Protect Democracy
@protectdemocracy.org
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit group working to prevent authoritarianism. This account is owned and operated by Protect Democracy United.
Follow us on other platforms ➡️ https://protdem.org/m/stay-connected
Follow us on other platforms ➡️ https://protdem.org/m/stay-connected
Pinned
We remember Minnesota’s Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and the other lives lost at the hands of the Trump admin’s brutality and cruelty. We look to our collective courage to remain clear eyed about the authoritarian threat and what we can do for each other. Threaded below are resources to meet the moment.
Deployment of federal agents and abuses of power are about more than immigration enforcement and protest suppression. @amandacarpenter.bsky.social lays out the stark reality of the conditions shaping our midterm elections for her column, the Entrenchment Agenda. ⬇️
Free speech, ICE, and free elections in 2026
More than immigration enforcement and protest suppression
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
January 26, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Deployment of federal agents and abuses of power are about more than immigration enforcement and protest suppression. @amandacarpenter.bsky.social lays out the stark reality of the conditions shaping our midterm elections for her column, the Entrenchment Agenda. ⬇️
We remember Minnesota’s Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and the other lives lost at the hands of the Trump admin’s brutality and cruelty. We look to our collective courage to remain clear eyed about the authoritarian threat and what we can do for each other. Threaded below are resources to meet the moment.
January 25, 2026 at 8:12 PM
We remember Minnesota’s Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and the other lives lost at the hands of the Trump admin’s brutality and cruelty. We look to our collective courage to remain clear eyed about the authoritarian threat and what we can do for each other. Threaded below are resources to meet the moment.
The Trump admin’s attempts to accumulate your private voter data isn’t a good faith effort to root out fraud. Get smart on how the admin plans to twist voter data to lay the groundwork to contest the results of the midterms should Trump’s allies lose this November. https://protdem.org/4bM0h55
January 23, 2026 at 10:02 PM
The Trump admin’s attempts to accumulate your private voter data isn’t a good faith effort to root out fraud. Get smart on how the admin plans to twist voter data to lay the groundwork to contest the results of the midterms should Trump’s allies lose this November. https://protdem.org/4bM0h55
DoD’s attempt to punish Senator Kelly is a blatant effort to silence dissent and intimidate political opponents. @thehill.com’s Ellen Mitchell details our amicus brief on behalf of 41 retired admirals, generals, and service secretaries and the stakes of this unlawful censorship.
Ex-military leaders back Mark Kelly in lawsuit against Hegseth
More than 40 former military leaders are backing Sen. Mark Kelly's (D-Ariz.) lawsuit against the Pentagon, saying they are “deeply concerned” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's threats against the re...
thehill.com
January 23, 2026 at 7:00 PM
DoD’s attempt to punish Senator Kelly is a blatant effort to silence dissent and intimidate political opponents. @thehill.com’s Ellen Mitchell details our amicus brief on behalf of 41 retired admirals, generals, and service secretaries and the stakes of this unlawful censorship.
“Federal actions are supreme only when they are constitutional,” write Cameron Kistler and @raders.bsky.social on the opportunity CA and other states have to push back against the Trump admin’s abuses and impose legal accountability on federal officers who violate people’s constitutional rights.
California can use these three words in the Constitution to push back against Trump
OPINION: The California legislature has a powerful potential tool to push back against the excesses of the Trump administration. They just need to pass this law.
www.sfchronicle.com
January 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM
“Federal actions are supreme only when they are constitutional,” write Cameron Kistler and @raders.bsky.social on the opportunity CA and other states have to push back against the Trump admin’s abuses and impose legal accountability on federal officers who violate people’s constitutional rights.
Free elections require free speech. From repressive immigration enforcement tactics to claims of terrorism and more, the admin is weaponizing the gov to stifle dissent ahead of the midterms. The latest from @amandacarpenter.bsky.social here: https://protdem.org/4jVnior
January 23, 2026 at 4:17 PM
Free elections require free speech. From repressive immigration enforcement tactics to claims of terrorism and more, the admin is weaponizing the gov to stifle dissent ahead of the midterms. The latest from @amandacarpenter.bsky.social here: https://protdem.org/4jVnior
🚨VICTORY🚨 Our lawsuit against DHS in Chicago is over.
We sued to protect the public's right to observe, protest, and film agents, and Chicagoans continued exercising their rights. Once the Court stepped in, the agents packed up. Read more about our case here: protdem.org/437OR6z
We sued to protect the public's right to observe, protest, and film agents, and Chicagoans continued exercising their rights. Once the Court stepped in, the agents packed up. Read more about our case here: protdem.org/437OR6z
Protecting protesters and the press from unconstitutional federal force in Illinois
Protect Democracy is suing the Trump administration for violating the First Amendment in Northern Illinois.
protdem.org
January 22, 2026 at 10:21 PM
🚨VICTORY🚨 Our lawsuit against DHS in Chicago is over.
We sued to protect the public's right to observe, protest, and film agents, and Chicagoans continued exercising their rights. Once the Court stepped in, the agents packed up. Read more about our case here: protdem.org/437OR6z
We sued to protect the public's right to observe, protest, and film agents, and Chicagoans continued exercising their rights. Once the Court stepped in, the agents packed up. Read more about our case here: protdem.org/437OR6z
"Our national security is strengthened − not weakened − when those with firsthand expertise can speak openly and inform public debate on matters involving the military and our defense," Beau Tremitiere told @brieannafrank.bsky.social about Secretary Hegseth’s attempts to suppress veterans’ speech.
Dozens of former military leaders defend Mark Kelly in Pentagon fight
Military leaders including the former secretaries of the Army and Navy called the Pentagon's actions against Kelly "remarkable and unprecedented."
www.usatoday.com
January 22, 2026 at 8:04 PM
"Our national security is strengthened − not weakened − when those with firsthand expertise can speak openly and inform public debate on matters involving the military and our defense," Beau Tremitiere told @brieannafrank.bsky.social about Secretary Hegseth’s attempts to suppress veterans’ speech.
Authoritarian tactics are increasingly being used to silence the mission-oriented work nonprofits do. Our new column in @npquarterly.bsky.social offers a roadmap for solidarity and response in the face of politicized gov scrutiny. Read our piece on the state of civil society and what lies ahead:
Holding the Line Together: Civil Society and the First Year of the Trump Administration | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
On January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time as president and has since attempted to constrain civil society.
nonprofitquarterly.org
January 22, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Authoritarian tactics are increasingly being used to silence the mission-oriented work nonprofits do. Our new column in @npquarterly.bsky.social offers a roadmap for solidarity and response in the face of politicized gov scrutiny. Read our piece on the state of civil society and what lies ahead:
VICTORY: Today, a court ruled that Virginia’s lifetime ban on voting for anyone convicted of a felony violates the federal Virginia Readmission Act. This victory strikes down a Jim Crow era law, restoring the right to vote for thousands of Virginians. Read the opinion here: protdem.org/3NKjxpH
January 22, 2026 at 6:05 PM
VICTORY: Today, a court ruled that Virginia’s lifetime ban on voting for anyone convicted of a felony violates the federal Virginia Readmission Act. This victory strikes down a Jim Crow era law, restoring the right to vote for thousands of Virginians. Read the opinion here: protdem.org/3NKjxpH
“The California Legislature does have one powerful potential tool to push back, one that no other state has yet fully embraced.” Cameron Kistler and @raders.bsky.social write how California and other states can protect residents against violations of their constitutional rights by federal officers.
California can use these three words in the Constitution to push back against Trump
OPINION: The California legislature has a powerful potential tool to push back against the excesses of the Trump administration. They just need to pass this law.
www.sfchronicle.com
January 22, 2026 at 5:00 PM
“The California Legislature does have one powerful potential tool to push back, one that no other state has yet fully embraced.” Cameron Kistler and @raders.bsky.social write how California and other states can protect residents against violations of their constitutional rights by federal officers.
We're proud to partner with @npquarterly.bsky.social on a new column, In Defense Of Civil Society, analyzing how authoritarian tactics are being used to silence civil society orgs and offer strategies for fighting back.
Read our debut piece outlining what nonprofits should prepare for in 2026. ⬇️
Read our debut piece outlining what nonprofits should prepare for in 2026. ⬇️
Holding the Line Together: Civil Society & the First Year of the Trump Administration | Nonprofit Quarterly | Civic News. Empowering Nonprofits. Advancing Justice.
On January 20, Donald Trump was sworn in for a second time as president and has since attempted to constrain civil society.
nonprofitquarterly.org
January 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM
We're proud to partner with @npquarterly.bsky.social on a new column, In Defense Of Civil Society, analyzing how authoritarian tactics are being used to silence civil society orgs and offer strategies for fighting back.
Read our debut piece outlining what nonprofits should prepare for in 2026. ⬇️
Read our debut piece outlining what nonprofits should prepare for in 2026. ⬇️
New reporting affirms what countless reviews conducted by R and D election officials have shown: our elections are safe and secure. The admin’s use of the ‘SAVE’ tool plays into election denier efforts to sow distrust in our elections, and lay the groundwork for undermining the will of the voters.
Initial Review Finds No Widespread Illegal Voting by Migrants, Puncturing a Trump Claim
www.nytimes.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:26 PM
New reporting affirms what countless reviews conducted by R and D election officials have shown: our elections are safe and secure. The admin’s use of the ‘SAVE’ tool plays into election denier efforts to sow distrust in our elections, and lay the groundwork for undermining the will of the voters.
The president and his allies are going to do everything they can to try to corrupt this year’s midterm elections. But everything is on our side. With the strength and courage each one of us has, we can and will have free and fair elections. Here's the strategy to defend our democracy:
Elections are the essential remaining pillar of our democracy
Here is how we protect them
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
January 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM
The president and his allies are going to do everything they can to try to corrupt this year’s midterm elections. But everything is on our side. With the strength and courage each one of us has, we can and will have free and fair elections. Here's the strategy to defend our democracy:
States can prosecute federal agents like ICE and CBP officers and, under the right circumstances, achieve convictions. Read our latest explainer on why and how: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/federal-officers-absolute-immunity/
Why federal officers don’t have absolute immunity
Federal agents don't have absolute immunity, and can face state criminal penalties, including prison time, for illegal conduct on the job.
protectdemocracy.org
January 20, 2026 at 5:00 PM
States can prosecute federal agents like ICE and CBP officers and, under the right circumstances, achieve convictions. Read our latest explainer on why and how: https://protectdemocracy.org/work/federal-officers-absolute-immunity/
TODAY: We helped 41 retired admirals, generals, & service secretaries file an amicus brief supporting Navy veteran and US Senator Mark Kelly’s suit challenging the Defense Department’s efforts to penalize him for exercising his First Amendment right. They said this about the impact on our democracy:
January 20, 2026 at 4:29 PM
TODAY: We helped 41 retired admirals, generals, & service secretaries file an amicus brief supporting Navy veteran and US Senator Mark Kelly’s suit challenging the Defense Department’s efforts to penalize him for exercising his First Amendment right. They said this about the impact on our democracy:
“Acquiescence today only invites future harassment.” @maxpotter.bsky.social and Beau Tremitiere petition CO Gov. Polis to consider the risks of clemency — amid Trump’s unlawful pressure campaign—for frmr election official Tina Peters, convicted for attempting to undermine the will of voters in '20.
Clemency for Tina Peters endangers us all (Opinion)
Governor Polis has cited humanitarian reasons for possibly granting clemency to convicted felon, Tina Peters. If he were to do so, his good intentions today would invite terrible outcomes for Color…
www.denverpost.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:08 PM
“Acquiescence today only invites future harassment.” @maxpotter.bsky.social and Beau Tremitiere petition CO Gov. Polis to consider the risks of clemency — amid Trump’s unlawful pressure campaign—for frmr election official Tina Peters, convicted for attempting to undermine the will of voters in '20.
A number of important legislative proposals moved forward recently, including the NOPE Act on Capitol Hill and several states have advanced Universal Constitutional Remedies Acts. @raders.bsky.social explains their significance: https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-grand-unified-strategy-to-uphold
A grand unified strategy to uphold the Constitution
A wave of proposals to strengthen the tools, not the rules
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
January 19, 2026 at 8:04 PM
A number of important legislative proposals moved forward recently, including the NOPE Act on Capitol Hill and several states have advanced Universal Constitutional Remedies Acts. @raders.bsky.social explains their significance: https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-grand-unified-strategy-to-uphold
Trump doesn't want free and fair elections in 2026. But there’s one big problem for him: The American people do. The vast majority of our fellow citizens want their vote to be heard.
In our latest briefing: the winning strategy to defend the midterms: https://protdem.org/4pF1DlH
In our latest briefing: the winning strategy to defend the midterms: https://protdem.org/4pF1DlH
January 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Trump doesn't want free and fair elections in 2026. But there’s one big problem for him: The American people do. The vast majority of our fellow citizens want their vote to be heard.
In our latest briefing: the winning strategy to defend the midterms: https://protdem.org/4pF1DlH
In our latest briefing: the winning strategy to defend the midterms: https://protdem.org/4pF1DlH
The Trump admin’s ICE forces are once again brutalizing protestors, this time in Minneapolis. Here’s what targeted cities can learn from Chicago’s own struggle and success:
🗣️ Pre-bunk lies
📸 Film everything as a civic duty
🤝 Stand united
☮️ Keep it peaceful
🗣️ Pre-bunk lies
📸 Film everything as a civic duty
🤝 Stand united
☮️ Keep it peaceful
Lessons from Chicago: A playbook for the federal immigration surge in New Orleans - Verite News New Orleans
Civil rights lawyers successfully fought the brutal tactics deployed against Chicagoans during a recent immigration enforcement deployment. But they needed help from the community to get it done.
veritenews.org
January 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM
The Trump admin’s ICE forces are once again brutalizing protestors, this time in Minneapolis. Here’s what targeted cities can learn from Chicago’s own struggle and success:
🗣️ Pre-bunk lies
📸 Film everything as a civic duty
🤝 Stand united
☮️ Keep it peaceful
🗣️ Pre-bunk lies
📸 Film everything as a civic duty
🤝 Stand united
☮️ Keep it peaceful
What we're reading: “As former federal prosecutors, we know an incident like the Minneapolis shooting must be followed by a credible inquiry.”
@kristyparker.bsky.social and Samantha Trepel write in The Guardian about how cities and states must hold ICE accountable for violence.
@kristyparker.bsky.social and Samantha Trepel write in The Guardian about how cities and states must hold ICE accountable for violence.
Cities and states must hold ICE accountable for violence. The feds won’t | Kristy Parker and Samantha Trepel
As former federal prosecutors, we know an incident like the Minneapolis shooting must be followed by a credible inquiry
www.theguardian.com
January 18, 2026 at 9:08 PM
What we're reading: “As former federal prosecutors, we know an incident like the Minneapolis shooting must be followed by a credible inquiry.”
@kristyparker.bsky.social and Samantha Trepel write in The Guardian about how cities and states must hold ICE accountable for violence.
@kristyparker.bsky.social and Samantha Trepel write in The Guardian about how cities and states must hold ICE accountable for violence.
In the wake of Renee Good’s killing, the White House has insisted that ICE and CBP officers have “absolute immunity” for their violent attacks on the people of Minneapolis and other American cities. ⚠️ Wrong ⚠️
Get the details here: https://protdem.org/4qqwXpp
Get the details here: https://protdem.org/4qqwXpp
January 18, 2026 at 8:04 PM
In the wake of Renee Good’s killing, the White House has insisted that ICE and CBP officers have “absolute immunity” for their violent attacks on the people of Minneapolis and other American cities. ⚠️ Wrong ⚠️
Get the details here: https://protdem.org/4qqwXpp
Get the details here: https://protdem.org/4qqwXpp
This year, everything the administration does should be seen through this lens ➡️ the midterms may be the main and most important institution holding up our democracy. @justingflorence.bsky.social and Emily Rodriguez brief us on the threats we’ll face and strategies to combat them:
Elections are the essential remaining pillar of our democracy
Here is how we protect them
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
January 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM
This year, everything the administration does should be seen through this lens ➡️ the midterms may be the main and most important institution holding up our democracy. @justingflorence.bsky.social and Emily Rodriguez brief us on the threats we’ll face and strategies to combat them:
Read @maxpotter.bsky.social and Beau Tremitiere’s message for CO Gov Polis as he considers clemency for frmr election official convicted for attempts to subvert the '20 election, Tina Peters. ⬇️
https://www.denverpost.com/2026/01/15/tina-peters-mesa-county-clerk-clemency/?share=dsy1ls001syrwtesmssc
https://www.denverpost.com/2026/01/15/tina-peters-mesa-county-clerk-clemency/?share=dsy1ls001syrwtesmssc
January 17, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Read @maxpotter.bsky.social and Beau Tremitiere’s message for CO Gov Polis as he considers clemency for frmr election official convicted for attempts to subvert the '20 election, Tina Peters. ⬇️
https://www.denverpost.com/2026/01/15/tina-peters-mesa-county-clerk-clemency/?share=dsy1ls001syrwtesmssc
https://www.denverpost.com/2026/01/15/tina-peters-mesa-county-clerk-clemency/?share=dsy1ls001syrwtesmssc
New legislation being introduced in capitals across the country represents the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a grand unified legislative strategy to upholding the Constitution, argues Ben Raderstorf. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-grand-unified-strategy-to-uphold
A grand unified strategy to uphold the Constitution
A wave of proposals to strengthen the tools, not the rules
www.ifyoucankeepit.org
January 17, 2026 at 8:04 PM
New legislation being introduced in capitals across the country represents the closest thing we’ve seen yet to a grand unified legislative strategy to upholding the Constitution, argues Ben Raderstorf. https://www.ifyoucankeepit.org/p/a-grand-unified-strategy-to-uphold