Getting Through This Together

As we sit on the precipice of our 250th anniversary in this country the American People’s social contract is faltering. Killing citizens like Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota. Deporting unaccompanied minors. Detaining and disappearing people to third countries. Letting people die while in custody. The federal government is withholding our critical funds for the health of the American people while our inalienable rights to privacy, due process, and equal protection are under attack in American streets. The litany of offenses rises each and every day highlighting the cruelty of this federal administration with their unrelenting desire to inflict maximum pain on the American People using American taxpayer dollars to do so. This is exactly what we had feared: indiscriminate abuse of power at the hands of a tyrannical government.

Our federal “partners” are making state functions more challenging with delays in providing accurate data, and short application windows for funding opportunities for critical needs like housing, healthcare, and education. This puts continued strain on our already strained state, local, and non profit sector workers who use these funds to better Vermont.

They are using OUR state resources to play colonial war games with our southern neighbors and allies. Laying waste to long held, literally, hard fought partnerships with our allies all to avoid accountability for what’s in the Epstein Files. Trump deployed our Vermont National Guard to Venezuela taking them away from their loved ones just before Christmas, for an unconstitutional power grab with no clear objective than to personally line his own pockets. His administration has reassigned Vermont based USCIS agents to Minnesota to help with ICE efforts in an expansion of duties far beyond the scope of their work. He is threatening every country from Greenland to Iran and is now offering a billion dollar security membership program that will control Gaza. He has gone mad for power bent on enriching himself while depriving the American People and harassing the world.

The federal government's attacks run counter to the work we need to do here in Vermont. We have a bright future to build together and they are taking away our people, threatening our funding because we know our rights. While the federal government has a lot of power, we will not be bullied, we’re fighting back. Both the house and senate are introducing bills to limit ICE’s impact, safeguard your data, and prohibit tracking of your information. We are working to unmask ICE, laying the basis for ensuring the right to due process. We will continue to work within our authority to ensure the safety of ALL Vermonters. If you feel inclined to jump in the fight, we need your help, run for office at any level, help someone run for office. Get involved with or donate to causes that matter to you. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors. These actions are designed to fracture our collective power. Do not let it. Let us learn from Minnesota’s example. Love, joy and community are acts of resistance in this moment. Lean into your values, lean on each other. We are America and we’ll get through this, together.

Yours in Service and Solidarity

Rep Emily Carris Duncan