Senate Update: Fighting Back as Trump Terrorizes Our Communities 

I, like many of you, spent last weekend watching in horror as Trump’s lawless DHS operation took the life of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis. 

We saw ICE agents shoot and kill Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a law-abiding U.S. citizen, who Trump and his cronies were quick to label a domestic terrorist. Alex Pretti posed no threat and was licensed to carry a firearm. The real “domestic terrorists” are in the White House. They are responsible for his killing and are now lying to the American people. This is unacceptable, and everyone involved in these operations must be held accountable.

Less than three weeks earlier, Renee Nicole Good, a Minneapolis mother and U.S. citizen, was also shot and killed by an ICE agent as she attempted to drive away after agents aggressively approached her. Contrary to DHS's use-of-force policy, the agents escalated the situation and used lethal violence. Even with clear video evidence, this Administration has chosen to spread falsehoods rather than take responsibility.

What's happening in Minneapolis right now is clear: the Trump Administration has essentially said to folks at ICE, “Anything goes. You can do anything. You have a license to kill. And by the way, we won't investigate you seriously. We won't allow independent investigations.” This blanket immunity is unacceptable. 

We all remember Trump’s promise that his immigration crackdown would focus on the “worst of the worst.” That promise has proven to be an outright lie. We saw the videos of Renee Good. We saw the videos of Alex Pretti. We see them shooting these law-abiding citizens. We see them now apprehending kids. In fact, according to ICE’s own data, about 73% of their detainees have no ICE threat level. This is totally out of control. 

This lawlessness is not isolated to Minneapolis. In our own state of Maryland, we have seen:

1. ICE detain Arlit Martinez Carrada, a mother who had lived here for 20 years, and cruelly denied her request for temporary release so she could say goodbye to her 15-year-old son dying of cancer. He passed away shortly afterward.
2. In Glen Burnie, ICE falsely claimed a man in their custody in an ICE vehicle had been the passenger of another vehicle that hit the ICE van he was in – a story the agency abandoned only after Anne Arundel County investigators publicly contradicted it.
3. And early in this Administration, we saw the wrongful deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been snatched off the streets of Maryland, taken from his wife and kids, and deported to a notorious prison in El Salvador, in violation of his constitutional rights.

That’s why I will not support one more dime for Trump’s lawless ICE operations – not even for one more day – unless they are reined in. That's one of the reasons I voted against the package of funding bills yesterday. And I will continue to oppose any appropriations for these DHS agencies unless and until we can leverage those funds to significantly rein in their operations, end the killings and abuses, protect people's rights and ensure accountability for wrongdoing. We cannot give ICE a blank check for these lawless actions and obscene abuses against our neighbors. 

In addition to fighting back in Congress and our courts, we’re also fighting back in our communities. I joined a rally outside CBP offices two weeks ago. I also joined hundreds of Marylanders in Hagerstown to rally with community members against ICE’s plan to open a large facility designed to hold up to 1,500 detainees in Washington County.

I joined the Maryland congressional delegation in pressing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE leadership for answers on enforcement actions across our state that have stoked fear, caused injury, damaged property, and denied individuals their basic rights and dignity. We’re also pushing for answers around news that ICE plans to expand detention capacity to hold as many as 80,000 people nationwide, including through the warehouse-style facility in Washington County.

I’ve also seen the video of the inhumane conditions at the ICE Baltimore holding facility, and it is clear they are operating outside of the standards that were set for that center. I informed ICE of my intent to visit the facility and get answers, but was told I would be denied entry. This is obviously an attempt to cover up and hide from the American people these abuses that are taking place with American taxpayer dollars. I will not stop pressing until we get answers and put an end to these outrageous actions. 

We continue to see the effects of a Trump Administration that believes it is above the law in all facets of our government – willing to ignore the Constitution, defy court rulings, and trample basic rights in pursuit of power and profit. This is why Americans are coming together around the country to stand up and speak out against Trump’s out-of-control DHS operations.  I’m pushing back and using every tool available to hold this Administration accountable and to deliver real results for Marylanders. I will continue standing with you. I will continue to demand accountability and humane enforcement of our immigration laws. 

Making Healthcare Affordable and Accessible for All

Instead of working to lower costs, Senate Republicans are doing the Trump Administration’s bidding by doubling down on policies that raise prices and shift costs onto working people, while giving tax breaks to Trump’s ultra-rich billionaire buddies. A prime example? Health care.

At midnight on New Year’s Day, Republicans let the enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits expire, causing premiums to skyrocket for millions of Americans. 1.4 million fewer people have signed up for health insurance in 2026 compared to the end of open enrollment last year and millions more are expected to lose coverage in the coming months. Even though 17 House Republicans voted with Democrats to pass a bipartisan extension of the ACA tax credits in early January, Senate Republicans are still refusing to bring it up for a vote. This is unacceptable. I’ll keep fighting to extend those tax credits and hold Republicans accountable as they continue to block the vote.

But while we need to extend the ACA tax credits in order not to make a bad situation worse – we also need to stop tinkering with a health care system that is badly broken. The American people agree on the need for a bolder solution that will deliver access to health care with lower costs. We need a system that puts Americans’ health over corporate profits and that is why I support Medicare for All. Americans are being crushed by the weight of health care costs, and it’s time for us to do much, much better.

Ensuring Big Corporations, Not Consumers, Pay the Bills for Data Centers

As we face rising health care costs, far too many Americans are also struggling to keep up with increasing electricity bills. And one major driver of rising energy costs, both here in Maryland and across the country, is the rapid expansion of massive data centers that place enormous strain on our power grid. 

In 2024, the average size of a proposed data center in the US was 300 megawatts, which is as much energy as it takes to power around 240,000 homes. 

Although they are not the only factor causing electricity prices to rise, these new data centers are creating higher energy demand and new infrastructure needs whose costs are ultimately getting passed on to you – the consumer. Indeed, in just a few years, consumers in our region have had to pay for about $28 billion in additional costs due to data centers — including $21 billion in capacity costs and $7 billion in transmission costs. By 2028, the average household in the mid-Atlantic grid region (PJM) – the nation’s largest electric grid serving 67 million Americans in 13 states, including Maryland – is projected to see their energy bills increase by $840 per year due to the increase in capacity costs. That does not include the added charges to consumers of higher transmission costs.

That's why I’m leading legislation to make sure YOU aren’t footing the bill for these costs. These trillion-dollar corporations should be paying for their energy costs, not American consumers. 

My bill, the Power for the People Act, requires that data center developers – not ratepayers – pay for the infrastructure and energy use they require. It also ensures that data centers connecting to the grid do not overwhelm it, preventing grid reliability issues that cause power outages. Additionally, my bill creates incentives to promote clean energy use by these data centers and ensure that this work is done with strong labor standards in place, in order to create good-paying jobs.

This is about fairness, protecting consumers, and keeping utility bills from climbing even higher, because Americans should not be forced to underwrite corporate profits. I’m working to stop that from happening and keep utility costs affordable for Maryland families. 

Trump’s Assault on our Values Abroad

Whether it’s Venezuela, Iran, or elsewhere, this Administration continues to act recklessly, often without regard for Congress or the Constitution. This is endangering the American people and our allies around the world.

Let me be clear: the American people did not ask for an act of war to seize Maduro in Venezuela – nor did Congress authorize it. The Trump Administration has been engaged in a long campaign of deception about the reasons for its acts of war in Venezuela. It was never about stopping the flow of drugs into our country, nor was it about removing an illegitimate leader – it has always been all about the oil. It is outrageous that President Trump risked the lives of American troops to grab Venezuela’s oil and enrich his friends on Wall Street.   

I’ve joined legislation to block taxpayer funding for corporate oil investments tied to Venezuela and to reassert Congress’s authority under the War Powers Act. The President does not have a blank check to launch military action without congressional authorization, and I am working to enforce that constitutional safeguard.

The Trump Administration is also threatening to take more unauthorized military action, this time in Iran. There can be no doubt that free speech and the right to peacefully protest are universal rights. The Iranian government’s violent crackdown on protestors is unacceptable – and we should demonstrate solidarity with Iranians calling for change and a better future. But bombs do not create democracies, and they are not the answer.  

Trump has not only threatened military action against our adversaries, but he has floated the idea of using force against our allies as well, causing grave damage to U.S. credibility and transatlantic ties. Trump’s fixation on “owning” Greenland demonstrates a reckless disregard for our allies and a gross misunderstanding of U.S. security interests. When Trump claims the U.S. needs Greenland for security reasons, remember: Greenland already allows U.S. and NATO military bases and does not oppose additional security cooperation. This is not about national security; it’s a land grab.

Even more troubling, this is yet another effort that appears driven by personal enrichment. Billionaire donor Ron Lauder, who has investments tied to Greenland, reportedly encouraged Trump to pursue this scheme. Once again, Trump is willing to risk NATO alliances and destabilize Europe to enrich his wealthy friends. 

Delivering for Maryland

As we face a lawless Trump Administration, Congress’s role in fighting for Americans’ priorities is all the more important. As Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, I fought to secure important investments for Maryland through our 2026 funding bill – which passed Congress early in January. Within this bill, I worked to invest in our priorities, reject the Administration’s attempts to defund critical initiatives both in Maryland and nationally, and create new safeguards against their efforts to withhold Congressionally mandated funds. 

This legislation includes critical investments to boost economic opportunity and strengthen public safety in our communities. I also fought to reject the Trump Administration’s attacks on science, including at NASA Goddard, NOAA, and NIST – all based in our home state of Maryland. Our bill makes clear that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, will not accept this Administration’s reckless, harmful cuts. We were also able to fully fund all of the federal Chesapeake Bay protection programs.

In addition to these priorities, I also worked to secure language within this bill around the Trump Administration’s efforts to ignore the decades-long site selection process for a new FBI Headquarters. This provision requires that, prior to spending reprogrammed construction funds on the Headquarters, the FBI must submit the contracted and completed architectural and engineering plan for the new headquarters building, including the security plan, for review by the Appropriations Committees. This is an important step to reassert Congress’s oversight role in the relocation of the FBI headquarters and to ensure the new headquarters meets the mission and security needs of the FBI.

This bill is not perfect. I continue to support greater investment in science and research, Justice Department resources that help make our communities safer, and economic development initiatives that help local businesses, and to protect these investments from political interference and reckless cuts.

That being said, within this bill we rejected nearly 100 Republican poison pill riders – including attempts to block gun violence prevention measures, restrict access to reproductive health care, restrict scientific climate crisis research, and impede on Americans’ civil rights. I also fought to include new legal safeguards to prevent the Trump Administration from decimating essential programs. These – and the many investments we secured for our communities – were hard-fought, and this bill will help invest in and protect important priorities for Maryland and the American people.

Keeping Up the Fight

There’s no doubt this is a moment that demands vigilance, courage, and collective action. This month, we honored the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., by recommitting ourselves to this fight for justice, dignity, and equality.  

I joined the Sickle Cell Coalition of Maryland at the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center for their Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, standing with families affected by sickle cell disease, while honoring Dr. King’s legacy by giving back to our community. I also joined the Cedar Lane Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Bethesda for their annual interfaith MLK service, reflecting on Dr. King’s life and the responsibility we all share as a community to confront injustice and abuse of power.

Dr. King reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” But the arc does not bend on its own. I’m grateful to stand with you as we push back against lawlessness, defend our values, and fight for a government that works for the people.

Thank you for staying engaged and for being in this fight for the future of America and the world. 


Onwards,

Chris Van Hollen


To see more on my daily efforts to fight back against the Trump Administration follow me on: YouTube, Bluesky, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, and X.