Welcome to Free to Rise — Where Strength Meets Strategy

The ACLU of Florida, along with the Community Justice Project and National Immigrant Justice Center, has filed a landmark federal lawsuit targeting the legality of "Alligator Alcatraz"—a makeshift immigration detention center erected in the Florida Everglades.Diario AS+15American Civil Liberties Union+15Florida Politics+15

Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran refugee and Maryland resident, survived a wrongful deportation to El Salvador by court order. Returned to the U.S., he now faces human smuggling charges and deportation threats that veer into legally murky territory. Instead of resolving his case in court, the U.S. government appears to be using a diplomatic agreement with Uganda as leverage to force a guilty plea. If he refuses, he risks being deported to a country where he has no ties, unsafe conditions, and no legal protection.AP News+15Vox+15The Washington Post+15

Whenever the U.S. and Venezuela square off, the question of Russian backing looms large. Moscow has long been one of Maduro’s most important allies, providing military, intelligence, and energy support — and loudly condemning U.S. sanctions and intervention.

“Fire and freedom: Photorealistic depiction of an American flag set ablaze — a constitutional flashpoint.”

When government power feels unchecked and injustice becomes the norm, ordinary citizens often ask: what can we really do? Marches are powerful, petitions help raise awareness, but there’s one tactic that has consistently shaken those in power — the labor strike. When workers stop, the flow of money stops. And when money stops, leaders are forced to listen.

In times like these, the news feels like a constant storm — relentless, overwhelming, and often emotionally draining. We want to stay engaged because we care. We want to fight for justice, protect democracy, and help those who can’t speak for themselves. But being plugged in 24/7 comes at a cost: anxiety, exhaustion, even a creeping sense of hopelessness.

On August 11, 2025, President Trump invoked Section 740 of the D.C. Home Rule Act to assume temporary federal control over the Metropolitan Police Department. He also activated 800 National Guard troops and deployed over 500 federal agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF, ICE, and Marshals Service, citing a public safety emergency. (AP News Al Jazeera+15AP News+15The Washington Post+15; Time TIME+2Reuters+2)

In her memoir No Going Back, Kristi Noem recounts a hunting trip gone wrong with her 14‑month‑old dog, Cricket. She described the dog as “out of her mind with excitement,” attacking chickens, snapping at her, and being “untrainable.” The moment she decided to end Cricket’s life in a gravel pit was chilling:

A new Trump-backed law makes ICE the most heavily funded law enforcement agency in federal history. Over the next four years, ICE will receive $75 billion—including $45 billion for detention beds and $30 billion for staffing, facilities, and technology.That’s more funding than the combined annual budgets of the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, and Bureau of Prisons.The Daily BeastPolitiFact+1

For years, Donald Trump and MAGA influencers stoked conspiracy theories around the Epstein case—promising that a client list would expose Democratic elites. Influencers like Joe Rogan, Alex Jones, and Michael Flynn repeatedly demanded transparency. MAGA rallies featured chants demanding the files be released. Trump himself once confirmed, “Yeah, yeah, I would” release them if elected. FOX 11 Los Angeles+12ABC News+12Houston Chronicle+12

When more than 50 Texas House Democrats boarded flights to Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts on August 3, 2025, it wasn’t political theater—it was a calculated defense of democracy. With Republicans pushing a Trump-backed congressional map that could steal five more seats, Democrats knew they had to deny the quorum—because the rules didn’t give them another option. The Daily BeastKera News+4The Texas Tribune+4Houston Chronicle+4

Ghislaine Maxwell’s name has resurfaced in the headlines, and it’s not just tabloid noise. After being convicted for her central role in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation, she should have faded into the background of the justice system. But instead, something strange is happening: quiet murmurings of a potential pardon, sympathy from high-level political voices, and an unsettling silence from those in power who should be demanding accountability.