Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff

Episode: ICE Can Disappear You at Any Moment. EXCLUSIVE Lindsay Church. Independent Veteran for Congress - IL 4th.

Date: January 14, 2026
Guest: Lindsay Church, Veteran & Independent Congressional Candidate

Overview

In this episode, Paul Rieckhoff hosts Lindsay Church—an Iraq veteran, nonprofit leader, and newly announced independent candidate for Illinois’s 4th Congressional District—for their first exclusive interview post-announcement. The episode centers on the rise of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) raids, government overreach, and the abuses and dangers faced by marginalized communities, particularly in Chicago and Minneapolis. Church speaks candidly on their campaign, the local impact of ICE, their unique nonbinary veteran’s perspective, the failure of party politics, and inspiration from global struggles for freedom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

ICE Raids and Community Fear

ICE in Chicago/Minneapolis & Everyday Life

• Church describes the ongoing ICE presence in IL-4 as “never theoretical,” detailing constant raids and community fear (20:39).
• They highlight the normalization of carrying “walking papers” or passports as “ICE can disappear you at any moment, no matter who you are” (00:00, 21:22).
• Locals use code whistles to alert neighbors when ICE is nearby, underscoring a climate of anxiety and resistance.
• “Grocery stores are empty. Food restaurants are empty. People are already living in abject fear.” (21:45)
• Church expresses a rare optimism in the growing national reaction, citing Minneapolis as the spark:

  “What’s happening in Minneapolis is what gives me hope that people are linking arms and finally seeing that this is a bigger problem, that ICE is much more dangerous than anybody really is giving them credit for.” (21:59)

The Renee Goode Killing—A Veteran’s Analysis

Breakdown of the Shooting

• Church provides a military lens to the killing of Renee Goode, refuting ICE’s narrative that the agent’s life was threatened (23:35–25:55).
• Describes the ICE agent’s actions:

  “We have never trained as military professionals to hold a weapon and a cell phone at the same time... The first bullet went in sideways, and then as she was driving off, he shot her in the side of the face, in the back of the head. None of those were defensive shots.” (24:13)

• Church places blame on lack of discipline and control, pushing back on using PTSD to excuse such violence:

  “If this man is so triggered by the fact that he's been, you know, something has happened in the past, he shouldn't be holding a weapon.” (25:03)

Running as an Independent—Why Now?

Dysfunction and Lack of Choice in Party Politics

• Church recounts how party insiders manipulated candidate selection in IL-4, motivating their independent run:

  “Coordinating your next successor is not how I believe that we should be doing this... It should have been open, and it should have been fair. And instead they blocked people out from it.” (27:30)

• To appear on the ballot as an independent, 10,000+ signatures are required—“15 times more than the party candidate” (27:56).
• The campaign is built around community engagement:

  "As an organizer... I know that in order to win this or even be competitive, it's going to take so many people to even get us on the ballot." (19:05)

On the Independent Movement

• Rieckhoff stresses the national momentum toward independent values—“A record high of 45% of Americans are declaring themselves independent.” (14:45)
• Church positions their run as both practical (“We need real fighters”) and symbolic (“Why not this one? Why not usually? Why not today?”) (35:11)
• Both host and guest frame the current political moment as a fight for democracy and genuine representation:

  “Choose your fucking fighter, America... It's about freedom, it's about patriotism, it's about right and wrong.” —Paul Rieckhoff (35:34)

Campaign Strategy & Call to Action

• Signature drive with a ‘five-city, block-by-block’ approach; seeking 250 volunteers (32:36, 36:53)
• Refusal to accept PAC or party money; focus on people-driven support.
• Highlights historic nature of their candidacy as a nonbinary veteran (33:21):

  “No nonbinary person in American history has ever made a general election ballot for a federal office. We're fighting for history here.”

Notable Quotes

• Lindsay Church:

  “Many people have been carrying walking papers and passports for a long time, myself included, because I know that if you challenge ICE, they can disappear you at any moment, no matter who you are, no matter what protections that you think that you have.” (00:00 / 21:22)

• Paul Rieckhoff:

  "If you're not angry, you're not paying attention." (02:03)

• Lindsay Church:

  “This person was not there to endanger lives. She was there to protect her neighbors... None of those were defensive shots.” (24:13)

• Lindsay Church:

  “Collusion is collusion and wrong is wrong. Even if you are legally within your rights… what does it say to us as people in this district when you make our decision?” (27:32)

• Paul Rieckhoff:

  "Choose your fucking fighter, America. This is what's happening all across the country." (35:34)

Timestamps: Important Segments

• ICE Reality in Chicago / Local Fear: 20:40–22:30
• Analysis of Renee Goode Killing: 23:35–25:55
• Why Run as an Independent? Party Manipulation: 27:18–31:20
• Historic Independent Campaign—Signature Hurdles and Strategy: 32:36–34:45
• Themes of Hope & Global Struggles (Iran): 40:22–42:05
• Campaign Volunteering & Donations: 36:53–38:19

Memorable Moments

• Choice as Democracy: Church stresses that choice is sacred, and the manipulation of elections by party insiders is fundamentally undemocratic (28:00).
• Physical Reality of ICE: Personal, local details like whistles and driving routes to warn about ICE make the trauma tangible (21:45).
• Historic Firsts: The candidacy’s potential to be the first nonbinary federal general election candidate, positioning it as a national milestone (33:21).
• “Choose Your Fighter” Theme: Both host and guest repeatedly frame politics as a battle—this phrase serves as a rallying cry for independents (35:34).

Closing: Hope and Vigilance

• Church draws inspiration from the resilience of Iranian protesters:

  “There’s so much hope and resilience in the Iranian people that no matter how many times they have to try, they will fight this regime.” (40:22)

• Rieckhoff closes with a call to support independent candidates and a reminder:

  “Hope is the oxygen of democracy... Stay vigilant, my friends, because eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” (44:10–45:14)

Resources & Calls to Action

• Get Involved: Visit churchforcongress.com to support, volunteer, or donate (36:53).
• More Information: Listen to recent interviews (Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Ron Perlman, Tim Mack), check show notes for campaign links (43:55).

This episode offers an urgent, ground-level perspective on ICE abuses, systemic party manipulation, and the hope embodied in a new wave of independent candidates like Lindsay Church. The conversation is a rallying cry for civic engagement and democratic renewal.