President Biden pledged to use his clemency powers to right ‘an historic wrong.’ Why did it fall so short of its promise?
The email came while James Harter was on vacation with his husband in Quebec City, Canada. He was checking his computer in their RV when he read the no-nonsense subject line: Certificate of Pardon.
He had no idea just how uncommon that email was ….
Fast forward one year:
Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives have been erased under the new administration’s zeal to refocus the military on lethality. Thousands of transgender service members are being discharged and banned from serving. And the Pentagon is considering renaming ships, including the USNS Harvey Milk, named for the slain gay rights activist and veteran who was discharged over his sexuality, among other ships that don’t fit a “warrior” ethos.
While The War Horse had previously reported on the low number of pardon applications for LGBTQ+ veterans, records disclosed last month by the Office of the U.S. Pardon Attorney are the first to reveal just how few have been granted: two from the Navy, one from the Air Force, and one from the Army.
What a difference a year makes, when bigots like Hegseth & Trump are now running the show.
Thousands of LGBTQ+ veterans were supposed to get pardons. A year later, only four have succeeded.
Thousands of veterans separated from the military due their sexuality qualified for pardons under Biden, only four got one.
Leah Rosenbaum, The War Horse Archives
The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting at the intersection of gender, politics and policy.
The 287(g) program allows local police to work with ICE as a “force multiplier” during immigration enforcement operations.
Immigrant rights groups sued a Long Island county Tuesday over an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows local police to carry out immigration enforcement.
Nassau County in February became the first county in New York to make a deal with ICE since President Donald Trump was inaugurated. The program — known as a 287(g) agreement after the federal law that authorizes such partnerships — allows law enforcement agencies to partner with ICE as a “force multiplier” to make immigration arrests.
Advocates and community groups, including the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, the Central American Refugee Center and the Haitian-American Family of Long Island, said in their lawsuit that the partnership exceeds Nassau police’s authority under state law and allows a police agency already dogged by accusations of racial profiling to discriminate against the immigrant community. The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court, names the county and its police department as defendants.
Long Island police sued after partnering with ICE to enforce immigration
Advocates sued Nassau County after it became the first New York county to partner with ICE after President Donald Trump took office.
Due to a combination of factors, the economy under Donald Trump is heading in the wrong direction which should raise alarms.
That is the opinion of investment analyst and MSNBC contributor Steve Ratner who appeared on “Morning Joe” on Thursday morning with host Jonathan Lemire.
With his wall of charts, Ratner explained, “So the Federal Reserve put out some numbers last week on its expectations for the economy that I think, relative to everything I just talked about are worth noting. It took down GDP growth for this year from 1.7 to 1.4. This happens to match a World Bank number that came out a couple of weeks ago –– two very impartial forecasters.”
“I would note that in 2024, the economy grew 2.8 percent. So in year one of Trump, we are going to grow, at least on track to grow exactly half of what we grew in the last year of Biden,” he observed before pointing out unemployment is likely to hit 4.5 percent “by the end of the year.”
Adding, “The Fed is now more a little more concerned about the economy than they were three months ago,” coupled with a refusal to drop interest rates, he went on to state, “I don’t want to necessarily pronounce stagflation, but when you’re moving towards slower growth, more unemployment and somewhat higher interest rates, that is not the direction you want to be moving in.”
‘Warning lights are starting to flash’ as Trump economy takes hold: MSNBC report
DHS lawsuit targets Maryland federal court’s automatic pause policy that delays deportations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is suing all 15 judges on the Maryland federal bench, arguing the court’s policy of automatically pausing certain immigration cases that come before it is unlawful.
Attorneys for the Trump administration argued to the very court they are suing that the policy, imposed through an order the court issued in May, is an “egregious example of judicial overreach.”
Stupid fools — how is the court supposed to consider a case if the deportation isn’t stopped at least long enough the court to hear the case and reach a decision.
Where does Trump find these shit-for-brains attorneys?
Trump DHS sues entire bench of federal judges in Maryland district court over automatic injunctions
The Trump administration files lawsuit against all 15 Maryland federal judges, challenging court policy that temporarily blocks deportations of immigrants filing habeas corpus petitions.
President Donald Trump says defense secretary will speak up ‘for the dignity of our great American pilots’ after feud with media over extent of bomb damage continues
“Secretary of Defense (War!) Pete Hegseth, together with Military Representatives, will be holding a Major News Conference tomorrow morning at 8 A.M. EST at The Pentagon, in order to fight for the Dignity of our Great American Pilots,” the president wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday evening.
“These Patriots were very upset! After 36 hours of dangerously flying through Enemy Territory, they landed, they knew the Success was LEGENDARY, and then, two days later, they started reading Fake News by CNN and The Failing New York Times. They felt terribly!
“Fortunately for them and, as usual, solely for the purpose of demeaning PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, the Fake News (Times and CNN) lied and totally misrepresented the Facts, none of which they had (because it was too soon, there were no Facts out there yet!). The News Conference will prove both interesting and irrefutable. Enjoy!”
That was the hype from Hegseth & his cronies. The mission really was a dud, one big ugly wasted effort, as multiple leaks have now confirmed.
Condolences to the pilots, perhaps next time you’ll have some competent leadership, or perhaps not …
Pete Hegseth holding Pentagon press conference to celebrate ‘very upset’ B-2 pilots
President Donald Trump says defense secretary will speak up ‘for the dignity of our great American pilots’ after feud with media over extent of bomb damage continues
A Denver judge on Wednesday granted a preliminary injunction blocking Colorado Gov. Jared Polis from ordering certain state employees to comply with an ICE subpoena for personal information about undocumented children and their sponsors.
The ruling delivers a legal setback to Polis and a win for whistleblower Scott Moss, a top labor official in the governor’s administration, who sued to block the disclosures.
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Denver District Judge A. Bruce Jones called the ICE subpoena “overly broad,” noted that it wasn’t issued by a court, and suggested it may serve purposes beyond what’s stated, including to help with deportation efforts.
Judge blocks Colorado governor from forcing some staff to aid ICE subpoena
A Denver judge granted a preliminary injunction blocking Gov. Jared Polis from ordering certain state employees to comply with an ICE subpoena for personal information about undocumented children and their sponsors.
The Santa Ana Police Department is asking residents to alert authorities if they see abandoned vehicles or property they believe may belong to someone detained by federal immigration officers. The department issued the public service announcement on social media following a high-profile immigration arrest in the city that has drawn local and national attention.
“If you believe a community member has been detained by federal officers and their vehicle or property has been left alone or abandoned, please call our Communications Division,” the statement read. Police added they would make a “reasonable effort” to contact family members or others who could retrieve the belongings. The notice was initially posted in Spanish, with a follow-up video in English.
Beating and kidnapping of Narciso Barranco by ICE Gestapo goons:
The message comes amid heightened immigration enforcement activity in Southern California, which has left many families scrambling for answers and assistance. One case in particular has sparked outrage: the arrest of Narciso Barranco in Santa Ana, a 48-year-old husband and father of three U.S. Marines.
Barranco was allegedly detained Saturday by U.S. Border Patrol agents while working as a landscaper outside an IHOP near Edinger Avenue and Ritchey Street. Video of the arrest, shared widely on social media, shows masked federal agents tackling a man to the ground, striking him, then forcing him into an unmarked silver SUV.
The footage was first posted by the Instagram account @SantaAnaProblems. In the video, agents wearing tactical vests and face coverings are seen surrounding the man, pinning him to the pavement. One agent repeatedly strikes him on the arm and near the head before others lift him up and push him into the vehicle using what appears to be a metal rod. The man did not appear to be seriously injured in the footage.
His son, 25-year-old Alejandro Barranco, identified the man as his father, Narciso. He told KTLA’s Sara Welch that his father has lived in the United States for nearly three decades and was targeted, he believes, because of how he looked and where he worked.
“I think part of it is racial profiling,” Alejandro said. “They probably assumed because he was working the landscaping he had no documentation.”
On Sunday evening, hundreds of community members gathered in Santa Ana for a candlelight vigil in support of Narciso. The event drew several hundred attendees, including faith leaders and elected officials, all rallying behind a family whose story has gained national attention.
“We never expected a turnout like this—all the elected officials, the support—it’s crazy. I’ve never seen anything like it, but I’m very glad we’re all here for each other,” Alejandro said.
Santa Ana police urge public to report abandoned property after immigration arrest video sparks outrage
ICE agents detain mother in Pasadena in front of children without showing a warrant (and the mother wasn’t who they were looking for — 3 masked men just jumped out of a car and grabbed her)
A mother walking with her children in Pasadena was taken into custody by immigration agents over the weekend in an incident that was partially captured on video and has drawn sharp criticism from witnesses.
Rosalina Luna Vargas, a mother of two and the primary breadwinner for her family, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Saturday morning around 8 a.m., according to bystanders. Her children were present at the time of the incident, which took place in broad daylight in the corner of Catalina and Del Mar.
The encounter was recorded by Jillian Reed, a Caltech alum and local resident, who was driving by when she noticed a commotion on the sidewalk.
In the footage she captured, three individuals in plain clothes—two of whom were masked and wore badges on lanyards—can be seen attempting to force Vargas into an unmarked Honda Accord. A third man, appearing younger and without any visible identification, also participated.
“I saw the commotion while driving, and when I slowed down, the kids shouted for help,” Reed said. “They kept asking for a warrant. They told the officers they would stop resisting if they just showed them a warrant. One of the men said he had one but didn’t show it.”
The video cuts off just as Vargas’s daughter pleads with Reed to call the police. According to Reed, she did call 911, reporting what she believed at the time to be a possible kidnapping.
As the situation escalated, Vargas allegedly broke free from the agents and ran into the courtyard of the nearby Del Mar Park Assisted Living Facility, with her children following close behind. The agents pursued, but were confronted again by the children, who physically tried to shield their mother.
“They formed a human wall,” Reed said. “One of the kids clung to her, telling her, ‘Don’t let go! Don’t let go!’ while crying. Then he started shouting to the crowd, ‘I can’t lose my mom!’”
Reed said the staff at the assisted living facility intervened, telling the agents they were on private property and could not proceed without a warrant. The agents, she said, took photos of everyone present—including Reed—before leaving in two separate vehicles.
Pasadena police later arrived and took statements from those at the scene. According to Reed, ICE agents returned later and took Vargas into custody.
A family member told Reed the warrant in question was for someone else entirely, and that Vargas and her children had simply been “in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Community members say the incident highlights growing concerns over ICE’s arrest tactics and the lack of transparency in operations conducted in public areas without coordination with local law enforcement.
Reed, still shaken, called the incident “horrific” and questioned whether law enforcement procedures were followed.
“Only two of the three men had badges, and none were in uniform,” she said. “I didn’t know if I was witnessing a hate crime or a kidnapping. And because they might have been law enforcement, I wasn’t even sure whether to call the police.”
ICE has not publicly released details about the arrest, including the charges or the identity of the agents involved.
The incident comes as federal immigration enforcement actions have intensified in parts of Southern California, prompting backlash in immigrant communities and renewed debate about due process, civil rights, and the rights of children in enforcement situations.
ICE agents detain mother in Pasadena in front of children without showing a warrant
A mother walking with her children in Pasadena was taken into custody by immigration agents over the weekend in an incident that was partially captured on video and has drawn sharp criticism from w…
A new report suggests that President Donald Trump’s administration sent National Guard troops in Los Angeles to assist the Drug Enforcement Administration in a law enforcement operation about 130 miles outside the city, in a move that experts say seems unlawful.
According to the report, around 315 National Guard troops were sent to the eastern Coachella Valley region to help the DEA search a local marijuana growing operation. The DEA asked the National Guard for assistance due to the “magnitude and topography” of the operation.
Legal experts expressed alarm at the move.
“This is the slippery slope,” Ryan Goodman, law professor at New York University, wrote on Bluesky.
Federal law prohibits the National Guard from replacing local law enforcement agencies under the Posse Comitatus Act. There are limited instances where the National Guard can be used in law enforcement operations, such as to quell a rebellion. But the guardsmen have to be invited by a state’s governor under the law.
‘Slippery slope’: Experts sound alarm on Trump’s new National Guard tactic
Freedom of the press and civil rights groups are rallying around a journalist who was put in immigration custody after being arrested while covering a protest in Atlanta, warning that his detention could chill press freedoms and put noncitizen journalists at risk.
Mario Guevara, an independent digital journalist who reports in Spanish, has been held for a week after law enforcement officials turned him over to Immigration and Custom Enforcement.
Guevara has authorization to live and work in the U.S., his attorney, Giovanni Diaz, told The Associated Press. Guevara also has an application pending with the Department of Homeland Security for legal permanent residency, sponsored by an adult son who is a U.S. citizen, the attorney said.
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Guevara was arrested June 14 while livestreaming a “No Kings” protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies in the Embry Hills neighborhood near Atlanta.
Backlash after ICE detains journalist covering ‘No Kings’ immigration protests
Press groups are calling for the release of Mario Guevara, an independent journalist who faces deportation after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanors while covering a protest.
