Truth and Action Roundup 7.11.25

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. Flooding in Kerrville, Texas, has left us in deep mourning for the lives lost due to heavy rains, reminding us that every moment with our loved ones is precious. With this understanding, we must act passionately to protect those we can and direct our collective efforts toward a vision of true peace. As we sift through the information in the aftermath of this disaster, which has claimed the lives of our neighbors, we must be clear-eyed and decisive in demanding a complete understanding of the failures that have led to so many lives being lost. With so many people coming forward to offer their prayers and resources, we must also demand the truth. — Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners  In the News Here’s what’s been happening this week: 1) After floods in Texas killed at least 104 people last weekend, the search for victims—and answers—continues: Camp Mystic, where at least 27 campers and counselors died during the floods, had a state-mandated disaster plan approved just two days before the floods. As of this writing, the details of that plan and its execution remain unclear. Recent firings and buyouts at the National Weather Service, resulting from Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) efforts, have created staffing shortages, including the office nearest to the flood area, prompting a call from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. for an investigation into the role those shortages may have played. 2) The GOP majorities in Congress are pursuing other legislative priorities after passing a significant piece of the president’s agenda: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBB, which Donald Trump signed into law last week, remains highly unpopular with the American people. In polls conducted between May 2025 and July 3, an average of 31% of respondents supported the legislation, while 54% who opposed it, making it possibly the most unpopular budget legislation ever. The Senate GOP is considering cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting as proposed by the administration and approved by the House in a rescissions package. This package requires only a simple majority to pass instead of the customary 60-vote threshold. It must be approved by July 18, or it will expire. 3) Trump's deportation regime continues to ramp up: The recently passed OBBB Act will ‘supercharge’ the Trump administration’s budget for mass deportation and immigration detention by allocating an additional $170 billion in funding. The infusion of funding will make ICE the “largest federal law enforcement agency in the history of the nation,” according to the American Immigration Council’s Aaron Reichlin-Melnick. Federal agents and National Guard troops caused alarm and outrage when they briefly swarmed the mostly empty MacArthur Park on Monday, located in a neighborhood in Los Angeles where many immigrants reside. The raid ended abruptly and the Department of Homeland Security has not said whether anyone was arrested. After the Supreme Court removed legal obstacles, the Trump administration deported eight men to politically unstable South Sudan, even though none of them are a citizen of that country. 4) The IRS announced on Monday that churches and other houses of worship are now allowed to endorse political candidates to their congregations, reversing a decades-old ban on the practice. The ban still applies to other non-profit organizations. The reversal raises concerns that the move will incentivize candidates and parties to seek support from congregations. Take Action Here are some resources to support those recovering from flooding in Texas. As we continue to learn about the circumstances leading to this tragedy, we must always keep the people directly affected at the forefront of our minds and hearts. Next week, a national series of events honoring the John Lewis Day of Action through “Good Trouble Lives On” will take place. You can find a local event to participate in and support our democracy. There will be a webinar featuring faith leaders and me (Rev. Moya Harris) on Tuesday in preparation for a day of advocacy on Capitol Hill. What We’re Reading 100 Years After the Scopes Trial, What Is Truth? | It was, in a sense, a shot heard round the world, for it too was delivered in defense of freedom. In this case, though, the freedom to worship and to learn was at stake. (by Brenda Wineapple) Meet The Palestinian Student Who Just Beat The Trump Administration | Student activist Mohsen Mahdawi on what it was like to be detained by ICE for 16 days — and why he’s not giving up. (By Josiah Daniels) With mutual aid playing such a critical role in the response to the flooding in Texas, we are highlighting this piece from 2022, Mutual Aid’s Radical Christian Roots. | From the book of Acts to Mennonite solidarity, mutual aid has long been a way to create networks of communal care. (By Isaac S. Villegas) Deep Breaths  May Your Love Overflow We are inundated daily with unvarnished cruelty. It’s as if this administration is racing to see how many death-dealing policies it can implement in the shortest time possible. I struggle to understand how any group of human beings can maintain this level of callousness. This administration is working to normalize the cruelty we see every day: displays of military force in urban areas meant to instill fear in hardworking immigrants; the dismantling of all efforts toward diversity, equity and inclusion; and the whitewashing of history. All of this is designed to discourage dissent and numb the heart. As people of faith, we have tools that can sustain and strengthen us in these troubling times. It is easy to let these necropolitics colonize our minds day after day, week after week. But thankfully, we have sacred texts that call us back to the Divine. The Apostle Paul offers a prayer of encouragement in his letter to the Philippians—one that helps us turn our gaze outward to those sharing this struggle. And this is my prayer: that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what really matters, so that in the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God. – Philippians 1:9–11 Love is what will rescue us from this mess. An overflowing love—heart to heart, breast to breast—can conquer this evil. Our prayers must include hope for a love that overflows and guides our decisions, so we can partner with God to bring about the world God intends for all of creation. How love shows up will vary. It might be a random act of kindness, a moment of genuine eye contact with a stranger in an elevator. It could be a phone call or text to someone you’ve lost touch with. Love also appears when we take action to advocate for those under attack. Local advocacy can make a real difference. Small acts, repeated and multiplied, spread love. I decided to revisit this playlist because “Love’s In Need of Love Today”. May this be your soundtrack over the weekend. — Rev. Moya Harris, Director of Racial Justice, Sojourners The Truth and Action Roundup is compiled by Sojourners staff: President: Rev. Adam Russell Taylor Senior Research Associate: J.K. Granberg-Michaelson Digital Content and Community Specialist: Kassandra Tapia Chief Program and Impact Officer: Bryan Epps Political Director: Chad V. Stanton Director of Racial Justice: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Mobilizing and Policy Assistant: Miriam Tellez Senior Director of Marketing: Sandra Sims Unsubscribe or update email preferences Copyright © 2025 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842