[1]Swing LeftSwing Left
Dear John,
We’ve witnessed many horrific moments over the year since Trump retook
office. But I haven’t felt this sad, or so furious, in a long time.
The murders of Alex Pretti and Renee Good are totally unjustifiable. As is
the federal occupation of Minnesota and other parts of the country under
the guise of immigration enforcement. This is a violent assault on our
communities and our rights with profoundly human consequences. Grief is a
given. What’s also needed is real leadership in Congress and collective
action from all of us.
At Swing Left, our core mission is winning elections. But, as Andrea
Jachman, a volunteer leader of Swing Left Twin Cities, one of our
grassroots groups, put it, “We can’t win the war until we win the battle.”
She asks that you call your senator ahead of this week’s Senate vote to
fund a broad swath of the government, including the Department of Homeland
Security. [ [link removed] ]Donate to support mutual aid or the [ [link removed] ]legal defense of
detained immigrants in Minnesota.
Lastly, I know the midterm elections feel far away when stopping ICE is so
immediately necessary. But flipping the House this November will tangibly
help. If you missed it, below is our email explaining how.
As you know, and is why you’re here—changing things for the better
requires changing who’s in power. It’s all downstream of elections. Which
is also why [ [link removed] ]the Department of Justice sent Governor Tim Walz a letter
on Saturday demanding Minnesota turn over its voter files to the federal
government to “help bring back law and order.” Some, like Senator Chris
Murphy, have labeled this a pretext for Trump to take over elections in
swing states.
We know what the authoritarian endgame is. And we know how to fight back.
As things continue to evolve, we’ll keep sharing with you what we know.
In solidarity,
Yasmin Radjy
Executive Director
Swing Left
-------- Forwarded message --------
From: Yasmin at Swing Left
Subject: What flipping the House would mean for stopping ICE
John,
It’s easy to feel powerless in moments like this. After all, how can a
single donation or action make a meaningful difference when we are
grieving people killed and harmed at the hands of ICE? And when ICE is
supported by an immigration enforcement budget bigger than any military in
the world except the U.S. and China?
But there are real levers of power that can influence what happens next.
One of the most important is control of the U.S. House, which would
meaningfully change what’s possible when it comes to stopping ICE's
abuses.
Among Congressional Democrats, much of the debate on ICE right now is
focused on policy, and the range of views is wide. And while Democrats are
currently holding unofficial hearings on the issue, these lack the
subpoena power of an official hearing that is possible with a House
majority. So in order to make further progress, Democrats first need
governing power.
With a Democratic House majority, here are the concrete steps Democrats
will have the power to take:
* Use the power of the budget to put guardrails on ICE. A Democratic
majority would have leverage to limit ICE funding and force
accountability. Under Trump’s “big beautiful bill”, Republicans
approved $75 billion through 2029 to expand detention facilities and
increase recruitment. This happened because Republicans control the
House—turning ICE funding into a political weapon. A Democratic
majority would be able to constrain this funding.
* Launch oversight and investigations with subpoena powers that aren’t
being used under Republican leadership. Committees could subpoena ICE
leadership, compel testimony from agents and field officers, and hold
public hearings that force the people running these operations into
the daylight—before Congress and the American people. That visibility
itself is a form of accountability. House committees can also decide
who testifies. That means elevating impacted families and legal
experts who can directly challenge false narratives. Oversight and
investigations aren’t happening right now, not because they can’t
happen, but because the House is controlled by the same party that
helped expand ICE’s power.
None of this requires passing sweeping legislation overnight. Much of it
will come simply from having the power to investigate, question, and
withhold cooperation—things that are much harder to accomplish without a
majority.
This is why individual actions still matter—even when they feel small. On
their own, a donation or conversation with a voter might not seem like
much. But collectively working in strategic, tangible ways to help
Democrats take back the House is how governing power is built.
If we want oversight, accountability, and real constraints on ICE to be on
the table—not just as talking points, but as governing tools—then winning
the House is crucial.
[ [link removed] ]If you want a way to take action right now, sign up to volunteer with
Ground Truth, our program focused on listening to and rebuilding trust
with swing district voters.
[ [link removed] ]Volunteer Now
[ [link removed] ]Or, consider making a donation of $25, or any amount you
can, to support Swing Left’s work to elect a Democratic majority this
November.
[ [link removed] ]Donate $25 Now
Thank you for being part of this collective effort to build the power
needed to make change.
In solidarity,
Yasmin Radjy
Executive Director, Swing Left
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