Developing: Israel attacks Iran military and nuclear program
Last night, Israel suddenly attacked Iran’s nuclear program and military, killing several leaders and scientists. The attacks are expected to continue for days, and Iran is responding.
This is an unnecessary attack by Israel on Iran that unacceptably sabotages diplomacy and puts millions of lives at risk. The Trump administration and Iranian government had nuclear negotiations scheduled this weekend. More violence is not the answer. Immediate diplomacy and de-escalation is needed now from all sides. The U.S. must urgently engage Israel and Iran to prevent a major regional war.
This week, we were appalled that the Trump administration deployed the military to suppress peaceful protests against recent military-style immigration raids in Los Angeles.
We condemn the administration’s escalation of violence against residents exercising their constitutional rights to stand up for their neighbors and community. As people of faith, we call for an end to violence in all its forms and encourage demonstrations to remain peaceful.
This is a dangerous path. These authoritarian actions are not designed to restore peace. Rather, we fear they are intended to escalate the situation for political gain and justify more use of the military against our communities.
As protests spread to other cities, we are gravely concerned that the administration may seek to expand its use of military force through the Insurrection Act. FCNL’s Amelia Kagan broke down what you need to know about this centuries-old law, and how Donald Trump could abuse presidential power with it.
Both the use of military personnel on our streets and the war-like techniques being deployed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents against our communities are unacceptable.
This is the true cost of President Trump’s mass deportation campaign: The administration’s aggressive, indiscriminate ICE raids are destabilizing and traumatizing our communities. They are terrorizing working families, ripping parents away from children and kidnapping our beloved neighbors.
It must stop. As the White House pushes Congress to surge funding for mass deportation in the budget reconciliation bill, lawmakers must reject giving a blank check to Pentagon to target more families and communities.
In the face of the administration’s cruelty and authoritarianism, members of Congress and the public must hold fast in defense of the rule of law, human rights, and our democracy.
We must all continue to defend the dignity, rights, and humanity of all and to love our neighbors, no exceptions.
Elsewhere
Witness for a Moral Budget at the Capitol
Together with partners, we joined a Pentecost Witness for a Moral Budget last Tuesday at the Capitol. We lifted our voices together for a budget which protects the poor, sick, and hungry rather than giving tax breaks to billionaires.
The reconciliation budget package that the Senate is considering now would cut health care and food aid for millions while providing even more funding for detaining and deporting immigrant members of our community.
Join our witness by writing to your senators and demand they do the right thing.
Celebrating Quaker Changemakers
Since 2019, Quaker Changemaker events have given Friends the chance to share how they are living their faith through action, and how that connects to FCNL’s legislative work on Capitol Hill.
Our final Quaker Changemaker event is coming up on June 25 at 6:30 p.m. ET. We will be sharing how Advocacy Teams and Advocacy Corps have trained leaders and advocated for the past decade. FCNL’s Alicia McBride took a look at some of the most impactful conversations we have had over the years.
House Votes to Accept Trump’s Cuts to Foreign Aid and Public Broadcasting
In a narrow vote yesterday, June 12, the House of Representatives voted to approve the Trump administration’s cuts to foreign aid and public broadcasting. The cuts –- or rescissions— prevailed over bipartisan opposition, which suggests that the vote could be incredibly close in the Senate. This means we have the chance to protect foreign assistance.
Around 103 more people die every hour that U.S. foreign assistance programs remain shuttered.
Join us in demanding the Senate reject these cruel cuts.
New at FCNL
- Proposed changes to the State Department’s structure would damage our work for peace and security, as FCNL’s Ursala Knudsen-Latta and Anika Forrest explained.
- FCNL’s Micah MacColl Nicholson shared about a group of Quakers walking from Brooklyn to Washington, DC for immigration justice.
