OPINION: The blue tsunami is forcing Democrats to do their least favorite thing — actually govern

Jun Kwon PO ’28 analyzes the recent midterm results, where Democrats took back control of the House and the Senate in historic sweeps. Nearly every swing state and district went in Democrats’ favor and displayed positive signs in voting patterns and turnout.

Read more

‘The Constitution isn’t working:’ Pitzer hosts town hall moderated by State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez

California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez joined Pitzer College on Wednesday to host a ‘Town Hall on Civil Liberties and Freedom of Speech.’ Several students attended the town hall, a public meeting designed for local government officials to both inform and speak with local community members, which included a panel discussion and an audience Q&A session.
Pérez, who represents Claremont alongside the rest of District 25, moderated a panel consisting of five community members who are passionate about civil liberties, including 5C professors and civil liberty advocacy groups. The discussion spanned immigration laws, data privacy, surveillance technology, education and a call to action for college students.

Read more

‘Go vote:’ 5C community gears up for Nov. 3 midterms

Students across the 5Cs have been gearing up for the midterm elections on Nov. 3, campaigning for local politicians, providing assistance with voter registration and staying engaged in elections from Claremont to Congress.
This semester, 5C Democrats ran three to five events each week, professors are incorporating conversations regarding the upcoming election into classes and nonpartisan clubs such as Every Vote Counts (EVC) Claremont have been tabling outside dining halls recently. Despite much of College Republicans’ leadership being abroad this fall, acting President Shiv Parihar CM ’28 stressed the importance of voting in every election.

Read more

OPINION: A presidential hit job: Latinos aren’t scared of you, Trump

On October 5, 2026, Donald Trump put a hit on Los Angeles and San Diego. Elena Gutierrez PZ ’27 is a Mexican American who knows exactly what he means. Trump’s statement comes as ICE raids spike in specific Southern California cities, and Gutierrez writes that those trends, backed by his track record of anti-Latino sentiment and policy, are deliberately intentional.

Read more

New visa and CPT restrictions threaten international students’ off-campus jobs

After the Trump administration placed new restrictions on Curricular Practical Training (CPT), a program that has historically allowed F-1 international students to work off campus, some international students have had to turn down jobs, while others expressed uncertainty about future opportunities.
In August, ICE sent a memo to colleges and universities directing them to issue CPT only when an internship or practical training experience is necessary for graduation, a stricter interpretation of the existing policy. The memo states that “improper CPT authorization” could result in “administrative or legal consequences,” such as a college losing its ability to enroll international students.

Read more

CMC’s CARE Center celebrates 10 years of constructive dialogue

Claremont McKenna College’s Civility, Access, Resource and Expression (CARE) Center celebrated its 10-year anniversary on March 4. Students and faculty spoke to CARE’s impact on campus amid threats to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from the Trump administration.
To Vince Greer, CMC assistant vice president for dialogue and diversity, the current political climate makes the CARE center and its mission “more important [now] than ever.”

Read more

OPINION: It’s Trump’s online circus and we’re all just living in it

“As a result of all of Trump’s actions, the United States is no longer perceived with the legitimacy it once was. We can no longer take for granted our position at the top of the world order,” Olivia Brinkman PO ’29 writes. “As Americans, we are watching our window of tolerance for the actions of our government expand in real time, normalizing nonsensical and hateful behavior. We must not let Trump’s social media rampages distract us from the real harm his actions are causing abroad.”

Read more

OPINION: What Minneapolis can teach us about America’s descent into fascism

“As students at the 5Cs, we have the privilege of residing in a community that feels physically and emotionally distant from ICE activity, despite deportations taking place as close as Pomona County,” Olivia Brinkman PO ’29 writes. “Scrolling through horrific reels, at a loss for what to do, we think to ourselves: What impact do we really have when our government is crumbling around us? This sense of helplessness is exactly what Trump and other elected officials want you to feel — it allows them to continue to exercise their power to commit crimes without facing the consequences. ”

Read more

In the wake of SNAP freezes, 5C students take on more food distribution efforts

5C community members have been ramping up food distribution efforts across campus and to neighboring communities in light of the recent SNAP benefit freeze that hindered food access for millions of Americans.

Read more