February 21, 2026
Dear Friends,
Over the past thirteen months, Donald Trump and his administration have unleashed a wave of fear and devastation that has touched communities across our nation. While Trump’s masked ICE agents terrorize our neighbors and Republicans threaten the future of our democracy, millions of Americans are still struggling under the weight of the affordability crisis the President and his allies have refused to address.
But amidst these horrors, the American people have continued to provide a bright light in the darkness by showing up and speaking out for our communities with a passion and energy I have not seen in all my years in public office. With that in mind, I spent this week back in our Capital Region with a mission to hear directly from you about what we can do together to fight back against the brutality and lawlessness of this administration.
On Wednesday, I held a public town hall at Ballston Spa High School to listen to your questions, thoughts, and suggestions about how we can fight effectively against this increasingly authoritarian regime. Hundreds of you showed up to share your questions and offer ideas on a wide range of topics — from standing up against ICE and getting big money out of politics to safeguarding the integrity of our judicial system and our elections.
Now more than ever, it is essential that Congress responds forcefully to the concerns of our constituents — and we can only do that by hearing those concerns directly. I’m grateful to all who attended this week’s event or tuned in to our livestream. If you weren’t able to join us live, you can watch the full recording on my YouTube page, and I encourage you to contact my office with any additional questions.
Of all the brutal actions taken by this administration, the targeted crackdown against immigrant communities has been the most appalling. Across our nation, we have witnessed masked agents grabbing people off the street, throwing them into unmarked vehicles, and whisking them off to faraway detention centers with no due process. Secure in the knowledge that this administration will defend all their actions, no matter how heinous, ICE agents have spiraled completely out of control — abducting families on their way home from school, breaking into homes without warrants, and even executing two American citizens on the streets of Minneapolis.
All of these actions are unacceptable and un-American — which is why I’ve called for the complete abolition of ICE. But until we achieve that goal, we must work directly with immigrant communities to protect our neighbors in the here and now. That’s why on Thursday, I convened immigrants, advocates, and local leaders from across our Capital Region to solicit their input on how we can most effectively resist this administration’s campaign of terror and keep our communities safe. When I return to Washington, I’ll be sharing some of the powerful stories I heard — and I’ll redouble my efforts to build on the growing public pressure against ICE and its cruelty.
As Abraham Lincoln taught us, “public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.” More than 170 years later, those words still ring true. The Trump administration’s onslaught of brutality can seem overwhelming — and it’s true that no one person can fight it alone. But at the same time, recent events have shown us that our political system still responds to the public sentiment Lincoln described.
After massive public protests following the murders of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, the Trump administration withdrew hundreds of masked agents from the streets of Minneapolis. After days of outcry at the kidnapping of five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father by ICE agents, both were released from the detention facility where they had been incarcerated. And after the Trump administration attempted to bring bogus criminal charges against peaceful protestors and dissenting lawmakers, grand juries filled with Americans from every walk of life rejected the indictments.
These are small victories, but victories nonetheless. Now, it falls to us to build on these successes and lend our voices to a broader movement for humanity, justice, and democracy. If we all raise our voices together and bring public sentiment to our side, we cannot fail.
As always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates, announcements, and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- I’ve long advocated for home weatherization as a way to help families save money on their utility bills, including through legislation like my Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act.
- Whether you’re a renter or a homeowner, New York Power Authority (NYPA) is committed to helping you get the tools you need to weatherize your home.
- To help Capital Region families take advantage of these available resources, NYPA is hosting an Energize U Weatherization Workshop on Wednesday, February 25th from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM in the Large Meeting Room at the Howe Branch of the Albany Public Library, located at 105 Schuyler Street, Albany, NY 12202.
- At the workshop, you’ll be able to receive helpful information and resources to help you make more informed choices and learn how to be more energy conscious through practical steps like turning off lights, properly managing a thermostat, deploying eco-friendly heating, and more.
- The workshop is free to attend, and each attending household will receive a free energy conservation kit at the end of the event.
- On-site verbal translations are available for Spanish speakers, and written translations are available in Arabic, Bengali, Creole, Chinese, Dari, Khmer, Pashto, Somali, Swahili, Turkish, and Ukrainian.
- Registration is required, so click HERE to sign up for this exciting event today!
