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Michael Kagan

@michaelgkagan.bsky.social

4.1K followers 390 following 1.7K posts

behindtheborder.substack.com

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · Aug 18

My book, with a new afterword reflecting on COVID, the Biden years and the return of Trump, is out in paperback. Get your copy.

open.substack.com/pub/behindth...

The Battle To Stay in America

Now out in paperback, with a new afterword

open.substack.com

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

But Sassoon seems weirdly blind to the numerous cases of people on the left paying a steep price for speech condemned by the right. Especially after the murder of Charlie Kirk. This one-sidedness, whether from left or right, ends up undermining free speech rather than defend it.

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

Sassoon makes a deeply important point when she says that principles of academic freedom and debate “must be defended even when doing so is inconvenient or costly.” It’s more profound than she may realize.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

Sassoon is right that there have been hecklers vetos of right wing speakers on campuses. That’s contemptible, and against principles of free debate.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

This op-ed from Danielle Sassoon makes two really important points about free speech on campus, but sadly is infected by the same disease the author diagnoses in others. She seems to think that people on the left face no threats to their free expression. Nope. www.nytimes.com/2025/10/13/o...

Opinion | I Resigned as Manhattan’s U.S. Attorney. Law Schools Are Missing the Point of My Story.

www.nytimes.com

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

Everything is fine

Matt Novak @paleofuture.bsky.social · 1d

"During the encounter, Greeley said they told her she 'doesn’t look like' a Greeley."

www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Chicago Tribune: Greeley, who was born at Illinois Masonic hospital and is adopted, carries a copy of her passport just in case she runs into federal agents.

“I am Latina and I am a service worker,” Greeley said. “I fit the description of what they’re looking for now.”

During the encounter, Greeley said they told her she “doesn’t look like” a Greeley.

“They said this isn’t real, they kept telling me I’m lying, I’m a liar,” Greeley recalled. “I told them to look in the rest of my wallet, I have my credit cards, my insurance.”

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

The Nevada Independent @thenvindy.com · 1d

An immigration enforcement agreement between Las Vegas police and ICE is being challenged by the ACLU, which argued in a lawsuit that the partnership is unlawfully using state and local resources.

Read about it here: thenevadaindependent.com/article/aclu...

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Brendan Nyhan @brendannyhan.bsky.social · 1d

What if the unidentified masked men with guns don't accept the validity of your papers?

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

And now the link. live-awp-nevada.pantheonsite.io/cases/morais...

Morais-Hechavarria v. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department - ACLU of Nevada

We filed a lawsuit challenging the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s (LVMPD) 287(g) agreement with ICE. That agreement allows ICE to use local law enforcement to assist in carrying out its fe...

live-awp-nevada.pantheonsite.io

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

ACLU says LVMPD is allowing ICE holds to overrule judicial decisions.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

ACLU argues more broadly that the state legislature never gave the authority to local police to enter into these kinds of programs with ICE.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

Their client was ordered by a Nevada judge to a treatment program, but LVMPD won't release him to the program because of an ICE hold, effectively defying a state court judge.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

@aclunv.bsky.social is suing to challenge the 287g agreement between LVMPD and ICE, arguing it violates Nevada law.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 1d

Everything is fine

Nick Kristof @nickkristof.bsky.social · 2d

In Portland, an ambulance was summoned to the ICE office to treat an injured protester (not clear how he was injured). But when the patient was loaded inside, ICE officers refused to let the ambulance leave and threatened to shoot the ambulance driver: www.wweek.com/news/2025/10...

Documents Allege a Federal Agent at Portland ICE Threatened to Shoot an Ambulance Driver

Feds delayed medics who had come to pick up an injured protester. Then, according to confidential incident reports, the agents became aggressive.

www.wweek.com

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 2d

Monday

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 2d

Completely fine

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Julie DiCaro @juliedicaro.bsky.social · 2d

So Kilmer Abrego-Garcia will not challenge a deportation to Costa Rica, who has agreed to for him residency, but DHS won’t agree to send him there because it’s not cruel enough.

www.nytimes.com/2025/10/10/u...

For weeks, Mr. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national who is married to a U.S. citizen, has made clear that he would not challenge his deportation if he were sent to Costa Rica, which has promised him legal residency and guaranteed that he would not be sent back to El Salvador.

But the Trump administration has refused to deport him to Costa Rica, and in an earlier hearing this week, Judge Xinis pressed the administration to consider the option or clarify why it was unacceptable.

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 3d

thenevadaindependent.com/article/unlv...

UNLV broke up its diversity office. Students wonder whether it’s a change in name only. - The Nevada Independent

Many students at UNLV, even if they didn’t personally participate in DEI programs, acknowledged that they provide important resources to the campus community. Several of the students interviewed by Th...

thenevadaindependent.com

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Las Vegas Review-Journal @reviewjournal.com · 4d

CHAMPS AGAIN!!! A’ja Wilson scored 31 points and the Aces completed a four-game sweep of the Phoenix Mercury to win their third WNBA championship in four years with a 97-86 win in Game 4 at Mortgage Matchup Center tonight.

3rd time’s the charm: Aces sweep Mercury for 3rd WNBA title in 4 years

The Aces clinched their third WNBA title in four years after completing a sweep over the Phoenix Mercury on Friday at Mortgage Matchup Center

www.reviewjournal.com

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Patrick Howell O’Neill @patrickhowelloneill.com · 6d

New: DHS has reassigned hundreds of national security specialists, including cyber personnel from CISA, into jobs that support President Donald Trump’s mass deportation efforts and said it would fire anyone who refuses to go along. Gift link: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

Homeland Security Cyber Personnel Reassigned to Jobs in Trump’s Deportation Push

The US Department of Homeland Security has shifted hundreds of national security specialists, including cyber personnel, into jobs that support President Donald Trump’s deportations and said it would ...

www.bloomberg.com

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Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 6d

Everything is fine

Kurt @flglchicago.bsky.social · 7d

Here’s video of the incident

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 7d

Flags should be at half mast www.nytimes.com/2025/10/07/d...

Saul Zabar, Smoked Fish Czar of Upper West Side, Dies at 97

www.nytimes.com

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 7d

Just a question of what kind of transformation

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 7d

"You are a transformative president" -- I regret to inform you that Mark Carney is kissing Trump's ass

Michael Kagan @michaelgkagan.bsky.social · 7d

Good lede

newrepublic.com/article/2013...

Why This Essay Could Cause the University of Virginia to Shut Down

How Linda McMahon’s latest “compact” would do deep and permanent harm to American higher education

newrepublic.com

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 8d

While a law known as the Posse Comitatus Act generally forbids the use of the armed forces for law enforcement purposes, another law called the Insurrection Act creates an exception. Mr. Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act at the border, enabling the use of federal troops to apprehend migrants, Mr. Miller said.

“Bottom line,” he said, “President Trump will do whatever it takes.”

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Reposted by Michael Kagan

Daniel Naujoks @danielnaujoks.bsky.social · 9d

Everyone interested in Trump’s autocratic overreach to silence universities must read this great explainer of the new “deal” Trump offered to 9 universities.
It’s nothing but unlawful extortion. It’s scary—but it’s vital we are all aware of what is happening.
balkin.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...

The Art of Replacing the Law with the Deal

This week, the Trump Administration attempted to make universities an offer we can’t refuse. With great fanfare, the administration announce...

balkin.blogspot.com

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