Lemonade, crushing ICE, (in Michigan, at least)
We're NOT Doomed: June 18, 2026
Democrats are preparing for the destruction of fair and free elections come November.
Attorneys General have their Election Protection Task Force, which has been meeting since Trump was elected in 2024.
And the Senate has one too. Last week, they ran their first table top drill.
The Senate’s Election Task Force was launched at the end of April. It’s led by Leader Chuck Schumer and includes, Alex Padilla (CA) who’s leading the fight against the SAVE Act, Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Maria Cantwell (WA), Dick Durbin (IL), Chris Murphy (CT), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Adam Schiff (CA), Mark Warner (VA), Bernie Sanders (VT) and Raphael Warnock (GA).
As Schumer said at the initial press conference, the Task Force is:
looking at election threats, threats to the integrity of our election and election process up and down the line. we’re looking at election administration threats, we’re looking at the kind of bad play and horrible things that could come out of DOJ and DHS. We’re looking at attacks on free speech and independent media. We are looking at foreign threats. We are looking at militarization of law enforcement and corruption…and we’re looking at mobilization. We’re not just looking at it, we’re gonna be immersed in making sure that in any of these areas, the right to vote, the fairness and integrity of our elections is protected.
I share this whole thing because I think a lot of this gets lost in quick quotes and soundbites and it becomes very easy to brush it off as just another failed attempt.
Their first table top drill was last week, but their first meeting was on April 29, the day SCOTUS essentially gutted the VRA.
Along with members of the task force, last week’s drill included former Attorney General, Eric Holder, Democracy Forward’s Norm Eisen and Elias Law Group founder Marc Elias. These are the best and brightest when it comes to protecting our elections.
And if you’re still skeptical, Elias was on Rachel Maddow on Monday where she asked him if everyone involved in this exercise really understands what’s at stake and what their job is in protecting elections.
He said, with confidence, that they do:
I think there’s been a lot of work and understanding…never have I seen the Democratic party as prepared as they are today, and that includes, by the way, the work I did to help Joe Biden and the Democrats beat Donald Trump 60 times post election in 2020.
So you don’t have to take Schumer’s word for anything. But if Elias has complete confidence in every step of this process, including the Senate Task Force, then so do I.
And I hope you do too.
Cause, they have more power the more we support them. So this is not the time to criticize, it’s the time to unite together and cheer them on.
If Elias says they’re fighting even harder than 2020, I’m feeling some real hope.
But it’s about more than their work. WE have to make sure our turnout is so massive that the Republicans couldn’t continue their power grab even if they wanted to.
Every race, from town treasurer to Senate, we gotta show up for them all.
This is our moment to take back our country and I’m so glad we have these incredible Task Forces working alongside us to make it happen.
Michigan
Thu, April 29 - The Michigan Supreme Court proposed an amendment to Michigan Court Rules to protect people who enter a courthouse from civil arrest. Yes, this is about ICE.
They made the proposal in November and got over 2,000 comments during the month long comment period.
In late April they adopted the rule and it went into effect on May 1.
The rule states that “Parties, attorneys, and subpoenaed witnesses are not subject to civil arrest while going to, attending, and returning from the places they are required to attend.” and goes on to add any “officer of any of the several courts of record, including jurors.”
Basically anyone who enters the court for any reason cannot be subject to civil arrest on court grounds.
In the ruling, Justice Noah Hood wrote:
If we do not act to safeguard access to our courts, we will not be able to fully measure the harm of our inaction. We will not know when someone chooses not to file a case. We will not know why a witness fails to appear. We will not know why a victim chooses not to allocate. But we will have failed in our duty to fairly and efficiently administer justice.
The sole dissenter was Brian Zahra, the only Republican on the court. And he’s concerned that the state doesn’t have the authority to prevent federal actions.
He might be right, but we want Dems to push the boundaries and try everything, and that’s exactly what they’re doing here.
Even if it turns out this isn’t legal, it gives me hope cause we aren’t going to win every battle, but as long as we keep fighting, we will win the war.
Wisconsin
Thu, June 4 - The Dane County Board adopted a resolution that urges University of Wisconsin Health and Wisconsin Children’s Hospital to resume gender affirming care for minors.
They wrote:
Dane County Board of Supervisors urges UW Health and Children’s Wisconsin to resume the provision of gender-affirming care for transgender and gender diverse youth to the fullest extent permitted by law.
They don’t have the power to compel the hospitals to resume care, but the resolution matters none the less.
This is an escalation from the letter LGBTQ+ organization Fair Wisconsin lead with 64 other organizations back in mid May, and the rally lead by Reproductive Justice Action-Milwaukee at the end of May.
This started with Attorney General Josh Kaul securing a ruling that blocked Trump from ending the care in March, and the subsequent Oregon ruling in April.
Of course, this isn’t a win until the Wisconsin hospitals actually resume care, but just seeing so many groups, organizations and elected leaders alike, fighting so hard for trans youth gives me immense hope.
And, with luck, all of this will put enough pressure on the hospitals to finally start the care again.
Sacramento, California
Mon, June 15 - Juneteenth will be a paid holiday for city workers starting this year.
The Sacramento African American Employee Leadership Council made this their main priority beginning in 2022.
Councilmembers Caity Maple and Rick Jennings first proposed the change back in 2024.
But, it wasn’t as easy as just deciding it within the City Council. Council member Maple explained, “this achievement would not have been possible without the leadership of the AAELC and the dedication of our city staff and labor partners, who worked together to bring this across the finish line.”
Progress matters, but it’s also nice to have an out and out win. And this is definitely that.
So I hope these stories bring you joy and help remind you to keep fighting back, even if we don’t always succeed immediately.
Cause remember, our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!
If you read the whole post, comment with 🧊 (an ICE cube) and may that one Republican Justice be wrong and this new rule holds water (pun intended)
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