What Rhetoric Is the Regime Using to Criminalize Dissent?

National Guardsmen are being deployed into Democratic-led cities under the guise of fighting crime. ICE, using military-style tactics, are racially profiling and terrorizing communities and brutalizing citizens and undocumented immigrants alike. Trump and the Republicans cynically describe millions of peaceful protestors raising their voices against authoritarianism as a violent threat. Taken separately, each of these events is disturbing. Together, they paint a stark and terrifying portrait of America in 2025. The Trump/Republican regime’s campaign against so-called “enemies within” has unleashed a wave of violence across the country. Step Nine of the Ten Steps to Autocracy  is militarizing law enforcement and fomenting state-sanctioned or private violence to silence dissent. That’s why this week on Assembly Required, Stacey talks to two experts on recognizing, responding to, and rebuilding after state violence: Lindsay Toczylowski, Co-Founder and President/CEO of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, and Insha Rahman, Vice President of Advocacy and Partnerships at the Vera Institute of Justice and Director of Vera Action. 

For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.

Learn & Do More:

• Be Curious: To better understand our immigration system and how it impacts undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, visit organizations like Refugees International and the American Immigration Council . Explore Lindsay Toczylowski’s  organization, the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, for resources that can help you or your loved ones understand your rights. Insha Rahman’s organization, the Vera Institute of Justice, works to end mass incarceration and advance immigrant rights. Their series, Justice in the Age of Trump, offers insights and tools to help you make sense of the current moment.
• Solve Problems: This episode was recorded before the No Kings protests that swept across the United States. Whether you marched or watched from home, it’s crucial to keep showing up, speaking out, and taking action. Peaceful protest and civic engagement remain among the strongest tools we have to hold this administration accountable and push back against totalitarian policies. Don’t underestimate the power of consistent, collective action—every voice, every step, every sign makes a difference.
• Do Good: Donate to organizations like ImmDef and explore their volunteer opportunities to support immigrant communities struggling to access basic resources. We also have the right to document abuses carried out by ICE. Get involved with rapid response networks in your community to gather and share footage—especially at local courthouses—to shine a light on what’s happening and ensure accountability.

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