Isaac Speer
@isaacspeer.bsky.social
Continuing Lecturer in UCLA's Sociology Department
Pinned
Isaac Speer
@isaacspeer.bsky.social
· Jun 14
"The road to authoritarianism is littered with people telling you you're overreacting." - MN Governor Tim Walz
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Bovino’s retirement needs to be a cage. His command environment yielded Renee Good’s death, Alex Pretti’s death & Julio Sosa-Celis’ shooting. Failure to prosecute Bovino & everyone else materially responsible for these atrocities will be understood by ICE, CBP, etc as a green light for the next ones
January 27, 2026 at 1:53 AM
Bovino’s retirement needs to be a cage. His command environment yielded Renee Good’s death, Alex Pretti’s death & Julio Sosa-Celis’ shooting. Failure to prosecute Bovino & everyone else materially responsible for these atrocities will be understood by ICE, CBP, etc as a green light for the next ones
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The killing of Alex Pretti and the grotesque lying was an overreach by the administration. They've paid a price and had to pull back a bit. But it's when there's some disarray that the democratic opposition needs to intensify the offensive, and turn a marginal tactical success into a major victory.
January 26, 2026 at 10:56 PM
The killing of Alex Pretti and the grotesque lying was an overreach by the administration. They've paid a price and had to pull back a bit. But it's when there's some disarray that the democratic opposition needs to intensify the offensive, and turn a marginal tactical success into a major victory.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced the Democrats have to push their hand immediately. The parallels with the delays and subsequent failures after January 6th are blaring warning signs about what will happen if they don’t go after the issues with ICE and CBP at the root RIGHT NOW.
January 26, 2026 at 11:35 PM
The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced the Democrats have to push their hand immediately. The parallels with the delays and subsequent failures after January 6th are blaring warning signs about what will happen if they don’t go after the issues with ICE and CBP at the root RIGHT NOW.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The people of Minnesota have executed one of the most impressive civil resistance campaigns I can remember:
- Organized a city wide general strike
- Maintained nonviolent discipline amidst violence
- Mobilized 10,000s in subzero temps to protest and watch ICE
- Flipped public opinion against ICE
- Organized a city wide general strike
- Maintained nonviolent discipline amidst violence
- Mobilized 10,000s in subzero temps to protest and watch ICE
- Flipped public opinion against ICE
January 26, 2026 at 4:17 PM
The people of Minnesota have executed one of the most impressive civil resistance campaigns I can remember:
- Organized a city wide general strike
- Maintained nonviolent discipline amidst violence
- Mobilized 10,000s in subzero temps to protest and watch ICE
- Flipped public opinion against ICE
- Organized a city wide general strike
- Maintained nonviolent discipline amidst violence
- Mobilized 10,000s in subzero temps to protest and watch ICE
- Flipped public opinion against ICE
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The murder of Alex Pretti might prove to be a political turning point for the GOP. It should be a turning point for Dems, too. For the current leadership, and the consultant-industrial complex, which just fatally endangered the careers of seven members who chose to put morality last.
A Failure In Plain Sight
Who, if anyone, will acknowledge the obvious, and do something about it?
www.offmessage.net
January 26, 2026 at 4:30 PM
The murder of Alex Pretti might prove to be a political turning point for the GOP. It should be a turning point for Dems, too. For the current leadership, and the consultant-industrial complex, which just fatally endangered the careers of seven members who chose to put morality last.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
We have reached the point where any statement made by a Trump administration official must be assumed to be a lie until proven otherwise.
January 25, 2026 at 8:46 PM
We have reached the point where any statement made by a Trump administration official must be assumed to be a lie until proven otherwise.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Remember the Bundy insanity during the Obama years? Armed guys occupied a federal office and one of their buddies took position with a sniper rifle aimed at federal agents?
Exactly how many of those guys were shot and killed?
Exactly how many of those guys were shot and killed?
January 25, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Remember the Bundy insanity during the Obama years? Armed guys occupied a federal office and one of their buddies took position with a sniper rifle aimed at federal agents?
Exactly how many of those guys were shot and killed?
Exactly how many of those guys were shot and killed?
Reposted by Isaac Speer
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
January 25, 2026 at 12:28 PM
A reminder to the news media: “conflicting accounts” is what you say BEFORE the incontrovertible video evidence appears. After that, your job is to ask why one side is lying, not to repeat the lie and pretend no one knows the truth.
Wow, they are really going with the "he had a gun" line to justify murdering an innocent man. I really hope some of the 2nd-amendment fanatics are paying attention and realizing that this current regime is their worst nightmare come alive.
January 25, 2026 at 5:13 PM
Wow, they are really going with the "he had a gun" line to justify murdering an innocent man. I really hope some of the 2nd-amendment fanatics are paying attention and realizing that this current regime is their worst nightmare come alive.
So much for the 2nd amendment.
January 25, 2026 at 4:47 PM
So much for the 2nd amendment.
The Democrats' Kabuki opposition to Trump is incredibly infuriating. They think they can trick us into thinking they're opposing while continuing to enable this authoritarian regime.
January 23, 2026 at 5:09 PM
The Democrats' Kabuki opposition to Trump is incredibly infuriating. They think they can trick us into thinking they're opposing while continuing to enable this authoritarian regime.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
In the last 24 hours, we have learned that the regime's secret police claim powers to enter homes without a warrant, thus ignoring the Bill of Rights, and that the regime arrested and deported students for their Constitutionally protected speech.
There is no ambiguity about what is going on here.
There is no ambiguity about what is going on here.
We are so far past the Rubicon that it isn't worth having a discussion anymore as to whether Trump is acting as an authoritarian. The only question is whether we have the strength and courage to get back to the other side.
January 23, 2026 at 5:05 PM
In the last 24 hours, we have learned that the regime's secret police claim powers to enter homes without a warrant, thus ignoring the Bill of Rights, and that the regime arrested and deported students for their Constitutionally protected speech.
There is no ambiguity about what is going on here.
There is no ambiguity about what is going on here.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
I don't know man. It feels both small ball and existential simultaneously. It's true that it ultimately would have passed regardless. But are we really a party that can't unify against the fascist secret police? What are we doing here? What is the point of an opposition party if we just accept this?
January 23, 2026 at 3:02 PM
I don't know man. It feels both small ball and existential simultaneously. It's true that it ultimately would have passed regardless. But are we really a party that can't unify against the fascist secret police? What are we doing here? What is the point of an opposition party if we just accept this?
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Don't forget the Supreme Court's role facilitating ICE's brutality and racism in Minneapolis. SCOTUS lifted an injunction that limited racial profiling in immigration enforcement on Sept. 8. The federal assault on Chicago began the next day. Then came the Twin Cities. SCOTUS greenlit these horrors.
January 23, 2026 at 3:54 PM
Don't forget the Supreme Court's role facilitating ICE's brutality and racism in Minneapolis. SCOTUS lifted an injunction that limited racial profiling in immigration enforcement on Sept. 8. The federal assault on Chicago began the next day. Then came the Twin Cities. SCOTUS greenlit these horrors.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
We TOLD you they were wrong on the facts and the law and would lose in court. We TOLD universities to stand firm on their commitments…1/? www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...
ED Drops Appeal of Order Blocking Anti-DEI Guidance
First Amendment advocates and higher ed leaders are declaring victory, and some say it’s the “final defeat” of Trump’s attempt to rid colleges of race-based student supports.
www.insidehighered.com
January 23, 2026 at 3:57 PM
We TOLD you they were wrong on the facts and the law and would lose in court. We TOLD universities to stand firm on their commitments…1/? www.insidehighered.com/news/governm...
Is there a good explanation for why Trump 2 is falling short of deportations under prior presidents despite having a seemingly far more aggressive deportation policy? 1/2
January 23, 2026 at 1:14 AM
Is there a good explanation for why Trump 2 is falling short of deportations under prior presidents despite having a seemingly far more aggressive deportation policy? 1/2
This is dystopian! Its bad enough that we cannot trust images or video anymore because of generative AI. It's even worse when the state itself is distorting reality in this way.
The White House posted an edited photo of the activist involved in the Minneapolis church protest, made to look like she was crying.
January 22, 2026 at 10:07 PM
This is dystopian! Its bad enough that we cannot trust images or video anymore because of generative AI. It's even worse when the state itself is distorting reality in this way.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
I will repeat: It is not obvious, based on the data, that campaigning on the economy in Nov would be significantly more effective than campaigning on immigration. Gov. policy is dramatically out of step with the public on immigration/deportations, and executive overreach is a potent motivator
January 22, 2026 at 6:31 PM
I will repeat: It is not obvious, based on the data, that campaigning on the economy in Nov would be significantly more effective than campaigning on immigration. Gov. policy is dramatically out of step with the public on immigration/deportations, and executive overreach is a potent motivator
Reposted by Isaac Speer
The elites and institutions have folded but regular people haven’t
I know people keep saying this but it’s hard to communicate the depth of active resistance here. Like, I’m on random cafes and people are checking in for observation shifts. Signs everywhere. Folks in visibility vests on the corners. It’s wild. Absolutely wild.
January 22, 2026 at 4:48 PM
The elites and institutions have folded but regular people haven’t
THIS IS NOT NORMAL
January 22, 2026 at 5:23 PM
THIS IS NOT NORMAL
Reposted by Isaac Speer
It’s hard to accurately describe what is happening in Minneapolis without sounding crazy.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
January 22, 2026 at 2:12 PM
It’s hard to accurately describe what is happening in Minneapolis without sounding crazy.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
Unmarked rental vans all over the city, with people in military gear and no id jumping out of them to take captive anyone who looks nonwhite or who makes political speech they disagree with.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
This is a gross abuse of power. The federal government is picking and choosing who to investigate – going after protestors and not the person who shot and killed one of our neighbors. I am calling for Nekima to be released immediately. www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
AG Pam Bondi: Nekima Levy Armstrong arrested over disrupting ICE pastor's church services
Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday announced that Nekima Levy Armstrong has been arrested in connection with the disruption of services at a church where a local official with U.S. Immigration and...
www.cbsnews.com
January 22, 2026 at 3:18 PM
This is a gross abuse of power. The federal government is picking and choosing who to investigate – going after protestors and not the person who shot and killed one of our neighbors. I am calling for Nekima to be released immediately. www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...
Reposted by Isaac Speer
I would argue that the case for dismantling ICE has, at this point, virtually nothing to do with larger questions of immigration enforcement and reform, it's just clearly incompatible with a free and democratic society to maintain a secret police force with sweeping and arbitrary authority.
Senator Gallego weighs in as well. Note that at the start of 2025 he was considered a *moderate* on immigration and co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act. Him and many other Dems have been increasingly horrified at what ICE is doing and shifted away from a "more enforcement" focus.
January 21, 2026 at 11:09 PM
I would argue that the case for dismantling ICE has, at this point, virtually nothing to do with larger questions of immigration enforcement and reform, it's just clearly incompatible with a free and democratic society to maintain a secret police force with sweeping and arbitrary authority.
Reposted by Isaac Speer
Shouting "Justice for Renee Good" in a church leads to quick arrests. Actually killing Renee Good leads to a walk. And they wonder why people are protesting an ICE pastor.
(more on the protest here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...)
(more on the protest here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...)
AG Pam Bondi announces two arrests in the Cities Church incident, which has been a dominant story in MAGA circles
January 22, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Shouting "Justice for Renee Good" in a church leads to quick arrests. Actually killing Renee Good leads to a walk. And they wonder why people are protesting an ICE pastor.
(more on the protest here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...)
(more on the protest here: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/protesters...)
Reposted by Isaac Speer
look what they’re doing to my city. apologies for the camerawork
January 21, 2026 at 10:28 PM
look what they’re doing to my city. apologies for the camerawork