Stephanie Willerton
@stephwillerton.bsky.social
Strategic comms for nonprofits/international orgs. Progressive politics. KC native. Former: PBSNews.bsky.social, ED.gov, U.S. Senate, two top PR firms and three tech companies. @mujschool.bsky.social and @fletcherschool.bsky.social mafias. Dog lover.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
✊🏼
An immigration court dropped its case against Turkish graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk, a little less than a year after federal agents arrested her on a street near Tufts University
Immigration Court Drops Case Against Tufts Student Rumeysa Ozturk
The Turkish national had been arrested by plainclothes federal officers outside her apartment.
on.wsj.com
February 10, 2026 at 1:21 AM
✊🏼
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
“Today, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that despite the justice system’s flaws, my case may give hope to those who have also been wronged by the U.S. govt," said Rümeysa Öztürk.
"When we openly talk about the many injustices around us ..., true justice will prevail.”
"When we openly talk about the many injustices around us ..., true justice will prevail.”
Immigration judge terminates removal proceedings against child development scholar Rümeysa Öztürk - ACLU of Massachusetts
Judge determines DHS lacks legal grounds to deport Ms. Öztürk, who was arrested and detained by ICE for co-authoring an op-ed
www.aclum.org
February 10, 2026 at 1:23 AM
“Today, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that despite the justice system’s flaws, my case may give hope to those who have also been wronged by the U.S. govt," said Rümeysa Öztürk.
"When we openly talk about the many injustices around us ..., true justice will prevail.”
"When we openly talk about the many injustices around us ..., true justice will prevail.”
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Massive theft. And with it, a power grab like none other we have seen in our history...one that has effectively smothered our democracy to death.
From 1975 to 2023, $79 trillion in wealth was transferred from the bottom 90% to the top 1%.
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum...
Trump, Extreme Wealth Concentration, and Our Societal Crisis | Common Dreams
The US government simply has not done enough to ensure that the livelihoods of all Americans are protected or improved in this new Gilded Age. What it has done is made sure the rich get richer by the ...
www.commondreams.org
February 9, 2026 at 3:17 PM
Massive theft. And with it, a power grab like none other we have seen in our history...one that has effectively smothered our democracy to death.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Immigration-rights attorneys will get to see for themselves the conditions inside the Whipple Federal Building and visit clients today following a judge’s ruling granting them access to the facility.
Immigration attorneys allowed to inspect ICE detention facility at Whipple Building after court order
They will be able to speak with clients during their visit on Monday.
bit.ly
February 9, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Immigration-rights attorneys will get to see for themselves the conditions inside the Whipple Federal Building and visit clients today following a judge’s ruling granting them access to the facility.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Question 4 is absolutely crucial.
NEW: Ghislaine Maxwell is set to invoke her Fifth Amendment rights and refuse to answer all questions related to Epstein, Trump, and more during tomorrow’s deposition. Rep. Ro Khanna has sent the following letter to Oversight Committee Chair James Comer in response:
February 8, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Question 4 is absolutely crucial.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Also: the deranged racism!
This is bleak: Jes Staley, currently CEO of Barclays, reassuring Epstein that popular revolt against financial elites is unlikely because capitalism and pop culture have defanged social movements, leaving people more invested in consumption than justice.
February 7, 2026 at 1:28 PM
Also: the deranged racism!
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Here’s a slightly clearer version with AltText—and the link to the original: www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
February 7, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Here’s a slightly clearer version with AltText—and the link to the original: www.justice.gov/epstein/file...
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
It doesn’t get any more disgusting than this.
February 7, 2026 at 8:41 PM
It doesn’t get any more disgusting than this.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
“Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last,” Becca Good said. “You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine.”
Renee Good's partner addresses Minneapolis immigration crackdown one month after killing
Becca Good has seldom spoken out since Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
nbcnews.to
February 7, 2026 at 9:00 PM
“Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last,” Becca Good said. “You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine.”
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Democratic Congressman Juan Vargas denied entry to the facility. Members of Congress have the legal right to enter and inspect federal detention facilities with no notice.
www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/n...
www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/n...
Note alleges harsh conditions in Otay Mesa Detention Center, congressman denied entry
A person being held at the Otay Mesa Detention Center threw a note attached to a lotion bottle over the fence, detailing allegations of bad food and constant sickness inside – one of several reports t...
www.nbcsandiego.com
February 8, 2026 at 1:22 AM
Democratic Congressman Juan Vargas denied entry to the facility. Members of Congress have the legal right to enter and inspect federal detention facilities with no notice.
www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/n...
www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/n...
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Exclusive: Detention Center Captives Are Throwing Lotion Bottles Wrapped With Notes to Organizers Outside Otay Mesa Facility ~ L.A. TACO
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh," an Otay Mesa captive communicated through handwritten note. "We are all in one big room with no doors...
lataco.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
SEN. OSSOFF: “.. why are roving gangs of masked men — who look like they couldn’t pass the Army physical exam — dressed up like pretend Delta Force operators, on our streets, demanding papers, dragging people from their cars, and shooting people to death?”
@acyn.bsky.social
@acyn.bsky.social
February 7, 2026 at 7:38 PM
SEN. OSSOFF: “.. why are roving gangs of masked men — who look like they couldn’t pass the Army physical exam — dressed up like pretend Delta Force operators, on our streets, demanding papers, dragging people from their cars, and shooting people to death?”
@acyn.bsky.social
@acyn.bsky.social
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
This is a blockbuster report. Last spring, the National Security Agency (NSA) detected evidence of an unusual phone call between an individual associated with foreign intelligence and a person close to Donald Trump, according to a whistleblower’s attorney briefed on the existence of the call.
NSA detected phone call between foreign intelligence and a person close to Trump
Whistleblower says that Tulsi Gabbard blocked agency from sharing report and delivered it to White House chief of staff
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 5:00 PM
This is a blockbuster report. Last spring, the National Security Agency (NSA) detected evidence of an unusual phone call between an individual associated with foreign intelligence and a person close to Donald Trump, according to a whistleblower’s attorney briefed on the existence of the call.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
There's a class of white folks that think it's unsophisticated to just call something or someone racist. It's why the political science discipline has so many synonyms for racist/racism. 😂🙃
I really wonder if there is a level of overt racism from the Trump Administration, whether rhetorical or as explicit basis for policy, that would get traditional media outlets like @nytimes.com and @washingtonpost.com and @cnn.com to say he’s being racist.
February 6, 2026 at 5:15 PM
There's a class of white folks that think it's unsophisticated to just call something or someone racist. It's why the political science discipline has so many synonyms for racist/racism. 😂🙃
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Reviewing video from Fulton County elections raid.
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
February 6, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Reviewing video from Fulton County elections raid.
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
This moment is bringing out the best in some of us (like this speaker) and bringing out the worst in others of us. This is a time for choosing to live a life that you're proud of, or not. ❤️
February 5, 2026 at 11:17 PM
This moment is bringing out the best in some of us (like this speaker) and bringing out the worst in others of us. This is a time for choosing to live a life that you're proud of, or not. ❤️
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
New Mexico has now outlawed the operation of DHS concentration camps on its soil. The largest single such facility, and the one where mysterious deaths now regularly occur, sits in Texas right up against the New Mexico border.
#NMGov Michelle Lujan Grisham has now signed the Immigrant Safety Act into law www.koat.com/article/new-...
The three House Dems who voted against it all sit in seats that went Harris+14 or better. The candidate filing deadline for the Democratic primary is March 17.
The three House Dems who voted against it all sit in seats that went Harris+14 or better. The candidate filing deadline for the Democratic primary is March 17.
A bill banning ICE from setting up detention centers in New Mexico has cleared the legislature, and Dem Gov. Michelle Lujan has said she'll sign it. But three Dems in the state House voted against it. From @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/i...
February 5, 2026 at 8:15 PM
New Mexico has now outlawed the operation of DHS concentration camps on its soil. The largest single such facility, and the one where mysterious deaths now regularly occur, sits in Texas right up against the New Mexico border.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Organizers of the National Prayer Breakfast invite Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez, the dictator of El Salvador, best know for his torture camps and friendly relations with drug cartels, as a featured speaker. The invitation is a good demonstration of the political values of Christian Nationalists.
February 5, 2026 at 2:19 PM
Organizers of the National Prayer Breakfast invite Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez, the dictator of El Salvador, best know for his torture camps and friendly relations with drug cartels, as a featured speaker. The invitation is a good demonstration of the political values of Christian Nationalists.
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Jeffrey Epstein’s brother Mark sent a tip to the FBI accusing Trump of authorizing his murder:
“I have reason to believe he was killed because he was about to name names. I believe Present Trump authorized is murder.“
“I have reason to believe he was killed because he was about to name names. I believe Present Trump authorized is murder.“
February 5, 2026 at 3:36 PM
Jeffrey Epstein’s brother Mark sent a tip to the FBI accusing Trump of authorizing his murder:
“I have reason to believe he was killed because he was about to name names. I believe Present Trump authorized is murder.“
“I have reason to believe he was killed because he was about to name names. I believe Present Trump authorized is murder.“
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
What could Trump and his allies gain from selling a fast track to legal status to wealthy foreigners?
Foreign nationals are prohibited from making political contributions to candidates, parties, PACs, and super PACs — but not if they are green card holders 🤔💰
Foreign nationals are prohibited from making political contributions to candidates, parties, PACs, and super PACs — but not if they are green card holders 🤔💰
Trump's "Gold Card" scheme sells visas to the highest bidder!
What happened to the land of opportunity?
It's not just unAmerican, it's ILLEGAL
One rule for working families ... Another for oligarchs
More👇 on why this case matters -TN
What happened to the land of opportunity?
It's not just unAmerican, it's ILLEGAL
One rule for working families ... Another for oligarchs
More👇 on why this case matters -TN
Trump administration sued over $1M ‘Gold Card’ visa scheme
Trump created an illegal ‘fast lane’ for wealthy foreigners at the expense of qualified immigrants who followed the rules, lawyers say
www.independent.co.uk
February 5, 2026 at 3:30 AM
What could Trump and his allies gain from selling a fast track to legal status to wealthy foreigners?
Foreign nationals are prohibited from making political contributions to candidates, parties, PACs, and super PACs — but not if they are green card holders 🤔💰
Foreign nationals are prohibited from making political contributions to candidates, parties, PACs, and super PACs — but not if they are green card holders 🤔💰
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
February 5, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell
Somewhat devastating news today from the CIA: One of CIA’s oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. There's not even a hint as to why they …
simonwillison.net
February 5, 2026 at 12:25 AM
The CIA just stopped publishing their World Factbook and took every page, including the archived copies of previous versions!
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
This sucks. It was public domain, so I recovered the 2020 edition (the last one published as a zip file) and shared it to GitHub simonwillison.net/2026/Feb/5/t...
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
Top Goldman lawyer referenced Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Russians’ in email ft.trib.al/5dGtaM8
Top Goldman lawyer referenced Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Russians’ in email
Exchanges are further evidence of Kathy Ruemmler’s apparent ties to convicted sex offender
ft.trib.al
February 5, 2026 at 3:40 AM
Top Goldman lawyer referenced Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Russians’ in email ft.trib.al/5dGtaM8
Reposted by Stephanie Willerton
This man is so awful.
Vance: There was a moment in the Oval Office, I wasn't even in there, but Trump was talking to Kaitlan Collins. Trump says, 'Why don't you ever smile?' And it's actually, like, so perceptive. Have some fun.
February 5, 2026 at 3:41 AM
This man is so awful.