Stillwater, MN – More than 80 healthcare workers at HealthPartners Stillwater clinics have been on strike since Tuesday, July 8. The workers are represented by the Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa local of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).
Heather Eggers is a medical assistant in family medicine with HealthPartners Stillwater. Eggers said, “We’re out here because there have been seven bargaining sessions, and the employer has come back with less than adequate compensation. We’re fighting for our wages over the next three years to be 5.75%, 5% and 4% and for better teaming benefits, floating benefits and other things that would help us do our jobs better.”
Fight Back! is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
A trial date of August 26 was set for immigrant rights activist Alejandro Orellana at his July 3 court appearance in front of a room packed with supporters. Orellana was arrested by the FBI on June 12 for protesting against ICE in Los Angeles. He faces up to 5 years in prison for two bogus federal charges: conspiracy to commit civil disorder and aiding and abetting civil disorder.
The Committee to Stop FBI Repression is calling for a national day of protests on the first day of Orellana's trial, August 26th, to demand that the charges be dropped. To everyone who believes in the right to free speech, to protest ICE, and to say no to deportations, we urge you to organize a local protest on that day at the nearest federal courthouse.
San José, CA – On Friday, July 4, President Trump signed his “Big Beautiful Bill” of tax cuts for the wealthy, cuts to health insurance and food stamps for the poor, and more attacks on immigrants.
The tax cuts are so large that, despite historic cuts to Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps), the federal government will be borrowing more than $300 billion more each year for the next ten years.
The new law cuts taxes about $450 billion a year over the next ten years, mainly benefiting higher income households. Using adjusted gross income, we can see the richer a household, the more money Trump and the Republicans’ new law gives to them.
Los Angeles, CA – On July 3, the courtroom in the Edward Roybal Federal Courthouse was completely packed in support of Alejandro Orellana.
Orellana was raided by the National Guard, East LA sheriffs and the FBI on June 12 and is facing up to five years in prison if found guilty. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli charged Orellana with conspiracy to commit civil unrest and aiding and abetting civil unrest.
“Thank you to all for your support today,” said Alejandro Orellana, addressing his supporters. Present were his immediate family, Centro CSO members and other supporters. Also present was CSO member and immigration leader Verita Topete. On June 26, Topete was followed in a park and violently served a search warrant for her phone, while she walked her dog alone.
Chicago, IL – On Friday, June 27, allies of the Los Angeles group Centro CSO gathered at noon in downtown Chicago for a press conference and rally in support of CSO immigrant rights activists Alejandro Orellana and Verita Topete. Orellana and Topete have been targeted by the FBI in the weeks since the Los Angeles protests against ICE raids.
“We’re here to demand that the federal charges against Alejandro Orellana be dropped,” Joe Iosbaker of the Committee to Stop FBI Repression, said. “Raids and federal grand juries are attacks on progressive movements, on our freedom to speak, to assemble, and to tell the government that their actions and their policies are wrong.”
Minneapolis, MN – On a rainy Monday evening, June 30, hundreds of Minnesotans lined Lake Street with signs and chants to protest the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to give sweeping power to Trump, which could ultimately allow him to end birthright citizenship.
The decision came on Friday June 27. Legal experts say ending birthright citizenship, a right enshrined by the 14th Amendment since 1868, is a direct attack on the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped directly ruling on President Trump’s racist order, for now.
Los Angeles, CA – On Friday, June 27, community members gathered at Salazar Park at 4 p.m. for a press conference and rally demanding the charges be dropped against Alejandro Orellana and calling for justice for Verita Topete. Both are immigrant rights activists who were raided by the FBI within the last two weeks.
Santa Ana, CA – On June 27, activists and community members waved signs on the corner of Flower Street and Civic Center Drive near the Central Justice Center chanting, “Drop the charges now!” and holding signs reading, “Protesting is not a crime!”
Los Angeles, CA – On Thursday, June 26, Verita Topete, an immigrant rights activist with Centro CSO, was ambushed by the FBI while walking her dog at a park. Federal agents aggressively approached her to serve a warrant and force her to give them her phone.
Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Committee to Stop FBI Repression.
On the morning of June 12, the FBI, accompanied by the National Guard and LA sheriffs, raided the home of Alejandro Orellana for his protesting of ICE raids in Los Angeles. He was arrested, taken into federal custody, then released the next day – after much public pressure and many phone calls to the U.S. Attorney.
Now he faces two bogus federal charges: one for conspiracy to commit civil disorder and another for aiding and abetting civil disorder. He is facing serious prison time.
Israel’s recent missile strikes on Iran have killed over 200 Iranians in one week. Iran has rightfully defended itself, as any sovereign nation would, and has struck back with precision, raining missiles through Israel’s ‘Iron Colander’.
Chicanos, Mexicanos, Central Americans and supporters across Los Angeles are rising up against the agents of Trump’s attacks on immigrants. The people of LA have a right to rebel against ICE and deportations. We have been active on the streets of LA and nationally in the movement to beat back Trump’s agenda.
In the first two weeks of his Presidency, Trump has unleashed a highly publicized campaign to deport Chicanos, Mexicanos, Central Americans and others. While he claims to be targeting criminals, the most recent raid in Denver, CO, had officials stopping everyone in the neighborhood and asking for documents. In addition, Trump has also cancelled Temporary Protected Status or TPS for more than 300,000 Venezuelans and tried to restrict birthright citizenship granted in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Trump has even started shipping detainees to the Guantanamo military base in Cuba, isolating them from family, friends, or any legal support.