Aliens
Week of March 14-20, 2025
Welcome to TRACKING THE CRISIS, a weekly round-up from The Democracy Collaborative tracking the administrative, legislative, and other actions of the new Trump Administration as well as the many forms of legal and movement response from across a broad range of social, political, and economic actors. TDC is providing this service for collective informational purposes, as a tool for understanding the times during a period of disorientingly rapid flux and change in the U.S. political economy. TDC should not be understood as endorsing or otherwise any of the specific content of the information round-up.
TRUMP TRACKER: Administration actions
Trump Administration’s defiance of court order in deportation case sets up Constitutional crisis, showdown with judicial branch. On Friday, March 14, Trump signed an executive order invoking an obscure wartime law, the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, to deport Venezuelan migrants suspected of being gang members. The next day, federal judge James E. Boasberg issued a temporary order blocking the government from deporting migrants under that law; however, two deportation flights were already in the air carrying 261 migrants to an El Salvadorean prison. As Judge Boasberg instructed the Administration to turn the flights around and bring them back to the United States, the Trump Administration ignored the order, continuing the deportations and launching a third flight. El Salvador’s president and Trump ally Nayib Bukele posted the response “Oopsie…too late” on X; a statement issued by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Sunday claimed that the judge’s order was not binding as the flights were already over international waters. The Washington Post has published a minute-by-minute timeline of Saturday’s events surrounding the court order and deportation flights. Moreover, in an appeal filed on Sunday, March 16 by the Justice Department, Administration officials claimed that the ruling was an “unauthorized imposition on the Executive’s authority,” as Trump had invoked wartime powers and his actions were “not subject to judicial review.” Legal experts warned that the Trump Administration’s open defiance of the court order and intent to detain and deport persons without due process constituted an abuse of executive authority, edging the nation closer to a constitutional crisis. On Tuesday, March 17, Trump posted on social media calling for Judge Boasberg’s impeachment in retaliation for the ruling, a call echoed by Elon Musk and GOP members of Congress. The impeachment demands prompted a rare public rebuke from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, who pushed back on the Administration citing the rule of law. The exchange set off a legal firestorm, pitting Trump, Musk and MAGA legislators against legal experts, Constitutional norms and even conservative members of the judiciary. The Brennan Center for Justice and Washington Post offer analyses of the high-stakes confrontation between the executive and judicial branches of government. Judge Boasberg set a Wednesday deadline for the Administration to provide further information on the deportation flights; the Justice Department refused, again citing judicial “encroachments on…absolute and unreviewable Executive authority.” Axios reports that Trump defiance of the courts is a deliberate strategy to justify removing checks and balances on executive authority; allowing the President to arrest and deport anyone without due process and exercise unilateral dictator-style power which, as the Center for American Progress has noted, is a core objective of Project 2025. Few details have been disclosed of the deportees in question; family members say many of the deportees do not have gang ties and are desperate for answers as information on them has disappeared from ICE’s tracking system.
Trump Administration moves to expand executive power; weaponizes the Department of Justice. While legal experts are still debating on whether Trump’s defiance of the courts over deportation has triggered a constitutional crisis, critics have noted a distinct pattern in the Trump Administration’s recent actions to test and push the limits of executive power. The Revolving Door Project has published a running thread tracking the multiple instances where the Trump Administration has defied court orders; last week, the Trump Administration appealed to the Supreme Court to curb judges’ power to block his executive orders. Reuters’ Tom Hals outlines some possible consequences of Trump’s continued defiance of judicial orders; while a small clause in the Republican spending bill passed last week granted Trump and Musk unprecedented powers to control federal spending. Legal scholar Matthew Seligman spoke with The New Republic to analyze White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s recent comments and how they hint at more lawlessness to come from the Trump Administration. Conservative journalist David Frum notes that “every major Trump action is illegal…[he] is gambling that the US democratic system is too broken to stop him” as Trump pursues ‘retribution’ against his detractors and political opponents. In a notable speech to the Justice Department on Friday, March 14, Trump threatened legal action against media critics and vowed to “seek accountability” from prosecutors who pursued recent cases against him; a goal echoed by AG Pam Bondi, who vowed to “root out” Trump critics in a partisan purge of the DOJ. On Monday, March 17, Trump reversed Biden’s preemptive pardons for members of the January 6 committee that investigated the 2021 insurrection, declaring the pardons “void” and “vacant.” On Tuesday, March 18, Trump fired two Democratic commissioners at the Federal Trade Commission, an independent, bipartisan watchdog agency established by Congress to enforce consumer protection and antitrust laws. In court proceedings over the firings, the Trump Justice Department asserted the president’s power to remove leaders of any agency, including “all female agency heads as well as those over 40 years old.” On Wednesday, March 19, the New York Times reported on the Trump Administration’s plans to attack the Democratic Party’s electoral infrastructure through executive orders and DOGE investigations. Democracy Docket also reports this week on Trump’s recent order asserting control over the Federal Election Commission, allowing him to tilt elections in his favor. ProPublica reports on the Administration’s behind-the-scenes efforts to call a constitutional convention, which could amend the Constitution to expand executive power. A global democracy watchdog out of Sweden warned this week that the United States could lose its status as an official democracy due to Trump’s escalating authoritarian actions.
More academics, universities targeted by ICE as Trump’s crackdown on campus free speech continues. After the ICE arrest and detention of Columbia student and pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil last week, the Trump Administration has advanced its crackdown on student protests, chilling free speech at universities across the country. While Khalil remained in ICE custody facing a legal battle over deportation, the Trump Administration sent a letter to Columbia University on March 15 outlining a list of demands with which the university must comply in order to restore $400 million in research funding frozen by the Administration two weeks ago. The demands included implementing major changes in student admissions and disciplinary procedures, banning masks, and placing the university’s entire Middle East, South Asian and African Studies Department under “academic receivership” for five years. As of this writing, Columbia has signaled it will comply with the Trump Administration’s demands. On March 13, Columbia expelled and revoked the degrees of 22 students involved in pro-Palestine campus demonstrations in 2024. Reports also surfaced this week that another Columbia student, Ranjani Srinivasan, was targeted by ICE for pro-Palestine activity despite her claim that she was not involved in the 2024 protests. Srinivasan fled to Canada after ICE agents visited her home and her visa was revoked. Trump warned this week that pressuring Columbia University was “just the beginning” of a campaign targeting pro-Palestine activists at other campuses. On Monday, March 17, Georgetown University postdoctoral researcher Badar Khan Suri was arrested by ICE agents outside his home and informed that his visa was revoked. Suri’s wife is a U.S. citizen of Palestinian heritage; and according to his lawyer, the couple had been targeted by far-right groups for supporting Palestinian rights. Also on Monday, Brown University professor and kidney transplant specialist Dr. Rasha Alawieh was detained and deported to Lebanon despite having a valid visa and a court order blocking her deportation. Homeland Security claimed Dr. Alawieh was a Hezbollah supporter due to having pictures of Hassan Nasrallah saved on her phone. At Yale Law School, research scholar Helyeh Doutaghi was placed on administrative leave after an AI-generated article falsely accused her of being a “terrorist.” Far-right Zionist group Betar USA, which claimed credit for Khalil’s arrest, has claimed this week that it has sent a list of “thousands of names” to the Trump Administration for possible deportation. Just Security reports on the free speech implications of the State Department’s new AI-driven “Catch and Release” program that identifies deportation targets based on their social media posts. As many universities face scrutiny and funding restrictions for participating in DEI programs, the Atlantic contemplates the wider cost of a free speech crackdown at Columbia. Paul Waldman notes how these actions follow a wider right-wing gameplan to ‘take back’ higher education from the Left. The New York Times ran an editorial on Friday, March 14 commenting on how the Trump Administration’s moves to weaken higher education echo similar hallmarks of authoritarian regimes around the world.
Trump signs executive order dismantling the Department of Education, setting up a legal and political conflict over Congressional authority. On Thursday, March 20, Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education. While the White House stopped short of closing the DOE entirely, as full closure would require the approval of Congress, the order aims to dismantle most DOE functions except for student loans and Pell grants while delegating other services and responsibilities to the states. Nevertheless, observers note that the order’s radical downsizing of the DOE “sets the stage for a seismic political and legal battle over the role of the federal government in the nation’s schools.” National Education Association president Becky Pringle appeared on MSNBC to denounce the order, saying that the “ultimate goal” of the Department’s closing was to “take money from our kids.” On Monday, March 17, Bernie Sanders and Senate Democrats released a letter to Linda McMahon condemning the deep cuts already made to the DOE as a “national disgrace.” Various analysts have weighed in on the order’s potential impacts to low-income families and disabled students, historically marginalized students, K-12 and higher education, teacher training programs, Title IX and civil rights, and equal opportunity for students.
Immigration updates: Family detentions, travel bans, border militarization, legal migrants and citizens at risk. This week, the Trump Administration re-implemented family detentions at two facilities in South Texas, reviving a common practice from the first Trump and Obama administrations. A 10-year-old U.S. citizen recovering from brain cancer was deported with her undocumented parents last week as they headed to an emergency medical checkup in Houston. Also in Texas, FEMA has asked nonprofits to provide a list of names of migrants their organizations have housed or helped, threatening organizations with funding freezes or human trafficking charges. In Colorado, ICE has detained Jeannette Vizguerra, an undocumented activist who gained fame during the first Trump administration for remaining in sanctuary at a local church for three years to avoid deportation. As deportation numbers lag amid decreasing migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Trump Administration has begun targeting legal migrants with American spouses as well as permanent residents and tourists, risking legal and political challenges to its mass deportation agenda. A Venezuelan couple seeking asylum was detained in Washington this week despite their temporary protected status (TPS); over 200,000 Venezuelans, including ex-pats in Miami who voted for Trump, will face deportation when their TPS expires in the coming weeks. Families in New Mexico are looking for answers after 48 people were arrested during ICE raids and effectively “disappeared” with no information on their location or physical condition. As the Trump Administration spreads a wider net for immigration enforcement, advocates warn that more U.S. citizens may be caught up in ICE raids and sweeps. Immigration journalist Aura Bogado reported on Bluesky this week that a U.S. citizen in Chicago was handcuffed, thrown into a van by ICE agents and detained for 10 hours with no arrest record or explanation for why he was targeted. Among the 137 Venezuelan ‘gang members’ deported to El Salvador this week are several non-gang members arrested solely for having tattoos; including an LGBTQ+ tattoo artist who was deported without due process and is now missing. The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon sent a Navy destroyer this week to bolster security at the southern U.S. border, as Trump readies plans to create a militarized ‘buffer zone’ under Pentagon control along the border, where U.S. troops would be granted temporary authority to detain migrants. The Baltimore Banner describes the squalid, bedless conditions inside an ICE detention facility in Baltimore; and ProPublica reports on now billion-dollar ICE contractor GeoGroup pays detainees $1 a day to work at a Washington facility. A GOP-backed bill introduced into Congress this week banning Chinese nationals from studying in the United States was slammed by Chinese students as “a new Chinese Exclusion Act.” A draft document leaked to the New York Times this week lists 43 countries targeted for travel bans under the Trump Administration; and the Wall Street Journal offers warnings for green card and visa holders who leave the United States for travel. Le Monde reported this week on a French scientist denied entry into the U.S. for a conference after his phone was searched and found to contain messages critical of Trump.
Russia, Ukraine trade attacks while negotiating ceasefire with Trump Administration. Talks toward a temporary ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine progressed, then regressed this week as the Trump Administration attempted to broker deals with Putin and Zelenskyy. On Tuesday, March 18, Putin agreed in a phone call with Trump to pause attacks on Ukraine’s energy and infrastructure while negotiations for a broader ceasefire proceed. Russia and Ukraine exchanged attacks overnight before Zelenskyy’s call with Trump. On Wednesday, Trump announced a deal had been brokered with Ukraine, with Zelenskyy offering the United States ownership and control of at least one of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants. The New York Times reports that ‘beyond’ the mineral deals previously discussed with Ukraine, the Trump Administration is angling for a large economic stake in the country in exchange for support for a ceasefire. However, early in the morning of Thursday, March 20, Zelenskyy posted images on Telegram of burning buildings in Ukraine’s central Kirovohrad region showing Russia’s violation of the tentative ceasefire agreement. NBC News reported on a leaked Pentagon briefing document indicating that the Trump Administration is considering giving up the United States’ historical command role over NATO in Europe. The U.S.-European postwar alliance has fractured in recent weeks due to Trump’s relations with Russia, prompting a rearmament fever among European nations; U.S. arms manufacturers were explicitly shut out of the EU’s new defense spending plan revealed on Wednesday. Also this week, the New Republic reported that the State Department had quietly cancelled a contract tracking kidnapped Ukranian children in Russia, prompting both Democratic and Republican lawmakers in Congress to decry the foreign aid freeze.
Israel renews attacks on Gaza as Trump bombs Yemen, threatens wider conflict with Iran. Last week, Houthi-aligned Yemeni forces resumed their year-long blockade of U.S. and Israeli shipping routes in the Red Sea in response to Israel’s blocking of humanitarian aid to Gaza. On Saturday, March 15, Trump ordered a “decisive military action” against Yemen, vowing to use “overwhelming lethal force” to stop the Houthis’ disruption of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Houthis claimed that U.S. strikes over the weekend killed 53 people, including women and children, and retaliated by attacking the USS Harry Truman with missile and drone strikes on Sunday. On Tuesday, March 18, Israel unleashed a series of attacks on the Gaza Strip, shattering the ceasefire and killing more than 400 people in one of the deadliest days since hostilities began in October 2023. Late Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt revealed that the Trump Administration had co-signed the Israeli strike, celebrating the U.S.’ own strike on Yemen and declaring that “all hell will break loose” against those who oppose the United States and Israel. Gaza resident Dalia Abu Ramadan shared her terrifying eyewitness account of the Tuesday attack on Truthout. On Wednesday, March 19, Israel launched a ground incursion into Gaza, taking over a major corridor that separates the northern and southern regions of the territory. On the same day, the Unites States launched air strikes on Houthi strongholds in Yemen, and bombed the Yemeni capital of Sanaa on Wednesday night as Trump issued a warning to Iran, whom he held responsible for supporting Houthi attacks. The Wall Street Journal reports that the new Israeli offensive lacks support among the Israeli public, causing political turmoil for Netanyahu even amongst the Israeli right. Some commentators have suggested that the combined U.S.-Israeli offensives are laying the groundwork for a future offensive against Iran; on Tuesday, Ken Klippenstein reported having obtained Pentagon documents outlining a “joint staff planning effort” to prepare for a “major regional conflict” with Iran. On Thursday, March 20, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei denounced the attacks on Yemen and Gaza, saying Israeli strikes were carried out “with U.S. permission” and calling on “freedom lovers around the world” to unite against the United States and Israel. By Thursday evening, Israeli attacks killed another 100 people in Gaza as Houthi forces launched a missile at Israel.
Stopgap funding bill passed with 10 Senate Dems’ support as communities brace for Medicaid, Social Security cuts. On Friday, March 14, the Senate passed a GOP-authored stopgap spending bill to avert a government shutdown. Despite pressure from Congressional Democrats to hold the line against a bill that would “give a blank check to Elon Musk” to continue cutting government services, Sen. Chuck Schumer and nine other Senate Democrats voted to pass the bill, explaining that he feared a government shutdown would be worse. Schumer faced fierce backlash from House Democrats for his vote, as well as anger from rank-and-file Democrats who want their leaders to fight back harder against the Trump/Musk agenda. With the stopgap in place, the budget is back in Republicans’ hands as they remain split on how to extend and expand Trump’s desired tax cuts by decreasing spending elsewhere. While cutting Medicaid is universally regarded as a political ‘third rail,’ the Congressional Budget Office has determined that Congress cannot meet Trump’s budget goals without cutting at least $880 billion from Medicaid or Medicare, with massive ramifications for healthcare access for 70 million people, public health and safety, disabled people, rural hospitals, Tribal health services, reproductive care, drug treatment in areas hit hard by the opioid crisis, and other impacts that disproportionately affect Republican districts. Meanwhile, Elon Musk’s DOGE continued to attack Social Security this week with unfounded claims of fraud; a senior citizen that Musk claimed as a ‘dead person’ receiving benefits was found very much alive in Seattle after the SSA had mistakenly clawed back $5000 from his bank account. Other seniors are sharing stories of how Trump and Musk are “stealing their benefits.” DOGE moved to end phone support for Social Security this week, as new “anti-fraud” procedural changes would require millions of people to visit SSA offices in-person to claim benefits. DOGE has hired three private-equity executives to positions of leadership at the SSA, raising fears of privatization as the Atlantic contemplates Trump and Musk’s Social Security endgame.
Environmental safety, climate action on the line as Trump Administration and right-wing courts gut environmental protections and target organizations. Last week, Trump appointee Kash Patel directed the FBI to begin investigating climate groups receiving grants from the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, freezing their accounts over accusations of ‘fraud’. The EPA is set to reconsider its landmark 2009 ruling on greenhouse gas emissions’ threat to public health, potentially undermining the official legal and scientific basis for federally funded climate programs. Trump officially repealed the nation’s first greenhouse gas tax this week before it went into effect. The EPA also indicated this week that it may cut its entire scientific research arm at the Office of Research and Development. Just days after DOGE cut over 20 percent of the NOAA’s workforce, including personnel responsible for monitoring extreme weather, a deadly storm system sent tornadoes ripping across the South and Midwest, killing 40 people across seven states; reinstated workers returned to shuttered facilities this week, causing confusion as the disaster weather events unfolded. The Trump Administration also closed greenhouse gas monitoring stations at Mauna Loa Observatory this week, laying off personnel responsible for ocean monitoring as the UN issued its annual climate change report citing a record 150 ‘unprecedented’ climate disasters in 2024. Trump’s rollback on climate has sent signals to private industry; Bill Gates slashed staff and funding for climate organizations while Trump’s “energy emergency” declaration has allowed the Administration to cut pollution rules affecting hundreds of thousands of people while fast-tracking fossil fuel pipelines and promoting a return to coal production. In a significant setback for environmental and climate nonprofit organizations, Greenpeace was ordered by a North Dakota court to pay $660 million in damages to Dakota Access pipeline company Energy Transfer for allegedly “inciting” the Standing Rock pipeline protests in 2016. Some legal experts describe the case as a so-called ‘SLAPP’ (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) action aimed at silencing or bankrupting activist organizations; Greenpeace interim executive director Sushma Rahman believes the case is “part of a renewed push by corporations to weaponize our courts to silence dissent.”
Agencies brace for another round of federal government layoffs and cuts. Last week’s deadline for agencies to submit plans to DOGE for a second round of staff cuts is sowing renewed fear and confusion among federal workers. Forbes has published a summary of where layoffs are targeted across multiple agencies. Deep cuts at the National Institutes of Health are affecting the nation’s infrastructure for biomedical research at universities across the country; the University of California system announced a statewide hiring freeze this week due to reduced funding, and AP reports on how young scientists are seeing their career pathways vanish as schools reduce admissions and adapt to federal funding cuts. This week, the USDA announced a $1 billion cut to food programs, impacting school lunch programs and food banks across the country as well as critical food aid to natural disaster survivors; and axed a key food safety program which advised the USDA, FDA and CDC on “a broad range of issues related to pathogens and public health.” The Trump Administration plans to cut 20 percent of staff at the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocate Service, which helps citizens struggling with finances, identity theft and other tax issues. Cuts to Housing and Urban Development programs addressing affordable housing, homelessness, home renovation for seniors, and renter assistance threaten to exacerbate a national housing crisis that is already pushing homelessness to record levels. Last Friday, March 14, Trump signed an executive order eliminating the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the only federal agency that provides funding for libraries across the country. Amtrak’s CEO resigned this week amid planned cuts to federal public transit and transportation programs. This week, the Pentagon announced cuts of up to 60,000 workers, about a third of which plan to take voluntary buyouts. On Monday, March 17, Trump rescinded a Biden executive order requiring businesses that contract with the federal government to pay their workers a prevailing minimum wage of $17.75 an hour.
Federal workers reckon with chaotic impact of cuts as DOGE faces increased scrutiny. Among terminated workers, veterans in particular are feeling in limbo, scared, and betrayed by government cuts as they make up one-third of the federal workforce. PBS has provided 5 reasons why DOGE cuts are hitting veterans especially hard. Fired federal workers also lose eligibility for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, saddling them with student debt on top of unemployment. The Wall Street Journal reports on the collateral damage of mass layoffs and rapid cuts to government services on which millions of people rely; and the American Prospect weighs the possible deadly consequences of cuts to key federal programs. Of the 24,000 probationary employees reinstated through court order last week, several agencies have placed reinstated workers in leave status; on Tuesday, Judge William Alsup ruled that administrative leave is not sufficient compliance, ordering employees to “be placed fully back in their roles and permitted to carry out their normal duties.” A Washington Post/Ipsos poll found that even federal workers who voted for Trump feel as if they are being bullied by the administration; one worker noted that “the fear is that they are trying to make it so bad to work here so they can privatize it…just torture you until you quit.” Federal workers shared stories with the Washington Post this week about the workplace climate of fear and chaos engendered by DOGE’s incursion into agencies. GOP officials are beginning to question Musk openly, while the federal court system issued a warning that DOGE cuts to staff and infrastructure could cause “immediate and long-term effects on court operations.” Wired Magazine talks to experienced federal auditors who called DOGE’s efficiency efforts a “heist”; and reports on DOGE’s use of a misleading statistical technique previously employed at Tesla.
Deep cuts to National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service seen as precursor to privatization of public lands. Despite two court orders ordering the reinstatement of probationary employees, the Department of Interior has continued to downsize staff at the National Park Service, offering buyout plans to wildlife biologists, archaeologists and park supervisors. This week, the Trump Administration removed references to the Chuckwalla and Sáttítla National Monuments that were recently created under the Biden Administration, fueling speculation that the White House may eliminate the two monuments that protect over 800,000 acres of sacred lands for California Tribes. Public lands advocates and federal land management workers warn that DOGE cuts to the National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service – combined with the rollback of environmental regulations on federal lands and the mandates set forth in Trump’s executive orders to “Unleash American Energy” and increase timber production to offset Canadian tariffs – is setting the stage for large-scale corporate privatization of public lands. HUD Secretary Scott Turner and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum released a joint statement this week announcing plans for the two agencies to work together to identify “underutilized federal land” suitable for commercial development of ‘affordable housing’ to offset the housing crisis. On Thursday, March 20, Trump signed an executive order invoking “emergency powers” to boost U.S. energy and mineral production amid escalating trade conflict with China and Canada. The Center for American Progress notes that Trump’s plan to create a sovereign wealth fund for the United States would be dependent on substantial revenues from land sales or natural resource development. Interior Secretary Burgum, a former oil industry insider, has previously characterized public lands as “assets” on America’s “balance sheet.”
DOGE used private security, DC police to ‘forcibly’ take over independent nonprofit U.S. Institute of Peace. On Monday, March 17, DOGE personnel used an armed police and private security escort to ‘forcefully’ take over the U.S. Institute of Peace, an independent nonprofit organization founded by Congress. The previous Friday, the Trump Administration removed 11 of USIP’s board members, replacing them with an appointed official – a move staff regarded as illegal, as USIP is not a federal agency. On Tuesday, a statement from DC Metro Police indicated that they had responded to a call from the U.S. Attorney’s office informing them of a ‘disturbance’ at the USIP building, not a request for escort. On Wednesday, Talking Points Memo broke the story that DOGE had “strong-armed” USIP’s own private security contractors to ‘switch sides’ and order incumbent staff to leave. Despite the disturbing reports of DOGE’s forceful takeover, federal judge Beryl Howell denied former USIP board members’ request for a temporary injunction against DOGE citing insufficient demonstration of harm to plaintiffs, while also expressing concern over DOGE’s ‘aggressive behavior’ against USIP officials.
Tracking the Money: conflicts of interest and privatization in the Trump administration. This week, calls grew for a federal probe into Elon Musk’s probable conflicts of interest in his dealings with the Federal Aviation Administration. On Monday, March 17, Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding an investigation into the FAA’s decision to cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon, awarding it instead to Musk’s Starlink company. Also on Monday, Politico reported on the eagerness of cryptocurrency investors to “push back” on the SEC in revenge for past efforts to regulate the emerging industry. Trump’s SEC nominee Paul Atkins, who faces a Senate panel next week, is a former ‘digital assets advocate’ who is likely to “carry on the pro-crypto momentum that began after Trump returned to the White House.” One month after Trump fired the Senate-confirmed director of the Office of Government Ethics, the Administration has issued a blanket ethics waiver to David Sacks, a venture capitalist who serves as the President’s new ‘czar’ for crypto and artificial intelligence. Lever News reports this week on the ‘dark money’ titans working quietly to kill new legislation requiring financial disclosure for judicial lobbyists. Informed Citizen News reports on the disaster capitalists who benefit most from Trump and Musk cuts to FEMA, NOAA, and HUD that would cripple the government’s disaster response capabilities. The Wall Street Journal reports this week on Silicon Valley and the CIA’s heavy investments in Israeli tech startups bidding for positions in the U.S. defense market. Private prison contractor GEO Group signed a deal this week to open a 1,800-bed ICE detention facility in Michigan; CREW reported last year that the company’s PAC was the first to max out its contributions to Trump’s 2024 campaign. The two Democratic commissioners Trump fired from the Federal Trade Commission this week warned that their removal would allow the Trump Administration to ‘go easy’ on the Big Tech companies that support him. Alvaro Bedoya, one of the fired commissioners, took to X to blast his ‘illegal’ firing at the hands of Trump, claiming “this is corruption, plain and simple…the President wants the FTC to be a lapdog for his golfing buddies.” The day after the commissioners’ firing, the FTC quietly removed over 300 Biden-era business guidance posts on consumer protection and privacy issues that were critical of Amazon, Microsoft, and AI companies. Vice President JD Vance was appointed this week to lead GOP fundraising efforts as Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee for the 2026 midterms; a historic first for a sitting vice president.
MOVEMENT TRACKER
Schumer’s concession on GOP funding bill sparks anger, heated debate within Democratic Party on the will to resist. After his last-minute decision last week to vote yes on the GOP stopgap bill to avoid a government shutdown, Senator Chuck Schumer faced intense backlash from fellow Democratic lawmakers and the party base for “capitulating” to Trump, Musk and the Republicans. The day after the vote, calls for Schumer’s resignation proliferated on social media as protestors in New York chanted “Vote No or it’s Time to Go.” 66 House Democrats signed a letter expressing their “strong opposition” to Schumer’s vote, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took Schumer and other Senate Democrats to task in a rare moment of pushback that exposed a rift between House and Senate Democrats over tactics of opposition to the Trump agenda. A number of House Democrats – including, reportedly, some from the centrist wing of the party – called for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to mount a primary challenge against Schumer in the midterms. Ex-RNC chairman Michael Steele called Schumer “weak” for “waving the white flag” at Trump and the GOP. By the weekend, both House and Senate Democrats began to express a loss of faith in Schumer’s party leadership; a mood reflected by rank-and-file liberal groups in a ‘tense’ meeting with Schumer. Some Dems took to social media to try connecting with rank-and-file voters who want their party leaders to fight harder against Trump. By Tuesday, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared united in efforts to defuse tensions within the Party ranks; but rank-and-file voters kept the pressure on party leaders, from voters begging Jeffries to fight harder to grassroots groups drafting a “performance improvement plan” for Schumer. While Dems in Congress still lack agreement on a unified strategy against Trump, rank-and-file voters at Democratic townhalls have overwhelmingly pushed leaders to step up their fight against the Trump agenda.
Polls show declining support for Trump, Musk, and the Democratic Party. An average of latest polls show Trump’s approval rating averaging around 47%; according to Emerson College, it reflects a downward slide of about 2% over the 50 days Trump has been in office, mainly due to Trump’s handling of the economy. An NBC News poll also found that more voters across the political spectrum disapproved of Trump’s handling of most issues except for immigration. University of Michigan’s Consumer Sentiment Survey showed a whopping 27% plunge in consumer sentiment and economic conditions since last December; Data for Progress shows that Americans are most worried about grocery prices, healthcare costs, and housing. A Washington Post-Ipsos poll of federal workers showed that clear majorities believe Trump has hurt government operations (56%), while a supermajority (67%) disapprove of Elon Musk’s approach to federal government. However, federal workers are not willing to let go of their jobs easily; 81% of workers said they would not likely leave their jobs in the next 12 months unless the administration forces them out. About 63% of federal workers believed that the government would not honor its promises on deferred resignation agreements; and 71% are concerned that the government would not be able to function if large numbers of employees were laid off. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party’s favorability rating hit record lows on March 16th, with only 27% registering a favorable view of the party – its lowest rating since 1990. CNN commentator Harry Enten pointed to the Dems’ “despair” and lack of resolve to oppose Trump as the main factors fueling the “terrible” numbers. In a CNN survey released on March 16th, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez led the pack (10%) as the Democratic leader respondents thought best represented the party’s values, while Chuck Schumer registered at about 2% of respondents. An NBC News poll also showed a dramatic shift in Democratic voter sentiment away from bipartisanship; whereas 71% favored working with Republicans in 2017, voters now overwhelmingly (65%) want Democratic leaders to stick to their positions, even if it meant getting less done in Washington; and only 32% now support bipartisan efforts.
Tesla Takedown movement goes global. As Tesla sales plummet in the United States, Tesla owners finding difficulty offloading their cars are using anti-Musk bumper stickers to avoid stigma and hostility on the street. A Bloomberg podcast considers how Musk’s other companies are also paying a price for his politics. Tesla was also removed this week from the Vancouver Auto Show amid protests. Also this week, Tesla investor Ross Gerber begged Elon Musk to resign as CEO amid Tesla’s cratering stock price. #TeslaTakedown protests continue at dealerships and charging stations throughout the country; most stayed peaceful, although multiple cars were set on fire at a Las Vegas dealership on Tuesday. Organizers with the Tesla Takedown movement hosted a mass organizing call on Wednesday, March 19th, attended by nearly 3,000 live viewers. Speakers included grassroots organizers, authors, actor John Cusack, and federal workers who were joining the movement. The movement has called for a Global Day of Action on March 29, with over 500 protests scheduled in 17 countries and 47 states; information on local protests can be found at http://teslatakedown.com.
Bernie Sanders, Democrats hold large townhalls as Republicans face difficulties with constituents. While most Republicans have stopped holding townhalls in their home districts, those who do have been confronted by angry and anxious voters. Fast Company reports that rowdy, confrontational scenes at GOP townhalls are going viral on TikTok. In particular, scenes at Rep. Mike Flood’s disastrous townhall in Nebraska turned raucous, where he was heavily booed for expressing his support for Elon Musk and yelled at by veterans and others for his stances on Medicaid and Ukraine; at one point, the crowd of deep-red voters began chanting “Tax the Rich!” At another GOP townhall in Spokane, angry constituents raised the Canadian flag and called for Trump to be impeached; a veteran was dragged out by police after heckling his representative in North Carolina; and in Wisconsin, constituents have held street demonstrations and bombarded Rep. Derrick Van Orden’s office demanding that he face his voters. In Republicans’ absence, Democratic leaders have been holding townhalls in their districts, supported by a coalition of national Democratic committees. However, Democrats hoping to focus on GOP failures also found themselves confronted by angry constituents expressing frustration with Schumer and Democrats’ seemingly weak and unfocused resistance to the Trump-Musk agenda. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez joined Bernie Sanders on the western leg of his “Fighting Oligarchy” tour this week in Las Vegas and Tempe, Arizona, rallying thousands of people on Thursday, March 20 as they took aim at Elon Musk and encouraged people to organize and fight back.
Veterans speak out, mobilize against Trump Administration cuts to VA services. Thousands of veterans marched on Washington DC and at state capitols across the country on Friday, March 14 to protest the impact of DOGE cuts to veterans’ jobs and services. The protest was organized by an organization called “14th Now” founded by former Trump staffer Jessica Denson, who told local news that Trump was an insult to veterans, “has never known a day of sacrifice in his life” and should be removed from office. Co-organizer Cliff Cash told the assembled crowd that “this country needs to see veterans protesting against fascism, oligarchy, kleptocracy, and Project 2025… the Right needs to see it so that they will be sobered and awakened to the fact that they do not have a monopoly on patriotism or military veterans.” Satellite protests were held at VA facilities and state houses in Ohio, St. Louis, Colorado, Virginia Beach, Massachusetts, Wyoming, Olympia, Washington, New Hampshire, and more. Fired veterans with the Disabled American Veterans service organization released a report on veterans impacted by DOGE firings and cuts, with video statements calling their terminations a “betrayal of their service to the nation in uniform and the civil service.” Workers on military bases in Germany and Italy were unimpressed by Musk’s “5 Things” email request to justify their jobs, reiterating that they are union workers and have greater protections than government workers in the United States. The organization VoteVets launched a six-figure ad campaign across the United States this week, featuring the stories of GOP veterans fired by Elon Musk and urging citizens to demand that Congress act to stop DOGE. A Veterans’ Protest to End Fascism is scheduled for June 6th at the National Mall in Washington DC and at state capitols across all 50 states.
Action and support for federal workers. In contrast to previous years, federal unions said last week that they would have supported a government shutdown to stop the GOP budget bill, even if it meant they would temporarily go without pay. Postal workers rallied in several cities throughout the country on Thursday, March 20 to protest planned cuts and privatization of the U.S. Postal Service; postal workers and other federal employees spoke to the Public News Service to share their stories. On Monday, March 17, unions protested federal workforce cuts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center; and federal workers rallied in San Francisco against DOGE’s “Power Grab.” Fired federal workers are being offered job opportunities from several state governments; Georgetown University is offering tuition assistance and career services for fired federal workers; and the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund is offering no-interest short-term loans to help fired workers make ends meet and navigate the job market. The social platform Reddit has become a vital online space for federal workers to comfort each other as well as share information and support.
Grassroots organizing for community defense. On the heels of Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s testimony to Congress defending the city’s immigrant sanctuary policies, the Boston city council voted 12-1 last Friday for a resolution making Boston also a sanctuary city for transgender people. The resolution “codifies LGBTQ+ protection at the local level” and the city will not enact anti-LGBTQ+ policies nor comply with federal demands to do so. Neighbors in the majority-Black town of Lincoln Heights, Ohio have organized an armed protection group after Neo-Nazis rallied on an overpass just north of the city in February, waving swastika flags and shouting racial slurs. Residents indicated their belief that the police response to the neo-Nazis was insufficient to protect the community, prompting neighbors to organize themselves for self defense. The New Yorker reports on the underground network of librarians and guerrilla archivists working on recovering and saving vital data and resources being deleted from government websites.
Other community defense resources and events include:The People’s Assembly of Detroit is holding a workshop for community safety and best practices for ICE social media reporting in person and online on Sunday, March 23.
The LGBTQ+ organization Right to Be is holding a series of free online trainings on bystander intervention, conflict de-escalation and other tools to protect LGBTQ+ people and respond meaningfully to harassment incidents.
The abolitionist organization Interrupting Criminalization is holding an online talk on “Transformative Justice under Authoritarianism,” sharing lessons learned from organizing under authoritarian regimes in Argentina.
The Alliance for Educational Justice has released an online Protecting Immigrant Students Action Kit for defending immigrants from ICE in schools.
The organization Moms Rising Together has released a podcast discussing how to “Trump-proof” communities at the local and state level.
The American Federation of Teachers is hosting an online town hall on Monday, March 24 on the current measles outbreak featuring public health expert Dr. Vin Gupta, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, and AFT president Randi Weingarten in discussion on the potential impact on school communities and how public employees can keep their communities safe.
Upcoming Protests & Events
The National Association of Letter Carriers is holding a nationwide Day of Action on Sunday, March 23rd to say “Hell No!” and “fight like hell” against DOGE’s dismantling of the Post Office. Interested members of the public can click on the interactive map at this link to find a local protest.
The 50501 Movement is holding another nationwide Day of Action for “People’s Veto Day” on April 5th to “Remove” corrupt politicians from office, “Reverse” the damage, and “Reclaim” democracy. A map/list of local actions as well as an organizer’s toolkit and support resources are available on the 50501 website.
The group MayDay Movement USA is calling for an Occupy-style continuous sit-in protest on the National Mall in Washington DC starting on May 1, 2025. More information and resources can be found at https://linktr.ee/maydayprotest.
Lawsuit Updates
Concerned parents working with disability rights group Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates filed a lawsuit on Friday, March 14 to stop Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon from eliminating the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education. The suit argues that decimating the DOE will leave no recourse for schools to address discrimination claims, thereby violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 5th Amendment.
A federal judge denied the City of Baltimore’s request to temporarily halt the Trump Administration’s effort to defund the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau last Friday, March 14.
On Tuesday, March 18, a federal judge blocked the EPA from terminating federal grants for climate programs held by Citibank, citing the Trump Administration’s failure to abide by legal procedures and failure to produce evidence of ‘fraud’ that would justify the fund’s closure.
On Tuesday, a federal judge ordered the Department of Education to restore up to $600 million in federal grants to schools that were terminated as part of the Trump Administration’s DEI purge.
On Wednesday, March 19, U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman threw out the Trump Administration’s bid to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the arrest and detention of pro-Palestine activists Mahmoud Khalil, transferring the case to a federal court in New Jersey and extending the order explicitly barring Khalil from being deported. Khalil is challenging the legality of his arrest by ICE agents, claiming that the agents did not properly identify themselves or show a warrant.
On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the Federal Bureau of Prisons to transfer two transgender women inmates back to federal women’s prisons after they had been sent to a men’s prison per Trump’s anti-trans executive order.
On Monday, March 17, several transgender inmates and the ACLU filed a class-action lawsuit against the Trump Administration’s new policies banning gender-affirming healthcare in the prison system. The ACLU asked a federal judge to issue a temporary injunction allowing trans inmates to continue receiving gender-affirming care while the litigation is in process.
The Legal Defense Fund and Lambda Legal has filed suit against the Trump Administration on behalf of nonprofit advocacy organizations challenging Trump’s anti-DEI and anti-transgender executive orders. The suit claims that the executive orders’ termination of equity funding, as well as prohibitions on recognizing the existence of transgender people, would severely inhibit the ability of organizations to serve their target communities.
