Monday, June 30, 2025. Chump's gestapo continues to terrorize across the country and, in Pasadena, people say "NO!" and form a human fence to protect a woman, this as Chump's plans to begin targeting the properties of immigrants, John Oliver and Senator Patty Murray expose the realities of Chump's budget bill, and much more.
Cindy Gonzalez (NEBRASKA EXAMINER) reports:
Richard Randall Sr. was a fan of President Donald Trump’s crusade to beef up border security — that is, until a wrong turn onto a local military base left his “little buddy” in a big bind and Randall with a whole different perspective.
A lifelong Nebraskan, U.S. Navy vet and dad, Randall had developed a father-son-like relationship with Jazon Gonzalez Perez, a Guatemalan migrant who managed a couple of local restaurants in the Plattsmouth area where Randall lives. He described Gonzalez Perez as an inquisitive, eager-to-learn hard worker.
The mentorship had grown to the point that Gonzalez Perez called Randall on June 7 when he — while looking for a bank branch to deposit funds on behalf of work — wound up in a snag with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A cell phone search had led Gonzalez Perez toward a branch on Offutt Air Force Base, where he was stopped and detained at a checkpoint when he could not produce a valid driver’s license.
Gonzalez Perez called Randall, who told the Nebraska Examiner he was blindsided by seeing immigration agents take away his buddy. He said conversations with on-site local law enforcement officers led him to believe Gonzalez Perez would be allowed to leave if Randall drove the car.
Randall said it looked as though the plain-clothed ICE agents were called into duty unexpectedly. One brought a child with him as if the two had been on a family outing.
“I said, ‘Hey wait, he’s not a terrorist. He manages a restaurant. He’s a good kid. He just made a wrong turn,’” Randall said, recounting the episode. “I thought we were arresting gang members, murderers and rapists.
“He’s none of those.”
Gonzalez Perez now sits in ICE custody at an Iowa jail, awaiting possible deportation for being in the country without proper authorization. And Randall says he is fuming over tactics he said turned out not to be what he voted for last November.
This is what's happening across the country and why the opposition continues to mount and will continue to mount: It's impacting our communities. This is grabbing our friends, our family, the people we know. And like Randall says, this is not what he voted for.
At AXIOS, Russell Contreras explains:
The images of masked, heavily armed immigration agents snatching people off the streets and taking them away in unmarked cars have shocked many Americans — and led to a simple question: Is all of this legal?
- It is — at least for now.
Why it matters: Since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was created after the 9/11 attacks, its agents have operated with vastly more enforcement power, less transparency and fewer guardrails than local police.
- ICE's rules were designed largely to give the agency broad leeway in helping the FBI identify and arrest domestic terror suspects.
- Now the Trump administration is using that power to go after unauthorized immigrants — potentially millions of them — with a frequency and aggressiveness that has sent ripples through communities nationwide.
Zoom in: Under Trump, critics say, ICE has become the closest thing the U.S. has to a secret police force.
- ICE agents aren't required to wear body cameras, can cover their faces, don't have to provide badge numbers or identify themselves, can arrive in unmarked cars and don't need a warrant from a judge to detain someone.
- Like those with other federal enforcement agencies, they can ignore rules that govern local police departments, particularly those local agencies with histories of abuse or that operate under court-imposed restrictions on racial profiling.
- In some cases, ICE agents can even arrest U.S. citizens — but they aren't supposed to place them in immigration detention units. Even so, a few U.S. citizens have been detained in recent ICE raids because of agents' mistakes or negligence.
A few? One is too many but "a few"? Alisha Ebrahimji (CNN) reports on some of the US citizens being rounded up but, repeating, none should be. Of course its happening, we said it would back in August because you can't carry out these sort of attacks without rounding up US citizens. It's outrageous and it needs to end immediately.
Instead of grasping that, many people are trying to excuse a Gestapo police force. And that's what it is.
Daniele Di Bartolomei (VNY) reports:
The Trump administration wants to increase fines for those living in the country illegally. Under current rules, the government can begin issuing penalties 30 days after informing someone of their presence in the U.S. without authorization, a rule introduced by President Donald Trump during his first term.
The rule had been abolished by Joe Biden, only to be reintroduced by the Republican president in his second term. However, a new federal report reveals that the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice plan to completely abolish the 30-day waiting limit and immediately issue fines to those who overstay their visas.
The new penalties start at $100 to $500 for those who enter the states illegally, and can go up to $1,000 a day for those who fail to comply with deportation orders. “DHS believes that the nature of the failure-to-depart and unlawful entry penalties supports the need for more streamlined procedures,” the report reads.
“The law doesn’t enforce itself; there must be consequences for breaking it,” Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin added, “President Trump and Secretary [Kristi] Noem are standing up for law and order and making our government more effective and efficient at enforcing the American people’s immigration laws. Financial penalties like these are just one more reason why illegal aliens should use CBP Home to self-deport now before it’s too late.”
In June, DHS issued about 10,000 fines, totaling $3 billion. According to the agency’s report, those who self-deport using the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) mobile app will be exempt from paying fines.
According to the latest rumors, the Trump administration is also considering confiscating the property of immigrants who do not pay the fines.
It's all so outrageous and offensive. Some have spoken out and their voices grow louder as other voices join with them.
We see the pushback -- the attacks -- and even that does not silence the growing opposition.
Brad Lanford, NYC City comptroller, was attacked by ICE. He discussed it with MSNBC over the weekend.
Brad stated, "The ICE agent who arrested me confess to me afterwards that his wife hopes he quits his job. She texted him saying, "I don't want you in this anymore."
There is no justification for this. That's why I've repeatedly stated that these ICE agents have a very limited future: Drug addiction or suicide. You can't live with being a Nazi.
And Americans are not going to be silent or inactive as this secret police carries out illegal actions. Rosalina Luna Vargas was targeted on Saturday in Pasadena. PASADENA NOW reports what happened:
Three plainclothes agents -- all wearing federal badges on lanyards and two wearing masks -- attempted to place Vargas into an unmarked vehicle while her [two] children were present, according to [witness Jillian] Reed and a Reddit witness account.
Reed told KTLA: “[The children] kept asking for a warrant. They told the officers they would stop resisting if they just showed them a warrant. One of the men said he had one but didn’t show it.”
The situation escalated when Vargas broke free and ran into Del Mar Park, an assisted living facility at 990 East Del Mar Boulevard, according to witnesses.
Her children formed what Reed described to KTLA as “a human wall” to protect their mother.
Facility staff reportedly told the agents they were on private property and needed to leave without a warrant, according to witnesses. The agents complied, photographed witnesses, and departed in two separate vehicles before returning later and detaining Vargas.
US House Rep Judy Chu is quoted stating, "ICE agents are pointing guns at innocent individuals, no warrants, no explanations, just fear and intimidation. These raids in my district are absolutely vile. Masked and armed like a militia, they're terrorizing families and destroying any sense of safety in our communities. This is not law enforcement it’s a gross abuse of power, and I will not stand for it."
Meghrig Milkon (QUEEN'S JOURNAL) observes:
The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) isn’t protecting anyone—it’s terrorizing communities, and it’s time it gets abolished.
Since the start of his presidency-- and even during his campaign -- Donald Trump promised mass deportations, targeting more than 10 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. His administration has followed through with 11,000 people deported in February, over 12,000 in the first four weeks of March, and approximately 17,200 in April, according to NBC News.
According to its website, ICE was established in 2003 through the merger of the investigative and interior enforcement functions of the former U.S. Customs Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service. ICE currently operates in 400 offices across the United States and internationally, with an annual budget of approximately eight billion dollars. Nearly 60,000 migrants are currently being held in ICE detention centers, with 11.4 per cent fast-tracked for deportation, according to NBC’s live tracker.
What the live media coverage makes evident is that the administration continues to view immigrants and migrants as statistics rather than people: a true testament to the tragedy that is the United States. Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff, stated that ICE officers would aim to carry out at least 3,000 arrests per day, an increase from the approximately 650 daily arrests during the first five months of Trump’s second term. ICE operations have triggered protests across the U.S., often resulting in arrests and the imposition of curfews.
All around the country, people are witnessing these outrageous acts and they're using their voices to object. In a letter calling out Chump's immigration lies, Darryl Cornelius informs the editorial board of THE LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL, "Our nation has reached a point where there is nothing too false, ridiculous or stupid that one-third of the country will not swallow. A substantial portion of our country has become scornful of compromise and unmoved by facts, evidence and science. We are rapidly losing the truth. We must not let it die."
So we have to use our voices -- especially when the Supreme Court refuses to stand up for the rule of law. Robert Kuttner (THE AMERICAN PROSPECT) writes:
The Supreme Court issued a shocking ruling today, making it easier for President Donald Trump to overturn birthright citizenship. The way the Court did it was in keeping with its disingenuous strategy of using technicalities that allow it to duck the underlying question.
The substance of Friday’s 6-3 decision, written by Justice Amy Coney Barrett, involved a challenge to Trump’s executive order denying citizenship to children born in the U.S. to parents who are in the country illegally or temporarily. His order violated the 14th Amendment, which clearly holds that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, regardless of the circumstances.
Immigrant rights groups and 22 states sued, and three different federal district court judges issued universal injunctions barring the administration from enforcing the Trump policy anywhere in the country. The Department of Justice asked the Supreme Court to overturn the injunctions.
Today's ruling ducks the underlying constutional question about the meaning and reach of birthright citizenship, but bars the injuctions from taking effect nationwide and explicitly allows Trump's order to take effect in 30 days. This will only give more cover to ICE raids and deportations. Along the way, the high court overturned the ability of lower courts ever to issue injunctions with national reach.
As Chump, Kristi Noem, Tom Holman, the Supreme Court and others attack immigrants (and those perceive to be immigrants), real journalists note what happens. That includes Sofia Mejias-Pascoe. Ken Stone (TIMES OF SAN DIEGO) reports:
Sofía Mejías-Pascoe of inewsource, San Diego’s newest and youngest Journalist of the Year, says immigrants and asylum-seekers she once followed closely are no longer reachable.
Ever since Donald Trump took office, she said Thursday night, “I’ve stopped hearing from many of them. The numbers I used to reach them at are no longer in service.”
Texts messages aren’t going through, she said, and “the people I do talk to are really afraid.”
Today in El Cajon, citizens gathered to call out the assault on immigrants. THE SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE has a photo essay here. San Diego's NBC7 reports:
The protest began at Manolo Market on Main Street and people marched to El Cajon City Hall.
“We’re here to make their voices heard. We want them to know that we are here to support them. I want them to know that we hear them. That we see them and that we feel their trauma,” Violet of “Yo Soy El Cajon” said.
Violet’s family has personal experience with recent immigration enforcement measures.
“My brother-in-law got taken away. The dynamics are very hard to see. There’s a lot of sadness, there’s a lot of trauma, there’s a lot of depression and anxiety because of separation,” Violet said.
Recent immigration enforcement in San Diego has received a lot of attention
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted “worksite enforcement operations” at Italian restaurant Buona Forchetta which led to four employees being detained.
Recently, plain clothes law enforcement agents arrested a housekeeper outside of the Handlery Hotel in Mission Valley.
Lives are being ruined by the Convicted Felon and his minions as they attack and assault people. Angelique Brenes (KLTA5) reports:
A mother walking with her children in Pasadena was taken into custody by immigration agents over the weekend in an incident that was partially captured on video and has drawn sharp criticism from witnesses.
Rosalina Luna Vargas, a mother of two and the primary breadwinner for her family, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Saturday morning around 8 a.m., according to bystanders. Her children were present at the time of the arrest, which took place in broad daylight in the corner of Catalina and Del Mar.
In many cases, like with Pennsylvania's Roberto Diego Alvarez Oliva, it's people who are in this country and have followed all the rules and regulations to enter and work in this country. Mike Maneval and Karen Vibert-Kennedy (SUN GAZETTE) report:
Roberto Diego Alvarez Oliva, his wife Nicole Alvarez and their children “had a beautiful time” one weekend in early May at their home, Alvarez told the Sun-Gazette. “We were grilling outside with our family. We had friends over,” she said.
Oliva went to work on Monday morning, then came home to take his 8-year-old stepson Scout to school and then went back to work as Alvarez watched their 9-month-old son Denver.
Soon after, Alvarez saw the police outside the family’s home, which is near the Williamsport-Loyalsock Township line. Just one officer at first, then more. Then she noticed from her window that they were wearing tactical vests.
“I was kind of scared,” she said.
Alvarez went outside to see her husband, who she shared has no criminal record, in handcuffs. Oliva pleaded with her not to worry, and said he would call her as soon as he could.
Oliva, 34, came to the U.S. more than three years ago from Peru, his wife said, “to make money for his family. His mom was sick and they needed money.”
When he crossed the border, he visited authorities and was issued the documentation necessary to begin the process of staying in the United States legally. He routinely completed each phase of the paperwork, started a business, paid taxes and went to two of three court appointments necessary to continue the process.
“He was legal here to work,” Alvarez noted.
None of that matters apparently, not in Chump Land when even US citizens are getting rounded up. And Chump's also spitting on the immigrants here after helping the US military. For example, Joey Safchik (NBC7) reports:
Just over two weeks after Sayed Naser was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, the Afghan national was placed into expedited removal Thursday night, meaning Naser's case was dismissed by a judge.
Expedited removal is a tactic the Trump administration is using to speed up deportations.
A video of Naser being detained outside a San Diego immigration courtroom went viral, wracking up millions of views on social media, playing out on television and catching the attention of congressmembers. In the video, Naser tells the officers handcuffing him that he aided U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
NBC 7 has reviewed documents that support Naser's claims and has spoken to experts who say they are credible. However, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement, "There is nothing in his immigration records indicating that he assisted the U.S. government in any capacity. All of his claims will be heard by a judge. Any Afghan who fears persecution is able to request asylum.”
Madeleine May and Hannah Marr (CBS NEWS) quote #AfghanEvac's executive director Shawn VanDiver stating, "A bureaucratic technically just stripped a wartime ally of his legal protections and fast-tracked him for deportation. Sayed stood with U.S. forces in combat. Now he faces removal without a lawyer, without a hearing and possibly without a country. This isn't just cruel, it's cowardly." June 19th, NPR's MORNING EDITION reported on Sayed's arrest:
QUIL LAWRENCE, BYLINE: The scene of ICE agents arresting immigrants at courthouses has become common in the past few months, but this one played out a bit differently last week in San Diego.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ICE AGENT #1: Yeah, yeah, go ahead. We're going to take him.
LAWRENCE: Bystanders filmed as Sayed Naser was approached by two masked ICE agents after a routine immigration hearing. They don't show a warrant, and they don't even seem to be sure they have the right person.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
UNIDENTIFIED ICE AGENT #2: What's your name?
LAWRENCE: As they handcuff him, he starts to tell the onlookers that he's a former interpreter for the U.S. Army.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
SAYED NASER: I worked with the U.S. military back in my home country, Afghanistan.
LAWRENCE: Sayed Naser asked to withhold his family name because he fears for their safety in Afghanistan. And that's the whole point, says his lawyer, Brian McGoldrick.
BRIAN MCGOLDRICK: He spent three years working with the U.S. military at great risk to himself. And they've already killed part of his family.
LAWRENCE: Sayed Naser fled Afghanistan after the Taliban showed up at a family wedding and killed one of his brothers. He made a journey from Afghanistan to Brazil and then, sometimes on foot, traveled north to the U.S. border, where he was admitted legally last year. But McGoldrick says ICE agents took none of that under consideration.
MCGOLDRICK: Was all about filling their quota of 3,000 a day. They didn't care that, you know, he was really our ally. I don't think anybody took the time to even go through that.
LAWRENCE: ICE confirmed to NPR that Sayed Naser is in custody but didn't answer other questions. Sarah Verardo is with the advocacy group Save Our Allies. Her husband, Mike, was severely wounded in Afghanistan. In fact, President Trump hosted the Verardos at the White House just this April to honor that. But Sarah Verardo says seeing Afghans like Sayed Naser arrested is another wound.
SARAH VERARDO: And so much of the moral injury that we see among veterans now has really resurfaced with these issues of how we've abandoned our Afghan allies. And the Trump administration has an opportunity, while they do pursue strong immigration reform, to also say that as a nation, we stand with those who stood with us.
Sayed Naser is not his full name. And the press has respected that his wish is for his full name not to be out there in order to protect his family.
The press has done that.
The trash of the Chump administration hasn't. Which is why, June 19th, Homeland Security -- a US government agency -- posted this to Twitter:
Homeland Security
@DHSgov
Last week, ICE officers arrested Sayed Naser [. . .], an Afghan national. He entered the U.S. unvetted via the CBP One app under the Biden administration in 2024.
There is *no* record to show that he assisted the U.S. government in any capacity.
All of his claims will be heard by a judge. Any Afghan who fears persecution is able to make an asylum claim.
@TriciaOhio
Thursday, ICE raided a construction site in Laredo arresting 24 people.
For 64 seasons, Jaime Jarrin was the announcer for LA Dodgers and he states, "In the face of the injustices and suffering we have witnessed, I am deeply proud of the thousands who have peacefully taken to the streets; raising their voices, refusing to be silenced. Their courage matters. Your presence matters. Do not be afraid. Stand strong. Stay present. Let your voice be heard." Others are standing up as well. Joanna Jacobo Rivera (CALO NEWS) reports:
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix raised its voice, echoing the outcry from dozens of immigrant-rights organizations calling for an end to the persecution of individuals being carried out by the Trump administration.
In the pastoral letter titled “In Solidarity with the Stranger,” John P. Dolan, Bishop of Phoenix, Eduardo A. Nevares, Auxiliary Bishop of Phoenix, and Thomas J. Olmsted, Bishop Emeritus of Phoenix, condemned the recent increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations that have taken place in the Valley and across the country, saying, “we raise our collective voice and hearts in prayerful solidarity with our immigrant brothers and sisters; especially considering the recent ICE operations that have brought confusion, fear, and heartache to many of our communities.”
“These men, women, and children -- many of whom have fled economic hardship, violence, and political instability - come to our land seeking refuge and hope. They are not statistics; they are our neighbors. They are members of our parishes, our schools, and our communities,” the letter reads.
The three-page document goes on to detail how the plight of the migrant mirrors that of Jesus Christ, per Catholic doctrine, stating that Jesus was an immigrant, having been born in a land that was not Mary or Joseph’s birthplace, as they escaped the wrath of a tyrant and relied on the kindness of strangers to protect them.
That's right. ICE would attack Jesus. That's how far from sanity and humanity ICE workers now are. And when not destroying lives, they're wasting money. Sean Ogden (WHO WHAT WHY) reports:
Right now, the US government is spending billions of taxpayer dollars on private contractors to run ICE operations, and all but one of the contractors have been under investigation for:
- Overbilling government contracts
- Falsified reports
- Misuse of authority
- Holding unaccompanied minors unlawfully
- Falsified firearms qualifications
- Labor abuse
- Unsafe conditions
- Detainee mistreatment and death
- Deleting video evidence
- Unlicensed security operations
- Breach of contract
Many of these contractors are also posing as regular ICE agents (already notorious for shocking behavior); both groups appear in disturbing online footage wearing balaclavas and often full military combat gear on American soil, swarming unarmed, nonthreatening immigrants, and US citizens at flea markets, car washes, and Home Depots.
This behavior exceeds professional misconduct -- it’s often brutal, even sadistic. The real danger lies not just in the violence or legal breaches, but in the deliberate anonymity: a strategy that shields perpetrators, erodes accountability, and legitimizes lawlessness under the cover of state authority.
Their lawless anonymity -- masked faces, no IDs -- prevents the public from identifying anyone, let alone distinguishing between legitimate federal agents, rogue contractors, and actual unsanctioned criminals. Meanwhile, all these individuals exploit their concealed identities to avoid responsibility for outrageous criminal actions. (Go here and here to see a few ugly examples.)
In other news, John Oliver takes on The Convicted Felon's awful bill that is not about the budget but is about rewarding the already wealthy while stealing from those sorely in need.
Many others are also calling it out. We'll note Senator Patty Murray.
From Senator Patty Murray's office:
In Washington state, at least 306,000 people will lose health care under Republican bill; 900,000 Washingtonians could see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated; 14 rural hospitals will be at risk of closure
***VIDEO of Senator Murray’s full floor speech HERE***
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, took to the Senate floor to speak out forcefully against Republicans’ reconciliation bill—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—which, as Murray detailed, will rip away health care from millions of Americans, shutter the doors of hospitals and health care clinics across the country, make the largest cuts to Medicaid and nutrition assistance in history, and blow up the national debt—all so Republicans can fund massive tax breaks for billionaires.
Republicans’ 940-page bill, which they released in the dead of night, cuts more than $900 billion from Medicaid—$100 billion more than the House bill. That means about 17 million Americans will lose their health care, according to estimates from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and more than 300 rural hospitals and over 500 nursing homes could close because of the legislation. The legislation makes the largest cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in history and will rip away nutrition assistance entirely from more than 5 million Americans and shift tens of billions of dollars in costs to states. The legislation also increases the debt by nearly $4 trillion dollars—nearly a trillion more than the House bill. About two in three Americans oppose the bill.
In Washington state, 1.95 million people rely on Apple Health, Washington state’s Medicaid program, and over 300,000 Washingtonians access coverage through the state’s Affordable Care Act marketplace (Washington Healthplanfinder). The Joint Economic Committee estimates that at least 306,312 people in Washington state would lose their health insurance under the Republican legislation—that includes 198,050 people who would be kicked off Medicaid and 108,262 people who would lose their coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Among other things, Republicans’ bill would institute work reporting requirements for Medicaid, which have been proven not to increase employment and just strip health care coverage from people who are already working or exempt—this would put more than 620,000 Washingtonians at risk of losing their health care coverage or having it delayed. Fourteen rural hospitals in Washington state would be at risk of closure under the Republican bill. The legislation also “defunds” Planned Parenthood for the next year, threatening the closure of up to 200 health centers across the country—90 percent of them in states where abortion is legal. 11 percent of Washington state residents rely on SNAP, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services estimated that more than 900,000 people across the state could their see SNAP benefits reduced or eliminated under the House bill—the Senate bill is just as extreme.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered, are below and HERE:
“I think it’s really important the discussion we had right now about the deficit and debt, but I want to talk a little bit more about this bill in general.
“You know, recent KFF polling shows that this Republican Big, Ugly, Betrayal bill is overwhelmingly unpopular. In fact, this thing is more underwater than the Titanic.
“Nearly two-in-three Americans view this bill unfavorably. That goes up to nearly three-in-four when they learn it will kick millions—millions—off their health insurance. And it goes up to nearly four-in-five when they learn it will choke off funding to their local hospital. In other words, the more the American people hear about what is actually in this Big, Ugly Betrayal bill, the more they dislike it.
“So with that in mind, I want to be here today to say a little bit more about what is in the Republicans’ latest version. Spoiler alert: it is still big, it is still ugly—and it is an absolute betrayal of the people who sent us here to fight for them.
“The Republican plan is still going to mean over 16 million people losing health care as patients get kicked off their ACA plans. Kids and struggling families will get kicked off Medicaid. Rural hospitals are going to forced to shut their doors.
“The Republican plan is still going to mean more starving families. New red tape is going to cut people off from their SNAP benefits that they need to put food on the table, and it is going to take away kids’ school meals.
“The Republican plan still rips away support from the people in this country who are struggling the most, to give away billions in tax breaks to billionaires who need help the least.
“In short, this latest version of Republicans’ bill would still be one of the biggest transfers of wealth from the people at the bottom to the people at the top in our nation’s history.
[Health Care]
“When it comes to health care, this Republican abomination will cause millions of people to lose their insurance, and see their costs skyrocket in one way or another.
“It will create mountains of new paperwork and bureaucratic barriers that are positively meant to kick people off their Medicaid and ACA coverage.
“And there is new sabotage to the ACA health care markets, which will mean more people losing their affordable coverage. Meanwhile, there is nothing—a big, fat zero—when it comes to renewing the tax credits Democrats passed to lower your health care costs.
“That’s right—while Republicans are showering their billionaire donors in new tax breaks, they will not lift a finger to extend health care tax credits that are saving millions of families thousands of dollars a year on health coverage.
“Instead, they are going to make sure people lose health care coverage—including our seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women, millions of patients who rely on Medicaid.
“And let’s not forget, the cuts in their bill are going to shutter hospitals across the country, especially in our rural areas.
“Do you have Medicaid? Medicare? Employer-sponsored-coverage? Regardless, Republicans have some pretty bad news for you—because it hardly matters what insurance you’re on when you don’t have a hospital to get care anymore!
“In Washington state, we have fourteen rural hospitals that are fighting to survive and would likely close under this bill—mostly in areas represented by Republicans, I should add!
“Not to mention, we have six rural labor and delivery units that could be forced to close their doors under this bill.
“And you know what the Senate Republicans did? They made that problem worse! They put even more pressure on our rural hospitals!
“I’m telling you, this betrayal is getting bigger and uglier by the day. And this cannot get lost: Republicans want to shut the doors of one of the biggest health care providers in the country.
“They want to defund Planned Parenthood. That is wildly harmful and wildly unpopular.
“It would shutter at least 200 health centers that provide a wide spectrum of care—including cancer screenings, pap smears, birth control for millions of women.
[Nutrition]
“And let’s not forget, Republicans are cutting nutrition assistance too.
‘This Big Ugly Betrayal would make one of the biggest cuts to SNAP in history. We are talking around a $200 billion dollar cut over the next ten years. Now it should be obvious, but that would be devastating for our country and for our kids’ future.
“And yet, Republicans are not giving up on taking dinner off the table, taking school lunch off kids’ trays, all so they can shovel tax cuts at billionaires and wealthy corporations.
“And it is worth underscoring, the new red tape in their bill is even targeted at some of our most vulnerable families! Because it expands work requirements to apply to seniors and parents with kids in school.
“Mr. President, when my dad, a WWII veteran, got sick with Multiple Sclerosis, he lost his job. He lost his job. My mom was at home, 7 kids she was raising, my dad lost his job, and my mom had to spend some time getting some new skills so she could go back to work and take care of our family. You know what, during that time? We had to rely on food stamps in my family, to feed those seven kids in my family.
“But under this Republican bill today—because neither of my parents had a job during those few months—my family would not be eligible for SNAP benefits. We would not have even gotten food on our table at the worst time in my family’s life. This is wrong.
“Thanks to those food stamps, my family did get through that rough patch, and all seven of us kids grew up to give back to our communities—whether as a firefighter, a middle school teacher, or even here as a United States Senator.
“So I can’t emphasize enough: Republicans want to cut families from SNAP and Medicaid—programs that give people a hand up in hard times—why? So they can give an enormous hand out to the richest people and biggest companies in the country.
“Oh and, at the same time they are making it harder to afford groceries and health care, I should mention—they are also gutting energy investments in a completely chaotic way that is all but guaranteed to drive away jobs and drive up energy costs for all of American families.
[Higher Education]
“And at the same time, in this bill, they are giving billionaires billions of dollars, Republicans are going to give students the short end of the stick.
“This big mess of a bill would tear away programs and protections that make it possible for many students to pursue a higher education: it eliminates GRAD PLUS loans, it cuts families off from Parent Plus loans, it punishes students who go into public service or a medical residency, and more.
“Meanwhile, they are tearing down the guardrails—from gutting regulations that protect students whose universities commit fraud, to opening a Pandora’s box for Pell grants, with a new loophole that will let low-quality programs suck up our taxpayer dollars.
“These changes are especially going to hurt students from low-income families, and first-generation college students, and our veterans.
“Some of them will have no way to go to college when Republicans take their support away. Some will be driven into predatory private loans they can’t afford. And some will get lured into low-quality programs that take their money, waste taxpayer dollars, and leave the student worse off.
“And if that wasn’t enough—if the Secretary of Education wanted to try and stop this kind of fraud, and protect students, Republicans will leave them about as much authority as a school hall monitor.
“Because in this bill, Republicans prevent any Secretary of Education from making regulations that carry added benefits for borrowers.
“And it hardly matters if that is a good impact—like saving students’ money, or protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud, or making higher education more accessible—Republicans are going to make problems worse, and make fixing them even harder.
“Students in this country should be outraged.
[National Debt]
“And I want to be perfectly clear about something. If Republicans charge ahead with this big, awful, mess—which they seem intent on doing—they can kiss any last shred of credibility goodbye, as we just talked about, when it comes to pretending they care about balancing the budget or addressing the national debt.
“The idea was already laughable—for the entirety of the 21st Century, the biggest driver of the national debt has been tax cuts that Republicans championed.
“But now, as we just talked about, they want to put at least 4 trillion dollars—that is trillions, with a T—on the national credit card. Why? So they can shower the richest people on the planet with more money.
“And then they’re pretending all the math works and it’s kind of easy-peasy if they only just, they can do it if they kick people off health care, or take enough meals away from kids, or close enough hospitals, or—better still—use some absurd accounting gimmick to pretend, to pretend that billions of dollars in new tax cuts for their billionaire donors actually just don’t cost anything.
“Well I’ve got some bad news for Republicans—your math is terrible, and so is this bill. This thing is very expensive. And you don’t have to take my word for it.
“Ask the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, which just said the latest version of this bill will add $4 trillion, “T,” trillion to the debt just over the next 10 years.
“If Republicans want to ignore them, you can also ask the fiscal hawks at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. They calculate that the House bill adds $5 trillion to our debt, when you include interest payments and the cost of making temporary provisions in this bill permanent. And we are told the Senate bill is even less fiscally responsible.
“Everyone agrees: this thing is not beautiful, but it is recklessly big. And it won’t just increase the debt—it will blow it up!
“Mr. President, this may very well be the most expensive bill in history. I say ‘may’ because Republicans are still planning changes, we have not yet gotten the final bill. They already cut out even more taxes for multinational corporations.
“SNAP benefits? They’re still on the chopping block. Health care? Still on the chopping block. In fact, they want to cut Medicaid even more painfully.
“We may not know how expensive the Republicans’ bill will be in the end, but we know who is paying for it. Paying for it is you, working families.
[Blocked Provisions]
“And it is important for people to know: as bad as this bill is, Republicans were trying to make it even worse.
“Now, Democrats have been fighting them every step of the way, and we have notched a few important wins by challenging every single provision we possibly could under the Senate rules.
“So I want to talk about some of the things Democrats were successful in striking out.
“Because if Republicans had had their way, not only would this bill take away more food from our struggling families, or shutter even more hospitals, and kick even more people off their health insurance. It would have also sold off our public lands!
“And instead of just slashing CFPB funding, it would have completely shuttered the doors of a very important federal watchdog that protects Americans from getting scammed.
“If Republicans had had their way, this bill would make it easier to buy gun silencers, harder to get your earned income tax credit, or pay off your student loan, and effectively impossible to get insurance plans on the marketplace that cover abortion care.
“If Republicans had had their way, this bill would have also given Trump more power to deny funding to our constituents on a whim, and less power for the courts to stop him.
“We are talking about a whole smorgasbord of really awful, unpopular ideas and policies that would have hurt our families and weakened our democracy. Ideas that were this close to making it into this bill.
“But Republicans did not have their way. Democrats have been fighting back at every single step. We got those provisions tossed in the shredder, and we are still doing our darndest to send the rest of the bill into the shredder as well.
[Making People Heard]
“Now let’s be clear, when we talk about how unpopular this bill is with the American people, the reason is simple: this bill polls like garbage, because it is garbage. That’s why it should go nowhere, except a trash bin.
“Democrats are going to keep pushing back on this monstrosity with absolutely everything we’ve got, at every step we can.
“We’re not going to stand by as Republicans shutter hospitals, so the richest people in the country can build another vacation home.
“We are not going to sit around and let Republicans kick millions of people off of their insurance and raise working families’ premiums—so corporate executives can get a bigger bonus.
“And we are not going to be silent as Republicans take food away from struggling families so they can help billionaires fuel up their private jets.
“We are going to keep speaking up, we are going to keep pushing back, and we are going to make sure everyone—everyone—knows exactly what is going on here. This bill is deeply unpopular—that much is clear.
“But if Republicans keep pushing for this disaster, buckle up, because we are only going to get louder and louder about how big this is, how ugly it is—and it is only going to get more unpopular with the folks back home as these provisions are enacted if this bill passes.
“I’m pretty astounded by how far some Republicans are trying to stick their heads in the sand on this. One Republican Senator told their concerned constituents, and I quote, ‘We are all going to die.’
“Maybe that’s a better name for the bill? At least it’s more honest. Because, when you take health care away from people, when you make it harder to get, when you make it harder to afford, when you close the only hospital for miles—yeah, you’re right, people will die.
“You’d think my colleagues would show a bit more concern about that. Instead, that senator actually doubled down. And in a response video she filmed walking through a cemetery—I don’t know how you get out of touch that much to misunderstand this, but let me clear about something to our Republicans: whistling past the graveyard is a metaphor to stop ignoring dangers. It is not a literal messaging suggestion!
“And if you thought Republicans couldn’t be any more dismissive to their own constituents, this week, another Republican Senator, who was speaking about people voicing their concerns about these Medicaid cuts, said they will, quote, people will ‘Get over it.’
“Mr. President: I have news for every one of my Republican colleagues who is trying to deny the reality of this bill and pretend the fairytales they are telling themselves are true.
“When someone’s local hospital closes, they don’t ‘get over it.’ When someone’s kid is kicked off health care, they do not ‘get over it.’
“And Republicans don’t want to take my word for it, they can listen to the doctor I spoke with who warned, when patients go uninsured, they delay care and it increases costs for everyone. Instead of paying $10 for diabetic medication, we’ll pay $10,000 for an amputation.
“Or, Republicans can actually read the countless letters I am getting from my constituents sharing their stories: ‘My dad is a double amputee, he relies on Medicaid,’ ‘Without Medicaid we couldn’t get my kids’ anti-seizure medication.’
“Or, ‘I’m a full-time caregiver for my daughter with cerebral palsy’… or my son with spina bifida… or my elderly mother… and this bill threatens to kick them off the health care and supportive services they rely on to survive.
“Or better yet, Republicans can go out and talk to their own constituents, because I have no doubt they will hear similar stories.
“They will even come to you! Advocates have been here in D.C. all week. I’ve seen them in the halls. I’ve heard from them from my office!
“And now Republicans can listen to the people across the country who are warning them about this bill. And they can do the right thing and abandon this effort, or they can keep ignoring them.
“But make no mistake, in the end the American people will have their voices and their votes heard.
“Because at the end of the day, this bill—this monstrosity of a bill—is all in the goal of a tax break for multi-billionaires and corporations. And the way they pay for it is by taking away your health care, and your nutrition—the things your families, or your neighbors, or people you know rely on. And that’s just wrong. It’s un-American. And we’re fighting back.”
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