You're Next

There is so much going on and unfolding in our country, and like it or not, you have a place in this. I know how it sounds. “You’re next,” feels dramatic. But I believe this moment isn't just about immigration. It’s a stress test on democracy, and we’re watching it fail in real time.

In Los Angeles, federal agents are rounding up immigrants, attacking protesters, and even detaining members of the press. If you think this can’t reach your world, your family, or your future, you haven’t been paying attention.

California governor Gavin Newsom has already called it “an unmistakable step toward authoritarianism,” a federal power grab that tramples on the rights of local communities and state authority. Is he right? Or is it not hitting close to home yet?

Within the first 140 days of the Trump presidency, it’s clear that many of the administration's actions aren’t about law enforcement, budget cutting, or "government efficiency” at all. They’re about setting dangerous precedents for unchecked federal power.

Since returning to office, Trump has fired inspectors general across federal agencies, demanded loyalty tests for civil servants, and empowered ICE to operate with warrantless arrests. He’s repeatedly pressured the Department of Justice to prioritize loyalty to his admin and investigate political enemies, deployed military aircraft for mass deportations, stripped the press access from government information, and threatened funding to universities over political speech and curriculum. It’s all a part of an effort to weaken institutions that limit executive power and accountability, and to normalize authoritarian tactics under a language of "law and order,” and “protecting American values.”

So that being said, where do you fit in all of this?

Maybe you think this isn't your issue, even though you believe in the rule of law, in preserving the Constitution.

Maybe this is just another headline to you. Yet your feed is full of people you know raising awareness, or trying themselves to keep safe.

Or are you waiting for time to clarify which side you were on? The truth is, your silence is already becoming part of history.

Okay, perhaps I’m being too harsh. Maybe you don’t know what to do.

It may all feel too big, too far away, or too fast to make sense of. I get that. But choosing to look away is still a choice, and the longer we treat these attacks as background noise, the easier they become to normalize.

The current and upcoming protests across the country may center on immigration, “no kings”, or whatever; but they’re also about all of us, and whether we’re allowed to hold power accountable without fear. If we only speak up when we feel personally threatened, it’ll be too late by the time we realize we’re next.

You don’t have to be an expert. You absolutely don’t have to have the perfect words. But you do have a responsibility to pay attention, to speak when it matters, and to understand that silence doesn’t equal safety. It never has, and never will.

In his farewell address, former President Joe Biden said, “I love America. You love it too.” But this love shouldn’t be passive. Loving this country should mean defending its promises–not just for you, but for everyone who calls this country home. If your freedom depends on someone else staying silent or scared, maybe it’s not freedom you’re defending. In a democracy where rights are now seemingly reversible, how safe are you really? 

You don’t need a warning. This is it.