News From Nancy 6/13/2025

Help Democrats Take Back The House!

Dear Friends,

Sadly, we are repeatedly seeing law abiding, multi-status families being detained and traumatized in our communities, despite the Administration’s insistence that federal authorities would prioritize the deportation of violent criminals. In San Francisco, throughout California and across our nation, communities and congregations are rising in peace, nonviolence and unity to demand justice, due process and dignity for all — including our immigrant families.

When Trump incited thousands of violent insurrections to storm the Capitol and assault the brave officers who defend it on January 6th, 2021, he refused to send the National Guard after he was asked multiple times — and he even pardoned those violent insurrectionists as one of his very first acts in his second term.

Now, he has unlawfully deployed the National Guard and active duty troops in California over the objection of our Governor and is threatening to repeat this abuse of power in other states to create chaos and escalate tensions as pretext for his authoritarian ideations.

On Thursday, our great Senator from California, Alex Padilla, attended a Department of Homeland Security press conference in the same federal building that houses his Los Angeles office. As the Secretary of Homeland Security spoke, Senator Padilla attempted to ask a question about the ICE raids targeting nonviolent Californians. For that, he was roughed up, pushed out, knocked down and handcuffed. Make no mistake — this outrageous attack on a sitting U.S. Senator was an attack on every American’s right of free speech.

Under the leadership of Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, our mighty California Congressional Delegation that includes 43 Democrats out of our state’s 52 House members was joined by Senator Adam Schiff on the steps of the Capitol in protest of the Administration’s shocking and unprecedented actions against Sen. Padilla. The abuses of power that placed the National Guard and active duty troops on the streets of Los Angeles and the uncalled-for aggression against a sitting Senator performing his duty of oversight crossed a threshold this week, leaving no doubt that Trump and his Administration are intent on intimidating the American people into silence and destroying our Democracy.

The Administration’s actions are the hallmark of authoritarianism on the road to tyranny — straight out of the pages of Project 2025. Trump is pretending to care about safety and is attempting to use our military as his personal henchmen to exact his revenge and ensure that his radical agenda is implemented by any means. This country was founded on the guiding principle of government Of the People, By the People and For the People — never to be in service of a King. There are No Kings in America. Trump and his Administration must de-escalate and follow our laws and honor our Constitution.

We are a nation of immigrants and we honor peaceful protest in support of our families, communities and values. We call for a humane approach to immigration, for the sanctity of our sacred spaces, our homes and schools and for respecting the dignity of all human beings. 

On Thursday, we also marked 9 years since 49 vibrant souls were gunned down at the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. As we mourn them still and embrace their loved ones and survivors, Democrats recommit to disarming hate and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community. We must ban assault weapons and stop LGBTQ+ hate by federal law with our Democratic-House passed Equality Act.

At this very challenging time for our country and the world — with our health care, our safety net, our freedoms and our democratic norms and institutions at risk — it is vital that we uplift and support Democratic leaders at every level of government who are meeting the moment and defending our shared values. I am proud of my Democratic colleagues in the House and Senate and our elected leaders in California who are speaking truth in service of their constituents and of all Americans.

It also gives me great pride to support candidates like my outstanding colleague, Congresswoman Julie Johnson, the first out LGBTQ+ member elected in the South, and the twelve outstanding women who make up the Illinois Women’s Institute of Leadership Training Academy Class of 2025. What we are talking about here is courage — to put yourself out there and to take a stand for your communities, constituents and values.

In this moment, it is vitally important that we continue to raise our voices, not only in peaceful protest, but to remind the American people to not be distracted. The Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans are still working to take away our health care and do harm to America’s working families. As we push back on the Administration’s abuses of power, we must also remain focused on defeating the Republicans’ Big, Ugly Bill.

Thank you to our amazing Volunteers in Politics for your voices, your calls and your continued commitment to Save Our Health Care. To those who haven’t yet had the opportunity to join our phone banks, you can sign up at SaveOurHealthCare.org to make calls to the constituents of Republican Representatives and Senators to help them demand that their members of Congress say NO to the deadly Medicaid cuts in the Republicans’ cruel budget.

Guided by our love for our country and for our communities, let us remember that our diversity is our strength, that our unity is our power and that nonviolence is the way. In the words of St. Francis, our patron saint in my city of San Francisco, let us all be "instruments of peace" as we fight for our people, for our values and for our Democracy.

May God bless you and your loved ones and may God bless America.

NANCY