds.

Harvard faculty sue over threats to withhold $9 billion in funding

Harvard University professors are suing to block the Trump administration’s review of nearly $9bn in federal contracts and grants. The Harvard faculty chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the national arm of the academic organization said in a lawsuit filed on Friday in a Boston federal court that the administration was trying to unlawfully undermine academic freedom and free speech on the school’s campus.

Susan Crawford wins WI special election with massive turnout

The Democratic-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court defeated a challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk on Tuesday, touting her victory as a win against powerful interests and cementing a liberal majority for at least three more years.

Sen. Cory Booker delivers 25-hour defense of democracy in the Senate

Sen. Booker began speaking at 6:59 pm on Monday evening with the "intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able" in order to protest the actions of President Donald Trump and his administration. His perseverance and passion inspired millions.

National Park Service reinstates 1,000 probationary staff.

Amazing news: The National Park Service is now authorized to reinstate all 1,000 probationary park staff who were terminated on February 14. They were originally authorized to reinstate only 400 previously terminated probationary employees, while placing the remaining previously terminated staff on administrative leave.

Tesla trade-ins hit a record high in March.

The number of Tesla owners trading in their cars surged to a record high in March.

GOP lawmakers faced angry town halls in Utah, Iowa, NC & more.

Two members of Utah’s all-Republican congressional delegation fielded boos and calls to “Do your job!” at a town hall on the University of Utah campus. There were also angry town halls in Iowa, Nebraska, North Carolina, and Wyoming. Even Alabama Republican voters are getting upset!

VOA journalists sue Kari Lake & Trump admin over shutdown.

A group of Voice of America journalists have sued Kari Lake and the Trump admin — alleging their shut down of the network was unlawful and unconstitutional.

MN Supreme Court dismisses GOP recall effort against 29 DFL reps.

In Minnesota, a Republican-led effort to recall 29 DFL state representatives failed after the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court dismissed the recall petitions “for failure to allege specific facts that, if proven, would constitute grounds for recall.”