“When will it stop?”
January 8, 2025
When will it stop? It will stop when enough of us say so. It is that simple, and that hard.
An ICE agent shot and killed a woman in her car as she attempted to comply with an ICE agent’s order to “get out of here.” As she slowly moved her car from the middle of the street as ordered, another ICE agent shot the 37-year-old woman in the face three times. The ICE agent claims he acted in self-defense, a claim contradicted by video footage of the event.
The video is embedded in this article, The Guardian, Woman in Minnesota fatally shot by ICE agent during raid, video shows. Warning—the video is difficult to watch. The officer who claims he was shooting in self-defense can be clearly seen shooting from the side of the vehicle through the passenger window [at the 0:16 second mark]. When the officer fired the fatal shots, he was no longer in front of the vehicle or in danger.
Before Renee Nicole Good was removed from her car, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem held a press conference declaring that Good was a “domestic terrorist” who was attacking ICE agents with her car.
Meanwhile, ICE agents refused offers of emergency first aid to Good and delayed others from doing so.
Trump doubled down on Noem’s lies by releasing a statement filled with lies and slander.
Readers who are weary of daily reporting of Trump’s lawlessness often ask, “When will it stop?”—i.e., what will it take to stop Trump’s dictatorial reign?
A frequent answer to that question, often repeated in this newsletter, is that the first step to reining in Trump is to take back control of Congress in the midterms.
That answer is unsatisfying (even infuriating) on days like today, when Trump’s thugs killed an innocent American because they believed they could get away with it. It is even more infuriating that Noem and Trump lied about the event by contradicting the evidence plainly visible on the video. Worse, in claiming that the victim was a “domestic terrorist,” they slandered an innocent American who was attempting to comply with conflicting orders of ICE agents.
In truth, the answer that “We must wait until the midterms to stop Trump’s lawless behavior” is inaccurate. We can stop Trump this week.
If 50 million Americans protested this weekend, it would unnerve his defenders and enablers, slowing or stopping Trump’s ability to act with impunity. Massive protests won’t change Trump’s mind. But they can change the minds of enough Republicans to allow congressional oversight to begin, and for Congress to re-establish its role as the Article I branch of government established by the Constitution.
And if we follow a massive protest this weekend with an even larger protest the next weekend, and the next, and next . . . we will be able to reverse many of the unconstitutional actions taken by Trump in short order. It is that easy, and that hard.
I realize I am preaching to the choir, but this is the only platform I have, and you are my only audience. Most readers of this newsletter are doing more than their share in resisting Trump. Asking you to do more might feel unfair, but we must fight this battle with the troops we have.
The most important action we can take is to recruit others to join us in public protests. We are the last line of defense against Trump, and it is time for us to pull out all of the stops. Invite family, friends, and complete strangers to join you in your next protest.
I have heard from readers who are already taking action on their own. (See Pro-democracy protest photos, below.) Others are anxious for direction about when and how they can join massive protests.
I urge you to look to the organizations you already belong to for guidance. Subscribe to Jessica Craven’s Chop Wood Carry Water on Substack, which is one of the best resources for daily resistance actions.
Finally, Indivisible has been a North Star during these troubled times, acting as the unofficial “leader of the resistance.” Indivisible will hold a national call on Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern / 5 p.m. Pacific. See description below:
Violence is nothing new for Trump’s secret police force. But this killing is a tragic escalation in the racist campaign of terror being carried out against communities across our nation. It’s proof of what happens when armed thugs are unleashed into our neighborhoods without oversight or accountability.
And it needs to be a galvanizing moment for every American to join the activists who’ve been fighting this brutality day in and day out for years in saying: ENOUGH.
Our call will feature concrete actions you can take to address abuses by ICE and demand accountability. [¶]
Our response needs to be loud. It needs to be nationwide. It needs to be peaceful. And it needs to address the full rottenness of Trump’s fascist police force and the system that’s allowed it to rampage our country with the budget of a national army.
American Imperialism and Trump’s Corruption
Trump (and Republican members of Congress) are officially acting as if the Constitution does not exist. Wednesday brought a wild series of announcements predicated on the notion that Trump possesses omnipotent, unbounded power to run the finances and foreign policy of the US without congressional oversight or compliance with the Constitution.
Venezuela
As to Venezuela, administration announcements on Wednesday dropped all pretense of the invasion into Venezuela being about drugs. Instead, the administration said it would assume control of Venezuela’s oil production indefinitely. See The Hill, Wright says US will sell Venezuelan oil ‘indefinitely’.
Worse, Trump said that Venezuela would give the US 50 million barrels of oil, which the US would sell on open markets, and deposit the proceeds into offshore accounts. The implication is that those offshore accounts are controlled by Trump, who will spend the money as he pleases. See USA Today, Trump says Venezuela will give US 50 million barrels of oil to sell. (Trump said, “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States.”)
That arrangement violates Article I, which gives Congress control over appropriations. The president has no independent authority to raise funds or spend them. The arrangement also violates the Antideficiency Act, which makes it a crime for any person to make or authorize an expenditure on behalf of the US in excess of that approved by Congress. Antideficiency Act | U.S. GAO.
A different law requires that all monies received on behalf of the US must be deposited into the US Treasury and may not be deposited into any other account, including a bank. See 31 U.S. Code § 3302 - Custodians of money.
Section 3302 provides, in part,
Except as provided by another law, an official or agent of the United States Government having custody or possession of public money shall keep the money safe without—
(1) lending the money;
(2) using the money;
(3) depositing the money in a bank. . .
[A]n official or agent of the Government receiving money for the Government from any source shall deposit the money in the Treasury as soon as practicable without deduction for any charge or claim.
In short, it now appears that Trump believes he used 15,000 US troops, 150 planes, and 25% of the US Navy to invade Venezuela so that he could gain personal control over billions in oil revenue kept in offshore accounts.
The arrangement is so shockingly unconstitutional and corrupt that it is unfathomable that congressional Republicans will not object to the arrangement.
Greenland
Marco Rubio is heading to Denmark in an effort to “purchase” Greenland from Denmark, “or else . . . .” See Benzinga, Marco Rubio To Meet Denmark’s Leaders Next Week, Refuses To Rule Out Use Of Force For Greenland Acquisition.
Denmark has already said that US military action to invade Greenland will lead to the end of the NATO alliance. On Wednesday, several European countries issued a statement affirming the independence and self-determination of Greenland and Denmark.
Per Benzinga,
European governments and Canada have rallied behind Denmark and Greenland, insisting the island’s future belongs to its people and vowing to oppose any annexation that violates international law. Danish and Greenlandic leaders have recently repeatedly rejected Trump’s push, stressing that “Greenland has never been for sale and never will be for sale.”
As with Venezuela, Trump’s notion that he can unilaterally “buy” Greenland without consent from Denmark and statutory authority from the US Congress demonstrates his unhinged view of himself as a free-floating actor not bound by the US Constitution.
For every major territorial acquisition by the US, the acquisition has been completed by treaty or a joint congressional resolution. [The territorial expansion of the US is complicated and includes dozens of small acquisitions or occupations. I have stated the general rule.] Treaties require the approval of 2/3 of the Senate, which Trump will never get.
Concluding Thoughts
Most Americans have recoiled in anger and horror at the video of the ICE killing of an innocent American citizen. I was so angry after watching the video that I had to wait five hours before I could begin writing this evening’s newsletter. Even still, I cannot bring myself to say the strong words that I want to say, because I do not feel they will be helpful to others processing this horrific tragedy. I will give voice to them in the coming days when I can compose myself and my feelings. For now, we must turn our rage and grief into action.
No one should bury or suppress their feelings of anger and horror. Rather, we should live with them as we turn anger and grief into action. One reader expressed that sentiment in an email to me Wednesday evening:
I have an open wound. I am going to leave it as it is. No bandages, no salves, nothing. It is going to direct me in the days ahead. Anger resides there as well. The combination will stiffen my spine for battle. I am profoundly saddened by the loss of our moral compass in this country.
The words and actions of Trump and Noem are unforgivable. They are inhuman and indecent, slanderous, and callous. But we must not allow our anger and grief to give Trump an excuse to send more ICE thugs into Minneapolis, call up the National Guard, or invoke the Insurrection Act. Do not fall into the trap being set by Trump and Stephen Miller.
We have the power to bring this government and the economy to a halt if enough of us join in peaceful protest and concerted economic action. By converting our anger and grief into mass action, the death of Renee Nicole Good will not have been in vain.
It has been a tragic day. Two things can be true at once: We can be devastated and outraged, and we can force ourselves to take action when that is the last thing our grieving minds want to do.
How we respond in the next week will be critical to answering the question, “When will it stop?” It will stop when enough of us say so. It is that simple, and that hard.
Pro-democracy Protest Photos
Missoula, MT
January 8, 2026
Northampton, MA
Rally in support of Mark Kelly
Grand Rapids, MI
In front of our Social Security Office. We have had less than 10 and up to 60 since late February 2025. Tesla on Mondays, here on Wednesdays and Bridges on Fridays for over 40 weeks straight
Denver, CO
Here's a photo from the January 6 remembrance demonstration in Denver yesterday, courtesy of my wife. (I stayed home to mind the young puppy, a guide dog in training.) I hope it brings you a smile.
Our Newburyport Democratic City Committee protest committee had a last-minute January 6th protest in the style of the old Burma Shave ads, which most people may not remember. Each protestor was standing a distance apart, so that drivers could read the message. One of our group members took a picture of each of us and put them together in the attached photo.
17 of us came out to our weekly protest in Oakland, CA! On the first Saturday of the year, a rainy Saturday, and only one person had confirmed they would attend. People were honking and waving like crazy in support.
The Chattanooga Bridge Brigade was out twice this week, with 2 different messages, 24 hours apart. On Monday the 5th of January, this was the message:
The comment from a participant is, "Taking part in the Bridge Brigade not only creates a sense of community for those participating, but lets passing like-minded motorists know that they are not alone."
The Framingham, MA, Visibility Brigade had 20 people stand up on Tuesday afternoon to remind people of the truth. (Lots and lots of support from the road, too.)
Lyons, Colorado
Attached is a photo of our “Signs of Fascism” local group, Lyons Neighbors 4 Democracy (modeled after the brilliant Sequim, WA, street political theater), which we put up yesterday to commemorate the Jan. 6 insurrection.
We’ve met every Saturday, noon to 1pm (2 pm on call-to-action days), since Feb. 2, 2025.
I am so tired of being angry. Every other word echoing in my head is foul. Where are our leaders? When will Congress wake up and stop this madman before he destroys us all? When nothing is left, don't they realize that having 100% of nothing is nothing?
“When will it stop?” Massive peaceful protests, yes! I would suggest starting in Louisiana, Speaker's Johnson's State. I am also reminded that this is the 4th year of the war in Ukraine. We have all seen the awful deaths, violence and destruction going on there. 4 years so far. We are just barely into the 2nd year of the trump gestapo regime. Yes, it's shocking and scary and hard. Today I am thinking of Renee Nicole Good.