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Brian Straw Legal Defense Fund Together, we can show our neighbors, friends, and children that we have the courage to do what is right.

Last night, the Government filed its response to our motion to dismiss. One thing is clear: they intend to proceed to trial.

I remain confident that we will prevail, but defending our freedoms of assembly and speech is expensive.

If you are able, please consider donating to my legal defense fund.

UPDATE: Rev. Kardon (pictured below) just told me that her charges were *also* finally dropped this morning.

The best way to continue to support us is still to donate to Brian's legal defense fund.

Thank you all for your support over the past four months and for walking alongside us as we move closer to trial.

secure.actblue.com/donate/straw...

Brian Straw Legal Defense Fund Together, we can show our neighbors, friends, and children that we have the courage to do what is right.

The best way to continue to support us is still to donate to Brian's legal defense fund (secure.actblue.com/donate/straw...)

Thank you all for your support over the past four months and for walking alongside us as we move closer to trial.

'Broadview Six' ICE protesters can see White House communications about their case — if they exist Prosecutors say they still plan to take four of the six charged protesters to trial. The charges revolve around events on the morning of Sept. 26 outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement f...

The prosecutors indicated today that they are planning to move forward with the trial in May. The next day in court is April 7th.

Read more about today here: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

a notable moment in today's Broadview 4 (née 6) hearing was when the government prosecutors seemed completely unaware that DAG Todd Blanche was quoted in the government's press release announcing the indictment: www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr...

‘Go Big and Go Loud’: Inside the Justice Dept.’s Push to Prosecute Protesters

‘Go Big and Go Loud’: Inside the Justice Department’s Push to Prosecute Protesters

Via @nytimes.com: www.nytimes.com/2026/03/19/u...

Your "agreement" to "adhere to existing law and practice of not deporting any U.S. citizen" has people asking a lot of questions not at all answered by your agreement to adhere to existing law and practice of not deporting any U.S. citizen.

Note the “is current practice” line, which would be news to the dozens of religious denominations, regional bodies and organizations that have filed four separate lawsuits challenging the administration’s decision to rescind the policy of discouraging immigration enforcement at sensitive locations.

Remaining ‘Broadview Six’ defendants want conspiracy charge tossed, argue protesting isn’t a crime Lawyers for the four remaining defendants in the high-profile case stemming from Operation Midway Blitz say prosecutors escalated a misdemeanor charge based on the "exercise of their First Amendment r...

The four remaining defendants in the Broadview conspiracy case have officially challenged their indictment for violating the First Amendment.

One of them, Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw, played an active role in drafting the motion, his attorney says:
chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

JUST IN: The remaining four members of the "Broadview Six" — a group charged in a conspiracy indictment tied to protests outside Broadview's ICE facility — have asked a judge to toss the conspiracy charge based on their First Amendment right to assemble:

“If after six months of investigation, the government cannot be sure who is an actual co-conspirator of this alleged mythical ‘spontaneous conspiracy,’ how can they expect to ultimately convince a jury of these ridiculous charges? “By continuing this baseless prosecution, the government is heading down a dangerous path towards upending the First Amendment and severely limiting the Constitutionally protected freedoms of expression and assembly. “I am gravely concerned by what appears to be an intensification of the government’s desire to selectively prosecute public officials and political figures in this case. The remaining co-defendants all have publicly known government and political positions. My client did nothing wrong. And while I am confident we will prevail in court, we all should be troubled by the potential chilling effect this prosecution has on public servants nationwide.”

The first public comment comes from Christopher Parente. He's the attorney for one of the remaining defendants in this case, Brian Straw:

"By continuing this baseless prosecution, the government is heading down a dangerous path towards upending the First Amendment."

I don't get why people think religion isn't really that important to the way people think about the world (i.e., they can't possibly actually believe that!)

Also, as Jack and others have reported many times, the Right often ignores or rejects the faith of those they oppose, especially when those folks are Christians.

Don't know who needs to know this but the youngest Millennials turn 30 this year...

Brian Straw Legal Defense Fund Together, we can show our neighbors, friends, and children that we have the courage to do what is right.

Today's Brian's birthday!

Help us mark the day by supporting his legal defense fund with a gift of $39 to mark his 39th birthday.

secure.actblue.com/donate/straw...

DHS head Noem claims she doesn't know about Marimar Martinez, Chicago woman shot 5 times by federal agent

Martinez released a statement on Tuesday saying Kristi Noem's claims of not knowing her case comes as "the evidence we released in my case demonstrates otherwise." She said text messages prove the agent who shot her had Noem's support after the shooting — and she wants Noem to investigate him "for…

Marimar Martinez says says it's "even worse" if Noem truly does not know about her shooting
"She's the leader of DHS and one of her agents attempted to kill me, a U.S. citizen on the streets of Chicago. It was reported in every national news outlet for months. Does she not read the newspaper?"

ICE protesters keep beating Trump in Chicago court, but the battles take a toll. 'It’s about intimidation' Cases against 17 of 32 people charged with crimes during Operation Midway Blitz have already collapsed, and no one has been convicted. But federal prosecutions are daunting, they carry the threat of p...

Operation Midway Blitz cases keep collapsing in Chicago's federal court. But the allegations and threats of prison time from Trump's Justice Department still take a toll.

My @chicago.suntimes.com story on the cost of winning: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...

full quote

Jesus said: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart & with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Mtw 22:37-40

He's wearing a hat this time! 😂

"I've never protested before in my entire life, but, uh [chokes up, apologizes], I watched fourth and fifth grade kids run away from our own government. I never want to see that again."

Forgot to mention this yesterday: among the signers of this letter (which organizers say has now grown beyond 2,000) is the president of Fuller Seminary.

Many other deans/academics/presidents listed hail from liberal mainline traditions, but Fuller is a well-known evangelical Christian seminary.

Absolutely insane!

400 Christian leaders urge resistance to Trump administration on Ash Wednesday The statement’s signers include a mix of denominational leaders, seminary presidents, scholars and leaders of prominent congregations.

EXCLUSIVE: ~400 Christian leaders have issued an Ash Wednesday statement decrying the Trump admin as "cruel and oppressive," arguing the govt has been corrupted by an aberrant form of the faith and calling on Christians to perform "greater acts of courage to resist." religionnews.com/2026/02/18/4...

I don’t know who needs to hear Jesse Jackson leading the kids on Sesame Street in this beautiful call-and-response reminding them that every child is somebody, but here it is

100s of rabbis, cantors and other Jews outside ICE today protesting the Trump Administration’s immigration actions