February 19, 2026

WCI Thursday's BLAST February 19, 2026

THOUGHTS

In Memory of Melissa and Mark Hortman

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, a towering civil rights icon who battled alongside Martin Luther King Jr., negotiated global hostage releases, and shamed corporations for their lack of corporate diversity and failure to support voting rights.

Jackson was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a Democratic presidential candidate and one of the world's best-known Black activists. He died at 84.

Federal immigration agents and St. Paul Police officers stand at the scene after a multiple-vehicle accident involving an apparent pursuit by federal officers in St. Paul on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. (Photo by Leila Navidi/The Minnesota Star Tribune via Getty Images)            

THE MINNESOTA MODEL 

by William Kristol 

“It’s important that Minnesota be not just a shining example of what can be done. It needs to be a harbinger of what’s going to be done. It needs to be a model not just admired but emulated. We should all be Minnesotans now.”

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING COMMUNITY  EVENTS

Saturdays, Emmer Do Better Otsego Rally

JOIN US!

WE THE PEOPLE WILL RAISE OUR SIGNS AND 0UR VOICES!

Keep up the momentum!

February 21st, 2026

11-Noon

Wednesdays, Sherburne County Detention Vigil

February 25

3:30-4:15 pm

WCI Connections

Annandale, Buffalo, Delano, Monticello, St. Michael-Albertville

ACTION

CONTACT YOUR

SENATORS

Amy Klobuchar: (202) 224-3244   klobuchar.senate.gov

Tina Smith (202) 224-5641  smith.senate.gov

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.                                            First, I’m calling to demand that ICE release every single child in detention right nowespecially 2-month-old Juan Nicolas, who is at Dilley and was hospitalized with bronchitis just last night. These places are not safe for children, not to mention that the Trump administration is violating the Flores Settlement by regularly keeping kids imprisoned in them for longer than 20 days.                                                                         Second, please stay strong and do not cave until Republicans give you everything you want on ICE. Americans support you. ICE killed another person yesterday. This can’t continue. No DHS funding until ICE is reined in. Thanks.                                         Finally, I am horrified that CBS and the FCC are attacking free speech again—this time by forbidding Stephen Colbert from airing an episode with James Talarico. Congress must protect our first amendment rights. I expect a strong condemnation of this attack! Thanks.

CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

Tom Emmer (202) 225-2331; (763) 241-6848  emmer.house.gov

Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.                                     First, I’m calling to demand that ICE release every single child in detention right now—especially 2-month-old Juan Nicolas, who is at Dilley and was hospitalized with bronchitis just last night. These places are not safe for children, not to mention that the Trump administration is violating the Flores Settlement by regularly keeping kids imprisoned in them for longer than 20 days. Why are there no consequences for that? Shut down these family detention centers now!

Second, Pam Bondi needs to go. There can be no justice for the Epstein victims while she is the AG, and these women deserve justice. Has the Congressmember called for Bondi’s impeachment yet? [If yes, thank. If not add:] May I ask why not? Does the Congressmember think her atrocious treatment of the victims last week, her lies under oath, her blatant weaponization of the DOJ are acceptable? If not they need to call for her impeachment now. Thanks.

Finally, I am horrified that CBS and the FCC are attacking free speech again—this time by forbidding Stephen Colbert from airing an episode with James Talarico. Congress must protect ourwe first amendment rights. I expect a strong condemnation of this attack! Thanks.

Congress continues to introduce bills that would require voters to present documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) to register and/or vote. In the 119th Congress, three major pieces of legislation have been introduced to require DPOC to vote, including:

  • The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which passed the House in 2025 and would require citizenship documentation to register to vote, and, more recently

  • The SAVE America Act and the Make Elections Great Again Act, which have even stricter components than the SAVE Act, like requirements for voters to present DPOC both at registration and the polls, and for absentee ballots to be received by election day.  

Collectively, we are referring to these pieces of legislation as the “SAVE Act suite of bills.”

It is already illegal for noncitizens to register and vote in federal or state elections. Requiring documentary proof of American citizenship to register to vote in federal elections is unnecessary and seeks to divide us. It simply creates another barrier to voting.

Many communities of eligible voters would be unnecessarily burdened by the requirements of the SAVE Act. Among them are:

  • Military voters, who would be required to present documentation every time they re-register to vote when their family moves.

  • Families who have been impacted by natural disasters and lost important documentation, who would be required to jump through hoops to replace these documents while also going through the traumatic process of rebuilding their lives.

  • Married women and other Americans who have changed their names, who would also be required to secure updated documentation to register to vote.

  • People of color. Compared to white US citizens, citizens of color are three times more likely to lack documents such as birth certificates, passports, naturalization certificates, or certificates of citizenship or face difficulties accessing them. For example, while approximately half of all American adults possess a passport, two-thirds of Black Americans do not.

Americans do not need MORE obstacles to vote. The SAVE Act would create one more barrier to the voting process, as many eligible voters do not have easy access to the necessary documents.

Tell Congress to oppose the SAVE Act suite of bills.

https://www.lwv.org/save-act

This editorial cartoon depicts a mass of people protesting against ICE. They carry signs that read “Minnesota Strong” and “ICE Out” and “Trump Sux.” The people have shaped themselves into an arm and hand about the “flick” a masked ICE agent away, like a bug.

EVENTS

“EMMER DO BETTER”

OTSEGO RALLIES

EVERY Saturday 11:00-Noon

PLEASE JOIN US!!!

THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS!

Rallies Make a Difference!

9201 Quaday Ave NE, Otsego.

Meet on Parrish Ave.

Park at the Otsego Dental Office or the Wyndham hotel.

SHERBURNE COUNTY GOVERNMENT VIGIL

Over 100 immigrants are in Detention at the Sherburne County Government Center. Consider joining us!

  • Every Wednesday 3:30 – 4:15 the usual place  (Sidewalk next to Business Center Drive)

  • Sherburne County Government Center

    13880 Business Ctr Dr NW, Elk River, MN 55330

linkedin facebook pinterest youtube rss twitter instagram facebook-blank rss-blank linkedin-blank pinterest youtube twitter instagram