In this issue:
- California’s immigrants are under attack: How you can fight back
- The Big Ugly Budget Bill Gets Worse: A NO Vote will protect the Judiciary
- NEW ACTIONS for the People’s Budget
- VOLUNTEER for No Kings San Francisco
- Report: Ending Child Homelessness in San Francisco
- NO KINGS is this Saturday. Join us at our June 14 March and Rally
- Want to help us do this work?
- Upcoming events
California’s immigrants are under attack. You know what to do: Stand Up! Fight Back!
This past week has seen shocking escalations from ICE and Trump’s authoritarian machine. With ICE raids increasing in number and lawlessness, the people of Los Angeles stood up for their immigrant community. Trump responded by federalizing our National Guard and sending in 4,000 troops and counting, as well as mobilizing 700 Marines. These soldiers are acting on domestic soil to accompany ICE operations - an illegal, unconstitutional, undemocratic situation.
ICE raids have been increasing in San Francisco too. Over the past week, we’ve sent you emails on two emergency mobilizations to stop detentions in-progress at our courts. Many of you have bravely responded on short notice to help. Others are in the courthouses helping with accompaniment and alerting our networks to the situation. For that, we sincerely thank you.
We have to be honest: this is what fascism looks like, and it’s here now. It’s time to fight back.
First, as always, we repeat the mantra that our partners in immigration rights activism have taught us: power, not panic. We are in a blue city with a robust activist community, and we know how to protect each other and stand up to fascist bullies. So take a deep breath, acknowledge the grief and fear you may be feeling, and find confidence in our power as a group.
Second, work locally. Understand that the fight against oppression starts at home, by influencing our local and state elected officials. Already, they are standing up for us. Gavin Newsom has impressed us for once and stood up strongly against the use of the military in our state. So has our State Senator Scott Wiener. We need to continue pressuring anyone with power to use that power to stand up to Trump and ICE. And, we need to be pressuring our officials to actually act to protect our communities, whether that is stopping the evictions of migrants in the city, or opposing the reopening of FCI Dublin as an ICE facility, or holding DA Brooke Jenkins to account.
Third, use your privilege. As a group of mostly white citizens, we are the group with the least to fear from Trump’s racist goons. We need to be out in the streets, setting the example of a persistent, proud, nonviolent resistance. We need to spread Know-Your-Rights information, post flyers, and talk to our neighbors. And we need to make sure we address our own internalized biases and make sure we are kind and accepting of our neighbors.
Finally, update your strategy. Right now, it is still legal to peacefully protest in the United States—and it is vitally important that we continue to exercise that right, including this weekend, so we don’t lose it. We must practice corporeal politics.
But we must do so with the awareness that the regime may grow even less tolerant of dissent. You cannot continue to get out in the street if you’re inside of a federal (or foreign) prison, and the best way to prevent that outcome is to secure your communications now.
One of the best tools for communicating privately in the modern era is Signal, a free text-messaging app that is the current state of the art for secure, private communications. You should start using Signal now, and get your friends whom you resist with to use it as well. We have more info on how you can make Signal part of your resistance toolbox on our blog.
This is the time to use everything we’ve learned to be a xxxxxx against fascism, and to lead the whole nation by the example of our strength and courage, as California so often does.
Here are the things that you can do right now.
- Join our new rapid-response Signal group. Signal is an end-to-end encrypted messaging app, the safest on the market. We will post emergency protests from trusted partners there. We are also working on a text-messaging based group, but this will take more time, so if you want to be apprised of rapid-response information right now, please join this Signal group.
For more information about Signal, check out our blog post.
- If you have loved ones in the military, share this Know-Your-Rights information in case they are compelled into unconstitutional actions.
- Join our NO KINGS protest on Saturday, June 14. We are hoping to get thousands on the streets to show Trump we won’t stand for his dictatorial regime.
- Continue calling for our Supervisors to take measures on DA Brooke Jenkins’ end-run around our sanctuary laws.
- Continue calling for our state and local officials to oppose the reopening of FCI Dublin.
- Give Public Comment on the June 16th hearing on the 90-day eviction policy that impacts immigrant families here in SF. Talking points here.
- Join our immigration team to learn about accompaniment and other strategies to protect our communities. We organize chiefly on Slack, so respond to this email if you would like to be invited.
The Big Ugly Bill Gets Worse: A NO Vote will protect the Judiciary
Remember when the Big Ugly Bill was only cutting Medicaid and SNAP for tens of millions of people? Yeah, we do too. Since then, it’s gotten even worse - we’ve found that it contains a clause that will protect Trump from the judiciary when ignoring their court orders.
When a court orders you to do something, or to stop doing something, you have to follow that order. If you don’t, the court will find you in contempt of court, enforced with fines or time in jail.
As the MAGA regime has been handed numerous injunctions to stop doing this or that act of tyranny, including ICE sending people to foreign countries against court orders, House Republicans have started trying to insulate the regime from this sort of judicial accountability.
House Republicans have inserted language into the big “ugly” budget bill that states that federal courts may not “enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order” unless, at the very beginning of the case, the plaintiff pays a security bond.
If this passes, it would require American citizens whose Constitutional rights are violated to provide a security bond if they want their court victories to actually affect the regime. That would make it too expensive for most people to do anything more than lie down and take it.
The judiciary is the last bastion of defense of our rights in our democracy. Congress is not doing enough to defend our system of government from full descent into fascism.
If Trump’s big bill passes, our situation will become much worse. The judges who have been keeping their oath to defend our Constitution and laws would not be able to fight for us. The ability of judges to hold administration officials who defy their orders in contempt would be severely limited.
Federal courts must be able to issue injunctions and have them enforced.
Call your Senators and tell them: NO on the Big Ugly Bill!
This is a vulnerable bill. Since the service cuts it provides run so deep, it is a third rail for many red-state Senators. We need to let voters in red states know what their Senators are about to do and get them to raise holy hell about it.
Phone Bank with People’s Action Institute: RSVP on Mobilize.
Phone Bank with Indivisible National: RSVP on Mobilize.
NEW CALLS TO ACTION on the People’s Budget
Indivisible SF is fighting alongside the People’s Budget Coalition (PBC) for a budget that protects the freedom and future of all our people and families in San Francisco. A budget is a moral document and an expression of values. We know that all people, no matter where they live, what they look like, or who they love, deserve safety and well-being.
Mayor Lurie just released a Proposed Budget document with cuts to vital services that’s shrouded in mystery. Without a line item, it is intentionally inaccessible to SF voters. The People’s Budget Coalition sees an equitable and just budget as a matter of life and death and has gleaned a few things by searching in the weeds. Homelessness funding for unique underserved populations will be gutted, taking Prop C money to spend on other things. Reserves for Free SF’s community safety, transformative justice and immigrants rights work have secretly been cut in half. Mental health services will see 25% cuts. Huge layoffs, including 180 City jobs are reported. The Mayor cares what people are saying, but only if he hears our protests loudly and often.
When is a budget deficit not a deficit? When corporations aren’t paying their taxes.
At the same time, wealthy Airbnb, Lyft and Uber are suing the City to get refunds of voter approved taxes that they claim are “misclassified.” Voters approved Prop M to simplify the Business tax code and actually lower their taxes. But the Tech Bro’s refused to drop the lawsuits. As the suits go forward, the City is keeping in reserve every dollar of this revenue, $415 Million dollars, or more than half of the $780M deficit. Attorneys working for the City say these are frivolous lawsuits that are unlikely to succeed. This budget is saying working people will have to foot the bill for these billionaire bullies. We don’t want Crypto Billionaire Chris Larsen’s offer of $9.4M for police for drones! We say, billionaires: Pay what you owe. Funds for need not greed!
This month is our last chance to fight back by convincing the Board of Supervisors through our emails, calls and public comments to vote against the cuts. Throughout June, they are holding public hearings. Those who’ve worked in Supervisor’s offices say these hearings are impactful. When they hear a message repeated even 5-10 times, the Supervisors start to get scared that they’re not with the electorate. Going to the hearings, waiting to speak for your values, giving public comment for your two minutes matters. Flood their inboxes and convince them to fight. Your emails and phone calls matter.
Here’s what you can do.
- Join the email campaign to demand Airbnb, Uber and Lyft drop the lawsuits. The PBC is continuing to fight to bring light and transparency to the City budget process and they are not alone. Throughout the Bay Area, people are flexing their power in Budget fights. The SF Chronicle Editorial Board in an Op Ed seems to be nervous about communities standing up together for our needs. Let’s keep fighting! #DropTheLawsuits #NeedNotGreed #PeoplesBudget
- SF Rising Email campaign: Take 2 minutes to email the Supervisors and the Mayor. (The script is inside and below. SF Rising will protect your privacy.)
- Call the Mayor and your Supervisor to make sure they know what we stand for. We want a city where our budget protects the freedom and future of all our people and families. Here are some things you can ask for:
- Pressure Airbnb to drop its lawsuit against paying its taxes, and demand the taxes be paid
- Ask for a SF Wealth Tax
- Protect public arts funding
- Public comment at the Board of Supervisors Budget hearings: The hearing on Thursday, June 12 at 10 AM will include a presentation of the City Department’s Propose budgets--Arts, child/youth/and families, women services, Health Department, Human Rights Commission. Friday’s, June 13 at 10 AM, presentations include the department of the environment, the public defender and police accountability. Public comments will start around 3 PM. All hearings will take place at City Hall in the Board Chambers, room 250. Prepare a two minute comment on what’s important to you.
Report: Ending Child Homelessness in San Francisco
On Monday, June 9, Faith In Action Bay Area Unhoused Family Leaders, the Coalition on Homelessness, and Supervisor Jackie Fielder held a press conference to release a groundbreaking new report: “Ending Child Homelessness in San Francisco: A Budget Proposal from Homeless Families." This data-driven report demonstrates that with a targeted investment of $66 million, San Francisco can end the crisis of children sleeping on the streets.
More than 2,000 families are currently experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. In 2018, the Coalition on Homelessness helped craft and pass Proposition C, a measure designed to address the city’s homelessness crisis by significantly increasing funding for housing and services, with a special focus on families.
Voters were clear: they did not want a slush fund. In over 100,000 conversations—by phone and in person—the Coalition heard the demand for legislative accountability. Proposition C’s creators ensured dedicated funding for youth and families, groups too often overlooked. Despite families with children representing 40% of the homeless population, they received only 7% of homeless funding, highlighting a persistent inequity the Coalition sought to correct. The goal was to invest upstream and end homelessness, not perpetuate a permanent underclass.
Since the passage of Prop C, the city has been slow to distribute earmarked funds, often prioritizing populations other than children and families. Now, Mayor Lurie has proposed diverting the $89 million in Prop C funds earmarked for housing to instead fund homeless shelters—a move that would block families from accessing permanent housing. Faith In Action Bay Area’s new report offers a smarter alternative: a solution that would cost less than 1% of the city’s budget and reduce monthly costs from $6,660 per family for temporary shelter to just $2,734 for permanent housing.
We urge you to stay informed about ISF’s current actions and to support Faith In Action Bay Area’s efforts to secure stable homes for unhoused families and children in San Francisco.
NO KINGS is on Saturday. Join us at our June 14 March and Rally
Answering Indivisible National’s call for mass mobilization, Indivisible SF and 50501SF are hosting a No Kings event on Saturday, June 14. We’ll gather at Dolores Park at 11:30 AM, then march at noon sharp to Civic Center Plaza for a short rally. To sign up for our event, use our Mobilize page.
There are three ways you can help:
First, we are still looking for volunteers. Sign up via our Google form.
Second, if you have some money to spare, please donate to Indivisible SF. We will spend approximately $7,000 on costs for this event, including sound, printing, permits, and more. This will wipe out a significant amount of our finances, so we must recoup it.
Third, spread the word to your friends, family, union, book club, or anyone who will listen! We will soon have flyers available for download, so you can print and post them.
Look for flyers on our SF event page. For other events going on around the Bay Area, check out our No Kings landing page.
Want to help us do this work?
We will plug you in where your skills can do the most good to resist this administration.
If you would like to join and do important work with us, we welcome you! Currently we are in need of volunteers to help with the following:
- Editing submissions to our newsletter (Mondays and Tuesdays)
- Publishing our newsletter with MailChimp and helping update our website on Newsletter Night (Tuesdays at 5 PM).
- Making short-form videos to help educate people on our topics in an accessible way.
- Tracking federal, state, and local legislation and working with our state and local legislatures and Mayor Lurie.
- Organizing our protests and other in-person actions and scheduling our in-person meetings.
No experience is needed; we will train you and provide everything you need. If you would like to help us, please contact us at [email protected].
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Hearing on the Crisis of Invisible Child Homelessness: Thursday, June 12, 5-6 PM at SF City Hall, Room 416. The San Francisco Human Rights Commission is having a hearing on the crisis of family homelessness. Faith In Action Bay Area Immigrant Family Leaders have a delegation there to give public comment. Come to support and give your one to two minute public comment at SF City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, 94102. More info here.
Phone Bank with Indivisible—Stop the Trump Tax Scam: Thursday, June 12 and Wednesday, June 18, 8-9:30 AM Online. Every Wednesday and Thursday in June, join Indivisible for a phone bank, when we’ll be calling voters and connecting them directly to their senator to urge Republicans to oppose the Trump Tax Scam—a reckless GOP tax plan that prioritizes billionaires like Elon Musk while selling out working families. Register here.
Phone Bank with Common Cause to stop the SAVE Act: Thursday, June 12, from 2:30-4:30 PM and Tuesday, June 17, from 3-5 PM. Join Common Cause for an important phone bank as we mobilize voters to take action against the dangerous SAVE Act and advocate for the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. RSVP on Mobilize.
Phone Bank to Republican Senators to Save Medicaid: Thursday, June 12, and Saturday, June 14, at various times. Join the California Democratic Party and Together for CA Health calling voters in Republican Senate districts to ask voters to call their senator to say no to Medicaid Cuts. RSVP on Mobilize.
Tell the Billionaires: Hands off our money, weekly phone bank with People’s Action Institute, Thursday, June 12, 3-6 PM. Join People’s Action Institute for Tax & Budget Fight Phone banks to talk to constituents in key congressional districts and have deep, meaningful conversations about how these tax breaks for the wealthy hurt all our local communities. Together, we’ll take action to pressure Congress to stop these cuts and ensure the rich pay their fair share. No experience? No problem! We provide training at every phone bank to set you up for success. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or making your first call, you’ll be supported every step of the way. RSVP on Mobilize.
No Kings Mass Protest: Saturday, June 14, 11:30 AM-2 PM from Dolores Park to Civic Center Plaza. Indivisible SF and 50501SF are hosting a No Kings mass mobilization. We will gather at Dolores Park at 11:30 AM, and march at 12 NOON SHARP to Civic Center Plaza via Market St. There, we will have a rally showing our commitment to democracy and the power of We the People. Details on Mobilize.
Bay Area Troublemakers School, June 14, 9:30 AM-4 PM at Oakland Technical High School. This one-day conference features interactive workshops, panels and meetings, ranging from crucial basic skills like helping your colleagues beat apathy to advanced topics like winning first contracts and running for union office. More info here.
Provide Public Comment to End City's 90-Day Shelter Eviction Policy: Monday, June 16, 10 AM at SF City Hall, Supervisors’ Chamber. D9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder has introduced an ordinance which would end the City's 90-Day shelter eviction policy. Provide public comment and call for an end to the cruel shelter eviction policy this Monday at SF City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, 94102. More info here.
Stop the Attack on Federal Workers: Monday, June 16, and every Monday at 12 PM. This weekly protest at the SF Tesla Dealership at 999 Van Ness is organized by Federal Workers United to stand with federal workers. Details on Mobilize.
Rep. Kevin Mullin Town Hall: Tuesday, June 17, 6 PM. In-person in San Mateo (check-in at 5:30 PM) or streaming online on the Congressman’s YouTube channel. RSVP here for in-person tickets. More info here.
People over Profit: Saturday, June 21, and (almost) every Saturday at 12 PM. Join this weekly, peaceful protest at the SF Tesla Dealership at 999 Van Ness to speak out against Musk’s takeover of the federal government. Details on Mobilize.
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If you’ve seen our newsletter posts on social media, you might have noticed that we include a photo or graphic with each issue.
Today’s graphics are promoting our upcoming mobilizations and calls to action.
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Keep Fighting,
The Indivisible SF Team
If you'd like to support our all-volunteer team:
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