Monthly Archives: June 2025

Associated Press: Many Americans are witnessing immigration arrests for the first time and reacting

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Adam Greenfield was home nursing a cold when his girlfriend raced in to tell him Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles were pulling up in their trendy San Diego neighborhood.

The author and podcast producer grabbed his iPhone and bolted out the door barefoot, joining a handful of neighbors recording masked agents raiding a popular Italian restaurant nearby, as they yelled at the officers to leave. An hour later, the crowd had grown to nearly 75 people, with many in front of the agents’ vehicles.

“I couldn’t stay silent,” Greenfield said. “It was literally outside of my front door.”

More Americans are witnessing people being hauled off as they shop, exercise at the gym, dine out and otherwise go about their daily lives as President Donald Trump’s administration aggressively works to increase immigration arrests. As the raids touch the lives of people who aren’t immigrants themselves, many Americans who rarely, if ever, participated in civil disobedience are rushing out to record the actions on their phones and launch impromptu protests.

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Many Americans are witnessing immigration arrests for the first time and reacting
With the Trump administration aggressively trying to increase the number of immigration arrests, raids are now being conducted at all hours and more Americans are witnessing people being hauled off.

https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-arrests-ice-los-angeles-0de11b5bc6ef962b79e084fb9e648a87

KREX: MCSO investigator placed on leave after ICE incident

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This is an update to the previous post about Caroline Dias Goncalves, whose traffic stop by Mesa County Sheriff’s Office “Investigator” Alexander Zwinck resulted in her being detained by ICE and jailed for two weeks.

Mesa County “Investigator” Alexander Zwinck, big, dumb, stupid, and at least temporarily unemployed, thanks to whose courage and bravery above and beyond the call of duty, an innocent nursing student was detained for two weeks.

On Thursday, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced that Investigator Alexander Zwinck, the officer who pulled over a 19-year-old Utah student, has been placed on administrative leave after an investigation.

Zwinck was the deputy who pulled over Caroline Dias Goncalves for a traffic stop on June 5. She was later detained by ICE shortly after the interaction.

In the statement, MCSO said any further repercussions for Zwinck will be determined after the investigation has been completed.

MCSO’s investigation includes reviewing communication between members of the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office and local, state, and federal partners through a Signal communication group chat. The investigation aims to see if MCSO’s deputies acted within the sheriff’s office’s policies and Colorado law after it was discovered that details about Dias Goncalves’ birthplace, Brazil, were allegedly released in the group chat and given to ICE.

Further investigation is being conducted to see if MCSO employees were aware that the information in the group chat, originally for drug interdiction efforts, was being used for immigration enforcement.

MCSO investigator placed on leave after ICE incident
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) — On Thursday, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) announced that Investigator Alexander Zwinck, the officer who pulled over a 19-year-old Utah student, has been…

https://www.westernslopenow.com/top-stories/mcso-investigator-placed-on-leave-after-ice-incident

Daily Mail: Nursing student detained by ICE after cop noticed she had ‘a bit of an accent’ during routine traffic stop

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A college student was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after a cop noticed she had ‘a bit of an accent’ during a routine traffic stop.

Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, was pulled over on the Colorado Interstate 70 on June 5, accused of driving too close to a semi-truck.

The University of Utah nursing student complied with the officer, identified as Investigator Alexander Zwinck, by handing over all of her documentation and paperwork.

In bodyworn camera footage seen by DailyMail.com, Zwinck told Goncalves he would let her off with just a warning, asking: ‘Where are you from? You have a bit of an accent.’

Goncalves answered: ‘I’m from Utah.’ 

Zwinck asked how long she’d been living in Utah and whether she was ‘born and raised there’, to which she cautiously answered: ‘No. I was born in, um, gosh I always forget the town.. down in Brazil.’

‘My parents moved here,’ she added.

Zwinck appeared unfazed by her answer, moving on to ask her questions about her boyfriend, her weekend plans and her dreams of becoming a nurse.

Mistake #1: Personal questions are none of the pig’s business. Respectfully decline to answer any such questions.

After explaining to her once again that he was giving her a warning which would not require any following up, he sent her on her way, wishing her safe travels and urging her to give semi trucks on the road a little more space.

But minutes after the friendly interaction, Goncalves was pulled over again by ICE agents as she exited the freeway, and taken into custody.

The Mesa County Sheriff’s Office has since revealed that Zwinck was part of a group chat with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners which was used to improve multi-agency cooperation to stem the drug trafficking trade.

‘We were unaware that the communication group was used for anything other than drug interdiction efforts, including immigration,’ the statement read.

‘We have since removed all Mesa County Sheriff’s Office members from the communication group.’

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Goncalves is now being held in Denver Detention Facility.

She is one of 2.5 million Dreamers in the United States, referring to undocumented migrants who were brought to the US as young children.

It is understood her family arrived in the US on a tourist visa, which they overstayed. Her father then applied for asylum, and that case is pending.

Goncalves earned a coveted TheDream.US national scholarship, which allows undocumented youth to help finance college.

While her asylum claim was pending, she had been granted temporary rights to work.

A GoFundMe set up by a friend to help Goncalves’ family cover legal costs associated with her detention has already raised $25,000.

‘Caroline has always followed the law, passionately pursued her education, and dreamed of a future full of opportunity,’ the fundraising page reads.

‘Yet she now finds herself unlawfully detained, frightened, and far from the safety and support she deserves.’

Nursing student detained by ICE after cop’s shocking observation
Caroline Dias Goncalves, 19, was pulled over on the Colorado Interstate 70 on June 5, accused of driving too close to a semi-truck.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14822749/college-student-caroline-dias-goncalves-detained-ice-traffic-stop.html

MSNBC: The Latino pressure that preceded the Dodgers turning around ICE

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Before the Los Angeles Dodgers’ June 14 home game against the San Francisco Giants, Dominican American singer Nezza performed — defiantly, she said — “El Pendón Estrellado,” a Spanish-language rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.” She said a team official explicitly demanded that she perform the national anthem in English but that she refused. (The Dodgers did not release a statement regarding Nezza’s performance or confirm her story that she violated the team’s wishes.)

Nezza’s performance, a protest against what Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been doing in Los Angeles, arose out of her imagining her parents “being ripped away from me,” she said. Not surprisingly, Nezza’s performance was polarizing, with some cheering and others expressing outrage. Among the responses was an editorial from CALÓ News demanding that the Dodgers support a community under attack from the federal government.

“Dodgers, your silence speaks volumes,” CALÓ News wrote Tuesday. “The Latino community of Los Angeles has shown up for the Dodgers. Where are you now that we need you?”

That question seems to have been answered Thursday when the team announced that it had turned away ICE agents who had attempted to enter Dodger Stadium’s parking lot. “They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization,” the team wrote on X.

The Latino pressure that preceded the Dodgers turning around ICE

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/the-latino-pressure-that-preceded-the-dodgers-turning-around-ice/ar-AA1H7CXz

Sun Herald: Defiant Mayor’s Call to Resist ICE Raids Sparks Outrage

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Chicago officials reportedly expected a rise in workplace immigration raids as federal tactical teams prepared to deploy across several Democratic-led cities. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson urged residents to push back against the enforcement efforts linked to President Trump. Johnson encouraged peaceful protest and affirmed that police and city staff would protect First Amendment rights. Johnson’s call for “all of Chicago to resist in this moment” has drawn sharp criticism on social media.

Awesome response! Resist! And keep up the good work!

Critics argue that Johnson’s rhetoric incites violence against federal officers.

The pigs have only themselves to blame. They’ll get no tears or sympathy from me.

Johnson said, “I am counting on all of Chicago to resist in this moment. Because whatever particular vulnerable group is targeted today, another group will be next.”

Meanwhile, back at the ranch:

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul condemned federal actions as unlawful and undemocratic, stressing the importance of working with local leaders to protect community safety.

Defiant Mayor’s Call to Resist ICE Raids Sparks Outrage

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/defiant-mayor-s-call-to-resist-ice-raids-sparks-outrage/ss-AA1H7qHk

Army Times: Her Medal of Honor was once revoked. Now her base is being renamed.

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In 1917, an Army review board rescinded the Medal of Honor that had been awarded to Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, an Army surgeon and former prisoner of war, more than half a century earlier. Walker refused to send the medal back, wearing it proudly for the remaining two years of her life.

So her family has a sense of how she’d respond to President Donald Trump’s June 10 announcement that nine Army bases renamed in 2023 – including one honoring her – would revert to their original names, initially given to commemorate Confederate Civil War generals.

Of the nine bases given new namesakes two years ago, only Fort Walker commemorated a Union hero from the Civil War.

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Long after Walker’s death, her act of resistance was rewarded: President Jimmy Carter formally reinstated her Medal of Honor in 1977. That restoration took place because of a petition championed by other Walker family members.

Marra said she suspected the recent renaming would prompt another petition.

Her Medal of Honor was once revoked. Now her base is being renamed.
Fort Walker, named in 2023 after Civil War Union surgeon Mary Walker, will revert back to Fort A.P. Hill. For her family, the retraction feels familiar.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2025/06/20/her-medal-of-honor-was-once-revoked-now-her-base-is-being-renamed

Newsweek: Man who came to US as young child faces deportation after over 30 years

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Karem Tadros, who has lived in the United States for more than 30 years after immigrating from Egypt with his family, who are all U.S. citizens, faces deportation to an unspecified country following his release from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New Jersey, he told Newsweek in a Friday phone interview.

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His citizenship process was halted due to his 2006 conviction, telling Newsweek it was for “intent to distribute oxycodone.” He said, “I was on the right path. I made a terrible mistake when I was younger.”

He spent six days in a county jail and was released on bail, completing his probation afterwards, he said. “Because of that, I was detained at Hudson County facility for 13 months. And I was released by the judge on a court date with no supervision, no nothing. So 17 years go by, now it’s 2025, I haven’t seen a single ICE officer since I was detained back in 2008, 2009,” he added.

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On June 16, Tadros was granted a Writ of Habeas Corpus, as U.S. District Judge for the District of New Jersey, Evelyn Padin, found the “petitioner has remained in perfect compliance with the conditions of release dictated in the April 9, 2009 Order of Supervision.”

The judge found it was “unlawful” for the government to keep Tadros detained and ordered his release.

The judge’s order stated that “ICE may identify a third country within thirty to sixty days of this order to which the Petitioner may be removed.” The judge denied the Trump administration’s request to place an ankle monitor on Tadros. He must stay within the tri-state area.

Man who came to US as young child faces deportation after over 30 years
Karem Tadros, who was born in Egypt, has lived in New Jersey for over three decades and now faces deportation to a third country.

https://www.newsweek.com/man-faces-deportation-after-30-years-2088572

NBC News: Judge again blocks Trump administration from halting Harvard’s enrolling international students

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A federal judge directed the Trump administration to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been” before the ban was enacted.

A federal judge in Massachusetts on Friday further blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students while giving those students additional legal protections.

U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued the preliminary injunction after having granted a temporary restraining order against the federal government this month.

The injunction holds that the administration is blocked from yanking Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which was based on a May 22 revocation notice the Department of Homeland Security sent to Harvard administrators.

In her decision, Burroughs directed the government to “immediately” prepare guidance to alert Trump administration officials to disregard that notice and to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been absent such Revocation Notice.”

It also says the student visa holders should not be denied entry to the country as a result of the revocation.

The government must “file a status report within 72 hours of entry of this Order describing the steps taken to ensure compliance with this Order and certifying compliance with its requirements,” Burroughs wrote.

Judge again blocks Trump administration from halting Harvard’s enrolling international students
A federal judge directed the Trump administration to restore “every visa holder and applicant to the position that individual would have been” before the ban was enacted.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna213836

NBC News: Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil released after months in detention

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Minutes after the Columbia University activist was released, the Trump administration filed an appeal of his release.

Pro-Palestinian activist and Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil was released from detention Friday evening, ending more than three months of custody in a test of the executive branch’s power to unilaterally act against legal U.S. residents.

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Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin lashed out at “rogue” U.S. District Court Judge Michael Farbiarz, saying he had no authority to order Khalil’s release.

“This is yet another example of how out of control members of the judicial branch are undermining national security,” McLaughlin said. “Their conduct not only denies the result of the 2024 election, it also does great harm to our constitutional system by undermining public confidence in the courts.”

Government attorney Dhruman Sampat had argued that Congress has given the executive branch sweeping powers to determine who could be removed from the county.

The courts should not have the authority to interfere, Sampat said.

With regard to permanent residents, this presumed “authority” is total b*llsh*t!

Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil released after months in detention
Minutes after the Columbia University activist was released, the Trump administration filed an appeal of his release.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/rcna214163

India Today: JD Vance’s Bluesky account suspended minutes after first post on trans youth care

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US Vice President JD Vance’s Bluesky account was suspended minutes after his first post, which included criticism of transgender medical treatments and Big Pharma. Bluesky has yet to comment on the suspension.

US Vice President JD Vance’s foray into Bluesky was remarkably brief, with his account suspended just minutes after his inaugural post.

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Yet, by 6:30 p.m., attempts to access his page were met with a message: “Account has been suspended.” The Vice President’s posts had reportedly included criticisms of medical treatments for transgender youths and claims regarding pharmaceutical influence on healthcare decisions.

JD Vance’s Bluesky account suspended minutes after first post on trans youth care
US Vice President JD Vance’s Bluesky account was suspended minutes after his first post, which included criticism of transgender medical treatments and Big Pharma. Bluesky has yet to comment on the suspension.

https://www.indiatoday.in/world/us-news/story/jd-vances-bluesky-account-suspended-minutes-after-first-post-on-trans-youth-care-glbs-2742845-2025-06-19