📢 Together, we rise! People Power United champions progress and power to the people. Join us by becoming a free or paid subscriber. Make your voice heard.
The First Amendment is not optional. It's not a guideline. It's not a privilege to be granted or revoked by the President. It is the foundation of our democracy—guaranteeing our right to speak, dissent, organize, and learn without fear of government retaliation.
But in just the first months of Donald Trump's second term, a full-scale assault on our freedom of speech has been unleashed.
From targeting immigrants for their political opinions to punishing universities, journalists, and television networks, Trump is making clear that his administration views dissent as disloyalty and protest as a threat to be crushed.
This isn't just unconstitutional. It's un-American.
A Government of Censorship and Fear
Here are just a few of the actions Trump's administration has already taken in just a few months:
🛑 Jailing Immigrants for Their Words: Immigrants who have shared political critiques of the U.S. government, including on social media and in published essays, have been arrested and detained—raising alarms from human rights groups and First Amendment advocates. (AP News)
📚 Punishing Universities: The Department of Education froze federal research funds to Harvard, Columbia, and other universities for not adhering to new "patriotic curriculum standards" that limit discussion of race, history, and U.S. foreign policy. (Reuters)
⚖️ Sanctioning Lawyers: Trump's Justice Department has sanctioned immigration and civil rights attorneys for representing clients challenging his administration—echoing authoritarian tactics used to scare lawyers out of defending human rights. (Reuters)
📰 Threatening the Press: The White House revoked access for journalists who refuse to use "official language" when describing Trump's policies. Media outlets critical of the administration have faced threats. (NPR)
This crackdown follows Trump's long record of attacking the free press, calling journalists "enemies of the people," and threatening to "open up libel laws" to punish those who report unfavorably on him.
Now, with unchecked power, he's turning those threats into policy.
The Battle Over Harvard and the Right to Learn
Trump's latest target is Harvard University, where his administration demanded the adoption of a government-approved curriculum. When Harvard's faculty refused, citing academic freedom and the First Amendment, the Department of Education retaliated by freezing federal funding.
The implications are chilling: any university that teaches history, race, or political science in ways that challenge state narratives risks financial ruin. It's an apparent attempt to control what young Americans can learn—and what they are allowed to think.
This Is Not Patriotism. It's Authoritarianism.
What Trump is doing is not about protecting American values. It's about silencing opposition. 34-time convicted felon President Trump and his Republican cult of obedience are trying to turn the federal government into an enforcement arm for MAGA ideology—where truth is what the President says it is, and questioning that truth becomes punishable.
But as Justice Antonin Scalia once said, "If I were king, I would make it [flag burning] a crime. But as I understand the First Amendment, it guarantees the right to express contempt for the government, Congress, the Supreme Court, even the nation and the nation's flag."
Free speech is not a partisan issue. It is a patriotic one.
The People Will Speak—Louder Than Ever
34-time convicted felon Trump may have been elected President, but he is no leader, and he does not have the authority to rewrite the Constitution. The First Amendment has no exception for speech the President finds offensive or inconvenient. Here at People Power United, we stand with immigrants, students, journalists, artists, teachers, and protesters—because free speech belongs to the people, not the President.
To be silent now is to surrender the very freedoms that define us. We will not be silenced. And we will not back down.
Please take 1 (one) minute and send a message to your Member of Congress to defend and protect our Freedom of Speech.
Today’s call to action
Please take 1 (one) minute and send a message to your Member of Congress to defend and protect our Freedom of Speech.
Click here to Tell the EPA: Keep PFAS Out of Our Water
Click here to Denounce Trump’s Corrupt Air Force One Bribe
Click here to Investigate Trump's Efforts to Undermine Social Security
If you are near DC, join the Unite for Veterans rally happening this week
Click here to check out our updated newsletter landing page!
We’ve reorganized everything to make it easier for you to take action and get involved:
Speak Out –Find all our petitions, letter-writing campaigns, and calls to action in one place—including actions from People Power United, our partners, and coalition allies.
Show Up – Discover upcoming events, rallies, protests, and more near you.
Join People Power United – Explore ways to become part of our growing movement to champion progress and power to the people.
It’s never been easier to raise your voice, take action, and build people power!
Unite for Veterans, Unite for America Rally on June 6th
🗓 Friday, June 6, 2025 🕑 2:00 PM ET📍 National Mall, Washington, D.C. (Between the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol) Let the world see our strength and solidarity. 👉 Click here to signup.
No King's Day on June 14th
Join the National Day of Action for No King's Day on June 14th
Click here to find a location near you on Mobilize
Click here to view on a map
Click here to signup to host an event for NO KINGS DAY
Thanks for taking action!
We are not just resisting—we are reclaiming, rebuilding, and rising. Let’s do it together.
With fierce resolve and people power,
Laurie Woodward Garcia (paid with hugs and kisses, not bought by special interests)
People Power United
Together, we can champion progress, protect our rights and freedoms, and hold our leaders accountable to the people’s will. By speaking out, showing up, and building power, we’ll defend democracy, uphold the rule of law, and inspire voters to take meaningful action—so that everyone in our community can thrive.
Here is how you can stay connected to our work:
Click here to Subscribe to our newsletter on Substack.
Click here to Subscribe to our events and communications list.
📢 Together, we rise! People Power United champions progress and power to the people. Join us by becoming a free or paid subscriber. Make your voice heard.
Thank you Laurie. The energy it takes to write every day is so inspiring.
I'm sending as many messages as I can to my congress people.
Barb
I second Barb Doug Veit. Thank you, Laurie. I also write, and sign and call and march. We are getting through!!