February 20, 2026
hands off
Hi friends,
I keep attempting to pay more attention to world events and failing to do so because of the relentlessness of events in the US.
Among my current obsessions are threats to voting rights and elections.
Sign this petition from Black Voters Matter to protect our polls!
The problem with this kind of gross federal overreach is that even when it's clearly unlawful, it will have to be challenged in court.
Today, the Supreme Court ruled that the regime cannot institute global tariffs without congressional authority, but Trump has indicated that he will look for other ways to implement his international trade policy.
Let’s do what we can do. Here’s a quick action from Indivisible:
Tell your Senators to stop a new federal voter suppression law!
The skies are gray and the forecast calls for more snow, but still, we have some Sunshine.
Federal district judge Sunshine Sykes has said that the administration violated her December ruling that it was illegally denying many detained immigrants a chance for release and accused the regime of terrorizing immigrants and recklessly violating the law in its efforts to deport millions of people.
“The threats posed by the executive branch cannot be viewed in isolation,” [she wrote] in a scathing decision.
Sykes has ruled repeatedly that the regime’s policy of mandatory detention violates an act of Congress. Under previous administrations, people without proper documentation and without a criminal record were able to request a bond hearing before an immigration judge rather than face detention.
The lawyer for the plaintiffs in this case is hopeful that Sykes’s ruling will end mandatory detention.
The New York For All Act would prohibit all state and local agencies from using taxpayer resources to aid federal civil immigration enforcement.
Dignity Not Detention would permanently end immigration detentions in county jails throughout New York State.
Contract renewals for existing immigrant detention facilities would also be prohibited.
Call or write Governor Hochul and your state legislators today to get New York for All and Dignity Not Detention passed.
Call your council member today about the NYC Trust Act!
Immigrants detained there have reported a lack of timely medical care, including denial of HIV medications and emergency dental care.
MDC is a federal facility, over which we have no control. Still, we can act.
Join the Tuesday night vigils at MDC.
There’s a lot to do. Do something!
Hands Off NYC has a list of events this weekend! Let’s get out there.
We need a little good news and sometimes, we need hands on.
Assuming the agreement sticks, this will bring an end to the massive nursing strike that began on January 12. More than 10,000 nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospitals ratified contracts last week and have returned to work.
NewYork-Presbyterian has agreed to match the salary increase won by nurses in the other hospital systems, about 12 percent over three years.
It also includes commitments from NewYork-Presbyterian to boost staffing, implement new workplace safety measures and to maintain nurses’ health benefits.
In a statement, a member of the bargaining committee called it “a testament to the power of working people.” It’s also really good news for everyone who needs nursing care in hospitals.
with love,
L