Dear John,

This week, it feels like no-one is safe.

Donald Trump and his administration continue to defy orders by federal courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court—to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who the Administration admits was wrongly deported along with over 200 other migrants to El Salvador’s notorious and brutal CECOT prison. One of the key issues raised by Garcia’s attorneys in his case is that he was denied the right to due process that he is entitled to as a resident of the United States.

Thursday afternoon, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a decision for the second time in Abrego Garcia’s case, written by Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson III, an appointee of Ronald Regan—a 7-page decision I encourage everyone to read. He warns that the Administration’s continued defiance of the courts “…reduce[s] the rule of law to lawlessness and tarnish[es] the very values for which Americans of diverse views and persuasions have always stood.” He asks: “If today the Executive [president] claims the right to deport without due process and in disregard of court orders, what assurance will there be tomorrow that it will not deport American citizens and then disclaim responsibility to bring them home? And what assurance shall there be that the Executive will not train its broad discretionary powers upon its political enemies?” A chilling warning from a conservative judge.

At educational institutions across the country, over 1,000 student visas have been revoked, many without warning or cause. The climate among international students is one of terror, writes Ms. intern Wakaba Oto, who is one of those students herself: “We’re watching our friends disappear from classrooms, Zoom links, group chats. We’re wondering if we’re next.”

It’s no surprise, given the news this week, that nearly two thirds of registered voters agree that Trump believes he’s above the law. Significantly, that number includes a majority of both independents (65 percent) and non-MAGA Republicans (51 percent). The president’s violation of court rulings, as well as his allowing Elon Musk and DOGE to access personal health and financial data of tens of millions of Americans and the unconstitutional elimination of crucial departments are deeply concerning to strong majorities of voters, according to the latest polling from Navigator. 

Across the world, the deadly impacts of Trump and Musk’s cuts are already being felt. A new report from The Fuller Project, produced in collaboration with Ms., delves into the cost of Trump’s USAID cuts—and speaks with the people directly impacted. The cuts’ impacts will fall hardest on women: when it comes to aid for reproductive healthcare and family planning, the U.S. contributed roughly half of foreign assistance provided by all countries in 2023, the last year for which figures are available. And experts say Trump’s freeze of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is likely to cause a surge of infections and deaths related to the disease in numbers akin to what we saw in the 90’s and 2000’s. 

It’s becoming increasingly clear that the consequences of these cuts will span lifetimes. One mother who spoke with The Fuller Project’s reporters now wonders how she will eventually be able to get her 2-week-old child vaccinated: “Postnatal clinics feel like an impossible dream.”

The future remains uncertain, and I won’t lie: it feels dark right now. But I’m certain of one thing: feminists are fighting back. Whether we’re organizing with our neighbors and protesting on the streets at home, continuing to report and shed light on the harm being done by this administration, calling the offices of our elected representatives, or beseeching them at town halls to stand up for what’s right, we are a key part of the resistance. And we’re not stopping. 

Onward,

Kathy Spillar

Executive Editor

P.S. — Protests against the Trump Administration’s actions will continue this weekend. As usual, we’ll be there—and we hope you will too. Click here to find a demonstration near you. 

P.P.S — Looking for more in-depth coverage of the issues facing women under the second Trump Administration? Our quarterly print magazine takes a deeper look behind the headlines—click here to get a year of the magazine for just $20. 

Tune in for a new episode of Ms. magazine's podcast, On the Issues with Michele Goodwin on

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As we reckon with an administration hostile to equal rights, feminists will continue to fight. To help keep hope, we must remember and celebrate recent wins.

One of those wins is the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which took effect on June 27, 2023. This is a landmark piece of legislation that prohibits discrimination and ensures workplace accommodations related to pregnancy for workers. But is the PWFA safe, or will it be threatened by the Trump administration’s crusade against reproductive rights and justice?

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U.S. democracy is at a dangerous inflection point—from the demise of abortion rights, to a lack of pay equity and parental leave, to skyrocketing maternal mortality, and attacks on trans health. Left unchecked, these crises will lead to wider gaps in political participation and representation. For over 50 years, Ms. has been forging feminist journalism—reporting, rebelling and truth-telling from the front-lines, championing the Equal Rights Amendment, and centering the stories of those most impacted. With all that’s at stake for equality, we are redoubling our commitment for the next 50 years. In turn, we need your help, Support Ms. today with a donation—any amount that is meaningful to you. We are grateful for your loyalty and ferocity.

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