This is not a drill. Trump is weaponizing ICE and Homeland Security to arrest and disappear people, including students, fathers, academics, among other everyday people, in yet another power grab demonstrating his complete disregard for our rights and freedoms. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was accidentally deported due to "administrative error,” remains stuck in legal limbo in an El Salvador prison, forcibly separated by thousands of miles from his wife and 5-year-old child, who is autistic and intellectually disabled. Marco Rubio’s State Department recently revoked the visa of Óscar Arias Sánchez, the former leader of Costa Rica and a Nobel laureate, for no reason other than being a vocal critic of Trump and his administration. Andry José Hernández Romero, a makeup artist from Venezuela, was deported to a prison in El Salvador after being accused of being a gang member because of his tattoos. He was deported before his lawyers could present evidence against the administration’s accusations. Student activists are also having their rights and legal protections being stripped. Mahmoud Khalil, Yunseo Chung, and Momodou Taal are just some of the many students who have had their legal status ripped away for speaking out for Palestinian rights on campus.  These civil rights violations are a dangerous and slippery slope. It’s terrifying to think that everyday people could be seized without due process, disappeared by the Trump administration under the false guise of safety.  Trump’s revoking legal status, threatening deportation, and weaponizing federal agencies against protesters and those who disagree with him is a dictatorial move. This is a coordinated effort to intimidate, punish, and silence Trump’s critics. This won’t stop with immigrants, and this isn’t just about our right to dissent. This is about whether we allow one man to turn the power of government against the people it’s supposed to serve. Add your name now to protect our communities and our right to protest without persecution!  Photo source: USA Today

This decision to close its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices and discontinue the DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan should concern not just University of Michigan students, faculty, and alumni, but anyone who values higher education, diversity, and academic freedom. Here’s why:  1. It Sets a Dangerous Precedent – If a leading public university like Michigan backs down under federal pressure, other institutions may follow, leading to a nationwide rollback of DEI initiatives. This weakens higher education's ability to support historically marginalized groups. 2. It Empowers Authoritarian Tactics – By complying with political intimidation, Michigan signals that academic institutions can be bullied into abandoning their core values. This emboldens those who want to dismantle equity efforts, making it easier for future attacks on universities, faculty, and students. 3. It Hurts Students and Faculty – DEI programs provide crucial resources, mentorship, and protections for underrepresented students and faculty. Removing them makes campuses less inclusive and more hostile for many communities. 4. It Undermines Academic Freedom – Universities should be spaces for critical thought, debate, and progress. Allowing government overreach to dictate educational policy threatens the independence of institutions dedicated to truth and scholarship. 5. It Echoes Historical Patterns of Suppression – Historically, authoritarian regimes have targeted universities first, recognizing their role in shaping society and challenging oppressive ideologies. This decision mirrors past moments where institutions either resisted or enabled such takeovers. People should be paying attention because what happens at Michigan could happen elsewhere—and the consequences extend far beyond one campus.

Recess is a time for members of Congress to return to their home states. They should be using this week to meet with their constituents, give space for their concerns, and take that back to D.C. Instead, House Republican leaders are now reportedly telling their offices to avoid holding public events when they are home for March recess. Tim Burchett had scheduled a town hall for March 16, but canceled it citing concerns about "professional instigators" (The Hill). This is the opposite of the directions Democrats are receiving—with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries encouraging all members to connect directly with constituents to talk about the Republican-backed attacks on key services like Social Security and Medicaid embodied by Elon Musk's actions and the Republican budget.  Tim Burchett was elected to represent us—he should not be hiding from his constituents. Period.  Add your name to the petition to demand that Tim Burchett host a town hall or public office hours during the congressional recess! 

Revoking Khalil’s permanent status solely for political reasons sets a dangerous and disturbing precedent, leaving activists across social movements vulnerable. Right now, Trump is targeting pro-Palestinian rights activists. But tomorrow it could be those fighting for LGBTQ+ rights, climate justice, or abortion access.  Trump is testing the extent of his executive powers and his ability to intimidate and instill fear in everyday people who dare to speak out and protest. That’s why we need to speak out and stop him here and now.  Trump recently threatened federal funding of more than 60 universities and colleges, using the wave of student protests that erupted last year in defense of Palestinian rights as an excuse for yet another round of brutal cuts to public services. Columbia University, where Khalil went to school, is among the the targets, with the administration cancelling $400 million in federal funding. Trump does not care about safety or ensuring our schools are welcoming spaces. He has actively been gutting the services that would do just that. Instead, this is yet another power grab—a way to divide everyday people, silence dissenters, gut our public programs, and strip away our rights.  The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. For generations, students at campuses have protested and changed the course of history. Sign the petition to demand our leaders protect this fundamental right.

Iowa recently passed legislation to undo protections for trans people by removing gender identity from the state civil rights code—making it the first time a state has removed a protected class from a state law prohibiting discrimination. These changes will weaken legal safeguards against discrimination and affect the rights of transgender people at every turn—from hiring practices to health care access. Meanwhile, congressional Republicans are targeting sanctuary cities like Boston and Chicago for the civil rights protections they guarantee to immigrants, attempting to force city governments to comply with Trump's mass deportation agenda, including ICE raids in workplaces, schools, and hospitals. Make no mistake, these attacks don’t just affect targeted communities—they represent a dangerous erosion of our civil liberties and undermine the rights of ALL Americans. Sign the petition to tell elected officials that they must safeguard our civil rights from Trump’s attacks.

While republicans may be receiving "marching orders" to avoid town halls, it is up to us, the people, to demand them and to ensure members of congress who support the current administration answer to their actions and the impact it will have on individuals and community alike.

This is extremely important! Elon Musk must not be allowed to have access to anything in our government.  Elon Musk and DOGE are not elected officials yet, they have unchecked power and access to things that even top officials have never seen. They are not finding fraud, Elon Musk and DOGE have not shown any proof. This is a coup that is taking place in real time. Elon Musk needs to have his citizenship revoked and DOGE must be stopped before it is too late for America to recover. I implore you to support me in this fight for our freedom, our constitution, our families, our freedom. 

Details are still emerging, but Trump and his allies are quickly working to revive Guantánamo’s shameful legacy with an unprecedented effort to imprison tens of thousands of people on the island. The New York Times reports that migrants are already being housed in the same prison that once held individuals accused of being members of Al Qaeda. The very idea that facilities synonymous with torture could be used to detain people fleeing incredible violence and political instability is abhorrent. The potential for trauma, corruption, and human rights violations is sky-high. This plan is more than cruel and likely illegal. It will also be extraordinarily expensive. Maintaining Guantánamo already costs hundreds of millions of dollars per year, and expanding it to imprison immigrants could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions more. Every lawmaker who claims to care about “fiscal responsibility” or “American values” should be outraged — that’s why, with your help, we’ll make enough noise to turn outrage into action. Right now, as Congress puts the final touches on a bill to keep the government open past March 14, we have a critical and urgent opportunity to push them to deny ANY money to pay for immigration detention at Guantánamo Bay. 

Immigrant students are an essential part of our UH community, yet many face unnecessary barriers due to restrictive policies and lack of institutional support. By joining our campaign, you can help push UH to take action—ensuring immigrant students have the resources, protections, and advocacy they deserve. Together, we can make UH a truly inclusive and supportive environment for all.

With the growing threat of harmful immigration policies in the U.S., it is important to provide material support for immigrant students and their families. When 1 relative faces deportation, it affects the entire family.  Currently, there are not many supports in the Salem-Keizer School District for students and their families when they experience deportation. Students report that deportations deeply affect their emotional, physical, and academic well-being, as they are forced to deal with loss of income, housing, food, and other necessities. These are unjust and detrimental barriers to education.  The Salem-Keizer School District should not be spending nearly 1 million dollars on a program that is not supported by research. Instead, these funds should be utilized for the actual well-being of students in the district, which begins by addressing the emotional, physical, and financial needs of immigrant students and families. 

We need to stop the glorification of such a serious situation. These are people’s lives that are being impacted, not TV fodder.  Please show some compassion for those who are victims of this cruel process and stop the glorification of the situation. 

Everyone who cares about their neighbor should sign this petition in hopes to make and keep NC as a state that is seen as a safe and welcoming place for all. While we cannot control what the federal government is doing, we do have the power to reach out to our government, especially our governor, as we elected them to work in our best interest.