Author Archives: M

Raw Story: Trump admin unleashes IRS on LA protests over right-wing conspiracy theory

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President Donald Trump’s administration is following conspiracy theories that the protesters in Los Angeles are being paid.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem revealed in a news conference Thursday that agents of the IRS have been deployed on the ground in Los Angeles to investigate who is “paying them” to protest.

The claim is a familiar one. As CNN pointed out, Trump has spent years claiming that anyone protesting him was being paid to do so.

*yawn* Maybe they’ll catch a leprechaun, too? Or a tooth fairy?

Meanwhile our joke of a National Security Director is hard at work:

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told Fox on Wednesday that it was something the Justice Department and the FBI were looking into, but there hasn’t been any specific information.

Gabbard cited Craigslist ads that request protesters, promising to pay thousands of dollars. However, anyone can create a Craigslist ad for anything without requirements for verification that it’s authentic. As an example, there is currently a Craigslist ad in Washington, D.C. offering $1,000 for “seat fillers” at Trump’s birthday parade on Saturday.

Gabbard said that protesters are “obviously” being “orchestrated.”

Trump admin unleashes IRS on LA protests over right-wing conspiracy theory

https://www.rawstory.com/paid-protesters

Newsweek: Did Senator ID himself when Kristi [Bimbo #2] Noem’s guards wrestled him?

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Video footage posted to Padilla’s account on X, formerly Twitter, showed the senator identifying himself, but he appeared to do so after he began approaching the podium and was blocked by agents.

“I am Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary,” Padilla said before agents pushed him into a hallway, where FBI agents forced him to the ground and placed him in handcuffs. The senator was released shortly after.

The customary lies and misrepresentations from Bimbo #2 Noem:

In an interview with Fox News, [Bimbo #2] Noem said Padilla “did not identify himself and was removed from the room.”

“This man burst into the room, started lunging toward the podium, interrupting me and elevating his voice and was stopped,” [Bimbo #2] Noem said. “Did not identify himself and was removed from the room. So as soon as he identified himself, you know, appropriate actions were taken.”

“I had a conversation with the senator after this,” she continued. “We sat down for 10 to 15 minutes and talked about the fact that nobody knew who he was. He didn’t say who he was until he already had been lunging forward, and people were trying to detain him for quite a period of time.”

[Bimbo #2] added, “He was never arrested. Nobody knew who he was when he came into the room creating a scene.”

But:

Padilla said in a video posted on his social media channels: “I introduced myself. ‘I’m Senator Alex Padilla, and I have a question.’ And it took all of a second for multiple agents to forcibly remove me from the room, to pin me on the ground and handcuff me.”

Did Senator ID himself when Kristi Noem’s guards wrestled him?
Footage on social media shows Senator Alex Padilla of California identifying himself while being blocked by agents, but not before.

https://www.newsweek.com/did-senator-alex-padilla-id-himself-kristi-noem-guards-wrestled-2085009

Latin Times: Mexico Confronts ICE Over Denied Access After Death of Detained Mexican Citizen in Georgia

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Jesús Molina-Veya was discovered unresponsive in his cell [with a ligature around his neck] on June 7 and died shortly after being taken to a local hospital

Mexico is pursuing legal options after a Mexican citizen died earlier this month while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. According to Mexican media reports, ICE is now preventing officials from the Mexican Consulate in Atlanta from entering the facility to speak with other detainees.

On June 7, 45-year-old Jesús Molina-Veya was found unconscious in his cell with a ligature around his neck, according to ICE. Despite CPR efforts, medical staff transferred him to Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.

As the investigation into his death continues, Proceso reports that Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has raised concerns that consular staff were “not notified for interviews” during recent visits to the ICE facility and has requested an explanation from officials at the detention center.

…

Molina-Veya’s death marks the second time a Mexican national has died while in ICE custody at the Stewart Detention Center, a facility that has recently come under scrutiny for poor living conditions, reports of abuse and allegations of medical negligence.

Just last month, another Mexican national, Abelardo Avellaneda-Delgado, died while being transferred to the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin.

And more generally:

According to ICE’s detainee death reporting data, Molina-Veya is the eighth person to die in ICE custody so far in 2025. The number of deaths reported in the first six months of this year represents 72% of all ICE custody deaths reported in 2024, raising alarm among immigrant rights advocates.

Mexico Confronts ICE Over Denied Access After Death of Detained Mexican Citizen in Georgia
Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has raised concerns that consular staff were “not notified for interviews” during recent visits to the ICE facility and has requested an explanation from officials at the detention center.

https://www.latintimes.com/mexico-confronts-ice-over-denied-access-after-death-detained-mexican-citizen-georgia-584991

Newsweek: Gavin Newsom accuses Trump administration of spreading fake protest images

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On X, formerly Twitter, the Department of Defense’s Rapid Response account posted a video that appeared to show burning, graffitied police cars during protests in Los Angeles this week.

However, the fact-checking website Snopes said the image showed protests in Los Angeles following the death of George Floyd in May 2020.

The governor’s office wrote on X on Friday: “HUGE DEVELOPMENT: An official Department of Defense account is spreading fake images—from old protests—to justify Trump’s illegal militarization of Los Angeles. This isn’t just disinformation. It’s a propaganda campaign from the Pentagon.”

Gavin Newsom accuses Trump administration of spreading fake protest images
The president deployed 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles in response to anti-ICE protests.

https://www.newsweek.com/gavin-newsom-trump-fake-protest-images-2085492

Guardian: Ice arrests of migrants with no criminal history surging under Trump

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Guardian analysis sharply contradicts president’s claim that officials are targeting ‘criminals’ for deportation from US

The federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agency has exponentially increased the arrest and detention of immigrants without any criminal history since the second Trump administration took office, a data analysis by the Guardian shows.

The information sharply contradicts Donald Trump’s claims the authorities are targeting “criminals” for deportation as part of his aggressive anti-immigration agenda.

According to numbers gathered from Ice and the Vera Institute of Justice, after Trump returned to the White House in late January there was a steep surge in arrests of immigrants, in general. One of the sharpest increases in arrest numbers has been of immigrants with pending charges, who have not yet been convicted of any crimes.

But the biggest increase has been people with no charges at all. Between early January, right before the inauguration, and June, there has been an 807% increase in the arrest of immigrants with no criminal record.

In other words the incessant chants of “Criminals! Criminals! Criminals!” coming from the White House / Homeland Security / ICE are a bunch of BS. They’re deporting anyone they can drag out of home or work or snatch off the streets.

Ice arrests of migrants with no criminal history surging under Trump
Guardian analysis sharply contradicts president’s claim that officials are targeting ‘criminals’ for deportation from US

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/14/ice-arrests-migrants-trump-figures

Atlantic: The Shame of Trump’s Parade

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Today’s events are another step in an ongoing effort to turn the U.S. military into a partisan—and personal—instrument of the president.

Today—250 years since the Continental Army officially formed to fight for the independence of the American colonies against the British monarchy—marks a milestone in President Donald Trump’s effort to politicize the U.S. military. Though they are rare, military parades have happened before in Washington, D.C. For the most part, these have been celebrations of military achievements, such as the end of a war. But today is also Trump’s birthday, and what he and his supporters have planned is a celebration of Trump himself.

A mark of a free society is that its public institutions, especially its military, represent the body politic and the freedom-enabling equal rights that structure civic life. If service members and the public begin to believe that the military is not neutral but is in fact the servant of MAGA, this will threaten the military’s legitimacy and increase the likelihood of violent conflict between the military and the public. Today’s events bring us one step closer to this disaster.

And a few lies, none of which are true:

The organizers have made it abundantly clear that today’s purpose is to directly laud Trump and his politics. In promotional materials, they tell us, “Under President Trump’s leadership, the Army has been restored to strength and readiness.” They credit his “America First agenda” for military pay increases, enlarged weapons stockpiles, new technologies, and improvements in recruitment, declaring that he has “ensured our soldiers have the tools and support they need to win on any battlefield.”

As the Trump-aggrandizing bullshit piles up:

Monica Crowley, the State Department’s chief of protocol and a former Fox News host, went on Steve Bannon’s podcast WarRoom to say that the concurrence of the U.S. Army’s anniversary and Trump’s birthday is “providential.” She called it “meant to be. Hand of God, for sure.” She added, “It is really a gift, and we want to be sure that we celebrate in a manner that is fitting, not just of this extraordinary president but of our extraordinary country.” She also expressed hope that the crowd would serenade the president with “Happy Birthday.” Clearly, Trump isn’t merely the guest of honor; he is the reason for the party.

The Shame of Trump’s Parade
Today’s events are another step in an ongoing effort to turn the U.S. military into a partisan—and personal—instrument of the president.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/06/250th-anniversary-army-parade/683162

ESPN: Mexico President Sheinbaum calls for no ICE action at Gold Cup

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Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Friday urged U.S. authorities not to conduct immigration enforcement targeting attendees of a Gold Cup soccer match in Los Angeles on Saturday, where Mexico‘s team is due to play the Dominican Republic.

Her comments followed recent raids by immigration authorities in Los Angeles targeting undocumented migrants, under policies associated with the President Donald Trump’s administration, which have sparked protests across major cities.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in a now-deleted post to social media, had also promised to be “suited and booted” at the first round of Club World Cup soccer matches, the curtain-raiser event for next year’s World Cup.

“We don’t believe that at any soccer match there will be any [immigration] action … we call for none to be taken by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,” Sheinbaum said in her morning press conference.

Hope she’s not disappointed. I’d never trust either CBP or ICE to keep their word.

Mexico prez calls for no ICE action at Gold Cup
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged U.S. authorities not to conduct immigration enforcement targeting attendees of a Gold Cup match in the Los Angeles area.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/45508088/mexico-president-sheinbaum-ice-gold-cup-los-angles

Variety: Trump Lawyers Confirm They Are in ‘Active Settlement Discussions’ With Paramount Over President’s ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit

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Attorneys representing President Trump in his $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over the allegedly deceptive editing of a “60 Minutes” segment have requested an extension of court deadlines, citing the fact that the parties “are engaged in active settlement discussions.”

Multiple news outlets including Variety have reported that Trump and Paramount have been engaged in ongoing settlement talks. In a filing Friday on Texas federal court, lawyers for Trump and co-plaintiff Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas – together with attorneys for Paramount Global – said they were requesting an extension to court deadlines “because the Parties are engaged in active settlement discussions, including continued mediation.”

No doubt millions more $$ are finding their way to our Grifter-in-Chief!

The corruption continues unabated.

Trump Lawyers Confirm They Are in ‘Active Settlement Discussions’ With Paramount Over President’s ‘60 Minutes’ Lawsuit
Lawyers for Trump confirmed they are in ’”’active settlement discussions, including continued mediation.”“The Parties are not seeking to extend any deadlines regarding the pending motions to dismiss, and Defendants intend to file their reply on or before June 23, 2025,” the filing said.

https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/trump-lawsuit-cbs-60-minutes-active-settlement-discussions-1236430937

Latin Times: Mexico Confronts ICE Over Denied Access After Death of Detained Mexican Citizen in Georgia

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Jesús Molina-Veya was discovered unresponsive in his cell on June 7 and died shortly after being taken to a local hospital

Mexico is pursuing legal options after a Mexican citizen died earlier this month while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at the Stewart Detention Center in Georgia. According to Mexican media reports, ICE is now preventing officials from the Mexican Consulate in Atlanta from entering the facility to speak with other detainees.

On June 7, 45-year-old Jesús Molina-Veya was found unconscious in his cell with a ligature around his neck, according to ICE. Despite CPR efforts, medical staff transferred him to Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.

As the investigation into his death continues, Proceso reports that Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has raised concerns that consular staff were “not notified for interviews” during recent visits to the ICE facility and has requested an explanation from officials at the detention center.

….

Mexico Confronts ICE Over Denied Access After Death of Detained Mexican Citizen in Georgia
Mexico’s Secretariat of Foreign Affairs (SRE) has raised concerns that consular staff were “not notified for interviews” during recent visits to the ICE facility and has requested an explanation from officials at the detention center.

https://www.latintimes.com/mexico-confronts-ice-over-denied-access-after-death-detained-mexican-citizen-georgia-584991

Daily Beast: Judge Frees Harvard Scientist ICE Tried to Deport to Russia

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Kseniia Petrova, 30, spent four months in federal custody after returning from a vacation with frog embryo samples.

A Harvard researcher charged with smuggling frog embryos into the United States has been released on bail after spending four months in federal custody.

In February, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended Kseniia Petrova, 30, at Boston Logan International Airport after she allegedly failed to properly declare frog embryo samples she had brought from Paris.

The Russian-born scientist had her visa revoked and was held at an ICE facility in Louisiana, facing deportation to Russia, where she had previously been arrested for speaking out against the invasion of Ukraine.

“If I go back, I am afraid I will be imprisoned because of my political position and my position against war,” Petrova told the Associated Press.

A federal judge ordered her release from ICE custody in May, ruling that the immigration officers had acted unlawfully, and that neither Petrova nor the nonliving frog embryos posed a threat.

However, she remained in federal custody after prosecutors in Massachusetts charged her with one count of smuggling goods into the U.S. That case is ongoing, and she must return to court next week for a hearing.

Judge Frees Harvard Scientist ICE Tried to Deport to Russia
Kseniia Petrova, 30, spent four months in federal custody after returning from a vacation with frog embryo samples.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/judge-frees-harvard-scientist-ice-tried-to-deport-to-russia