The People's Agenda
Protests gaining momentum ... Elected officials scramble … And dial 1-866 EFF MUSK.
The protests in Tucson are making national headlines, but the real concern on the ground is whether our Congressional delegation is even paying attention.
There is a massive hole in Tucson politics — and in the halls of Congress — after losing Congressman Raúl Grijalva last month.
Thousands of locals are filling the streets almost every day since President Donald Trump took office, screaming to be heard by the very people they sent to Washington D.C. to represent them.
While President Donald Trump and his allies talk about a mandate1 that fuels his political agenda, it’s clear in this blue island in a very purple state that Trump’s executive orders, DOGE, tariffs, canceled funding and his chaotic ever-changing cuts to federal agencies are deeply unpopular in the Old Pueblo.
Democrats like to focus on Tucson Republican Congressman Juan Ciscomani, but locals are grousing about Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly’s support for the Laken Riley Act and Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego’s fund-raisers with crypto bros.
And don’t expect any town halls from Ciscomani, he prefers tele town halls.
So what do protesters want?
On Wednesday, more than 100 people protested outside of the El Salvador Consulate, demanding the release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia.
Since then, Abrego Garcia has reportedly been moved out of the mega-prison in El Salvador and into a different prison. Arizona Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari went to El Salvador on Sunday after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration must bring Abrego Garcia back to the United States.
On Friday, dozens of Tucsonans came out and protested in front of Ciscomani’s office demanding the Republican do more to protect against proposed cuts to the Department of Education.
While the protests in front of Ciscomani’s office attract large crowds once a week, the reality is that there are other massive protests every weekend in Tucson.
Thousands of protesters participated in last Saturday’s “Hands Off” protest at Reid Park — part of a national movement to openly resist the actions of President Trump and his allies.
Jack Jarrett brought speakers and a four-hour playlist on Saturday, encouraging his fellow protestors to continue fighting against the Trump administration.
He had put away his protest playlists back in 2020, but joined the thousands that participated in the “Hands Off” protest at Reid Park.
“I am dismayed by the state of the federal government,” Jarrett said. “I think these type of events brings awareness for people whose information streams don’t say what is happening.”
Not everyone agrees on what the future of Tucson’s protests should look like — but one thing is certain: they’re not going away.
Activist circles are grappling with a critical question — are these protests just performative, or are they the spark that ignites long-term civic action among thousands of Tucsonans who have rarely — if ever — joined large-scale demonstrations?
Check out Joe’s posts on social media, made live from these events — as well as from local government meetings — here. And support local independent journalism by becoming a subscriber today.
Quiet action
Resistance doesn’t always come with marches, hand-made signs and chants.
Some of the most powerful actions are quiet, deliberate, and nearly invisible to your neighbors — like national boycotts, phone calls to elected officials and targeted contributions to candidates who actually fight for change.
Take Elon Musk’s Tesla. A mix of economic pressure and persistent, visible protests outside his dealerships has left a mark. Tesla’s stock plunged nearly 50 percent since its December peak — proof that coordinated resistance works.
Meanwhile, something unexpected is flying off the shelves: 3D-printed Toyota badges to hide your Tesla’s logo. Also, bumper stickers that read, “I bought this before Elon went crazy.”
This political climate is reshaping the political discourse, and voters are responding to action more than political resumes.
Corporate-friendly, centrist Democrats may want to pay attention. Before their next cozy sit-down with a crypto billionaire, consider this: U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez raised $9.6 million in just three months — without a dime from PACs. That money came from non-billionaire Americans who are fed up and ready to act.
Yes, Tucson is a blue dot in a purple state. But don’t assume these protests are just Democratic echo chambers. We’ve spoken with independents, conservatives, and even former Trump supporters who now see the urgent need for change. That kind of ideological diversity sounds like a wake-up call.
We don’t have a system to “card” every protestor to gauge which demographic boxes they tick, but here’s what we do know: real people are being shipped to a prison in a foreign country under legally questionable circumstances.
And Donald Trump has already floated the idea of deporting American citizens.
Some may roll their eyes and call Trump’s threats idle and these protests a spectacle. But politicians are already reacting — canceling town halls, retreating into private venues, avoiding their constituents.
Why? Because Americans are angry. And that anger isn’t fading — it’s organizing.
Maybe the next representative for CD7 isn’t part of these rallies — but they should be listening.
What about the dozens of elected Democrats in Pima County? What are they doing?
If the City of Tucson had a relationship status with the federal government on its Facebook page, we imagine it would say “It’s complicated.”
The seven Democrats on the Tucson City Council gave City Attorney Mike Rankin wide authority to sue the Trump administration in January. Rankin has already filed several amicus briefs, joining with other local government agencies actively fighting the Trump administration.
Pima County is close behind, with the Board of Supervisors meeting several times in executive session to discuss lawsuits against the federal government, as well as formally responding to a letter targeting $10 million in federal funds used to temporarily house asylum seekers.
The Tucson Unified School District Governing Board voted to comply with federal DEI guidelines and keep its federal funding — though it’s not like they had much of an option there.
Those familiar with the agreement told the Tucson Agenda it was a binary decision: sign the agreement or lose millions of federal dollars.
It’s important to remember that Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and TUSD have a long history of animosity, with then-Arizona Attorney General Horne making a federal case out of TUSD’s Mexican-American studies program 15 years ago.2
We expect to learn how other Tucson-area school boards will respond in the next few days.
On the University of Arizona campus, President Suresh Garimella signaled in a letter that the UA will also comply with an executive order ending all DEI policies.
Just like TUSD, the research level 1 university stood to lose tens of millions of dollars in federal funding - and possibly more if federal-backed Pell Grants were taken off the table.
The brightest ray of hope for voters who want Democratic elected officials to step up might be Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.
The Republican-turned-Democrat has been particularly effective in challenging the Trump administration in court.
This is our first “People’s Agenda,” where we shifted our focus from talking to politicians, bureaucrats and community leaders to talking to those attending local rallies here in Tucson.
Tell us what you think. Should this be our first “People’s Agenda” or our last?
Spend a half an hour in Tucson and it‘s clear there absolutely was a point where we loved our Teslas.
They were hailed as the cars of the future, available today — sleek electric vehicles with impressive range and all the latest high-tech features.
But now, a growing number of owners are feeling the sting of buyer’s remorse.
A quick phone call to (866) 333-6875 (It might spell 866 EFF MUSK) offers a little bit of catharsis for those with #TeslaRegretSyndrome.
Yes, we know that Trump got less than 50 percent of the total popular vote, meaning more people voted for someone else.
Horne lost the case after years of legal wrangling.
I like the idea of the People's Agenda as long as all stories, especially breaking ones, aren't confined to a single weekly newsletter. Kudos to Joe for his great real-time coverage of these events in Bluesky. You're doing yeoman's work there, and I really appreciate it.
Thank you for your overview of the many ways Tucsonans are protesting. Your point that it is not just Democrats, but also Independents and Republicans is very important. In my neighborhood, there are many Independents who are participating in protests, calling elected officials, and writing letters to the editor. Every single one of these actions is a contribution to building a defense of our nation and our constitution.