Summary of “Letters from an American” by Boston Historian Professor Heather Cox Richardson:
7/7/25
This morning, a large-scale federal raid took place in Los Angeles’s MacArthur Park involving CBP, ICE, the National Guard, and a military-style display of force—accompanied by Fox News personnel and federal press teams—raising alarm about the event being orchestrated for public intimidation. No arrests or specific targets were confirmed, and the agents withdrew after a brief intervention by Mayor Karen Bass. In the wake of this, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino made clear that federal forces would continue operations in Los Angeles regardless of local leadership. Meanwhile, similar escalations are happening nationwide, including military deployments to detention centers and the embedding of ICE agents on Marine bases, all part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to enforce immigration through military channels.
Concurrently, Trump’s administration is expanding presidential power by framing immigration enforcement and foreign relations as matters of national security under the president’s sole authority. Backed by recent Supreme Court decisions, Trump has bypassed Congress on key foreign policy decisions, including withholding military aid to Ukraine and launching unauthorized strikes on Iran. Domestically, this framework has enabled the administration to carry out controversial deportations and detentions, including the illegal rendition of individuals to foreign prisons like CECOT in El Salvador, where reports of torture have emerged. Migrants from multiple countries are now losing temporary protected status, adding to fears of mass deportations without due process.
The implications of these developments are profound. By leveraging presidential authority over foreign affairs to justify domestic crackdowns, the Trump administration is testing the limits of constitutional checks and balances. This growing fusion of military power, media spectacle, and diminished judicial oversight may be laying the groundwork for an authoritarian model of governance—one in which federal force overrides local authority and constitutional rights are reinterpreted through the lens of executive foreign policy. The precedent this sets could erode democratic institutions and civil liberties far beyond immigration policy
There is no coordinated extremist movement, known as "antifa". Sasha is using bad-faith right-wing framing and projection.
The protests are simply dates and venues, where protestors are focused on numerous issues, overwhelmingly peaceful.
Sasha's insistence on "leftist extremism" is jarring in the face of 1) it's non-existence and 2) the growing ranks of unidentified, masked, heavily armed, federally-deputized groups, disrupting/destroying communities without even the veneer of due process.
Kris did an excellent job, calming responding to her often bizarre questions.
Summary of “Letters from an American” by Boston Historian Professor Heather Cox Richardson:
7/7/25
This morning, a large-scale federal raid took place in Los Angeles’s MacArthur Park involving CBP, ICE, the National Guard, and a military-style display of force—accompanied by Fox News personnel and federal press teams—raising alarm about the event being orchestrated for public intimidation. No arrests or specific targets were confirmed, and the agents withdrew after a brief intervention by Mayor Karen Bass. In the wake of this, Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino made clear that federal forces would continue operations in Los Angeles regardless of local leadership. Meanwhile, similar escalations are happening nationwide, including military deployments to detention centers and the embedding of ICE agents on Marine bases, all part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to enforce immigration through military channels.
Concurrently, Trump’s administration is expanding presidential power by framing immigration enforcement and foreign relations as matters of national security under the president’s sole authority. Backed by recent Supreme Court decisions, Trump has bypassed Congress on key foreign policy decisions, including withholding military aid to Ukraine and launching unauthorized strikes on Iran. Domestically, this framework has enabled the administration to carry out controversial deportations and detentions, including the illegal rendition of individuals to foreign prisons like CECOT in El Salvador, where reports of torture have emerged. Migrants from multiple countries are now losing temporary protected status, adding to fears of mass deportations without due process.
The implications of these developments are profound. By leveraging presidential authority over foreign affairs to justify domestic crackdowns, the Trump administration is testing the limits of constitutional checks and balances. This growing fusion of military power, media spectacle, and diminished judicial oversight may be laying the groundwork for an authoritarian model of governance—one in which federal force overrides local authority and constitutional rights are reinterpreted through the lens of executive foreign policy. The precedent this sets could erode democratic institutions and civil liberties far beyond immigration policy
Question is who - are the 10,000 agents going to be hired by ICE as per specifically budgeted in the Big Nasty Bill ?
Always grateful to hear you talk, Kris! Thank you for your wisdom!
How about sick outs?
https://substack.com/@sugarrhi/note/c-131264015?r=ktkq2&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=notes-share-action
There is no coordinated extremist movement, known as "antifa". Sasha is using bad-faith right-wing framing and projection.
The protests are simply dates and venues, where protestors are focused on numerous issues, overwhelmingly peaceful.
Sasha's insistence on "leftist extremism" is jarring in the face of 1) it's non-existence and 2) the growing ranks of unidentified, masked, heavily armed, federally-deputized groups, disrupting/destroying communities without even the veneer of due process.
Kris did an excellent job, calming responding to her often bizarre questions.
Soooo many cuts, man. It makes it hard to build trust with that info.
Donald trump is going to hire far left radicals? I think ICE is already full of said right wing organizations.
I don’t think the Left would be deporting citizens.