Three to Get Ready for February 25, 2026

Bad News First

The news can be disheartening, but it can also inspire or focus our engagement. Let’s take a deep breath and check in.

1. In a decision with concerning implications for mail ballots, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the Postal Service cannot be held liable for monetary damages when it intentionally withholds mail delivery.
2. An NPR investigation, later confirmed by other outlets, confirmed that the U.S. Department of Justice withheld materials containing allegations that President Trump sexually abused a minor.
3. President Trump delivered his State of the Union address, for which you can find fact checks here and here.

But Here’s the Good News

From where I'm sitting it seems like the opposition is growing more vocal. Let's make a joyful noise and cheer everyone on!

1. At least 30 House and Senate Democrats boycotted the State of the Union, while others protested and were ejected, heckled the president and walked out, or just walked out. This is not normal. In a good way, for once!
2. In the face of growing opposition, more ICE warehouses have now been cancelled (12) than have been acquired (9) nationwide, according to Project Salt Box, a group tracking property sales to DHS.
3. A federal judge in Virginia ruled that the Justice Department cannot search through a Washington Post reporter’s electronic devices, “saying the government could not be trusted to conduct the search on its own.”

And Here’s What You Can Do

Even small efforts have the potential to ripple out in ways we don’t expect. Plus, after that SOTU, we need some Karma offsets.

1. Take a look at Detention Watch Network and see if any action items interest you. Hint: you can email program@detentionwatchnetwork.org to be connected with folks opposing ICE detention in your area.
2. Amnesty International USA promotes and protects human rights, which seems like a pretty good place to start, right?
3. Take a few minutes to check your regular news sources against available media bias and credibility trackers and, for the love of humanity, get off X already.