Hey, Feral Fam. It’s Fiona here – comms professional and feral baby wrangler. If you're anything like me, you're juggling bedtime, burnout, and a browser full of bleak headlines. That's why I’m bringing you this weekly roundup: for the humans who care deeply but don’t have time to sift through 19 think pieces before preschool drop-off. We’re making sense of the news that hits hearts hardest, and finding ways to channel the rage. Because as the goddesses know, there is plenty of it.

In this episode, we’re talking about:

• ICE agents waiting outside a maternity room door to deport a new mother

• Trump’s team stalling on mifepristone access (because of course)

• Rising maternal mortality rates in the U.S.

• And a surprising bright spot from Connecticut centering teen reproductive health

Tune in for the news, the fury, and a little hope. We’re not just surviving, mamas – we’re roaring back.

ICE at the Maternity Ward

• Erika, fleeing violence in Guatemala, walked through the Arizona desert at eight months pregnant to secure safety for her baby. She gave birth in a Tucson hospital—only to find ICE waiting to deport her outside her room.

• Erika was separated from her newborn right after giving birth. Public pressure and intervention from Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs delayed the deportation, but the trauma is unimaginable.

• This is a grim reminder that policies meant to protect are often used to harm. We must do better.

  Sources: CNN, Newsweek

  Maternal Mortality Rates Keep Rising

• • • New CDC data shows that U.S. maternal mortality rates rose again in 2024—up to 19 deaths per 100,000 live births.
    • Most of these deaths are preventable, especially among Black and Brown mothers. This reality should shake us all.

  • Source: MSN

  Mifepristone Madness

  • Three Republican-led states (Idaho, Kansas, Missouri) filed a lawsuit to ban telehealth access to mifepristone—a crucial pill used in 60% of U.S. abortion cases.

  • Trump’s team asked for a dismissal, not because they support access, but because they claim it was filed in the wrong court.

• This isn’t backing down; it’s stalling. Stay alert, mamas

  Source: AP

  
  

  Bright Spot: Connecticut's Teen Reproductive Health Bill

  • The Connecticut state House passed a bill to expand access to birth control and prenatal care for teens—without needing parental consent.

  • It’s a win for reproductive autonomy, health equity, and the dignity of young mothers.

  Source: NBC CT

  
  

  Get your claws out:

  Channel your frustration into change. Support these organizations:

  • RAICES Texas
  • MomsRising / Mamás Con Poder
  • Immigrant Families Together