Podcasts about lansing

Join us as we talk to State Representative Tom Kunse from Michigan's 100th district to discuss current legislation that will impact outdoorsmen and women in the state. We cover: * Tom's background including his time in the Michigan House of Representatives * Ted Nugent's recent trip to Lansing with a concealed firearm and the security debacle that ensued (more people carry in the state house than you'd think) * Tom presents 2 bills currently being discussed that will impact how both the DNR and EGLE interact with private property. * The state of Michigan's DNR and whether additional funding will solve their problems * Why Michigan doesn't allow Sand Hill Crane hunting, except in certain circumstances and the moral issues this presents * Rules that only seem to negatively impact hunters without positively impacting wildlife (killing and wasting nuisance geese, antler point restrictions, banning the use of bait) * The difference between a wildlife department run by biologists vs. a department run as a police force * The waste of taxpayer dollars on frivolous lawsuits * Should the government shutdown impact the publics ability to purchase a hunting license * Recent increases in hunting pressure despite a decrease in hunter numbers * Many bills brought forth are made by people who don't understand hunting tradition and it's impact on the state which it is why it is so important that hunters get out and vote! * How to get involved in the decisions that are being made everyday that impact your way of life Thanks to State Rep Tom Kunse for joining us to discuss these important topics. To contact hime directly regarding the information from the podcast, you can reach him at TomKunse@house.mi.gov To get involved yourself, check out the 2 bills currently in process here: DNR access to private property: https://legislature.mi.gov/documents/2025-2026/billintroduced/House/htm/2025-HIB-4073.htm EGLE access to private property: https://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2025-2026/billintroduced/House/htm/2025-HIB-4421.htm Find out more information about bills in your area by going to: www.hunternation.org Watch our HISTORY Channel show on: - HISTORY Follow us on: - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter - Youtube - Our Website

#podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Trump #BigBeautifulBill #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #TaxBreaks #WorkingClass #Medicaid #SNAP #GovernmentShutdown #BillHuizenga #JohnJames #Michigan #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for October 31, 2025. Thanks to an excellent write-up by the progressive independent news source in Michigan known as Distill Social, we've learned how two MAGA Michigan Republican congressmen are making a nice sum of money thanks to the tax cut bill they supported last summer.  Research by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy reveals that Rep. Bill Huizenga will get around $50,000 dollars in tax breaks next year. AND, Rep. John James, who's also running to become Michigan's next governor, will rake-in around $12-grand next year as well.  Meanwhile, that same bill slashed Medicaid funding, SNAP funding, and clean energy job funding. Along with the MAGA Republican Government Shutdown they are supporting, Bill Huizenga and John James are the illustration of corporate and government greed.  They are getting richer while the working class gets bilked.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "How Two Michigan Republicans Cash In While Their Districts Get Cut Off." By Distill Social "Some Members of Congress Will Cash in from New Tax Law." By Jessica Vela of the Institution on Taxation and Economic Policy "Americans blame Trump and GOP more than Democrats for shutdown, poll finds." By Jacob Bogage, Riley Beggin, and Scott Clement of The Washington Post

Originally uploaded September 17th, fixed file glitch October 31st. Chris Holman welcomes back Meghan Ziehmer, STS, CTA, Executive Director, Lansing Sports Commission, Lansing, MI Welcome back Meghan, remind the Michigan business community about the Lansing Sports Commission? What were the highlights this summer? Very busy September lets run quickly though each of these, tell me about: Skate Wars (Roller Derby)? Sept. 6-8, Lansing Center Athletes expected: 250 CCM Michigan Classic Tier 2 (Hockey)? Sept. 6-8, Biggby Coffee Ice Cube East Lansing Athletes expected: 150 Spartan Invitational (Running)? Sept. 13, Forest Akers East Athletes expected: 3,000 Capital Area Autumn Classic (National Soccer)? Sept. 13-15, Soccer fields across Greater Lansing Athletes expected: 3,500 2024 Chaos Fall College Exposure (Softball)? Sept. 21-22, Delta Township Park Athletes expected: 700 Capital City River Run? Sept. 22, Downtown Lansing Athletes expected: 1,500 More than 9,000 athletes are expected to visit Greater Lansing to compete in these events, that leads to economic impact? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

  A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight on APEX Express Host Miko Lee speaks with spouses of detained refugees. We hear about the similarities and challenges of Hmong and Nepali speaking Bhutanese refugees. We also speak with Asian Law Caucus' Aisa Villarosa about the ongoing campaigns for freedom that ALC has been leading along with a host of other community based organizations. Join us: November 3, 4pm Pacific time, 7pm Eastern Time, Join us for “We Belong Here, Bhutanese & Hmong Americans in the Struggle Against Statelessness” a live virtual event featuring my three guests tonight, along with performances and conversations. bit.ly/WBH-2025   TAKE ACTION Rising Voices campaign for Lue Yang Mohan Karki's GoFundMe   And please help support these organizations working to support detained and deported folx: Asian Law Caucus Asian Refugees United Ba Lo Project in Vietnam Collective Freedom in Vietnam & Laos Asian Prisoner Support Committee & New Light Wellness in Cambodia November 1–2, people nationwide are joining the Disappeared In America Weekend of Action to stand up for immigrant families and defend due process. Actions include protests at Home Depots, candlelight Freedom Vigils, and Day of the Dead events honoring lives lost to detention.     We Belong! Transcript Miko Lee: Welcome to Apex Express.This is your host, Miko Lee. Today we're talking about detentions and potential deportations and the atrocities that the Trump administration is creating in our communities.We originally recorded this episode a month ago, and today is October 29th. 2025 and I have with me Aisa Villarosa a lawyer with Asian Law Caucus, giving us an update in the cases that we're talking about. Welcome Aisa Apex Express. Aisa Villarosa: Thanks so much, Miko. Miko Lee: Tonight we're gonna be talking with two spouses of detained folks. One is a Nepali speaking Bhutanese community member, and the other is Hmong community member. In the time since we recorded this, there has been a big update with Lue Young's case, and I wonder if you could provide us with that update. Aisa Villarosa: Miko since we last spoke, due to some really hard fought campaigning, both behind the scenes and drawing upon allies across Michigan and really across the country. Lue Yang, received a successful pardon from Governor Gretchen Whitmer. We actually received word shortly before Lue Yang was set to be placed on a very large deportation flight. Once we got word of the pardon, it was off to the races for the legal team to quickly draft some emergency motions for Lue Yang and to realize the power of the pardon before the deportation. Miko Lee: Can we back up for a moment and give for an audience a sense of what that means? Lue Young was incarcerated at a detention facility, which Trump has called the FedEx of detention facilities in, Louisana, and explain to us what happened to him and the other members that were suddenly pulled together onto an airplane. Aisa Villarosa: When these removal flights happen, there's so much confusion, there's so much fear that families undergo, and often it's due to the perseverance of the families that we honestly even know where folks are. Shortly before what we call final staging happens, someone is moved from, in Lue's case, a facility in Michigan to a facility like Alexandria in Louisiana where the planes do take off  from. Families typically look up their loved one on something called the “ice detainee locator.” What's challenging is when final staging starts. Often that person completely disappears from the detainee locator or information gets a bit scrambled. Because ICE has a bit of a sealed box as far as even telling families where, their loved one is. Families are either left to guess or rely on each other. So for Lue Yang and the pardon what is critical for folks to know is that as powerful, as rare as a pardon is, I can't stress how extraordinary this is in these very difficult times. A pardon does not instantly, allow someone to say, walk out of an ice facility. There's, numerous legal filings that need to happen. That is why , the team was so up against the clock. Miko Lee: So let's break this down a little bit around a pardon. What does a pardon mean in our current system? Because as a lay person, you think, oh, they're pardoned. That means they're free and they can go home and be with their family. Tell us a little bit about what a pardon means in our legal system right now. Aisa Villarosa: A pardon is different from a criminal expungement, which folks might be familiar with. In Lue's case, for example, when Lue was younger, he successfully expunged this record, in criminal court. The challenge is that immigration court, is basically the entity that issues something called a “final order of removal.” This document, is basically what powers deportation for folks. An expungement does not get at the final removal order. However, a pardon has that more direct link. The pardon has the weight of what we call “vacating a conviction.” To explain more legalese and hopefully folks can stay with me. A final order of removal is an immigration court order document where , it gives ice the power to do all these deportations We're seeing for the refugee community that Lue Yang belongs to. Often these are quite old orders, and so sometimes a loved one might be detained and they might not even realize that they have a criminal conviction or a final order of removal. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for breaking that down. So we described how he was pulled off the plane that was going for his deportation. Tell us where Lue is at right now. What is happening with his case? Aisa Villarosa: The call to action very much remains what it has been, which is we're calling to bring Lue home. At the moment, Lue is in a facility in Louisiana. Our hope is that Lue can return to Michigan. There is also a call to release Lue on a supervised release. The other component of the legal journey for Lue is something called a motion to reopen. Basically this is how the full weight of the pardon is realized. The motion to reopen calls on the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen Lue's case, because years ago he got that final removal order, so when someone gets that order, typically their immigration case is closed. This petition says, Hey, he got a pardon. Please reopen Lue's case because the underlying conviction that led to the final removal order. Has been pardoned, right? We are hoping that this motion to reopen will be heard in front of the Board of Immigration Appeals, that we can get a great result and that as the campaign calls for that, Lue can come home. Miko Lee: I know lawyers like you are doing incredible work around the scenes. You did not sleep for two days, filing paperwork to be able to make sure that Lue was pulled off that plane. But what can regular people, what can our audience do to get involved right now? Aisa Villarosa: There's myriad actions along this really terrible deportation pipeline. We're seeing that folks who might not have, any deep knowledge of the immigration system can still be so impactful. We have partners in LA in the faith community and they've started working with community organizations to do things like accompaniment, which is, joining community members like Lue, who often have these ice check-ins. As folks have seen on the news, these check-ins can be really risky because that is where ice arrests can happen. If someone misses their ice check-in, typically that means that a warrant is issued, that immigration forces can come after you. In these cases, community members, particularly folks who are US citizens, accompaniment can be a great way to dig in to show up for our immigrant and refugee siblings. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for breaking down how folks can get involved. It's so important right now in a time where we feel so utterly helpless to be able to make change. Now we're gonna go back to listen to our interview that is with the two spouses, Tika, Basnet, and Ann Vue, and also our current guest, Aisa Villarosa Tika and Ann they're part of a horrible club, which is both of their spouses are currently in detention from our immigration system. I just wanna start on a real personal note in a way that I often do with my guests. Anne, I just would love to hear from you, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Ann Vue: Thank you again, Miko and Isa, for having me on. We are Hmong. We helped Americans during the Vietnam War. In Laos, a lot of our pilots needed a communication. Because we're indigenous and we are in the mountains they were able to speak with us and use us. Our Hmong, helped a lot of the pilots rescued a lot, like thousands and thousands of Americans, so that they can make it back home. That is our contribution to the American people. When we were brought to America, was to resettle because of humanitarian purpose. Our legacy of helping Americans with the war. that is who we are and what we bring to America. That's who I am. I'm actually the first generation Hmong American. I was born right here in the capital of Lansing, Michigan. Miko Lee: Thanks so much ann. Tika, can you share who are your people and what legacy you carry with you? Tika Basnet: Hi, my name is Tika Basnet. I am Bhutanese Nepali community. My parents and all the Bhutanese, they ran away from Bhutan in 1990 due to the ethnic cleansing. They came to Nepal, seeking for asylum, and that is where we born. I was born in Nepal, in refugee camp. Even though I was born in Nepal, Nepal never gave us identity. They never give us citizenship. We were known as Bhutanese Nepali, but as known as Stateless. My husband also born in Nepal in a refugee camp. Miko Lee: Thank you. Aisa, I'm gonna ask the same question for you Aisa, that works at Asian Law Caucus. Who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Aisa Villarosa: So much love to you, Miko and to you Ann and Tika for being here today. I just am, I'm so honored. My name is Aisa and I carry the love and, Maki Baka spirit of Filipino Americans both in my family across the diaspora. A little bit about the Filipino American story. We came to the United States as part of the colonial machine. The first Filipinos were brought as part of the Spanish Gallian trade. We made California home, parts of Lueisiana home, and it's quite a contrast to a lot of the sort of model minority seduction that many of my people, and myself as a younger person tended to fall into that if we kept our heads down, if we were quiet, we would be left alone. I'm struck because at this moment of just unprecedented government attacks, so many of our communities have this story where someone somewhere said to us, yeah, just keep your head down and it'll be fine. We're seeing the exact opposite, that this is the time to really use our voices, both individually and as one. I'm also an artist and try to infuse that into my work in fighting government systems. Miko Lee: Thank you Aisa. I will say I'm Miko. I am fifth generation Chinese American. I grew up knowing that my family was full of fighters that built the railroads, worked in the gold mines in laundromats and restaurants, and my parents walked with Dr. King and Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and I was raised in a family of social justice activists. I feel like our legacy is to continue that work and to fight for the rights of our peoples. I'm so honored to have both of all three of you powerful women join me today. As I was saying in the beginning, Tika and Anne are sadly a part of this club nobody wants to be a part of with the sudden, unexpected, harmful detentions of both of your husbands. I wonder if you can each just share the story about what happened and how you first found out about your husband being detained. Let's start with you Tika. Tika Basnet: My husband got his removal in 2014 when he was just 17 years old, high school student going from school to home. He's a teenager and with his friend, they were playing around and they wanna go home really fast. They just cross from private property. That is where someone saw and call 9 1 1. We came from the culture that we love to go people home , walking around, playing around. My husband came here in 2011. The incident happened on 2013. He just, came here without knowing culture, without knowing languages, So he has no idea. So when somebody called 9 1 1, he could not explain what happened. First of all, English is his second language, he was barely here without knowing rules and regulation, without knowing culture. The police took him to jail, gave a lot of charges. My husband doesn't know what are those charges? At that time, nobody explained, this is the three charges you got, and this could lead to deportation. He feel guilty without knowing those charges. He trusts [00:14:00] Nepali translate guy, and he told my husband, if you don't say I'm guilty, you will end up in prison for 20 to 25 years, but if you say I'm guilty, you'll go home. My husband said, guilty. At that time, neither criminal lawyer told my husband, if you say I'm guilty, you'll end up getting deport. Deport to the country that you are you never born. Deport To the country, you doesn't even speak their language. The lawyer did not explain my husband you will not gonna get your green card. You cannot apply your citizenship in your life. If those things the lawyer told my husband at that time, he will never gonna say, I am guilty to the crime that he did not even commit. When they tried to deport my husband back then, Bhutan say, he's not my citizenship, he's not from my country, We don't know this guy. He's not belongs to here. When US Embassy reach out to, Nepal, do you know this guy? They told, ICE no, we don't know this guy, like he's not belongs here. The ICE officer, told my husband, we can let you go, you need to come here, like order of supervision every three months, every six months, whenever we call you. It been 11 years. My husband is following rules and regulation. He never did any violation after that. He got married, he has a life, he pay taxes. He was taking care of his family and in 11 years he was doing everything. In 2025 for the first time they target Bhutanese Nepali community. I knew that this is the last time I'm gonna see my husband. I broke down. When they detained my husband in April 8, I was eight months pregnant. We dream a lot of things we are gonna take care of our daughter. We are gonna buy home, we are gonna work, we are gonna give her the life that we, I'm sorry. Miko Lee: Totally. Okay. Tika Basnet: I never thought like Bhutanese community can, like deport. Like my parent already go through this trauma, when Bhutan throw them away due to ethnic cleansing and same thing happening to us. It is unbelievable. I cannot believe that, we're going through this again and I don't know when this gonna be stopped. I don't know whether like my husband gonna come home. It is been five month and I really want my husband back. My daughter is, three month old. She need her dad in life 'cause I cannot provide everything by myself. My husband is the main provider for her aging parent. 'cause even now they cannot pay bills. I'm fighting for my husband case and I want my husband back. He deserve second chance because if you see his record is clean, like for one incident that happened like 12 years ago, that cannot define my husband. I cannot believe that my husband is able to get deport to the country that doesn't even accept. I don't know whether he gonna get killed. Whether he gonna disappear, I don't know what will happen to him. I don't know if it is last time I'm gonna see him. Miko Lee: Tika, thank you so much for sharing your story. Just to recap really briefly, your husband, Mohan Karki when he was a teenager, newly arrived in the country, was leaving high school, walked with his friends through a backyard and was racially profiled. The neighbor called police because he was trespassing on property. He was born at a refugee camp. Is that right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Miko Lee: There was not property that was like person's property on that refugee camp. So that whole concept of walking across somebody's land was something he was not aware of. He had an interpreter that did not give correct information. And so he signed something, including a deportation order, that he wasn't even aware of until recently when he was put into detention. Is that right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Yes. Miko Lee: Right now he's in detention. You live in Ohio, but he's in detention in Michigan, right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Miko Lee: Okay, Tika, let's talk about Mohans case and what's happening. He's held in detention right now in a detention facility in Michigan. What is going on with his case? Tika Basnet: His criminal attorney file, a Motion to Redeem asking BIA to send that, case back to Georgia. His case, that happened in 2013. Our attorney just submit documentation where he's asking to release my husband because it'd been five month. He's not risk to the community. He's not risk to the flight 'cause he doesn't have no one in Bhutan. He doesn't have no one in Nepal. All family is in here. His community love him ,he has family that loves him. We also get lot of documentations as a proof telling ICE that my husband is not risk to the community or to the flight. Miko Lee: Thank you. He has a a four month old baby that he has yet to meet. So that is a powerful reason to stay. As Tikas pointing out, the lawyer just submitted documentation along with 50 letters of support from the community from employers, from family members, all saying why he should stay in this country. Thank you so much for sharing. Anne, i'm wondering if you could share about what happened to your husband. He was also born in a refugee camp, right? Ann Vue: Lue was born in Nangkai, Thailand refugee camp in 1978. In1979 his parents and him and his older brother Granted urgent humanitarian reasons for or for public benefit. They made it to America right before Halloween. The early nineties, me even being the first generation American here, racism played a lot. We all went through that piece and our parents not speaking English at the same time, they were going to school themselves so that they can learn our English language, . They weren't able to teach us growing up. We had to fend for ourselves. I would say my husband he went out with some friends. He did not commit the crime. But of course now that is brought back to him, he understood about his particular case is second attempt, home invasion. Nobody was harmed. He was in the vehicle, in the backseat when he was caught. He didn't wanna partake, but he didn't wanna stop them either 'cause to him it was like, if I don't partake, then I have nothing to do with it. . Because if I do, then they might not be my friends anymore. It's just a part of growing up as a youth. Because he was there, and then would receive a court appointed attorney, and then provide it very similar to Tika's too. Had an interpreter, that was explaining to them, was provided bad legal advice. He had no knowledge about how this would impact his immigration status. It was advised by their attorney, take the plea it's easier, and you probably serve less than a year. You'll be out, you'll only be in the county jail anyways 'cause you didn't really commit the crime and technically it should have been a misdemeanor. But because you're an accomplice, that kind of falls under this category. So he took the plea, he served 10 months in a county jail. He actually was released for good behavior. He even finished his probation soon because he paid all of his stuff off. He even finished a youth advocate program for anybody that committed crimes between the age of 18 to 21. I just saw this form the other day and I was reading it and it talks about, the one thing about our parents, experiencing the war and coming to America, they don't talk about it. A lot of us are from communist countries. We are very afraid to voice our voices, because someone can take action. Our parents never talked about it. I read what he wrote to his, youth coordinator, he felt so bad about what he did. He created disappointment for his parents and he understands, there are sacrifices that got us here to America. He literally wrote all of this down, i'm going to be a better person. I'm going to make my parents proud now that I understand their sacrifices. They asked him, ” what was your upbringing like?” He wrote, “poor” and the coordinator wrote on the bottom of his comments said, “Lue is remorseful for what has happened and he wants to be a better person. I have no other questions. The training is complete.” He doesn't need any further, support and believes that he will move forward to be a better person. That's literally what they wrote on the document. Then fast forwarding to 1999 that's when, immigration showed up at his house. Him and I would meet in 2000, and then we'd be married in 2001. We'd celebrate. Almost 24 and a half years of marriage. We did appeal his case in the humanitarian piece of what this meant for Lue during the time where we all fled the country. Once the monks were declared enemy of the state by the LDR in Laos, we fled. It's well documented that there was a little bit over 400,000 of us there right after the genocide and the killings of the Hmong there was probably less than 45,000 of us left. Once we understood a lot of that, we wanted to do better. We wanted to really service our community. We appealed the case. The case was then denied in his appeal letters, general Vink Powell, which led the Hmongs during the war, even had a letter where he, also pled why Hmongs need to stay here in America. And why we need to bring the rest of our people to this country. The reality is our whole family, Lue's whole family was wiped out. We don't have anybody, Lue doesn't have anyone. That goes to Tika's thing too. There's nobody there. Going back to the case once it was denied in 2002. He then was forced to reach out to the embassy and was denied, entry into Thailand 'cause that's where he was born. We're stateless too, just like Tikas husband. We were denied by Thailand. We were denied by Laos stating that we are not a citizen of theirs. They do not allow or welcome any sort of entry. In 2006, they actually took his green card and then we again were denied. In 2008 we were denied a third time and that's when his immigration officer was like, just move on and start your life. Laos and Thailand, will never sign a repatriation act with America because of you guys, because of the Hmong people, what you guys have done to their country, making it the most bombed country during the war without even being a part of the war. They will never allow you guys back. So we were like, okay. So we moved forward. Then in 2014, this immigration officer, which we was doing yearly checkups at this time, was like, Hey go get your citizenship, get your green card. They're like you're doing so good. You probably could have a chance to get it. We moved forward to apply for citizenship and for the green card. We were denied in 2015 and we know how expensive this is. You pay $10,000 outright, you don't get that money back. You just have to go at it again. We decided that, we're gonna get his case expunged, and we got his case expunged in 2018. No questions asked. It was very straightforward. Once it was expunged, we continued with our [00:26:00] lives. Very involved in the community. We had six kids . This year we even called his immigration officer and he was like, “Hey, don't worry about it, Lue, we're moving you over to Grand Rapids and you should be fine. Just make sure that you stay outta trouble, continue to follow your stock.” I think what triggered it was when we applied for his work permit in April. He always meets his immigration officer at the end of the year, and we renewed his work permit is what triggered it. The money was cashed out, everything the checks went through while we were receiving that, he was gonna be here, everything was gonna be fine. Then July 15th he was detained at work, six 30 in the morning, the detained officer they told him they know who he is to the community, so they have to do it this way because they don't want any problems. They don't want media, they don't want reporters. He did ask them because he rode his motorcycle for some weird reason. He has not taken his bike out, his motorcycle out in the last three years. But for some reason that night he was like, I just wanna take my bike. So he took his bike that night and when ICE told him, do you have somebody come get your bike? You need to call somebody to come get your bike. He was like, nobody in my family rides motorcycles. I don't have anyone to come get my bike. I think there was some empathy and compassion for him. My husband was like, can I just take my bike back? I've got six kids. I've got my grandma at home and my parents are also at my house right now. I just wanna see them and wanna take my bike back. They asked him, “if we let you go, please don't run.” They followed my husband home and my husband literally called me at 6 37 in the morning and he was like, Hey, ICE is, here they got me. I'm like, “what? What's going on?” It was just so surreal. I was so shocked. It's a 30 minute drive. When he got there, they were already officers, packed tight in our driveway. We live in the country. There were like five or six cop cars there too. We had to walk about half a mile down to go see him. They wouldn't allow him to enter where our home was. The officer told, my husband, told him that they're so sorry. They have to do it this way. They know who he is. They don't want any problems, they don't want any reports in media out here. I will say my experience was a little bit different from others. They did take their mask off when they took him in, they were respectful. They even, talk to my two older boys like, Hey, you guys have money. I could put the money in your dad's account. We're, take him into Grand Rapids, we're gonna process him, and then we're gonna take him to the detention center, which is gonna be in Michigan. They were very open about these steps . My grandma has chronic pulmonary disease stage four. We couldn't haul her fast enough because we only saw him for like maybe a quick minute, and that was it. They did ask us to turn around because they had to take him back and they didn't want our little ones to see them cuffing him. Miko Lee: They actually said, Anne, we don't want any media to be watching this? Ann Vue: I don't want any problems. Miko Lee: Your husband is also quite well known in the Hmong community, right? So probably, they were worried about folks coming out and protesting. Is that, do you think that was the case? Ann Vue: That's what I'm assuming. I don't remember their exact words saying media, but do remember that they didn't want people around, they didn't want to create issues for the community. Because if he would've gotten the letter just like everybody did, which everybody then would receive the letter on Friday, and because my husband is a community leader, he is the Hmong Family Association's president, we restart receiving many, many calls where everybody just wanted to talk to Lue 'cause they needed to know what's going on, how to handle, what to do. At that moment I realized, oh my gosh, they detained my husband first. Then everybody else got a letter. Miko Lee: And the ICE officer that he had been checking in with routinely has he been in touch with him since he was detained? Ann Vue: He hasn't. Miko Lee: So they had different people come in even, 'cause he was the person that said everything's okay, keep going with your life. Ann Vue: Oh yeah. Miko Lee: And so no contact with him whatsoever since the detention? Ann Vue: No. Miko Lee: Okay. Thank you so much. I just wanna point out, for all of our listeners, how many similarities there are in these two cases. In both of these amazing women are here supporting their spouses. Both spouses born in refugee camps. Dealing with intergenerational trauma from families that had to escape ethnic cleansing or involved in a war, came into the United States under, legal properties through refugee resettlement acts, made mistakes as young people, partially due to culture and wanting to fit in. They served their time, they paid their dues. They were racially profiled. They suffered from incredible immigration policy failure with bad advice, with a system that's broken. Now both of them are detained. Not yet deported, but detained. Many of the community members have already been deported and they're facing statelessness. We're seeing this not just with Bhutanese and Hmong folks, but with Mien and Lao and Haitian and El Salvadorian. We could fill in the blank of how many other peoples in other communities are facing this. We also know that these private detention centers where people are being held, are making millions and millions of dollars, and it's connected into our corrupt political system that's in place right now. Aisa, I'm wondering if you could, talk about the case, but also about some of the deals that we think have had to be made with Laos and Bhutan in order for these deportations to even take place. So Aisa from Asian Law Caucus, I'm gonna pass it to you to go over some of the legal ramifications. Aisa Villarosa: Of course, Miko, and thank you for it for the context. There are so many parallels that we as advocates must uplift because this is not the time to be divided. This is the time to build solidarity that we've long known needs to happen. What Miko is referring to is largely something that we've observed around the travel  bans. Earlier this year, right around the time that the Trump administration took hold, there was a draft travel ban list that leaked across a number of media outlets, the Times, et cetera, and the same countries we're talking about today, Bhutan, Laos. These were historically not countries that were subject to sanctions, like the travel ban, and yet here they were. A lot of us were scratching our heads and asking, why is this happening? Our theory, and this is a theory that is now also manifesting in a number of FOIA requests or Freedom of Information Act requests that are submitted from Asian Law Caucus to departments like the State Department ice, the Department of Homeland Security. Asking the same question that Tika and Anne are asking, which is, how are these deportations even happening? They were not happening until this year. What very likely happened was a bit of a quid pro quo. So in removing Bhutan, removing Laos from this list where they could be sanctioned as a country, there was likely some backdoor deal that took place between the US State Department and Bhutanese officials and the US officials, where essentially there was some form of an agreement that there would be an acceptance or a supposed acceptance of a certain number of folks from these communities. That is why around March, for the Bhutanese refugee community, for example, we started seeing pickups very similar to Mohan's case, where, many people who had perhaps made some mistakes in their youth or had really old criminal convictions were swept off the streets and thrust into these really rapid deportation proceedings. I don't even know if proceedings is the right word, because there essentially was no proceeding. The Immigration Court is very much a cloaked process. The immigration judge is kind of judge and jury wrapped up together, which is very different than many of us might turn on the TV and see something like Law and order. An immigration court works a very different way where this piece of paper, this final removal order, basically gives ICE a lot of bandwidth to make these deportations happen. However, that doesn't mean we should just accept that this is happening. We know that just basic procedures of fairness are not being met. We know, too that in the case of, for example, the Bhutanese community ICE officers have come to the wrong house. And put a lot of people in fear. So racial profiling was happening even before this recent Supreme Court decision, which essentially now condones racial profiling, as criteria that the ICE can use. I also just wanted to talk about this trend too, we're seeing with so many cases. It happened to Lue, it happened to Mohan, where in someone's underlying criminal court case, maybe they were given a court appointed attorney. In many cases, they were not told of the immigration impacts of, say, taking a plea. There is a Supreme Court case called Padilla versus Kentucky and basically the law shifted such that in many cases there now is a duty for a court appointed public defender to actually talk to folks like Mohan and Lue about the immigration consequences of their plea. So when Tika mentioned that there's something called a post-conviction relief effort for Mohan. That's happening in Georgia. This is very much what that legal defense looks like, where, an expert attorney will look at that very old court record, see if those rights were violated, and also talk to Mohan and make sure did that violation happen and is that grounds for reopening an immigration case. For Lue, there is a really mighty pardoning campaign that's brewing in the state of Michigan. So in Michigan, governor Gretchen Whitmer does have the authority to in some cases expedite a pardon in process. Unfortunately in the immigration arena the expungement does not have that same weight as say a vacating, or a motion to vacate that criminal record. So it's super frustrating because, so much of this turns ethically, morally on- do we, as people believe in second chances, and I know most people do, and yet here we are really. Based on a technicality. I also just want to name too that Lue as a person is both a natural organizer and he is a spiritual guide of his community. So something that many folks don't know is because of so much of the trauma that Anne talked about, both from, supporting the Americans during the Secret War, many Hmong folks who came to the States, they actually in some cases died in their sleep because of this, almost unexplained weight of the trauma. It almost underscores the importance of Lue, not just to his family, but this family is a collective family. He's both a mentor for so many, he's a spiritual guide for so many. Him being away from his family, away from community, it's like a double, triple wound. for Mohan, I'd love to uplift this memory I have of a moment in June when Tika gave us a call, and at that point, Mohan had called Tika and said, they're taking me, I'm being deported. At that point, they were removing Mohan from the ICE facility in Butler, Ohio and transporting him to the Detroit airport or that deportation to Bhutan. Tika was forced to essentially delay her childbirth. It was very much in the range of when she was due to give birth to their daughter. But because the clock was ticking, Tika drove to Butler, literally begged for Mohans life as our organizing and advocacy and legal team was trying to get together this emergency stay of deportation. That fortunately came through at the 11th hour. But the fact that Mohan remains in this facility in St. Clair, Michigan, that he's never held his daughter is unacceptable, is ridicuLues. I think so much of these two cases almost, this invisible brotherhood of pain that I know Ann has talked to me about that. Because Lue right now has been in a couple facilities. He is organizing, he's doing his thing and actually supporting folks while also just trying to keep himself well, which is no easy feat to do in so many of these facilities. Especially because, in Alexandria, for example, which is a facility in Louisiana. We know that folks are sleeping on cement floors. We know that folks are not being fed, that there's a lot of human rights violations going on. Here is Lue still continuing to use his voice and try to advocate for the folks around him. Miko Lee: Aisa thank you so much for putting that into context, and we'll put links in the show notes for how folks can get involved in both of these cases. One is, Rising Voices call to action for Lue. We encourage folks to do that. In terms of Mohan, there's a GoFundMe to help support Tika and the immense lawyer fees, and also a letter writing campaign to the ICE director Kevin Roff, to try and release Mohan and Lue. These are really important things that are happening in our community, and thank you for being out there. Thank you for talking and sharing your stories. We really appreciate you. And also, just briefly, I'd love us for us to talk for a minute about how many folks in our Asian American communities, we don't wanna talk about mistakes that we have made in the past because we might consider that shameful. And therefore, in both of these communities, when we started organizing, it was really hard at first to find people to come forth and share their stories. So I wonder if both of you can give voice to a little about that, the power you found in yourself to be able to come forward and speak about this, even though some other folks in the community might not feel comfortable or strong enough to be able to talk. Tika, can you speak to that? Tika Basnet: What makes me really strong, and I wanna see that my husband case is because he was 17, people can make mistake and from those mistake, if people are learning. Americans should consider, 'cause my husband did make mistake and I wish that time he knew the rules and regulation. I wish somebody taught him that he's not supposed to go somebody else property, around in backyard. I wish he was been in the United States like more than , one and a half year. I wish, if he was like more than two years, three years. I think that time he, from high school, he could learn. He's not supposed to go there. He was just been in the United States like one and a half year just going to high school. Nobody taught him. His parent doesn't even speak English. Until now, they doesn't even speak, like nobody in our community knew rules and regulation. He doesn't have guide, mentor to taught him like, and even though he did make mistake and he's really sorry, and from those mistake learning a lot, and he never get into trouble, after 11 years, he was clean, he work, he pay taxes. That is the reason that I really wanna come forward. People can make mistake, but learning from those mistake that changed people life. The reason that I'm coming forward is because organization like Asian Law Caucus, ARU, and, Miko, a lot of people helped me. They taught me like people can make mistake and, we shouldn't be same. I really wanna give example to my daughter, that, you are fighting for justice and you shouldn't fear. What is right is right. What is wrong is wrong. But if somebody's make mistake and they are not, doing that mistake again, I think the people can get a second chance. My husband deserves second chance. He's 30 years old. He has a family, he has a wife, children and he deserved to be here. We came here legally, my husband came here. Legally, we, promise that we'll get home and this is our home. We wanna stay here and I really want my husband be home soon so he can play with her daughter to play with his daughter. Miko Lee: Thank you so much, Tika. Ann I wonder if you could talk to the strength that it takes for you to come forward and speak about your husband and your family. Ann Vue: I'm a community leader with my husband. There was a moment when he was first detained where I was in complete silence. I was so shocked. It took my attorney, Nancy, just talking to me about it. Of course, back to what Aisa said earlier in our communities, we're afraid. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. It took me visiting my husband in Baldwin and letting him know that, hey, a bunch of community members are now reaching out. And that's that. At that moment, he was like, you have to say something. You have to say something you have to make noise because you have a, 50% chance, right? We have a 50 50 chance. 50%. They're gonna send me 50%. You're gonna feel bad if you don't say anything, right? 50 here, 50 there. It doesn't matter. But a hundred percent regret if you don't say something. I thought about it and he was like, well, go out there, be my voice. He's like, you've always been my voice. You got this right. I didn't say no to Nancy. 'cause she really wanted to talk to our rep Mai you know about this. Mai and I are pretty close too. , I just knew if I said anything, Mai's gonna be like mm-hmm. All the way. I just let Nancy help me, and my most vulnerable time. I'm glad that she did. I'm glad that we did get this out. It is the most important thing for us. what keeps me going is all of those that have been impacted by this, from people like Tika. I have many, I call 'em sisters. We're all in a lot of these group chats together. They've been also keeping me going. Our amazing team of attorneys and everybody just strategizing through this unprecedented time. It's really everyone's voices. I get to talk to Lue daily. It's definitely not cheap, but he gets to share each story of each person. I believe that everybody has a story and they might not be as lucky as maybe Tika or my husband, but at least now I have their story. I will be their voice. I will tell each person's story, each name, each alien number that I track down, my husband's even literally learned how to count in Spanish, just so he can give them like my phone number in Spanish in case they need to call an emergency. Oh, I'm be getting a lot of calls. that is what keeps me going because I think that Tika and I and many others are, hoping that there is going to be a better day, a brighter day. I hope that everyone can see that, our children are American, right? Our children, they deserve to have their fathers and their mothers. They deserve to grow with these parents. And with that being said, the most important thing to me is they're not just bystanders. They're literally the future of America. I don't want them growing up with trauma, with trying to ask me questions “well mom, if we're refugees and we helped, Americans as allies, and we come to this country, why is this payback like this?” There's a moral obligation that has to be there and they're gonna grow up and they're gonna be trauma by this. I've got children right now that's been talking about joining the National Guard. It speaks volume about what happens to my husband. He's championed the Hmong, Michigan Special Gorilla unit, the Hmong veterans here in the last two years, really  with helping them through resolutions, tributes, making sure that they have things, that they are out there, that people now know them, they are finally recognized. This puts my husband at great danger by sending him back, because now he's championed the veterans here. He celebrates our veterans here. So it's a moral obligation. I hope that, and this is to every child, I hope that every child, they deserve their father's presence. There are many people who don't even have their father's presence and they wish their fathers were around. Our fathers wanna be around. I hope that our daughter, I only have one daughter too, that someday they can, their fathers can be a part of their, the American culture. I hope that we get that opportunity and I hope that somebody stop being scared, but turn around and help us. Help us. We came here legally, minor stuff, long decade old. This detainment has been worse than when he did time back in 1997. I just hope that somebody hears our podcast, Miko. Thank you. Aisa and Tika. And they turn and they have some compassion and help us because this is the tone that we're setting for the future of our American children. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for sharing. Tika, you wanna add? Tika Basnet: Yes, I really wanna talk about what kind of husband Mohan is. Even though like he detained for five month I put lot of money in his account and there was one guy, his family cannot support him. For me, it is really hard. I'm not working. But even my husband called me you don't need to put like money in my account, but can you please can you please put money in his account? He did not eat food. His family did not have money. I can survive without eating food. I think his story is really touching me. My husband was crying listening to that guy story in detention center and then I did put like $50 in his account. My husband is giving person. He love to give even though, he struggle a lot, even though, he doesn't know what will happen when he get deport. But, him saying other guy story. Does make him cry. I think this is the reason that I really wanna come forward. My husband is giving person, he's lovely person, he's caring person. That is the reason I wanna come forward. I want people to hear our voice, rather than silent. Right now people know our story. But if I was silent then I don't know whether my husband was already disappear. I don't know whether he gonna die torture or maybe he will expel within 24 hours. I have no idea. My husband is number one support system for me, because of him I'm here sharing his story. For years I had wonderful time with him. We build our dream and until 2025, our dream is destroy. I'm trying to build again. I'm hoping, my husband is coming home soon and I'm hoping that this will be the last time that he will get detained. I hope that this will be the end. I don't want him to get detained or deported again. I'm really tired. I don't know what to do. I'm hopeless. I hope listening to my story and Ann's story that separating family is not good. It is affecting not only one person but his whole community, whole family. We deserve to get our husband back. It is not only about the wife that is fighting for husband, it is the children. They're so small, they born here and we cannot raise alone, we cannot work. We have things to pay. Paying bills and taking care of child alone is really difficult. It's been five month. I went through postpartum depression, I went through trauma and I don't wanna deal anymore. Like I don't have courage to do this anymore. We need our husband back. Miko Lee: Thank you. I think both of your husbands are also main caregivers for parents that are ailing in both cases. It's a really important that we are intergenerational communities and as you both said, it's not just about the children, but it's also about parents and brothers and sisters and community members as well. Thank you so much for lifting up your stories. I just wanna go back for one more thing. We talked briefly about the crazy expensive lawyer fees that have come up for families that they've been dealing with this, and then also Tika was just bringing up about detention and commissary fees. Can you talk a little bit about the prison industrial complex and the fees that are associated? As Anne was saying, just calling Lue every day the costs that are associated with those things. Many people that don't have a family member that's incarcerated don't know about that. Can you share a little bit about what that system is? Aisa Villarosa: Yeah, absolutely Miko. Just to underscore, a big theme from this conversation, is that the US made commitments and they have broken them, both with, as Anne talked about, the refugee experience is one that is made possible through US commitment of acknowledging what, people have survived, what they have given to the country. Folks are being removed to countries where not only do they have zero ties to, don't speak the language, but, especially in the case of the Bhutanese refugee community, as Tika mentioned, it is truly a double expulsion. So the fact that we have well-documented testimonials of folks deported from Bhutan after they're removed there into these life-threatening conditions . A community member passed away in large part because of the failure of the US to both care for them while in detention. So going back to that prison complex, but also just putting them in such a harrowing situation. In another instance, a community member was found after wandering for over a hundred miles on foot. So this is not, deportation and the story ends. This is deportation and, there is a family that is grieving and thinking through next steps, there is, this call to not have borders, break us the way that this country is trying to do. And to say a little bit about the fees, USCIS, there, there has not been a point yet in history where so many changes and charges hurting families have been ushered in, But for this year. To give a couple examples of that – asylum cases for one, these often take many years through this administration. Now, families have to pay a cost yearly for each year that your asylum application, languishes because we're also seeing that those same folks who are supposed to process these applications are either being laid off or they're being militarized. So something like USCIS where this was where one would go to apply for a passport. Now the same department is literally being handed guns and they're now taking folks during naturalization interviews. Other avenues to challenge your removal. Like I mentioned a motion to reopen. All these things used to be fairly affordable. Now they can cost many thousands of dollars on top of the attorney fees. So something that's been quite challenging for groups like Asian Law Caucus where we do have attorneys representing folks in removal proceedings, there's often this misperception that oh it's costing so much money. Attorneys are pocketing cash. Unfortunately there are some situations where attorneys have been known to take advantage of families in this desperate moment. But for many, many attorneys who are in this mix, they're experts at this work. They're trying to do the right thing. They're both overwhelmed and they're seeing these new charges, which make the battle really even more difficult. So to turn it back to the listeners, I would say that as powerless as this moment can make us feel everyone is bearing witness. Hopefully the listeners today can take in Anne's story, can take in Tika's story and whatever power one has in their corner of the world, this is the moment to use that. Whether it's your voice, whether it's learning more about a community, maybe you're learning about for the first time. This is really the moment to take action. Miko Lee: Thank you Aisa. I wanna thank you all for being here with me today, for sharing your personal stories, your personal pain, and for recognizing that this is happening. We deeply believe that we need to keep our families together. That is really important. It is written into the very basis of this American country about redemption and forgiveness. And this is what we're talking about for misunderstandings that happened when these folks were young men, that they have paid for their time, and yet they're being punished again, these promises that were broken by this American government, and we need to find ways to address that. I really wanna deeply thank each of you for continuing to be there for sharing your voice, for protecting one another, for being there and standing up for your family and for our community. Thank you for joining me today. Check out our Apex Express Show notes to find out about how you can get involved. Learn about the Rising Voices campaign for Lue Yang and Mohan Khaki's GoFundMe. On November 3rd, 4:00 PM Pacific Time, 7:00 PM Eastern Time. Join us for We Belong here, Bhutanese and Hmong Americans in the Struggle Against Statelessness, a live virtual event featuring my three guests tonight, along with performances and conversations. Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program, apex Express to find out more about our show. APEX Express is a collective of activists that includes Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Have a great night.     The post APEX Express – 10.30.25-We Belong! appeared first on KPFA.

#podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #Michigan #WilliamLawrence #TomBarrett #Congress #Election2026 #Trump #Republicans #MAGA #GovernmentShutdown #WorkingClass #CleanEnergy #Jobs #Economy #HealthCare #Affordability #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #JohnJames #Gaza #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's Episode 154 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-15:49: James No-Show/MAGA Shutdown/Detroit Elections Pat Johnston opens this week's show on MAGA Republican Gubernatorial Candidate John James' refusal to appear at a Republican debate this week. And that's not a big change considering how Congressman James refuses to hold town halls! James supports the Trump Regime/MAGA Republican Government Shutdown that's hurting working class Americans. And Pat concludes the segment talking about some important races in the City of Detroit, including the chance to elect Democratic Socialist Denzel McCampbell on the City Council. 15:50-41:00: William Lawrence For Congress Interview Progressive Democratic candidate for Michigan's 7th Congressional District, William Lawrence, joins the show to talk about his working class campaign. Mr. Lawrence is working to unseat MAGA Republican Congressman Tom Barrett. He shares his progressive activist background in affordable housing and climate change, and why he wants to unite the working class to gain economic security for Michigan families. To learn more about William Lawrence's campaign and plans to uplift the working class, visit his campaign site.  41:47-48:04: Last Call-"Israel-First" Republicans In the Last Call, Pat calls-out some MAGA Republicans who are showing more loyalty towards Israel's right-wing government than they do for working class Americans. And shout-out to Michigan Progressive Democratic State Rep. Dylan Wegela for speaking the truth! 48:05-50:54: Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: William Lawrence Campaign Site "Lansing activist joins the Democratic fray for Michigan's 7th Congressional District." By Erick Diaz Valiz of Michigan Advance "Progressive activist William Lawrence the latest to launch campaign to run in 7th Congressional District race." By Anna Busse of Michigan Public Radio "Is Denzel McCampbell Detroit's Zohran Mamdani?." By Malachi Barrett of Bridge Detroit "Michigan health care woes: Insurers leaving, rates rising, subsidies in limbo." By Eli Newman of Bridge Michigan "Michigan House committee continues to probe Gotion after state pulls funding support." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "Aging Members of Congress Refuse to Disclose Details of Their Top Secret Hospital." By Daniel Bogulslaw of The American Prospect "New Poll: Michiganders More Aligned with Global Consensus Than U.S. Government on Gaza." By Progress Michigan "5 reasons we endorsed Mary Sheffield for Detroit mayor | Opinion." By The Detroit Free Press Editorial Board "Michigan's attorney general, Lansing mayor call for court action to halt decision pausing SNAP." By Katherine Dailey & Ben Solis of Michigan Advance

State Representative Mark Tisdel (R–Rochester Hills, District 55) joins Steve to talk about the latest education hypocrisy in Lansing. Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin is calling to ban phones in every classroom, but here's the kicker, Democrats in Michigan already blocked a similar proposal right here at home. Steve and Rep. Tisdel break down the political double standard, what's really behind these mixed messages, and what Michigan parents and teachers need to know about the push to control classrooms from D.C. instead of empowering local schools.

Welcome back to another heavy edition of The Metal Maniacs Podcast, hosted by Jay Ingersoll and Modd! In our 121st episode we return with the 21st installment of our reaction series, diving deep into the underground to discover the rawest, heaviest, and most experimental sounds emerging from across the globe. We give our first-time, unscripted reactions to their newest singles, music videos, and releases. Here's who we're reacting to in this episode:

Steve sits down with Speaker Matt Hall, Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, for the latest News on the Hill, a deep dive into what's happening in Lansing and beyond. They cover a full slate of hot topics, including a budget review, new transparency efforts in state government, along with what's next for Michigan's economic development plans.

We were joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He gave us his thought's on how the Spartans looked in that loss, gave his opinion on how much longer Jonathan Smith is Coach, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In our second hour, we were joined by Doug Karsch who is the voice of Michigan Football. He gave us his thought's on how the Wolverines looked in that win over MSU, talked about what he liked and disliked about that game, and much more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He gave us his thought's on how the Spartans looked in that loss, gave his opinion on how much longer Jonathan Smith is Coach, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on the show, we're talking all about Michigan beating Michigan State as we were joined by some of our great guests. We kicked off the show talking with Chris Balas from theWolverine.com so we could get his thought's on that win. He talked about what he liked in that game, gave his opinion on improvements he would like to see, looked ahead on the schedule, and more. Jim Comparoni from SpartanMag.com then joined us to give us some MSU perspective on Saturday's loss. He talked about some positives he saw, as well as all the negatives he noticed, he and Huge gave their thought's on how much longer Jonathan Smith is the Head Coach, and more. In our second hour, we were joined by Doug Karsch who is the voice of Michigan Football. He gave us his thought's on how the Wolverines looked in that win over MSU, talked about what he liked and disliked about that game, and much more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He gave us his thought's on how the Spartans looked in that loss, gave his opinion on how much longer Jonathan Smith is Coach, and more. In our final hour, we were joined by Anthony Broome from theWolverine.com to get his thought's on Michigan's win over MSU. He and Huge talked about how Michigan looked in that game, talked about some of the improvements they would like to see moving forward, and much more. We were then joined by Graham Couch from the Lansing State Journal. He and Huge broke down that loss to Michigan, talked about the poor Coaching, gave their thought's on Jonathan Smith, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with Rob Bentley who is the voice of the Ferris State Bulldogs. He and Huge talked about a big win for Ferris over Grand Valley in the Anchor-Bone Classic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

#podcast #politics #Progressive #Democrats #Michigan #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Economy #WorkingClass #Gotion #Whitmer #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for October 27, 2025. The Detroit News released a story detailing how some of the corporations that fund Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's overseas trade missions somehow end-up receiving billions in business incentives. Michigan taxpayers have paid billions in so-called "business incentives," with very little to show for it in economic or job activity.  Whitmer's emulating of Trump's corporate pay for play scheme is not a good way to win over the working class.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "Businesses fund Whitmer's overseas travel while getting billions in taxpayer incentives." By Beth LeBlanc & Craig Mauger of The Detroit News "Michigan lawmakers probe Whitmer trade trips, funding links to economic development groups." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "After Gotion and SOAR, Michigan eyes overhaul of corporate subsidy strategy." By Paula Gardner and Jordyn Hermani of Bridge Michigan

I'm thrilled to introduce a true Club Med legend who joined the G.O. team in 1986, kicking off his journey at Club Med Martinique as a Scuba G.O. His passion and leadership shone through as he later rose to Chief of Sports, and in 1992, he found love at Club Med Sandpiper, meeting his future wife. Beyond Club Med, he's an endurance athlete extraordinaire, conquering 10 Ironman races, over 50 marathons and ultra-marathons, and tackling the grueling “Rim to Rim to Rim Grand Canyon” race in an astonishing 18 hours. From his roots in Lyons, France, to his current home in Lansing, Michigan, we're diving into his incredible stories and so much more. Please join me in welcoming Benoit Collard! Since Benoit had such an incredible career with Club Med, I decided to split this interview into two parts. In this first installment, we'll explore his time at Club Med Martinique, Cancun, Moorea, Santa Teresa, and Turks and Caicos. When I originally asked Benoit to share a few fun facts, he left out one particularly remarkable detail—and in this interview, he finally reveals it! I won't spoil the fun fact, so you'll just have to listen to find out what it is. Please enjoy and stay tuned for part two! **My First Season podcast has always been ad-free and free to listen to and is available to download on: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Samsung Podcasts, Podbean App, Podchaser, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, PlayerFM, Pandora, and Listen Notes. And if you like what you hear, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.   

Originally uploaded August 13th reloaded October 26th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Cory Connolly, Chief Climate Officer, EGLE ( Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy), Lansing, MI. About: $129 Million Federal Investment Accelerates Michigan's Clean Energy Initiatives What is the Renewable Ready Communities (RRC) Program and why should Michigan residents care about it? How will this investment by the EPA accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects in the state and how could it change the future of Michigan? Can you elaborate on the partnership with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity to ensure Michigan has the workforce to meet 2030 renewable energy goals? How will this support jobs? How will this investment help Michigan achieve the goals of the MI Healthy Climate Plan? What are other investments and projects EGLE is championing to support the roll out of clean energy? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ The EPA has awarded Michigan $129 million from the Inflation Reduction Act's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program. This investment will accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects, helping Michigan achieve its climate goals while fostering economic growth and job creation. This funding will allow the state to launch Renewables Ready Communities (RRC), administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). The RRC has five priority areas: Expanding the Renewables Ready Communities Award pilot, an initiative launched in 2024 with a one-time state investment of $30 million, that provides financial incentives, on top of tax revenue and community benefits, to local and tribal governments that approve and host utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage through local processes. Creating the Brownfield Renewable Energy Pilot program to provide grants for renewable energy projects on brownfields, incentivizing deployment on brownfields. Strengthening EGLE's Renewable Energy Academy to develop technical assistance for local and tribal governments to improve planning, siting, and permitting processes for renewable energy facilities and the new Brownfield Renewable Energy Pilot program. Supporting workforce development programs, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, to ensure Michigan has the workforce needed to build enough renewable energy to meet the state's 2030 goals. Developing a Renewables Ready Communities Strategic Plan to ensure a comprehensive strategy for utility-scale and brownfield renewable energy projects to meet the state's 60% renewable energy by 2030 goals. Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the State of Michigan $129.1 million from the Biden-Harris administration's Inflation Reduction Act's (IRA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) program to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy like wind, solar, and storage. The investment will help Michigan meet its 60% renewable energy and 100% clean energy standards set under the recently enacted clean energy laws. Getting this done will create good-paying jobs, drive down energy costs, and protect the state's air, land, and water. “Michigan is committed to leading the future of clean energy so we can drive down utility costs for families, create good-paying jobs, and grow our advanced manufacturing economy,” said Governor Whitmer. “Thanks to our congressional delegation and the Biden-Harris administration's investment in Michigan, we are ready to launch the Renewables Ready Communities Program to meet our renewable energy and MI Healthy Climate Plan goals.

Pollster Ed Sarpolus said Friday morning that the Michigan Republican Party doesn't believe GOP Congressman John James can win the 2026 governor's race.“Right now, Republicans want him out of the state, off the ballot — even the DeVos family is wavering,” Sarpolus, executive director of Target Insyght in Lansing, said on a live podcast, The Week That Was. (The discussion begins at the 43:46 mark of the video below.)Sarpolus said he's skeptical of a recent Republican poll that showed James not only leading his party in the primary but also ahead in a three-way general election race.Sarpolus and guest Beverly Watts, a public relations specialist, both said Republicans are looking for an alternative candidate to James.Some other Republicans in the race include Pastor Ralph Rebandt, Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, former House Speaker Tom Leonard and former Attorney General Mike Cox.Others on the show included host Saeed Khan; attorneys Steve Fishman and Joel Sklar; veteran journalist Nancy Derringer; and Deadline Detroit co-founder Allan Lengel.Fishman, a criminal defense attorney, discussed the gambling indictments unsealed Thursday in New York, one of which names former Detroit Pistons star Chauncey Billups.

In our second hour, we were joined by Jim Brandstatter who is the former voice of Michigan Football. He and Huge talked about how this Michigan team has played this season, gave their thought's on what they need to do to beat MSU tomorrow, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He talked about what the Spartans need to do tomorrow to have a chance at beating Michigan, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with John Borton from theWolverine.com about what he thinks will happen in that Michigan/Michigan State game. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We were joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He talked about what the Spartans need to do tomorrow to have a chance at beating Michigan, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on the show, we're talking all about the big Michigan/Michigan State Rivalry game as we were joined by some of our great guests. We kicked off the show talking with Chris Balas from theWolverine.com so we could get his thought's on tomorrow's game. He talked about why he thinks Michigan will win tomorrow, gave his thought's on what challenges Michigan may have, and more. Jim Comparoni from Spartanmag.com then joined us to give us some Spartan perspective on Saturday's game. He filled us in on what he thinks the Spartans need to do to win, talked about some of their stand-out players, and more. We were then joined by Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com so he and Huge could preview Michigan/Michigan State. Clayton and Huge talked about what the keys to winning are for Michigan, and more. In our second hour, we were joined by Jim Brandstatter who is the former voice of Michigan Football. He and Huge talked about how this Michigan team has played this season, gave their thought's on what they need to do to beat MSU tomorrow, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He talked about what the Spartans need to do tomorrow to have a chance at beating Michigan, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with John Borton from theWolverine.com about what he thinks will happen in that Michigan/Michigan State game. In our final hour, Doug Skene from theWolverine.com joined us to talk Michigan/Michigan State. He talked about where he feels confident in the Wolverines as well as what worries him, talked about what this team needs to do to beat the Spartans, and more. We were then joined by Steve Goff from the Lansing Sports Network. He talked about what he likes about this MSU team, talked about what they need to do to win, and much more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

#podcast #politics #progressive #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Trump #JeffreyEpstein #EpsteinFiles #GovernmentCorruption #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentShutdown #MikeJohnson #WorkingClass #Economy #Authoritarianism #Michigan #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for October 24, 2025. Millions of working class workers are receiving alerts that their SNAP benefits will be gone in November as the Trump Regime's government shutdown continues.  Pat Johnston explains why the MAGA Congress is more than willing to help The Regime keep the government closed: To keep the Epstein Files from being released as long as possible.  Even if that means 1.4 million working class Michigan families will lose their food assistance.  MAGA Republicans would rather inflict pain on the working class in order to protect Trump, and the billionaire donor class, from the Epstein Files.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "With SNAP benefits paused, Michigan recipients, advocates and lawmakers determine how to respond." By Katherine Dailey of Michigan Advance "Speaker Mike Johnson says he won't block House vote to release Epstein files." By Chris Stein of The Guardian

#podcast #progressive #politics #Michigan #Democrats #NoKings #Republicans #MAGA #CorporateGreed #Corporate Corruption #GovernmentCorruption #Trump #MikeDuggan #Oligarchy #DonorClass #WorkingClass #WealthInequality #Farmers #Education #LisaMcClain #Tariffs #WorkRequirements #Economy #NoKings #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #DirtRoadDems #LeftOfLansing 00:00-33:00: MAGA Government Shutdown/No Kings/War On Working Class Pat Johnston begins the show talking about his "favorite" MAGA Republican Michigan Congresswoman, Lisa McClain, who's become the voice of the MAGA Government Shutdown. MAGA Republicans are hoping voters will blame Democrats for the shutdown even thought Democrats have no power in Washington, D.C. Pat shares a number of stories in how government and corporate corruption work hand-in-hand to support The Trump Regime. And he explains why the No Kings protests weren't just an effort to oppose The Regime, but it was an effort to show working class solidarity. 35:06-39:55: Last Call-Pot Tax Unpopular Suddenly, no one in Lansing wants to take credit for the unpopular 24% wholesale tax on recreational marijuana to help pay for road repairs. 39:56-41:49: Ending Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "War of words continues over who greenlit Michigan wholesale pot tax: Brinks or Hall?" By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "In small towns and rural communities, young voters say they feel unseen by leaders." By Elena Moore of NPR "A Michigan Town Hopes to Stop a Data Center With a 2026 Ballot Initiative." By Tom Perkins of Inside Climate News (via Michigan Advance) "Fact Check: Can Argentine Beef Really Lower US Prices?" By Chris Clayton of DTN Ag Policy Editor of Progressive Farmer in DTN "Program for young Michigan kids, families lost all its state funding in budget cut" By Beki San Martin of The Detroit Free Press "What we know about claims USAID funded 'Sesame Street' TV show in Iraq." By Laerke Christenson of Snopes "Who is paying for Trump's White House ballroom?" By Bernd Debusmann Jr. of The BBC "Rising costs impact Michigan voters as chamber poll reveals economic concerns." By Dylan Goetz of MLive.com

Senator Runestad joins Steve to discuss his newly introduced bill aimed at reforming Michigan's broken rulemaking process. He explains how unelected bureaucrats have gained too much power, creating and enforcing regulations without proper legislative oversight. The Senator's proposal would restore accountability, transparency, and balance between the legislative and executive branches, ensuring rules serve the people, not the agencies. They talk about how excessive red tape strangles small businesses, drives up costs, and limits individual freedom, and how this reform could finally bring common sense back to Lansing.

Originally uploaded October 16th, reloaded October 21st. Jeffrey Mosher welcomed back Jay LaNew, Apprenticeship/Business Services Officer Capital Area Michigan Works! Lansing, MI but serving Ingham Eaton and Clinton Counties. In their conversation they covered: 1. What is Race to Talent, and why is CAMW! putting it on? 2. What are attendees going to see and learn? 3. Why should employers, especially those outside the construction and manufacturing sectors, consider Registered Apprenticeships? 4. Any final thoughts? Details about the event? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ CAMW! prepares to host apprenticeship event Employers will learn processes, benefits for multiple industries LANSING, Mich. — Capital Area Michigan Works! (CAMW!), in partnership with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and Lansing Community College, will host an event in the coming weeks showcasing the advantages of Registered Apprenticeships. The event, called Race to Talent, will take place from 9:30-11 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 22, at LCC's West Campus, located at 5708 Cornerstone Drive in Lansing. More than 50 employers have signed up to attend the event, which will feature presentations from employers and apprentices about their own successes, and a panel discussion about the process of establishing a Registered Apprenticeship and how it can benefit businesses, even those outside “traditional” apprenticeship fields. “With the federal government putting a greater emphasis on apprenticeships, and our own work in trying to bolster our local talent pipeline, now is the perfect time for employers to learn about the win-win of apprenticeships,” CAMW! CEO Carrie Rosingana said. WHAT: Race to Talent WHERE: LCC West Campus, Room M119-121 5708 Cornerstone Drive Lansing, MI 48917 WHEN: Wednesday, Oct. 22, from 9:30-11 a.m. Employers who still want to register can do so at https://events.resultsathand.com/mwa/3499/registration/1527-Registration-Form. ### ABOUT CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works!, a proud partner of the American Job Center network, connects with businesses to develop recruiting and retention strategies, and strengthens the local workforce by enhancing education and career opportunities for job seekers. For more information, call (517) 492-5500 or go to www.camw.org.

LAFCU Heritage Fest took place Friday, Sept. 26 at LAFCU's West Lansing branch. This free community celebration featured live cultural performances, music, food, and family activities — including dance groups, a funk/R&B band, food trucks, giveaways, and more. Guests were also encouraged to wear traditional attire to celebrate their heritage. MBN stopped by over the Noon hour to capture the performances, family fun, and vibrant community spirit. LAFCU Heritage Fest to be held Friday, Sept. 26 in West Lansing WHAT: LAFCU Heritage Fest, a free community event featuring culture, food, music and family fun. The event featured live performances by Worship Without Words dance group, Fantasia Ballet Folklorico, and funk/R&B band The Love Effect. Attendees also enjoyed Jeff the Magician, Stilt Dance Project, bounce houses, an interactive Money Machine, food trucks, giveaways, and more. Guests were welcome to wear traditional attire that celebrates their heritage. Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer, LAFCU, Lansing, MI, shares the stage with some board members who discuss their volunteer spirit and celebration of the day's festival. Then there are about 12 minutes of sights and sounds from during the festival, including a performance using "Black Is Everything" Ta'Rhonda Jones' Audio. {This will be removed if needed}. WHO: Community members of all ages attended. The event was free and open to the public. WHERE: LAFCU West Lansing Branch | 106 N. Marketplace Blvd., Lansing, MI 48917 WHEN: Friday, Sept. 26 WHY: LAFCU Heritage Fest is a living expression of the credit union's long-standing commitment to community engagement, celebrating the people, traditions, and cultural well-being that make the Greater Lansing region unique. About LAFCU: Founded in 1936, LAFCU (pronounced laugh-cue) is a not-for-profit, member-owned credit union open to all who live, work, worship or attend school in Michigan, and to Michigan businesses. LAFCU serves more than 74,000 members and holds over $1 billion in assets. With a particular focus on serving people of modest means, LAFCU is committed to enhancing its members' financial well-being and creating long-lasting positive change across generations. Awarded the prestigious Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award, LAFCU is known for its people-helping-people mission, which has led to award-winning financial literacy programs for all ages. A three-time honoree as a national ‘Best Credit Union to Work For' and recognized globally for its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, LAFCU stands out for its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. Learn more at www.lafcu.com. # # # » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

The Construction Science Expo was held Sept. 30, 2025. Their 14th year overall and third year occurring in the Lansing area. This hands-on event introduces youth to skilled trades and construction careers, giving them the chance to try activities like bricklaying, electrical wiring, and heavy equipment operation. T3 and Capital Area Michigan Works! hosted it at Impressions 5 Science Center and in a parking lot across the street at property belonging to Lansing BWL (Board of Water & Light). This video shares a pair of interviews and footage of the Middle Schoolers experiencing the event in downtown Lansing. Lansing Hosts 3rd Annual Construction Science Expo, Inspiring the Next Generation of Skilled Trades Professionals LANSING, Mich. — September 30, 2025 — The Lansing region welcomed hundreds of eager middle school students today, for the 3rd Annual Lansing Construction Science Expo, hosted in partnership by T3 (Teach. Talent. Thrive.), Capital Area Michigan Works!, and the ACEC Michigan chapter. Now in its 14th year overall, this is the third time the event has taken place in the Lansing area. The hands-on expo was held at the Impressions 5 Science Center and adjacent lots owned by the Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL). The expo gave students a unique opportunity to get their hands dirty with real construction tasks — from electrical wiring and bricklaying to heavy equipment simulators — under the guidance of industry professionals. The experience is designed to expose young learners to in-demand careers in the built environment and break down misconceptions about what careers in construction can be. As a highlight, event organizers invited regional firms and infrastructure stakeholders, including the City of Lansing, BWL, and local engineering firms, to host activity stations and mentor students. The expo aligns with the American Council of Engineering Companies-Michigan's commitment to support workforce development. The ACEC Michigan calendar lists the event as a key link between the engineering profession and the broader community. “Getting students to pour a footing or wire a test circuit with their own hands helps remove fear of trades and opens their eyes to real opportunities,” said a representative from ACEC Michigan. For sponsors, schools, and industry participants, the expo is more than outreach — it's a long-term investment in developing a workforce pipeline. Employers gain early exposure to future talent, while school partners receive access to resource lists, follow-up educational pathways, and industry contacts. Many participating firms provide apprenticeships, internships, and scholarships tied directly to their interactions at the event. Capital Area Michigan Works! and T3 plan to expand the event footprint in 2026, with outreach into rural school districts and additional construction discipline modules (such as plumbing, HVAC, and civil surveying). For more info, visit ACEC Michigan's event listing or contact Michigan Works! and T3 for participating schools and firms.

Originally uploaded September 19, reloaded October 4th. Chris Holman welcomes back Kelli Ellsworth Etchison, Chief Marketing Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer, LAFCU, Lansing, MI. Welcome back, Kelli, remind the Michigan business community about LAFCU? What does your election to the AACUC (African American Credit Union Coalition) national board mean for LAFCU and for Michigan's role in shaping the future of credit unions? How do you see AACUC's work influencing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts across the financial services industry? What lessons from your work at LAFCU will you bring to your role on the AACUC board? How can credit unions strengthen their impact on underserved communities through initiatives like those you've led at LAFCU? Looking ahead, what opportunities or challenges do you see for credit unions in advancing financial empowerment nationwide? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ Michigan executive to help shape the future of credit unions nationwide through AACUC leadership LANSING, Mich. — The African-American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC) has elected Kelli Ellsworth Etchison to its national board of directors for a three-year term. Ellsworth Etchison is the chief marketing officer and chief diversity officer for LAFCU. She also serves as CEO of the StableCommunities Foundation powered by LAFCU. Her election elevates Michigan's role in the national credit union movement and underscores LAFCU's leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the financial services industry. Ellsworth Etchison will join peers from across the country in helping guide strategies that shape the future of credit unions and their ability to serve African Americans and other underrepresented communities. Founded in 1999, the AACUC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity within the credit union industry through advocacy, mentorship, and professional development. Its board provides strategic direction for industry-wide conversations on equity, opportunity, and access. “I am deeply honored to join the AACUC Board of Directors,” Ellsworth Etchison said. “The AACUC community is bold, mindful, and brave in advancing equity and opportunity. This role is about more than professional leadership — it's about ensuring that credit unions remain strong advocates for financial empowerment and inclusion. I'm proud to bring LAFCU's voice to this important work.” At LAFCU, Ellsworth Etchison has spearheaded initiatives ranging from multicultural engagement to financial literacy programs for youth, seniors, and underserved groups. The AACUC announced its 2025-2026 Executive Committee and newly elected directors on Sept. 3. About LAFCU Founded in 1936, LAFCU (pronounced laugh-cue) is a not-for-profit, member-owned credit union open to all who live, work, worship or attend school in Michigan, and to Michigan businesses. LAFCU serves more than 74,000 members and holds over $1 billion in assets. With a particular focus on serving people of modest means, LAFCU is committed to enhancing its members' financial well-being and creating long-lasting positive change across generations. Awarded the prestigious Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Community Service Award, LAFCU is known for its people-helping-people mission, which has led to award-winning financial literacy programs for all ages. A three-time honoree as a national ‘Best Credit Union to Work For' and recognized globally for its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, LAFCU stands out for its commitment to creating an inclusive workplace. Learn more at www.lafcu.com. # # #

In Episode 403 of Airey Bros Radio, we head to Lansing, Michigan, to sit down with Coach Jim Robinson, longtime Head Coach of Lansing Community College Cross Country & Track.Now in his 19th year with LCC, Robinson has been part of seven NJCAA National Championships, earning three USTFCCCA National Coach of the Year awards. Since taking over in 2014, he's led the Stars to four women's titles (2015, 2016, 2021, 2022) and back-to-back Men's NJCAA DII titles (2023 & 2024) — and as of Sept 2025, his men's squad is ranked #1 nationally while the women sit #7.We dive deep into Robinson's journey from Penn State runner to pastor to JUCO legend — exploring the parallels between ministry and coaching, the power of persistence, and how LCC has built a true family culture rooted in trust, hard work, and fun.

Originally uploaded October 14th, reloaded October 21st. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes Carrie Rosingana, CEO, CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works! Lansing, MI, but serving Ingham, Eaton and Clinton Counties. In recent days a new state budget has passed, so details are still settling on what the new budget year looks like,... Where will things stand for Going PRO Talent Fund grants, and their impact on Michigan's small businesses and their workforce training efforts? What measurable return on investment has programs like Going PRO and BRES provided for employers in the Capital area? What's the status for Jobs for Michigan's Graduates which affects local talent pipelines and future workforce readiness? In what ways do CAMW!'s business services help employers navigate and benefit from state workforce programs? What strategies can Michigan businesses adopt to sustain employee development if state funding remains cut? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ Here was their September 18th press release before the budget passed: CAMW! urges lawmakers to restore critical funding Successful workforce programs eliminated in budget proposal LANSING, Mich. — Capital Area Michigan Works! (CAMW!) is calling on state lawmakers to undo proposed cuts to multiple successful workforce development programs, including one that helps small businesses offset the cost of training their workers and another providing career and educational assistance for at-risk youth. “While I understand that resources are limited, and legislators have difficult decisions to make, these are programs with proven successful track records,” said Carrie Rosingana, chief executive officer of CAMW!. “During times of fiscal uncertainty, we would strongly encourage lawmakers to continue to fund programs where you know you'll get a good return on your investment, and that's why we need these programs off the chopping block.” One of the programs entirely defunded is the Going PRO Talent Fund, which awards grants to businesses to train employees for an area of demonstrated need and gives them an industry-recognized skill or credential. Only employees who primarily work in Michigan are eligible, and over the last 10 years, over 90% of awards have gone to businesses with less than 500 employees. “MediLodge, which operates over 50 skilled nursing and rehabilitation facilities across Michigan, has relied on GPTF since 2022, to support the training of nearly 4,000 health care workers, helping them gain vital skills to better serve Michigan's aging population. Workers who completed training saw an average wage increase of 8% within six months,” said Heidi Lowe, talent acquisition project director at MediLodge. “This isn't just about reimbursement dollars and training hours; it's about building a resilient health care system. MediLodge uses GPTF to show what strategic investment in workforce development can lead to: better patient care, higher employee retention and stronger local economies.” CAMW! and the other 15 Michigan Works! agencies around the state are an integral part of the GPTF application process. CAMW!'s Business Services staff conduct fact-finding missions, help employers determine training needed for their workforce to include in an application, support employers in finding a training source and facilitate the application process. ### ABOUT CAMW! Capital Area Michigan Works!, a proud partner of the American Job Center network, connects with businesses to develop recruiting and retention strategies and strengthens the local workforce by enhancing education and career opportunities for job seekers. For more information, call (517) 492-5500 or go to www.camw.org.

Vic Verchereau welcomes Justin Sheehan, who is the Legal Director and General Counsel at Michigan Community Resources. Justin Sheehan is a Lansing born and bred attorney with a fierce pride for the diverse and resilient Capital City he calls home. A twice over graduate of Michigan State University, in social work and law respectively. As the Legal Director and General Counsel for Michigan Community Resources, Sheehan's organization offers support to nonprofit and grassroots organizations with capacity building services, tailored cohort experiences, and legal guidance. His involvement in the area is extensive and includes the Chairman of the Lansing Empowerment Network, Vice-Chairman of The Ourspace Foundation, Board Member of the Lansing Growth Fund, Board Member of The Empowerment Institute for Michigan Foundation, Board Member of the Malcolm X Community Commission, member of the Lansing School District's Multicultural Education Taskforce, and member of the Senior Advisory Team for Lansing Community College's Office of Empowerment. Having helped lead the team for the Lansing Promise, he is someone who cares and is making a difference in the Mid-Michigan area. Dial up this edition of the Leadership Lowdown! Host Vic Verchereau gets the scoop on all of the good work being done right here on the Michigan Business Network! » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

In this deeply personal and emotionally charged episode of Concepts & Conversations, Coach Bryan Thomas revisits one of the most defining moments of his life — March 2, 2013 — the day love ended, and healing began.Set against the backdrop of a church conference in Lansing, Michigan, Bryan opens up about the silent heartbreak that unfolded in a sacred space. What began as a simple weekend of worship became a confrontation with truth — a face-to-face goodbye with the woman he once believed would be forever.He takes listeners through the rawness of that moment:The quiet heartbreak that hid behind the noise of a crowded sanctuaryThe painful conversation that marked the end of a two-year love storyThe drive home in silence that felt like a funeral for everything he thought love would beAnd finally, the unexpected peace that came when he accepted what had already endedThrough vulnerability and reflection, Bryan reminds us that sometimes closure doesn't come through conversation — it comes through courage.“That Weekend in Lansing” isn't just a story about heartbreak; it's a story about rebirth — about finding the strength to let go, to love yourself again, and to embrace peace after pain.Whether you've just walked away from someone you loved or you're learning to breathe again after heartbreak, this episode will touch your soul and remind you that letting go isn't the end — it's the beginning of healing.

We were joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about Michigan State's loss to Indiana, looked ahead to the game against Michigan, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with Greg Heeres about the Detroit Lions. He talked about what the Lions need to do to win, gave his prediction, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We were joined by Chris Balas theWolverine.com in our second hour so he and Huge could talk about Michigan Football. They gave their thought's on how the team played in that win against Washington, looked ahead to this weekend's game against MSU, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about Michigan State's loss to Indiana, looked ahead to the game against Michigan, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with Greg Heeres about the Detroit Lions. He talked about what the Lions need to do to win, gave his prediction, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we're broadcasting from the Alpine Golf Club in Comstock Park as they hosted our Huge Rivalry Cup along with the North Kent Golf Course in Rockford. Throughout the show, we were joined by some of the great folks connected to Alpine and North Kent so we could hear about some of the exciting things they have to offer. We were also joined by some of our great guests to talk about the Detroit Lions, Michigan and Michigan State Football, and more. We kicked off the show talking about the Lions as Tim Twentyman from DetroitLions.com joined us. He and Huge previewed tonight's game against Tampa Bay, talked about the key things the Lions need to do to win, and more. We were then joined by Frank Schwab from Yahoo Sports. He gave us his thought's on how the Lions game goes tonight, talked about some of the storylines surrounding the NFL, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with Skip Connolly who is the Head Superintendent at the Alpine Golf Club. He talked about some of the things they're doing to improve the course, talked about plans for the future, and more. We were joined by Chris Balas theWolverine.com in our second hour so he and Huge could talk about Michigan Football. They gave their thought's on how the team played in that win against Washington, looked ahead to this weekend's game against MSU, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about Michigan State's loss to Indiana, looked ahead to the game against Michigan, and more. We wrapped up the hour talking with Greg Heeres about the Detroit Lions. He talked about what the Lions need to do to win, gave his prediction, and more. In our final hour, we were joined by Nic Lapienski who is the Owner of the Alpine and North Kent Golf Courses. He updated us on how things are going at both courses, talked about improvements they've been making, talked about the food at their Par & Plate eatery, and more. We were then joined by Jim Comparoni from SpartanMag.com to talk MSU Football. He gave his thought's on the loss to Illinois, talked about what the Spartans need to do to beat Michigan, and more. Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com then joined us. He talked about that win over Washington, previewed this weekend's game against MSU, and more. We were then joined by Jason Sachez who is the General Manager at the Alpine Golf Club. He talked about all of the growth they've had over the past 2 years, talked about what's to come, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

#podcast #politics #progressive #workingclass #Democrats #Republicans #Trump #MAGA #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentGreed #Michigan #NoKings #Authoritarianism #Fascism #Democracy #GenZ #Immigration #LeftOfLansing Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for October 20, 2025. Last weekend's "No Kings" protests were a ringing success as 5-8 million Americans marched nationwide. Pat Johnston explains how the event didn't just help millions realize they weren't alone in their anger and fear with The Trump Regime, but it also helped give millions hope for a better future.  But, Pat shares his views on how the protest wasn't just a demonstration against the corrupt corporate cronyism of The Trump Regime, but it was a demonstration against neoliberalism, and how it led us down this autocratic path that's decimating the working class and our democracy.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "No Kings was a huge success. Just look at Trump's response." By Paul Waldman in Public Notice "7 Million Strong: The Day America Said 'No Kings.'" By Distill Social

#podcast #progressives #politics #Democrats #Republicans #Trump #MAGA #CorporateCorruption #CorporateAuthoritarians #CorporateGreed #GovernmentGreed #Michigan #KristiNoem #GovernmentShutdown #LarryEllison #FreeSpeech #Authoritarianism #Oligarchy #WorkingClass #HealthCare #NoKings #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's the Left of Lansing "Friday Short" for October 17, 2025. In order for authoritarianism to thrive, its supporters and benefactors must control the message.  Pat Johnston explains how the MAGA Republican movement is attempting to do just that through a myriad of ways, including propaganda videos at airports across the country. But even more, by granting MAGA billionaire families to gobble-up media companies so they can spread their "news," and also erase progressive free speech.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "Video of Noem faulting Democrats for shutdown absent from some Michigan airports." Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance "CBS News' Standards Chief Exits Amid Chaotic Period for News Division." By Brian Steinberg of Variety "Ted Cruz Says His Bill Will Allow DOJ to ‘Prosecute' Those Who Fund No Kings Protests, Which Have Been Overwhelmingly Peaceful." By Stephen Prager of Common Dreams

Lorri Rishar Jandron, MBA, Owner & CEO, EDGE Partnerships, Lansing, Marquette, Chicago, along with Becky Burtka, VP of member engagement, Michigan Chamber, Lansing, MI. Co-Hosts of the new MBN show "BOLD LeadHERS" now into Episode 5. In this episode of Bold LeadHERS, they recently interviewed Courtney Lynch: in four 6 minute segments. U.S. Marine Veteran. Now, owner of the firm Lead Star where they help professionals become stronger leaders, in addition to being a New York Times bestselling author. Courtney served as a Marine Corps officer, managed a top-notch sales team for Rational Software (now owned by IBM), earned her law degree at William & Mary and started Lead Star, a leadership development consulting firm along with being a coach and strategy advisor, along with being the author of a New York Times best selling book. ● Where did your professional journey begin? ● What made you decide to launch Leadstar? ● What inspired you to write your first book? ● What's it like working with such big/influential clients like Google, L'Oréal, Fedex, etc? ● Did your service as a Marine inspire you to start Lead Star? ● Your work at Lead Star has been noted by publications like Harvard Business Review, what's your advice on how you got to that point? ● You've had a lot of career changes along the way, was that more needing a change of scenery or feeling stagnant in certain positions and needing to try something new? ● Some of your biggest challenges you've faced along the way? ● Does being a mom influence your leadership skills? In this episode, Lorri and Becky met with business owner and NY times best selling author Courtney Lynch to discuss what leadership means to her. Courtney has an extensive background in leadership leading from her time in the U.S. Marines to opening her own consulting firm, Lead Star. Courtney also has written multiple books on what it means to lead yourself and others. Tune in to hear how leadership has impacted not only Courtney but Lorri and Becky as well. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. TAKE ACTION Rising Voices campaign for Lue Yang Mohan Karki's GoFundMe   And please help support these organizations working to support detained and deported folx: Asian Law Caucus Asian Refugees United Ba Lo Project in Vietnam Collective Freedom in Vietnam & Laos Asian Prisoner Support Committee & New Light Wellness in Cambodia November 1–2, people nationwide are joining the Disappeared In America Weekend of Action to stand up for immigrant families and defend due process. Actions include protests at Home Depots, candlelight Freedom Vigils, and Day of the Dead events honoring lives lost to detention.   The following day, November 3, 4pm Pacific time, 7pm Eastern Time, Join us for “We Belong Here, Bhutanese & Hmong Americans in the Struggle Against Statelessness” a live virtual event featuring my three guests tonight, along with performances and conversations. bit.ly/WBH-2025   We Belong Here! Show Transcript Miko Lee: Welcome to Apex Express. This is your host, Miko Lee. Today we're talking about detentions and potential deportations and the atrocities that the Trump administration is creating in our communities. And today I am so honored to have three guests with me, Tika Basnet, and Ann Vu, and Aisa Villarosa. Tika and Ann they're part of a horrible club, which is both of their spouses are currently in detention from our immigration system. But I just wanna start on a real personal note in a way that I often do with my guests. Anne, I'm gonna start with you. I just would love to hear from you, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Ann Vue: Thank you again, Miko and Isa, you guys for having me on. So we are Hmong. And we helped Americans during the Vietnam War. And so, during the Vietnam War in Laos, a lot of our pilots needed a communication. And because we're indigenous and we are in the mountains, they were able to speak with us and use us. And so a lot of our Hmong, what they did or what they contributed helped a lot of the pilots rescued a lot, like thousands and thousands of Americans, really, so that that way they can make it back home, right? And so that is our contribution to the American people. And so when we were brought to America, was to resettle because of humanitarian purpose. Really because of our legacy of helping Americans with the war, right? So that is who we are and what we bring to America. And that's who I am. I'm, and I'm actually the first generation Hmong American too. So I was born right here in the capital of Lansing, Michigan. Miko Lee: Thanks so much ann. And Tika, can you share who are your people and what legacy you carry with you? Tika Basnet: Yes. Hi, my name is Tika Basnet. So I am Bhutanese Nepali community. My parents and all the Bhutanese, they ran away from Bhutan in 1990 due to the ethnic cleansing. And they came to Nepal, seeking for asylum, and that is where we born. I was born in Nepal, in refugee camp. Even though I was born in Nepal, Nepal never gave us identity. They never give us citizenship, so we were known as Bhutanese Nepali, but as known as Stateless. And yeah, my husband also born in Nepal in a refugee camp. Miko Lee: Thank you, Tika. And Aisa, I'm gonna ask the same question for you Aisa, my friend that works at Asian Law Caucus. Who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you? Aisa Villarosa: So much love to you, Miko and to you Ann and Tika for being here today. I just am, I'm so honored.My name is Aisa and I carry the love and, Maki Baka spirit of Filipino Americans both in my family across the diaspora. A little bit about the Filipino American story. We came to the United States as part of the colonial machine. The first Filipinos were brought as part of the Spanish Gallian trade. We made California home, parts of Louisiana home, and it's quite a contrast to a lot of the sort of model minority seduction that many of my people, and myself as a younger person tended to fall into that if we kept our heads down, if we were quiet, we would be left alone. I'm struck because at this moment of just unprecedented government attacks, so many of our communities have this story where someone somewhere said to us, yeah, just keep your head down and it'll be fine. And we're seeing the exact opposite, that this is the time to really use our voices, both individually and as one. And I'm also an artist and try to infuse that into my work in fighting government systems. Miko Lee: Thank you Aisa. And in the interest of fairness, I will say I'm Miko. I am fifth generation Chinese American. I grew up knowing that my family was full of fighters that built the railroads, worked in the gold mines in laundromats and restaurants, and my parents walked with Dr. King and Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and I was raised in a family of social justice activists. So I feel like our legacy is to continue that work and to fight for the rights of our peoples. That being said, I'm so honored to have both of all three of you powerful women join me today. And as I was saying in the beginning, Tika and Anne are sadly a part of this club. Nobody wants to be a part of this club with the sudden, unexpected, harmful detentions of both of your husbands. I wonder if you can each just share the story about what happened and how you first found out about your husband being detained. And let's start with you Tika. Tika Basnet: So, my husband got his removal in 2014 when he was like minor. Just 17 years old, high school student going from school to home and, he's a teenager and with his friend, like they were playing around and they wanna go home really fast. So they just cross from private property. And I think that is where someone saw and call 911. So we came from the culture that we love to go people home , walking around, playing around. So my husband came here in 2011. The incident happened on 2013. So he was just, came here without knowing culture, without knowing languages, So he has no idea. So when somebody called 911, he could not explain what happened. First of all, English is his second language, he was barely here without knowing rules and regulation, without knowing culture. The police get them and then they took him to jail I think police gave a lot of charges. And even until now, my husband doesn't know what are those charges? At that time, nobody explained, this is the three charges you got, and this could lead to deportation. And he feel guilty without knowing those charges. And just because he trusts Nepali translate guy, and he told my husband, like, if you don't say I'm guilty, you will end up in prison for 20 to 25 years, but if you say I'm guilty, you'll go home. And my husband said, guilty. And at that time, neither criminal lawyer told my husband, like, if you say I'm guilty, you'll end up getting deport. Deport to the contrary that you are you never born. Deport To the contrary, you doesn't even speak their language. And even the lawyer did not explain my husband like, you will not gonna get your green card. You cannot apply your citizenship in your life. If all of, if those things like the lawyer told my husband at that time, he will never gonna say, I am guilty to the crime that he did not even commit. And so when they tried to deport my husband back then, Bhutan say, he's not my citizenship, he's not from my country, We don't know this guy. He's not belongs to here. And when US Embassy reach out to, Nepal, do you know this guy? They told, ICE no, we don't know this guy, like he's not belongs here. And then the ICE officer, they told my husband, like, we can let you go, you need to come here, like order of supervision every years, every three months, every six months, whenever we call you. And it been 11 years. My husband is following rules and regulation. After that incident, never police arrest him. He did not even get criminal record. He did not even get misdemeanor record. So basically he never did any violation after that. So he was following, he got married, he has a life, he pay taxes. He was taking care of his family and in 11 years he was doing everything. And in 2025 for the first time they target Bhutanese Nepali community. And at that time I knew that this is the last time I'm gonna see my husband. And that is a time I think I broke down. Like, when they detained my husband in April 8, I was eight months pregnant. And um, like we dream a lot of things like, you know, we are gonna take care of our daughter. We are gonna buy home, we are gonna work, we are gonna give her the life that we, I'm sorry. Miko Lee: Totally. Okay. Tika Basnet: So, yeah. Um, like I never thought like Bhutanese community can, like deport. Like my parent already , go through this trauma, you know, when Bhutan throw them away due to ethnic cleansing and same thing happening to us. It is unbelievable. I cannot believe that, we're going through this again and I don't know when this gonna be stopped. I don't know whether like my husband gonna come home. I dunno. Like I'm fighting and it is been five month and I really want my husband back. Like my daughter today is, she's three month old. She need her dad in life. 'cause I cannot provide everything by myself. My husband is the main provider for her aging parent. 'cause even now they cannot pay bills. Like they have really hard time paying bills. And this is the reason, like I'm fighting for my husband case and I want my husband back. And I think he deserve second chance because if you see his record is clean, like for one incident that happened like 12 years ago, that cannot define my husband. Like who he is right now, you know? So yeah, this is what happened. Like I cannot believe that my husband is able to get deport to the country that doesn't even accept. And I don't know whether he gonna get killed. I dunno what, whether he gonna disappear, I don't know what will happen to him. I don't know if it is last time I'm gonna see him. Miko Lee: Tika, thank you so much for sharing your story. And just to recap really briefly, your husband, Mohan Karki when he was a teenager, newly arrived in the country, was leaving high school, walked with his friends through a backyard and was suddenly racially profiled. And the neighbor called police because he was trespassing on property.He was born at a refugee camp. Is that right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Miko Lee: And so there was not property that was like person's property on that refugee camp. So that whole concept of walking across somebody's land was something he was not aware of. He had an interpreter that did not give correct or full information. And so he signed something, including a deportation order, that he wasn't actually, wasn't even aware of until recently when he was put into detention. Is that right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Yes. Miko Lee: And right now he's in detention. You're, you live in Ohio, but he's in detention in Michigan, right? Tika Basnet: Yes. Miko Lee: Okay, Tika, let's talk about Mohans case and what's happening. He's held in detention right now in a detention facility in Michigan. And what is going on with his case? Tika Basnet: Yeah, I don't wanna say a lot of things about his case, but our attorney, his criminal attorney does file, a Motion to Redeem asking BIA to send that, case back to Georgia and we recently hired, criminal attorney to fight for his case, that happened in 2013. And our attorney just submit documentation where he's asking to release my husband because it'd been five month. And he's not risk to the community. He's not risk to the flight. 'cause he doesn't have no one in Bhutan. He doesn't have no one in Nepal. He's all family is in here. So his community love him ,he has family that loves him. And, we also get lot of documentations as a proof telling ICE officer that my husband is not risk to the community or, to the flight. Miko Lee: Thank you. And he has a new baby, a four month old baby that he has yet to meet. So that is a powerful reason to stay. And as Tikas pointing out, the lawyer just submitted documentation along with 50 letters of support from the community , from employers, from family members, all saying why he should stay in this country. Thank you so much for sharing. And Anne, i'm wondering if you could share about what happened to your husband. He was also born in a refugee camp, right? Ann Vue: So, Lou was born in Nangkai, Thailand refugee camp. In 1978 and in 1979 his parents and him and his older brother received parole for legal entry. I think the exact word was, they were paroled pursuant under section 212D5 of the I and N Act, which means that they are granted urgent humanitarian reasons for or for public benefit. Right. Because my father-in-law had helped and during the war. And so he received his visa in September. I just lookeded back at all of his history there and then they made it to America right before Halloween 'cause my father-in-law was like, I always remembered it because in the country of Asia, they're scared of halloween, scary Halloween stuff. And so when they came, they were like, oh my gosh. There were, Jesus says, I remember there were just a lot of zombies, right? And we were so scared because we were like, and so I always remember that about, you know, I'll fast forward it to 1997, right when he just turned, I believe 18 and very similar to Tika, you know, her husband too. And a lot of times, in the early nineties, me even being the first generation American here, racism played a lot. And we all went through that piece and our parents not speaking English at the same time, they were going to school themselves so that they can learn our English language, right. And they weren't able to teach us growing up. So we had to kind of fend for ourselves. And I would say my husband he went out with some friends. He did not commit the crime. But of course now that is brought back to him, he understood about his particular case is second attempt, home invasion. Nobody was harmed. He was in the vehicle, in the backseat when he was caught. And he didn't wanna partake, but he didn't wanna stop them either, you know? 'cause to him it was like, if I don't partake, then I have nothing to do with it. Right. Because if I do, then they might not be my friends anymore. I mean, it's just a part of growing up as a youth. But because he was there, and then would receive a court appointed attorney, and then provide it very similar to Tika's too. Had an interpreter, that was explaining to them, was provided bad legal advice. He had nothing, no knowledge about how this would impact his immigration status. He would take a plea, and it was advised by their attorney, take the plea it's easier, you know, and you probably serve less than a year. You'll be out, you'll only be in the county jail anyways 'cause you didn't really commit the crime and technically it should have been a misdemeanor. But because you're an accomplice , that kind of falls under this category. So he took the plea, he served 10 months in a county jail. He actually was released for good behavior. He even finished his probation soon because he paid all of his stuff off. And he even finished a youth advocate program, a youth training program for anybody that committed crimes between the age of 18 to 21. I actually just saw this form the other day and I was reading it and it talks about, you know, the one thing about our parents, experiencing the war and coming to America, they don't talk about it. And a lot of us are from communist countries . We're, we are very afraid to voice our voices, because someone can take action. And our parents never talked about it. And I read what he wrote to his, youth coordinator, and he wrote, he felt so bad about what he did. He created disappointment for his parents and he understands now after his parents told him, there are sacrifices that got us here to America. And he literally wrote all of this down, he's going to be a better person, is what he wrote. I'm going to be a better person. I'm going to make my parents proud now that I understand their sacrifices. And, they asked him, well what was your upbringing like? And in one sentence, he wrote, poor, right? So he wrote, poor and the coordinator wrote on the bottom of his comments said, Lou is remorseful for what has happened or for what ha what has happened, and very remorseful and he wants to be a better person. I have no other questions. The training is complete. He doesn't need any further, support and believes that he will move forward to be a better person. That's what literally what they wrote on the document. Then fast forwarding to 1999 , after everything was done and he served, that's when, immigration showed up at his house. And from there moved forward to explain to him what had happened. And once that happened, of course him and I would meet in 2000, and then we'd be married in 2001. Right? So we'd celebrate. Almost 24 and a half years of marriage. Right? So we did appeal his case in the humanitarian piece of what this meant for Lou during the time where we all fled the country. Once we were, once the monks were declared enemy of the state by the LDR in Laos, we fled. And once we fled, it's well documented that there was a little bit over 400,000 of us there right after all the genocide and the killings of the Hmong there was probably less than 45,000 of us left, right? And so once we understood a lot of that, we wanted to do better. We wanted to really service our community, right? So. Fast forwarding it. We appealed the case. The case was then denied I believe in 2002. And even in his letters, in his appeal letters, general Vink Powell, which led the, Hmongs during, in the war, even had a letter in there where he, to also pled why Hmongs need to stay here in America, right. And why we need to bring the rest of our people to this country. The reality is our whole family, Lou's whole family was wiped out. We don't have anybody, Lou doesn't have anyone, right? And so you know, that goes to Tikas thing too. There's nobody there. And, going back to the case once it was denied in 2002, of course he then. Was forced to reach out to the embassy and reached out to the embassy and was denied, entry into Thailand 'cause that's where he was born. We're stateless too, just like Tikas husband. We were denied by Thailand. We were also denied by Laos stating that we are not a citizen of theirs. They do not allow or welcome any sort of entry. And then in 2006, that's when they actually took his green card was in 2006 and then we prompt again we were denied. And then in 2008 we were denied a third time and that's when his immigration officer was like, just move on and start your life. Laos and Thailand, will never sign a repatriation act with America because of you guys, because of the Hmong people, what you guys have done to their country, making it the most bombed country during the war without even being a part of the war. So therefore, they will never allow you guys or accept you guys back. And so we were like, okay. So we moved forward and then in 2014, this immigration officer, which we was doing yearly checkups at this time, was like, Hey go get your citizenship, get your green card. They're like you're doing so good. You know, you probably could have a chance to get it. That's when we moved forward to apply for citizenship and for all we did for the green card and then for citizenship. And of course we were denied in 2015 and we know how expensive this is. You pay $10,000 outright, you don't get that money back. You just have to go at it again, right? And so, uh, we decided that, you know what, we're gonna get his case expunged, and so. We got his case expunged in 2018, no questions asked. It was very straightforward. Once it was expunged, we continued, with our lives. Very involved in the community. And we had all of our children by that time already, so we had six kids already. So fast forwarding to that, and then leading up to his detainment, which this year we even called his immigration officer and he was like, Hey, don't worry about it, Lou, we're moving you over to Grand Rapids and you should be fine. Just make sure that you stay outta trouble, continue to follow your stock and I think what triggered it was when we applied for his work permit in April. Because he was supposed to, he always meets his immigration officer at the end of the year, and we renewed his work permit is what triggered it. And so of course, the money was cashed out, everything the checks went through while we were receiving that, he was gonna be here, everything was gonna be fine. And then leading up to July 15th where he was detained at work, early morning of six 30 in the morning, the detained officer they they told him that they know who he is to the community, so they have to do it this way because they don't want any problems. They don't want media, they don't want reporters. He did play with them. He did ask them because he rode his motorcycle for some weird reason. He has not taken his bike out, his motorcycle out in the last three years. But for some reason that night he was like, I just wanna take my bike. So he took his bike that night and when ICE told him, do you have somebody come get your bike? You need to call somebody to come get your bike. And he was like, nobody in my family rides motorcycles. Like we don't, I don't have anyone to come get my bike. And I think there was some empathy and compassion for him. He was like, okay, let me check on something. Because my husband was like, can I just take my bike back? I've got six kids. I've got my grandma at home and my parents are also at my house right now. I just wanna see them and I just wanna take my bike back. So they asked him, if we let you go, we asked will you like please don't run. Right? And so they followed my husband home and my husband literally called me at 6 37 in the morning and he was like, Hey, ICE is, here they got me. So I'm like, what? What's going on? So it was just so surreal. I was so shocked. And so it's about a 30 minute drive from his workplace back to our house. And um, when he got there, um, they, there were already officers, like there were, it was packed tight in our driveway. So our driveway's pretty far up because we live in the country. And so, there were like five or six cop cars there too. So we had to walk about half a mile down to go see him. They wouldn't allow him to enter where our home was. And the officer told, my husband, told him that they're so sorry. They have to do it this way. They know who he is. They don't want any problems, they don't want any reports in media out here. And I will say my experience was a little bit different from others. They did take their mask off when they took him in, they were respectful so that part is that much. They even, you know, talk to my two older boys like, “Hey, you guys have money. I could put the money in your dad's account.” We're, take him into Grand Rapids, we're gonna process him, and then we're gonna take him to the detention center, which is gonna be involved in Michigan. So they were very open about these steps, what they were doing with him, at least that much. But I will say that it was my grandma, of course she has chronic pulmonary disease stage four. So at that point we, we couldn't haul her fast enough because we only saw him for like maybe a quick minute, and that was it. And so they did ask us to turn around because they had to take him back and they didn't want my, our little ones to see them cuffing him. Miko Lee: They actually said, Anne, we don't want any media to be watching this? Ann Vue: I don't want any problems. Miko Lee: Mm. And and your husband is also quite well known in the Hmong community, right? Ann Vue: He is Miko Lee: and so probably, they were worried about folks coming out and protesting. Is that, do you think that was the case? Ann Vue: That's what I'm assuming, because I don't remember their exact words saying media, but I do remember they were saying that they didn't want people around, they didn't want to create issues for the community.I am assuming that correct, because if he would've gotten the letter just like everybody did, which everybody then would receive the letter on Friday, and because my husband is a community leader, he is the Hmong Family Association's president, we restart receiving. Many, many calls where everybody just wanted to talk to Lou 'cause they needed to know what's going on, how to handle, what to do. And so at that moment I realized, oh my gosh, they detained my husband first this way. And then everybody else got a letter. Miko Lee: And the ICE officer that he had been checking in with routinely has, have you all been in touch with that same ICE officer? Ann Vue: He has been, I think in the last seven or eight years.Yeah. It's been the same guy. Miko Lee: But has he been in touch with him since he was detained? Ann Vue: He hasn't. Miko Lee: Has not, no. So they had different people come in even, 'cause he was the person that said everything's okay, keep going with your life. Ann Vue: Oh yeah. Miko Lee: And so no contact with him whatsoever since the detention? Ann Vue: No. Miko Lee: Can you give a little bit of an update of Lou's case and what's going on with him right now? Ann Vue: I don't know as much. Maybe I may have to have Aisa respond to the legality piece around it. 'cause I know we're, they've been doing, working around the clock and working hard on strategy. Miko Lee: Okay. Thank you so much, Aisa. Before we move into that, I just wanna point out, for all of our listeners, how many similarities there are in these two cases. And in both of these, you know, these amazing women are here supporting their spouses, both, spouses born in refugee camps. Dealing with intergenerational trauma from families that had to escape ethnic cleansing or involved in a war, came into the United States under, legal properties through refugee resettlement acts, made mistakes as young people, partially due to culture and wanting to fit in. They served their time, they paid their dues. They were racially profiled to be able to actually be in those positions that they were in. They suffered from incredible immigration policy failure with bad advice, with a system that's broken. And now both of them are detained. Not yet deported, but detained. Many of the community members have already been deported and they're facing statelessness. And we're seeing this not just with Bhutanese and Hmong folks, but with Mien and Lao and Haitian and El Salvadorian. And we could fill in the blank of how many other peoples in other communities are facing this. So, we also know that these private detention centers where people are being held, are making millions and millions of dollars, and it's connected into our corrupt political system that's in place right now. We also know and Aisa, I'm wondering if you could, talk about the case, but also about some of the deals that we think have had to be made with Laos and Bhutan in order for these deportations to even take place. So Aisa from Asian Law Caucus, I'm gonna pass it to you to go over some of the legal ramifications. Aisa Villarosa: Of course, Miko, and thank you for it for the context. And there are so many parallels that we as advocates must uplift because this is not the time to be divided. This is really the time to build solidarity that we've long known needs to happen. And, and this is really the moment. What Miko is referring to is, uh, largely, um, something that we've observed around the travel bans. So. Earlier this year, right around the time that the Trump administration took hold, there was a draft travel ban list that leaked across a number of media outlets, the Times, et cetera, and the same countries we're talking about today, Bhutan, Laos. These were historically not countries that were subject to sanctions, like the travel ban, and yet here they were. And so a lot of us were scratching our heads and asking, you know, what, why is this happening? Our theory, and this is a theory that is now also manifesting in a number of FOIA requests or Freedom of Information Act requests that are submitted from Asian Law Caucus to departments like the State Department ice, the Department of Homeland Security. Asking the same question that Tika and Anne are asking, which is, how are these deportations even happening? Because they were not happening until this year. And what very likely happened was a bit of a quid pro quo. So in removing Bhutan, removing Laos from this list where they could be sanctioned as a country, there was likely some backdoor deal that took place between the US State Department and Bhutanese officials and the US officials, where essentially there was some form of an agreement that there would be an acceptance or a supposed acceptance of a certain number of folks from these communities. That is why around March, around April for the Bhutanese refugee community, for example, we started seeing pickups very similar to Mohans case, where, many people who had perhaps made some mistakes in their youth or had really old criminal convictions were swept off the streets and thrust into these really rapid deportation proceedings. I don't even know if proceedings is the right word, because there essentially was no proceeding. You know, the Immigration Court is very much a cloaked process. The immigration judge is kind of judge and jury wrapped up together, which is very different than many of us might turn on the TV and see something like Law and order. An immigration court works a very different way where this piece of paper, this final removal order, basically gives ICE a lot of bandwidth to make these deportations happen. However, that doesn't mean we should just accept that this is happening. We know that just basic procedures of fairness are not being met. We know, too that in the case of, for example, the Bhutanese community ICE officers have come to the wrong house. And put a lot of people in fear. So racial profiling was happening even before this recent Supreme Court decision, which essentially now condones racial profiling, right? As criteria that the ICE can use. I also just wanted to talk about this trend too, that we're seeing with so many cases. It happened to Lou, it happened to Mohan, where in someone's underlying criminal court case, maybe they were given a court appointed attorney. In many cases, they were not told of the immigration impacts of, say, taking a plea. There is a Supreme Court case called Padilla versus Kentucky and basically the law shifted such that in many cases there now is a duty for a court appointed public defender to actually talk to folks like Mohan and Lou about the immigration consequences of their plea. So when Tika mentioned that there's something called a post-conviction relief effort for Mohan. That's happening in Georgia. This is very much what that legal defense looks like, where, an expert attorney will look at that very old court record, see if those rights were violated, and also talk to Mohan and make sure did that violation happen and is that grounds for reopening an immigration case. For Lou, there is a really mighty pardoning campaign that's brewing in the state of Michigan. So in Michigan, governor Gretchen Whitmer does have the authority to in some cases expedite a pardon in process. We're hoping that this public swelling of support from Mohan will result in a pardon, because importantly, even if Mohans conviction was expunged, which can be very helpful in, for example, state court, arenas, things like, applying for certain jobs. Unfortunately, in the immigration arena the expungement does not have that same weight as say a vacating, or a motion to vacate that criminal record. So it's super frustrating because, so much of this turns ethically, morally on- do we, as people believe in second chances, and I know most people do, and [00:35:00] yet here we are really. Based on a technicality. I also just want to name too that Lou as a person is both a natural organizer and he is a spiritual guide of his community. So something that many folks don't know is because of so much of the trauma that Anne talked about, both from, supporting the Americans during the Secret War, many Hmong folks who came to the States, they actually in some cases died in their sleep because of this, almost unexplained weight of the trauma, right? And so it almost underscores. The importance of Lou, not just to his family, but this family is a collective family, right? He's both a mentor for so many, he's a spiritual guide for so many. And so you know, him being away from his family, away from community, it's like a double, triple wound. And then for Mohan, I'd love to uplift this memory I have of , a moment in June when Tika gave us a call, and at that point, Mohan had called Tika and said, they're taking me, I'm being deported. And at that point, they were removing Mohan from the ICE facility in Butler, Ohio and transporting him to. At first we had no idea. Then we learned it was, toward the Detroit airport or that deportation to Bhutan and Tika was forced to essentially delay her childbirth. It was very much in the range of when she was due to give birth to their daughter. But because the clock was ticking, Tika drove to Butler, literally begged for Mohan's life as our organizing and advocacy and legal team was trying to get together this emergency stay of deportation. That fortunately came through at the 11th hour. But the fact that Mohan remains in this facility in St. Clair, Michigan, that he's never held his daughter is unacceptable, is ridiculous. And I think so much of these two cases almost, this invisible brotherhood of pain that I know Ann has talked to me about that. Because Lou right now has been in a couple facilities. He is organizing, he's doing his thing and actually supporting folks while also just trying to keep himself well, which is no easy feat to do in so many of these facilities. Especially because, in Alexandria, for example, which is a facility in Louisiana. We know that folks are sleeping on cement floors. We know that folks are not being fed, that there's a lot of human rights violations going on. And here is Lou still continuing to use his voice and try to advocate for the folks around him. Miko Lee: Aisa thank you so much for putting that into context, and we'll put links in the show notes for how folks can get involved in both of these cases. One is, Rising Voices has a call to action to reach out to Governor Whitmer for that. Pardon in Campaign for Lou. So we encourage folks to do that. And in terms of Mohan, there's a GoFundMe to help support Tika and the immense lawyer fees, which we discussed that are needed. And also a letter writing campaign to the ICE director Kevin Roff, to try and release Mohan and also Lou. These are really important things that are happening in our community, and thank you for being out there. Thank you for talking and sharing your stories. We really appreciate you. And also, just briefly, I'd love us for us to talk for a minute about how many folks in our Asian American communities, we don't wanna talk about mistakes that we have made in the past because we might consider that shameful. And therefore, in both of these communities, when we started organizing, it was really hard at first to find people to come forth and share their stories. So I wonder if both of you can give voice to a little about that, the power you found in yourself to be able to come forward and speak about this, even though some other folks in the community might not feel comfortable or strong enough to be able to talk. Tika, can you speak to that? Tika Basnet: Yeah. So what makes me really strong, and I wanna see that my husband case is because he was 17, people can make mistake and from those mistake, if people are learning. Then I think Americans should consider, 'cause my husband did make mistake and I wish that time he knew the rules and regulation. I wish like somebody taught him that he's not supposed to go somebody else property, like around in backyard. And I wish he was been in the United States like more than one and a half year. I wish, if he was like more than two years, three years. And I think that time he, from high school, he could learn. You know, he's not supposed to go there. He was just been in the United States like one and a half year just going to high school. Nobody taught him. His parent doesn't even speak English. Until now, he doesn't even, they doesn't even speak, like nobody in our community knew rules and regulation. So no, basically that he doesn't have guide, like mentor to taught him like, and even though he did make mistake and he's really sorry, and from those mistake learning a lot, and he never get into trouble, like after 11 years, he was clean, he work, he pay taxes. And I think, that is the reason that I really wanna come forward. You know, people can make mistake, but learning from those mistake that changed people life. And, and I think, the reason that I'm coming forward is because organization like Asian Law Caucus, ARU, and, Miko, a lot of people helped me. You know, they taught me like people can make mistake and, I think we shouldn't be same. And I really wanna give example to my daughter, you know, that, you are fighting for justice and you shouldn't fear. I think, what is right is right. What is wrong is wrong. But if somebody's make mistake and they are not, doing that mistake again, I think the people can get a second chance. And I think my husband deserves second chance and he's 30 years old. He has a family, he has a wife, children and he deserved to be here. We came here legally, my husband came here. Legally, we, promise that we'll get home and this is our home. We wanna stay here and I really want my husband be home soon so he can play with her daughter to play with his daughter. Miko Lee: Thank you so much, Tika. Ann I wonder if you could talk to the strength that it takes for you to come forward and speak about your husband and your family. Ann Vue: I'm a community leader with my husband too, right? I would say that there was a moment when he was first detained where I was in complete silence. I was so shocked. It took my attorney, Nancy, just talking to me about it. Of course, back to what Aisa said earlier in our communities, we're afraid. I was so scared. I didn't know what to do. It took me visiting my husband in Baldwin and letting him know that, hey, a bunch of community members are now reaching out and I think it's hit our community. And that's that. At that moment, he was like, you have to say something. You have to say something you have to make noise because you have a, 50% chance, right? We have a 50 50 chance. 50%. They're gonna send me 50%. You're gonna feel bad if you don't say anything, right? 50 here, 50 there. It doesn't matter. But a hundred percent regret if you don't say something. I thought about it and he was like, well, go out there, be my voice. He's like, you've always been my voice. You got this right. And so when, I didn't say no to Nancy. 'cause she really wanted to talk to our rep Mai you know about this. And , Mai and I are pretty close too. And, I just knew if I said anything, Maya's gonna be like mm-hmm. All the way. Right? So I just let Nancy help me, and my most vulnerable time. And I'm glad that she did. And I'm glad that we did get this out. It is the most important thing for us, and I've been, I will say what keeps me going is all of those that have been impacted by this, from people like Tika. I have many, I call 'em sisters. We're all in a lot of these group chats together. They've been also keeping me going. Our amazing team of attorneys and everybody just strategizing through this unprecedented time. It's really everyone's voices. I get to talk to Lou daily. It's definitely not cheap, but he gets to share each story of each person. I believe that everybody has a story and they might not be as lucky as maybe Tika or my husband, but at least now I have their story. I will be their voice. I will tell each person's story, each name, each alien number that I track down, my husband's even literally learned how to count in Spanish, just so he can give them like my phone number in Spanish in case they need to call an emergency. Oh, I'm be getting a lot of calls. Right. I would say that that is what keeps me going because I think that Tika and I and many others are, hoping that there is going to be a better day, a brighter day. I hope that everyone can see that, our children are American, right? Our children, they deserve to have their fathers and their mothers. They deserve to grow with these parents. And with that being said, the most important thing to me is they're not just bystanders. They're literally the future of America. I don't want them growing up with trauma, with trying to ask me questions like, well mom, if we're refugees and we helped, Americans as allies, and we come to this country, why is this payback like this? There's a moral obligation that has to be there and they're gonna grow up and they're gonna be trauma by this. I've got children right now that's been talking about joining the National Guard. It speaks volume about what happens to my husband. He's championed the Hmong, Michigan Special Gorilla unit, the Hmong veterans here in the last two years, really with helping them through resolutions, tributes, making sure that they have things, that they are out there, that people now know them, they are finally recognized. This puts my husband at great danger by sending him back, because now he's championed the veterans here. He celebrates our veterans here. So it's a moral obligation. And I hope Tika, I hope that, and this is to every child, I hope that every child, they deserve their father's presence. There are many people who don't even have their father's presence and they wish their fathers were around. And our fathers wanna be around. And I hope that our daughter, I only have one daughter too, that someday they can, their fathers can be a part of their, the American culture. So I, I hope that. We get that opportunity and I hope that somebody stop being scared, but turn around and help us. Help us. We came here legally, minor stuff, long decade old. Even lose share with me. This detainment has been worse than when he was, when he did time back in 1997. And I just hope that somebody hears our podcast, Miko. Thank you. And, Aisa and Tika. And they turn and they have some compassion and help us because this is the tone that we're setting for the future of our American children. Miko Lee: Thank you so much for sharing. Tika, you wanna add? Tika Basnet: Yes, I really wanna talk about what kind of husband Mohan is. Even though like he detained for five month and I cannot. I put lot of money in his account and there was one guy, I think his family cannot support him. And for me, like it is really hard. I'm not working. But even my husband called me like, you don't need to put like money in my account, but can you please can you please put money in his account? He did not eat food. His family did not have money. I can survive without eating food. But, I think his story is really touching me. And that time, like my husband was crying listening to that guy story in detention center and then I did put like $50 in his account. And my husband is giving person like, he love to give even though, he struggle a lot, even though, he doesn't know what will happen when he get deport. But, him saying other guy story. Does make him cry. I think this is the reason that I really wanna come forward. My husband is giving person, he's lovely person, he's caring person. And that is the reason I wanna come forward. I want people to hear our voice, rather than silent. Because right now people know our story. But if I was silent back , then I don't know whether my husband was already disappear. I don't know whether he gonna die torture or maybe he will expel within 24 hours. I have no idea. So I think, my husband is number one support system for me, and I think because of him that I'm here sharing his story and yeah, like for years I had wonderful time with him. We build our dream and until 2025, our dream is destroy. I'm trying to build again. I'm hoping, like my husband is coming home soon and I'm hoping that this will be the last time that he will get detained. I hope that this will be the end. I don't want him to get detained or deported again. I'm really tired. I don't know what to do. I'm hopeless. I hope listening to my story and Anna's story that separating family is not good. Like it is affecting not only one person but his whole community, whole family. We deserve to get our husband back. Because it is not only about the wife that is fighting for husband, it is the children. , They're so small, they born here and we cannot raise alone, we cannot work. We have things to pay. And paying those bills and taking care of child alone is really difficult. It is giving depression like it's been five month, like I went through postpartum depression, I went through trauma and I don't wanna deal anymore. Like I don't have courage to do this anymore. We need our husband back. Miko Lee: Thank you. And I think both of your husbands are also main caregivers for parents that are ailing in both cases. It's a really important thing that we are intergenerational communities and as you both said, it's not just about the children, but it's also about parents and brothers and sisters and community members as well. Thank you so much for lifting up your stories. I just wanna go back for one more thing. We talked briefly about the crazy expensive lawyer fees that have come up for families that they've been dealing with this, and then also Tika was just bringing up about detention and commissary fees. Can you talk a little bit about the prison industrial complex and the fees that are associated? As Anne was saying, just calling Lou every day the costs that are associated with those things. Many people that don't have a family member that's incarcerated don't know about that. Can you share a little bit about what that system is? Aisa Villarosa: Yeah, absolutely Miko. And, just to underscore, a big theme from this conversation, it is that the US made commitments and they have broken them, both with, as Anne talked about, the refugee experience is one that is made possible through US commitment of acknowledging what, people have survived, what they have given to the country. And to look at this moment where folks are being removed to countries where not only do they have zero ties to, don't speak the language, but, especially in the case of the Bhutanese refugee community, as Tika mentioned, it is [00:52:00] truly a double expulsion. So the fact that we have well-documented testimonials of folks really deported from Bhutan after they're removed there into these life-threatening conditions that in some cases have actually resulted in a community member passing away. A community member passed away in large part because of the failure of the US to both care for them while in detention. So going back to that prison complex, but also just putting them in such a harrowing situation. In another instance, a community member was found after wandering for over a hundred miles on foot. So this is not, deportation and the story ends. This is deportation. And, there is a family that is grieving and thinking through next steps, there is, this call to not have borders, break us the way that this country is trying to do. And to say a little bit about the fees, USCIS, there, there has not been a point yet in history where so many changes and charges hurting families have been ushered in, But for this year, and so to give a couple examples of that – asylum cases for one, these often take many, many years through this administration. Now, families have to pay a cost yearly for each year that your asylum application, languishes because we're also seeing that those same folks who are supposed to process these applications are either being laid off or they're being militarized. So something like USCIS where this was where one would go to apply for a passport. Now the same department is literally being handed guns and they're now taking folks during naturalization interviews. Other avenues to challenge your removal. Like I mentioned a motion to reopen. All these things used to be fairly affordable. Now they can cost many thousands of dollars on top of the attorney fees. So something that's been quite challenging for groups like Asian Law Caucus where we do have attorneys representing folks in removal proceedings, there's often this misperception that oh it's costing so much money. Attorneys are pocketing cash. And unfortunately there are some situations where some attorneys have been known to take advantage of families in this desperate moment. But for many, many attorneys who are in this mix, they're experts at this work. They're trying to do the right thing. They're both overwhelmed and they're seeing these new charges, which make the battle really even more difficult. So to turn it back to the listeners, I would say that as powerless as this moment can make us feel everyone is bearing witness. Hopefully the listeners today can take in Anne's story, can take in Tikas story and whatever power one has in their corner of the world, this is the moment to use that. Whether it's your voice, whether it's learning more about a community, maybe you're learning about for the first time. This is really the moment to take action. Miko Lee: Thank you Aisa. I really wanna thank you all for being here with me today, for sharing your personal stories, your personal pain, and for recognizing that this is happening. We deeply believe that we need to keep our families together. That is really important. It is written into the very basis of this American country about redemption and forgiveness. And this is what we're talking about for incidents that happened, misunderstandings that happened when these folks were young men, that they have paid for their, they have paid for their time, and yet they're being punished again, these promises that were broken by this American government, and we need to find [00:56:00] ways to address that. I really wanna deeply thank each of you for continuing to be there for sharing your voice, for protecting one another, for being there and standing up for your family and for our community. Thank you for joining me today. Check out our Apex Express Show notes to find out about how you can get involved. Learn about the Rising Voices campaign for Lou Young and Mohan Khaki's GoFundMe and please help to support these organizations working every day to support detained and deported people. Asian Law Caucus, Asian Refugees, United Balo Project in Vietnam. Collective Freedom in Vietnam and Laos Asian Prisoner Support Committee and new light Wellness in Cambodia. November 1st and second people nationwide are joining the Disappeared in America Weekend of Action to Stand Up for Immigrant Families and Defend Due Process. Actions include protests at Home [00:57:00] Depots, candlelight, freedom Vigils, and Day of the Dead events, honoring lives lost to detention. The following day on November 3rd, 4:00 PM Pacific Time, 7:00 PM Eastern Time. Join us for We Belong here, Bhutanese and Hmong Americans in the Struggle Against Statelessness, a live virtual event featuring my three guests tonight, along with performances and conversations. Find out more in our show notes. Please check out our website, kpfa.org/program, apex Express to find out more about our show. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating, and sharing your visions with the world. Your voices are important. APEX Express is a collective of activists that includes Ayame Keane-Lee, Anuj Vaidya, Cheryl Truong, Isabel Li, Jalena Keane-Lee, Miko Lee, Preeti Mangala Shekar and Swati Rayasam. Have a great night. The post APEX Express – 10.16.25 – We Belong Here appeared first on KPFA.

#podcast #politics #Progressives #ProgressivePolitics #Democrats #Republicans #MAGA #Michigan #Marijuana #MarijuanaTax #PotForRoads #WorkingClass #Economy #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentGreed #MarijuanaPolicyProject #KarenOKeefe #Racism #LawAndOrder #Crime #SmallBusinesses #Medicaid #HealthCare #ArgentinaBailout #Farmers #Trump #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftOfLansing Here's Episode #152 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast! 00:00-19:55: MAGA Shutdown/Rx Kids Success/Working Class Shakedown Pat Johnston begins talking about another week of the Trump Regime Health Care Shutdown. While Trump & The MAGA Majority in Congress are shutting the government down while millions of Americans are in danger of massive health insurance premium hikes, the Trump Regime is providing Argentina with a $40Billion bailout! Meanwhile, the RxKids program in Michigan is not only a success in a handful of cities, but it's getting more money from the recently passed Michigan budget. 19:56-36:08: Karen O'Keefe, Marijuana Policy Project Interview Karen O'Keefe from the Marijuana Policy Project talks with Pat about the newly passed 24% wholesale tax on recreational marijuana sales to pay for roads in Michigan. This is another working class tax hike, and it might also violate the state's constitution. Karen explains how this tax will hurt Michigan's small business marijuana shops, but it'll hurt working class consumers. And it'll encourage many to return to the illegal, and cheaper, markets. Visit the Marijuana Policy Project! 36:09-40:08: Last Call MAGA Youth Racism In the "Last Call, " Pat highlights a Politico article featuring several young MAGA Republican leaders texting racist slurs, antisemitism, and misogyny.  40:09-42:13: Ending/Tigers Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "Opinion | Cannabis consumers shouldn't bear burden of fixing Michigan's roads." By Karen O'Keefe in Bridge Michigan "24% Michigan marijuana tax, a key piece of the legislative budget deal, has passed." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance "‘I love Hitler': Leaked messages expose Young Republicans' racist chat." By Jeffrey Beeferman and Emily Ngo of Politico "Michigan Democrats call for GOP response to leaked, slur-filled Young Republicans' chat." By Katherine Dailey of Michigan Advance "Legal questions surround Michigan's new tax on marijuana." By Zoe Clark & Rick Pluta of Michigan Public Radio

Today on the show, we're talking about the Detroit Lions, Michigan and Michigan State Football, and more as we were joined by some of our great guests. We kicked off the show talking about the Detroit Lions as we were joined by Dan Miller, who is the voice of the Lions. He and Huge looked back at that loss the Chiefs Sunday night, talked about what improvements they would like to see, discussed injuries, looked ahead to Tampa Bay on Monday, and more. We were then joined by Bill's friend Mike Cupples so he and Huge could talk about their late friend Doug "Wabs" Wabeke getting inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame last night, and the impact Doug made on their lives, and many others. We talked about Michigan Football in our second hour as Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com joined us. He and Huge talked about last weekend's loss to USC and what weaknesses they're noticing with the team, talked about the poor coaching they've noticed from Sherrone Moore, gave their thought's on how Bryce Underwood has been playing, previewed this weekend's game against Washington, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about the current state of Michigan State Football, gave their thought's on if Jonathan Smith is on the hot seat, and more. Keith Langlois from DetroitPistons.com then joined us to fill us in on what the off-season was like for the Pistons, and more. In our final hour, we were joined by Mitch Lyons from Mitch Lyons Wealth. He and Huge gave their thought's on Michigan State Football and Jonathan Smith, discussed the end of the Tigers season, talked about the Lions loss to the Chiefs, looked ahead to Tampa Bay, and Mitch told us how he can help with your retirement. Anthony Broome from theWolverine.com then joined us to talk Michigan Football. He and Huge gave their thought's on what changes need to be made with the Wolverines, talked about Sherrone Moore, looked ahead to Washington, talked a little Michigan Basketball, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We talked about Michigan Football in our second hour as Clayton Sayfie from theWolverine.com joined us. He and Huge talked about last weekend's loss to USC and what weaknesses they're noticing with the team, talked about the poor coaching they've noticed from Sherrone Moore, gave their thought's on how Bryce Underwood has been playing, previewed this weekend's game against Washington, and more. We were then joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about the current state of Michigan State Football, gave their thought's on if Jonathan Smith is on the hot seat, and more. Keith Langlois from DetroitPistons.com then joined us to fill us in on what the off-season was like for the Pistons, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We were joined by Tim Staudt from Staudt on Sports in Lansing. He and Huge talked about the current state of Michigan State Football, gave their thought's on if Jonathan Smith is on the hot seat, and more. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Originally uploaded September 26th reloaded October 15th. Jeffrey Mosher welcomes back Ryan Fewins-Bliss executive director MCAN - Michigan College Access Network, Lansing, MI Why is it critical for Michigan's legislature and executive office to finalize the FY2026 state budget before the September 30 deadline? How is budget uncertainty currently affecting K-12 schools and higher education institutions across Michigan? What risks do students face if state-funded programs like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship or Community College Guarantee are delayed? How does the Sixty by 30 attainment goal connect to Michigan's broader workforce and economic development needs? What collaborative steps would you like to see state leaders take to ensure education remains a top budget priority? Michigan College Access Network encourages legislature, executive office to finalize state budget. K-12 schools, higher education institutions need clarity on fiscal year 2026 budget LANSING, Mich. — As we rapidly approach the constitutional deadline of Sept. 30, Michigan College Access Network is encouraging the legislature and executive office to engage in meaningful, collaborative negotiations to pass and sign the fiscal year 2026 state budget into law. Among our network, K-12 schools and higher education institutions are being forced to make difficult budget decisions without knowing their true financial standing, adding stress and uncertainty into what should be a joyful, optimistic start to a new school year. Students who are in college classrooms right now are wondering if the financial aid they need to continue their education could be delayed or even evaporate virtually overnight. Currently, education administrators across the state are spending valuable time and energy shifting budgets and developing contingency plans, when they could be using that time to better serve students and help prepare them for productive lives and careers. Our students are one of the state's most valuable assets, and it's of utmost importance that our elected leaders pass a budget that gives schools and institutions the confidence to make plans and focus on best serving the needs of their students and communities. There are college students in the classroom today whose financial aid relies on state funding. Life-changing programs like the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Community College Guarantee are offering pathways to better careers in vital fields, but funding must be allocated for fiscal year 2026 to deliver timely payments. To delay or eliminate this funding would break our commitment to these students, leaving them and their families in a precarious financial situation. ABOUT MICHIGAN COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK (MCAN) As the leader in the state's college access movement, MCAN works to improve the futures of Michigan's students and communities by making college accessible to all. MCAN's work centers on one main goal: To increase Michigan's postsecondary educational attainment rate to 60% by 2030. MCAN engages partners statewide who are committed to systems-level change and the reduction of barriers to increase college readiness, participation and completion rates, particularly among low-income students, first-generation college-going students, and students of color. MCAN has helped Michigan's postsecondary attainment rate increase for the 10th consecutive year. For more information, visit micollegeaccess.org. ###

In today's news: Present Pillars in Benton Harbor has honored several men who have helped make the community a better place in the past year with its third annual Pillar Awards Gala, held on Saturday at the Four Winds Casino. Southwestern Michigan College will hold in-person, on-campus interviews with its three finalists for college president this month. Benton Township Police Chief Greg Abrams is hoping to help prevent gun violence in the community with some of the things he learned at the 2025 Gun Violence Intervention Summit in Lansing last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

#podcast #politics #progressive #Michigan #Democrats #Republicans #HealthCare #Kennedy #Vaccines #Covid #Medicaid #Economy #WorkingClass #GovernmentCorruption #JeffreyEpstein #Authoritarianism #Democracy Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for October 13, 2025. Dear Leader Trump apparently received both the COVID and flu vaccines last week.  While that's great, it's hypocritical and downright insane that his Heath and Human Secretary, Robert Kennedy, is making it more difficult for EVERY American to do the same.  Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can! leftoflansing@gmail.com Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well! leftoflansing.com NOTES: "Trump Humiliates RFK Jr. With Surprise COVID Booster Move." By Adam Downer of The Daily Beast "Whitmer instructs state departments to remove barriers to access COVID-19 vaccine." By Kyle Davidson of Michigan Advance

State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz joins the show to talk about Michigan's new state budget, which delivers record funding for local schools. She breaks down where the money's going, how it'll impact classrooms, and what it means for parents, teachers, and students across her district. It's a look at how Lansing is spending your tax dollars, and whether it's really making a difference for Michigan families.

On this special Hot Takes only episode, Donna and Orlando sit down for a much needed discussion about some of the hottest headlines in the city. A routine post‑show photo shouldn't become a campaign endorsement—and since it did, they had to talk about the cost. Together, they take a candid look at how a political mailer misused their image, why consent and context matter, and what journalistic neutrality protects for the whole community.Next, they dig into attendance and accountability in Lansing after a Detroit lawmaker missed the vast majority of session days. And finally, they walk listeners through a “protect the vote” petition circulating at store entrances. Although it comes with a friendly pitch, its confusing details and requirements function as voter suppression. Tune in for a conversation on ethics in media, community safety, voter rights, and what it takes to build trust one honest act at a time.For more episodes of Authentically Detroit, click here!Support the showFollow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

In this urgent and emotional episode of MiCannaCast, hosts CannaDave and Groovee break down HB 4951, the proposed 24% wholesale cannabis tax that threatens to dismantle Michigan's cannabis industry from the inside out.

Why have so many “time saving” devices actually not saved us any time? How do you know if your devices work for you or you work for them? What guidance is there for an appropriate use of AI? We'll answer these questions and more with our guest, Dr. Trevor Sutton, pastor and professor specializing in the intersection of theology and technology. A. Trevor Sutton is senior pastor at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Lansing, Mich., and teaches theology at Concordia University–Irvine. Sutton has written several books, including Redeeming Technology (coauthored with Brian Smith, M.D.) and Authentic Christianity (coauthored with Gene Edward Veith Jr). ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Join Joel Peed, Joel Nagel, Pam Skinner as we talk about the third day of the Climb Conference in Lansing, Michigan.