The Democratic National Committee today greenlighted resolutions that call for abolishing ICE and implementing “full and consistent enforcement” of two federal statutes known as the Leahy law. The author of the law, former Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), has stated that it applies to Israel, as critics have long asserted.

Both resolutions were submitted by Michele Johnson, a DNC member from Louisiana, who spoke for them before the Thursday vote at the DNC’s Resolutions Committee meeting. Approval of the resolutions by the full DNC is expected at a closing session of the meeting in Austin on Saturday.

One resolution puts the DNC on record that it “urges Democratic members of Congress to craft legislation abolishing ICE and enacting immigration reform that provides pathways to citizenship, protects workers, and ensures dignity for all impacted people.” The resolution also “urges Democratic members of Congress to pursue civil and criminal accountability for any federal agent, attorney, or official who lied under oath, misrepresented evidence, or gave false testimony regarding DHS conduct, and to remove qualified immunity and other protections shielding DHS and ICE personnel and subcontractors

who have injured protesters or journalists, fired into moving vehicles, or caused deaths in custody, whether of detained individuals, U.S. citizens, or immigrants regardless of nationality or documentation status.”

Johnson’s other resolution states that “the Democratic National Committee reaffirms its support for the full, consistent, and impartial enforcement of the Leahy Laws with respect to every recipient of United States security assistance, in every region of the world, without exception.” It adds that the DNC “calls for strengthened vetting capacity, clear remediation standards, and regular public reporting on the

implementation of the Leahy Laws by the Department of State and the Department of Defense,” and that the DNC “encourages Democratic members of Congress to conduct robust oversight of Leahy Law implementation and to support legislative measures that close documented enforcement gaps.”

Beginning early Thursday, before the vote on the resolutions, a mobile electronic billboard sponsored by RootsAction – saying “HEY DNC, UPHOLD THE LEAHY LAWS. SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS!” – circled the hotel where the DNC is meeting.

Sam Rosenthal, RootAction’s political director, was among the activists who attended the Resolutions Committee meeting. “These were twin victories for human rights, at home and abroad,” he said. “Approval of the resolutions for abolishing ICE and upholding the Leahy law point the way for the Democratic Party to move in directions consistent with what voters want. Getting sufficient turnout from the party’s base at election time will require a change in the approach of the party’s national leadership so that it is clearly responsive to the views of Democrats nationwide.”

As droughts and wildfires damage economies, 350.org called on governments to push for a global tax treaty that can make big oil and gas corporations pay for mounting climate costs.

This week in New York, governments wrapped up negotiations for the UN Tax Convention with some governments strongly pushing for a global tax system aligned with the Paris Agreement and other environmental treaties, which can hold big polluters accountable for climate damage.

Campaigners called on governments to support a global tax on fossil fuel profits to raise critically needed funds to help communities and countries hit hardest by climate disasters and ensure a fast, fair shift to renewable energy. Revenues can also be directly channeled to households struggling to pay bills or put food on the table due to spikes in energy and food prices.

While tax treaty negotiations took a step in the right direction, several rich countries tried to halt progress by sidelining positions that push for stronger environmental taxation and taxing rights for developing countries.

Set to be finalized in 2027, the UN Tax Treaty talks will resume in December, with the inclusion of a “polluters pay” principle on the table. If adopted, a legally binding mechanism can be set up to collect a global tax on the profits of the world’s biggest oil and gas companies, which posted more than $90 billion dollars in profits in the second quarter of 2026 alone.

Lisa Rose, Campaigner at 350.org, said:

"Big Oil’s staggering second quarter earnings prove that the money we need for solutions exists, it’s just in the wrong hands. As droughts and heatwaves drain public budgets and push up the cost of living, countries need these funds now to protect people from extreme heat and rising bills. The momentum for permanently taxing fossil fuel profits is here. Our leaders must not squander this chance to put that wealth where it belongs – into building a safer and more livable planet, not a hotter and more destructive one.”

Josh Bayly, Director of Sustainability at Consumers International, said:

"Affordability stands out as the top consumer concern worldwide. Spiking energy and food prices have turned essential daily activities like cooking a meal or using the air conditioner into a dilemma for ordinary households. Globally, consumer trust in fossil fuel companies is low, and the outstanding profits they just posted only deepens this distrust. The UN Tax Convention gives governments a real chance to make the energy system fairer: tax excess profits to ease the burden on consumers.”

Notes to the Editor:

• Analysis by Eurodad and the Global Alliance for Tax Justice estimates that a 20% surtax on profits of the world's 100 largest oil and gas companies could have generated more than $1.08 trillion since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.

Today’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows prices rose 0.1% in July and are up 3.4% over the past year. July’s price increase reverses the disinflation seen in June, which was built on a short-lived ceasefire that quickly unraveled. Nearly six months into his war with Iran, the president has failed to swiftly end the conflict and recently said he does not “think about Americans’ financial situation” when negotiating an end to the war he started.

Meanwhile, oil prices are back on the rise, gas is back above $4.00 a gallon, and Trump’s latest tariffs on 99% of imports are now in effect. As the war drags on and Trump’s tariffs work their way to store shelves, prices are poised to reaccelerate in the months ahead. This price squeeze is happening at the same time that workers are struggling to find jobs. The economy lost 23,000 jobs last month, while wages failed to keep pace with prices. Prices are up, jobs are down, and working families are bearing the brunt of it all.

Groundwork’s Senior Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Alex Jacquez, released the following statement:

“Prices started climbing again in July and Trump’s catastrophic mismanagement of our economy means more spikes in the months ahead. The president said it himself: he is only ‘semi-negotiating’ an end to the war, all while slapping new tariffs on 99% of our imported goods. Trump is not serious about bringing much needed relief to working families who are weary of higher prices at the pump and on the shelves, and who are pessimistic about an economy that is bleeding jobs.”

To speak to a Groundwork expert about this month’s CPI reading, email press@groundworkcollaborative.org.

BACKGROUND

Trump’s war is keeping gas prices high, while families face higher electricity prices to keep cool.

• Energy prices are 14.7% higher than one year ago, with gasoline up 24.6%. Airfares rose 2.2% in July as jet fuel prices climbed, and are up 25.5% over the past year.
• Prices at the pump have climbed above $4.00 per gallon since the collapse of Trump’s ceasefire, and remain 35% above their pre-war level, turning routine trips to work, school, the grocery store, and the doctor’s office into a bigger strain on household budgets. The average household has paid an extra $634 in gas and diesel expenses because of Trump’s war.
• Keeping the lights and AC on this summer has cost families more. Electricity prices are 4.2% higher than one year ago. The average family will spend $792 on their summer cooling bills, up 10.5% from last year. This comes at a time when one in six households is already behind on utility bills.

Paychecks are losing ground to higher prices.

• Wages rose just 3.2% over the past year in July – the slowest pace since 2021 – while prices rose 3.4% over the same period.
• Real private-sector wages fell 0.4% over the past year in the second quarter of 2026, and the savings rate has dropped to 2.7%, the lowest since 2022. Workers’ purchasing power has weakened, and the cushion they lean on during hard times is at risk of disappearing.

Families continue to face higher prices at the grocery store.

• Trump’s war with Iran is increasing the cost of moving food across the country. Diesel prices are up 46% since the war began, raising transportation costs throughout the food supply chain, particularly for fresh and refrigerated products that depend heavily on trucking. Those higher costs are passed along to shoppers at the grocery store, where prices for fresh fruits are up 2.2%, baby food 0.7%, and milk 0.5% in July alone.
• Trump’s tariffs are also showing up in the grocery store. Prices for primarily imported foods such as coffee and seafood increased 10.3% and 7%, respectively, over the past year.
• Food prices remain a major source of financial strain for families. A new McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility report found that 90% of respondents cited groceries and food prices as a top concern.

Trump’s tariffs are making everyday household goods more expensive.

• Prices for tariff-exposed goods continued to rise in July. Dishes and flatware are up 10.4% over the past year, cookware and tableware up 6.4%, sporting goods up 4.3%, and apparel up 3.9%. Today’s CPI report captures only one week of Trump’s newest tariffs on 99% of imports, and does not yet show much of the impact of Trump’s new pharmaceutical tariffs, which began to take effect July 31.
• Executives are telling investors that tariffs have led to price increases this year, and more price increases may be on the horizon.
  • Whirlpool, a manufacturer of home appliances, told investors it had raised prices twice this year in response to tariffs.
  • Newell Brands, the owner of famous brands like Rubbermaid, Sharpie, and CrockPot, said tariffs would add $127 million to its costs this year, and that previous price increases “don’t come anywhere close” to covering the added costs, signaling the company could raise prices again.