✰PREMIUM
Democrats town hall features forum on ‘dealing with Trump 2.0’

PARK SLOPE — About 200 Brooklynites joined a community town hall discussion titled “Light the Way BK” in the auditorium of M.S. 51 in Park Slope on Sunday, Feb. 9 to learn how to navigate the next four years of the Trump administration.

The event, hosted by City Councilmember Shahana Hanif (D-39) in collaboration with State Sen. Andrew Gounardes (D-26) and Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon (D-52), included a panel of three experts on immigration, education and reproductive rights. Vladimir Tlali, senior policy strategist for New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC), Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, co-executive director for Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), and Jenna Lauter, policy counsel for the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) spoke on the panel. 

It’s only been three weeks since President Trump took office for a second term, and “Trump 2.0” has already “flooded the zone” with dozens of executive orders, including banning birthright citizenship and trans athletes in the NCAA; implementation of tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China; U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and deporting undocumented migrants to Guantánamo; confirmations of controversial cabinet members like anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr; and putting private citizen and billionaire Elon Musk in charge of the newly created and informal Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) designed to reign in government spending, already shutting down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). 

Trump’s strategy of “flooding the zone,” Hanif explained, was designed to “overwhelm, exhaust and demoralize.”

“Many of us are grappling with how to process this moment, how to resist effectively and how to sustain our energy for the long haul,” said Hanif, reminding the crowd that they fought and won before but, in light of what was at stake, had to be more fearless and committed. 

Gounardes explained that supporting progressive policies at the local and state levels was more critical than ever. 

“Not only do we have an opportunity and a responsibility, collectively, to fight back, but we also have a responsibility to ourselves to lead,” Gounardes said. “For all the harm and destruction that’s coming out of our federal government, we know that vulnerable people in our communities, vulnerable New Yorkers, are going to be left behind.”

Simon reminded the crowd how energized voters were during Trump’s first term when seven of eight state senators of the Independent Democratic Conference (IDC), who caucused with Republicans, were ousted in the 2018 election and replaced with more progressive candidates. 

“In 2018, we flipped the Senate in New York, which allowed us to have so much progressive legislation, to get us to pass The Reproductive Health Act [and] to pass many election reforms,” Simon pointed out. 

Immigration policies

Last week, Mayor Adams issued memos that would allow ICE agents to enter migrant shelters, schools and hospitals without a judicial warrant -a violation of New York City’s sanctuary law. 

Currently, the New York City Council is fighting for the passage of three bills: Intro 396, which would limit communication between the New York City Department of Correction and ICE; Intro 395, which would limit the NYPD’s ability to hold people on immigration detainers; and Intro 214, which would create a “private right of action,” allowing a private person to take legal action when city agencies violate detainer laws.

Hanif, who introduced Intro 214 last year, said that upholding the city’s sanctuary laws was a priority. 

“This legislation would strengthen our sanctuary policy, which right now if local law enforcement collaborates with ICE, that victim who was experiencing this illegal collusion does not have any recourse. This piece of legislation would close that loophole,” Hanif explained. 

The New York for All Act, introduced by Gounardes and Assemblymember Karines Reyes, would bar local and county law enforcement in New York State from cooperating with ICE. 

“It basically spells out when, where and how local governments, local government agencies, including local law enforcement, can and cannot, should and should not collude and conspire with ICE agents for the purpose of immigration enforcement,” Gounardes explained. 

NYIC is an umbrella policy and advocacy organization representing over 200 immigrant and refugee rights groups throughout New York and will provide rapid responses to ICE raids. Tlali encouraged the crowd to visit NYIC’s website for more information about immigrant rights and to sign up for updates.

Tlali said it was important New Yorkers supported legislation like Intro 214 and the New York for All Act and to hold Mayor Adams accountable for his actions. 

“It’s an election year at the city level. So we are [the] people who will decide. It’s us, it’s the people of New York, and it’s you,” Tlali said. 

Reproductive healthcare and gender affirming health care

In January, the NY legislature passed the NY Health Information Privacy Act, which gives New Yorkers control over their electronic health data and would prevent the Trump administration from accessing personal health data and using it to punish New Yorkers who provide, seek or support abortion or gender-affirming care. 

However, Lauter pointed out that Gov. Kathy Hochul might veto the bill. 

“We need every New Yorker to be calling Governor Hochul’s office and urging her to sign the bill,” Lauter said. 

Last week, NYU Langone halted trans youth healthcare after Trump signed an executive order to cut federal funding for providers of gender-affirming care for individuals under the age of 19. 

However, New York State Attorney General Letitia James sent letters to healthcare providers that they must continue offering gender-affirming care under state law, regardless of federal funding. 

“I hope that hospitals are reading that letter, taking it to heart and comply with the laws to which they’re subject,” said Lauter, and encouraged anyone who had been denied or knew of someone who had been denied gender-affirming care to contact the NYCLU. 

Education 

Shaakir-Ansari shared her organization empowered parents through the Education Warriors program, where participants are trained in community organizing, facilitation skills, social media for advocacy work and the political landscape and policies in New York State and New York City that impact public schools. 

“Many of our parents join community education councils (CEC), or they join their PTA,” Shaakir-Ansari said. “Through the program, [parents] get a better sense of what’s happening, not just in their own school, but citywide and statewide and sometimes nationally.”

Last year, Community Education Council 2 in Manhattan voted for a measure that could ban transgender girls from participating in girl sports. Simon encouraged people to attend CEC meetings and join school boards.

“We’ve had book bans in New York State. The governor had laws against that, but that doesn’t mean they comply,” Simon said. “So remember, they’re flooding the zone. We need to flood the zone back.”  

How to stay informed 

Gounardes encouraged attendees to sign up for their representative’s newsletters for regular, reliable updates. 

“The email newsletter is the most effective, consistent way to get information from us about what is happening at local government, state government, and also at the national level,” Gounardes said. 

Hanif added that town halls were also critical for voters to stay informed. 

“These kinds of gatherings are going to be critical, and seeing the turn-up today gives me a lot of strength because we need to be together and not get confused by the algorithms on X and Instagram. It’s making people feel unsafe, feel more fear, feel more anxiety,” Hanif said.

Shaakir-Ansari stressed that people should not fall prey to false narratives and misinformation or give into the chaos “because the chaos is the point.” She suggested getting information from newsletters and reliable organizations like NYIC, AQE and the NYCLU.

“I think the flavor of the next four years is absolutely 100% misinformation, disinformation, [and] straight-up lies,” Shaakir-Ansari said. “Share [the information]. Don’t just keep them to yourself because other people are reaching out and want that information too.”

How to organize and build power

Gounardes also encouraged people to put pressure on Republicans, like Congressmember Nicole Malliotakis (R-11). 

“For those of you looking to put your energy somewhere, and your local representative is already on board, [Republicans] need to feel accountability for what they are enabling in Washington, DC, and they need to feel accountability for what they are voting for, and for what they are saying, what they allow others to say,” Gounardes said. 

Hanif added it was important to research a Democratic candidate. 

“Democrats are also accepting money from billionaires who have given to Republican candidates,” Hanif said. “Look at not just what the policy priorities are of that Democrat, but also look where are they taking money from, and if they’re not taking money from the local community, that is a problem.”

Hanif also suggested finding a “political” home in organizations like Indivisible Brooklyn or the People’s Plan NYC.

“Find a place to call your home. Use your talents. You are a writer. You are an artist [or] graphic designer. You speak another language, we need all of those talents,” Hanif stressed. 

Lauter pointed out that many officials interpreted the last election as a signal to step back from progressive issues.

“What we really need to be doing is demonstrating to lawmakers that we not only disagree with what the Trump administration is doing, but we are passionate,” Lauder said. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be out there protesting in the streets, but you can be calling your elected officials [and] them emails.”

Simon encouraged Brooklynites to become involved in the community. 

“Because then you meet other people, and then you find out that other people care about these things, and you’re empowered by the fact that you’re not alone,” Simon said. 

She also told independent voters to register with a party with a primary to make their voices heard. 

“I know that sounds political, but the reality is, if you are an unaffiliated voter, you are a void when it comes to your voice being heard at the ballot box,” said Simon, adding that the last day to change party affiliation is Friday, Feb. 14.