Impact Docket – 1/14/2026
This week demands action. Here are six ways you can push back right now:
Stop DHS violence → Tell Congress to block funding increases without real guardrails on deportation enforcement (2 min)
Defend the military oath → Urge Congress to reaffirm that servicemembers must reject illegal orders (2 min)
Help us build legal rapid response power → Complete our pro bono survey to mobilize lawyers in future crises (5 min)
Defend trans health care access → Watch our recorded training and submit a public comment on CMS Medicaid rules (2–3 hrs, deadline Feb 17)
Support reproductive justice & health equity → Share or apply for L4GG’s law student internship with the Civil Rights & Health Equity team
COFC Clinic volunteer opportunity → Help communities recover unlawfully terminated federal grants through the Court of Federal Claims (30–50 hrs over 3–6 months)
Whether you have 2 minutes or 2 days, join the fight. Keep reading for more context.
📌 If you’d rather not receive the bi-weekly Impact Docket but still want to get other L4GG emails, you can opt out of just this newsletter here.
🔴 The Moment We’re In: A New Year—and a Choice
As 2026 begins, our country is being asked to tolerate levels of harm that are absolutely unacceptable. Since late December, we’ve seen a sharp escalation in government violence and overreach: masked DHS agents carrying out unaccountable operations in U.S. cities, people killed during enforcement actions, and immigrant communities terrorized under the guise of “security.” What we are witnessing is a federal administration increasingly operating without meaningful guardrails—testing how far it can go and whether anyone will stop it.
But our country is fighting. States like Minnesota and Illinois are pushing back. Federal prosecutors resigned in protest rather than legitimize the DOJ’s failure to investigate Renee Good’s killing. And our community is not standing by idly—we are organizing, preparing, and responding with purpose.
So if there’s a New Year’s resolution worth making, it’s this: we refuse to normalize abuse of power. We organize, we document, we litigate, before harm becomes precedent.
This docket is about drawing that line, together.
⚡ QUICK ACTIONS
🚨 Tell Congress: Stop Funding DHS Violence and Deportation Abuses
📍 L4GG.org/StopDHSViolence | 2 min
In cities across the country, masked federal agents are carrying out violent, unaccountable operations that are endangering lives. On January 7, agents killed 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis—just one day before two more people were shot in Portland.
These are not isolated incidents. In 2025 alone, 32 people died in DHS custody—the deadliest year on record. Congress must act.
Tell lawmakers: No more DHS funding increases without real guardrails. That means no urban raids, no racial profiling, and no reprogramming funds into unchecked enforcement.
🪖 Tell Congress: Defend the Oath, Reject Illegal Orders
📍 L4GG.org/DefendTheOath | 2 min
In November, six Members of Congress released a bipartisan video reminding military servicemembers of their duty to refuse illegal orders. The Trump Administration responded with violent rhetoric and a sham Pentagon investigation—targeting Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy Captain, for standing by the Constitution.
We must be clear: U.S. armed forces serve the country, not a political agenda. This action isn’t about partisanship—it’s about the basic principles that uphold our democracy: lawful civilian control of the military, and the obligation to say no when the law is violated.
Urge Congress to defend the oath, back their colleagues, and remind the Executive Branch that loyalty lies with the Constitution—not with any one person.
🛠️ LONG-TERM ENGAGEMENT
📝 Help Us Build a Legal Rapid Response Network
📍 L4GG.org/Survey | 5 min
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to do more pro bono work—to help vulnerable communities and use your legal skills for good? Help us build the next wave of pro bono power.
To continue fighting back effectively, we need a map of the lawyers in our network: your skills, interests, and availability. This survey takes just five minutes, but helps us mobilize immediately when the next crisis hits. Whether you can offer two hours or twenty, your answers will shape how we deploy legal resources in 2026.
NOTE: If you’ve already filled out this survey, you don’t need to refill it unless your interests or availability has changed!
🏥 Recorded Comment Training: Defend Trans Health Care Access
📍 L4GG.org/DefendTransCare | 2–3 hrs
The federal government has proposed CMS rules that would severely restrict access to gender-affirming care for transgender young people—particularly those who rely on Medicaid and CHIP. These proposals contradict medical consensus and reflect a dangerous political intrusion into private health decisions.
But they’re not final yet. A 60-day public comment period is now open—ending February 17, 2026—and your voice can help block these rules before they take effect.
Watch our recorded training to:
Understand what the rules say and who they affect
Learn why detailed comments are powerful tools
Get step-by-step help writing your own comment (est. 2-3 hours)
This opportunity is for lawyers, advocates, providers, and allies. No rulemaking experience needed—just a commitment to justice.
🎓 Spread the Word: Legal Internship on Repro Justice & Health Equity
L4GG’s Civil Rights & Health Equity team is seeking a part‑time law student intern to support research, writing, and advocacy on reproductive justice, bodily autonomy, and health equity.
Interns will assist with legal research, policy tracking, litigation monitoring, and advocacy materials—working closely with staff and partners in a fast‑moving, mission‑driven environment. This is a remote position, with a strong preference for availability during Central Time business hours. Apply or help us spread the word!
NOTE: While this is an unpaid position, our team is glad to support students seeking academic credit through their law school, when permitted.
⚖️ Volunteer with L4GG’s Court of Federal Claims Clinic
📍 L4GG.org/COFC | 30–50 hrs over 3–6 months
After the federal government unlawfully terminated billions in environmental justice grants, communities were forced into a complex legal maze to recover. That’s why L4GG launched the COFC Clinic—to help them file claims in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.
What volunteer attorneys do (remote, limited scope):
Review grant contracts and federal docs
Assess breach-of-contract claims
Draft complaints and prep federal filings
Guide grantees through procedures (no court appearances)
Requirements:
✔ Licensed attorney (no prior COFC experience needed)
✔ 30–50 hours over 3–6 months
✔ Full training and supervision provided
Your support could make the difference between a canceled climate project and a community getting justice. Volunteer now.
We’ll be back in two weeks with more ways to take action—but the work doesn’t stop here.
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