Here’s a look at what’s been happening across the Local Progress network:Â
Local Leaders Stand Firm in Protecting Our Immigrant Communities
In the face of relentless federal attacks, localities nationwide are fighting back and publicly affirming their commitment to protecting immigrants. We’re seeing the city council in Providence, RI sending Know Your Rights information to every city household; the Mayor of Nashville, TN signing an executive order to track and report interactions with federal immigration authorities; the City of Chicago, IL joining a lawsuit against the Trump Administration over threats to strip federal funding from sanctuary cities; county electeds in King County, WA strengthen their welcoming city status and invest in community resources for immigrants; and countless other local leaders doubling down to keep residents safe. Read more examples of how communities nationwide are resisting – standing up to the Trump Administration’s harmful policies and protecting their communities.
What Local Electeds Need to Know About What’s Happening in D.C.
This month, the Trump Administration escalated its criminalization of our communities by deploying the National Guard and taking control of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. – and has threatened to do the same in cities like Chicago and New York. Trump’s occupation of D.C. is a dangerous escalation that we should all pay attention to. Mobilizing the national guard, trying to overturn sanctuary policy and reject local authority, and targeting immigrants and unhoused people endangers us all. We must be prepared for high-profile immigration enforcement actions and attempts by federal agencies to escalate confrontations with protestors creating pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the National Guard. Our Policy Bulletin on Protecting First Amendment Rights outlines best practices including developing clear, measured communications strategies and coordinating with municipal attorneys to challenge deployment in court. If you’re in touch with National Guard members with questions about the legality of their deployment, you can refer them to About Face or The Orders Project for advice. As a national network of local elected officials representing communities big and small, it’s up to all of us to speak out against this abomination and to stand in solidarity with D.C. Take action to post a tweet or send a letter to your Congressional representatives: An attack on one locality is an attack on all localities.Â
🤝 How Abundance and Economic Populism Can Work Together For The PeopleÂ
“We are guided by a shared conviction that everyone deserves decent housing, safe and convenient transportation, high-quality healthcare, and all the other necessities that allow someone to live a life of freedom and dignity. Abundance is one tool for achieving that goal, and we’ve been able to use it without compromising our progressive, economic populist principles. In fact, abundance is one of the things that has made it possible for us to act on those principles.” Check out this piece from King County Councilmember and LP Board Member Teresa Mosqueda, Austin City Council Member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri, District 9, Cambridge City Councilmember Burhan Azeem, and Anchorage Assembly Member Anna Brawley.
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🏠The Big Ugly Bill’s Cuts to Housing will Devastate Local CommunitiesÂ
“In Oklahoma City, we consistently see people camping outside and know that families are using motels for long-term housing, as seniors also struggle to age in place, all because of a lack of affordable housing options.” As communities brace for cuts to vital programs from budget reconciliation and prepare for another national budget debate in September, Oklahoma City Councilwoman JoBeth Hamon highlights why proposed cuts to housing would be devastating for her constituents.
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đź‘€ LPCO Says NO to Flock Cameras for ICE Surveillance
Any data shared with ICE is information that can be used to disappear our neighbors. Our Colorado chapter is proud to join a coalition of civil rights groups to denounce the immoral collaboration between Denver law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. Flock technology is a national network of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) cameras that take pictures of all passing cars and stores that information, including license plates and personal location data, in a database accessible to law enforcement agencies of all kinds. The Denver Police Department released Flock audit logs that prove Denver data was searched more than 1,400 times for ICE since June 2024.Â
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🔊 The Texas Redistricting Scheme is an Attack on Democracy
The Texas Legislature rammed through his redistricting scheme to rig Texas elections, silence voters, and gut our democracy – all to shore up the Trump Administration’s power. This attack on Texas is an attack on all of us. The LPTX Organizing Committee responded to the administration’s redistricting scheme in Texas: “This is a blatant power grab and a direct attack on democracy. Redistricting in Texas is a coordinated step in the Trump Admin’s authoritarian playbook, and they won’t stop here. But neither will we.” Make your voice heard for democracy on social media by sharing on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
❌ Sign On in Opposition to the Travel Ban
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued yet another travel ban impacting 19 countries, which are almost entirely Muslim-majority, African, Asian, and Caribbean nations. Muslim Advocates has organized a sign-on letter for state and local elected officials in opposition to the racist, xenophobic, Trump 2.0 Entry Ban. Take action: Add your name here by Friday, Sept. 5 at noon PT to express your support for welcoming immigrants and visitors to your towns, cities, and states.Â
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đź“Ł Speaking Out Against the Big Ugly Bill
The Big Ugly Bill is a massive transfer of wealth from the poor to the rich. Trump and his congressional allies have stolen health care and food assistance away from millions and have hiked prices up in order to enrich themselves and their billionaire friends even more and massively increase ICE’s ability to terrorize our communities. Now that we’re in August recess, this is the opportunity to tell your Member of Congress what you think of this bill. Check out our blog for more resources on what the billionaire tax scam means for our communities.
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đź“ť Local Progress Member Survey
Our Member Survey is now live! At the National Convening, over 150 members shared their thoughts about Local Progress, and we want yours too! The results will help inform our future work and priorities. As a thank you for taking the time to complete the survey we’re offering a $25 virtual Visa gift card or donation to the charity of your choice. Only Local Progress Alumni and Members are eligible for the survey.
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🛑 Take Action: Stop the Attack on Public Servants
The Trump administration recently proposed a rule attacking the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. This cruel and illegal proposed rule attempts to weaponize the PSLF program by empowering the Secretary of Education disqualifying employers—including local governments—doing critical work in fields like immigrant rights, gender-affirming care, DEI, as well as other fields that the Trump Administration simply doesn’t like. The bottom line: this rule is a means for the administration to punish civil society organizations and state and local governments engaging in work that conflicts with this Administration’s agenda. Sign on by Monday September 15, 5 pm ET to the joint city/county letter opposing this attack on public servants. You can read the full letter here and use this messaging guide to share your opposition to this rule publicly.   Â
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đź“Ť Economic Development Pro Bono Consulting
Recognizing the limited resources some smaller cities have to improve their economic development incentive practices, Good Jobs First is offering a modest amount of pro bono consulting for cities (with populations between 50,000 and 350,000). Good Jobs First is a non-profit organization with 25 years of experience in providing support to community groups, unions, journalists, and public officials on how to make economic development incentives more equitable and transparent. Assistance to smaller cities includes:
- One-hour interview with the economic development director about needs and goals for the technical assistance.Â
- Review together of Good Jobs First’s findings about the city’s incentive transparency and its equity practices.
- At the city’s direction, based on its needs and our findings, Good Jobs First can advise on local amendments to the program’s targeting or eligibility rules, creating deal-specific online disclosure, pre- and post-approval, job quality standards, local hiring preferences, improving civic engagement in shaping projects, tools for vetting applicant firms, and more.
If you are interested or have more questions, contact Kasia Tarczynska at kasia@goodjobsfirst.org or Kristan Wong Karinen at kristan@goodjobsfirst.org.
