ABC News reports it may be the “most valuable gift EVER extended to the United States from a foreign government:” Trump has reportedly accepted a $400 million “palace in the sky” from the Qatari royal family that he plans to use as Air Force One — until he transfers the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet to his presidential library foundation. It’s a security risk. It’s a corruption concern. It’s likely unconstitutional. And nothing is free. But the cost is so much higher than private jets and tech: These “gifts” and “investments” come amidst news of record-breaking arms sales: including nearly $2 BILLION in advanced MQ-9B drones to Qatar. If you’re thinking “someone should do something,” the good news is that someone is. The Senate has the authority to check Trump’s self-dealing weapon sales, and Senator Chris Murphy has vowed to force a vote to do exactly that. The thing is, even a Senator can’t work alone.

Standing with Sierra Moran here is important because her case represents more than just one educator’s struggle; it’s about ensuring workplace fairness, protecting individuals with disabilities, and holding leaders accountable for upholding the law and respecting basic human rights. If cases like Sierra's are allowed to continue unchecked, it sets a dangerous precedent that discourages others from seeking accommodations and fosters toxic environments in public institutions. Other people should join this campaign because it’s about safeguarding the rights of everyone: educators, employees, students, and community members alike. When we stand together, we send a powerful message that discrimination and retaliation are unacceptable. This isn’t just a fight for Sierra; it’s a stand for transparency, fairness, and the values we want reflected in all workplaces and communities. By supporting her, we help create a ripple effect of accountability that benefits everyone.

More details:   Elsy Berrios, a mother and Westminster resident, was violently taken into ICE custody by two agents (one of them masked) on March 31, 2025 in Westminster, MD. The agents did not produce a warrant, and Berrios was not resisting. Her daughter filmed as the ICE agents violated Berrios’ constitutional fourth amendment right by smashing her car window and taking her away. Ms. Berrios has an employee authorization document and had been working as a seamstress while she applied for asylum. Now, Berrios is being detained at the Moshannon Valley ICE Processing Center in Pennsylvania, and, in an immigration court that is operating under the Trump administration Department of Justice’s interpretation and bidding, Berrios was denied bond. On April 14, 2025, Sheriff DeWees said of Ms. Berrios, “It’s about time they came up and got her. She’s no big loss to this community.” We condemn Sheriff DeWees’ cavalier dehumanization of a community member based on unsubstantiated and disputed allegations. This is just one example of how ICE agents, with the support of local law enforcement, are enacting the Trump administration’s illegal reign of terror on immigrants’ right in our backyard. Carroll County Sheriff Jim Dewees and Carroll County State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker claim that local cooperation with ICE is just "common sense.” They characterize people as "illegal" for simply existing in Carroll County while they work through an intentionally broken immigration system. They conflate being arrested with being guilty. They say cooperation with ICE will make Carroll County “safer.” But, we know that these claims of “common sense” and “safety” mask actions that trample Carroll County residents’ constitutional due process rights, that pit neighbor against neighbor, that erode trust between immigrants and the police, and that result in less community safety.  In March 2025, the Carroll County Sheriff’s office signed a working agreement with ICE to provide Warrant Service Officer (WSO) training to Carroll County Detention Center deputies. Due to a bill in the Maryland General Assembly attempting to ban such an agreement, DeWees did not immediately implement it. Now that the legislative session has ended and such agreements were not banned, DeWees has a green light to begin the WSO training. The training will allow Carroll County Detention Center deputies to serve and execute ICE administrative arrest warrants to people held in Carroll County detention who are believed to be undocumented immigrants. Warrant Service Officer training agreements are part of the 287(g) program, which draws its name from the Immigration and Nationality Act that authorizes it. 287(g) agreements create partnerships between ICE and local and state law enforcement – delegating authority to allow local officers to perform some of the same functions as an immigration officer.  Sheriff DeWees mischaracterizes 287(g) agreements as “non-discriminatory” and all about community safety. But, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) researchers describe WSO Programs as “an attempt to shield local officers from liability when they violate people’s rights, and as a way to subvert state and local decisions not to participate in immigration enforcement.” In direct contradiction to DeWees’ claims –  • Uniform crime report data show that 287(g) programs do not make communities safer.  • Data show that 287(g) programs undermine public safety “by decreasing trust in local law enforcement and diverting resources away from investigation of serious crimes.”   • 287(g) programs are feeding into a discriminatory immigration system. And studies have shown that “programs pushing more collaboration between local police and ICE like 287(g) use racial profiling to stop, arrest, and deport Black and Brown immigrants.” Carroll County residents’ politics are varied, but we are united in our desire to keep an inhumane, illegal, and weaponized immigration system out of our county. We have seen how ICE agents violated Elsy Berrios’ rights in our community. We have  seen ICE agents enacting illegal orders by detaining and “disappearing”  Kilmar Abrego Garcia and over 200 other immigrants to CECOT prison in El Salvador with no due process. We have seen ICE weaponized to suppress the free speech of students and others who lawfully protest. We have seen videos of ICE agents harassing and brutalizing people all over the country including in our region. Imagine what we have not seen! Under any circumstances, we do not support local cooperation with ICE or 287(g) agreements, which have been shown to be racist and dangerous for communities. Under the current presidential administration, cooperation with ICE and implementation of 287(g) agreements amount to local facilitation of and complicity with illegal and inhumane orders. ICE is currently not operating under constitutional principles. Therefore, Carroll County residents demand that the Sheriff’s office end all cooperation with ICE and end the WSO training 287(g) agreement.  The ACLU states that “the fundamental constitutional protections of due process and equal protection embodied in our Constitution and Bill of Rights apply to every person, regardless of immigration status.” As we see these rights being trampled across the United States and in Carroll County, we are speaking up to protect ourselves and our neighbors. It is now the Carroll County Sheriff office’s turn to be on the right side of history and stand up for the rights of immigrants and all community members by serving the Carroll County community instead of serving the Trump administration’s brutal and inhumane agenda.

Let me be blunt: if Budd and Tillis vote for the "Big Beautiful Bill," they are choosing to abandon North Carolina in its hour of need so that Mr. Trump can funnel $300 million in disaster relief money into protecting his private properties—Mar-a-Lago, Trump Tower, his golf courses—while our communities drown in debris and debt. Hurricane Helene caused over $60 billion in damage across North Carolina. Entire towns are still under water—literally and financially—and yet the Trump administration refused to honor a Biden-era promise to fully fund our cleanup. But now, when that same FEMA budget is being raided to pay for law enforcement security at Mr. Trump’s private estates, Budd and Tillis are staying silent again? That’s not just cowardice. It’s complicity. They’re putting party loyalty over the people who elected them—over the families, farmers, and small businesses of this state who are getting left behind. This is pure hypocrisy. For years, they’ve stood behind Mr. Trump’s empty promises to “take care of North Carolina.” They cheered while he blamed FEMA, blamed President Biden, and pretended he’d “take strong action” to help us rebuild. Well, here’s the truth: he lied—and now he’s cashing in. This bill doesn’t just “appropriate” money. It hijacks FEMA—an agency created to save lives—and turns it into a slush fund for Mr. Trump’s personal protection racket. You think that’s going to help North Carolina voters the next time a hurricane rips through Craven County or a tornado levels homes in Randolph? When FEMA says there’s no money left, remember where it went: Mr. Trump’s front gate. And let’s be honest—this isn’t about national security. This is about shielding a billionaire’s real estate portfolio from the same disasters they’re condemning their own constituents to face alone. He gets full reimbursement. We get the bill. So what will it be? Will our Senators finally show the courage to stand up for the people of North Carolina, or will they keep hiding behind Mr. Trump’s shadow while he bleeds this state dry? If Budd and Tillis vote for this bill, they are telling every storm-ravaged town in this state that they don’t matter. That they can pick up their own debris. That Mr. Trump’s gilded balconies deserve more protection than our children’s schools.

While business is important for our state's growth, responsible, regulated, and TAXED business is necessary for our state's survival. We demand that our representatives speak up for the people in our community, renegotiate the  standards upon which we solicit and accept industry in Texas by increasing the hire local requirement and instituting measurable accountability, and remediate, reinvest, and revitalize the environment and infrastructure in the communities they benefit from. 

The Federal TRIO Programs are one of the most effective ways to expand access to higher education for hardworking Americans who face financial and systemic barriers. These programs don’t just change individual lives—they help power our workforce, strengthen our communities, and grow our economy. Eliminating TRIO would be a step backward for our country, undermining decades of progress in expanding opportunity and investing in potential. Why should YOU join this campaign? This isn’t just about education—it’s about the future of America. TRIO helps create college graduates, skilled workers, leaders, and taxpayers. When we support TRIO, we invest in people who want to work hard and contribute. By joining this campaign, you’re standing up for access, opportunity, and the belief that every American—regardless of income—deserves a fair shot at success. This is about ensuring that doors stay open for future generations. We need your voice now more than ever.

These attacks aim to erase us entirely. Yet politicians keep pushing these discriminatory laws while our communities face escalating attacks. The violence and censorship are real: • Bomb threats shutting down drag shows • Harassment campaigns targeting organizers and drag performers • Threats of gun violence, armed protests and more • Cities are using vague language and ordinance to push LGBTQ+ events out of public spaces.  • States are banning LGBTQ+ performance and restricting trans rights. But we're fighting back. Stand with drag artists and LGBTQ+ organizers nationwide. Sign now to protect free expression for all. This petition is co-led by drag performers from places with active efforts to censor free speech but refuse to be silenced, including: • Florida: • Pierce DeVale (Orlando) • Idaho:  • Miss Cali Je (Pocatello) • Buster Hyman (Pocatello) • North Carolina: • Naomi Dix (Durham) • Stormie Daie (Durham) • Flamy Grant (Asheville) • Ohio:   • Veranda L'ni (Cleveland) • Dean Heartthrob (Cleveland) • Betty Aboddum (Cleveland) • Empress Dupree (Cleveland) • Jace Blaze (Cleveland) • Maelstrom West (Columbus) • Oklahoma • Skaði Jötunn (Norman) • Feral Rose Fawcett (Norman) • Ariel Monroe (Lawton) • Lucki P Brooks Royal (El Reno) • Storytime with May Lynn (Tecumseh) • Tennessee:  • Sairen Strange (Memphis) • Texas:  • Maxine LaQueene (Austin) • Isis Paris York (Corpus Christi) • Utah • Mitski Avalox (St. George) • Tara Lipsyncki (Provo)

Englewood Beach is the heart of our community—economically, socially, and emotionally. Its prolonged closure for over seven months is harming local businesses, limiting recreational space for families and children, and disrupting daily life for residents of all ages. Surrounding beaches have reopened, yet Englewood remains fenced off with no clear explanation or visible effort toward progress. With summer approaching and thousands of students soon out of school, urgent action is needed. Reopening the beach is not just about access—it's about restoring the well-being, economy, and spirit of an entire town.

Even if you are not personally on Medicaid or Snap, it will affect you too. Your hospital may not be able to stay open. Your doctor may not be able to afford to stay here. People you know and love will be hurt. 

We need to talk about the Golden Dome — Trump’s pipe dream for a space-based missile shield.  The program itself is fanciful, outrageously expensive, and a magnet for corruption. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Golden Dome has a $542 BILLION price tag, though Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT.) — who supports the program — predicts the total costs could actually reach TRILLIONS. More importantly, it likely won’t even work. One physicist called it a “fantasy” and others have said the technology could take years to develop. In response, other governments will only expand and upgrade their nuclear arsenals, leaving us in what one missile defense expert told NPR would be “at best, the same place we are today, and most likely a much worse place.” The ONE group that won’t lose? Weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and SpaceX who stand to rake in HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS of taxpayer dollars if the Golden Dome becomes reality. ‘Golden Dome’ is as unrealistic as it is wasteful, but that’s not stopping the Trump administration from demanding a $25 BILLION down payment for it — even as Republicans consider slashing funding for programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Activist voices in this moment are crucial. That’s why we’re asking you to speak out today:

“Why should other people join me in my campaign for the Correctional Transparency Act?” “Because every person — whether inside or outside prison walls — deserves accountability, safety, and dignity. Right now, too many abuses go unseen and unheard behind locked doors. Requiring body cameras in all state and federal prisons and jails is a simple, powerful step toward transparency and justice. This isn’t just about protecting inmates — it’s about protecting correctional officers, restoring public trust, and making sure our tax-funded institutions uphold the values we claim to stand for. By joining this campaign, you’re standing up for human rights, government accountability, and common-sense reform. Together, we can shine a light where it’s long been dark — and help create a correctional system that’s safer, fairer, and more just for everyone.”

Bullying isn't just "kids being kids"—it's a crisis that claims lives, destroys self-esteem, and leaves lasting emotional scars. When we stay silent, we allow a system that tolerates cruelty to continue. When we speak up, we save lives. You should join this campaign because: • Every child deserves safety. Schools should be places of learning, not fear. No child should dread going to school because of harassment, threats, or violence. • Tragedies like Jason’s death are preventable. This is not an isolated incident. When bullying is ignored or mishandled, it escalates—with heartbreaking consequences. • Legislation works. With clear laws in place, schools are held accountable, educators are equipped to intervene, and students know there are consequences. Change doesn't happen in silence—it happens through action and policy. • We all have a role to play. Whether you're a parent, teacher, student, or simply someone who cares, your voice matters. Real change requires a community united in compassion, courage, and conviction. By standing together, we can turn pain into purpose—and make sure no other child is lost because we failed to protect them. This is about saving lives, healing families, and building a kinder future. Join us. Speak out. Push for the protection our children deserve.