đ˘ Power to the People News | December 26, 2025
Power to the People News â December 26, 2025. Democracy is on the line. Get informed and take action today.
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đ¨ Bulgarian Chicago business owner dies in ICE custody, sparking calls for âimmediate investigationâ
Nenko Gantchev, a Bulgarian immigrant and Chicago-area business owner, died while detained by immigration authorities. His family says he had serious medical needs that were not properly addressed. A member of Congress is calling for an immediate and independent investigation into the circumstances of his death. âChicago Congresswoman Delia Ramirez has called for an âimmediate, transparent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Gantchevâs death, including an investigation into reports from other detainees that he asked for medical assistance and did not receive it in time to save his life.â â The case has intensified demands for oversight of detention practices. â ABC7 Chicago
đŞ How the Trump Administration Used a National Guard Tragedy to Accelerate Its Anti-Immigrant Agenda
A deadly shooting involving an Afghan refugee has intensified scrutiny of Trump-era immigration policies and the use of National Guard forces in enforcement actions. Ms. Magazine examines how aggressive tactics and rhetoric contribute to fear, escalation, and tragic outcomes for displaced people seeking safety. âFor Afghan women escaping the Taliban, the new travel ban erases one of the last remaining paths to safety in the United StatesâŚâThey are using the tragedy to enact the agenda that they already had,â said Spojmie Nasiri, an Afghan American immigration attorney.â The case raises urgent questions about accountability and human rights protections. â Ms. Magazine
đŁ The Horns and Whistles Work
Grassroots organizers in Chicago have developed creative, community-based methods to warn neighbors about immigration enforcement activity using whistles, horns, and rapid-response networks. These tactics rely on collective action, mutual aid, and local trust rather than centralized leadership. The approach has helped residents avoid detention and maintain community cohesion under pressure. The model is now inspiring similar efforts in other cities. â Mother Jones
âď¸ National Immigrant Rights Organizations Sue the Federal Government Over Withheld Records on ICE Arrests in Immigration Courts
A FOIA lawsuit was filed after Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Executive Office for Immigration Review refused to disclose policies on attorney visitation and subpoenas for detained immigrants. Advocates contend that transparency around these procedures is essential for detained individuals to access legal counsel and due process. âThe public has a right to know when our government rewrites the rules to make mass arrests and deny people of due process â especially inside the very courtrooms meant to deliver justice,â said Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward, which is separately litigating to challenge these arrests. âThe administration cannot hide guidance that turns immigration courts into traps and accelerates deportations without fair hearings. We will not allow these agencies to operate in the shadows. Transparency is the first safeguard against abuse of power, and weâre in court to demand accountability.â The lawsuit seeks to compel disclosure of records that could illuminate systemic barriers faced by those in immigration custody. This action highlights ongoing efforts to challenge secrecy in enforcement practices. â Democracy Forward
âď¸ ICE flights cited in Denverâs denial of Key Lime airport lease
âDenver City Council voted against a resolution Monday that would have allowed Key Lime Air to lease ground space at Denver International Airport over concerns about the airlineâs immigration enforcement flights in recent months.â Immigration authorities are relying on aircraft leased through Key Lime Air to carry out deportation flights. The arrangement has drawn attention as removals accelerate and oversight remains limited. Advocates are questioning transparency around flight contracts and conditions during transport. The leasing details shed light on the logistics behind large-scale deportations. â Colorado Newsline
đ¤ Tech moguls close to Trump see the midterms as a path to long-term power
Whoâs really shaping tech policy in Washington? Tech-backed super PACs are flooding midterm elections with cash to push AI expansion and deregulation. âThe strategy aims to replicate the success of the cryptocurrency industry, which used a super PAC to clear a path for Congress this summer to boost the sectorâs fortunes with the passage of the Genius Act.â Watchdogs warn the spending by the Tech-backed super PACs could sideline public-interest concerns. The surge highlights growing corporate influence over democracy. â The Washington Post
đŞ The âWarrior Dividendâ Is Trumpâs Latest PR Stunt to Act Like He Cares About the Troops
Is this support for troopsâor political theater? Trumpâs proposed âwarrior dividendâ would send payments to service members with a questionable funding source (the money is reportedly coming from funds allocated to Troop housing assistance). âA measly $1,776 check for members of the military canât undo years of insults and cutsâŚ.His administration is gutting the Department of Veterans Affairs, planning to eliminate more than 70,000 jobs and roll staffing back to pre-2019 levels. Hundreds of VA clinicians warned Congress that the cuts threaten veteransâ health care nationwide.â â The Intercept
âď¸ Labor Leaders Blast DHS Chief Noemâs Union-Busting Attack on TSA Workers
What happens to airport security when worker rights disappear? TSA union leaders warn of renewed threats to collective bargaining and workforce protections. ââNoemâs decision to rip up the union contract for 47,000 TSA officers is an illegal act of retaliatory union busting that should cause concern for every person who steps foot in an airport,â said the AFGE president.â The dispute reflects broader attacks on federal labor rights. â Common Dreams
𧹠A Petty, Vicious Wall of Shame
When cruelty becomes policy, whatâs at stake? In a piece for Common Dreams, Abby Zimet writes about the wall of shame at the White House-installed by Trump to insult former presidents and elevate himself. âThe most broken, powerful human being on the planet has added to his crappy, gaudy, reality-show âPresidential Walk of Fameâ bronze plaques below the photos denoting a boorish, revisionist âhistoryâ of each president. Inevitably, he lobs the crudest insults at his direct predecessors - âdivisiveâ Obama, âcrookedâ Biden - while praising his own supreme reign.â â Common Dreams
đĽ Calls to Action:
Click here to Demand Congress Reject âTrump-Kennedy Centerâ Rename
Click here to Ban Members of Congress from Trading Stock While in Office
Click here to Tell Your Governor: Reject the Federal School Voucher Program
Click here to Tell Congress: An Oath to the Constitution Requires Saying No to Illegal Orders
Click here to Tell Apple & Google CEOs: End your contracts with ICE NOW.
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