What makes America unique is not just that we hold elections-- plenty of nations do. What has made America exceptional, when we live up to it, is our origin story: rebellion against tyranny. That maverick spirit is embedded in our national DNA. At the core of the American idea is a simple but revolutionary belief--- one that kings and tyrants throughout history have tried to crush: that anyone, no matter their name, birth, or background, can rise above their circumstances. That’s the promise. That’s the American ethos. And although our moral compass has had to be recalibrated again and again since this nation's inception to actually extend that promise to all Americans, it’s why people across the globe continue to risk everything to reach our shores.

As the climate crisis continues to accelerate, wealthy governments in the West are clamping down on climate protest. According to a new report from Climate Rights International, demonstrators around t...