Adam Isacson
@adamisacson.com
He/Him. I work on security, borders, and migration at the Washington Office on Latin America (my views, not necessarily theirs). I'm also at wola.org, adamisacson.com, borderoversight.org, Mastodon elefanti.co/@adam
The "guy whose party’s last president is in a U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking?"
Not anymore, incredibly—even as this administration kills poor people on boats based on the merest suspicion of cocaine trafficking.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Not anymore, incredibly—even as this administration kills poor people on boats based on the merest suspicion of cocaine trafficking.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
November 28, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The "guy whose party’s last president is in a U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking?"
Not anymore, incredibly—even as this administration kills poor people on boats based on the merest suspicion of cocaine trafficking.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
Not anymore, incredibly—even as this administration kills poor people on boats based on the merest suspicion of cocaine trafficking.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/28/w...
They plunged headlong into My Lai/Abu Ghraib territory from the very start of this operation.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
November 28, 2025 at 11:45 PM
They plunged headlong into My Lai/Abu Ghraib territory from the very start of this operation.
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
All of the major candidates in Sunday’s Honduras election are bad. But it’s pretty funny to say “vote for the guy whose party’s last president is in a U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking.”
Also, people in Latin America love it when the United States government tells them how to vote.
Also, people in Latin America love it when the United States government tells them how to vote.
November 27, 2025 at 12:42 AM
All of the major candidates in Sunday’s Honduras election are bad. But it’s pretty funny to say “vote for the guy whose party’s last president is in a U.S. prison for cocaine trafficking.”
Also, people in Latin America love it when the United States government tells them how to vote.
Also, people in Latin America love it when the United States government tells them how to vote.
Just posted this on Monday. As the sirens and helicopters sound off in the distance, I'm thinking about the young part-time soldiers I was just talking to.
We must continue to insist—even more forcefully today—that this is absolutely not an appropriate mission for U.S. military personnel.
We must continue to insist—even more forcefully today—that this is absolutely not an appropriate mission for U.S. military personnel.
Talked to some National Guard kids from West Virginia on the street near my office. They don't have leave to go home for Thanksgiving this week.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
November 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Just posted this on Monday. As the sirens and helicopters sound off in the distance, I'm thinking about the young part-time soldiers I was just talking to.
We must continue to insist—even more forcefully today—that this is absolutely not an appropriate mission for U.S. military personnel.
We must continue to insist—even more forcefully today—that this is absolutely not an appropriate mission for U.S. military personnel.
Warships sit in the southern Caribbean, bristling with weaponry, one country in their sights.
Above them, every Wednesday and Friday, US planes still carry migrants deported to the targeted country.
Among them, US-bound tankers still sail by, laden with licensed oil from the targeted country.
Above them, every Wednesday and Friday, US planes still carry migrants deported to the targeted country.
Among them, US-bound tankers still sail by, laden with licensed oil from the targeted country.
An ICE deportation flight (EAL8280) is en route to Venezuela today, marking the 72nd flight to Venezuela since February of this year. U.S. deportation flights continue to land in Caracas despite escalating tensions.
November 26, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Warships sit in the southern Caribbean, bristling with weaponry, one country in their sights.
Above them, every Wednesday and Friday, US planes still carry migrants deported to the targeted country.
Among them, US-bound tankers still sail by, laden with licensed oil from the targeted country.
Above them, every Wednesday and Friday, US planes still carry migrants deported to the targeted country.
Among them, US-bound tankers still sail by, laden with licensed oil from the targeted country.
Subject: Five Things Accomplished This Week
1. Skulked off into obscurity forever
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. Skulked off into obscurity forever
2.
3.
4.
5.
November 25, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Subject: Five Things Accomplished This Week
1. Skulked off into obscurity forever
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. Skulked off into obscurity forever
2.
3.
4.
5.
Reposted by Adam Isacson
By far the LARGEST growth in people arrested by ICE and thrown into detention centers across the country are from people with absolutely no criminal history on record. See the data below (and here: austinkocher.substack.com/p/breaking-i... ).
November 24, 2025 at 1:57 PM
By far the LARGEST growth in people arrested by ICE and thrown into detention centers across the country are from people with absolutely no criminal history on record. See the data below (and here: austinkocher.substack.com/p/breaking-i... ).
Talked to some National Guard kids from West Virginia on the street near my office. They don't have leave to go home for Thanksgiving this week.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
November 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Talked to some National Guard kids from West Virginia on the street near my office. They don't have leave to go home for Thanksgiving this week.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
They can't see their families, because the president wants to use them as political props. No doubt, though, there'll be a feast at Mar-a-Lago Thursday.
This, posted 3 days ago… I just keep replaying it. Holy crap this is good.
Geese - Getting Killed | From The Basement
YouTube video by From The Basement
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 2:05 AM
This, posted 3 days ago… I just keep replaying it. Holy crap this is good.
In this week's WOLA Border Update:
CBP’s October migrant apprehensions leveled off after two months of sharper growth. The Supreme Court will review “metering.” Profiles of Chief Bovino and what he means for Border Patrol. Migration updates from around the Americas.
CBP’s October migrant apprehensions leveled off after two months of sharper growth. The Supreme Court will review “metering.” Profiles of Chief Bovino and what he means for Border Patrol. Migration updates from around the Americas.
Weekly U.S.-Mexico Border Update: October migration, "metering" and the Supreme Court, updates from the Americas - WOLA
CBP’s October migrant apprehensions leveled off after two months of sharper growth. The Supreme Court will review “metering.” Profiles of Chief Bovino and what he means for Border Patrol, and migratio...
www.wola.org
November 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM
In this week's WOLA Border Update:
CBP’s October migrant apprehensions leveled off after two months of sharper growth. The Supreme Court will review “metering.” Profiles of Chief Bovino and what he means for Border Patrol. Migration updates from around the Americas.
CBP’s October migrant apprehensions leveled off after two months of sharper growth. The Supreme Court will review “metering.” Profiles of Chief Bovino and what he means for Border Patrol. Migration updates from around the Americas.
I'm sorry, but I don't believe in the existence of UFOs, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or The Person Who Clicks "Yes" When an App Says "Try Our New AI Assistant."
November 21, 2025 at 2:54 PM
I'm sorry, but I don't believe in the existence of UFOs, Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, or The Person Who Clicks "Yes" When an App Says "Try Our New AI Assistant."
It's not quite correct to say that Border Patrol has a "professional" wing and a "Bovino" wing. But its San Diego Sector got a new chief this week, and the sector's Twitter account immediately began offering politicized, MAGA-friendly content, including shares of the DHS account's troll-posts.
November 21, 2025 at 1:37 PM
It's not quite correct to say that Border Patrol has a "professional" wing and a "Bovino" wing. But its San Diego Sector got a new chief this week, and the sector's Twitter account immediately began offering politicized, MAGA-friendly content, including shares of the DHS account's troll-posts.
Reposted by Adam Isacson
After more than two months with no updates, ICE has finally released new detention statistics.
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
Detention Management
www.ice.gov
November 21, 2025 at 12:08 PM
After more than two months with no updates, ICE has finally released new detention statistics.
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
ICE reports a total of 65,135 detainees as of Nov. 16, 2025.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
The likely winner of Chile's presidential election is a MAGA-adjacent rightist who just said "immigrants have 111 days to leave Chile." (bit.ly/47Sho2W)
And who is the US ambassador there now? Brandon Judd, former longtime head of the Border Patrol agents' union.
en.mercopress.com/2025/11/21/n...
And who is the US ambassador there now? Brandon Judd, former longtime head of the Border Patrol agents' union.
en.mercopress.com/2025/11/21/n...
November 21, 2025 at 11:49 AM
The likely winner of Chile's presidential election is a MAGA-adjacent rightist who just said "immigrants have 111 days to leave Chile." (bit.ly/47Sho2W)
And who is the US ambassador there now? Brandon Judd, former longtime head of the Border Patrol agents' union.
en.mercopress.com/2025/11/21/n...
And who is the US ambassador there now? Brandon Judd, former longtime head of the Border Patrol agents' union.
en.mercopress.com/2025/11/21/n...
Pretty stunning that 1 in 4 undocumented people told a NYT-backed poll they approve of the Trump admin's deportations.
One "said she was not afraid of that happening to her, because she and her family were good people."
Information flows are a complicated thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...
One "said she was not afraid of that happening to her, because she and her family were good people."
Information flows are a complicated thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...
November 20, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Pretty stunning that 1 in 4 undocumented people told a NYT-backed poll they approve of the Trump admin's deportations.
One "said she was not afraid of that happening to her, because she and her family were good people."
Information flows are a complicated thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...
One "said she was not afraid of that happening to her, because she and her family were good people."
Information flows are a complicated thing.
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/19/u...
At a UN Committee Against Torture session, Argentina government reps “dismissed evidence” and “accused organizations of spreading ‘false reports,’” calling them “an ‘attack’ on the country.”
“A break with Argentina's tradition of dialogue and engagement,” said the human rights group CELS:
“A break with Argentina's tradition of dialogue and engagement,” said the human rights group CELS:
Entre la negación y la agresión: la imagen que Argentina dejó en el examen del CAT
El Comité Contra la Tortura de la ONU entiende que la Argentina está un contexto de cierre del espacio cívico. También señala que antes de este examen, nueve procedimientos especiales de la ONU advirt...
www.cels.org.ar
November 19, 2025 at 8:24 PM
At a UN Committee Against Torture session, Argentina government reps “dismissed evidence” and “accused organizations of spreading ‘false reports,’” calling them “an ‘attack’ on the country.”
“A break with Argentina's tradition of dialogue and engagement,” said the human rights group CELS:
“A break with Argentina's tradition of dialogue and engagement,” said the human rights group CELS:
Great. Active-duty Marines assigned to the border are wearing masks now. (But the DOD caption-writers are still ID'ing them.)
From www.dvidshub.net/image/938939...
From www.dvidshub.net/image/938939...
November 19, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Great. Active-duty Marines assigned to the border are wearing masks now. (But the DOD caption-writers are still ID'ing them.)
From www.dvidshub.net/image/938939...
From www.dvidshub.net/image/938939...
Instead of jungle foliage patterns, their camouflage uniforms should depict Cheetos and Slim Jims. They'd be totally invisible in this photo.
From www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
From www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Hits a Battleground State
www.nytimes.com
November 18, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Instead of jungle foliage patterns, their camouflage uniforms should depict Cheetos and Slim Jims. They'd be totally invisible in this photo.
From www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
From www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/u...
Here is video of a great event on the "boat strike" murders, which @WOLA_org co-hosted on November 5.
Speakers from Amnesty International, International Crisis Group, Brennan Center, WOLA, and Institute for Policy Studies:
Speakers from Amnesty International, International Crisis Group, Brennan Center, WOLA, and Institute for Policy Studies:
Uncharted Waters: U.S. Military Action in the Caribbean, WOLA & Amnesty International
YouTube video by WOLA: Washington Office on Latin America
www.youtube.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Here is video of a great event on the "boat strike" murders, which @WOLA_org co-hosted on November 5.
Speakers from Amnesty International, International Crisis Group, Brennan Center, WOLA, and Institute for Policy Studies:
Speakers from Amnesty International, International Crisis Group, Brennan Center, WOLA, and Institute for Policy Studies:
The internet was designed to survive a nuclear attack, but much of it, from Twitter to my personal site, is down right now because Cloudflare—a service made necessary by a proliferation of bad actors and AI bots—is not working.
November 18, 2025 at 11:59 AM
The internet was designed to survive a nuclear attack, but much of it, from Twitter to my personal site, is down right now because Cloudflare—a service made necessary by a proliferation of bad actors and AI bots—is not working.
CBP's encounters with migrants at the US-Mexico border during the first full 9 months of the Trump administration.
October was 8% above the 9-month average, Cuba (27%) and Colombia (21%) were above the average. China (-11%) and "Other Countries" (-18%) were below the average.
October was 8% above the 9-month average, Cuba (27%) and Colombia (21%) were above the average. China (-11%) and "Other Countries" (-18%) were below the average.
November 18, 2025 at 2:26 AM
CBP's encounters with migrants at the US-Mexico border during the first full 9 months of the Trump administration.
October was 8% above the 9-month average, Cuba (27%) and Colombia (21%) were above the average. China (-11%) and "Other Countries" (-18%) were below the average.
October was 8% above the 9-month average, Cuba (27%) and Colombia (21%) were above the average. China (-11%) and "Other Countries" (-18%) were below the average.
Ecuador voters just rejected allowing foreign military bases by a 20-point margin.
See Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/americ...
See Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/americ...
November 17, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Ecuador voters just rejected allowing foreign military bases by a 20-point margin.
See Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/americ...
See Reuters: www.reuters.com/world/americ...
The death toll now stands at 83. The U.S. government has extrajudicially killed 83 people.
www.wola.org/2025/11/mari...
www.wola.org/2025/11/mari...
November 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
The death toll now stands at 83. The U.S. government has extrajudicially killed 83 people.
www.wola.org/2025/11/mari...
www.wola.org/2025/11/mari...
Latin America-Related Events in Washington and Online This Week
17 events about Latin America this week, that I know about, that can be attended in person in Washington or online anywhere.
17 events about Latin America this week, that I know about, that can be attended in person in Washington or online anywhere.
adamisacson.com
November 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Latin America-Related Events in Washington and Online This Week
17 events about Latin America this week, that I know about, that can be attended in person in Washington or online anywhere.
17 events about Latin America this week, that I know about, that can be attended in person in Washington or online anywhere.
Reposted by Adam Isacson
It is interesting to me how the media seems far less interested in Trump's Murder Memo than you'd expect. Only a few reporters seem to be even trying to get a hold of it, and very few commentators are talking about it. Contrast that with Bush's torture memo, which was a national obsession. Weird.
Trump's illegal murders in the Caribbean just got worse. An internal DOJ memo on the bombings says the victims are waging war on the US, but per NYT, it extensively cites the WH's *own claims* to this effect as evidence!
It gets even darker than that. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2032...
It gets even darker than that. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2032...
Trump Boat Bombings Take Dark, Unnerving Turn with Leaked Memo Stunner
A new Trump administration memo argues that those carrying out the boat attacks can’t be prosecuted. Why? Because the administration says so!
newrepublic.com
November 16, 2025 at 3:21 PM
It is interesting to me how the media seems far less interested in Trump's Murder Memo than you'd expect. Only a few reporters seem to be even trying to get a hold of it, and very few commentators are talking about it. Contrast that with Bush's torture memo, which was a national obsession. Weird.