SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.

* indicates required
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Opinion
Climate
Economy
Politics
Rights & Justice
War & Peace
Clergy members link arms outside Newark ICE facility
Further

We Shall Not Be Moved Chap. 784

Three days after ICE goons arrested Newark Mayor Ras Baraka for doing his job and exercising his First Amendment right to protest the regime's illegal disappearing of his constituents, about 50 faith leaders gathered at the same facility Monday to link their arms, block the entrance, demand information on conditions inside and declare, "This is not acceptable" - after which they too were set upon by goons. One minister: "This is the enactment of a police state."

in February, ICE was awarded a contract with the GEO Group to operate its formerly shuttered, 1,100-bed Delaney Hall, in an industrial area outside Newark, as a for-profit detention center for immigrants facing deportation. Despite widespread opposition and a still-pending lawsuit by the city over compliance with multiple permits, ICE began delivering detainees there on May 1. Last Friday, three New Jersey members of Congress went to the site and, acting on their legal right to conduct Congressional oversight, sought a tour of the facility. Because the current regime no longer cares about anyone's legal rights, they were banned.

They were joined by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, also acting on his legal right to protect his constituents, and also banned. After a scuffle with ICE and police thugs, he was arrested, held for five hours and charged with trespassing. According to New Jersey acting Barbie Attorney Alina Habba, Baraka was "repeatedly told" he had to leave; according to Baraka, that's bullshit. The House members there - Reps. LaMonica McIver, Bonnie Coleman, Rob Menendez - said the thugs had escalated the situation and the claim was "a lie," "absurd," "scary," and another effort of a regime "lying at all levels (to) intimidate people in this country."

Given that effort is ongoing, ICE’s parent agency Homeland Security issued a statement charging House members "stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility" despite its barbed-wire-topped entrance. Calling the presence of the lawmakers "a cheap political stunt," they also charged they had put law enforcement, staff and detainees "at risk," with a spokesperson hysterically shrieking, "Who do they want released from Delaney Hall? The child rapists, murderers, drug traffickers, MS-13 gang members or known terrorists?" even though none of the detainees have been convicted, or often even charged, with any crimes.

The members of Faith in New Jersey, Faith in Action, Pax Christi and other clergy who came Monday in solidarity to Delaney cited that "immigration narrative that's been very criminalizing" as part of their protest. Right-wing media coverage of their presence confirmed the charge: A Fox News headline proclaimed Agitators Clash With Police As Clergy Members Descend - armed, they might have added, with their liturgical stoles reading, "Side With Love." Other headlines called the gathering "an interfaith prayer service" and described them linking arms, standing shoulder to shoulder, praying for detainees and singing Which Side Are You On?

Spread across the entrance, they also demanded transparency from officials, seeking the names of detainees, the conditions - beds, food, medical care - and who's profiting from them. Said one, "A lot of human rights violations are happening across the U.S., and this one is not going to be any different." At around 5 p.m., as employees began driving out the gate, things again escalated. In a surreal scene, beefy police and ICE agents started shoving and muscling protesters away; skirmishes broke out as they resisted, entreated, chanted, yelled, then finally struggled back together, re-linked arms and began singing, "We Shall Not Be Moved."

At least two people were arrested; dystopian videos showed a phalanx of police manhandling one woman in a hijab and hauling her away as others struggled to stop them. But those who remained were steadfast. "We will continue to show up," said one. "Think of the names of all the people who have been disappeared from your community...We'll be here as long as it takes until people start to realize that this is not acceptable." "I'm here because my Universalist faith tells me to love the Hell out of this world," said the Rev. Anya Sammler of the Universalist Unitarian Congregation in Montclair. “And what we are seeing in this world is Hell."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

SEE ALL
Greenpeace activists crash a deep-sea mining summit with a giant octopus
News

Trump Signs Executive Order to Advance 'Deeply Dangerous' Deep-Sea Mining

Amid global calls for a ban on deep-sea mining to protect marine ecosystems, U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to advance the risky practice and "restore American dominance in offshore critical minerals and resources."

"The broad order avoids a direct confrontation with the United Nations-backed International Seabed Authority and seeks essentially to jump-start the mining of U.S. waters as part of a push to offset China's sweeping control of the critical minerals industry," notedReuters, which had previewed the measure aimed at attaining nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese, titanium, and rare earth elements.

"The International Seabed Authority—created by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the U.S. has not ratified—has for years been considering standards for deep-sea mining in international waters, although it has yet to formalize them due to unresolved differences over acceptable levels of dust, noise, and other factors from the practice," the agency reported.

Trump's order directs Cabinet members including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick—whose department oversees the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—to expedite the permit process and work on various related reports.

"Authorizing deep-sea mining outside international law is like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite—it threatens ecosystems, global cooperation, and U.S. credibility all at once."

Deep-sea mining is opposed by over 30 countries as well as academics and advocacy groups worldwide. Among them is Greenpeace USA, whose campaigner Arlo Hemphill said Thursday that "authorizing deep-sea mining outside international law is like lighting a match in a room full of dynamite—it threatens ecosystems, global cooperation, and U.S. credibility all at once."

"We condemn this administration's attempt to launch this destructive industry on the high seas in the Pacific by bypassing the United Nations process," Hemphill declared. "This is an insult to multilateralism and a slap in the face to all the countries and millions of people around the world who oppose this dangerous industry."

"But this executive order is not the start of deep-sea mining. Everywhere governments have tried to start deep-sea mining, they have failed. This will be no different," he added. "We call on the international community to stand against this unacceptable undermining of international cooperation by agreeing to a global moratorium on deep-sea mining. The United States government has no right to unilaterally allow an industry to destroy the common heritage of humankind, and rip up the deep sea for the profit of a few corporations."

No exaggeration, deep sea mining could cause the massive collapse of the entire deep sea ecosystem and food chain. This is an existential risk to every person on this planet. www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/c...

[image or embed]
— Alejandra Caraballo (@esqueer.net) April 24, 2025 at 5:54 PM

Ocean Conservancy vice president for external affairs Jeff Watters also blasted the move, saying that "this executive order flies in the face of NOAA's mission. NOAA is charged with protecting, not imperiling, the ocean and its economic benefits, including fishing and tourism; and scientists agree that deep-sea mining is a deeply dangerous endeavor for our ocean and all of us who depend on it."

"Areas of the U.S. seafloor where test mining took place over 50 years ago still haven't fully recovered," Watters pointed out. "The harm caused by deep-sea mining isn't restricted to the ocean floor: It will impact the entire water column, top to bottom, and everyone and everything relying on it. Evidence tells us that areas targeted for deep-sea mining often overlap with important fisheries, raising serious concerns about the impacts on the country's $321 billion fishing industry."

He highlighted that "NOAA is already being threatened by this administration's unprecedented cuts. NOAA is the eyes and ears for our water and air. NOAA provides Americans with accessible and accurate weather forecasts; it tracks hurricanes and tsunamis; it responds to oil spills; it keeps seafood on the table; and so much more. Forcing the agency to carry out deep-sea mining permitting while these essential services are slashed will only harm our ocean and our country."

"It's not just our country this executive order would harm: This action has far-reaching implications beyond the U.S.," Watters added, warning that by unilaterally allowing deep-sea mining, "the administration is opening a door for other countries to do the same—and all of us, and the ocean we all depend on, will be worse off for it."

As The New York Timesreported:

The executive order could pave the way for the Metals Company, a prominent seabed mining company, to receive an expedited permit from NOAA to actively mine for the first time. The publicly traded company, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, disclosed in March that it would ask the Trump administration through a U.S. subsidiary for approval to mine in international waters. The company has already spent more than $500 million doing exploratory work.

"We have a boat that's production-ready," said Gerard Barron, the company's chief executive, in an interview on Thursday. "We have a means of processing the materials in an allied friendly partner nation. We're just missing the permit to allow us to begin."

In response to the late March disclosure—which came during International Seabed Authority negotiations—Louisa Casson, senior campaigner for Greenpeace International, said that "this is another of the Metals Company's pathetic ploys and an insult to multilateralism. It shows that a moratorium on deep-sea mining is more urgently needed than ever. It also proves that the company's CEO Gerard Barron's plans never focused on solutions for the climate catastrophe."

"The Metals Company is desperate and now is encouraging a breach of customary international law by announcing their intent to mine the international seabed through the United States' Deep-Sea Hard Mineral Resources Act," the camapigner asserted. "This comes after the Metals Company has spent years exerting immense pressure on the International Seabed Authority to try and force governments to allow mining in the international seabed—the common heritage of humankind."

Casson stressed that "states, civil society, scientists, companies, and Indigenous communities continue to resist these efforts. Having tried and failed to pressure the international community to meet their demands, this reckless announcement is a slap in the face to international cooperation."

Less than a week later, the Norwegian deep-sea mining company Loke Marine Minerals declared bankruptcy—which Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, a campaigner for Greenpeace Nordic, noted came "on the same day that we shut down a deep-sea mining conference in Bergen."

The Norwegian government in December halted plans to move forward with deep-sea mining in the Arctic Ocean, which Steve Trent, CEO and founder of the Environmental Justice Foundation, had called "a testament to the power of principled, courageous political action, and... a moment to celebrate for environmental advocates, ocean ecosystems, and future generations alike."

SEE ALL
Albany Times Union
News

Trump Tariffs Seen as 'Baby Tax' as Costs Soar for Parenting Essentials

The progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative on Tuesday highlighted how U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs are effectively a "baby tax" paid by parents, given rising prices of everything "from car seats to sippy cups."

"President Trump's economic policies are an affront to young families," said Groundwork Collaborative executive director Lindsay Owens in a statement. "His tariff policies are making it harder and more expensive to prepare for a new baby or raise kids, and his solution is to tell parents to buy fewer toys for their children."

"While the president works overtime to give his billionaire donors a massive tax giveaway, he's placing a baby tax on every parent across the country," added Owens, referencing an effort to get a package containing more tax cuts for the rich—paid for by gutting the social safety net—through the GOP-controlled Congress.

"He's placing a baby tax on every parent across the country."

Citing the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA)—which has directly pressured Trump to "exclude all juvenile products" from tariffs on Chinese imports—The New York Timesreported Friday that "about 90% of durable baby and children's products sold in the United States are manufactured overseas, with the vast majority produced in China."

Noting that statistic, Groundwork focused on the costs of some essentials for babies and young children, including clothes, cribs, high chairs, sippy cups, and toys. For example, the group pointed out, the car seat and stroller companies Evenflo, Nuna, and UPPAbaby have recently announced price hikes.

"This represents a major challenge for parents, as car seats—which can run over $400—are required by law in all 50 states and should be bought new due to safety concerns," Groundwork said. "New parents spend, on average, $1,000 on baby safety gear."

As for strollers—or, as Trump put it, "the thing that you carry the babies around in"—UPPAbaby's Vista "just increased from $900 to $1,200," Groundwork continued. "Or, for a cheaper option, Bombi's flagship stroller now costs $225 instead of $199."

Some companies, including UPPAbaby, have made clear that the price increases are a direct result of Trump's evolving tariff policy.

"Due to rising import tariffs, updated pricing will go into effect on May 5th, 2025 across most UPPAbaby products," the company explained in a blog post last month. "If tariffs are reduced or lifted, we'll reassess pricing as quickly as business operations allow."

UPPAbaby is also among 13 U.S.-based companies that launched an advertising campaign calling tariffs a "baby tax," as The Washington Postreported last week. The ad declares that "becoming a parent is one of life's greatest joys, one our country should champion, not tax."

In addition to UPPAbaby chief executive Bob Monahan, the ad is signed by the CEOs of Babylist, Ergobaby, Frida, Guava Family, Hatch Baby, Lalo, Million Dollar Baby Co., Mockingbird, Munchkin, Nanit, Owlet, and Willow Innocations.

Groundwork highlighted Tuesday that "the CEO of popular baby accessory brand Munchkin, Steve Dunn, said the company will increase prices on about 90% of products, likely by at least 20%. Their cheapest high chair is currently $170."

Crib costs are also a concern. "Three-quarters of all baby furniture is made in China," Groundwork noted. "Get ready for some sleepless nights: the popular smart bassinet SNOO is manufactured in China and might soon cost more than its current $1,695 price tag."

Additionally, the clothing giant "Carter's has already raised prices on many items," which often come from Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, and Vietnam, and "Mattel CFO Anthony DiSilvestro has warned of possible price hikes as 40% of Mattel toys come from China," the think tank added.

Groundwork's statement was released as a bipartisan group called the Cost Coalition officially launched on Tuesday. Its goal, according toThe Associated Press, is "to highlight Trump's struggle to control rising costs."

"In 100 days, Donald Trump put the best-performing economy in the world on a crash course toward recession. Trump's tariffs—the biggest middle class tax hike in modern history—are making everyday prices skyrocket and wreaking havoc for businesses large and small," said Terry Holt, a former spokesperson for Republican leaders, and Andrew Bates, who was a Democratic spokesperson, in a joint statement to the AP.

"Next up are grossly inflationary tax cuts for the wealthy that will only saddle future generations with staggering debt," Holt and Bates continued. "Whether you're a Republican, Democrat, or anything else, Donald Trump's agenda is an economic crisis threatening your livelihood and standard of living."

SEE ALL
Advocates protest Republican tax cuts for the rich
News

'Reverse Robin Hood of the Highest Order': GOP Advances Massive Tax Cuts for the Rich

House Republicans on Wednesday advanced legislation that would deliver a slew of tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and large corporations, giveaways that the party aims to fund with unprecedented cuts to Medicaid and federal nutrition assistance.

Throughout the marathon markup hearing that began Tuesday afternoon and ended with Wednesday morning's party-line vote, Democratic members of the House Ways and Means Committee offered amendments aimed at closing the carried-interest loophole, preventing a major tax break for rich heirs, blocking any handouts to centimillionaires, and reverting the top marginal tax rate to its pre-2017 level of 39.6%.

Republicans—many of whom stand to reap significant personal benefits from another round of tax cuts—rejected the Democratic amendments.

"At every turn, Republicans voted down amendments designed to prevent the majority of benefits of their tax bill from flowing to rich people," Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), a member of the committee, said following Wednesday's vote. "The unavoidable truth is that Republicans' core priority with this legislation was to benefit the wealthy at the expense of everyone else, and that is exactly what their bill does."

Shortly after the hearing kicked off on Tuesday, the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation released a distributional analysis showing that the Republican tax bill—part of the GOP's sprawling reconciliation package—would disproportionately benefit the wealthiest Americans while doing little for low- to middle-income families.

Beyer noted on social media that "a dirty little secret" of the Republican tax legislation is that it would actually raise taxes on the bottom 20% of Americans in 2029—the year President Donald Trump leaves office.

The House Ways and Means Committee vote came as Republicans on the Energy and Commerce and Agriculture Committees simultaneously worked to advance their respective sections of the GOP reconciliation package, the centerpiece of Trump's legislative agenda.

The bills before the latter two committees would enact combined cuts of around a trillion dollars to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over the next decade, stripping critical benefits from millions of people across the country.

Kobie Christian, a spokesperson for the Unrig Our Economy coalition, said Wednesday that the GOP reconciliation package is "a reverse Robin Hood of the highest order."

"From cutting healthcare to ripping away food assistance to rubberstamping cost-raising tariffs, Republicans in Washington are making life more expensive for working- and middle-class Americans by handing over their tax dollars to the super-rich," said Christian. "Families need lower costs, not cuts to healthcare and billionaire tax breaks. Congress should be fighting to help working families, not the ultra-wealthy."

SEE ALL
 Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested
News

'This Is Not Normal': Newark Mayor Ras Baraka Arrested at Contested ICE Detention Facility

Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday afternoon at a newly reopened immigrant detention facility in New Jersey's largest city.

Baraka was accompanying three of the state's congressional Democrats to Delaney Hall, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility operated by the private prison company the GEO Group.

The 1,196-bed facility—the first immigrant detention center to open since U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office in January after campaigning on mass deportations—began housing detainees on May 1, despite an ongoing legal battle over its operation.

Video footage posted online shows a verbal altercation between Baraka—who is running for governor and has been critical of ICE action under Trump—and men in blue jackets labeled "police."

According toPIX11:

Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join a scheduled tour of the facility with three members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman.

When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates.

"There was yelling and pushing," Martinez said. "Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car."

Amanda Lee, a journalist with New Jersey's News 12, posted footage of the crowd near the gate and the mayor being led away in handcuffs.

Alina Habba, the interim U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey, said on social media that Baraka "committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW."

Baraka's office told PIX11 that the mayor was taken to an ICE field office at 620 Frelinghuysen Ave. in Newark, adding that "we are actively monitoring and will provide more details as they become available."

The members of Congress explained on social media that they were at the facility to conduct oversight. As Watson Coleman put it: "We're at Delaney Hall, an ICE prison in Newark that opened without permission from the city and in violation of local ordinances. We've heard stories of what it's like in other ICE prisons. We're exercising our oversight authority to see for ourselves."

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement that did not address Baraka's arrested but said that "as a bus of detainees was entering the security gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center, a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility," naming Menendez and Watson Coleman.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said that "members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk. Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. This is an evolving situation."

The department also claimed that "the allegations made by Newark politicians that Delaney does not have the proper permitting are false. We have valid permits, and inspections for plumbing and electricity, and fire codes have been cleared."

Watson Coleman shared a lengthy response on social media, saying in part: "Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not 'storm' the detention center. The author of that press release was so unfamiliar with the facts on the ground that they didn't even correctly count the number of representatives present. We were exercising our legal oversight function as we have done at the Elizabeth Detention Center without incident."

Responding to the news of Baraka's arrest on social media Friday, Kat Abughazaleh, a Democratic congressional candidate in Illinois, said in all caps: "They are arresting elected officials for peacefully opposing the regime's illegal actions. Do not allow them to overwhelm you. This is not normal."

I am outraged by the unjust arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka earlier this afternoon outside of Delaney Hall in Newark. I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement.

[image or embed]
— Governor Phil Murphy (@govmurphy.bsky.social) May 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM

Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, said in a statement that "Mayor Baraka's arrest during an oversight visit to an ICE facility in Newark is shocking overreach of power, even by Trump standards."

"Trump and his cronies are pulling straight from the authoritarian playbook. They want to silence anyone who seeks to hold them accountable," he added. "Mayor Baraka must be released immediately, and New Jersey elected officials must be allowed inside the Delaney Hall ICE facility."

ACLU of New Jersey executive director Amol Sinha similarly condemned Baraka's arrest as "a shameful escalation of the Trump administration's intimidation campaign against officials who refuse to do their bidding."

"Mayor Baraka—and lawmakers across New Jersey and the country—are being targeted by the Trump administration for refusing to be complicit with its ongoing violations of due process," said Sinha. "Mayor Baraka must be immediately released from custody, and the Trump administration must end its assault on the fundamental rights at the core of our democracy."

The group Indivisible declared his arrest "a warning sign of just how far Trump and his allies are willing to go to silence dissent," and "authoritarian behavior, plain and simple."

"For months, Trump has been using ICE as a political weapon, targeting immigrants, communities of color, and students exercising their right to free speech," Indivisible noted. "Now, it's being used to intimidate elected officials who dare to speak out. That should alarm everyone."

"Mayor Baraka was peacefully demanding answers on dangerous policies that hurt his community. He was being a leader. We demand the immediate release of Mayor Baraka, and an end to these unlawful and unconstitutional detainments. We won't be intimidated or silenced," the group added. "We stand with Mayor Baraka and every brave leader who refuses to back down, and call on every other elected leader to follow his courageous example."

SEE ALL
A resident looks at his damaged house after cross-border shelling along the Line of Control
News

India, Pakistan Accuse Each Other of Violating New Cease-Fire

India and Pakistan accused each other of violating a cease-fire that had been announced Saturday by officials from both countries and U.S. President Donald Trump amid global fears of escalating tit-for-tat strikes between the nuclear-armed neighbors in the wake of last month's Pahalgam massacre in Indian-occupied Kashmir.

"Within hours, blasts were reported from the main cities of Indian Kashmir, the center of four days of fighting," Reutersreported, citing authorities, residents, and witnesses. "Blasts were heard in Srinagar and Jammu, and projectiles and flashes were seen in the night sky over Jammu, similar to the events of the previous evening."

Drop Site News noted that Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri accused Pakistan of "repeated violations" of the deal.

However, Pakistan's information minister, Ataullah Tarar, toldGeo News, that "violation of cease-fire agreement from our side is out of question."

The Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs later released a statement saying that it "remains committed to faithful implementation" of the deal, accusing India of committing violations, and stressing that troops on the ground "should also exercise restraint."

Earlier Saturday, the Indian minister, Misri, had confirmed the cease-fire agreement, saying that "it was agreed that both sides would stop all firing and military action on land and in the air and sea."

Indian officials have not publicly credited the United States for the deal, while Pakistani leaders have. Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar "specifically acknowledged the role played by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the process," according toGeo News.

Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan's prime minister, said on social media that "we thank President Trump for his leadership and proactive role for peace in the region."

The U.S. president had said on his Truth Social platform: "After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASE-FIRE. Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Leaders around the world, including United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, have urged diplomacy and restraint since militants attacked Hindu tourists and killed 26 people in Kashmir last month.

After Saturday's cease-fire announcement, Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the U.N. chief, toldPTI that "we are monitoring but we welcome all efforts to de-escalate the conflict."

Sources from India and Pakistan's governments toldReuters that the Indus Waters Treaty was not part of the deal. India withdrew from the decades-old water-sharing pact after the April attack in Kashmir.

SEE ALL