Bruce Lesley

A must-read review of Heritage Foundation’s latest, the report “Saving America by Saving the Family”

“When adults do not meet the Heritage Foundation’s criteria – or when life intervenes through illness, job loss, divorce, or immigration status – children pay the price and are targeted for harm.”

Colorado lawmakers want nondiscrimination in state’s participation of Trump-backed education tax-credit Some Democratic lawmakers said the state should ensure nondiscrimination and equal student access to opportunities created by the program.

Colorado bill wants nondiscrimination in state’s use of Trump’s education tax-credit - Chalkbeat www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/202...

As ICE Moved In, Minnesotans Set Up a Shadow Medical System. It’s a Lesson for Other Cities. - KFF Health News President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis forced families into hiding and catalyzed informal medical networks to deliver critical health care services.

As ICE Moved In, Minnesotans Set Up a Shadow Medical System. It’s a Lesson for Other Cities. - KFF Health News kffhealthnews.org/news/article...

A Simple Idea That Could Change Things for Kids: Child Impact Statements There's no such thing as a child-neutral policy. So why don't we require policymakers to say how their decisions affect children?

A Simple Idea That Could Change Things for Kids: Child Impact Statements
open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

A disturbing and hypocritical ruling on so many levels. Especially the due process holding.

The court JUST said there’s no deeply rooted right for women to control their own bodies. But there is a deeply rooted right for parents to know if their kids question their gender at school? Come on.

Terrible Toxics: How the EPA Rollbacks Are Betraying Child Health A new report by leading scientists who worked at the EPA document how the Administration's recent rollbacks of health safeguards are exposing children to mercury, lead, pesticides, and PFAS.

Terrible Toxics: How the EPA Rollbacks Are Betraying Child Health brucelesley.substack.com/p/terrible-t...

Artistlike (@artistlike) PLEASE WATCH. This is devastating. Irish Parliament is speaking of their citizens in the US being tortured in concentration camps. My thoughts: https://artistlike.substack.com/p/irelands-parliament-...

The world is shocked by how the U.S. is treating people, including children.

substack.com/@artistlike/...

School lunch debt shouldn't exist.

Full stop.

We're humiliating 6-year-olds over $2.75 while giving massive tax breaks to corporations.

This isn't a budget problem. It's a cruelty problem disguised as fiscal responsibility.

First Focus on Children Tells Supreme Court: Ending Birthright Citizenship Would Irreparably Harm Every Baby Born in America National child advocacy organization files amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara, urging the Court to affirm birthright citizenship as a fundamental

First Focus on Children Tells Supreme Court: Ending Birthright Citizenship Would Irreparably Harm Every Baby Born in America firstfocus.org/news/first-f...

Let them eat...checks notes...LIVER?

Catholic bishops push for end to ‘immoral’ birthright citizenship order at Supreme Court The Catholic-majority Supreme Court gets spiritual and legal advice from bishops ahead of showdown on birthright citizenship.

Catholic bishops push for end to ‘immoral’ birthright citizenship order at Supreme Court | Courthouse News Service www.courthousenews.com/catholic-bis...

The State of the Union: Leaving Children and Families Behind Parents listened for a plan, but what they heard was cuts, bureaucracy, xenophobia, and culture wars.

"Children needed a vision of hope and aspiration from the President. What they got was a celebration of what he’s taken from them."

The State of the Union: Leaving Children and Families Behind open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Wearing a special tie @savethechildren.org to the State of the Union. We need to do more to support children here and around the world.

ICE is silencing the children of migrant children. There's a reason why Trump didn't mention I.C.E. all that much during his State of the Union Address .

ICE is silencing the children of migrant children.

There's a reason why Trump didn't mention I.C.E. all that much during his State of the Union Address .

I expect President Trump to raise the issue of immigration during his State of the Union address. I want him to know that his mass deportation campaign is breaking children like the little girl who gave me this drawing while I inspected the trailer prison he reopened.

'My children are here’: How journalist Georgia Fort’s arrest impacted her daughters As the Trump administration tries to stop individuals from documenting immigration enforcement, parents are trying to figure out how to explain constitutional rights to their children.

'My children are here’: How journalist Georgia Fort’s arrest impacted her daughters - The 19th 19thnews.org/2026/02/jour...

This highlights the disregard that our government is displaying toward the Constitution and the harm and cruelty it is imposing on children in yet another setting.

The Child Tax Credit in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” did not even cover half of inflation since 2017 and provided just $2,200 for some kids compared to the $5,000 that JD Vance campaigned on.

The Child Tax Credit Changes in H.R. 1 Fail Children and Families open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

#SOTU

5 Ways the Trump Administration Targeted Children in 2025 by Various Authors

5 Ways the Trump Administration Targeted Children in 2025
open.substack.com/pub/firstfoc...

When Government Sells Fear, Kids Lose Medicaid The Administration’s organized abandonment philosophy is promoting coverage loss, churn, misinformation, and intimidation as policy.

When Government Sells Fear, Kids Lose Medicaid
open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Colorado’s family-oriented tax credits gave ‘light and hope’ to one mom — but costs make their future uncertain A study led by researchers at Washington University and Appalachian State University found that the three tax credits helping families lifted more than 52,000 Colorado children out of poverty last …

Colorado tax credits cut child poverty by more than a third - Denver Post

I understand the necessity of parental rights, but when did we decide that anyone under eighteen doesn't get to have rights? When I was seven, I think I had the right not to die of measles. When I was twelve, I think I had the right not to be permanently disabled by polio.

Brace yourself for the return of measles, whooping cough, and hospital emergency room chaos.

Anyone making an argument for "parental rights" fundamentally does not see children as unique, independent people.

Parents have *responsibilities* to their children, not rights to them.

When "Parental Rights" Become a Shield for Child Abuse The Texas Supreme Court case every child advocate must watch

When "Parental Rights" Become a Shield for Child Abuse
open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Be Careful What You Ask For: The Parental Rights Trap and the Cost to Children Professor Nila Bala Explains How Expansive Parental Sovereignty Becomes Liability, Isolation, and Organized Abandonment — and Why Children Pay the Price

Great article! Here is my discussion of it…

Be Careful What You Ask For: The Parental Rights Trap and the Cost to Children open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

When "Parental Rights" Become a Shield for Child Abuse open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Agree!

Iowa House Republicans advance bills to eliminate local civil rights protections, allow parents to force LGBTQ kids into 'conversion therapy' - Little Village Republican members of two Iowa House Judiciary subcommittees advanced two bills on Monday that continue the anti-LGBTQ agenda Gov. Kim Reynolds and legislative Republicans have enshrined in state law ...

"Parental rights are being used as a cudgel to enable harm upon children in the name of making them straight,” said Rep. Aime Wichtendahl, the subcommittee's sole Democrat, pointing out the "faulty science" undergirding so-called conversion therapy, banned in 23 states and D.C.

This is a great piece looking at the twisted MAGA ideal of fatherhood, and I'm super excited to join @amandamarcotte.bsky.social today on Standing Room Only to discuss my related article and the intersection of parental rights extremism and fascism newrepublic.com/article/2059...

When "Parental Rights" Become a Shield for Child Abuse The Texas Supreme Court case every child advocate must watch

Agree!

When "Parental Rights" Become a Shield for Child Abuse open.substack.com/pub/bruceles...

Discipline or abuse? This Texas case could change parental rights nationwide. What the Texas Supreme Court decides in this particular case will be enormously consequential in setting a precedent about the scope and limits of parental rights. 

Discipline or abuse? This Texas case could change parental rights nationwide.