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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.

Election Section: As we prepare for the midterm elections, we want to share some of the work being done to protect fair and free elections. We’d also like to share these tips on how churches can protect the midterms from our President, Rev. Adam Taylor, as well.

There will also be a national No Kings call on the 29th. You can sign up to attend here.

Reporting this week suggests that the Trump Administration is looking to escalate the war on Iran once the midterm elections pass. Rumors of the planned resumption of major strikes in collaboration with Israel are backed up by reports of U.S. personnel being evacuated from the surrounding regions. We’ve also seen an increase in maneuvers designed to prepare the militaries for increased bombing missions.

The resumption of bombings in the conflict with Iran serves as a stark reminder of not only the stakes ahead in the upcoming elections but the depth of work in front of us once the voting is done. While we must be aware of the flashpoints surrounding the vote and carry out the will of the people in a fair and free election, we also know that the task will not be over once that is done.

We must be sure Congress and the federal government itself move to end the war in Iran, which is leading to unnecessary death throughout the region, with conflicts in Yemen and southern Lebanon continuing to see conflict as well. The increase in the cost of essential goods worldwide is leading to critical shortages that only amplify suffering. Here in the United States, we also see resources being put toward militarism rather than addressing our essential needs as well. We must commit ourselves to creating a world where we turn to diplomacy instead of militarism and begin to repair the unnecessary suffering we see today.

–– Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners

P.S. We are continuing to build an intentional community of people looking to live out their faith in our Sojourners Faith and Practice Forum on Mighty Networks. Please consider joining us.

In the News

Here’s a look at what happened this week:

1. In foreign affairs, there were notable developments from Ukraine to Western Asia.

   • Russia agreed on Wednesday to resume three-way negotiations with Ukraine and the U.S. next month aimed at ending the war. If such talks go forward, they would be the first time since February, when talks hosted in Abu Dhabi and Geneva yielded little beyond the exchange of prisoners of war.

   • The Israeli military detained about 80 volunteers from the U.S., Israel, and the U.K. who were helping Palestinians harvest olives near Bethlehem in the West Bank, including New York Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander and several rabbis, among others. Lander, who is Jewish and an outspoken critic of the Israeli government, was quickly released with a warning, but the other volunteers were held until later in the evening.

   • The U.K. will deploy fighter jets to defend Saudi Arabia from increased Houthi missile and drone attacks. The move follows Houthi attacks on the Saudi capital Riyadh and energy sites on the coast.

2. The Trump administration’s deportation regime continued its cruel work.

   • Armed and uniformed agents from the Department of Homeland Security have been knocking on doors in several states to inquire about residents’ immigration status, as well as their voter history and registration status. Jessica Marsden, a lawyer for Protect Democracy, says the effort “seems maximally designed to scare lawful voters from participating.”

   • Emiliano Andrade-Covarrubias, a 56-year-old man who died in ICE detention in Laredo, Texas, last weekend, was denied medicine to treat his chronic conditions, according to his daughter Estefani. Immigration officials claim he received proper medical care, but Rep. Henry Cuellar (D. - Texas) is calling for “transparency” and citing the need to “get information as quickly as possible.”

   • A police officer in Savannah, Georgia was fired after giving her ICE agent husband access to her Flock account—he used it to run hundreds of license plate searches on people ICE was trying to find. Georgia has seen a string of Flock misuse cases in recent months, with officers fired and sometimes arrested for using Flock for personal purposes.

3. As the midterm elections loom ever closer, battles continue over the fundamental right to vote amid attempts to ensure a free, fair, and safe election in the face of Trump administration meddling.

   • The Justice Department’s list of purported noncitizen voters appears to be extremely inaccurate, including many people who say they were born in the United States. Nearly 40% of a representative sample of the list for California were people who indicated that they were born in the country.

   • Democratic state attorneys general, as well as other state officials and civic groups, continue to plan to thwart any federal meddling in the November elections. The officials have been working together since early this year, with in-person tabletop exercises and weekly zoom calls to strategize on how to counter any possible federal intervention.

   • When we look back at the 2024 election and the lead-up to it, it’s worth remembering that what the Trump administration is doing now isn’t anything new. It’s part of the authoritarian playbook that’s been used all over the world. People of faith have always served a critical role in defending and nurturing democracy in the face of authoritarianism—and that hasn’t changed. Check out this article from Maria J. Stephan for much more on what’s going on and what you can do about it.

Take Action

• SojoAction is currently calling on Attorneys General to commit to protecting free and fair elections.

• The Worker’s Circle is also calling on Sheriffs to pledge to protect free and fair elections.

What We’re Reading

• “An Iconic Civil Rights Church Looks to Educate the Next Generation” | “What we see in our church records and transcripts is a willingness of the church to make manifest this concept of what being Christlike is to a larger community—not only sitting in the pews and listening to the gospel.” (by Evana Upshaw)

• “Reading Augustine in the Age of ICE’s Shock Gloves” | “The federal government can try to create the appearance of strength by becoming more violent, but it doesn’t make it wiser, more competent, or more just.” (by Colin Martinez Longmore)

Deep Breaths

Does God want us to live comfortably while others suffer injustice?

This is a question I wrestle with. In a capitalist society, we live with hierarchies of class and privilege. Some of us live comfortably, while others struggle from paycheck to paycheck, and still others face homelessness. Levels of comfort exist in our communities, shaped by our economy and social context. Yet as Christ followers, how do we navigate being comfortable when others suffer?

I believe God wants every human being to flourish and live abundantly. I also believe there are moments when God allows us to sit with discomfort so our eyes are opened to the suffering of others. We can learn something from being uncomfortable. Discomfort doesn't always mean something is wrong in your life. Sometimes it helps us adjust our gaze to see injustices that are easily overlooked or ignored.

More people are struggling to make ends meet. Identity politics, in-your-face racism, corruption, and outlandish threats have become everyday occurrences. It is harder for people to ignore what is going on. More people are paying attention to this midterm election than ever before. The pain of staying the same has become greater than the pain of change.

I say all of this to show what can happen when we become uncomfortable. When things don't feel right, people tend to do something to make them better.

So my prayer is that more people feel uncomfortable in this season, and that the discomfort compels them to go to the polls and hold elected officials accountable for what they say they will do.

Remember, beauty and joy can exist in the midst of discomfort. Generations before us have shown us how to live with dignity despite systemic injustice.

God is with us when we are uncomfortable. Jesus showed us what to do in discomfort. He exposed systems of oppression and amplified an ethos of love.

I leave you with this Franciscan blessing:

MAY GOD BLESS YOU with discomfort,
at easy answers, half-truths,
and superficial relationships
so that you may live
deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression,
and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for
justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears,
to shed for those who suffer pain,
rejection, hunger, and war,
so that you may reach out your hand
to comfort them and
to turn their pain to joy.

And may God bless you
with enough foolishness
to believe that you can
make a difference in the world,
so that you can do
what others claim cannot be done,
to bring justice and kindness
to all our children and the poor.

Amen.

Rev. Moya Harris, Senior Director of Programs, Sojourners

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
Education and Engagement Program Manager: Cortnie Brooks Mobilizing & Policy Fellows: Alyssa Parker & Aleah LaForce