Puneet Maharaj, executive director of National Nurses United (NNU), used the Fourth of July – America’s semiquincentennial celebration of freedom – not to celebrate America, but to lament Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and falsely claim voting rights are under attack.
“Federal charges against protestors. Attacks on voting rights. ICE raids in our communities,” Maharaj wrote in a July 4 post on X.
“The goal of these intimidation tactics is to silence us into submission. But our solidarity will not be broken! It’s more important than ever to fight back and protect our democracy,” she claimed.
This kind of false rhetoric is nothing new for NNU, however. Earlier this year, NNU rallied in D.C. alongside Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) and former Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), to demand Congress “abolish ICE.” In a press release for the April protest, NNU described ICE as “a lawless paramilitary force that Trump uses to terrorize citizens and non-citizens alike, and to brutalize opponents of his authoritarian government.”
They offered no evidence of such claims, nor did they mention the fact that the vast majority — 70% — of ICE arrests are of illegal immigrants who have been charged with or convicted of a crime in the United States.
In February, the progressive nurses’ union expressed sheer shock and horror at announcements involving illegal immigration crackdowns in Minnesota.
The union said in a statement:
Nurses denounce the Trump administration’s attempts to punish people for protesting their government. This prosecution is nothing more than blatant intimidation targeting trade unionists for successfully protesting and organizing against Trump’s secret police during Operation Metro Surge, an occupation by ICE. It is a politically motivated response, plain and simple, meant to stifle future dissent.
“Trade unionists around the country, including NNU members, will not be intimidated by the draconian charges made up by this administration,” Maharaj said. “We will never forget the courageous activists like Alex Pretti who literally put their lives on the line to resist the occupation. Nurses denounce this brazen attempt at intimidation and abuse of power.”
NNU boasts nearly 225,000 members and has used member dues to gin up a base for progressive causes, particularly rallying against ICE.
Their website lists their pet issues, calling for universal health care, “gender justice,” “racial justice,” and “climate justice.” The union also urges members to call senators to urge them to “abolish ICE!”
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