As millions of Americans gathered for Thanksgiving, two progressive House Democrats used the holiday to highlight what they described as injustices often overlooked during the festivities.
According to Fox News, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, a leading member of the “Squad,” posted a message focusing on empty seats she said were created by deportations, violence, and incarceration.
“This Thanksgiving, I’m thinking of our neighbors with an empty seat at the dinner table. Those with loved ones abducted & deported from their families. Those we lost due to gun violence, mass incarceration, & more. A more just America is possible, if we fight for it,” Pressley wrote.
Her comments came as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its crackdown on illegal immigration, a policy that progressives have sharply criticized.
Rep. Summer Lee of Pennsylvania, another member of the “Squad,” used her Thanksgiving message to emphasize the holiday’s meaning for Indigenous communities.
“Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude and community for many, but it’s also a reminder of stolen land and broken treaties for others. As we give thanks today, let’s also honor Indigenous communities by committing to the fight for sovereignty, justice, and freedom,” Lee said.
The remarks echoed themes Pressley highlighted last month on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, when she argued that Americans are living “on stolen land.”
“Happy Indigenous People’s Day! We are all on stolen land,” she said at the time.
She continued, “And while Republicans try to whitewash American history, we acknowledge our country’s role in inflicting trauma on our Indigenous neighbors. We’ll keep celebrating their contributions, centering Native voices in our policymaking, & building a more just, equitable future.”
