Last Week This Morning

Border militarization is ramping up.  The Trump administration is planning to deploy hundreds more federal personnel, including calling on state National Guards, to the new “military zones” along the U.S.-Mexico border; this is in addition to the thousands of active-duty combat troops and hundreds of wartime vehicles and weapons sent since Trump’s first day in office. These “military zones” were implemented through an executive order released two weeks ago and essentially enables the military act as a de facto border police force, which is a blatant attempt to get around checks and balances, and evade limits on domestic use of the armed forces put forth by the Constitution. This escalation in border militarization was partnered with Trump crony & known white supremacistStephen Miller said in interviews that the administration wants to suspend Habeas Corpus by invoking the “Invasion Act” – propping up the dangerous and false white-supremacist “Great Replacement” conspiracy theories. These “invasion” claims have served as the legal justification for several elements of their broader assault on core pillars of our democracy, including their invocation of the “Alien Enemies Act of 1798,” which has been used to justify abducting legal U.S. residents to the for-profit Salvadoran torture camp. The discussions about suspending habeas corpus and illegal use of military force shows an administration on defense, reeling, and seeking to escalate the threats and the scope of its assault on core democratic pillars. 

Nothing Left Unsaid. The fifth episode of our podcast, Nothing Left Unsaid, is out! This episode’s guest is Trinity Miracle – an Arizona poet, artist, organizer & activist who recently debuted her short film “A black bicentennial.” in collaboration with Black River Life Media. We discuss all things pop culture and politics, and connecting national news to what’s happening in Arizona. Nothing Left Unsaid airs on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Learning Opportunity Alert! AZ AANHPI for Equity is seeking passionate youth leaders to participate in their AANHPI Youth Leaders Fellowship. This program aims to empower the next generation of local, socially conscious leaders by providing training, mentorship, and hands-on experience in community organizing. Over the course of two months (June 4 – July 26, 2025), fellows will develop key skills to lead change in their communities. Training will be held both virtually and in person. Make sure to share this with a young activist in your life or register before the deadline on May 21 at 11:59pm.