Public Policy & NGOs
Here's a look at documents from public policy and non-governmental organizations
Featured Stories
Youth-Led Coalition Urges Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: Fight for Us or Step Aside
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- The Sunrise Movement issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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Youth-Led Coalition Urges Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: Fight for Us or Step Aside
Washington, D.C. - Today, a coalition of youth-led organizations -- Sunrise Movement, alongside College Democrats of America, Gen Z Against Trump, Voters of Tomorrow and United We Dream -- released an open letter calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to fight for our generation or step aside for someone who will. The signatories called out the Democratic leadership's failure to stand up to
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- The Sunrise Movement issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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Youth-Led Coalition Urges Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: Fight for Us or Step Aside
Washington, D.C. - Today, a coalition of youth-led organizations -- Sunrise Movement, alongside College Democrats of America, Gen Z Against Trump, Voters of Tomorrow and United We Dream -- released an open letter calling on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to fight for our generation or step aside for someone who will. The signatories called out the Democratic leadership's failure to stand up toDonald Trump's agenda and demanded bold action to fight for the future of young Americans.
The letter comes in response to Schumer and nine other Senate Democrats' recent support for the Republican-led budget bill that prioritized tax cuts for billionaires while enabling Donald Trump and Elon Musk's plans to gut critical investments in healthcare, education, attack immigrants and trans people, and dismantle climate action.
"Chuck Schumer's cowardice is inexcusable. Donald Trump and Elon Musk are hurtling our country toward disaster while young people are watching their future go up in flames," said Aru Siney-Ajay, Executive Director of Sunrise Movement. "Today, Donald Trump is announcing plans to dismantle the Department of Education while Chuck Schumer sits on the sidelines. His failure to act is a betrayal, and he has no business leading if he won't fight for our future".
"We demand that Democrats stand up for their values and push back against Republican extremism -- not enable it. This is a reckoning for a new generation of Democratic Leadership, said Sohali Vaddula, Vice President of College Democrats of America.
"As young people, the stakes for our future couldn't be higher," said Jackson Hurley, Senior Director for Strategy and Outreach at Voters Of Tomorrow. "We already feel like the deck is stacked against us. Trump and Elon are attacking public education, the climate, and our democracy, all for the sake of lining their pockets. And Democratic Senate leadership is not doing nearly enough to stop them. We've had enough. We are organizing and mobilizing to fight for the future we deserve, but we can't win alone. It's past time for leaders to take a stand and fight for our futures".
The full letter can be read here.
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TO: Minority Leader Schumer
FROM: Undersigned youth organizations
Gen Z to Schumer: Fight for Us or Step Aside
Dear Minority Leader Schumer,
Young people have undeniable political power. We helped put Democrats in power in 2020 and 2022, and yet, time and time again, we watch you squander the responsibility we hand to you to deliver for our generation. The past election was a warning: while a majority of Gen Z voters still supported Democrats, some shifted right, and some stayed home.
Chuck Schumer, your leadership is failing to meet the moment. Your decision -- along with nine other Senate Democrats -- to cave and support the MAGA budget bill is just the latest example of how you and other Democratic leaders are driving young people away from the Democratic Party. Instead of taking a stand against Trump's illegal actions to gut our healthcare, dismantle public education, attack immigrants and trans people, and tear up climate action, you supported a budget that gave tax cuts to Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and their billionaire buddies. You sided against us.
If Democrats want our support, you must fight like our future depends on it--because it does. That means:
* Prove you're on our side. Stand beside us at protests, meet with our communities, and use your platform to elevate our fight. Words aren't enough -- your actions must prove your commitment.
* Obstruct the MAGA agenda with every tool you have. Use every tool available--filibusters, procedural delays, and strategic disruptions. If Republicans want to destroy our future, make them feel the consequences of their actions.
* Give us something to vote for. You won't beat Republicans by becoming them. We need bold, transformative policies that inspire hope, not just fear. Unfortunately, last week wasn't the only recent example of Democrats attempting to pander to the right. Democrats must not scapegoat immigrants and trans youth instead of fighting for a better future for all of us. Our government should empower people, not single them out for political gain.
Gen Z voters want leaders with a backbone who will stand up to billionaires and fight for working people. But it's not just us. You have lost the trust of millions of voters and many of your colleagues in Congress. Only 10% of voters think Democrats have a real plan to take on Trump, and public approval of the Democratic Party is at an all-time low.
If you want our support, it's time to get bolder, get louder, or make way for leadership who will. If you don't get this right, we are ready to take the reins of this party ourselves to shape it into a force that can fight for working people and defeat growing authoritarian power.
If Democrats don't change course now, you will cede even more young and working-class voters in 2026, 2028, and beyond. That would have devastating consequences, not just in 2026 but for generations to come.
Democrats, this is your wake-up call. If you refuse to fight for our future, we will find leaders who will. The choice is yours.
Sincerely,
Sunrise Movement
College Democrats of America
Gen Z Against Trump
United We Dream Action
Voters of Tomorrow
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Original text here: https://us7.campaign-archive.com/?u=03c6bd2c940b3a70bc44f0b69&id=50c9b1efec
[Category: Political]
US Academic Alliance for the IPCC Opens Critical Nomination Access
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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New US Academic Alliance for the IPCC opens critical nomination access
WASHINGTON -- The American Geophysical Union and the U.S. Academic Alliance for the IPCC today open calls for U.S. researchers to self-nominate as experts, authors and review editors for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Seventh Assessment Report through a new application portal. The IPCC nomination period opened in early March and will close in mid-April.
USAA-IPCC is a newly established network
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- The American Geophysical Union issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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New US Academic Alliance for the IPCC opens critical nomination access
WASHINGTON -- The American Geophysical Union and the U.S. Academic Alliance for the IPCC today open calls for U.S. researchers to self-nominate as experts, authors and review editors for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Seventh Assessment Report through a new application portal. The IPCC nomination period opened in early March and will close in mid-April.
USAA-IPCC is a newly established networkof U.S. academic institutions registered as observers with the IPCC. Both observer organizations and governments may nominate experts for roles in IPCC reports. The IPCC Bureau reviews nominations and makes final selections.
"Science is an enterprise powered by people," said AGU President Brandon Jones. "AGU is honored to be part of a community dedicated to giving a voice and platform to those who have devoted their work toward building understanding and creating solutions for our planet."
AGU, the world's largest association of Earth and space scientists, hosts the alliance. The founding members are Colby College, College of the Atlantic, Dickinson College, Indiana University, Princeton University, Rutgers University, Washington University in St. Louis, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Yale University, and University of California, San Diego.
USAA-IPCC aims to increase awareness of authorship calls and facilitate nomination opportunities for experts in climate research and practice working in the United States. Since 1990, IPCC reports have assessed the latest developments in climate science, integrating physical science, impacts and adaptation, and mitigation. The effort forms the basis for global climate action and involves hundreds of volunteer scientists from around the world.
The IPCC issued a call for nominations for coordinating lead authors, lead authors and review editors for working groups I, II, and III of the Seventh Assessment Report and experts for the IPCC Task Group on Data Support for Climate Change Assessments starting 7 March 2025.
USAA-IPCC encourages experts in climate research and practice who are U.S. citizens or based at U.S. institutions, and are interested in being nominated, to submit applications to USAA-IPCC. Experts may be nominated by multiple organizations, and eligible individuals are also encouraged to submit nomination materials through the U.S. government process. USAA-IPCC will accept submissions through 4 April 2025.
AGU (www.agu.org) is a global community supporting more than half a million advocates and professionals in Earth and space sciences. Through broad and inclusive partnerships, AGU aims to advance discovery and solution science that accelerates knowledge and create solutions that are ethical, unbiased and respectful of communities and their values. Our programs include serving as a scholarly publisher, convening virtual and in-person events and providing career support. We live our values in everything we do, such as our net zero energy renovated building in Washington, D.C. and our Ethics and Equity Center, which fosters a diverse and inclusive geoscience community to ensure responsible conduct.
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Original text here: https://news.agu.org/press-release/usaa-ipcc-opens-nominations-seventh-assessment/
[Category: Science]
NYC Democracy Diminished With Our City Our Vote Court Ruling
NEW YORK, March 22 -- LatinoJustice PRLDEF issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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NYC Democracy Diminished with Our City Our Vote Court Ruling
Today, the New York Court of Appeals erroneously upheld a ruling declaring New York City's Local Law 11 unconstitutional. This law had expanded voting rights in municipal elections to roughly one million immigrant New Yorkers with legal permanent residency or work authorization, when it was passed in December 2021 and enacted in January 2022.
The implementation of Local Law 11 was immediately delayed due to a court challenge brought
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 22 -- LatinoJustice PRLDEF issued the following news release on March 20, 2025:
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NYC Democracy Diminished with Our City Our Vote Court Ruling
Today, the New York Court of Appeals erroneously upheld a ruling declaring New York City's Local Law 11 unconstitutional. This law had expanded voting rights in municipal elections to roughly one million immigrant New Yorkers with legal permanent residency or work authorization, when it was passed in December 2021 and enacted in January 2022.
The implementation of Local Law 11 was immediately delayed due to a court challenge broughtby a group of New York Republican voters, officials, and members of the New York Republican State Committee and the Republican National Committee.
"New York City needs more democracy, not less. This year is the sixtieth anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but instead of building on its protections, we have only seen a consistent diminishing of voting rights across the country. Expanding voting rights strengthens our communities, and improves our school, housing, and public services. The nearly one million New Yorkers who won the right to vote in municipal elections with Local Law 11 pay taxes, own businesses, work essential jobs and contribute to their communities.
"Today's decision by the New York Court of Appeals to strike down Local Law 11 is a devastating setback for voting rights, and disenfranchises the communities that help keep New York City running. We strongly disagree with the court's decision, which undermines the very principles of inclusion that make our democracy strong. Denying New Yorkers with legal permanent residency or work authorization the right to vote in local elections is a grave injustice, stripping them of the ability to influence the policies that govern their daily lives.
"While the decision to overturn Local Law 11 is upsetting, it will not deter us. We remain steadfast in our commitment to fighting for a more inclusive democracy, where all New Yorkers can have a voice in their local communities," said Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO, New York Immigration Coalition.
"The New York Court of Appeals' ruling denying over a million New Yorkers the right to have a say in decisions about their everyday lives through municipal voting is a terrible setback for our immigrant communities who contribute so much to the wellbeing of the city," said Cesar Ruiz, Associate Counsel, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, who represented seven individual intervenors who would have been eligible to vote had Local Law 11 gone into effect. "Sadly, this decision aligns with the desires of those in this country who at this moment are persecuting immigrants and want to erase their influence and presence in our society and reinforces systemic barriers that actively strip immigrants of opportunities for representation, protection, and inclusion. This ruling further deepens inequalities and sets a dangerous precedent that undermines New York's legacy as a place that values diversity and equal access to justice. LatinoJustice PRLDEF will not stand idly by as our communities are disenfranchised and we will continue to fight for policies that protect and uplift all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status."
"For more than a decade, United Neighborhood Houses has fought alongside partners to expand democracy by allowing more New Yorkers to vote in local elections," said Susan Stamler, Executive Director, United Neighborhood Houses. "Today's Court of Appeals ruling striking down municipal voting rights for legal permanent residents and green card holders is devastating. It means tax-paying New York City residents will have fewer options to shape the City they have chosen to call home. Still, UNH will continue to support all New Yorkers, including immigrant New Yorkers, to engage in civic life, knowing that our voices are as important today--or more so--than they have ever been."
Background:
In December 2021, the New York City Council passed Local Law 11 (known as Our City, Our Vote), which allows New York City residents who are otherwise qualified to register under New York State election law, to vote in municipal elections. It was enacted by the New York City Mayor in December 2022. Prior to the bill's passage, nearly one million New York City residents could not vote in local elections due to their citizenship status, despite paying taxes and being invested in and contributing to the city.
In January 2022, a group of New York Republican voters, New York Republican officials, and members of the New York Republican State Committee and the Republican National Committee, filed a legal challenge seeking to subvert the will of the New York City Council and newly enfranchised New Yorkers. Prior to pushing for its passage, the New York Immigration Coalition, assisted by a pro-bono legal team, conducted a rigorous legal review of Intro 1867/Local Law 11 and found that the bill did not violate New York State's electoral laws or its constitution.
In February 2024, the NYS Supreme Court Appellate Division, Second Department, ruled in favor of the Republicans, calling the law unconstitutional. One member of the four-judge panel issued a dissenting opinion on the decision. In March 2024, the New York City Council, and lawyers with LatinoJustice PRLDEF representing the interveners appealed that decision.
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Original text and links presented by source here: https://www.latinojustice.org/en/press/nyc-democracy-diminished-our-city-our-vote-court-ruling
[Category: Law/Legal]
NEW MEXICANS DIE WHILE SENATORS FAIL TO PASS GUN SAFETY BILL: Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Urge Legislature to Stay in Santa Fe and Ban Assault Weapons After Mass Shooting in Las Cruces
NEW YORK, March 22 [Category: Sociological] -- Everytown for Gun Safety posted the following news release:
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NEW MEXICANS DIE WHILE SENATORS FAIL TO PASS GUN SAFETY BILL: Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Urge Legislature to Stay in Santa Fe and Ban Assault Weapons After Mass Shooting in Las Cruces
SANTA FE, N.M -- Today, Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots network, the New Mexico chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, issued the following statements after gunfire broke out in Las Cruces' Young Park, killing three people and wounding 15
... Show Full Article
NEW YORK, March 22 [Category: Sociological] -- Everytown for Gun Safety posted the following news release:
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NEW MEXICANS DIE WHILE SENATORS FAIL TO PASS GUN SAFETY BILL: Everytown, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Urge Legislature to Stay in Santa Fe and Ban Assault Weapons After Mass Shooting in Las Cruces
SANTA FE, N.M -- Today, Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots network, the New Mexico chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, issued the following statements after gunfire broke out in Las Cruces' Young Park, killing three people and wounding 15more. The shooting came as state lawmakers adjourned the legislative session without passing SB 279, legislation that would have banned assault weapons in the state. Following reports of the shooting, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham called on lawmakers to take legislative action to tackle gun violence, denouncing their inaction as "appalling and unacceptable."
"I grew up in Las Cruces - I know the park, the neighborhood and some of the victims that were there - this shooting is personal," said Leighanne Munoz, a New Mexico Students Demand Action volunteer and National Organizing Board Member. "Lawmakers in the Roundhouse chose to play politics with our safety - and today we have been reminded how inaction is a death sentence. My senator, Joseph Cervantes, blocked legislation to ban assault weapons and after last night, it's time he asked himself if he plans to turn a blind eye while his constituents die or if he'll actually do what he was elected to do and vote for gun safety."
"Once again, New Mexicans have been confronted with the grief and anguish from gun violence when lawmakers turn their backs on their communities," said Cheryl Haase, a volunteer leader with the New Mexico chapter of Moms Demand Action. "This session, lawmakers did nothing but wait for the next tragedy - refusing to even take a vote on the bill that would have banned weapons of war from our streets. Lawmakers, including Senators Wirth, Munoz and Cervantes, need to get back to the Roundhouse and pass legislation to ban assault weapons instead of doing the gun lobby's bidding."
The shooting came hours after lawmakers adjourned the legislative session refusing to take a vote on SB 279 - legislation that would have banned assault weapons in New Mexico. Here's the list of Democratic lawmakers who blocked SB 279:
* Senator Peter Wirth, as Majority Floor Leader, orchestrated a systematic stalling of SB 279 to run the clock on legislation to ban assault weapons.
* Senator Joseph Cervantes, represents a bordering district of last night's mass shooting and is the only Democrat on record to vote against the assault weapons ban this session. Earlier this month, Students Demand Action wrote to Senator Cervantes urging his support as Judiciary Chair. He did not respond.
* Senator George Munoz, as chair of the Finance Committee, questioned the constitutionality of an assault weapons ban, ignoring that 10 other states already ban these deadly weapons. Senator Munoz refused to hear SB 279.
A January poll from Everytown for Gun Safety found New Mexicans overwhelmingly support gun safety and the need for urgent action with 81% of respondents thinking that gun violence prevention should be a priority for lawmakers this legislative session. Sixty-eight percent of respondents signaled support for a ban on assault weapons including half of gun owners.
The rate of gun deaths has increased 59% from 2014 to 2023 in New Mexico, compared to a 34% increase nationwide. In an average year, 526 people die by guns. With a rate of 25.2 deaths per 100,000 people, New Mexico has the 3rd-highest rate of gun deaths in the US. More information about gun violence in New Mexico is available here.
To speak with a New Mexico Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action volunteer, please reach out to press@everytown.org.
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Original text here: https://www.everytown.org/press/new-mexicans-die-while-senators-fail-to-pass-gun-safety-bill-everytown-moms-demand-action-and-students-demand-action-urge-legislature-to-stay-in-santa-fe-and-ban-assault-weapons-after-mass-shooting/
How Scientists Uncovered Memory's Hidden Architecture
LA JOLLA, California, March 22 -- The Scripps Research Institute issued the following news:
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How scientists uncovered memory's hidden architecture
New structural hallmarks of memory storage discovered by Scripps Research could lead to treatments for memory loss.
LA JOLLA, CA--Using cutting-edge genetic tools, 3D electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence, Scripps Research scientists and colleagues have uncovered key structural hallmarks of long-term memory, called an engram. Their study, published in Science on March 20, 2025, paves the way for future advances in treating memory
... Show Full Article
LA JOLLA, California, March 22 -- The Scripps Research Institute issued the following news:
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How scientists uncovered memory's hidden architecture
New structural hallmarks of memory storage discovered by Scripps Research could lead to treatments for memory loss.
LA JOLLA, CA--Using cutting-edge genetic tools, 3D electron microscopy, and artificial intelligence, Scripps Research scientists and colleagues have uncovered key structural hallmarks of long-term memory, called an engram. Their study, published in Science on March 20, 2025, paves the way for future advances in treating memoryloss and other cognitive impairments associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
"Our work leverages recent technological developments across multiple fields," says Marco Uytiepo, a Scripps Research graduate student and the study's lead author. "We used high-resolution 3D imaging to reveal the intricate architecture of brain circuits that store memory traces with unprecedented detail. Since analyzing these images with conventional computer programs could take years, we relied heavily on AI algorithms to accelerate data processing by several orders of magnitude."
Uytiepo and his colleagues focused on the hippocampus, a brain region crucial for learning and memory in both animals and humans. They used mouse models to label and identify neurons activated during a specific learning task and, at nanometer-scale resolution, then reconstructed their synaptic connections (the junctions where neurons communicate).
"We hoped to uncover something interesting since no similar approaches had been implemented before," says Anton Maximov, professor of neuroscience and the study's senior author. "What we did not expect was that our findings would challenge two long-standing dogmas."
At neuronal synapses, chemical signals are typically transmitted from a single nerve terminal--a swollen region of an axon filled with vesicles that secrete these signals--to a single postsynaptic site on the dendrite of a receiving cell. Many previous studies (using lower-resolution optical imaging methods) have suggested that learning requires a bulk increase in synapse number. However, Maximov's team found that this is not always the case--the total number and arrangement of isolated synapses remained unchanged after memory formation. Instead, neurons allocated to an engram expanded their connectivity through multi-synaptic boutons (MSBs)--specialized axonal terminals that simultaneously signal to up to six different dendrites rather than just one. These MSBs were not only more abundant along the axons of activated neurons but also structurally more complex.
Secondly, Maximov's team discovered that engram neurons in adjacent hippocampal regions do not preferentially connect with each other, counter to what is widely believed in the field. Instead, the expansion of their network through MSBs resulted in the recruitment of other neurons that were not engaged during learning. Moreover, the researchers found that engram neurons exhibited fine-scale alterations in the architecture of their individual synapses, including changes in intracellular organelles such as mitochondria and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. Additionally, these neurons displayed enhanced interactions with astrocytes--glial cells that regulate synaptic function and provide metabolic support.
Researchers now aim to determine whether similar mechanisms operate in other brain circuits and whether their dysfunction contributes to memory loss. Furthermore, MSBs have emerged as promising therapeutic targets.
"We are excited about the possibility of targeting MSBs with drugs to develop new and effective treatments for memory disorders," says Maximov. "However, achieving this goal will require designing new tools to dissect the molecular composition of MSBs, which remains entirely unexplored. We are already making progress in this direction, but much work still lies ahead."
As part of this effort, the researchers are also continuing to refine their AI pipelines to improve the efficiency and accuracy of analyzing large-scale imaging data.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research (NCMIR) at UC San Diego, directed by Distinguished Professor of Neurosciences Mark H. Ellisman. As an NIH BRAIN Initiative National Resource for Technology Integration and Dissemination, NCMIR provides cutting-edge imaging tools that advance neuroscience research.
"We feel incredibly fortunate to have joined forces with Mark and his team," says Maximov. "Their deep knowledge, technical expertise, and access to state-of-the-art microscopes were instrumental to our success."
This work was supported by funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and The Brain Research Through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies(R) Initiative, or The BRAIN Initiative(R).
In addition to Uytiepo, Ellisman and Maximov, authors of the study, "Synaptic architecture of a memory engram in the mouse hippocampus," include Yongchuan Zhu, Katherine Chou, Filip Souza Polli, Elise Zhao, Danielle Luu, Lyanne Chang, Dong Yang, Tsz Ching Ma, Mingi Kim, Yuting Zhang, Grant Walton, Tom Quach, Luca Patapoutian, Arya Shahbazi, Yuxuan Zhang, Elizabeth Beutter, Weiheng Zhang, Brian Dong, Aureliano Khoury, Alton Gu, Elle McCue and Lisa Stowers of Scripps; and Eric Bushong, Keun-Young Kim and Matthias Haberl of UCSD.
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Original text here: https://www.scripps.edu/news-and-events/press-room/2025/20250321-maximov-memory-architecture.html
[Category: Environment]
Defending Rights & Dissent: Abduction of Badar Khan Suli is "An Egregious Abuse Of Immigration Law To Undermine The First Amendment"
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- Defending Rights and Dissent issued the following news:
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The Abduction of Badar Khan Suli is "an egregious abuse of immigration law to undermine the First Amendment"
The Trump administration has delivered another blow to the First Amendment, seizing and detaining Georgetown postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suli. Suli, a citizen of India, is in the US legally on a student visa. But that didn't stop masked DHS agents from abducting him on March 17 from his home in Virginia and immediately transporting him to Louisiana. On Saturday, March 15, Secretary of State Rubio
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 22 -- Defending Rights and Dissent issued the following news:
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The Abduction of Badar Khan Suli is "an egregious abuse of immigration law to undermine the First Amendment"
The Trump administration has delivered another blow to the First Amendment, seizing and detaining Georgetown postdoctoral fellow Badar Khan Suli. Suli, a citizen of India, is in the US legally on a student visa. But that didn't stop masked DHS agents from abducting him on March 17 from his home in Virginia and immediately transporting him to Louisiana. On Saturday, March 15, Secretary of State Rubiorevoked Suli's visa and ordered him deported, on the same grounds that led to Mahmoud Khalil's detention: that their presence in the U.S. threatens U.S. foreign policy.
"We condemn the abduction of Badar Khan Suli, and Secretary Rubio's egregious abuse of immigration law to undermine the First Amendment and enforce political conformity," said Defending Rights & Dissent Executive Director, Sue Udry. "The long and ugly history of political policing in the United States follows a pattern: the first targets are almost always immigrants, and then the dragnet widens. We call on all members of Congress to speak out against this abuse, and join us in demanding Suli's release and restoration of his visa immediately."
Suli has done nothing illegal, but he is married to a U.S. citizen of Palestinian heritage whose father is a former Deputy of the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs . On social media, a DHS spokeswoman responded to the breaking news of Badar's detention claiming - without evidence - that Suri was "actively spreading Hamas propaganda and promoting antisemitism on social media." She also claimed he has "close connections to a known or suspected terrorist," but did not elaborate.
Defending Rights & Dissent
Defending Rights & Dissent is guided by the Bill of Rights, which was adopted to limit the power of the state over individuals and to preserve basic human and individual rights for every person under U.S. jurisdiction or control, even in times of war or other national crises, and regardless of who holds elected power. In 2015, the Bill of Rights Defense Committee and the Defending Dissent Foundation agreed to merge to place both organizations and their respective supporters in an even stronger position to help restore constitutional rights eroded by executive agencies.
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Original text here: https://www.rightsanddissent.org/news/the-abduction-of-badar-khan-suli-is-an-egregious-abuse-of-immigration-law-to-undermine-the-first-amendment/
[Category: Political]
CITIZENS COMMITTEE FOR THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS TO DEMS WANTING KASH PATEL REMOVED AS ATF DIRECTOR: POUND SAND
BELLEVUE, Washington, March 22 -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued the following news release:
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CCRKBA TO DEMS WANTING KASH PATEL REMOVED AS ATF DIRECTOR: POUND SAND
BELLEVUE, WA - Reacting to a call by 14 perennially anti-gun House Democrats that President Donald Trump remove Kash Patel as acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms suggested the group "pound sand."
In their March 3 letter, these Democrats asserted that since Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer
... Show Full Article
BELLEVUE, Washington, March 22 -- The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms issued the following news release:
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CCRKBA TO DEMS WANTING KASH PATEL REMOVED AS ATF DIRECTOR: POUND SAND
BELLEVUE, WA - Reacting to a call by 14 perennially anti-gun House Democrats that President Donald Trump remove Kash Patel as acting head of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms suggested the group "pound sand."
In their March 3 letter, these Democrats asserted that since Congress passed the Bipartisan SaferCommunities Act in June 2022 under the Biden administration, "violent crime hit an almost 50-year low, and we've seen the single largest homicide rate drop in recent history."
"Apparently," said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, "everybody who signed that letter slept through last year's stunning revelation that the FBI's initial report of a 1.7 percent decrease in violent crime from 2021 to 2022 was quietly adjusted to show a 4.5 percent increase. House Oversight Chair James Comer launched a probe of this revision last October.
"Maybe these Democrats are concerned that Patel will investigate possible abuses the agency allegedly committed during the Biden years," Gottlieb added. "While they complain how 'it is unconscionable that someone without experience fighting crime, responding to mass shootings or confronting domestic terrorism has been named as ATF's Acting Director,' under Patel's leadership at FBI, the agency has just caught its third 'Most Wanted' fugitive since President Trump took office.
"Capitol Hill Democrats are delighted to have an ATF which gets mixed up in colossal debacles like 'Operation Fast and Furious,'" he continued, "or cancelling federal firearms licenses because a small dealer might make a technical paperwork error. Yet, where have these Democrats been when their colleagues have championed legislation making it tougher for law-abiding citizens to exercise their full rights under the Second Amendment? Where were they when Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were advocating for gun bans and restrictions on the rights of young adults? They were right there pushing for and cheering such infringements.
"As for Patel's qualifications," Gottlieb noted, "he has held various positions within the Justice Department, and they know it. Democrats want someone at ATF who will 'faithfully administer laws that keep Americans safe.' We expect Patel to do exactly that. We're wondering if that's what really concerns the people who signed the letter."
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Original text here: https://ccrkba.org/2025/03/20/ccrkba-to-dems-wanting-kash-patel-removed-as-atf-director-pound-sand/
[Category: Political]
