Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and action for the first hundred days of the second Trump administration. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it.

Today is Friday, March 14, day 54 of the new Trump administration. With another week of growing corruption and unending chaos, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—to feel a profound lack of control over so much of what is happening. And we’re not here to give false assurances—there are always limits to what we can directly or indirectly control. Yet even in this grave political moment, one of the solutions given to us and bolstered by our faith is to continually decide to hope. That means that although we won’t be able to avert or change every bad thing that happens to our neighbors or us — in our local and global communities — we can choose to remain in hope that better days will come (and this part is important) if we are willing to remain engaged in the struggle to bring a better world into being. We hope this week’s newsletter gives you some of the fuel we all need for that necessary and holy struggle.

— Rev. Adam Taylor and Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners

In the News

Here’s what’s been happening this week:
1) The federal government will partially shut down on Saturday unless the U.S. Senate acts to pass a short-term funding extension. Unfortunately, that extension comes in the form of a bill with several alarming provisions that the House of Representatives passed almost entirely along partisan lines. The bill would give even greater power to President Trump and Elon Musk to continue DOGE’s work to decimate federal government jobs.

2) Mahmoud Khalil’s detainment has raised grave concerns about the Trump administration’s lack of respect for civil rights, including freedom of speech. Khalil, a green card holder who helped lead pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, has been detained and told he is being deported for “leading activities aligned with Hamas,” despite not being charged with any crime. A federal judge ruled on Monday that Khalil cannot be deported as the court weighs a challenge to his detainment and planned deportation.

3) The District of Columbia has begun demolishing the Black Lives Matter street mural one block from the White House in response to pressure from congressional Republicans, who have threatened to revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973, which gives D.C. limited autonomy. The words “Black Lives Matter” were painted on the street in June 2020 during the racial justice protests in June 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.

4) DOGE reversed course on planned cuts to Social Security’s phone services after news of the cuts generated pushback. The Social Security Administration processes about 9.5 million claims per year, paying $1.5 trillion in benefits last year. About 40% of those claims are handled by phone, which DOGE reportedly sought to eliminate. As a result of the pushback to this news, DOGE plans to move ahead with a much narrower element of the original proposal — limiting the ability of customers to change banking information over the phone.

Take Action

Join us for Faithful Witness Wednesday, A Call for Congressional Courage! Wednesday, March 19, at 12 p.m. Eastern, we will continue our series of vigils at the U.S. Capitol. Faith leaders will call on Congress to exercise moral courage in upholding its constitutional powers and preventing presidential overreach. Sign up to attend virtually or in-person.

Tell Congress: Stand with Refugees Against the Administration’s Indefinite Refugee Ban. Our partners at Church World Service demand that Congress push the administration to abide by court orders and immediately resume refugee resettlement. Contact your members of Congress today.

Tell Congress: Stay Out of D.C.’s Budget! The House-passed continuing resolution to fund the federal government would require the District of Columbia to cut its budget by $1 billion, which could devastate residents, especially those in the most vulnerable situations. Click here to take action, including calling and sending letters to your senators.

What We’re Reading

The Phone Call Getting My Church Through Trump 2.0 | During Trump’s inauguration in 2017, many responded by attending one of the hundreds of Women’s Marches around the country. Those who participated in these marches set the record for the largest single-day protest in United States history. During Trump’s inauguration this January, the protesters were sparse. It’s easy to feel isolated, alone, and hopeless. For us to get through Trump 2.0 together, we need to figure out new ways to organize. (By Brandon Grafius)

10 Ways Your Church Can Take Solidarity Beyond Sympathy | What does it look like for churches to act faithfully in the current tumultuous political crisis? Prophetic witness and speaking up for justice matters; acting faithfully goes hand in hand with speaking faithfully. Whatever policy priorities churches focus on, they should always look for more profound ways to be in solidarity with those in need in their communities — especially marginalized people who are in danger due to unjust government actions. (By Hannah Bowman)

Why Does Religion Journalism Matter to Democracy? Ask a Texas Reporter | To report on abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, Robert Downen had to earn the trust of everyone from powerful, complementarian pastors to radical, queer exvangelicals. In our interview, we discussed how anti-democracy organizing and Christian sex abuse overlap, what reporters need from their communities, and why he treats religious organizations as institutions with power. (By Mitchell Atencio)

Deep Breaths 

Analog Girl in a Digital World

I love discovering new digital apps — it’s my idea of fun. While recovering from surgery, I spent hours learning a new application on my MacBook. (Yes, I’m an Apple person.) My home office has three screens — what my husband calls Mission Control.

Lately, however, my digital life has felt more cluttered than fulfilling. I needed a break. In my search for ways to slow down, I discovered bullet journaling, a method created by Ryder Carroll. It’s a simple yet powerful way to set intentions and capture what truly matters on paper, not a screen.

Bullet journaling isn’t rigid or complicated. It’s a way to pause, reflect, and be present. In a culture that glorifies constant productivity, this practice forces me to slow down and just be.

As a Gen Xer, I’ve lived in analog and digital worlds. While I still love my apps, I’ve rediscovered the deep satisfaction of putting pen to paper. Writing by hand has become a sacred space — a way to connect with Spirit, myself, and the wisdom that gets lost in digital noise. It’s an act of listening, making space for the sacred in the ordinary.

One unexpected joy? Fountain pens. Changing inks, selecting nibs, and feeling ink glide on paper has become an intentional act of creativity. Stepping away from screens, even briefly, is transformative.

Perhaps you’re feeling the urge to slow down as well during this Lenten season. What might it look like to pause, reflect, and be present? I invite you to join me — put aside the screen, grab a pen, and reconnect. You may rediscover something you didn’t even realize you needed.

— Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners

The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff:
President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor
Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris
Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson
Senior Adviser and Director to the President’s Office: Elizabeth Denlinger Reaves
Senior Director of Campaigns and Mobilizing: Sandy Ovalle Martínez
Director of Congregational Outreach & Education: Rev. Andrea Saccoccio
Associate Editor: Josina Guess
Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez
Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims