Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

David @dkuofu.bsky.social · 7m

Also worth noting that their verification process for finding "Tren de Aragua" members in other instances has been as little as:

1. Is this person Venezuelan?
2. Do they have tattoos?
3. Book 'em.

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 14h

As I've noted, central to Stephen Miller's propaganda is the claim that the Chicago complex targeted by ICE was "filled" with Tren de Aragua "terrorists."

Now @jacobsoboroff.bsky.social reports that the number of TdA members netted in that raid is down to *one.*

newrepublic.com/article/2016...

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Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 25m

"No amount of appeasement of Trump will work short of turning yourself into a lapdog. So news outlets have to choose. And if you go halfway, you’re basically going to lose everyone."

On the pod, @brianbeutler.bsky.social is great on the failure of Trump appeasement:
newrepublic.com/article/2017...

Trump Erupts at ABC over Vance On-Air Fiasco as Presser Goes Off Rails

As Trump’s exchanges with reporters appear more power-crazed than usual, a sharp observer of our slide into authoritarianism explains why the Resistance must find a new kind of response before it’s to...

newrepublic.com

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Oliver Willis @owillis.bsky.social · 1h

One of the biggest issues in democratic politics is how the consultants everyone hires sees voters as just a cash machine and they pummel them with messages asking for money instead of activating them for politics. It rightfully makes people extremely cynical.

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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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Angry @angrystaffer.bsky.social · 2h

That’s crazy. I wonder what happened in January

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David Ho @davidho.bsky.social · 2h

“A clarinet player was arrested after playing her instrument to the tune of the ‘Ghostbusters’ theme song outside of a Portland ICE facility…”

Musician playing ‘Ghostbusters’ outside ICE facility is arrested by agents

‘Taking us citizens out of state to detain them without charge is a new action from the Feds and should be opposed,’ her band said

www.independent.co.uk

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John Collins @logicallyjc.bsky.social · 8h

Spot on.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 14h

Q: Politico reported on a group chat of young Republicans. Does this just reflect some bad apples?

HOCHUL: Some bad apples? These are the future of the GOP. This is so vile it's hard to find the words to put into context ... there's gotta be consequences ... this bullshit has to stop.

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David Haralson @laughlax.bsky.social · 8h

I hadn't seen this yet, but hey would you look at that. They want to get around having to draw a fair electoral map, by whatever means possible. They are seriously throwing *everything* at the wall for this, because they know exactly how much gerrymandering gooses up their supermajority.

Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 11h

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Exactly two weeks after the Utah Republican Party endorsed map C in Utah’s court-stipulated redistricting process, the party has filed paperwork to run a referendum to repeal map C and an initiative to ask the legislature to repeal Proposition 4.

www.abc4.com/news/politic...

www.abc4.com

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David @dkuofu.bsky.social · 9h

Cox is going to pack the court.

I've said it before—Cox is happy to do almost anything the legislature wants, but he's very conscious of appearances so they have to sell him on some veneer of an excuse he can parrot to the media. In this case? "He's giving the court more resources"

Cox said Tuesday he may now support a dead proposal from earlier this year to expand the number of justice on the Utah Supreme Court. The Utah Constitution says the court must have "at least five" justices.

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CavsKermit @cavskermit.bsky.social · 10h

This isn't a crackdown on immigration. They're using tear gas on U.S. citizens engaged in protests protected by the 1st Amendment.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 11h

As the intensity of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has risen, residents of Chicago are increasingly pushing back. Federal agents repeatedly have been observed releasing smoke bombs, tear gas and pepper balls to disperse residents who gather or capture videos.

ICE Is Cracking Down on Chicago. Some Chicagoans Are Fighting Back.

Residents have begun forming volunteer groups to monitor their neighborhoods for federal immigration agents. Others honk their horns or blow whistles when they see agents nearby.

nyti.ms

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The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 13h

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson calls Sunday's naked bike ride in protest of the Portland ICE facility and and Trump troop deployment "the most threatening thing I’ve seen yet"

www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...

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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 13h

For students coming from Utah’s lowest-income families, a University of Utah education could now be entirely free.

The U. is now offering many Utah residents free tuition. Here’s who qualifies.

For students coming from Utah’s lowest-income families, a university education could now be entirely free.

www.sltrib.com

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 14h

X post today from Homeland Security @DHSgov that says "Remigrate."
3:06 PM · Oct 14, 2025

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Taulby Edmondson @taulby.bsky.social · 19h

I've been beating this drum for years now, but it's very true. These are the aspiring leaders of the Republican Party and the conservative movement that fuels it.

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Brad Duplessis @bradduplessis.bsky.social · 18h

When was the last time we had such a cowardly Congress?

apnews.com/article/trum...

US strikes another boat accused of carrying drugs in waters off Venezuela, killing 6, Trump says

President Donald Trump says the U.S. has struck another boat accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela.

apnews.com

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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 19h

POLITICO: “.. They referred to Black people as monkeys and ‘the watermelon people’ and mused about putting their political opponents in gas chambers. They talked about raping their enemies .. and lauded Republicans who they believed support slavery.

@politico.com
www.politico.com/news/2025/10...

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Alan Wessman @alanwessman.bsky.social · 21h

Trump administration defying court orders. Add another ground for impeachment to the orogeny of impeachable offenses by this executive.

Reuters Legal @legal.reuters.com · 21h

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration had violated his previous court order by implementing a nearly identical policy that again made state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement a condition for receiving grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Trump administration flouted court order on FEMA grant funding, US judge rules

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration had violated his previous court order by implementing a nearly identical policy that again made state cooperation with federal immigration enforcement a condition for receiving grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

reut.rs

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Dave's Notes @ldsfn.bsky.social · 1d

“This was no longer a safe scene, and in that moment, I realized that the scene had not actually been safe the entire time that they were blocking us from exiting, and that we were essentially trapped.”

“I was still in such shock,” the driver later wrote, “that they were not only accusing me of such a thing, but crowding and cornering me in the seat, pointing and screaming at me, threatening to shoot and arrest me, and not allowing the ambulance to leave the scene. This was no longer a safe scene, and in that moment, I realized that the scene had not actually been safe the entire time that they were blocking us from exiting, and that we were essentially trapped.”

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Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 1d

1. Nations that have bestowed lavish gifts to President Trump — or enriched Trump and his family by striking business deals with Trump-connected companies — have later received extraordinary benefits from the Trump administration.

Quid Pro Presidency

Nations that have bestowed lavish gifts to President Trump — or enriched Trump and his family by striking business deals with Trump-connected companies — have later received extraordinary benefits…

popular.info

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David @dkuofu.bsky.social · 1d

Ugh, I'm sure someone is working on it already.

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Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

This is the response I received from ICE when I inquired about the 13-year-old they abducted from Everett, Mass. on Friday:

Good afternoon, Marisa.
Please see the below from DHS on the 13-year-old alien.
Please feel free to direct any questions to them.
Respectfully,
James

Tricia McLaughlin
@TriciaOhio • 6h
S...
Here are the facts: he posed a public safety threat with an extensive rap sheet including violent assault with a dangerous weapon, battery, breaking and entering, destruction of property.
He was in possession of a firearm and 5-7 inch knife when arrested.

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Alternative View, Pacific Northwest @alt-pnw.bsky.social · 1d

“In Utah, state law prohibits the use of city-owned equipment for “political activity,” said Nancy Volmer, the airport’s director of communication and marketing.”

Glad to see Salt Lake City added to the list refusing this bit of corruption.

The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 1d

Airports across the country are grappling with whether to play a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, who is shown blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown of the federal government and travel delays.

Some airports refuse to play a Homeland Security video blaming Democrats for government shutdown. Here’s what the SLC airport decided.

Airports across the country are grappling with whether to play a video featuring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, who is shown blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown of the federal government and travel delays.

www.sltrib.com

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DoctorNurse ❌👑 @doctornurse.bsky.social · 1d

Highly recommend! Popovic was a leader of the Serbian resistance & McClennen is Professor of International Affairs & Comparative Literature at Penn State & founding Director of the Center for Global Studies.

They know what they're talking about.

It's only 92 pages!
And did I mention it's FREE?

David @dkuofu.bsky.social · 2d

Here's a free book with plenty of examples, and an explanation of the theory behind it. Srdja Popovic was instrumental in Otpor!, the Serbian revolutionary group, and has since formed CANVAS, a group that trains revolutionaries all around the world.

www.amazon.com/dp/B08HB7JTH...

The cover of "Pranksters vs. Autocrats: Why Dilemma Actions Advance Nonviolent Activism" by Srdja Popovic and Sophia A McLennen.

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The Salt Lake Tribune @sltrib.com · 1d

Letter: The Republican Party gave us a government featuring RFK Jr., Pete Hegseth and Pam Bondi… and now they want Democrats to vote to keep funding it?

Letter: Utah’s lawmakers helped create a dysfunctional government. And they expect the Democrats to fund it?

www.sltrib.com

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David @dkuofu.bsky.social · 1d

No worries. My response is applicable to their comment as well.