AIPAC Ala
No. 99 | April 27, 2026
City News
Surprise! Turns out AIPAC has been secretly funneling money into Dr. Ala Stanford’s Congressional campaign. Stanford, who is running against DSA-endorsed Representative Chris Rabb, denied taking money from AIPAC as recently as last month.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Philadelphia Inquirer endorsed Rabb’s campaign.
After a years-long legislative battle, City Council passed the remaining bills in DSA Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke’s Safe Healthy Homes Act. The laws strengthen residential code enforcement, landlord accountability measures, and eviction protections. Slumlords are still fighting the law in a federal lawsuit.
With a veto-proof majority, City Council passed legislation that restricts the activities of ICE in Philadelphia. DSA Councilmember Kendra Brooks and Councilmember Rue Landau introduced the legislation in January after ICE officers killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Speed limit enforcement near schools across the city began this week. Any cars caught on camera going over 15mph in designated school zones during set hours can now potentially face a ticket of at least $100.
The University of Pennsylvania is proposing a crackdown on freedom of speech on campus grounds, requiring seven days notice for protests and setting subjective standards for what is acceptable in protest.
Councilmember Rue Landau and Transit Forward Philly are pushing for universal access to Philadelphia’s SEPTA K‑12 Student Pass Program so that all students can access public transit regardless of time, distance traveled, or day of the week.
After City Council members and other elected officials protested, the Philadelphia Board of Education pushed back a vote on its Facilities Master Plan, which would close 17 city schools. The board will now vote on the plan on April 30.
A petition signed by more than 2,000 people around the world is calling for a boycott of the International Congress of Mathematicians, whose conference will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in July. Citing the war in Iran, invasion of Venezuela, and America’s status as “a country on the verge of martial law”, signatories are asking for the conference to be relocated or boycotted.
ICE Out of Courts organizers held a rally outside the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center demanding greater protection for immigrants going to court. Earlier this month, ICE agents arrested a 76-year old Indonesian man while appearing for court there, one of 47 people who’ve been arrested at the Criminal Justice Center since January 2025.
State News
The PA Commonwealth Court overturned a ban on the use of public dollars for abortion.
Senate Republicans have once again pushed through a bill to ban trans women from participating in high school and collegiate sports. While the legislation has little chance of getting a vote on the House floor, it’s notable that four Democrats crossed the party line to vote in favor.
Last week was Earth Week! Governor Shapiro celebrated by keeping two coal plants open despite the danger they pose to our workers, community, and planet.
PennLive reported that detainees at the Moshannon Valley ICE detention center began a hunger strike to protest contaminated food and lack of medical care. A DHS spokesperson denied it, and Congresswoman Summer Lee called for the facility’s closure.
A former Days Inn in Pottstown has been converted into short-term emergency housing for people experiencing homelessness, so far to great success.
ACLU of PA is suing ICE in an attempt to find out more about how the agency is using subpoenas to “unmask” anti-ICE groups and activists.
Under socialism, there will be no paywalls...until then, use this.
The Weekly Rose
This petition calling for the International Congress of Mathematicians to not be held in the U.S. goes extremely hard. Mathematicians of the world, unite!
