❤️ Good News from the Resistance: April 20-26, 2025
“It is easier to resist at the beginning than at the end.” - Leonardo DaVinci
Welcome to How to Resist, an instruction manual for resistance based on nonviolence, mutual aid, and community building for ordinary people who want to save democracy.
Good News from the Resistance is published every Sunday. Subscribe to receive future newsletters!
This week in the resistance…
Massive nationwide protests rallied to condemn Trump’s policies, again
Organizers say more than 3 million people turned out across the country to show their dissatisfaction with the Trump administration. 1 2
Arizona governor vetoes bill that would have supported federal immigration efforts
“Gov. Katie Hobbs of Arizona vetoed a bill on Friday that would have supported the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts by requiring state and local officials to cooperate with federal immigration officials.”3
Harvard sues Trump administration to stop a freeze of more than $2 billion in grants
“Harvard University sued the Trump administration in federal court Monday […] seek[ing] to block the Trump administration from withholding federal funding “as leverage to gain control of academic decision making at Harvard.””4
US universities help foreign students weather Trump purge
Universities advise students to stay and complete courses and degrees amid intense legal pressures from the Trump administration.5
Foreign students sue the Trump administration over revoked visas
Several international students who have had their visas revoked in recent weeks have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, arguing the government denied them due process when it suddenly took away their permission to be in the US.6
ICE backs down, says it will restore the status of thousands of foreign students after backlash
ICE backs down after terminating the records of ~4,700 foreign students; announces student visas shall remain active or be reactivated.7
Tabletop game producers sue Trump
Stonemaier Games announced on Monday its intention to join a lawsuit against United States President Donald Trump over his new, sweeping 145% tariffs on goods imported from China. The ever-increasing tariffs may devastate manufacturers who largely rely on Chinese suppliers for printing and to produce the components that go into tabletop games.8
55th Annual Earth Day sees protests, tree planting, and celebrations
People around the globe celebrated Earth Day this year. In the United States, the day was marked by protests demanding climate action and policy change.9
Democrats Travel to Louisiana ICE Prisons to Demand Release of Khalil, Öztürk
A group of lawmakers, led by Rep. Troy Carter (Louisiana), and including Sen. Ed Markey (Massachusetts) and Representatives Jim McGovern (Massachusetts), Ayanna Pressley (Massachusetts), and Bennie Thompson (Mississippi) traveled to Louisiana on Tuesday to visit Mahmoud Khalil and Rümeysa Öztürk in the immigration prisons they’re being held in and to demand their release. 10
Families of Disabled Students fight back against Trump administration cuts
15 disability rights groups signed a letter to Congress, making it clear that removing federal oversight of critical civil rights laws like IDEA “leaves students vulnerable to the variation in state implementation and threatens to bring us back to a time when many students with disabilities were denied an education.”11
Democratic lawmakers question the Justice Department over warning to fired official
“Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday pressed the U.S. Justice Department to explain its decision to dispatch armed agents to deliver a letter warning a fired employee about her planned testimony before members of Congress.
Three Democrats condemned the move as an attempt to intimidate Liz Oyer, the Justice Department's former pardon attorney, and other career officials who may want to speak about President Donald Trump’s administration.”12
Trump's approval rating drops to 42%
A Reuters/Ipsos poll found that Trump’s approval rating drops to 42% as more Americans become wary of his expanding powers. 13
N.C. court lets Democrats keep control of the state’s elections board
“A panel of judges blocked a last-ditch effort by Republicans to take over the panel that oversees elections in the state.”14
DOGE has birthed hundreds of whistleblowers
Hundreds of whistleblowers are using encrypted messaging to contact journalists with reports of wrongdoing.15
Twelve states sue the Trump administration over ‘tax hikes’ through tariffs
Twelve states sued the Trump administration Wednesday for “illegally imposing” tax hikes on Americans through tariffs.16
Three ex-presidents have denounced Trump in the past two weeks
‘Three former presidents have taken to the public stage to sound the alarm against the current occupant of the White House, despite the tradition that former presidents generally refrain from publicly criticizing their successors. Barack Obama urged Americans to resist President Donald Trump’s bullying. Joe Biden warned that Trump is wrecking the “sacred promise” of Social Security. Bill Clinton decried the emphasis on grievances and the need to dominate.’17
More Voters See Trump’s Use of Power as Overreaching
‘Times/Siena Poll finds that voters believe President Trump is overreaching with his aggressive efforts to expand executive power, and they have deep doubts about some of the signature pieces of his agenda.’18
No new autism registry, HHS says, walking back NIH director’s claim
‘The federal health department is not creating a new registry of Americans with autism, a Department of Health and Human Services official said in a written statement. The announcement arrives two days after National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya announced the intent to create such a registry at an all-staff meeting, kicking off a firestorm of panic and confusion among autism self-advocates and the broader research community.’19
In a reversal, the Trump administration restores funding for a landmark women's health study
“The Trump administration is restoring financial support for a landmark study of women's health, an official said Thursday, reversing a defunding decision that shocked medical researchers.”20
19 states sue Trump administration over push to end diversity programs in public schools
“Nineteen states that refused to comply with a Trump administration directive aimed at eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools went a step further Friday, filing a federal lawsuit challenging what they consider an illegal threat to cut federal funding.”21
Website For MAGA-Friendly Businesses Backfires As People Use It For Boycotts
PublicSquare, the website which bills itself as “the anti-woke online marketplace,” is a hub of tens of thousands of businesses nationwide that want people to know they align with MAGA views and oppose so-called “progressive priorities.”22
Courts ruled against Trump and his administration in 11 lawsuits this week alone
“Conservative and liberal judges across the country this week ruled against President Donald Trump in at least 11 different lawsuits challenging his administration’s immigration, elections and anti-diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts.”23
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Yes, the operation was a success, unfortunately, the patient died!