LWV SouthCoast

January brought heightened attention to U.S. immigration enforcement, with increased activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Expanded operations at the border and within the nation’s interior underscored how immigration policy continues to shape national and local conversations about the rule of law, public safety, and civil liberties.

Unite & Rise 8.5 aims to build a movement of 8.5 million individuals to unite and rise up against the anti-democratic actions of this administration. Launching in May 2025 and running until the 2026 midterm elections, this initiative is part of our Women Defend Democracy campaign. 

As we enter 2026, January invites us to pause, take a breath, and look ahead, and here on the SouthCoast, there is a lot to talk about. Our communities are changing, growing, and asking important questions about who we are and how we move forward together. At the League of Women Voters SouthCoast, we believe democracy lives closest to home, in the everyday conversations we have with neighbors and the choices we make as a community.