Democracy Now! Wednesday, May 13, 2026

The resignation of FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty McCary under political pressure from Republicans and anti-abortion groups exposes a deeper crisis in U.S. public health leadership. With the FDA, CDC, and Surgeon General positions vacant and replaced by politically aligned non-scientists, experts warn that the erosion of science-based governance is undermining vaccine confidence, food safety, and pandemic preparedness. Meanwhile, a powerful grassroots movement is rising across 12 states to block AI data centers, arguing that these energy-hungry facilities—powered by fossil fuels and threatening local communities—represent not just an environmental threat but a democratic one. Organizers like Astra Taylor frame the fight as a necessary pause to reclaim control over technology that is being deployed without public consent. In Wisconsin, the case of Salah Sassour, a 53-year-old Palestinian-born lawful permanent resident and community leader, highlights the weaponization of immigration enforcement against pro-Palestinian speech. Held in an ICE jail since March without a public charge, Sassour’s detention—amid a wave of calls for release—has become a symbol of constitutional overreach and the chilling effect of silencing dissent. The episode reveals a disturbing convergence: the dismantling of federal health agencies, the unchecked expansion of AI infrastructure, and the targeting of activists through immigration enforcement.