Please Shout Fire. This Theater Is Burning

Rebecca Solnit — Meditations in an Emergency

"The United States is being destroyed from within, and mainstream journalism isn't making that clear."

One Million Rising: One Million Trained, Millions More Empowered

Hosted by No Kings

Indivisible National is strongly encouraging folks to attend.

When:

Wednesdays, 7:00–8:00pm CDT

Where:

Online

"The masks are off. Trump, MAGA Republicans, and their billionaire donors have given up on even pretending to govern for the people and are solely looking to line their own pockets and consolidate power.

"We're in a period of what the experts call 'authoritarian breakthrough' — a short period where a would-be authoritarian (i.e. Trump) sprints to rapidly concentrate and consolidate their power while eroding the norms and institutions that could serve as checks on that power. We're witnessing this in real time through lawless executive orders, willful disregard for the courts, and vicious attacks on higher education, media, and state governments -- and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

"One Million Rising — a national effort to train one million people to help lead in this moment and gain the skills to lead others. This is how we build people power that can't be ignored. You're invited to join us—and lead."

COPAL

Afton leadership team training

COPAL MN (Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina) is focused on the constitutional rights of all people (citizens and non-citizens) involved in ICE detentions and basics of how to observe, record, and document them. We will report back on this training at the August meeting. In addition, we are connecting with the Immigrant Defense Network regarding rapid response network integration.  Please email hello@aftonindivisible.org if you are interested in immigrant support rapid response or action group participation.

Additional rapid response and KYR resources are linked in a following section of the newsletter.

Rapid Response

Compiling a list of resources

We are learning together how to protect our neighbors. We welcome your thoughts.

• COPAL, Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina
• Immigrant Defense Network
• National Lawyers Guild — Know Your Risks (KYRs)
• CLINIC — KYR Flyers
• UnidosUS
• MN Immigrant Rights Action Committeei (MIRAC)
• ACLU KYR
• National Immigrant Justice Center KYR
• Interfaith Coalition on Immigration (ICOM)
• ISAIAH MN
• The National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR)

Masks, separate court system, concentration camps, private profits

Behind the mask: What are ICE agents hiding?

The Hill

"When men begin to dress like soldiers and vigilantes, we shouldn’t be surprised when they start acting like both.

"The second problem is more straightforward and potentially more dangerous: When real law enforcement abandons clearly identifiable uniforms and professional procedures, it becomes easier for imposters to step in."

ICE Lawyers Are Hiding Their Names in Immigration Court

from The Intercept

"Immigration courts, which are run by the Executive Office for Immigration Review — part of the executive branch, not the judiciary — are far less transparent than most courts. Their prosecutors work for ICE and DHS; they have no obligation to provide defense lawyers; and their judges are appointed — and fired — by the president"

Democratic senators introduce bill to prohibit Ice agents from wearing masks

from The Guardian

"Democratic senators introduced a bill on Tuesday to ban immigration officers from concealing their identities while engaged in immigration enforcement activities.

"The 'visible act', introduced by senators Alex Padilla of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey, comes in the wake of scenes of masked immigration agents in unmarked vehicles snatching people off the street without meaningfully identifying their agency or presenting a warrant, prompting observers to liken Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (Ice) arrests to kidnappings."

'This Is an Internment Camp'

"I saw 32 people per cage—about 6 cages in one tent. People were yelling, 'Help me, help me'," said Florida Rep. Maxwell Frost.

"Detainees have previously described heinous conditions to their attorneys, including worm and maggot-infested food, sweltering heat, and the denial of medication and showers for days at a time.

"There are three tiny toilet units that have a sink attached to it," she said. "They get their drinking water, and they brush their teeth where they poop, in the same unit," she continued.

Public opinion on immigration is moving left

from Strength In Numbers

"The highlights of their report are here:

• 30% of Americans want immigration decreased, down from 55% a year ago
• A record-high 79% of adults consider immigration good for the country
• There's been a meaningful decrease in support for building a border wall, mass deportation"

Keith Ellison is Standing Up

from Robert Hubbell

"Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison has consistently used the full scope of his role to defend Minnesotans from unconstitutional federal overreach and his actions set the standard for what bold leadership looks like in this moment.

"Earlier this year, he issued a formal legal opinion declaring that local law enforcement in Minnesota cannot legally detain individuals based solely on ICE detainers. He made it clear that such actions violate constitutional rights and expose agencies to civil liability. He has also joined multistate lawsuits challenging federal attempts to undermine birthright citizenship and other core protections.

"Following the ICE detention of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, he publicly condemned the act, stating:

"'When a government deports, threatens, [and] arrests people for First Amendment activity, that government is tyrannical. Mahmoud Khalil is being persecuted for his beliefs and free expression.'

"AG Ellison's swift legal positioning and vocal defense demonstrate precisely how AGs can wield both legal tools and public pressure to confront injustice. This is the kind of principled, aggressive leadership every state needs right now."