Dear members of the American Resistance,
ICE made a second victim last week: Alex Pretti. Although I imagine we are all horribly shocked by the reports we get about legal (or illegal) residents raped and murdered in ICE custody, the assassination of Alex Pretti feels deeply traumatizing. A nurse. Jumping to the rescue of an attacked woman. Like he had been trained to. Shot at point-blank. The images are unbearable. It reminds me of the ones I grew up forced to look at (7th grade curriculum) when learning about summary executions during the Nazi occupation.
Minneapolis is a beacon of hope. A light in the darkness. How rarely can we feel inspired by such genuine courage! For the past weeks, I have been asking myself if I would be as brave to be in the streets facing agents, terrifying with their arsenal that would fit best in a war zone.
In Detroit, WtPD joined Detroit Will Breathe last Friday to rally against ICE and honor the call for action that Minneapolis put out. About 300 of us came despite the frigid temperatures and marched to St Peters where 🧡Linda🧡 and 🧡Joyce🧡 welcomed us with warm beverages. If you see them on Sunday at our bi-monthly corner protest, please thank them!!
What the murders of Renee and Alex tell us is that ICE (i.e. Trump, his cronies, and the whole Neo-Reactionary movement) has declared war on us. Their message, clear: “Dare to defend your community, dare to be free, dare to be your best self as a proud American exercising their rights, you will be killed”.
Since not one of us is now safe, it seems reasonable that we attend a training in case we get confronted by ICE. Indivisible gave a comprehensive EYES on ICE training two days ago. Please feel free to watch the recording here.
Please know that Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is also hosting a Know Your Rights training on Feb 7th (3-4:30 PM). Please email her team to confirm your attendance and receive the link: events@rashidaforcongress.com
As you may have heard already, Bovino (the ICE commander at-large) has been fired, and Noem may get fired as well (and if not, House Democrats promise to impeach her). So, at least, of all this horror, one good thing came out. Will they be replaced by worst people? Possible. Anything seems to have become possible these days.
Much is happening next week, so without further due, please find the list of events and actions to take below:
1/ Today is the vote in the Senate about the ICE funding. Both Peters and Slotkin said they would vote NO. Schumer too, and he said that he would get the whole Dem team to vote NO. We shall see. I am not holding my breath for it, but I kinda am… Nothing to do here, or maybe a “piqûre de rappel” in a form of a brief call this morning to their offices. Then, wait and see.
2/ We have a small window to see some protective legislation against ICE pass in the Michigan legislature: Please send a message to your MI senator (through this MI Freedom portal) to ask they vote YES on SB 510: UNMASK ICE (at least in Michigan!). You can also encourage them to vote YES on SB 508 and 509. If you happen to be in Lansing this morning… Please do not hesitate to pack the State Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on ICE Accountability Bill Package, SB 508-510.
It’s worth noting that MI Freedom coalition is also offering a townhall to understand better this legislation: ICE Accountability Virtual Town Hall with State Senator Stephanie Chang on Tuesday, February 4, 2026 (6:00–7:30PM ET) Zoom – Link Provided Upon Registration >
3/ Healtcare costs are ridiculous and we are witnessing or experiencing catastrophic losses of coverage across all classes. I am personally catastrophically impacted by the changes. If some of you are too and are willing to share their stories, let us know. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to use this Indivisible portal to ask our Senators to lower healthcare costs.
4/ On Monday 26th, we were many to attend the Royal Oak City Commissioners meeting to demand that the police officer who turned a legal resident to CBP (for no reason!) be suspended. Hearing so many of you who were appalled at such a grim act in a Police Department that has NO AGREEMENT with ICE, I had tears in my eyes. Please see the link to the fundraiser we started to help Emerxon, his wife Alejandra, and their child. This family is in dire need of our help. And this happened at the time we heard rumors about ICE going door to door in Royal Oak. What is happening to us?!
5/ The Wayne County Airport Authority had a hell of a nerve to respond that people in Zoom attendance weren’t allowed to speak because they hadn’t “registered”. Nowhere on their website is mentioned that one must do so. Ok then, let’s keep it simple. Feel free to send the following (tweaked or as is) to Kristy.Exner@wcaa.us.
To the attention of the Wayne County Airport Authority board members: Hello, my name is ________ and I ask that you stand against the crimes committed under your eyes. Three companies (GlobalX, Key Lime, and Eastern Air Express) use the Willow Run airport to deport people who belong here. All of them, whether illegal or legal, are Michigan residents and the victims of racial profiling and racist oppression. Do not serve to me your usual hypocrit bafflegab. Both you and I know that if tomorrow, you decide to stop these companies, not one of their planes fly.
6/ We continue our effort to call houses of worship around Detroit and Metro Detroit to ask them to participate in the Signs Of Solidarity initiative, an idea of 🧡Diane🧡. Please reach out to help make the calls! So many churches, and not enough people signed up at the moment!
Friday, Jan 30th, STRIKE and meet at 2PM at 23841 W. 7 Mile, Darou Salam African Market. “We can’t afford to give up our power, give up our lives, and wait for the midterms, we need ICE OUT NOW! Minnesota has made the call, will you answer?”
Saturday, Jan 31st, 3 PM: Mass Meeting with our partner Detroit Will Breathe at St Matthews/St Joseph Episcopal Church 8850 Woodward Ave.
AND/OR
Saturday, Jan 31st, 1 PM: Mutual aid resource fair at Dearborn Henry Ford Centennial Library 16307 Michigan Ave. Thanks to 🧡Sarah🧡 who spotted it!
Sunday, Feb 1st, 1 PM: Our bi-monthly protest is here! Our theme: ABOLISH ICE. Register here! Please feel out this 30-second survey about the day/time that we should pick for our bi-monthly corner protest.
Wednesday, February 4th at 7 PM is our next online meeting and you can sign-up here for it.
Feb 7th (3-4:30 PM) online: Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib is hosting a Know Your Rights training.Please email her team there to confirm your attendance and receive the link: events@rashidaforcongress.com
February 8th: Rally against Washington Township data center. 26 Mile M53 Overpass. https://mobilize.us/s/8eYZ7t
On Feb 14th, Invest in MI Kids is doing its biggest push. Please sign-up for signature-collecting shifts here with 482Forward beforehand. This is our last chance to get it on the ballot. When love beats greed, kids succeed…
On Friday, February 27, 28 and 29, you are invited by the Michigan Freedom Coalition to a Freedom Training. Three days of learning who to organize with like-minded fellow resisters. Meals & rooms are covered. Hilton Garden Inn, 27355 Cabaret Dr, Novi, MI 48377. A dream. Registration here.
On March 28th, 2026: Get ready for NO KINGS III !!!
Tid bits:
Survey: what type of resisting community are we? One-minute survey
Please vote on WtPD resistance anthem! Listen to 🧡Jozef🧡’s What Kind Of America Do We Wanna Be song, then register your vote on this FB post!
As always, please share this Bulletin with two new more people, join the Signal Chat here, and follow your 🧡very own group 🧡, 🧡We the People Dissent🧡 on Instagram and Facebook.
In loving solidarity,
WtPD Team
