The arrest of a sitting judge is an alarming move that signals a dangerous abuse of federal power—one that threatens judicial independence and any remaining checks on Trump’s power.  It will also make our communities less safe. People must have trust in the courts to be willing to report a crime. When people in our communities are afraid to access the courts out of fear of being snatched up by ICE, it hurts our communities in so many ways. And it ties back to the broader anti-immigrant crackdown aligned with Trump’s Project 2025 framework. Together, we must protect the rule of law, judicial independence, and the rights of every person who appears in a courtroom—regardless of immigration status. We’ve already seen how ICE abuses its power to target student activists, U.S. citizens, legal residents and green card holders, and Trump’s political opponents—often without a warrant. When does it end? If we don’t speak up now—and demand our elected officials do the same—there’s no telling how far this administration will go. Sign the petition for Congress to investigate this judge’s arrest immediately.  All of these arrests, abductions, and deportations aren’t just about attacking immigrants and marginalized communities. Trump is using his administration to fearmonger so he can continue to seize and build his power without opposition. Without checks and balances.  Demand Congress act NOW to answer for Kash Patel’s—and ultimately Donald Trump’s—dangerous overreach.  Image credit: Wall Street Journal

The Trump Administration has arrested a sitting judge – Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan.  These are the actions of a dictator. This isn’t just an arrest, it’s a blatant attack on judicial independence meant to send a chilling warning to every judge in the country. Here’s what’s happening: federal agents wanted to arrest someone at a hearing before Judge Dugan. Judge Dugan said no, protecting the integrity of her courtroom and refusing to turn it into an ambush zone. And in response, the FBI opened an investigation into her, and now has arrested her on charges that could send her to prison for years. But here’s what’s crystal clear – even under the Trump regime, standing up for due process and our Constitutional rights should be celebrated, not punished. It’s on all of us to speak out for what’s right. Add your name to tell the Trump Administration to STOP this authoritarian power grab.

To protect public education. 

President Trump – who has sworn an oath to “preserve, protect, and defend” our Constitution – is illegally trying to shred one of its most important guarantees of equal rights: the 14th Amendment. His executive order attempting to end birthright citizenship would endanger millions of people born in this country and permanently reshape what it means to be an American. Common Cause is evaluating our legal options to respond – because we simply can’t let this stand. The good news is no president, including Trump, can override an official, ratified part of the U.S. Constitution. But the bad news is this fact won’t stop them from trying, and in doing so, striking fear for millions of our neighbors that they’ll be condemned to permanent second-class status.   Combined with his plan to deport thousands of families and community members in the first week of his administration, Trump’s already made clear that he’s beginning his presidency by forcing American immigrants into hiding and denying us all the multi-racial democracy and safe neighborhoods we deserve. The 14th Amendment is clear – and legal experts say Trump would likely need to pass a constitutional amendment to overrule it. But Trump and his cronies in Congress know they can’t do that, so they’re desperately searching for any way around our checks and balances. If you agree we can’t let that happen, join us in urging Congress to protect birthright citizenship – and REJECT this blatant attempt to divide our communities and attack our constitutional rights.

President Trump took a lot of scary actions in the first week of his second administration.   One went under the radar, but could have devastating long-term consequences: rigging the U.S. Census to undermine our right to fair representation in our government.  By law, the Census has to count everyone who lives here – that's how we know where to build schools and fire stations and how to draw fair legislative maps. But for years, the far-right has been trying to count only citizens (instead of everyone who calls America home) effectively picking and choosing who counts to serve their political agenda.   It’s a blatant violation of our Constitution and centuries of precedent. And it’s a clear attempt to deny our communities the resources we need and the political representation we deserve. We can’t let it stand. With your help, Common Cause stopped this exact same plot during Trump’s first term – but now that he’s back in office, we need your help to stop him again.  This is bigger than the 2030 Census – we need to take action to defend the principle of multi-racial democracy itself. If you agree that EVERY one of us should count in our democracy, please join me in speaking out right now.

President Trump is once again exploiting a crisis: using the suffering of those affected by the Los Angeles fires as a tool to push his voter suppression agenda. That’s right – he's threatening to withhold aid to the thousands of Southern Californians who’ve lost their homes, livelihoods, and communities to wildfire unless the state government sides with him to deny thousands of voters’ rights by passing a voter ID law.   And unfortunately, his friends in Congress are falling in line, with House Speaker Mike Johnson refusing to commit to helping his fellow Americans in need if there isn’t something in it for his party. Join us to tell Speaker Mike Johnson: don’t follow Trump’s lead in politicizing disaster aid. Do your job and deliver help to people who need it immediately.

Right now, CBS News is preparing to settle Trump’s baseless $10 billion lawsuit against them. Legal experts called Trump’s lawsuit “frivolous” and “ridiculous junk” from the beginning, because there’s no evidence CBS did anything wrong. But now, CBS and its parent company Paramount are caving, preparing to cut Trump a check to win his administration’s approval on a multibillion-dollar media merger they’re trying to push through. This should set off alarm bells for every American who believes in a free press. If a major news network is willing to abandon free speech and pay off Trump to protect their bottom line, what else will they do to stay on his good side? If you agree that our media should be holding the powerful accountable – not bowing to them – join us in urging CBS/Paramount not to cave to Trump >>

We Call on Leaders, Lawmakers, and Voters to Reject This Proposal and Stand With the Autistic Community This is not about public health—it’s about power, control, and prejudice. We stand with the autistic community in rejecting this harmful idea and demanding a future rooted in inclusion, not surveillance. Add your name to stop this now.

Today, families across the country are worried — about their jobs, their grocery bills, making rent, paying for childcare, and whether a retirement fund they’ve built over decades will be worth anything amidst a shaky stock market.  Meanwhile, as Trump and Hegseth are pledging a record-breaking $1 TRILLION Pentagon budget, Congress is busy putting the final touches on a budget proposal that would pour another $150 billion into weapons and war, PLUS $175 billion more to pay to detain and deport millions more people.  This budget plan is a disaster for working families and a goldmine for war profiteers and private prison contractors.  Trump’s budget is a nonstarter, but we won’t stop it unless we speak out. That’s what’s so important about this moment: MILLIONS of people are already saying “Hands Off” our resources and our communities.  Our voices are how we’ll remind members of Congress we won’t stand for a budget that’s little more than a slush fund for weapons contractors like Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Boeing, which rake in HALF the Pentagon topline every year. Together, we’ll push Congress to rethink its broken approach and prioritize peoples’ needs — so please act now. Tell Congress: Reject this dangerous budget and invest in communities, not weapons and deportation.

The Pentagon is in chaos as distrust spreads under Defense Secretary Hegseth’s leadership. Now the Trump administration is scrambling — including emerging reports that the White House is considering showing Hegseth the door. For weeks now, and without authorization from Congress, the Trump administration has ordered multiple airstrikes against Houthis in Yemen. The rising death toll includes innocent people and has set an entire region on edge. Pete Hegseth hasn’t bothered to get Congress’s permission to conduct these counterproductive and deadly strikes, but he apparently has no problem sharing them with members of his family. That’s right, it turns out Hegseth has been bragging about failed military operations in yet another Signal group, this one including his wife and brother. We want answers, and we’re not alone: Democratic lawmakers, including multiple House Armed Service Committee members, are furiously calling for accountability. Just recently, the first Congressional Republican even expressed support for removing Hegseth. Secretary Hegseth’s tenure is unraveling in front of our eyes. With enough pressure from activists like you, we can pull the threads that will oust Hegseth for good and demand qualified leadership at the Pentagon. Your elected officials in Congress need to hear from you: Sign now to demand Hegseth’s resignation.

By taking these steps, you will send a clear message: Our community values the safety, health, and dignity of all its residents. You will rebuild broken trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. You will ensure our schools remain places of learning, our hospitals places of healing, and our houses of worship places of peace. Sign this petition now to demand an end to police-ICE collaboration and protect our community's vital sanctuaries. Let's restore trust and build a truly safe community for everyone.

After years of pressure from thousands of Common Cause members like you, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is finally gone – but Trump’s takeover of the Postal Service is just starting. Trump is now reportedly plotting a COMPLETE partisan takeover of our independent Postal Service – defying the Constitution, which clearly gives Congress, not the President, authority over the USPS.  But we know the rules have never stopped Trump, who has long wanted to privatize this essential public service at the expense of millions of Americans who rely on the Postal Service for receiving medications, sending letters to family, or casting mail-in ballots.  We must act NOW to nip this in the bud. If you agree we can’t tolerate any disruption to this crucial public good, join us today in telling Congress: Protect our Postal Service from Trump’s takeover >>