Growing Repression... and Resistance

The Trump Regime's efforts to seize absolute power continue – in many and varied forms – election manipulation, strong arm tactics, illegal power grabs, threats against the media and more.

We're also seeing increasing political repression against our movements as the Feds and their allies seek to criminalize and demonize dissent, particularly those who courageously resist their ICE Gestapo.

Prosecutions of activists have also increased, most notably with the Prairieland defendants in Texas and immigrants rights advocates in Minnesota and Portland, OR. After an initial focus on Palestinian rights activists, those engaging in community defense to prevent ICE abductions have been most targeted. Like all fascist-wannabes, they seek to intensively target a small group of activists to intimidate others into silence and passivity. Fortunately, there's been little success on that front so far. But neither has there been the needed surge of solidarity and support for those targeted.

In the aftermath of a July 4, 2025 noise protest outside Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, TX, 22 activists have been sentenced to incredibly harsh sentences ranging from 22 months to 100 years. Defendants who took plea deals and cooperated with the government received the lighter sentences. Elizabeth Soto, who was sentenced 50 years in prison said, “It is their design created to criminalize people for protesting, for not conforming. We are living through a moment in time that will affect everyone in the future.” She continued “To the world, we cannot let this stand. For the people who come after us, we must never give up. We will go home.”

The small protest was carried out in support of the over 1,000 people imprisoned in the Prairieland Detention Center. Like millions of other people that evening, some protesters set off fireworks, wanting to express support and perhaps provide some entertainment to those held in brutal conditions. As the demonstration was dispersing, a local police officer came on the scene, drew his gun and looked like he was preparing to shoot a fleeing demonstrator, as we've seen happen in Minneapolis and elsewhere. One of the protesters who brought a firearm to the protest (which is perfectly legal in Texas, though not our preferred approach), fired warning shots into the ground. The officer ended up with a minor gunshot injury. There was also some vandalism during the protest, but if one compares this with the January 6 assault on the US Capitol, it's quite minor.

Please check out this link to learn more and look for ways to support these fellow activists as they seek to appeal their cases and fight for justice.

In solidarity,

Andy Mager
SCW Coordinator

Products to Fight Repression: https://syracuseculturalworkers.com/collections/fight-repression