Resources:
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Immigrants And the Economy (Daniel Costa, Josh Bivens, Ben Zipperer, Ismael Cid-Martinez, and Daniel Perez / Economic Policy Institute)
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Take Action:
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First they came for Kilmar -- Cartoon by Lalo Alcaraz
Lalo Alcaraz
April 16, 2025
https://www.pocho.com/
What were once trains...
Re: We Should All Be Very, Very Afraid
Trump plans to deport people with whom he disagrees and put them in foreign jails paid for by our government. Here Laurence Tribe and Erwin Chemerinsky explain but we should be angry not fearful. Thanks to xxxxxx https://xxxxxx.org/2025-04-10/we-should-all-be-very-very-afraid for circulating the essay.
Daniel Millstone
Post on Facebook
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I agree with all this save for the last sentence. We should not be afraid; we should be enraged and then engaged to reverse this and take down any regime backing such measures.
Carl Davidson
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
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I think we are already terrorized, so this just encourages a withdrawal from political action, which is the intent of the MAGA movement. Articles like this are not helpful. A better response would be defiance, anger and direct attacks on those seeking to make us afraid. Organize, educate, resist and fight back. But, perhaps an article like this is trying to stir the pot and wake people up - I argue that they have woken up a long time ago. Therefore the issue is what to do about it.
Talmadge Wright
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
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We should be both angry and fearful.
Nora Lapin
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
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WELL, this will be interesting, won't it = native born persons as well as immigrants will be packed off to El Salvador = guess I better brush up on my Spanish.
Penelope Mace
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
Re: Unions as a 21st Century Anti-Fascist Force
To work on this, organize a local chapter of standing4democracy.org (Fletcher is a chief founder). Just do it, and report upward. I made up local cards for Qups4Democracy, with a local email. Our local says only two thing are required to join. 1. You want to fight fascism. 2. You are in a union or would be if you could. We meet for breakfast at a local coop cafe one morning a week to discuss ways to fight.
Carl Davidson
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
Wild Swing in the Dow -- Cartoon by Jack Ohman
Jack Ohman
April 8, 2025
Jack Ohman's You Betcha!
Sweatshop -- Cartoon and Commentary by Rob Rogers
Trump keeps claiming that his tariffs will bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Really? The cost would be enormous and prices would go way up. There is a reason many of the goods we buy are made in other countries.
Rob Rogers
April 10, 2025
TinyView
Manufacturing -- Cartoon and Commentary by Nick Anderson
There’s really just one thing the Trump administration is good at...
If only there was a way to get paid for creating falsehoods and disinformation. Well, now there is. You just need to get hired at the White House.
Nick Anderson
April 14, 2025
Pen Strokes
Re: AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond Talks About Attacks on Organized Labor, and Why Union Members Voted for Trump
(posting on xxxxxx Labor)
“We’re going to use every resource that we have. We’re going to use the courts; we’re going to go to the streets, and we’re going to really reach out to community partners and allies. We’re going to challenge our friends on Capitol Hill. And we’re going to do everything possible as a Labor Movement to fight this.”
If you are Donald Trump, Elon Musk and the Chamber of Commerce, how do you read this?
Cliff Willmeng
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
Re: Escape Trump's Trap: Act Like a University, Not Like a Business
Do like Harvard just not did, not like Cowardly Columbia.
"Spend your endowments. Accept more, not fewer students. Open up your campuses and expand your reach by bringing education to communities. Create a base. Become a movement. Or else grovel before a mafia boss."
Jay Schaffner
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
Re: Trump’s Trade War Is a Political Trap for Democrats
Thanks for running this, it is a terrific article on political gamesmanship!
Cap'n Steve
Laying Down the Law -- Cartoon by Pat Bagley
Pat Bagley
April 16, 2025
The Salt Lake Tribune
Re: The Israeli Army Is Facing Its Biggest Refusal Crisis in Decades
Many Israelis are refusing to cooperate with the murderous Netanyahu regime that is committing genocide in Gaza and the West Bank. Maazel Tov!
Ted Pierce
Posted on xxxxxx's Facebook page
History Repeats -- Cartoon by Michael de Adder
Michael de Adder
January 31, 2023
The Washington Post
A Simple Plan -- Cartoon and Commentary by Jen Sorensen
For decades, right-wing ideologues complained that any safety net offered by the government was a form of “social engineering” that interfered with the “natural order” of the market. Of course this is utter hogwash, given that marketplaces themselves are highly engineered systems designed to keep money flowing upward; they cannot operate without a carefully-constructed legal framework; and they largely consist of social networks of people hiring those from their demographic in-group (such as fraternity brothers) rather than being some pure and godly measure of human greatness. A lot of the “social engineering” criticism contains a subtext of preserving dominant hierarchies, to put it mildly. Also, if markets are such a perfect measure of individual abilities, why did so many of history’s most talented writers, artists, and composers die poor? After enduring years of this market fundamentalist whining, it is laughable to see radical tech libertarians destroying America so they can engage in the mother of all social engineering projects.
To support this work and receive my weekly newsletter with background on each cartoon, please consider joining the Sorensen Subscription Service! Also on Patreon.
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Jen Sorensen
April 9, 2025
https://jensorensen.com/
Immigrants And the Economy
By Daniel Costa, Josh Bivens, Ben Zipperer, Ismael Cid-Martinez, and Daniel Perez
April 15, 2025
Economic Policy Institute
Immigration is among the most important economic and political issues and a main topic of discourse and debate among policymakers and the public. But misperceptions persist about many fundamental aspects of this crucial topic, such as:
- the size and composition of the immigrant population
- the effects of immigration on the economy and workforce
- the difference between permanent immigration pathways that lead to green cards versus temporary and precarious immigration statuses
- various other facets of the U.S. employment-based migration system
- policy options for reform
This document provides essential background and facts, as well as answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, including relevant data, charts, and extensive citations to key sources.
* How many immigrants live in the US?
* What is immigration status? What are the different immigration statuses, and how many people are in each status?
* What is the makeup of the U.S. immigrant population in terms of race and ethnicity?
* How much do immigrants contribute to the economy?
* How many immigrants work in the United States?
* How much workforce growth has been attributable to immigration?
* What are the education and wage levels of immigrants?
* What are the top occupations for immigrants?
* How do immigrants affect the economy?
* Do immigrant workers affect wages for U.S. workers?
* Immigration policy often favors employers over workers and needs to be reformed
Read full document here
Download the FAQ:
Economic Policy Institute
1225 Eye St. NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC xxxxxx
Phone: 202-775-8810 • [email protected]
press freedom UNITED
A national movement of citizens, journalists, media organizations and defenders of the First Amendment and the free press in the United States and abroad.
an open letter to congress and the white house in defense of press freedom and journalism in the U.S. and abroad
We, the undersigned, write to express our deep concern over the escalating hostility toward the free press under the current executive and legislative leadership in Washington, DC. A series of actions have undermined the foundational principles of press freedom, threatening the First Amendment and the public’s right to information. These alarming developments are not just attacks on individual journalists or news organizations—they are direct assaults on democracy itself.
Recent actions restricting access to critical government institutions exemplify this dangerous trend. The White House’s exclusion of Associated Press journalists from press briefings (note: a US District court subsequently ruled on April 8 that the government cannot bar the AP), the Pentagon’s increased secrecy, and a congressional hearing designed solely to attack NPR and PBS all indicate an effort to intimidate and silence independent reporting. Such measures erode transparency, accountability, and the public’s ability to stay informed about the workings of its own government.
One of the most egregious examples is the dismantling of Voice of America (VOA) and its parent agency, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). The current administration’s sweeping executive order placing over 1,300 VOA employees on administrative leave has effectively silenced this crucial institution. This move not only weakens the United States’ standing as a global defender of free speech but also empowers authoritarian regimes that seek to control information.
And on March 26, after a hearing of the House DOGE Subcommittee, Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, introduced a bill to eliminate all government funding to NPR and PBS. Both of these organizations provide a vital service that fosters community and unity by delivering fact-based news and educational programming that appeals to people across the political spectrum. They also ensure rural communities have access to critical information during emergencies that inform readers and protect lives.
We are at a perilous crossroads. The integrity of independent media and the safety of journalists are under siege, both at home and abroad. The erosion of press freedoms sets a dangerous precedent, threatening the very fabric of a functioning democracy.
Therefore, we call not only on the United States government and the elected leaders in the executive and legislative branches to take immediate action, but we also urgently appeal to the public to recognize the severity of these threats. Now more than ever, Americans must be vigilant in defending press freedom and standing up for the First Amendment.
We call for the following:
1. Restore Press Access Immediately: Reverse restrictions that limit journalists’ ability to cover the White House, the Pentagon, and other government institutions.
2. Protect Public Media: End efforts to undermine NPR, PBS, and other publicly funded news organizations, ensuring they remain independent from political pressure.
3. Reinstate Funding and Operations for Voice of America: Fully restore VOA and USAGM, allowing them to continue their mission of delivering unbiased news worldwide.
4. Respect and Honor Journalistic Integrity: Safeguard the independence of all journalistic institutions and uphold the First Amendment’s protections against government interference.
5. Lead on Global Press Freedom: Reaffirm America’s commitment to free press initiatives and defend journalists who risk their lives to report the truth.
A free and independent press is the cornerstone of democracy. The world looks to the United States as a beacon of press freedom—now is the time to prove that we remain committed to that ideal. We urge immediate action to protect the press and preserve the public’s right to hold power to account.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Sign open letter
Press Freedom United, 2025 created and designed by BlueLena and The Trust Project
