The Fight for Accountability Playing Out in Congress
Democrats are asking for basics, but Republicans are refusing to negotiate and hoping we stop paying attention
Last week, Republicans voted down proposals to fully reopen the government, now nearly 40 days into a partial shutdown. This standoff began when Senate Democrats refused to authorize continued ICE funding without meaningful reforms, and how and why we got here matters.
An armed, masked paramilitary force invaded an American city earlier this year and killed two citizens. Thirteen more people have died in ICE custody in 2026 alone, more than at this point last year — which itself set a 20-year record for ICE deaths, under this same administration. Those are the facts.
The reforms Democrats are asking for are not radical:
Judicial warrants to enter private property,
An end to self-authorized administrative arrests,
A ban on agents wearing masks,
A requirement to display agency and badge number,
Prohibition of enforcement at schools, churches, hospitals, and polling places,
An end to racial profiling,
Body cameras,
Independent misconduct investigations, and
Access to counsel for detainees.
Basic accountability measures that apply to virtually every other law enforcement agency in the country.
Republicans have refused every one of them — and in the process have withheld funding from TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA, letting vital agencies suffer while stonewalling any attempt at negotiation.
This isn’t a normal political dispute, because Republicans aren’t negotiating in good faith. They’re unwilling to compromise. They hold the full power of the federal government and they’ve made clear they are willing to wield that power against the American people. They are counting on our exhaustion and complacency. That’s why they’re willing to let TSA lines stretch out of airports.
This Saturday, March 28th, No Kings rallies are taking place nationwide. Let’s show up. And beyond that, let’s do something — anything. Our 10 Steps Campaign has some great events you can take part in.
We don’t reclaim our democracy by staying comfortable, but by demanding better and refusing to be worn down by this regime.
Joining me on this week’s episode of our podcast Assembly Required, is Christopher Hayes. We talked about Trump’s war in Iran, immigration, and much more. I hope you’ll tune in ⬇️
Warm Up for No Kings
Take a listen to the call we had with The Lever about the importance of showing up for this week’s No Kings Day ⬇️
Thanks to everyone who tuned in yesterday!
Thank you to Jim Acosta for having me on his show to talk about the SAVE Act, voter suppression efforts by the Trump regime, and what we can do to fight back.
There’s More
If you haven’t yet watched the conversation I had with Molly Jong-Fast at the New Orleans Book Festival, you can watch it below ⬇️
Join us in Los Angeles!
Excited to join the amazing lineup of authors, poets, emerging voices, and book lovers at this year’s LA Times Festival of Books, to talk about my latest novel Coded Justice.
Stacey Abrams standing up for democracy, thanks
This is good advice🙂