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Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source for information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it.

Being centered on the message of the Gospels, Pope Leo provided us with a model for meeting the violence and militarism promoted by the Trump administration. With President Trump sharing imagery depicting himself as Jesus Christ, his self-centered understanding of his role, Pope Leo’s call to moral responsibility and diplomacy was a stark and needed contrast. In focusing on the Christian responsibility towards peace, the clarity of the Gospels cannot be overwhelmed by the political messaging tactics that have so effectively distracted too many. 

In attacking the Pope and attempting to frame his message as a personal feud, Trump is attempting to distract from the human cost of his policies both here and abroad. In Arizona, 47% of SNAP participants have been removed from the program, including 180,000 children, and in Nebraska, 40% of Medicaid enrollees will now be subject to work requirements designed to reduce participation. Abroad, we’re well familiar with the growing toll of lives, where at least 2,076 people have been killed by US-Israeli attacks on Iran since February 28, and in Cuba where 90,000 people are on hospital waitlists. In every decision to prioritize militarism over peace, we see Trump affirm his vision that “we can’t do daycare” because we have to pay for the armed forces.

In remaining focused on the human costs of these politics, we too can stop ourselves and others from being distracted. We’ve seen communities across the country, from Minneapolis to Los Angeles come together in a beautiful demonstration of God’s love by focusing on the human costs of mass deportation policies on their neighbors. Pope Leo’s call to protect the innocent abroad shares this same spirit, and we can follow this example in demanding peace for everyone.

–Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners

In the News

Here’s a look at what happened this week:

1. The Trump administration continued to implement its cruel mass deportation agenda.

   • The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a new tactic for conducting immigration enforcement under new department head Markwayne Mullin. In some localities, DHS has opted for a less visible ICE presence by paying local police departments to make immigration arrests. A February report estimates that more local police officers nationwide have been trained to conduct immigration enforcement than the number of ICE agents DHS has added since Trump returned to office.

   • Testimonies from former detainees indicate that conditions in ICE detention remain dismal. Reports describe these conditions as “unsafe and degrading, with inadequate access to food, water, personal hygiene, and basic care, particularly harming children.” A Canadian woman recently detained for three weeks with her seven-year-old daughter, who was recently diagnosed with autism, described her fellow detainees as “wonderful people” who are “suffering greatly” under a system that is “wrong and illegal.”

2. International developments this week were marked by tumult and upheaval.

   • The U.S. Navy’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz persists, with Navy officials claiming that “U.S. forces have completely halted economic trade going in and out of Iran by sea.” Meanwhile, a Pakistani delegation met with Iranian officials to facilitate further talks before the current ceasefire ends next Wednesday.

   • A recent think tank report suggests that if the international community invested $8 billion in renewable energy for Cuba, the island nation would no longer depend on the fossil fuels currently subject to a U.S. blockade. Such investment could position Cuba as a regional leader in renewable energy and diminish the U.S.’s capacity to undermine the island’s economy and society.

   • A Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine this week resulted in the highest number of casualities in months, killing 17 people across three cities. In response, a Ukrainian drone attack killed two people in Russia. These incidents followed the brief ceasefire for Orthodox Easter last weekend.

   • Voters in Hungary removed longtime far-right leader Viktor Orbán from office, electing former Orbán ally Peter Magyar, who secured a two-thirds majority of seats in Parliament. Magyar immediately pledged to urge Russian leader Vladimir Putin “stop the killing and stop the war.”

3. Several states saw developments related to benefit programs designed to assist people in vulnerable situations.

   • Nebraska is poised to become the first state in the nation to implement new work requirements for Medicaid recipients, eight months ahead of the federal deadline. Hospitals have warned that many patients may not be prepared for the change, and that 10-15% of current Medicaid patients could eventually be disenrolled. The new work requirements stem from last summer’s so-called “big, beautiful bill.”

   • The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported that thousands of Iowans may have had their Medicaid information exposed online after a file was inadvertently uploaded to its website. The Department asserts that names and other personal or medical information were not disclosed.

   • Arizona’s SNAP enrollment has declined by 47% since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last July, representing the largest decline among all states by a significant margin. The bill’s new eligibility criteria and Arizona’s shortage of state workers have combined to make the program much harder to access, meaning less food on nearly half a million people’s tables.

Take Action

• Join us in calling for companies to end aiding ICE in taking our neighbors with the S.T.O.P. and Break the ICE Campaigns.

• We are demanding Congress end the blockade of Cuba.

What We’re Reading

“How Pope Leo XIV Understands His Role in Politics” | Leo wants to situate himself not as an adversary but as a person capable of fostering dialogue and preserving peace. (by Mitchell Atencio)

“Trump Has Ushered in a New American Age of Moral Catastrophe” | The world remains gripped with anxiety over what will happen next time the U.S. spins the chamber with nuclear bullets. (by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson)

Deep Breaths

We must stay connected to the Spirit. We MUST stay connected to Spirit. God’s Spirit is what will keep us and sustain us as we navigate the coming days. We cannot go it alone.

We are not alone. There are more of us who care about the world being better than those who are trying to do harm. We are powerful. More powerful than we realize, especially when we turn to the Spirit of God for guidance and strength.

Yet, even together, we can get a little shaky with the onslaught of life’s trials. Our shoulders might slump, and our knees might knock, all while still believing in God. It is a part of being human. It is part of survival. Sometimes we can feel helpless in the middle of believing.

Today, I am sharing this prayer by Cole Arthur Riley from her book Black Liturgies.

––Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners

FOR WHEN COURAGE FEELS FAR FROM YOU

God of those who tremble,

Courage can feel foolish when we’ve seen the world in all its terror. But, protect us from life lived in perpetual vigilance. Keep fear from monopolizing our relationships, our desires, our motivations, so that we can act without rehearsing the worst of our imaginations. Help us meet our fear with kindness and mercy. There are times when we feel small and exhausted. Harness our courage. Grant us contentment in our limits, and community in our battles. Send others who tremble alongside us, who will speak truth with calmness. Show us we need not be giants if we have good friends. And lead us beside still waters. The space is thin between bravery and rest. Remind us that fear is as bodily as any emotion. Slow our breath, ground our attention. Lie still with us as courage finds us. May it be so.

–Cole Arthur Riley

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