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IMPORTANT ISSUES! THESE ARE NOT SOLICITATIONS
SHARED FOR INFORMATION AND EDUCATION ABOUT THE THREATS, INTIMIDATION
AND FALSE CHARGES BROUGHT BY THE TRUMP REGIME TO STIFLE FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND FREE SPEECH.
ACROSS THE NATION, THE TRUMP REGIME IS PROSECUTING PROTESTERS
WHO SPEAK OUT AGAINST ICE GESTAPO ABUSE AND TERRORISM.
FIRST AMENDMENT:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
This is Kat Abughazaleh.
I’m the journalist and researcher who recently ran for Congress in Illinois’ 9th district with the help of Justice Democrats. We didn’t win our primary, but thanks to grassroots momentum from people like you, neither did AIPAC’s candidate.
I’m coming to you now to ask for your support again at a difficult time.
In October 2025, I – along with my field director and friend Andre Martin and four other individuals – was indicted for my advocacy and protest against ICE and the Trump administration.
Even though we plan on winning, the two of us are facing up to $250,000 in legal debt, along with the immense stress and pressure the last six months has put on us and our loved ones. Yes, that is how much cases like this can cost — and honestly, it’s at the low end of the spectrum, especially for two separate incredible legal teams.
But that’s the point of lawfare like this: for the government to be able to scare us into silence through not just possible jail time but financial and psychological torture.
Our case, United States v. Rabbitt, is set to go to trial in Chicago federal court on May 26, and the result could determine the future of our constitutional right to free association. These charges are bogus, but regardless of the outcome, the stress, public scrutiny, and financial burdens of this ordeal have forever changed our lives.
Throughout my congressional campaign, I was not just vocal against Donald Trump's secret police — I put my body and reputation on the line during protests. Even if you don’t know my face, you probably saw the video of an ICE agent throwing me to the ground last September. That is not what we were charged for, but it shows what the conditions at Broadview were often like for protestors.
As we have said from the beginning, dissent and protest are not a conspiracy. After lengthy legal battles, the government dismissed the felony conspiracy charge just weeks before trial. But they did not dismiss all the charges, and we still have trial on the misdemeanor counts for intimidating, interfering, and impeding an ICE agent. And by winning our case, we can give future defendants a path to victory, ensuring no one else has to go through this without precedent.
Since Andre and I have worked in the nonprofit sector and progressive politics our entire adult lives, we don’t have hundreds of thousands (much less mere thousands) of dollars to spare. The costs have mounted beyond our expectations.
Even if – or rather, when – we win our trial, our lives and futures will still be left in disarray through the financial and psychological burdens of our legal system.
All contributions will go to our legal defense, personal debt accrued over the past 6 months in an effort to pay our lawyers, and anything left will go to the National Lawyers Guild, which helped us find our (fantastic!!) representation and protects our First Amendment rights every single day through representation, jail support, and trained legal observers.
Thank you to everyone who supported us over the last 6 months. And thank you for helping us win.
In solidarity,
Kat
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