Three Big Wins for Democracy This Week (And Why We Need to Celebrate Them)
Even in the darkest moments, there are sparks of justice. Here are three you might’ve missed—but definitely need to see.
Pathfinders—
With all the chaos and cruelty coming out of the Trump administration right now, it’s easy to feel like we’re losing ground.
But today, I want to pause and share something different:
Three wins. All in one day.
Each one a reminder that people are fighting back—and that fight is making a difference.
✅ Win #1: Senator Van Hollen Meets with Kilmar Abrego Garcia
In an extraordinary act of persistence, Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen traveled to El Salvador and successfully met with Kilmar Abrego Garcia—a man with protected status who was deported in violation of a federal court order.
Kilmar’s case has become a symbol of what’s at stake in this authoritarian moment: due process, the rule of law, and basic human dignity.
Van Hollen has vowed to keep working to bring Kilmar home.
✅ Win #2: The Fourth Circuit Shuts Down Trump-Era Disappearances
In a sharp rebuke to the DOJ, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a request to pause a judge’s order to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
The court’s opinion pulls no punches: the government is trying to disappear people without due process.
And the court isn’t having it.
✅ Win #3: Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez Is Free
Juan Carlos Lopez-Gomez, a U.S. citizen who was illegally detained by ICE despite proving his citizenship, has been released and reunited with his family.
This should never have happened.
But his release is a hard-fought win—and a reminder that organizing, pressure, and relentless advocacy do work.
These Wins Matter
Because for every executive order, every new overreach, every brutal injustice—we need reminders like this.
Reminders that people are not giving up.
That the courts still hold some ground.
That the truth is still being spoken, even when it's inconvenient for those in power.
The road ahead is long. But these sparks of accountability? They light the way.
Let’s keep walking.
In solidarity,
Robert
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