Truth and Action Roundup 5.2.25

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, a reliable weekly source of information, inspiration, and action for the second Trump administration. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. Today is Friday, May 2, day 103 of Donald Trump’s second term in office. As we move past the first 100 days of this administration, it feels appropriate that yesterday was May Day, also known worldwide as International Workers’ Day. We saw expressions of solidarity and defiance against anti-democratic forces in demonstrations in the U.S. and around the world. This week, we take solace in a God who stands with working people everywhere, affirming their inherent dignity and worth. We reject the notion that oligarchs who exploit the many to benefit the privileged few, should have the final say. — Rev. Adam Taylor and Rev. Moya Harris, Sojourners In the News Here’s what’s been happening this week: 1) The Trump administration continued its brutal and wide-ranging immigration crackdown. While current deportations numbers are below the administration’s stated goals, the administration’s actions have created a widespread climate of fear and severe harms among people of undocumented and documented status alike: A woman held for more than 10 weeks in immigration custody in allegedly inhumane conditions died this week, one of at least seven people to die in ICE custody this fiscal year. ICE arrested nearly 800 people in Florida in a 4-day series of raids conducted in collaboration with state police forces. A mother and her children were traumatized in Oklahoma City when federal agents raided their home, seemingly looking for people who no longer lived at the address. 2) More than 1,000 demonstrations around the world opposed a “billionaire takeover” of the U.S. government, part of annual observances of International Workers’ Day. The protests responded to Trump and Elon Musk’s ongoing firings of federal workers (which were challenged by a new lawsuit), attacks on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), and ongoing attempts to strip collective bargaining rights from federal employees. 3) The struggle for voting rights and free, fair, and safe elections continued, with both legal victories and setbacks. A federal judge blocked key portions of Trump’s executive order on elections, which constitutes a victory for voting rights and the states’ constitutional authority to run their own elections. In contrast to this encouraging news, a state court of appeals in North Carolina has ruled that Republican state lawmakers can continue with their efforts to take control of the State Board of Elections away from the governor’s office. 4) Columbia University student Mohsen Mahdawi was released on Wednesday on a federal judge’s order after two weeks in ICE custody. Mahdawi was arrested following his citizenship interview, in what his lawyers believe is retaliation for his pro-Palestinian activism. Speaking outside the courtroom, Mahdawi said, “To President Trump and his cabinet: I am not afraid of you.” On April 25, the Trump administration reversed course (for now) on its attempt to terminate the ability of thousands of international students’ ability to continue studying in the U.S. 5) President Trump said he “could” get Kilmar Abrego Garcia back from his custody in El Salvador, but refuses to do so. In the same interview, Trump repeatedly refused to acknowledge that the photo of Garcia’s knuckles that Trump had shared on social media had been clearly and obviously digitally altered to superimpose the caption “MS-13” over the tattoos. Garcia was wrongly deported on March 15. Take Action Tell Congress—it's time for moral courage! Send a message directly to your elected representatives demanding that they act now with moral courage to end the Trump administration’s abuses of power. This action alert has already generated more than 8,000 letters to Congress—let's keep the pressure on! Join the Faithful Conversations: Leading in Divided Times webinar next Thursday, May 8, at 7 p.m. ET, hosted by SojoAction. Next week’s webinar will focus on the following question: “How do we preach and teach truth in an age of lies and disinformation?” Join Quilting for the Constitution: Peace by Piece next Tuesday, May 6, near the National Mall and Capitol building. This quilt-in event, hosted by Women Building Peace, will display quilts with messages to Congress sown by women across the country and complete additional quilts for delivery. What We’re Reading and Watching I’m Just Not Ready to Give Up on Resurrection | What the search for the ivory-billed woodpecker teaches us about belief and unbelief. (By Martha Park) 'The Chosen' Star Elizabeth Tabish Didn't Want Men to Speak for Her Anymore | For years, Tabish felt that there was no space for a left-leaning woman in church. But playing Mary Magdalene on TV has helped her carve a new path. (By Tyler Huckabee) Mourning a Pope We Often Ignored | Eulogies are easy. Living his call for justice is not. (By Dean Dettloff) Deep Breaths  It’s Okay to Ask for Help I’ve noticed that I’m different from a few years ago. Things I rarely contemplated now occupy my thoughts, while parts of my body I didn’t know existed suddenly demand attention. I’m not as agile as I once was. Whether it’s aging, grief, or the trauma of living through pandemics—COVID-19 and racism—things that once felt easy now seem more complicated. This shift has made me realize that I need to ask for help. I’ve long prided myself on self-sufficiency as a mother, wife, minister, retired nurse, and scholar. Didn’t Paul say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”? I’ve pushed through challenges, but now even simple tasks feel daunting. We haven't fully addressed the toll the pandemic has taken on us. The past few years unraveled our worlds—death, destruction, racism, police brutality, and the world screaming for justice, only to experience our current regression. Our minds are cluttered with rapid news cycles and cruelty disguised as faith. I’ve felt overwhelmed and numb. But I now recognize that “grind culture” is detrimental to our bodies and spirits. It fosters distrust, competition, and isolation. I’m working to dismantle the “strong Black woman” myth; asking for help is not weakness, but a return to community. If you’re struggling, remember that asking for help is a holy invitation—it allows others to share their gifts and fosters community. If you notice someone who appears self-sufficient, especially those from marginalized and intersectional identities, gently offer your help. Small acts of care are impactful. Let’s support one another, give and receive love, and remember: We don’t have to navigate this alone. Reflection questions: Who in your life might be carrying more than they show, and how can you offer them gentle care? If you hesitate to ask for help, what stops you, and how can you take the first step? Recommended reading: Black Liturgies (Cole Arthur Riley), Rest is Resistance (Tricia Hersey), All About Love (bell hooks), The Strong Black Woman (Marita Golden), My Grandmother’s Hands (Resmaa Menakem), Jesus and the Disinherited (Howard Thurman), Emergent Strategy (adrienne maree brown). ––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 Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Director of Congregational Outreach & Education: Rev. Andrea Saccoccio Associate Editor: Josina Guess Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842