This Week’s Actions
Action 1: Oppose the execution of a potentially innocent man.
Thank you to the 538 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Robert Roberson, an autistic father, is scheduled to be executed on October 16 despite mounting, unreviewed evidence linking his 2-year-old daughter’s tragic death to illness, medical error, and accident rather than the widely discredited theory of “shaken baby syndrome.”
Take action: Sign the Innocence Project petition to halt the execution of a potentially innocent man and allow time for a full review of new evidence.
Source: Innocence Project
Action 2: Time-sensitive: Oppose a sweeping overreach in voter-registration bureaucracy before October 20.
Thank you to the 438 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
The 60-day window to leave a comment closes on October 20. Stephen Miller’s law firm has petitioned the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to require proof of citizenship when registering to vote, after federal courts blocked a similar provision in the president’s March executive order on elections. Such a requirement would impose expensive burdens on a vast number of Americans, including the 47% of citizens who don’t have a passport, the millions of married women whose names no longer match their birth certificates, and everyone who has moved and needs to request an original birth certificate from the state where they were born.
Submit a comment: On the Federal Register (click the green box labeled “Submit a comment”) opposing the new rule before October 20. Use your own words (copy/paste content is rejected) to submit a unique comment about why this issue matters to you. Note: All submissions must include the agency name (“Election Assistance Commission”) and “Docket ID: EAC-2025-0236” for this rulemaking.
Source: AoCC
Action 3: Oppose extreme immigration legislation.
Thank you to the 371 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators (call, write, or email).
Script: Hello, my name is _____, contacting you from [ZIP] to oppose H.R. 3486, the Stop Illegal Entry Act of 2025, which would impose extreme prison sentences on people seeking asylum, work, or reunification with their families—not due to violent crimes, but because of the way they entered the U.S. This bill would further dehumanize aspiring Americans, fuel mass incarceration, and divert resources that should be used for legitimate emergencies and public safety concerns. Sen. [NAME] must vote “NO” on H.R. 3486 when it comes to the Senate floor.
Alternate: Fill out the ACLU’s form to send a message to your senators (uncheck the “Sign me up” and “I agree” boxes).
Source: ACLU
Action 4: Defend democracy and reject authoritarian rule.
Thank you to the 148 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
October 18 is a national day of action, building on the success of the June 14 “No Kings” protests that drew more than five million participants. There are many ways to protest that don’t involve marching in the streets, including amplifying the #NoKings message on social media, displaying a light (LED or candle) in your window nightly to show solidarity, and sharing factual information on the rights of protesters and the rights of anyone approached by immigration enforcement.
Action 5: Protect public lands from corporate exploitation.
Thank you to the 184 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
The BLM has proposed rescinding the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, which includes conservation in a multi-pronged approach to managing 245 million acres of federal lands. This widely popular rule provides a common-sense framework to put our public lands to work, not just for industry, but for watersheds, wildlife, and hardworking healthy communities. Its repeal would prioritize industrial activity over the protection of vital resources for our natural world and communities.
Submit a comment: Oppose this destructive rule change before November 10 through regulations.gov.
Source: Natural Resource Defense Council
Action 6: Reject congressional rhetoric that causes harm.
Thank you to the 136 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your one House representative (write, call, or email).
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] to express concern about H.Res. 719, Honoring the life and legacy of Charles “Charlie” James Kirk, which does not simply condemn Kirk’s assassination (like its Senate counterpart) but includes divisive praise that acts as an affront to communities he spoke against. I join a coalition of civil rights organizations in commending the Congressional Black Caucus “for its leadership in rebuking the misuse of congressional power to advance further disunity and dishonest revisionism.”
Source: NAACP
Action 7: Support aspiring Americans’ access to legal support.
Thank you to the 152 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your House representative (call, write, or email).
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] in support of the Fairness to Freedom Act (H.R. 3127), which establishes the right to federally funded legal representation for anyone facing deportation who can’t afford an attorney. Access to an immigration attorney decreases the chance of deportation by nearly 25%, yet the current administration still chose to end contracts with nonprofits providing these services to aspiring Americans. I’m calling on Rep. [NAME] to advance H.R. 3127 and help our community members.
Alternate: Complete Vera’s Fairness to Freedom form (you may be subscribed to mailing lists).
Action 8: Oppose the elimination of a crucial hunger-tracking survey.
Thank you to the 138 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Kelly B. Maguire
Acting Administrator, USDA Economic Research Service
U.S. Department of Agriculture
1400 Independence Ave., S.W.
Washington, DC 20250
kelly.b.maguire@usda.gov
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [STATE] because I’m concerned by the USDA’s plan to discontinue its longstanding Household Food Security Report. This survey provides critical data on the lack of access to adequate nutrition for low-income Americans at a time when food insecurity is on the rise, and helps shape policy on how to combat hunger. I urge you to reconsider your decision to terminate this vital survey.
Source: The Alliance to End Hunger
Action 9: Support the American dream for all.
Thank you to the 134 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and one House representative (call, write, or email)
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] in support of the American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 1589), which will grant permanent protections for millions of aspiring Americans and the immediate release of thousands taken from our communities. Under this administration, tens of thousands of aspiring American youth with and without DACA continue to face escalating threats to their safety, rights, and lives. I’m asking [Sen./Rep. NAME] to support permanent protections by passing H.R. 1589.
Alternate: Fill out the United We Dream form to send a message to your members of Congress (uncheck “Opt in to email updates from United We Dream”).
Bonus: Learn about and share the stories of young aspiring Americans whom ICE has abducted.
Source: United We Dream
Action 10: Oppose burdensome voter ID requirements in your state.
Thank you to the 31 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two state legislators (look up).
If you live in MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, or WI, your state’s legislature is still in session and considering voter ID legislation that will restrict voter access.
Look up your state’s bill(s) to find the legislation number.
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] because I want every eligible voter in [STATE] to be able to register and vote. Voter ID requirements impose a costly burden on the estimated 11% of citizens who lack the documents required, and disproportionately affect the youngest and oldest voters, as well as voters of color. I want Sen. [NAME] to vote “NO” on [BILL NUMBER(S)]. Thank you.
If you live elsewhere, donate to the Voting Rights Lab to support their work protecting free and fair elections in every state.
Source: Voting Rights Lab
Action 11: Release a Georgia resident being held in a notorious detention center.
Thank you to the 143 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Rodney Taylor came to the United States more than 40 years ago as a child to receive life-saving medical care that resulted in a double amputation. He has built a life here in Georgia, becoming a skilled barber in Atlanta and a dedicated volunteer in his community while his green card application is pending. ICE detained him more than six months ago and has been wrongfully holding him in inhumane conditions at Stewart Detention Center.
Sign: The Indivisible Georgia Coalition petition to demand Rodney Taylor’s immediate release and push for systemic changes that ensure dignified treatment of all detainees (you will be subscribed to the Change.org mailing list).
Donate: to Rodney’s legal defense fund.
Action 12: Protect the right to vote.
Thank you to the 100 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
The SAVE Act was passed by the House of Representatives on April 10, and will next be considered in the Senate.
Contact: Your two senators (call, write, or email).
Script: Hi, my name is _____ from [ZIP], asking you to oppose H.R. 22, the SAVE Act, which would enact broad purges of voter rolls and force voters to prove their citizenship when registering. It could silence millions of voters, including married women, students, trans people, Native Americans, and naturalized citizens, and would end online and mail-in voting for active duty military and citizens abroad. I am asking Sen. [NAME] to use procedural tools like the filibuster to block the unnecessary SAVE Act, and to vote “NO” if this harmful voter suppression bill comes up for a vote. Thank you.
Source: When We All Vote
Action 13: Demand the defunding of dangerous policing partnerships.
Thank you to the 104 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Contact: Your two senators and one House representative (write, call, or email).
Script: Hello, my name is _____, and I’m reaching out from [ZIP] because I’m alarmed by the expansion of the 287(g) program, which empowers local police departments to profile and detain people for immigration enforcement and deportation. Such partnerships detract from legitimate policing duties, sow mistrust between law enforcement and immigrant communities, and have been shown to result in illegal stops and detentions. I’m calling on you to immediately cut funding to this dangerous and invasive program.
Alternative: Use the ACLU Form (uncheck the boxes to receive emails, calls, and texts).
Source: ACLU
Action 14: Get ready for the 2025 elections.
Thank you to the 100 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Ensure that you are ready to vote for the more than 100,000 seats up for election in 2025, including governors, municipal governments, school boards, and more.
- Confirm that your voter registration is still valid (or register to vote for the first time by your state’s deadline).
- Update your address or re-register if you’ve recently moved.
- Make a plan to vote by mail or in person, whether early or on Election Day.
- Find out who and what is on your ballot.
- Ask two friends to register to vote or to verify their registrations. Studies show that people are more likely to vote if they are encouraged by someone they know.
Source: 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Action 15: Practice essential democracy skills.
Thank you to the 26 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Polarization makes it easier for authoritarian leaders to divide us and harder for our democracy to function. We don’t need to agree with the “other side,” but open conversations help all of us build mutual understanding. Some Americans are withdrawing their support from the current administration and its harmful policies, and we can play a role in that shift. Our democracy has a better chance when we practice civil debate, active listening, and mutual respect. With better skills we can reunite our nation, one conversation at a time.
Will you practice better democracy? Participate in groups like Braver Angels, Crossing Party Lines, Make America Dinner Again, or Reunited States of America.
Source: AoCC
Action 16: Take credit for showing up in your own community.
Thank you to the 108 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
It’s our hope that using the Checklist inspires you to become more involved in specific issues and/or local action. In the last two weeks, did you volunteer, do service, advocate, or support a local or state cause? Check the box to let us know!
Source: AoCC
Acts of Gratitude
We believe in gratitude as a tool for change. We will print a letter of thanks from Americans of Conscience with your signature and mail it to the recipient. Your information will be removed from this website no later than four weeks after the Checklist’s publication date.
Thank Sens. Dick Durbin (D–IL) and Alex Padilla (D–CA) and Reps. Jamie Raskin (D–MD) and Pramila Jayapal (D–WA) for demanding accountability from the administration for its attempt to unlawfully deport dozens of unaccompanied children from the U.S. in the middle of the night.
Source: Kids In Need of Defense
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these addresses:
DD: 711 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
AP: 331 Hart SOB, Washington, DC 20510
JR: 2242 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515
PJ: 2346 Rayburn HOB, Washington, DC 20515
Thank you to the 170 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank IL State Sen. Karina Villa (D) for personally informing Chicago residents of their immigration rights and warning them about upcoming unlawful ICE raids.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use this address: 401 S Spring St., Section F, Office M, Springfield, IL 62706
Thank you to the 147 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Thank Secretaries of State Gregg Amore (D–RI) and Steve Hobbs (D–WA) for refusing to turn over personally identifiable voter information to the federal DOJ.
If you’d like to mail your own personal expression of gratitude, use these addresses:
GA: 82 Smith St., Rm. 218, Providence, RI 02903
SH: P.O. Box 40220, Olympia, WA 98504
Thank you to the 136 Americans of Conscience who completed this action!
Good News
If you find good news for democracy, equality, and the planet, share it with us here!
Good news: Wins for democracy, equality, kindness, and planet.
- A U.S. District court refuses to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the president’s executive order attempting to tie federal election funding to states’ compliance with unconstitutional administration-mandated election procedure changes.
- A federal court rules that the administration’s discriminatory passport gender marker policy violates transgender and nonbinary people’s constitutional rights to equal protection under the law.
- The federal District Court of Massachusetts blocks the administration’s attempt to subpoena transgender youths’ private medical records from Boston Children’s Hospital, finding that the subpoena was improper and motivated only by bad faith.
- A U.S court in the District of Columbia blocks the administration from deporting children from Guatemala under false pretenses while clarifying that similar deportations of children from other countries of origin are likely also unlawful.
- A federal court in Rhode Island issues an injunction against an executive order prohibiting federal arts funding for projects the administration ideologically opposes, finding the order is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedures Act.
- AZ voters elect Adelita Grijalva to the House of Representatives, where she will be the first Latina from the state to serve in Congress.
- CA passes the No Secret Police Act, which bans federal immigration agents and other law enforcement officials from covering their faces during operations.
- A district court rules in favor of 21 states that filed a lawsuit over attempts by the presidential administration to withhold nearly $2B in disaster relief funds from states with sanctuary cities.
- The Tucson city council votes unanimously against bringing the environmentally destructive Project Blue data center into city limits.
- Greensboro, NC offers free parking and reliable transportation to help residents access early voting.
- A consumer boycott of Disney over Jimmy Kimmel Live! being removed from the air results in a loss of nearly $5B for the company.
- America’s Health Insurance Plans, the industry group for private insurance companies, clarifies that COVID-19 vaccines will be covered through their plans with no cost-sharing through the end of 2026.
- Seven Northeast states and New York City form the Northeast Public Health Collaborative to make evidence-based public health recommendations on vaccines and other topics in the face of an unreliable and politicized federal Dept. of Health and Human Services.
- The Vatican hosts its first-ever pilgrimage for LGBTQ+ Catholics.
- Black Voters Matter’s healthcare bus tour stops in Augusta, GA to offer free checkups, maternal care, and other health services to the community.
- Volunteers build and install hundreds of manufactured reefs to restore the critical ecosystem along Kiawah Island’s coastline.
- Public pushback brings Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show back to the air only several days after Disney suspended the show indefinitely under threat of retaliation from the Federal Communications Commission.
- A Los Angeles community rebuilds the Altadena Community Garden following extensive wildfire damage.
- Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize will create a tri-national nature reserve to protect the Mayan rainforest and the 2M people who live there, including Indigenous Maya.
Need inspiration?
- Read the latest message from AoCC’s Founder and Director, Jennifer Hofmann: Feel What You Feel, but Don’t Go It Alone
- What Happens When We Refuse to Give Up
- 5 Signs Our Democracy Can Heal
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The Americans of Conscience Checklist features clear, well-researched actions for Americans who value democracy, equality, voting, and decency. We are a big tent for all people who want a kinder, flourishing nation.