The Smile: 04/08/2025

 

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Hi friend, Democrats are stepping up to protect our courts from being weaponized — calling out Trump’s dangerous efforts to bend the justice system to his will. This fight is far from over, and your voice matters.  As pushback grows — even from billionaires and businesses once in Trump’s corner — we’re reminded that standing up for democracy is a collective effort. From protests to policy, people are speaking out, building power, and making change. Let’s keep that momentum going. 💛 Democrats target Trump’s effort to ‘bend our justice system to his will’ Billionaires are turning on Trump Businesses, conservative lawyers planning legal challenge to Trump's tariffs N.C. Supreme Court halts decision requiring verification of 65,000 votes in tight judicial race Mother and three children arrested by ICE in border czar's New York town released from detention THIS IS EGREGIOUS! HANDCUFFING CHILDREN? TOM HOMAN IS A LIAR & AN IRRATIONAL ZEALOT WHO DEFIED A COURT ORDER & SENT INNOCENT VICTIMS TO THE EL SALVADOR HELL HOLE! PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THAT NO JUDGE WAS GOING TO TELL HIM WHAT TO DO! THESE LUNATICS ARE GRABBING PEOPLE AT AIRPORTS, ON THE STREET & IN  ONE LOCAL CASE, BROKE DOWN THE DOOR OF A HOME WITH CHILDREN, WITH NO WARRANT! NOTICE THE ICE GESTAPO HAVE NO IDENTIFICATION DISPLAYED!  THIS JEOPARDIZES ALL OF US! excerpt: In an open letter last week, Jaime Cook, principal of Sackets Harbor Central School, said the family "lived in a house on the same road as a home ICE had a warrant for. The fact that ICE went door to door is unfathomable." "The fact that our students were handcuffed and put into the same van as the alleged criminal from down the street is unconscionable," Cook's letter read. Hochul said Tuesday she “cannot think of any public safety justification for ICE agents to rip an innocent family, including a child in the third grade, from their Sackets Harbor home.” Cook said the children are in the third, 10th and 11th grades and had been at the school for three years. The mother and her three children were taken when immigration authorities were searching the Old McDonald's Farm for a South African immigrant, who has since been charged with distribution of child pornography. The South African immigrant's arrest was part of an "enhanced targeted operation" from Immigration and Customs Enforcement in western, central and northern New York from March 24 to 28. Homan had defended the operation and the family's arrest in an interview with WWNY-TV of Watertown last week. "ICE is doing everything by the book. Once the investigation gets to the point where we don’t have an interest in this family, then a decision will be made on release," Homan said. Cook said the family had long been part of the Sackets Harbor community, working at the farm for 15 years. She said that from showing up to their court hearings to declaring themselves to immigration judges, the mother and children had also been "doing everything right" to find a path to remain in the U.S. legally. Growing opposition from House conservatives threatens to derail Trump’s agenda 14 of the most eye-catching ‘Hands Off’ protest signs from anti-Trump demonstrations Black beauticians have always done more than style hair — they’ve built power Parkinson's patients rock climb at special event in Brookfield ‘This has got to be a moment in America,’ Cory Booker tells 1st town hall since record speech Today’s user-submitted photo was sent in by Paul C. who shared this cute photo of penguins! If you want the chance to have your photo featured, reply to this email 😄  Thank you for reading, and we hope these articles shine a light on your day. In solidarity, Emily from The Smile

North Carolina Supreme Court pauses ruling to disenfranchise voters

 

Monday, April 7 Stay ahead of the latest courtroom developments at the heart of Trump’s war on democracy with The Opposition, Democracy Docket’s latest premium weekly newsletter. Don’t miss out — upgrade today for $120/year! North Carolina Supreme Court pauses ruling to disenfranchise voters The North Carolina Supreme Court temporarily paused a lower court’s ruling, issued Friday, to disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters in the state’s Supreme Court election, unless they fix their ballots in 15 days.   Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs narrowly won last fall’s state Supreme Court race, even after two recounts. But her opponent, Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin, is seeking to overturn the result by having around 65,000 votes thrown out. Court condemns Trump over wrongful deportation The 4th Circuit rejected President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn a ruling requiring the return of a wrongfully deported Maryland father. The court described the deportation as "a path of perfect lawlessness." On Monday afternoon, the Supreme Court put a temporary stay on the 4th Circuit’s ruling. Appeals court reverses Trump firing two federal board members The D.C. Appeals Court reinstated two board members of independent federal agencies fired by Trump, setting up a potential Supreme Court fight over a 90-year-old legal precedent protecting officials from presidential dismissal. States continue to fight anti-voting order Washington and Oregon filed a lawsuit challenging several provisions of Trump’s anti-voting executive order. The states argued the order violates the Constitution and multiple federal laws, including the National Voter Registration Act. It’s the fifth lawsuit filed over Trump’s order, which election officials and voting rights advocates warn could disenfranchise millions of voters if it’s allowed to stand, in part by making registering to vote and voting by mail more difficult. Several of the earlier lawsuits have been consolidated into one. Nevada’s Election Worker Protection Law stands The 9th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a far-right challenge to Nevada's Election Worker Protection Law. The lawsuit was originally brought in 2023 by failed Republican attorney general candidate and now interim U.S. attorney for the District of Nevada Sigal Chattah. A win for South Carolina voters The ACLU of South Carolina announced the DMV fixed a policy preventing the processing of voter registrations of residents under age 18 even though they would be eligible to vote in the next general election. The ACLU sued over this issue last year, but withdrew the case. The DMV's general counsel sent a letter last month stating the department had fixed its software and now transmits voter registration information for individuals 16 and older.