The Dream - Action Alert, January 19, 2026

The Dream Lives Now

In observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we are sharing an excerpt from a powerful commentary by our sister organization, Unified Nassau:

. . . (Today), we honor one of the greatest moral leaders in American history; a man whose name is synonymous with courage, community, and the unshakeable belief that justice is possible. Dr. King did not merely deliver words; he led actions that called a nation to account for its promises and its failures. He stood for freedom not as an abstraction, but as a living, breathing reality that must be secured for every person.

. . . As we prepare to march together, the urgency of Dr. King’s dream feels more immediate than ever.

Dr. King famously said: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” That principle guided his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement and remains a powerful beacon today. Across our nation, countless communities are confronting systems of authority that too often operate without accountability or respect for human dignity.

Just days ago, our nation watched in shock as 37-year-old Minneapolis mother Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a federal enforcement operation in her own community. In another heartbreaking account, Jose Ramirez, a U.S. citizen, was forcibly detained and beaten by ICE officers despite repeatedly stating his citizenship, a stark reminder that rights we assume are protected can be violated in an instant. 

These incidents are not isolated or distant. They reveal a worrying expansion of enforcement where ordinary people, parents, neighbors, everyday citizens, are suddenly thrust into life-and-death confrontations with federal power.

This is not what freedom looks like.

Dr. King did not march so only some voices could be heard. He marched so all voices, especially those facing injustice, could be lifted together. He taught us that when people gather with righteous purpose, the moral force of the community becomes stronger than fear and stronger than oppression.

That same spirit calls us now, not just to remember Dr. King’s words, but to live them with courage.

On MLK Day, as we come together, we march not only to honor a legacy, we march to advance it.

BAM will join other Indivisible groups in marching in the MLK parade at 11 a.m. today (Monday, January 19th). Find information here and join us!

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More ICE Out for Good

Jacksonville and surrounding communities are experiencing an alarming increase in ICE activities and confrontations, prompting protests and calls for local governments and law enforcement agencies to rescind agreements that support federal immigration enforcement efforts. Close to home, the Atlantic Beach City Commission last week removed a resolution amending its ICE agreement from the agenda following an outcry from residents. The current agreement remains in force while the city studies the amendment further, but the door is open for a re-evaluation of all agreements. A resolution regarding ICE funding is slated for consideration by the Orange Park Town Council this week.

BAM is also exploring an opportunity to join other area Indivisible groups in supporting the ACLU's statewide Rapid Response Alliance for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment (RAISE) Hotline. If we move forward, volunteers will be needed to monitor the hotline and serve safely as trained legal observers for incidents in our local area. 

Our vigilance and engagement are critical. Take action this week. We can't stay on the sidelines.

• Sign up for BAM's Immigrant Action Group. We'll alert you to local advocacy opportunities as we watchdog efforts to collaborate with ICE in our community. Citizen

  pressure delayed action on an agreement in Atlantic Beach. We need to keep pushing.

• Email us if you are interested in getting more information about the RAISE initiative and how you can get involved. 

• Contact Jax Sheriff T.K. Waters and urge him to re-evaluate the 287 (g) agreement with the Department of Homeland Security supporting ICE immigration enforcement. Absent critical guardrails, the agreement should be rescinded. In its current form, it is a threat to residents and further erodes trust with local law enforcement officers by effectively making them federal agents and ICE accomplices. Urge Jax Mayor Donna Deegan to use her bully pulpit to advocate for this re-evaluation.

• Contact Rep. John Rutherford and Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody and demand they vote NO on any funding bill that doesn't include restrictions on ICE or increases its budget. ICE funding runs out in 15 days --- quit rubberstamping ICE's lawlessness!  Click on their names to call and follow up with this email.

• Urge FL Rep. Kiyan Michael and Senator Clay Yarborough to support HB 419, recently introduced by Rep. Angie Nixon, requiring ICE agents to provide identification and remove face masks during immigration enforcement activities.

Numbers keep growing --- along with supportive honks and thumbs up from passing cars --- at the weekly Saturday protest in front of the Beaches Library, organized by the Neptune Beach Coalition. Grab a sign and join us from 10 - 11:30 a.m. Find more info here.

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Beaches DEMS Host District 5 Candidates

The Beaches Democratic Club will host U.S. House District 5 Democratic candidates Rachel Grage and Mark Heggestad on Tuesday, January 20th at 6:30 p.m. at the Adele Grage Cultural Center, 716 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach. Come out and meet two of the candidates vying to face Congressman John Rutherford in the 2026 mid-terms and learn more about their vision for Florida!

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