Pamela, I'm writing with an important legislative update: Congress has struck a funding deal that denies ICE its $10 billion blank check. [1]
The deal funds the rest of the Department of Homeland Security – meaning TSA agents will get paid, and we'll be fully prepared for natural disasters, terrorism, or cyber threats.
But – and this is big – not one penny for Trump's attacks against our immigrant neighbors.
That's what Common Cause members like you demanded – with over 250,000 calls, letters, and petition signatures to Congress for ICE accountability this year alone.
And more importantly, it's what we all deserve: forcing our government to work for you and me, instead of living in fear of one that's willing to declare war on its own people.
I want you to think back to just a few months ago – when it seemed like there was nothing we could do to stop Trump's deportation machine from tearing up families and trampling our civil rights. When it seemed like our representatives in Congress were too weak or too complicit to stick up for what was right. When it seemed like we were losing our country to the forces of hate and authoritarianism, and might not ever get it back.
But after the videotaped shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota, and far too many other killings or deaths in ICE custody, something extraordinary happened.
Ordinary Americans saw what was happening in their country, thought it was wrong, and did something about it. Neighbors looked after neighbors, and together, we REFUSED to let Trump's regime seize the control they wanted over our lives and our freedoms.
This deal doesn't have everything we wanted – Common Cause will keep up the fight for our demands like removing masks, showing a warrant, and staying away from polling places.
And there are still people in positions of power, like Stephen Miller, who think anyone that doesn't look like them or think like them is their enemy – and want to use ICE as their personal army to enforce their will.
But together, we forced ICE to back down in Minnesota, got Kristi Noem fired after she couldn't defend her actions under oath, made sure that Democrats in Congress held firm, and showed Donald Trump that his bully tactics wouldn't work.
And that sends a powerful message to the people in charge who want permanent minority rule: there are more of us – people who believe America must be a land of justice, freedom, and equality – than there are of them.
That's what this fight for democracy is all about, Pamela, and I'm glad to count you as part of our movement.
Thanks for all you do,
The team at Common Cause
P.S. Someday, when this dark chapter in our country's history is behind us, I want to look back on what we did together – right here and right now – and be proud. Your action and mine, together in Common Cause, is how we'll get there. So if you want to see us keep taking on hard fights like this one – and winning – help power our efforts with a contribution today >>
[1] https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-agrees-fund-dhs-ice-border-patrol-bid-shutdown-tsa-pay-delays-rcna265108
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