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As we begin Black History Month, the threats to our democracy have come into sharp focus. President Donald Trump’s efforts to disenfranchise and disempower Black cities have been further exposed by his demand to “nationalize” elections in targeted areas. These threats follow a pattern of attacks on cities with Black leadership that went largely unchallenged until politicized violence peaked on Jan. 6, 2021. In this light, we must take these tactics seriously as we approach the midterm elections. This comes on the heels of the FBI raid on Fulton County election offices, with Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard in tow, which appeared to be an effort to put Trump’s desires into action. These actions represent a direct attack on the legacy of the civil rights movement, led by figures such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ella Baker, who pushed this nation closer to a vision that honors the divine in each of us. In the background was the release of 3 million records from the Epstein files, revealing a tight-knit, ongoing circle of elite collaboration with the sex trafficker. The records implicated figures across business, media and politics, highlighting the broader threat to democracy that arises when concentrated wealth operates without accountability. In discussions involving figures such as Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, and Jeffrey Epstein, power appeared less as a public trust than as a means to shape society according to private interests. Never has the choice before us been starker. We must build a society that values everyone and reflects the love our faith demands — or risk letting the forces of racism and concentrated wealth shape our future. –Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners
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Here’s a look at what happened this week: 1. U.S. Democracy continued to be under strain on several fronts: Four Black people, two of whom are journalists, were arrested last week after they were present at an anti-ICE protest at a church in St. Paul, Minnesota earlier in January. One of the journalists arrested is former CNN anchor Don Lemon. Anti-ICE protestors in Minneapolis, in addition to facing violent repression, are also facing more subtle forms. ICE observers and critics “report being audited, pulled over, called by name, or followed home by agents,” according to The Marshall Project. The FBI raid on a Georgia election office last week continues to generate new and worrisome developments. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard’s presence at the raid and a phone call to her and agents from President Trump heightened concerns that the raid was politically motivated. Donald Trump suggested in an interview this week that Republicans should “take over” the voting process in 15 states ahead of the 2026 midterms. He also said that “the Republicans ought to nationalize the voting.” For his part, Senate Majority Leader John Thune rejected Trump’s suggestions. A new federal lawsuit from a group of noncitizen doctors and researchers accuses Donald Trump of creating an illegal “fast lane” with his $1 million “gold card” program that excludes qualified immigrants. The lawsuit alleges that the Gold Card program “prioritizes wealth over intellect or ability” and converts visas into an illegal revenue-generating scheme.
2. The Trump administration’s cruel deportation regime continued both to inflict suffering and to encounter resistance. On Wednesday, border czar Tom Homan announced that the Trump administration will withdraw 700 federal immigration and border patrol agents from Minnesota, effective immediately. About 2,000 federal agents will remain, and Governor Tim Walz called for a “faster and larger drawdown.” Mayors from across the country at a recent gathering in Washington, D.C., described the continued presence of ICE in their cities as “an escalating situation among municipalities, their residents, and the Trump administration.” Edina, Minnesota mayor Jim Hovland said of ICE, “We were told the actions would be precise. They were not.” Most Americans agree—62% think that ICE has gone “too far,” according to a new poll. 5-year-old boy Liam Ramos and his father were released from a detention center in Dilley, Texas and have returned home to Minneapolis. The judge who ordered their release condemned their detention as driven by a “perfidious lust for unbridled power.” Shortly after Liam was released from the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the detention facility reported a measles outbreak, with two known active cases. Detainees at Dilley include hundreds of children and even infants. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who visited Liam and his father while they were held in Dilley has called for the facility to be shut down. A federal judge has prevented the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for 300,000 people from Haiti. The order pauses the termination of TPS “pending judicial review,” which means the Trump administration cannot end TPS until the court case is resolved. The Trump administration vowed to take the case to the Supreme Court.
3. It was another busy week in international news: President Trump claimed Monday that Mexico will stop sending oil to Cuba, as he ramped up a pressure campaign on the Caribbean nation’s government. The Trump administration has threatened tariffs on any nation that sends oil to Cuba. Thousands marched in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, to demand the release of Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, one month after their capture by US military forces. Talks between Iran and the US were set to take place today in Oman, with the two sides struggling to find common ground in the lead-up to the meeting. Meanwhile, the buildup of U.S. military forces in the region continues. Palestinian women returning to Gaza through the Rafah crossing describe detention, interrogations, confiscation of belongings, and humiliating treatment at the hands of Israeli forces. Russia warned it could take military action if the United States proceeds with its Golden Dome missile-defense deployment in Greenland. Gunmen believed to be religious extremists murdered more than 160 people in western Nigeria on Tuesday. The victims are believed to be Muslims who were targeted for refusing extremist ideology.
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The Center on Faith and Justice, Sojourners, Interfaith Alliance, the Horizons Project, Faith in Action, and Political Research Associates will be hosting an in-person Interfaith Nonviolent Civil Resistance Training of Trainers Workshop on March 4-5, in Phoenix, AZ. You can register here. We’re continuing to call for ICE and Border Patrol to be out of Minneapolis. We’re including an ICE map which tracks detention actions, and attempted warehouse purchases in real time for organizers.
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“This Nation’s Violence Is No Longer Private” | “Violence that was once concealed and contained to spaces where the most marginalized live is now happening out in the open, and that change requires a fundamental reconfiguration of the logic of abuse.” (by Vincent Lloyd) “The Chaplain Helping the Timberwolves Stand in Solidarity with Minnesota”| “I'd never been introduced to any kind of liberation theology. When I started to see Jesus on a bigger, more beautiful and robust scale than what I had been previously introduced to, I felt like, ‘Yeah, this has weight,’” (by Mitchell Atencio)
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Dance Your Way Out of Your Constrictions When was the last time you danced? I mean, really danced—until you broke a sweat. When I was in college, I marked time by the parties I planned to attend. I was a nursing student, which meant long hours making care plans, studying for exams, and preparing for clinicals. I needed an outlet for the stress. I found it on the dance floor. I went to college during the golden age of hip hop. What we now call “old school” was new and alive. We didn’t just stand around at parties—we danced. We danced so hard the windows fogged up with condensation. We danced hard. Dancing was how we expressed ourselves, how we met someone cute, and how we relaxed after long weeks of classes. Sometimes we learned routines by watching music videos, hoping to debut our steps at the next party. We didn’t have the internet, cell phones, or social media. We had to make our own fun. I miss those dance parties. I miss the freedom of swaying to the music in community, rapping lyrics in a circle with friends. I miss those moments when everything felt alright, even if only for a few hours. I find myself longing for those moments now. During the pandemic, DJs went live on social media, spinning music for hours to lift the weight of the moment. I found refuge there. I found community in the chat while dancing around my apartment. As the world reopened, those virtual dance parties faded away. It might be time to bring them back. Things are pretty disturbing right now. We need healthy ways to offload stress and to embody joy. Dancing is one way to do that. Just turn the music on and dance. Dance your way out of your constrictions. I hope you’ll join me. To help you get started, I’m sharing the very first playlist I shared in this newsletter, back in November 2024. And in the words of the prophet George Clinton, find some time to get down—just for the funk of it. ––Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners
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The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor
Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson
Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia
Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps
Political Director: Chad V. Stanton
Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris
Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks
Policy and Action Assistant: Trinity Williams
Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims
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