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Here’s the highlight reel of the past week’s posts and events. Grab a cup of coffee and get ready to catch up on anything you may have missed.
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The Week Ahead: Five-year-old Liam Ramos and his Dad were released from immigration detention. The picture of Liam in his blue bunny hat and Spider Man backpack galvanized opposition to Trump’s mass detention policy. We need to keep their names and their stories on our lips every day: Renee Good, Alex Pretti, Liam Ramos and the others who have been victims of this administration’s brutality.
All My Mornings Are Mondays: “The constant onslaught of major news stories dropping all day Monday was extra—even for life during Trump.” Among those we tracked was DNI Tulsi Gabbard’s presence when DOJ executed its search warrant in Fulton County, Georgia. A story that continued to pick up steam all week.
Today in Court: An ICE lawyer, detailed to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis, was in court to handle a habeus petition from an immigrant who alleged they had been wrongfully detained. The Judge called out the government for a pattern of refusing to release people despite court orders requiring them to do so. "The system sucks, this job sucks," she told him. This is the story of that epic meltdown and some candid insight into what’s happening inside of DOJ.
Coffee with the Contrarians: I joined Norm Eisen and Jen Rubin to discuss the state of the democracy in light of current events.
Good for the Gander: In a one-sentence order, the Supreme Court signed off on California’s new electoral maps, a result of Proposition 50, which passed late last year, a response to the redistricting in Texas. “The real story is the origin of the gerrymander race to the bottom with Donald Trump’s demand that Republicans hold onto a Republican majority in the House with unprecedented midterm redistricting plans, based on nothing other than raw partisan politics. Trump believes politicians can choose their voters, and that they can deny voters the ability to decide who to elect. We can’t lose sight of that just because California blocked this particular effort. This is about Donald Trump, who is determined to hold onto power, no matter what voters want.
We Are Not Nazis: In an October column, I asked the question, Are We the Nazis Now? Tracing the uptick in ICE’s unlawful, paramilitary behavior between then and now, and understanding what’s happening through the stories of people like Alberto Castañeda Mondragón, we can be proud that an increasing number of American’s are refusing to go where Trump wants to take us.
Five Questions with Justice Connection Founder Stacey Young: An articulate view of the Justice Department’s mission and what each of us can do to support prosecutors across the country who are trying to do their jobs and protect us despite what this administration is doing to eviscerate the Department.
Stress and Chickens: A little chicken zen
These are complicated legal times, and it’s easy for the truth to get lost in the chaos. Civil Discourse doesn’t just track today’s headlines—it connects them to the legal and political history that explains why they matter. We won’t forget what’s at stake, or let Trump and his allies rewrite the past. You can subscribe to Civil Discourse for free and get clear analysis that helps you see the whole picture, delivered straight to your inbox. If you’re in a position to, your paid subscription helps me devote the time and resources it takes to write the newsletter. That means everyone has access to information they can share with friends and family—a constructive act we can all participate in right now, helping more Americans understand how critical this moment is.
We’re in this together,
Joyce
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