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charlesintl.bsky.social
Charles International Law
@charlesintl.bsky.social
590 followers 3.1K following 160 posts
Accomplished and effective litigation firm led by a progressive former federal prosecutor and U.S. Navy SEAL. We specialize in immigration and international law, especially political asylum for those who speak truth to power.
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charlesintl.bsky.social
The D.C. National Guard shooting deserves factual analysis, not collective punishment.

I break down why scapegoating allies is indefensible and a violation of the refugee system.

natecharles.substack.com/p/dc-nationa...

#NationalSecurity #RuleOfLaw #Immigration #Afghanistan #Asylum #HumanRights
The D.C. National Guard Shooting — And the Truth About Our Afghan Allies
Watch now | A former SEAL officer and national-security prosecutor cuts through the noise on the D.C. attack, Afghan refugees, and America’s moral obligations.
natecharles.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 6:05 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Who can stop Donald Trump?

I break down the failure of the courts, Congress, the impeachment process, and explain why the final check on presidential power is the voters.

natecharles.substack.com/p/who-can-st...

#RuleOfLaw #Democracy #Constitution #Impeachment #USPolitics
Who Can Actually Stop Donald Trump? The Constitutional Reality No One Wants to Face
Why the courts, Congress, and impeachment are failing—and why the final responsibility lands on the voters.
natecharles.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:43 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The FBI reportedly opened an inquiry into lawmakers based entirely on political speech. That’s a direct violation of the DIOG and the AG Guidelines.

This crosses a legal and institutional line.

natecharles.substack.com/p/fbi-invest...

#RuleOfLaw #Democracy #FBI #CivilLiberties #NationalSecurity
The FBI Has Crossed a Line
Why a New FBI Inquiry Into Lawmakers’ Speech Should Alarm Every American
natecharles.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:23 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The Naval Academy just fired its Commandant citing loss of confidence. The Navy knows that phrase is a black box.

I break down why this raises serious questions about political pressure on military leadership.

natecharles.substack.com/p/naval-acad...

#Military #NavalAcademy #RuleOfLaw #Democracy
What “Loss of Confidence” Really Means at the Naval Academy
A candid look at the firing of the Commandant—and the deeper risks to civil-military norms
natecharles.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:26 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
New immigration law resource just published: a full guide to Motions to Reopen—deadlines, exceptions, evidence requirements, and practitioner checklists.

Read here:
www.charlesinternationallaw.com/motions-to-r...

#ImmigrationLaw #Asylum #RemovalDefense #BIA #RuleOfLaw
Motions to Reopen in Immigration Court: Deadlines, Requirements, and How to File — Charles International Law
Learn when a motion to reopen is appropriate, the 90-day deadline and its exceptions, evidence requirements, and how to strengthen your case. This practitioner-focused guide covers changed country con...
www.charlesinternationallaw.com
November 25, 2025 at 6:50 AM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Mauritania remains a functioning caste state where slavery continues in practice, dissent is criminalized, and LGBTQ people live under a death penalty. The world pretends not to see it.

natecharles.substack.com/p/mauritania...

#Mauritania #HumanRights #Slavery #Asylum #Democracy

X / TWITTER
Mauritania: The Worst Country You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
How an African military dictatorship built on caste, slavery, and fear endures in silence — and why the world keeps looking away.
natecharles.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:28 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
A judge tossed the Trump-driven indictments against Comey + Letitia James as unlawful. The Pentagon is threatening to recall Sen. Mark Kelly for a court-martial.

Authoritarianism isn’t hiding.

open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#RuleOfLaw #Democracy #NationalSecurity
Come At Me: Mark Kelly, the Pentagon, and the Authoritarian Playbook
Why the Speech and Debate Clause Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Weaponize Military Law
open.substack.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:10 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Most immigrant visa cases must go through consular processing, and it’s unforgiving. Our new research guide covers NVC review, consular interviews, medical exams, and §221(g) delays.

Read here:
www.charlesinternationallaw.com/consular-pro...

#immigrationlaw #consularprocessing #NVC #visas
Consular Processing Overview | Immigrant Visa Guide & Legal Standards — Charles International Law
A clear, attorney-written guide to consular processing for immigrant visas. Learn how USCIS approval leads to National Visa Center (NVC) review, consular interviews, medical exams, admissibility check...
www.charlesinternationallaw.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The real legal standards around unlawful orders, why officers are obligated to refuse them, and why the GOP’s “sedition” narrative collapses immediately under constitutional analysis.

natecharles.substack.com/p/refusing-u...

#RuleOfLaw #UnlawfulOrders #NationalSecurity #MilitaryLaw #Democracy
Refusing Unlawful Orders: What the Law Actually Requires—And Why Republicans Are Dead Wrong
A Naval Academy–trained perspective on duty, constitutional limits, and the dangerous misuse of “sedition” in American politics.
natecharles.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:53 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Democratic senators just reminded everyone that U.S. service members and intelligence personnel have a legal duty to refuse unlawful orders. They’re absolutely right.

open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#UnlawfulOrders #Constitution #RuleOfLaw #NationalSecurity #Democracy
When Duty and Law Collide:
An Officer’s Obligation to Disobey
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 5:25 AM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Psychological abuse is legally recognized as persecution.
Death threats, intimidation, coercive control—none of this is “minor.”

Full analysis:
www.charlesinternationallaw.com/psychologica...

#AsylumLaw #HumanRights #ImmigrationLaw #RefugeeLaw #Persecution #LegalAnalysis
Psychological Abuse as Persecution in U.S. Asylum Law | Legal Standards & Key Cases — Charles International Law
A detailed legal guide to how psychological abuse—including credible death threats, intimidation, coercive control, and emotional harm—qualifies as persecution under U.S. asylum law. Covers key BIA an...
www.charlesinternationallaw.com
November 19, 2025 at 3:53 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Why do ordinary people turn toward authoritarian strongmen—often against their own long-term interests?
I break down the psychology behind the shift and how democracies can push back.

natecharles.substack.com/p/the-psycho...

#Authoritarianism #Democracy #Psychology #NationalSecurity #HumanRights
The Psychology of Authoritarianism
What drives ordinary people to embrace strongmen, and how to resist it
natecharles.substack.com
November 18, 2025 at 5:55 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
We’ve turned “socialism” and “communism” into catch-all political insults. The reality is more complicated—and more important. Here’s why the misuse matters:
open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#Politics #Democracy #Governance
Stop Misusing “Socialism” and “Communism” — Words That No Longer Mean Anything in American Politics
How both the left and the right have corrupted two technical economic terms into empty political weapons—and why that distortion is poisoning our national discourse.
open.substack.com
November 16, 2025 at 8:17 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
"The Librarians" exposes more than book bans. This is a coordinated effort to reshape public education into an engine for Christian nationalist ideology.

I break down the tactics, the danger, and why parallels to "The Handmaid’s Tale" are no longer academic.
natecharles.substack.com/p/the-librar...
The Librarians: A Documentary That Refuses to Look Away
Why This Film Matters More Than Its Marketing Suggests
natecharles.substack.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:11 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
A huge milestone with the New Glenn launch and booster recovery—proud of my brother Jordan and the whole Blue Origin team. Spaceflight isn’t just engineering; it reflects the curiosity and ambition that democracies depend on.

View the full piece:
natecharles.substack.com/p/why-spacef...
Why Spaceflight Still Matters
A successful New Glenn launch, a recovered booster, and what it all says about the values a democracy can’t afford to lose.
natecharles.substack.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:45 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The new Epstein files show Trump spent hours with a trafficking victim—but the real story is how we’ve stopped feeling it.

The “slow drip” is a propaganda technique—a controlled disclosure strategy designed to dull outrage.

open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#RuleOfLaw #Propaganda #ScandalFatigue
The Slow Drip Strategy: How Propaganda Numbs the Public
Why the Epstein email revelations about Trump are landing with a whisper, not a bang — and how scandal fatigue is being weaponized.
open.substack.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:00 AM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Veterans Day isn’t about flags or freebies.
It’s about an oath — not to a man, but to the Constitution.
And that oath still matters.

🎙️ Read or listen: open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#VeteransDay #RuleOfLaw #Democracy #TheOathStillMatters
The Oath Still Matters
A veteran reflects on why America’s promise is worth defending — and why blind loyalty threatens the ideals we swore to protect.
open.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:00 AM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Americans love spy stories but rarely understand the real rules.
There are only two laws that let the U.S. government tap your phone—and I’ve operated under both.
Read my breakdown of Title III, FISA, and how post-Watergate reforms still define modern surveillance:
open.substack.com/pub/natechar...
How the Government Can Legally Spy on You — and the Only Two Ways It’s Allowed To
Americans who read too many spy novels and watch too many crime shows tend to think surveillance is a shadowy free-for-all. It isn’t.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:41 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The Pentagon’s new “Legislative Affairs bottleneck” cuts Congress off from the information it needs to oversee U.S. military operations.

I explain why this order is almost certainly illegal—and why it threatens democratic accountability itself.

🔗 natecharles.substack.com/p/hegseth-pe...
Locked Out of the Pentagon
Why Pete Hegseth’s New Memo Is Almost Certainly Illegal — and a Direct Threat to Congressional Oversight
natecharles.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:55 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The newest CIL Research Library entry explains how U.S. asylum law protects LGBTQ+ people as a particular social group.

www.charlesinternationallaw.com/lgbtq-indivi...

#LGBTQ #AsylumLaw #HumanRights #CharlesInternationalLaw
LGBTQ+ Asylum in the United States | Particular Social Group Recognition & Legal Protections — Charles International Law
U.S. asylum law recognizes LGBTQ+ people as a “particular social group.” Learn how courts protect individuals persecuted for sexual orientation or gender identity, key case law like Matter of Toboso-A...
www.charlesinternationallaw.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:18 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
My marriage fell apart—because of my own mistakes.

Rebuilding my life changed how I understand privilege. It’s not about guilt. It’s about gratitude—and how you use it.

The real divide in America isn’t right or left. It’s giver or taker.

open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#Privilege #Resilience
My Marriage Fell Apart Because of My Own Mistake — And What It Taught Me About Privilege
A personal story about failure, rebuilding, and the difference between guilt and gratitude when it comes to privilege.
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:06 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
MAGA says: “We’re nothing like the Nazis.”
True — you’re not the Nazis of 1945.
You’re the Nazis of 1933.

A 2½-minute episode of The Rule of Law Brief explains why the comparison isn’t hysteria.

🎧 open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#RuleOfLaw #Democracy #HistoryRepeats #Podcast
Actually, Comparing MAGA to the Nazis Is Totally Reasonable.
Summary:
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 5:45 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
The Constitution was built on friction and compromise — not obedience and control.
My latest essay explores how MAGA’s authoritarian “my way or the highway” politics are fundamentally incompatible with the Framers’ design.

open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#Democracy #RuleOfLaw #FederalistPapers
We Compromise or We Die
How the Government Shutdown Highlights MAGA’s Incompatibility with the Framers’ Values
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 8:23 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Robert E. Lee wasn’t a tragic hero — he was a traitor.

My latest Substack examines how historians (including Erik Larson in Demons of Unrest) have repeated the same comforting fiction for 150 years — and why it’s time to end the myth of the “gentleman general.”

🔗 open.substack.com/pub/natechar...
Robert E. Lee Was a Horrible Human Being — And It’s Time to Stop Pretending Otherwise
American historians have treated treason as tragedy for 150 years. It’s long past time to tell the truth.
open.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 2:38 PM
charlesintl.bsky.social
Trump’s “America First” moves in Qatar and Argentina make sense on paper — but only by accident.

When ego drives policy, even good outcomes undermine credibility.

🔗 open.substack.com/pub/natechar...

#ForeignPolicy #NationalSecurity #McCain
Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Isn’t “America First.” It’s Donald Trump First.
His latest deals with Qatar and Argentina reveal a pattern of ego-driven politics masquerading as national strategy — sometimes right by accident, never by design.
open.substack.com
October 28, 2025 at 2:02 AM