A mandate to resist

It is a time of great need for the states, like the Great State of Illinois, to step up and protect their constituents from the egregious abuses of the Trump administration. I recognize that there are limits on how much states can express their power in opposition to the federal government, but I believe you have the mandate - the moral imperative - to stretch those powers to their fullest. Please be creative and imaginative. Frustrate and confuse the relationship with the administration through declarations that then require legal battles and interpretation (a tactic the administration itself uses to great effect). Even follow California in openly considering secession (even if it is just consideration). In particular, this state’s institutions of higher education are likely to suffer greatly under this regime. Higher ed is the symbol of so much that Trump and his cronies oppose. It is important that the state support its universities as a source of class mobility, public impact, and social progress.