Truth and Action Roundup 3.13.2026

View this email in your browser Welcome to the Truth and Action Roundup, your reliable weekly source for information, inspiration, and opportunities for action during the second Trump administration.  Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to continue receiving it. This week, the full costs of President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a war with Iran continue to come into sharp focus. An investigation has found that the missile that struck an elementary school, killing more than 170 people, was launched by American bombers. This constitutes the largest loss of civilian life caused by American forces since the My Lai Massacre. Among the dead were girls who were simply studying at the school, children we cannot allow to be dismissed as collateral damage. We cannot ever bring those lives back. We have also seen the entire region continue to be inflamed, with weapons flying between the United States, Israel, and Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz now closed by Iran. As this has unfolded, our administration, which began this war, has once again reacted in ways suggesting it never considered the potential consequences of starting this conflict. It dared shipping companies to ignore clear threats, claimed it would provide naval escorts that it could not supply, and dismissed the threat of mines planted by Iran. Those promises proved hollow when ships that attempted to travel the strait were rendered inoperable by the very attacks the administration had downplayed. Now the price of oil is rising around the world, with many nations imposing restrictions on use. Even as the human and economic toll of this war of choice continues to mount, we already hear the drums of war beginning to sound in regard to Cuba. Through our blockade of oil and diplomatic pressure to isolate the island, we are already seeing the United States move toward yet another conflict. As Christians, we surely cannot remain silent while the Trump administration is determined to wage war across the world. As Christians, we must vociferously reject this and all the killing that has been done in our names. –Rev. Moya Harris and Chad Stanton, Sojourners In the News Here’s a look at what happened this week: The war pitting the United States and Israel against Iran continues to engulf the region. The U.S. and Israel have increasingly targeted infrastructure, including fuel depots and petroleum logistics sites in and around Tehran, creating serious environmental hazards and risks to civilians. A retired Jordanian general and military analyst has assessed that the goal of such strikes is to “break the resilience of the Iranian people and paralyze the country’s logistics and economy.” An ongoing U.S. military investigation has determined that the United States is responsible for the deadly Tomahawk missile strikes on an Iranian elementary school, which Iran says killed at least 175 people. Rather than accept responsibility, President Trump has attempted to avoid blame, at one point claiming Iran was responsible. The use of artificial intelligence in the current conflict is raising serious concerns about both its limitations and the morality of its role in warfare. Experts believe the technology has helped the U.S. and Israel select targets for the thousands of airstrikes launched in the conflict, and warn that holding anyone accountable when AI-driven decisions cost civilian lives may prove nearly impossible. The consequences of Trump’s cruel deportation agenda continue to be felt across the country. The immigration detention system in the United States is on track for its deadliest year since 2004. Twenty-three people have died in ICE custody since October 2025, already marking the highest annual total in more than two decades. Some congressional Democrats have directly blamed the Trump administration’s decisions for many of the deaths. Nashville journalist Estefany Rodriguez, who frequently reports on ICE actions in her community, was detained by ICE this week. ICE claims Rodriguez, a native of Colombia who entered the country legally and has applied for political asylum, lacks legal status and is subject to deportation. She and her lawyers contend, however, that she was detained without a warrant in retaliation for her reporting and in violation of the First Amendment. The economy continues to be roiled by the war with Iran and other forces. Economists warn that high oil prices affect not just the price of gasoline at the pump but prices broadly, since nearly all goods must be transported from manufacturer to point of sale, and the cost of that transportation rises with the price of fuel. The longer the war lasts, the greater its effect on inflation is likely to be. Some warn that a prolonged war could set off a period of “stagflation,” a combination of sluggish economic growth and high inflation not seen in the United States since the late 1970s, a period with striking similarities to the current economic and geopolitical moment. Take Action We are continuing to call on Congress to end the war with Iran. The STOP Campaign is demanding that Hilton end its collaboration with ICE. What We’re Reading “11 Lenten Devotionals You Won’t Be Able to Give Up“ | “Some of the resources zero in on a particular sin, like racism or ableism; others invite us to consider the myriad ways to renounce all the death-dealing powers of evil.” (by Betsy Shirley) “What Connects ICE Resistance and Anti-Zionism? These Mennonites Can Tell You” | “Mennonite Action wants Christians to see the solidarity needed for Palestinians and Minnesotans alike.” (by Eliza Alemán) Deep Breaths "I have great belief in the fact that whenever there is chaos, it creates wonderful thinking. I consider chaos a gift." – Septima Clark When you're in the middle of a hurricane, you focus on one thing: how to protect yourself from its fury. You hunker down inside a sturdy building with a strong roof, tape on the windows, and plenty of food and water, just in case. Growing up in Houston, Texas, I experienced quite a few hurricanes. The storms always seemed to roll in overnight. My sisters and I would pile into our parents' room, scared of the howling wind, armed with flashlights, and settle onto pallets on the floor. It was like camping — but not quite. We were too restless to sleep, so we brought toys and books. With our vivid imaginations, we made up silly stories to take our minds off the storm raging outside. Amid the chaos, our imaginations are what kept us calm. We are currently caught in a man-made global storm. Violence occurs on every continent. The Earth feels smaller, and our interconnectedness is on full display as U.S. military forces deploy worldwide. Bombs have no names. Chaos exists everywhere — digitally, militarily, socially, economically, and politically. It's easy to hide under the covers and hope it all disappears. But the great civil rights strategist Septima Clark believed that chaos fosters great thinking. Under intense pressure, humans often come up with remarkable ideas. As a cardiac nurse, I witnessed this firsthand. When a team worked urgently to save a patient, ideas flowed rapidly, each person relying on others to unblock a vessel and save a life. Even our current CPR guidelines were developed from ingenuity created on battlefields, drawn from what worked under the extreme pressure of saving soldiers and adapted for hospitals and communities everywhere. We can learn from this. The chaos we are experiencing now is creating the conditions for wonderful thinking. Our imaginations can help us envision what the world will look like after the storm ends, a world where all people are free to thrive and flourish. Take this chance to dream. Don't let it slip away. We must engage with what is happening to protect our democracy and envision what our world can become for future generations — all at the same time. ––Rev. Moya Harris, 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 Senior Program Director: Rev. Moya Harris Digital Education and Outreach Specialist: Cortnie Brooks Policy and Action Assistant: Trinity Williams Donate Subscribe Copyright © 2026 Sojourners. All rights reserved. Email: sojourners@sojo.net | Tel.: 202.328.8842