January 8, 2025
State-level immigrant protections, whip count on Hegseth, ski patrol on strike, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
By phone: (202) 224-3121
By email: Congress.gov
By US mail: Representatives / Senators
By fax: Representatives / Senators
By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
STRENGTHEN IMMIGRANT PROTECTION AT THE STATE LEVEL
A recent study from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center found that most states, including many blue states, were lacking legislation in key areas of immigrant protection: “information and resource sharing with ICE, jail-to-ICE transfers, patrol officer collusion with ICE, contracts with ICE or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and state criminalization laws.” Only Oregon and Illnois have strong immigrant protections. As legislative sessions are beginning and Trump prepares to take power, now is the time to start crafting legislation that will make Trump and ICE’s job harder, not easier. Let’s check this map and see where our state stands and familiarize ourselves with the issue by reading the accompanying material. And then let’s ask our state legislators to introduce bills modeled on what Illinois and Oregon are doing to stop the deportation machine.
LEGISLATIVE SIDE OF THE DEPORTATION AGENDA LAUNCHED
House Republicans are set to open this Congress with a series of efforts to expand and strengthen the deportation machine. Yesterday, they passed H.R. 29, which exploits the tragic murder of Laken Riley to require Homeland Security detain undocumented immigrants charged – not convicted – of minor crimes like larceny or shoplifting. Where current law gives DHS the authority to detain any undocumented person facing deportation proceedings, including those charged with crimes, this would make it mandatory and allow no bond, for folks who unlike the incoming president have not been found guilty of a thing. This would punish the innocent and juveniles who commit minor infractions and separate them from their families, along with reinforcing the lie that undocumented immigrants are more likely to be criminals than the rest of the population. The bill also goes on to expand the power of state attorneys general to sue the federal government over immigration non-enforcement, allowing Republican extremists and right-wing judges to attempt to set immigration policy for the country no matter who is in the White House. The bill went through 264-159, with 48 Democrats voting yes, and now goes to the Senate. Let’s reach out to our House members and tell them what we think of their vote, and contact our senators and ask them to oppose it.
DOES HEGSETH HAVE THE VOTES?
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has reportedly communicated to Donald Trump that Pete Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed as Secretary of Defense. This is ahead of Hegseth’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, now scheduled for January 14th, and comes in spite of numerous disqualifications: he has been accused raping his handler at a conference for Republican women; was forced out of leadership positions at two veterans organizations over allegations of sexual harassment and mishandling reports of sexual assault, along with financial mismanagement and other personal misconduct; had a problem with drinking on the job sufficiently noticeable to worry colleagues at Fox News; has minimal relevant experience; has extreme conservative views; has ties to Christian and White Nationalists who want to rule the country through Biblical law; has spoken out against women serving in combat and LGBTQ people in the military; considers all Democrats and leftists enemies of the state; and has openly fantasized about the U.S. military taking sides in a new civil war between left and right. Any one of these should be sufficient to keep him away from the Pentagon. Let’s try to find out where our senators stand by contacting them and asking:
Have they received access to Hegseth’s FBI background check, which many have requested? Recent reports have indicated it has not been delivered.
Have they received answers to all of the more than 70 questions Senator Elizabeth Warren has posed to Hegseth about his history of misconduct and his deeply alarming views? Or the questions Democratic senators posed to the transition team about the allegations that Hegseth committed sexual assault? Do they intend on getting those answers before making a decision?
Have they decided whether to support Pete Hegseth?
If they have or if they are undecided, why do they not feel the accusations of rape and sexual harassment are disqualifying? The alcohol abuse while working? His lack of any relevant experience? His extremist ties? His disrespect for many of our troops? His documented view that many Americans are enemies of the state?
SKI PATROL ON STRIKE
After 10 months of negotiation, ski patrollers at Park City Resort in Utah hit the picket line starting December 27th. They’re negotiating for higher wages to live on in a mountain town, more longevity pay for senior workers and improved benefits from a powerful and profitable corporation that caters to a wealthy customer base – whose anger has attracted national attention, and directed at the employers for a change. Let’s consider showing our solidarity with a donation to their strike fund.
BLUESKY SKILLS FOR SOCIAL STORMING WITH FIELD TEAM 6
Curious about the new social media platform, Bluesky? Or do you have an account and want to learn how to better use it for the cause? Field Team 6 is here to teach us how to build up our savvy to use the platform better for ourselves and to help them with their epic voter registration effort! They offer a basic session which will teach how to set up an account, create a profile, find followers, and more. For those already set up, there is an advanced session that will teach us to fine tune our use of the platform. Let’s sign for basic sessions here and for advanced sessions here and start using this well-received platform. (You can also follow us on our Bluesky account, @roganslist.bsky.social)
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
NC - WILL THE SUPREME COURT THROW OUT OUR VOTES?
Democratic Justice Allison Riggs was narrowly reelected to the North Carolina state supreme court in November, and her victory has been confirmed by multiple recounts and audits. But in North Carolina Republicans’ laboratory of autocracy, that’s not the last word. Her defeated opponent Jefferson Griffin is attempting to have 60,000 ballots thrown out, and he may still get his way. Yesterday the supreme court blocked state officials from certifying Riggs’ win so that that they can hear Griffin’s challenge. It would be a massive act of disenfranchisement and a sledgehammer to democracy if a 5-1 Republican majority overturns the election to benefit the GOP. Those whose voices are about to be silenced need to speak up. Let’s make sure to check whether our votes are being challenged here, and if they are consider helping fight back by sharing our story with Common Cause North Carolina by emailing gino@commoncause.org. And we can all follow Democracy Docket to stay up to date.
The whole point of the immigration plan for Trump is the rape of the Treasury. To initiate any effort, brand new legislation and funding is required. That pool of money has potential for graft. Of course Trump is on it! https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/rape-the-us-treasury?r=3m1bs