Indivisible Knoxville

06/05/2026

We are looking for a few good ‘book lover’ souls to adopt a little library in an underserved community for our Banned Book Initiative.

Find out more here:

By standing together as a community, we WON the battle of the banned book with Knox County Schools. Just like we WON the battle over Chilhowee Park not long ago! But we are STILL going to stay on our track of stocking Little Free Libraries in underserved neighborhoods. This much interest in a BOOK s...

06/05/2026

Knox County School Board Today Voted 5-4 on a resolution to lawmakers to consider amending Tennessee Law that banned Roots.

The resolution calls on the district to evaluate books in their entirety rather than by isolated passages, apply age-appropriate standards by grade level, and extend the review timeline to allow for board communication and potential public input.

Again, public pushback is paying off.

In a 5-4 vote, the board approved a resolution asking the state legislature to consider changes to the Age-Appropriate Materials Act.

06/05/2026

🚨The slush fund is officially dead🚨

A federal judge halted Trump's $1.776 billion scheme to pay off his allies with our tax dollars. The administration folded and blamed the distraction, not the corruption.

They called it the "Anti-Weaponization Fund."

We called it what it was: a slush fund for treason.

Trump's cartoon villain schemes don't hold up - not in court, not under scrutiny, and not when we fight back.

So KEEP fighting back. We're winning!

06/04/2026

I know we’re all tired. Beyond tired.

Never lose sight that THEIR GOAL is exactly to wear us down through their onslaughts of chaos.

But we can’t let go of the ‘rope’ just as the past year and a half’s work is finally paying off.

TODAY, the House voted 215 to 208, in ‌favor of the war powers resolution, which directs Trump to withdraw U.S. troops from Iran unless Congress declares war or authorizes the use of military force.

FOUR REPUBLICANS voted with Democrats - Representatives Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

The House ALSO approved a motion that clears the way for a vote on the Ukraine Support Act, which would provide security aid to Ukraine as it fights a Russian invasion.

Six Republicans and one independent ‌who normally ⁠votes with Republicans voted in favor of the Ukraine measure.

Republicans recently also have revolted against Trump's plans to create a "weaponization" fund to pay his political allies who said they had been the subject of government abuse.

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday also criticized Trump's pick of loyalist Bill Pulte - a mortgage regulator with no national security experience - to serve as acting director of national intelligence.

These and the passage of this WPR today signals a significant turning point: MORE AND MORE Republicans are LISTENING to their constituents.

We can’t stop now.

Keep watching this space for the Action For The Day. Today’s in comments.

(Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-backs-resolution-curbing-trump-iran-war-powers-2026-06-03/)

06/04/2026

President Trump just put right-wing private equity goon Bill Pulte in charge of the most powerful spy network in the world.

Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence has experience buying home improvement companies and donating big money to Trump. But he has NO experience in national security or intelligence.

Maybe he’s read a Tom Clancy novel, but we can’t confirm that.

What we do know is the reason Trump would choose Bill Pulte -- he reportedly weaponized vast mortgage data he had access to in order to launch investigations and criminal referrals against Trump’s enemies, including Letitia James and Adam Schiff.

Now Trump is giving this political attack dog access to the largest collection of sensitive data on the planet for one reason, and one reason alone: Trump wants Bill Pulte to weaponize our entire intelligence community against political opponents and cultural enemies.

This is another step toward authoritarianism in America.

This is not even a partisan fight. Many Republicans are scoffing at this appointment. Will they do something about it? Maybe a few, if we demand it.

Demand your Member of Congress use all available leverage until Trump’s dangerous acting intelligence chief is removed.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team

https://act.indivisible.org/sign/remove-trumps-dangerous-national-intelligence-director/?

Trump just appointed his political attack dog, Bill Pulte, as acting Director of National Intelligence. Pulte has absolutely no experience in national intelligence, and was clearly offered the job based on his willingness to go after Trump's political adversaries. Thus far, this has included Senator...

05/29/2026

For days now, federal agents have attacked and pepper-sprayed protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in New Jersey - including US Senator Andy Kim.

People detained inside Delaney have reported horrific conditions: spoiled food, little to no drinking water, overcrowded overheated rooms during a heat wave, and other inhumane treatment.

And despite all of this, Republicans in Washington are still trying to hand ICE and Border Patrol billions more dollars to expand detention centers and terrorize more communities.

But our pressure IS working. Because of sustained public pushback, Republicans failed to pass their ICE funding bill before Trump’s deadline and left town without a vote.

Since January, we’ve fought to stop any new funding for ICE and Border Patrol - and again and again, we’ve forced delays and blocked additional money from going to these abusive agencies. The events of the last few days are exactly WHY this fight matters.

Republicans had planned to vote on their reconciliation bill this weekend, which included billions more for ICE and Border Patrol. But growing public outrage created cracks in GOP support. Some Republicans raised concerns about ICE’s lack of oversight and family separation policies. Then backlash over Trump’s $1.8 billion slush fund made things even worse for them. Congress left town without passing the bill, delaying the fight until after recess.
That delay is a major win - but it’s temporary. When Congress returns in June, Republicans will try again. We need to keep the pressure on, deepen those divisions, and make sure ICE and Border Patrol don’t get another penny.

The work we’ve done together since January matters. ICE and Border Patrol have IRRESPONSIBLY burned through existing funds because we’ve blocked new funding month after month. And the more the public sees their abuses, the harder it becomes for vulnerable Republicans to justify giving them billions more.
Together, we can hold ICE and Border Patrol accountable for their abuses and stop more funding for their brutality.

Your Actions For The Day:

1. Call Your Representative
👉 Call your representative and demand investigations into ICE detention centers, accountability for these abuses, and no new funding for ICE or Border Patrol

https://indivisible.org/actions/demand-your-representative-reject-detention-center-escalations/

2. Call Your Senators
👉 Call both senators and demand the same. Then ask friends and neighbors too

https://indivisible.org/actions/tell-your-senator-reject-detention-center-escalations/

In Solidarity,
The Planning Team

People being detained at Delaney Hall are living in horrifying conditions, and Senator Andy Kim was pepper-sprayed trying to access the facility. All while Republicans are trying to ram through billions more taxpayer dollars for ICE to terrorize our communities. Tell your Democratic representative y...

05/24/2026

Community Defense of East Tennessee invites you to join for a public community training on Tennessee immigration habeas corpus.

This training will help families, neighbors, organizers, and community members better understand how habeas corpus can be used to respond when someone is being unlawfully detained. At a time when immigrant families continue to face fear, detention, separation, and uncertainty, it is important for our community to know what tools may exist, how to prepare, and how to support one another.

This is a community education training, not individual legal advice. Everyone is welcome to attend, learn, and share this information with others who may need it.

Training details:
Tennessee Immigration Habeas Corpus Training
Wednesday, May 27, 2026
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET
Online by Zoom
Open to the public

Zoom information:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87323132589?pwd=Mbb40eZKgCJPiMxQVYCiIJyTxSmOQs.1
Meeting ID: 873 2313 2589
Passcode: 200655

One tap mobile:
+1 312 626 6799,,87323132589 # US
+1 646 931 3860,,87323132589 # US

Please join us and help spread the word. Share this invitation with family, friends, neighbors, faith communities, mutual aid groups, service providers, and anyone who wants to better understand how to protect and support immigrant communities in Tennessee.

Together, we can learn, prepare, and support our immigrant community.

05/24/2026

05/24/2026

If you are following the county mayor’s race, we think you’ll find Beau Hawk’s interview with WATE this week highly informative - No matter your party association.

There’s a lot of across the aisle talk. And no. He doesn’t want to raise taxes.

On Tennessee This Week, Beau Hawk, Democratic nominee for Knox County Mayor, sits down for an interview with 6 News anchor Bo Williams. Hear what he had to say at https://www.wate.com/news/politics/tennessee-this-week/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WATE_6_On_Your_Side

05/24/2026

We have joined forces with 13 community organizations to demand the KCS Board of Education amend their policy and procedure for potential book removals. Now is the time to speak up! See you, June 1 & June 4.