We're NOT Doomed: Fri April 3, 2026
If we give up, we'll never get anywhere.
It’s not like I didn’t understand that lawyers were important to the immigration process, but it wasn’t until I went to a briefing yesterday morning that I really understood how important.
The briefing was about the lasting damage of ICE detention on children.
When a child goes into detention, no matter how healthy they are going in, the experience causes them toxic stress, that has lasting damage, according to a doctor on the call who has been working with immigrant children for 20 years.
When a child loses hope, it affects their entire being.
I always thought lawyers were just for the trial part, but that’s not the case. They are a huge part of what can give a child, an unaccompanied one especially, hope.
Cause it’s not just about the trial. It’s about having an advocate in all aspects of their life, from their living situation to their schooling to just having someone they trust to tell their story to.
Gerson Navidad is a permanent resident in the US and now works at the Immigration Defenders Law Center, but he came here as an unaccompanied minor during the first Trump administration.
He said that when he arrived the first thing the ICE officers did was accuse him of being in a gang. It wasn’t until he met with a lawyer that he finally was even asked for his story.
And he didn’t know anything. These kids don’t know a single thing about the immigration system. Which also means it’s SO easy for them to be taken advantage of.
Navidad said that he truly believes he’s only alive now cause he had an incredible lawyer.
Rep Adriano Espaillat also spoke. He said he wants to claw back most of the ICE funding from the Big Ugly bill, but he also specified that the best way we can make a difference is by talking about the children.
Last time Trump was in office, family separation improved because the focus was on the children, and Espaillat believes that Democrats were afraid to address this when they were in power, and that’s why it hasn’t gotten better.
Part of the reason was because it wasn’t getting as much attention. We will have more success keeping attention on this if our messaging is narrowed to the Dreamers, the farm workers and the family separation. The more we repeat those points the more likely Trump is to TACO.
Our goal has to be to get these kids out of detention and make sure they have trusted legal representation. But it is on us to keep the messaging consistent.
Lawyers save lives. These kids will never recover from even a few months in detention. Protect our kids.
El Monte, California
Wed, March 18 - In February, protesters went to the City Council meeting to express their anger at the way the city police handled the abduction of local resident, Maria Santay, by ICE at the end of January.
These protesters had an impact and, it took two meetings, but the city council finally unanimously passed a Sanctuary City ordnance.
Now it’s not perfect. It specifies that city-owned property and equipment as well as people who work with the city, cannot help ICE with deportations. It doesn’t specify what police should do or what is done with personal data.
The Garment Worker’s Center and Sanctuary LA Coalition tried to get specific language included on those subjects, but the city council said that what’s there is enough.
Olivarez Madruga, who is part of the lawfirm that represents the city told San Gabriel Valley Tribune:
We believe the city’s ordinance accomplishes the same broad goals of restricting the use of city property and protecting information held by the city
This isn’t a done deal. They will be returning to this two weeks from now, 30 days from the original vote, to solidify how to make this actually work for the community rather than just words on a page.
City manager, Alma Martinez said:
Many cities can pass ordinances, but if they don’t have an implementation plan, it’s just good words and fake promises.
Council member Martin Hererra added:
There’s no one on this committee, on this dais, who thinks this task is done.
This makes me feel less Doomed, even though it’s not finished and there are some kinks to work out.
As always it shows the power of organizing and our voices.
They would not have done this if protesters hadn’t gotten involved. And while it would be nice for the local government to have done this automatically — remember, this is why voting for local offices is important — it shows just how much power we do have when we make noise.
Greece
Fri, March 20 - In 2024, same-sex marriage was legalize in Greece. A lawsuit attempted to argue that regardless of that, it would go against the constitution for a gay couple to adopt.
But last month, by an overwhelming majority, the Greek Supreme Court ruled that neither a same-sex marriage nor a same-sex couple adopting violates the constitution.
The court said:
In light of this information, no issue of adverse discrimination against children who will be adopted by married same-sex couples, following a ruling by the competent court that the interests of the minor are served, arises in comparison with those raised by two opposite-sex parents, nor is there a violation, on that basis, of the constitutional principle of equality and the principle of the protection of the best interests of the child.
Basically, a child is not worse off if they are raised by a same-sex couple and therefore it does not violate the constitution.
We might be careening backwards in our federal government, but it’s great to see that’s a US thing and not a global thing, at least not entirely. And that gives me hope and makes me feel less Doomed.
Romulus, Michigan
Tue, March 24 - AG Dana Nessel is suing DHS over their attempt to convert the Romulus warehouse into a detention center.
She said:
As the state’s Attorney General, I have a legal and moral obligation to act if and when this administration behaves unlawfully and does so in a way that harms Michigan residents. The Romulus Warehouse is simply not—and never will be—an appropriate place for a large-scale detention center. DHS in its zealous quest for a bigger nationwide footprint, appears to have conducted an ill-conceived rush job, free from any traditional planning considerations or even basic concern for the many Romulus residents who will be impacted by their actions.
And it looks like all these lawsuits are taking a toll. Two days ago DHS announced that they are pausing their purchasing of new warehouses and scrutinizing those already under their ownership.
This pause will, of course not be permanent, but it does show the power our AG have across the country and why it’s important to make noise every single time.
You never know which time we fight back will be the time they realize how unpopular their choices are and reassess how best to continue to pull the wool over our eyes.
But we know better, they’ll never succeed at that, and a delay is always a win.
Our Dem AG are strong and powerful and the more Dems we can elect to that position across the country, the better.
So I hope this helps you fight back and holds you over this weekend.
Remember, our voices are our superpower, but only when we use them!