Podcasts about customs enforcement

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using a variety of tools to surveil folks they want to intimidate and apprehend. That web helps federal agents find people to deport. But it also allows them to identify U.S. citizens who criticize the federal government and its policies.NPR has compiled dozens of stories of people caught up in the surveillance web. Some were monitoring ICE activities and found themselves in interactions with agents who identify them by their names and home addresses. NPR's Scott Detrow talks with Meg Anderson and Jude Joffe-Block who have been collecting the stories, and tracking ICE's surveillance tactics.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Reporting from NPR's Kat Lonsdorf contributed to this story. This episode was produced by Gabriel Sanchez and Karen Zamora, with audio engineering by Ted Mebane. It was edited by Alina Hartounian, John Ketchum and Sarah Handel.Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below:See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

DAMIONBroadcom CEO Pay Soars to $205.3 Million After AI-Fueled Rally. WHO DO YOU BLAME?The workers: “The median of the annual total compensation of all our employees is $378,281. Therefore, the Ratio calculated in accordance with Item 402(u) of Regulation S-K is 543 to 1.”Board chair Henry Samueli: completely non-independent.Owns $27B of Broadcom stockDirector Since: 2016. Chairman of the Board since 2018. served as Chief Technical Officer (2016-2018)co-founded Broadcom Corporation in 1991 and held several executive leadership positions at Broadcom Corporation until its acquisition by Broadcom Inc.Compensation Committee chair Harry L. You337,162,605 against votes at 2025 AGMThe other 8 directors combined: 252,626,537Annoyingly preoccupied:Current RolesChairman: Rain Enhancement Technologies Holdco, Inc.Executive Chairman: Berto Acquisition Corp. (2025 – Present)Interim CEO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2025 – Present)CFO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2022 – Present)Chairman: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc.Past Roles (Operating Companies)Vice Chairman: GTY Technology (2019 – 2022)Director: IonQ, Inc. (2021 – 2025)Director: Coupang, Inc. (2021 – 2023)Director: Genius Sports Limited (2021 – 2022)Director: Rush Street Interactive, Inc. (2019 – 2022)Director: Korn/Ferry International (2005 – 2016)Past Roles (SPACs)Co-CEO: dMY Squared Technology Group, Inc. (2022 – 2023)Director: Coliseum Acquisition Corp. (2023 – 2024)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI (2021 – 2023)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. II (2020 – 2021)Director: dMY Technology Group, Inc. IV (2020 – 2021)CEO Hock E. TanMcDonald's CEO awkwardly samples his company's new burger in viral videoThe disgusting food at McDonald'sHyper-Salinity: Contains up to 75% of daily sodium in one meal, causing immediate "salt bloat" and dehydration.Low Moisture: High salt and thin patties "mummify" the meat, preventing natural decay and creating a "plastic" texture.Dough Conditioners: Buns use enzymes and monoglycerides to stay unnaturally soft and shelf-stable for weeks.Insulin Spikes: Added sugars (dextrose/HFCS) in the buns trigger rapid blood sugar crashes and lethargy.Industrial Additives: Use of sodium citrate (for plastic-like cheese melt) and antifoaming agents (in frying oils).Flash-Freezing: Destroys meat cell structures, resulting in a gray, rubbery texture rather than a juicy sear.The McDonald's attack on societyThe "Bliss Point": Engineered ratios of salt/sugar/fat that override the brain's "full" signal, feeling predatory rather than nourishing.The Uncanny Valley: Extreme consistency makes the food feel "fake" or "soulless" compared to artisanal, imperfect meals.Industrial Stigma: Global face of factory farming, mass land use, and high methane emissions.Disposable Culture: The lack of dining ritual (eating fast in a car/bag) leads to a psychological "guilt" or "grossness" post-consumption.Commodity Perception: Ultra-low pricing subconsciously signals "low quality" or "trash" ingredients to the brain.The controversial stain of CEO Chris Kempczinski"Failed Parents" Texts (2021): Leaked texts to Chicago's Mayor blaming the parents of Jaslyn Adams (7) and Adam Toledo (13) for their shooting deaths, stating they "failed those kids."The "Numbers Don't Matter" Remark: Reportedly told Black executives "numbers don't matter" when confronted with the decline of Black leadership from 42 to 7 executives.$10B Byron Allen Settlement (2025): Settled a massive racial stereotyping lawsuit regarding the company's refusal to contract with Black-owned media.VP "Purge" Allegations: Lawsuits from high-ranking female executives alleging a "war against the African American community" via demotions and ad-spend cuts.Peaster Retaliation Case: Allegations that Kempczinski "shunned" his Head of Security for challenging his "racist" texts during a company town hall.The "Franchisee Gap": Confirmed a $400,000 annual cash-flow deficit between Black-owned and White-owned franchises.Enforcement Loophole: Revealed that "Global Brand Standards" are largely unenforceable suggestions for the 95% of restaurants owned by franchisees.DEI Backsliding: Criticized for quietly removing DEI goals from executive bonus structures shortly after the audit concluded."Tough Love" Comments (2026): Blasted for "corporate gaslighting" after telling workers "nobody cares about your career as much as you do.""Broke Customer" Blame: Attributed declining sales to "low-income/broke" consumers while simultaneously defending aggressive menu price hikes.Predatory Pricing Tactics: Leaked internal documents showed teams targeting "budget-constrained" families with high-margin "add-on" items.Extreme Pay Inequality: Scrutiny over an $18–$20M compensation package, creating a 1,200:1 pay ratio compared to median workers.Franchisee Revolts: Intense friction over $70M in new tech fees and the 2025 cut of $100M in subsidies for worker tuition and Happy Meals.Cultural Legacy: Ongoing criticism for failing to dismantle the "boys' club" atmosphere inherited from predecessor Steve Easterbrook.Lead Independent Director Miles D. WhiteDirector since 2009.What was really behind Jack Dorsey laying off nearly half of Block's staff? CEO cited AI advances in cutting 4,000 workers, but a weak crypto market and declining stock price may also be at play. WHO DO YOU BLAME?Co-founder and CEO and Chair Jack Dorsey: 46% influence/41% voting powerIt is also the Board's duty to oversee senior management in the competent and ethical operation of the Company … ensure that the Company is committed to business excellence, ethical and honest conduct, and the highest levels of integrity.”Gender Diversity: The benchmark we reference for gender diversity is 50% representation for women.Board is 30% with 5% influenceLeadership is 27%Co-founder and director James McKelvey: 35% influence/10% voting powerThe Classified board structureThe Class B shares worth 10 votes (co-founders control 99.6% of these shares, Dorsey with 80%)Would have lost management vote on 2025 Equity Incentive Plan769,264,245:171,645,010… 171,343,335:171,645,010Jay-ZGEO Group leadership transitionOn February 6, 2026, J. David Donahue, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, provided notice to The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO” or the “Company”) of his retirement effective February 28, 2026 (the “Separation Date”).(i) $104,167 per month commencing on March 1, 2026 and continuing through February 28, 2028 in accordance with the terms of the Consultant Agreement(ii) health insurance premiums for himself and any covered dependents for up to twenty-four (24) months(iii) the outstanding unvested stock options and restricted stock previously granted to Mr. Donahue will continue to vestOn February 9, 2026, George C. Zoley, GEO's founder and Executive Chairman, was appointed Chief Executive Officer effective March 1, 2026$1.2M/200%/300%Days after Trump's 2024 reelection—which private prison companies funded to the tune of over $1 million—Zoley hailed the “unprecedented opportunity” of the incoming administration's mass deportation campaign.“The GEO Group was built for this unique moment in our company's [and] country's history, and the opportunity that it will bring,” he beamed.George C. Zoley founded GEO in 1984; was appointed Executive Chairman on July 1, 2021; served as CEO from the time the Company went public in 1994 through June 2021; served as Chairman since May 2002; served as Vice Chair from January 1997 to May 2002. Prior to 1994, he served as President and Director from the Company's incorporation in 1988Feb 2026: completed a US$92.45 million share buybackWHO DO YOU BLAME?The GEO Group Emperor: George C. Zoley 84% influence!founded GEO in 1984; Chair (2002-2021); Executive Chair (2021-present); CEO (1994-2021); Vice Chair (1997-2002). Prior to 1994, Director (1988-)3% stock ownerThe Trump bromance:Days after Trump's 2024 reelection—which private prison companies funded to the tune of over $1 million—Zoley hailed the “unprecedented opportunity” of the incoming administration's mass deportation campaign: “The GEO Group was built for this unique moment in our company's [and] country's history, and the opportunity that it will bring,” he beamed.Pam Bondi: The current Attorney General was a former lobbyist for The GEO GroupA GEO Group subsidiary, GEO Acquisition II Inc., donated $1 million to a pro-Trump Super PAC. Additionally, the company contributed $500,000 to the 2025 inaugural committee—double what it gave for the 2017 inaugurationThe economic opportunism of private prisons with ICE contracts2/13/26: Private prison company GEO Group on Thursday reported a company record of $254 million in profit last year—a roughly 700% increase over 2024—driven by asset sales and contracts with the Trump administration to build several new US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention facilities across the US.The top 4 sleepy institutional investors (34%)Blackrock 13.8% Vanguard 9.5% Wolf Hill Capital Management 5.5% FMR 5.0%The CEO clown car after June 2021 meant to keep Zoley powerfulJose Gordo (1/1/21-12/31/23); was also directorBrian Evans (1/1/24-12/31/24); was not directorJ. David Donahue CEO (1/1/25-2/28/26); was not directorThe intentionally incompetent Compensation Committee in charge of succession planning2025 proxy: Jack Brewer (Chairman), Thomas C. Bartzokis, Scott Kernan, Terry MayotteBrewer is former NFL playerBartzokis is cardiologistKernan is Agency Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and RehabilitationMayotte has stepped down2024 proxy: Terry Mayotte (Chairman), Thomas C. Bartzokis, Scott Kernan, Andrew Shapiro2023 proxy: Terry Mayotte (Chairman), Anne N. Foreman, Andrew Shapiro2022 proxy: Richard H. Glanton (Chairman), Anne N. Foreman, Terry Mayotte2021 proxy: Richard H. Glanton (Chairman), Jose Gordo, Duane Helkowski, Guido Van HauwermeirenGEO Group's weird lack of transparency: maybe the only public website or investors website i've ever seen that does not list management or board membershttps://www.geogroup.com/about-us/management_team/Page not found :(Sam Altman Is Realizing He Made a Gigantic Mistake"Opportunistic and sloppy."OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is continuing his apology tour, conceding OpenAI "shouldn't have rushed" its Department of Defense deal.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman went into full damage control mode over the weekend. A day before the United States attacked Iran, the embattled CEO announced that the company had signed a new agreement with the Pentagon over how its AI models could be used — and the blowback is clearly impacting the company's bottom line, because Altman is sounding deeply defensive.Many users saw the military terms move as an attempt to swoop in and yank a multibillion-dollar government contract from the clutches of its rival, Anthropic. Last week, Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei refused to give in to the Department of Defense's demands, drawing a line in the sand and insisting that its AI models may not be used for autonomous killing machines or mass surveillance of Americans, a decision lauded by many users of its chatbot Claude.WHO DO YOU BLAME?Sam AltmanWAR WITH IRANA “business”-”man” (baby) running the country used to transaction approach to everything, including trading young girls with Epstein, leads the US into war with Iran for speculative and imaginary reasons - WHO DO YOU BLAME??Founder fetish (President/CEO!)Sycophantic boards (Congress!)Investors (Voters!)China! (China!)

More than 70 Democrats in the House and Senate are pushing the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general to open a new investigation into the agency's “warrantless purchases of Americans' location data.” In a letter sent Tuesday, the lawmakers tasked IG Joseph Cuffari with investigating whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement is purchasing illegally obtained location data about Americans, how that data has been used, whether audits of employee access to uncover abuse are occurring and the policies governing data usage. “Location data is extremely sensitive, and can reveal someone's religion, their political views, medical conditions, addictions, and with whom they spend time,” the Democrats said. “It is for that reason that ordinarily, the government must obtain a warrant from a judge in order to demand such data from phone or technology companies.” The letter comes nearly three years after an initial IG report found that Customs and Border Protection, the Secret Service and ICE violated federal law through warrantless purchase and use of location data. As part of that 2023 report, the watchdog office said the DHS components did not adhere to established privacy policies, nor did they develop sufficient guardrails before procurement and use. The chief information officer at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency announced his departure Tuesday, ending his nearly five-year run at CISA. Robert Costello, an 18-year veteran of the Department of Homeland Security, posted about the move on LinkedIn.nCostello's tenure had recently grown turbulent, with conflicting accounts of whether the since-departed acting director of CISA, Madhu Gottumukkala, had tried to force him out. Costello last week received transfer orders for possible reassignment to another agency. “Serving as CIO at CISA has been one of the greatest privileges of my career,” he said. “Together, we strengthened our cybersecurity posture, modernized critical systems, and built capabilities that will endure. I am incredibly proud of what we accomplished as a team. The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon. If you want to hear more of the latest from Washington, subscribe to The Daily Scoop Podcast  on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify and YouTube.

The Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, the federal government headquarters for U.S. Immigration Court and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, isn't part of Historic Fort Snelling, but it sits on a small, unincorporated swath of land known as the Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory. Reporter Chris Vondracek talks with host Erica Pearson about the troubled history of that land, including the first arrival of the U.S. government to this area.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended her department's immigration enforcement tactics in front of a Senate committee on Tuesday and pushed back against criticism from Democrats who say she wrongly disparaged two protesters killed by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier this year.It was Noem's first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of the two protesters galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration is executing its mass deportation agenda, a centerpiece policy of President Donald Trump's second term. At the time, Noem portrayed the protesters, two U.S. citizens, as agitators, although accounts from local officials and bystander video contradicted assertions from her and other administration officials.In one exchange, retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina called her leadership a “disaster” and skewered her handling of the immigration crackdown and her management of emergency response.In the hearing, which stretched nearly five hours, Noem defended her agency's treatment of immigrants caught up in enforcement activities, and blamed activists and others for attacks against officers.“I want to address the dangerous environment that our ICE officers face on the streets today," Noem said. “They are facing a serious and escalating threat as a result of deliberate mischaracterizations of their heroic work and rhetoric that demonizes our law enforcement.”Since the deaths in Minneapolis, the administration has taken steps meant to tone down tensions, including drawing down the operation there. But the administration has continued pressing restrictions against both legal and illegal immigration, has been buying up warehouses for immigration detention and persisting in federal enforcement in areas around the country. Noem said about 650 investigators remain in Minnesota as part of a broader fraud probe.The immigration tactics of Noem's department have triggered a clash in Congress over its routine funding, which remains unresolved, although a spending bill passed last year granted it a significant infusion of cash for the Republican administration's mass deportation policy. Noem called the partial shutdown “reckless” and blamed Democrats for a move she said put national security at risk.Her appearance in front of the Judiciary Committee also comes after a weekend shooting at a bar in Texas that is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, leading to concerns that the escalating conflict in Iran could have repercussions for security in the U.S.Noem blames chaotic situation for her characterization of killed protestersIn what was initially billed as an effort to root out fraud in Minnesota, Homeland Security sent hundreds of officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to the state. They were met by protesters who organized marches, patrolled neighborhoods for ICE activity with whistles and ferried food to immigrants too afraid to leave their homes.Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed by an ICE officer on Jan. 7, setting off intense protests demanding an end to the operation. Then on Jan. 24, Customs and Border Protection officers opened fire on another Minnesota resident, Alex Pretti, who had been filming enforcement operations.Those deaths led to cries for accountability and transparency. Noem, whose initial comments portrayed both Good and Pretti as the aggressors, has come under withering criticism by Democrats and some Republicans, who have called for her to resign.Democrats repeatedly questioned Noem about her initial comments and called on her to apologize.“You and your agency rushed to brand these victims as, quote, domestic terrorists,” said Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, the top Democrat on the committee. “We have ample video evidence and eyewitness testimony proving you are wrong. Your statements caused immeasurable pain to these families.”Noem said she was relying on information from people on the scene and blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos officers encountered.“I was getting reports from the ground from agents at the scene, and I would say that it was a chaotic scene,” she said.After public outrage over the deaths, Trump sent border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to take control of operations. Homan has since announced a drawdown of the ICE and CBP officers who had been sent to Minnesota to carry out what had been dubbed Operation Metro Surge, although he's been adamant that the president's mass deportation agenda will continue.Noem also faced some Republican criticismRepublicans largely kept the focus on the large numbers of migrants who came into the country under former President Joe Biden, portraying Noem as the leader of a cleanup effort of the former administration's mess.But she did come under some harsh questioning by members of her own party. Tillis, who called on Noem to resign following the shootings in Minneapolis, criticized her for erroneously arresting American citizens, for failures in her disaster recovery agency and for how she shot her own dog.“What we've seen is a disaster under your leadership, Miss Noem, a disaster," Tillis said. “What we've seen is innocent people getting detained that turn out are American citizens.”Tillis, who has already announced that he is not running for another term., added: “We're beginning to get the American people to think that deporting people is wrong. It's the exact opposite. The way you're going about deporting them is wrong."Another Republican, Sen. John Kennedy from Louisiana, also pushed her to explain why her department paid more than $200 million for an ad campaign she appeared in last year encouraging migrants to leave the country voluntarily and questioned whether Trump knew about the price tag ahead of time.Noem, who is set to appear Wednesday in front of a House committee, defended those ads, saying they were effective and went through the regular department bidding process.“Well, they were effective in your name recognition,” Kennedy said.

Some protestors learned their fate after being arrested earlier this month for refusing to leave an Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in Williston and then, the story of some faith leaders in New England who are focusing more on immigrants' rights in the wake of a Vermont pastor's detainment by ICE 

The family of Arben Pilici has filed a lawsuit against DeKalb County after he suffocated during a 2024 welfare check at his home. On today's “Closer Look,” we hear from two of the attorneys representing the family and learn more about DeKalb’s Mobile Crisis Unit and the type of police restraint that led to Pilici’s death. Also, two Georgia Democratic lawmakers are resisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement's ongoing efforts to establish large-scale ICE detention centers in Georgia. “Closer Look” host Rose Scott talks with Georgia State Senator Jaha Howard, who has introduced Senate Bill 517 and Senate Bill 549. We also hear from South Fulton Councilmember Helen Zenobia Willis, who recently introduced a resolution to ban warehouses in South Fulton.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Air Wisconsin Survives by Serving ICE Paul Kiefer (photo courtesy wisconsinwatch.org) Across the country, regional short-hop airlines face potential extinction, as rising costs, pilot shortages and industry upsizing of commercial aircraft have led to air carriers dumping markets like Toledo, Ohio and Erie, Pennsylvania.  A recent analysis by Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting shows that major carriers have stopped serving over 74 small and mid-sized cities since 2020.  Here in Wisconsin, one regional carrier, Air Wisconsin, has managed to survive by catering to a new client: the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.  Paul Kiefer focuses on immigration and data reporting for Wisconsin Watch, and he's put together a deep analysis of Air Wisconsin's new flight patterns.  Paul Kiefer joined Monday Buzz host Brian Standing on March 2, 2026. Image of Air Wisconsin’s travel routes after its acquisition by CSI courtesy Paul Kiefer and Wisconsin Watch Did you enjoy this story? Your funding makes great, local journalism like this possible. Donate hereThe post Air Wisconsin Survives by Serving ICE appeared first on WORT-FM 89.9.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not move forward with a detention center in Lebanon, Wilson County. Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto lays out the timeline, beginning with a call from a reporter."Maybe this is a thing that we can try to figure out more about," he said. Hutto, along with other county officials and concerned citizens, began their search for answers. Hutto and Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell met with the senior counsel for the Department of Homeland Security. DHS confirmed they were looking at a facility in Wilson County, primarily in Lebanon. Hutto was concerned about the footprint of the facility so close to schools, churches and daycares."The safety factor was very much a problem. Then the workforce, the 16,000 people that would be detained there. They would need 4,000+ employees to be able to manage it. I'm the second lowest unemployment county in the state of Tennessee so I don't have the workforce," he said. Hutto said he was satisfied with the result."We saw no advantage to have this in the city. State, local and federal leaders listened. Even the people at DHS. They listened to what we said our community wanted." NewsChannel 5+ can be seen of Comcast/Xfinity Ch. 250, Spectrum/Charter Ch. 182 and over the air on Ch. 5.2. Inside Politics also streams live Fridays at 7pm and Saturdays at 3pm on our website: https://www.newschannel5.com/live3 as well as the NewsChannel 5 Now app on Connected TVs through Roku, AppleTV, AndroidTV, etc. The episode will air throughout the weekend on NewsChannel 5+ Sat. at 5:30am, 3pm, Sun. at 1am, 9am, 7pm, Mon. at 2:30pm and Tues., 3pm unless pre-empted. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

-- On the Show -- Senator John Cornyn and Attorney General Ken Paxton fight a divisive primary as Democrats James Talarico and Jasmine Crockett post competitive polling that forces Republicans to defend Texas -- Dr. Mehmet Oz praises Donald Trump's State of the Union as historically great while public reaction and polling show widespread disagreement -- New Jeffrey Epstein materials and statements from Congressman Robert Garcia intensify scrutiny of Donald Trump and the Department of Justice -- Senator Adam Schiff reveals that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection approved $144 million in weapons purchases -- Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Ryan Schwank alleges major training cuts and unconstitutional instruction at the ICE Academy -- Fox News host Jessica Tarlov confronts FBI Director Kash Patel over private jet hypocrisy and exposes inconsistent defenses on live television -- The Friday Feedback segment -- On the Bonus Show: Hillary Clinton testifies in Epstein probe and Benny Johnson manages to disrupt it, Jesse Watters thinks Trump has an attractive cabinet, and much more...

This week, Mayor Zohran Mamdani returned to the Oval Office for the second time, meeting with President Donald Trump and emerging with major wins. The mayor secured federal support for a large housing project and helped facilitate the release of a Columbia University student who had been detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. NY1 political reporters Bobby Cuza and Ayana Harry, along with political director Bob Hardt, break down Mamdani's trip to Washington, D.C. and what it means for New York City. Then, after a major snowstorm swept through the city, a snowball fight in Washington Square Park grabbed attention after the NYPD intervened and the mayor's remarks downplaying the incident sparked backlash. The "Off Topic" team looks back at a snowy week in the Big Apple through a political lens.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have ramped up their activity since President Donald Trump returned to the White House. Delaware saw ICE arrest rates nearly double between May and October 2025, according to the Prison Policy Initiative.University of Delaware recently published a quick reference page in case students, faculty or community members come into contact with ICE on campus.Delaware Public Media's Abigail Lee went through those guidelines before sitting down with ACLU of Delaware Executive Director Mike Brickner to discuss campus safety and whether these guidelines go far enough to protect the UD campus community.

Back in December,  the Trump administration sent thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into Minnesota. They terrorized communities, took people from their homes, and murdered two American citizens. Climate groups helped lead the resistance.  In this episode of A Matter of Degrees, a city stands up to state violence. We bring on Aru Shiney-Ajay, the executive director of the Sunrise Movement, to tell us about leading on the frontlines in Minneapolis. Then we talk to Ben Passer, the McKnight Foundation's Midwest Climate Director, about how preserving democracy is key to climate action. Finally, we chat with Emily Atkin, founder and Editor-in-Chief of HEATED, on the connection between ICE violence and fossil fuels.  Resources mentioned in the episode: Read I don't know how to do this and Actually, I do know how to do this by Emily Atkin, and her newsletter, HEATED Read Ben Passer's essay in Atmos, Lessons from Minnesota: To Preserve Our Planet, We Must Also Preserve Our Democracy Learn more about Minnesota's 100% clean electricity standard in our previous episode, Minnesota's Climate Breakthrough

Some pre-Town Meeting Day school budget numbers, New Hampshire's governor says Immigration and Customs Enforcement is ditching plans for a proposed detention facility in the state, and a kids' version of Town Meeting Day in Calais.

Speaking at the State of the Union, President Donald Trump demanded a full restoration of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, has carried out raids in major cities across the nation resulting in mass arrests, violence and the deaths of two people in Minneapolis, Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Today, we break down what was said at the State of the Union. Later, experts join us to talk about immigration reform and ICE presence in Connecticut. GUESTS: Lisa Hagen: Federal Policy Reporter, CT Public and the Connecticut Mirror Maureen Abell: Staff Attorney at New Haven Legal Assistance Association and Visiting Clinical Professor at Yale Law School with the Immigrant Rights Clinic Sarah Pierce: Director of Social Policy at Third Way, a national think tank and advocacy organization Support the show: http://wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Raids by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement have made national headlines. But behind ICE's operations, a sprawling web of private companies – from global powerhouses to niche family-run businesses – have secured hundreds of millions of dollars in government contracts. Peter Andringa from the FT's visual investigations team spent months crawling through federal documents and data sets to put together a picture of the companies that make up this web. Clips from ABC7 News Bay Area, CBS 6 Albany, C-SPAN, Donald J Trump, Fox 26 Houston, Fox Nashville, Fox News, NBC Connecticut, The New York TimesThe FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading: Companies reap $22bn from Trump's immigration crackdownTrump's immigration data dragnetThe booming business of Trump's deportation flightsFor further listening:Palantir's relentless riseUS uses private data to track immigrants- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Peter Andringa on X (@peterjandringa), or on Bluesky (@peter.andringa.me) Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new filing from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security lays out a plan for the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents left in Minnesota to drop to about 400 after Wednesday. The numbers come after border czar Tom Homan's announcement of a drawdown earlier this month. Thousands of Minnesotans have taken part in demonstrations, mutual aid efforts and rapid response networks to support neighbors and fellow Minnesotans during the surge of federal agents. A broad coalition of groups across the Twin Cities looks to continue building on that momentum even in light of the drawdown announcement. Unidos MN organizer José Alvillar Hinojosa joined MPR News host Nina Moini to talk about a week of action the groups began Wednesday titled “Bring the Heat, Melt the ICE.”

In testimony to Congress, former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorney Ryan Schwank told members ICE teaches cadets to 'violate the Constitution,' and "The ICE academy is deficient, defective, and broken," and predictions for the State of the Union Address.

A whistleblower says Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent poorly trained cadets to Minnesota. Ryan Schwank was a lawyer for ICE who helped train cadets until he resigned eleven days ago. He says ICE has cut training hours by nearly half and removed all legal instruction about use of force. And Pine Island says Google is behind a massive data center project, and the big tech company is promising to bring in new jobs and tax revenue.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

A former lawyer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement who helped train new agents said the agency's training academy is deficient and broken. Ryan Schwank became a whistleblower after he resigned earlier this month. He then went public during a forum held by congressional Democrats on Monday. He spoke to Minnesota Now host Nina Moini about his experience as a trainer for ICE.

In this episode of The Bruno Brief, we spoke with members of The Herald's photo, video and reporting teams to learn how they collaborated on coverage of a Jan. 30 protest against recent actions taken by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The rally and march had over 1,000 attendees, and The Herald released an in-depth article, photo essay and vertical video about the protest. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or listen via the RSS feed. Send tips and feedback for the next episode to herald@browndailyherald.comMusic:Denzel Sprak: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/304681The Off-Post: https://app.sessions.blue/browse/track/365057

The annual Black History Month art exhibition at the Gilroy Center for the Arts is honoring lesser known African Americans this year. And, a new report from Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., found Immigration and Customs Enforcement spending on weapons went up 360% from 2024 to 2025.

Clay joins journalist Jonathan Thompson, publisher of The Land Desk on Substack and author of Sagebrush Empire: How a Remote Utah County Became the Battlefront of American Public Lands. Thompson, who is currently living in Greece, begins by providing a European perspective on what is happening in the United States — the assault on NATO, the flirtation with taking Greenland from Denmark, the overreach of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement service, and European bewilderment about America's intended place in the world community. Most of the conversation is about the crisis of public lands in America — the push to open more of the public domain to resource extraction, the calls for privatizing parcels of BLM land in the West, and the recent revocation of grazing permits for the American Prairie Reserve in eastern Montana. And oh yes, the future of the Colorado River. This episode was recorded on January 28, 2026.

Lancaster County’s sheriff is facing public pressure to end his office’s cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In a city widely known as America’s refugee capital, residents want ICE out. State agriculture officials are trying to stem a spike in avian flu cases among Pennsylvania poultry flocks. State agriculture secretary Rusell Redding said the devastation is unprecedented. Crowds were buzzing at the President's House on Philadelphia's Independence Mall late last week, as National Park Service employees reinstalled an exhibit on slavery. The Pine Creek Rail Trail is named Pennsylvania’s 2026 Trail of the Year. The 62-mile trail through Lycoming and Tioga counties stretches from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro. Sunday marked one year since a shooting at York's UPMC Memorial Hospital that killed West York Police Officer Andrew Duarte. Following news of the Trump administration's planned ICE processing facility in Berks County, a meeting is in the works connecting local elected officials with Department of Homeland Security officials. Much of Pennsylvania is experiencing extremely dry or drought conditions, despite recent rain and snow. 83% of the state is classified as abnormally dry or within moderate to severe drought conditions. In uncertain times, our community counts on facts, not noise. Support the journalism and programming that keep you informed. Donate now at www.witf.org/givenow. And thank you.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

San Antonio mayor Gina Ortiz Jones is calling for transparency and accountability from U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigrations and Customs Enforcement regarding the March 2025 shooting death of San Antonio resident Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen.

A funny thing happened on TikTok last month, and its brought allegations of censorship, manipulation, and control.It was the week of January 22, and after a long legal battle, TikTok had finally—for the first time in its company history—moved its ownership to new, American stewards. But with the American restructuring, TikTok users immediately reported that something had changed: videos would sometimes fail to record any views, and even direct messages would fail to send. But, according to user complaints, the flaws weren't random. Instead, they befell users who spoke openly about topics that have become political lightning rods in the US, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the actions of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.To some aggrieved users, the flaws looked like censorship. But, according to TikTok, the error messages and missing video count tallies were part of a larger power outage.“Since yesterday we've been working to restore our services following a power outage at a US data center impacting TikTok and other apps we operate,” TikTok wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). “We're working with our data center partner to stabilize our service. We're sorry for this disruption and hope to resolve it soon.”While TikTok has reportedly more than 200 million users in the US alone, it's far from a universal app. But the changes made to TikTok hint at a bigger sea change in social media and the internet today, in which online spaces are increasingly being altered, shut down, or even controlled—if not through government plot then certainly through corporate influence.Oddly, the ownership change of TikTok was supposed to solve many of these problems.Since TikTok's 2017 founding in China, American lawmakers and government officials claimed that American users were vulnerable to Chinese surveillance. All the data that Americans hand over when using TikTok—their names and email addresses, but also their viewing habits, interests, behaviors, political inclinations, and approximate locations—all of that, the argument went, should not belong in the hands of a foreign power.As FBI Director Christopher Wray said in 2022, the risk of TikTok was:“The possibility that the Chinese government could use [TikTok] to control data collection on millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for influence operations.”But the rocky start to the new American TikTok has only drawn renewed scrutiny: Have the past concerns about foreign manipulation now become current concerns about domestic manipulation?Today on the Lock and Code podcast with host David Ruiz, we speak with Zach Hinkle, senior social media manager for Malwarebytes, and MinJi Pae, social media content creator for Malwarebytes, about what they personally experienced during TikTok's transition to American owners, why the changes matter for the delivery of news and information, and how the internet appears to be shrinking from its earlier promises.As Hinkle said on the podcast:“ The idea of the internet being a private, free space that was ingrained in its creation, and every platform since then sort of carried that spirit with it… those spaces are disappearing.”Tune in today. You can...

While the national news cycle may have moved on from the chaos in Minnesota surrounding Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the deeper story is only beginning to surface.   What happened in Minneapolis wasn't spontaneous, but the result of weeks of astroturfed chaos following expanded federal immigration enforcement and a fatal ICE-involved shooting that ignited demonstrations across the state.    To truly understand how the situation spiraled, you have to understand who helped fuel the unrest and who financed the networks that kept it going.    That's exactly what Daily Wire reporter Brecca Stoll has been investigating. She joins the latest episode of “Problematic Women” to unpack the money, organizations and political forces operating behind the scenes.    And don't think we've forgotten about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. About one month into his tenure, he now faces the reality of governing the nation's largest municipal economy.    Conservatives warned his democratic socialist promises would collide with real-life fiscal and political constraints. And now, New Yorkers are paying for it.    Catch the full conversation with Elise McCue on her final episode of “Problematic Women”—for now.    Enjoy the show!    Connect with our hosts on socials!    Elise McCue X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=EliseMcCue Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisemccueofficial/   Follow The Daily Wire's Brecca Stoll: X: https://x.com/intent/user?screen_name=breccastoll Author page: https://www.dailywire.com/author/brecca-stoll   Follow us on Instagram for EXCLUSIVE bonus content and the chance to be featured in our episodes: https://www.instagram.com/problematicwomen/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During a spring rainstorm in May of 2025, The Tennessee Highway Patrol teamed up with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to what was supposed to be a targeted effort to capture the worst of the worst illegal immigrant criminals. But what NewsChannel 5 Investigates reporter Levi Ismail found from going through 50 hours of law enforcement video may surprise you. "People were driving 18 miles, 20 miles over the speed limit (on city streets) were given warnings, to just move on with their day. Meanwhile someone who got pulled over for having their high beams on was taken away in handcuffs even though they presented documentation for their asylum documents. There was definitely a discrepancy there and the only difference we could make out was the fact that there was a racial component there." Ismail showed several instances of THP officers grilling minority drivers and passengers about where they were born, their social security number, and asking if they were in this country legally? ICE agents would step in if the driver or passengers were a minority or spoke Broken English.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following Former President Barack Obama's bashing of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, I'm sitting down with immigration attorney Deron Smallcomb for a data-driven reality check. How does U.S. immigration enforcement actually compare to other democracies? If America enforced immigration the way the UK, Australia, or Japan do, arrests would move faster, deportations would happen sooner, and appeals would be far more limited. We're breaking down:• Appeal rights in the U.S. vs. peer nations• Asylum approval rates• Enforcement timelines• Crime outcomes in countries with stricter policiesYou can debate policy. But let's debate facts. Watch the full conversation — then decide for yourself.Thank you to our sponsor: Preserve Gold - text "ASK PHIL" to 50505 and go to https://DrPhilGold.comThank you to our sponsor: Chapter: Don't wait! If you're on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter. Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org/ to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration issued a memo directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to detain lawful refugees who have yet to secure permanent U.S. residency. Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis (Penguin Press, 2024), discusses the latest news, including his reporting on how the agency's bureaucracy works. Photo: Observers film ICE agents as they hold a perimeter after one of their vehicles got a flat tire on Penn Avenue on February 5, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Go to rushhourwithdave.com for tickets to my upcoming Asheville NC, Stamford CT and Boston shows! Consider donating to Hanne's gofundme here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-hanne-recover-and-seek-justice  

On Wednesday, the Trump administration issued a memo directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to detain lawful refugees who have yet to secure permanent U.S. residency.  On Today's Show:Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker staff writer and the author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis (Penguin Press, 2024), discusses the latest news, including his latest reporting on how the agency's bureaucracy works.

It's no longer just “abolish ICE.” Now prominent Democrats are openly calling to dismantle the entire Department of Homeland Security. Tara breaks down what that actually means — and why no one on the right seems to be responding.

President Trump hosts in Washington the first meeting of the Board of Peace, designed to build on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and promote reconstruction of Gaza. President says board members have committed $7 billion, and the U.S. will give $10 billion; Former Prince Andrew in Great British is arrested on suspicion of sending trade information to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. We will talk about it with C-SPAN's Westminster Correspondent Peter Knowles (16); Day 6 of the Homeland Security Department shutdown. We will talk with Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Chief Congressional Correspondent about where negotiations over federal immigration enforcement reform, a key Democratic demand to reopen the department, stand (30); state governors in Washington, DC for the National Governors Association Winter meeting are asked about Immigration & Customs Enforcement in their states; President Trump travels to Rome, Georgia to talk about the economy; Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) kicks off a ballot measure campaign in California for a one-time tax on billionaires; NASA releases the finding of an investigation into the Boeing Starliner spacecraft malfunction that turned what was to be a 10-day mission for two astronauts into a nine month stay on the International Space Station. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send a textBroadcast from Providence City Hall, this episode features an extended one-on-one interview with Brett Smiley on the defining issues facing Providence right now.❄️ Snow Removal & AccountabilityThe mayor responds to criticism over the recent snow removal challenges, including questions about leadership, communication breakdowns, and the role of the David Morales operational plan. What went wrong? Who is accountable? And what changes are being implemented to prevent a repeat?

The Department of Homeland Security says it has more than doubled the workforce of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under President Trump. Yet videos of immigration officers killing two U.S. citizens and using aggressive arrest tactics have left some politicians and community leaders rethinking the agency's approach. On today's show, law enforcement experts assess the training and culture at DHS.  Related episodes: How ICE crackdowns are affecting the workforce  For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.  Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

You're listening to American Ground Radio with Stephen Parr and Louis R. Avallone. This is the full show for February 17, 2026. 0:30 We dig into anti-ICE activists who’ve taken their protest tactics into America’s checkout lines. Instead of lobbying Congress, demonstrators are swarming Target stores in Minnesota and beyond—buying bags of salt only to immediately return them—in an effort to jam registers, disrupt workers, and economically punish a private business. It's performative outrage aimed at minimum-wage employees, not policy change. From immigration enforcement to law and order, corporate disruption, and the real-world consequences for local jobs, harassing cashiers won’t change federal law—or stop Immigration and Customs Enforcement from doing its job. 9:30 Plus, we cover the Top 3 Things You Need to Know. Capital Police arrested a man today as he was running towards the Capital Building wearing a tactical vest and gloves and carrying a shotgun. Former Democrat Presidential Candidate Jesse Jackson passed away this week at the age of 84. A man who claimed to be a woman shot and killed two people at a high school ice hockey game in Rhode Island on Monday. 12:30 Get Prodovite Plus from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 13:00 We break down the selective reporting by The New York Times following a fatal ice hockey rink shooting in Rhode Island. The Times carefully sidestepped the suspect’s transgender identity—despite reporting a birth name change—while routinely highlighting other details, like firearms, when they fit a preferred narrative. With another recent fatal shooting involving a transgender suspect in British Columbia, we have to ask why certain facts are deemed “irrelevant” only when they’re politically inconvenient. The message is simple and sharp: report the facts, all of them, without fear or favor. 16:00 We ask American Mamas Teri Netterville and Kimberly Burleson : Have you noticed how much stuff the Left says is "toxic" is actually just normal life? The Mamas push back on how the left labels everyday behavior as “toxic”—from toxic masculinity to churchgoing, parenting, and even harmless relationship moments. They share real-life examples of social media outrage, including a viral Ring camera clip that sparked cries of “dump him” over a roly-poly bug, and online harassment aimed at public figures connected to Cheer. The conversation turns serious as the mamas argue that anonymous online attacks, political name-calling, and cultural shaming are the real toxicity—while common sense, family values, and disagreeing respectfully are just normal life. If you'd like to ask our American Mamas a question, go to our website, AmericanGroundRadio.com/mamas and click on the Ask the Mamas button. 23:00 A New York–based Muslim activist suggested that pet dogs—especially indoor dogs—don’t belong in an “Islamic” vision of New York City, following the election of Mayor Zoran Mamdani. Rep. Randy Fine says Americans would choose their dogs over appeasing religious demands—prompting outrage and calls for his resignation. This isn’t Islamophobia but a free-speech question about criticizing religious beliefs, cultural pressure, and whether everyday Americans should ever be asked to give up “man’s best friend” to satisfy ideology. Who’s really barking up the wrong tree? 26:30 We Dig Deep into a new 2028 presidential race poll that shows just how early—and how awkward—the next election cycle already is. On the Democratic side, Kamala Harris leads the field, while Gavin Newsom trails far behind despite acting like a full-time candidate, from foreign speeches to social-media theatrics. Progressive darling Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez barely registers, raising questions about substance versus slogans inside the Democratic Party. On the Republican side, the poll underscores the continued dominance of MAGA politics, with J.D. Vance leading the pack and the Trump legacy still shaping the field. The contrast is stark: Democrats running on “vibes,” Republicans running on records—and the numbers show voters can tell the difference. 32:00 Get TrimROX from Victory Nutrition International for 20% off. Go to vni.life/agr and use the promo code AGR20. 32:30 Why does J.D. Vance continue to resonate with so many voters? He says what a lot of Americans are already thinking. Reacting to Olympic skier Eileen Gu, who was born in the United States but chose to compete for China, Vance draws a clear but measured line between freedom of choice and patriotism. He’s not calling for punishment or government action—just honesty about who he roots for and why. We dig into national loyalty, gratitude for opportunity, and what it means to represent a country on the world stage. It’s a plainspoken, values-driven take that contrasts sharply with identity politics—and highlights why Vance may appeal to Americans who want firmness without bitterness, and patriotism without apology. 35:30 While the media fixates on ICE protests and sanctuary city politics, let's highlight a major development flying under the radar: law enforcement cooperation with immigration authorities is surging nationwide. Despite claims that Americans oppose deportations, the numbers tell a very different story. More agencies have agreed to fully cooperate with ICE. We break down why this matters: enhanced immigration enforcement, stronger law and order, safer communities, and real incentives for local departments to participate. As reported by The Daily Wire, this quiet shift may be the most significant immigration story of the year—and one that suggests the public mood is far different from the headlines. 40:30 This is what happens when leftist climate policy meets real-world conditions—comfortable ideology colliding with physics, infrastructure, and winter. In the home state of Bernie Sanders, Green Mountain Transit proudly embraced battery-powered buses during the Obama and Biden years. Then temperatures dropped. Charging systems failed below 41 degrees, heaters drained batteries by half, and a battery recall followed after buses reportedly caught fire. 41:30 And we finish off today's episode with some words of wisdom about the Lent season. Articles DC Police: Man with Shotgun Runs Toward Capitol, Gets Arrested Rev. Jesse Jackson Dies Aged 84 Police ID Pawtucket Ice Rink Shooter as Transgender Father of Three Who Went by 'Roberta' @ greg_price11 X post "BREAKING: The suspect in the Rhode Island shooting has indeed been confirmed as a man who went through gender reassignment surgery" Who Leads In 2028 Presidential Race And In 2026 Midterm Elections? I&I/TIPP Poll The Little-Noticed Surge Reshaping Trump’s Deportation Push Reality Check: More Local Police Choosing to Work With ICE, Not Less Pentagon Proves It Can Deploy Nuclear Energy Anywhere In Historic Flight Follow us: americangroundradio.com Facebook: facebook.com / AmericanGroundRadio Instagram: instagram.com/americangroundradioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries is drawing a line during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Jeffries accused Republicans of shutting down agencies like FEMA, TSA and the Coast Guard rather than reforming Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He outlined Democratic demands for judicial warrants, body cameras and independent investigations, and called for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed with the latest news from a leading Black-owned & controlled media company: https://aurn.com/newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we talk about mass surveillance, smart doorbells, and the Patriot Stack.We also discuss Amazon, Alexa, and the Super Bowl.Recommended Book: Red Moon by Benjamin PercyTranscriptIn 2002, in the wake of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the US government created a new agency—the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, operating under the auspices of the US Department of Homeland Security, which was also formed that year for the same general reason, to defend against 9/11-style attacks in the future.As with a whole lot of what was done in the years following the 9/11 attacks, a lot of what this agency, and its larger department did could be construed as a sort of overcompensation by a government and a people who were reeling from the first real, large-scale attack within their borders from a foreign entity in a very long time. It was a horrific event, everyone felt very vulnerable and scared, and consequently the US government could do a lot of things that typically would not have had the public's support, like rewiring how airports and flying works in the country, creating all sorts of new hurdles and imposing layers of what's often called security theater, to make people feel safe.While the TSA was meant to handle things on the front-lines of air transportation, though, X-raying and patting-down and creating a significant new friction for everyone wanting to get on a plane, ICE was meant to address another purported issue: that of people coming into the US from elsewhere, illegally, and then sticking around long enough to cause trouble. More specifically, ICE was meant to help improve public safety by strictly enforcing at times lax immigration laws, by tracking down and expelling illegal immigrants from the country; the theory being that some would-be terrorists may have snuck into the US and might be getting ready to kill US citizens from within our own borders.There's not a lot of evidence to support that assertion—the vast majority of terrorism that happens in the US is conducted by citizens, mostly those adhering to a far-right or other extremist ideologies. But that hasn't moved the needle on public perception of the issue, which still predominantly leans toward stricter border controls and more assiduous moderation of non-citizens within US borders—for all sorts of reasons, not just security ones.What I'd like to talk about today is an offshoot of the war on terror and this vigilance about immigrants in the US, and how during the second Trump administration, tech companies have been entangling themselves with immigration-enforcement agencies like ICE to create sophisticated surveillance networks.—In mid-July of 2025, the US Department of Defense signed one of its largest contracts in its history with a tech company called Palantir Technologies. Palantir was founded and is run by billionaire Peter Thiel, who among other things is generally considered to be the reason JD Vance was chosen to be Trump's second-term Vice President. He's also generally considered to be one of, if not the main figure behind the so-called Patriot Tech movement, which consists of companies like SpaceX, Anduril, and OpenAI, all of which are connected by a web of funding arms and people who have cross-pollinated between major US tech companies and US agencies, in many cases stepping into government positions that put them in charge of the regulatory bodies that set the rules for the industries in which they worked.As a consequence of this setup and this cross-pollination, the US government now has a bunch of contracts with these entities, which has been good for the companies' bottom lines and led to reduced government regulations, and in exchange the companies are increasingly cozy with the government and its many agencies, toeing the line more than they would have previously, and offering a lot more cooperation and collaboration with the government, as well.This is especially true when it comes to data collection and surveillance, and a great deal of that sort of information and media is funneled into entities like Palantir, which aggregate and crunch it for meaning, and then send predictions and assumptions, and make services like facial-recognition technologies predicated on their vast database, available to police and ICE agents, among others such entities.There has been increasingly stiff pushback against this melding of the tech world with the government—which has always been there to some degree, but which has become even more entwined than usual, of late—and that pushback is international, even long-time allies like Canada and the EU making moves to develop their own replacements for Amazon and Google and OpenAI due to these issues, and the heightened unpredictability and chaos of the US in recent years, but it's also evident within the US, due in part to Trump's moves while in office, but also the on-the-ground realities in places like Minneapolis, where ICE agents have been brutalizing and blackbagging people, sometimes illegal immigrants, sometimes US citizens, usually non-white US citizens, and the ICE agents are being rewarded, getting bonuses, for beating up and kidnapping and in some cases murdering people, whether or not any of these people are actually criminals—and it's illegal to do that kind of thing even if they are criminals, by the way.All of which sets the scene for what happened following the Super Bowl, this year.Ring is a home security and smart home device company that is best known for its line of smart doorbells, but which also makes all sorts of security cameras and other alarm system devices.Even though smart doorbells, complete with cameras and other sorts of functionality, existed before Ring, this company basically created the smart doorbell industry as it exists today back in 2014, when it received a round of equity investment and changed its named from Doorbot to Ring. It was bought by Amazon four years later, in 2018, for a billion dollars.One of Ring's premier features is related to its camera: you can use your phone or other smart home device to see who's at your door when they ring the bell, but it can also be set to record when it detects movement, which makes it easy to check and see who stole your Amazon package from your porch when you weren't at home, for instance, and resultingly Ring door camera footage has become fundamental to reporting, and on occasion pursuing, some types of crime.As a direct result of that utility, Ring introduced its Neighbors service in mid-2018, this service serving as a sort of social network that allows Ring device users to discuss local issues, especially those related to safety and security, anonymously, while also allowing them to share photos and videos taken by their devices. This service also created relationships with local law enforcement, and allowed police to jump onto the network and request footage from Ring customers, if they thought these doorbell cams might have photos or video of someone escaping with a stolen car, for instance, which might then help the police catch that crook.It's generally assumed that Amazon probably bought Ring, at least in part, to entrench itself as the lord of the internet of things world, as it launched its Amazon Sidewalk platform in 2020, which allowed all Amazon devices, including Ring devices, to share a wireless mesh network, all of them communicating with each other and all using Amazon's Alexa as an interface.In 2023, Ring was sued by the FTC for $5.8 million because it allowed its employees and contractors to access private videos by failing to have basic security and privacy features in place—so not only could any Ring employee view their customer's private video feeds, hackers could easily access all this media and data, as well. Just one example surfaced in that lawsuit shows that a Ring employee viewed thousands of video recordings of at least 81 different female users over the course of a few months in 2017.So Amazon was building a surveillance network that worked really well, in the sense that it was predicated on popular, at times quite useful devices that people seemed to love, but which was also quite leaky, giving all sorts of people access to these supposedly private feeds, and it was shared with law enforcement via that social network. It's also been alleged that Ring (and Amazon) have used users' footage without further permission for things like facial recognition and AI training. Their partnership with police agencies also allegedly created incentives for the police to encourage citizens to buy Ring cams and other security devices for their homes, creating perverse incentives. And again, these devices connect wirelessly to other internet of things devices, expanding their reach and the potential for abuse of collected user data.In late 2025, Ring announced a new partnership with Flock Safety, a company that's best known for its security offerings, including automated license plate readers and gunshot detector systems.These are mass surveillance tools used by some governments and law enforcement entities, and they use cameras and microphones to capture license plates, people's faces, and sounds that might be gunfire and aggregate that data to be used by police, neighborhood associations, and in some cases private property owners.This sort of technology is incredibly useful to companies like Palantir, which again, aggregates and crunches it, on scale, and then shares that information with police, ICE, and other such agencies.These tools can sometimes help flag areas where guns are being fired or where crimes are being committed, but they're also imperfect and at times biased against some groups of people and areas, and some data show that not only is crime not reduced by the presence of these systems, but there's a fair bit of evidence that this data often falls into the hands of hackers or is used by employees for nefarious, stalkery purposes, as was the case with Ring's cameras. So most civil liberties groups, like the ACLU and the Electronic Frontier Foundation are vehemently against them, but governments like the second Trump administration like them, because they create a surveillance mesh they can tap into and use for, for instance, figuring out where to deploy ICE agents, or, in theory at least, spying on your political enemies or ex-spouses for abuse or blackmail purposes.Ring's late-2025 announcement wasn't widely reported, but in early 2026 the company bought a Super Bowl ad to announce a new feature called Search Party, enabled by their partnership with Flock.The ad showed a neighborhood coming together to find a lost dog, using the web of doorbell cameras on all the homes in the area to track the dog and figure out where it went—all the cameras activated at once to create a surveillance mesh of live footage.This ad landed with a resounding thud,, as to many people it felt more menacing than heartwarming, the new feature overtly raising the potential that government agencies, including ICE, could tap into it to surveil and track their neighbors. The response was so negative that Ring quickly issued a statement saying that it was no longer moving forward with its Flock partnership, attempting to reassure its customers that “integration never launched, so no Ring customer videos were ever send to Flock Safety.”This result is notable in part because it's a rare instance of a major tech company backtracking on a major feature decision due to public backlash, but also because it suggests backlash against ICE is reverberating through other aspects of life and interconnected industries.Ring device users mostly buy these things for their surveillance capabilities, but the increasing, and increasingly hostile and violent acts committed by members of ICE seem to have nudged the conversation so that folks are more worried about these agents than about the porch pirates and other criminals that these devices and this partnership could ostensibly help them identify.It's too early to say what this might mean for the burgeoning patriot stack of tech companies and government agencies, but it does suggest there are limits to what people will put up with, even when those in charge are adhering to a playbook that has typically worked well for them, in the past, and the devices and services they're using to build their surveillance network are otherwise beloved by those who use them.Show Noteshttps://restofworld.org/2026/big-tech-backlash-alternatives-upscrolled/https://europeancorrespondent.com/en/r/trumps-power-switchhttps://www.authoritarian-stack.info/https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/realestate/smart-home-cameras-nest-ring-privacy.htmlhttps://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/02/platforms-bend-over-backward-to-help-dhs-censor-ice-critics-advocates-say/https://www.theverge.com/report/879320/ring-flock-partnership-breakup-does-not-fix-problemshttps://www.theverge.com/news/878447/ring-flock-partnership-canceledhttps://www.404media.co/with-ring-american-consumers-built-a-surveillance-dragnet/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Immigration_and_Customs_Enforcementhttps://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/children-of-color-projected-to-be-majority-of-u-s-youth-this-yearhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_(company)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flock_Safetyhttps://www.wired.com/story/ice-expansion-across-us-at-heres-where-its-going-next/https://www.wired.com/story/social-security-administration-appointment-details-ice/https://www.wired.com/story/security-news-this-week-ring-kills-flock-safety-deal-after-super-bowl-ad-uproar/https://www.wired.com/story/ice-crashing-us-court-system-minnesota/https://www.wired.com/story/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-employee-questions-on-ice/https://www.wired.com/story/inside-the-ice-forum-where-agents-complain-about-their-jobs/ This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

A heated political panel breaks down the impact of government shutdown threats, immigration enforcement funding, and the political fallout heading into key elections. The discussion examines how shutdown strategies could affect agencies like TSA while leaving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement largely unaffected, the political momentum surrounding Donald Trump, and the surprising absence of a Republican Senate candidate in New Mexico.The panel also explores redistricting tensions in Virginia and what they could mean for control of the U.S. House, along with debate over the SAVE Act and voter ID requirements. With midterm elections approaching, the conversation highlights party unity, election integrity, and the broader battle shaping America's political future.

The owner of a Dallas County warehouse that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had planned to use as a mega detention center said Monday it will not sell or lease the property to the federal government. In other news, tensions erupted this month at a Frisco City Council meeting with some arguing without evidence that Indian Americans were committing visa fraud, echoing recent charges from Texas Republicans, and stealing jobs from Americans whose ancestors emigrated longer ago; North Texas, it's time to head back to the polls again! The March 3 primary election is fast-approaching.  Do you feel ready for the polls? The Dallas Morning News Voter Guide can help prepare you to cast your ballot. Check out the guide to compare candidates, get recommendations, and build your own ballot. Visit dallasnews.com/voterguide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The suspect was arrested after a Beech Grove police officer was shot and killed last night. Indianapolis' Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office handles all but seven counties in the state. Hoosiers will vote this year on whether to allow judges to deny some potentially dangerous offenders bail under a constitutional amendment that passed through the legislature Monday. A push to shorten the number of early voting days in Indiana has been slipped into a bill as the legislative session nears its end. Lawmakers aim to crack down on the influence of foreign governments through legislation moving through the statehouse. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. WFYI News Now is produced by Zach Bundy, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

George W. Bush's Presidents' Day MessageFormer President George W. Bush delivers a statement emphasizing humility, character, and peaceful transfer of power — widely read as a veiled critique of Donald Trump. The contrast highlights fractures inside the Republican Party between “old guard” institutional conservatives and populist Trump-era leadership.DHS Subpoenas & ICE ControversiesThe Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reportedly issued administrative subpoenas to identify online critics of ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), raising First Amendment concerns.Related enforcement flashpoints:Oregon incident: A Salem woman reportedly injured after asserting U.S. citizenship during an ICE stop.Minneapolis shooting case: DOJ dropped charges against two Venezuelan men after video evidence contradicted ICE officer testimony. Agents now face investigation for possible false statements under oath.Themes:Accountability vs. overreachTransparency vs. narrative controlPublic trust erosion in federal enforcementEpstein Files FalloutAttorney General Pam Bondi claims full compliance with the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Lawmakers — including Republicans like Thomas Massie — challenge that claim.Key tensions:Redaction confusionRelease of high-profile names without contextual clarityInternal GOP fracturesVictims' advocates alleging incomplete disclosureThe scandal continues to evolve from political controversy into institutional credibility crisis.2026 Senate Map AnxietyRepublicans (53–47 majority) grow concerned about holding the Senate.Top battlegrounds:MaineNorth Carolina (open)Ohio (special)Michigan (open)Forecast models and prediction markets show Democrats with a meaningful — though not dominant — path to flipping control. Internal GOP polling reportedly tighter than public optimism suggests.Supreme Court “Chaos Season”The Supreme Court signals willingness to hear cases that could:Reshape congressional redistricting standardsRevisit interpretations of birthright citizenship under the 14th AmendmentEven without rulings yet, the signal alone changes campaign strategy for 2026.Olympics: USA vs. Canada2026 Winter Olympics momentum builds toward a possible men's hockey gold-medal showdown between Team USA and Canada.Highlights:Elana Meyers Taylor wins gold in monobob.Medal table tight among U.S., Canada, Norway, Germany.Hockey rivalry poised to dominate ratings if matchup happens.Pokémon Breaks the Asset ClassA first-edition holographic Charizard sells for millions at auction, reinforcing graded vintage Pokémon cards as alternative investment vehicles.Themes:Millennial nostalgia monetizedCollectibles outperforming traditional equities in select casesEmotional value driving capital allocationHollywood Consolidation & Streaming WarsWarner Bros. Discovery reportedly weighing takeover talks with Paramount Global, signaling renewed consolidation pressure across media.Netflix:Launches live-interactive reboot of Star Search.Acquires short musical comedy The Singers.Expands live programming strategy.Meanwhile, Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie opens strong at the global box office — literary IP outperforming expectations and challenging franchise fatigue narratives.Themes:Debt-driven mergersStreaming profitability panicAppointment television revivalPrestige content as strategic hedge LINKShttps://instagram.com/itsnewstoushttps://tiktok.com/@itsnewstous Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's a loaded morning on The Rush Hour — and we're not pulling punches. Sponsored by Wayfair. Get organized, refreshed, and back on track this new year for WAY less. Shop all things home at Wayfair.com Go to rushhourwithdave.com for tickets to my upcoming Asheville NC, Stamford CT and Boston shows! Our top story: the so-called "Epstein files" are reportedly only 2% released, raising serious questions about transparency, missing evidence, and whether the public is being deliberately misled. If the full scope of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein has barely seen daylight, what exactly is being protected — and who benefits from the delay? Then, Olympic controversy explodes. The fallout continues after a Ukrainian athlete speaks out following a controversial disqualification, while separate allegations emerge involving Canadian athletes accused of cheating. We break down how the International Olympic Committee is responding — and whether the Games are losing credibility in real time. Back home, scrutiny intensifies around U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as new reporting raises questions about enforcement practices and internal oversight. Plus, we examine allegations swirling around Kristi Noem and claims of potential financial misconduct — what's substantiated, what's speculation, and what could come next. Gaslighting, global scandals, and government accountability — it's all ahead on this morning's episode.

National news was focused on Oregon in 2025 as President Donald Trump tried to send National Guard troops to Portland to quell protests at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building on the city’s South Waterfront. (Those protests were largely peaceful, despite the president’s statements to the contrary.) After a lot of legal back-and-forth, the Supreme Court weighed in and the president quietly recalled troops from Portland, Chicago and Los Angeles. The Trump Administration recently dropped its appeal of a decision made by a federal judge in Oregon that blocked the president from deploying National Guard Troops to Portland. But the president has made statements implying that he intends to send troops back to Portland and other cities at some point, saying he could still use the Insurrection Act to do so.    Throughout this whole saga, OPB has been reporting and adding context to a story that is both local and national. We learned a lot in the process — about the role of the courts in relation to the executive branch, about the difference between what’s actually happening on the ground, government narratives and public perception, and about the different kinds of protesters and the motivations for dissent. On this episode of “The Evergreen,” we break down some of that work with three smart journalists who’ve been in the thick of it: OPB criminal justice and legal affairs reporter Conrad Wilson, OPB public safety reporter Troy Brynelson and the editor for OPB’s public safety and health team, Michelle Wiley.  Don’t forget to check out our many podcasts, which can be found on any of your favorite podcast apps: Hush Timber Wars Season 2: Salmon Wars Politics Now Think Out Loud And many more! Check out our full show list here.  

Matthew pokes at the contradictions behind Prime Minister Mark Carney's polished Davos attempt to distance Canada from U.S. chaos, while Canadian companies continue profiting from the U.S. domestic terror regime.  Drawing on reporting by Rachel Gilmore, Matthew looks at how Canada's “middle power” liberalism masks deep complicity with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement through arms, surveillance tech, and security contracts.  Carney's benevolent affect continues the tradition of obscuring a longer history of exclusionary border politics. He's there to manage outrage without challenging the capitalist structures that escalate into authoritarian violence. Show Notes The Great White North: Canada's New Border Bill Appeases the Trump Administration | TechPolicy.Press  A list of Canadian companies profiting off of ICE and Trump's violent mass deportation regime  If TikTok News Is the Future, Rachel Gilmore Is Living It | The Tyee  Liberals Fear Closing Arms Export Loophole Would Anger U.S. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's Casual Friday on the Majority Report   On today's program:   Trump is presented a trophy by a coal CEO after he ends regulations on greenhouse gasses.   David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect, joins Sam to recap the week's news. Topics include the looming shutdown over DHS funding, Epstein, and more.   In the Fun Half:   Hasan Piker comes under attack for saying he would not vote for Gavin Newsom if he were to win the nomination in 2028.   An Irishman that has been held by ICE for four months calls into an Irish radio show to detail the horrible conditions of the detention center.   On Breaking Points, Saagar Enjeti deflects discussion about the squalid conditions in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers by making the erroneous claim that no other country requires undocumented immigrants to be educated at the taxpayers' expense.   Donald Trump nominates a white nationalist for a top post at the United States Department of State, and the nominee humiliates himself during the confirmation hearing before the United States Senate.   all that and more SURVEY For NYC Mayoral Election Voters - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc1Z9b1NJQHC1eSyZVSUu0STkqUWCVd8H9xmfBM3WnGOTfO1w/viewform?pli=1 The survey is intended for adults (18+) who live in New York City and voted in the 2025 NYC mayoral election. Participants can be from any of the five boroughs, and the survey is completely anonymous. It takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete and includes a short cognitive reflection section followed by a questionnaire on political attitudes. I'm a high school student in NYC currently working on a research study for an AP Research. at Frank Sinatra School of the Arts To connect and organize with your local ICE rapid response team visit ICERRT.com The Congress switchboard number is (202) 224-3121. You can use this number to connect with either the U.S. Senate or the House of Representatives. Follow us on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@majorityreportfm Check us out on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/themajorityreport Find our Rumble stream here: https://rumble.com/user/majorityreport Check out our alt YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/majorityreportlive Gift a Majority Report subscription here: https://fans.fm/majority/gift Subscribe to the AMQuickie newsletter here: https://am-quickie.ghost.io/ Join the Majority Report Discord! https://majoritydiscord.com/ Get all your MR merch at our store: https://shop.majorityreportradio.com/ Get the free Majority Report App!: https://majority.fm/app Go to https://JustCoffee.coop and use coupon code majority to get 10% off your purchase Check out today's sponsors: SELECT QUOTE: Get the right life insurance for you and save more than fifty percent on term life insurance at SelectQuote.com/MAJORITY SUNSET LAKE: Use coupon code "Left Is Best" (all one word) for 20% off of your entire order at SunsetLakeCBD.com  Follow the Majority Report crew on Twitter: @SamSeder @EmmaVigeland @MattLech On Instagram: @MrBryanVokey Check out Matt's show, Left Reckoning, on YouTube, and subscribe on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/leftreckoning Check out Matt Binder's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/mattbinder Subscribe to Brandon's show The Discourse on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/ExpandTheDiscourse Check out Ava Raiza's music here! https://avaraiza.bandcamp.com

The 3M documents connected to Jeffrey Epstein have reignited political controversy across the United States and beyond. High-profile attorneys, international leaders, and political figures have been named in various filings and investigative materials and are resigning en mass! Among those referenced in past reporting is Donald Trump and many in his administration though no criminal charges have been announced against him related to these documents. Meanwhile, federal immigration enforcement efforts are expanding, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement increasing operations amid lawsuits and criticism over detention conditions.At the same time, data analytics giant Palantir Technologies continues securing government contracts tied to surveillance and enforcement infrastructure — raising questions from privacy advocates about oversight and civil liberties.In this video, we break down:What the Epstein-related document releases actually showWho has resigned, who is under investigation, and what's confirmedThe expansion of immigration enforcement operationsLawsuits alleging poor detention conditionsClaims about denaturalization efforts and deportation policyThe growing role of surveillance tech companies in federal operationsThis is not about partisan spin — it's about understanding the bigger picture: power, accountability, immigration policy, and the future of civil liberties in America.Watch to the end for a timeline that connects the dots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are running out of time to reach an agreement over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. We discuss the state of negotiations, plus how calls to “abolish ICE” are playing out in congressional races.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, congressional reporter Sam Gringlas, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and political reporter Elena Moore.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Nearly two-thirds of Americans say Immigration and Customs Enforcement's actions have gone too far, according to a new NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll. We discuss what else the poll tells us about public perception of President Trump, including on the economy and foreign policy.This episode: senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith, political correspondent Ashley Lopez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.This podcast was produced by Casey Morell and Bria Suggs, and edited by Rachel Baye.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy