By now we have all heard the Trump administration has cited an 18th century law to deport 261 individuals in times of war or invasion. Given the decades long culture war raging in America is not an actual war, the administration claimed the gang Tren de Aragua had invaded the United States. The alleged gang members were sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador. Not even American prisons are safe from their ‘invasion.’
Details of the timeline and how many Venezuelans were actually deported for violating the Alien Enemies Act are still a bit murky which demonstrates once again the administration prizes results above all, including due process.
While we do not yet know for sure if the last plane departing on the 15th of March violated Judge Boasberg’s order or if planes flying over the now named Gulf of America still constitute international waters, the more pressing issue was revealed in an interview President Trump had with Laura Ingraham on Tuesday night. Fox News host Ingraham, a former law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, pressed the President if he would defy a court order.
This point was emphasized in a rare comment this week by Chief Justice John Roberts who correctly stated any disagreement over a judicial decision can be appealed. The President claimed in the Ingraham interview that he never defied a court order, but he has clamored the judge in the Venezuelan gang case should be impeached and strongly implies in the interview with Ingraham any judge who acts ‘against’ him and the administration is corrupt and bad at their job.
In the runup to the election, the President made clear his desire to make America safe and that illegal immigrants are a threat. His desire to remove all illegals is of course in keeping with policies implemented under both Biden and Obama.
Though Trump has yet to reach an annual deportation rivaling Obama, the 'Deporter-In-Chief,’ the Trump administration has once again gone one step further and drafted a travel ban. Categorized by red, orange and yellow, more than 3 dozen nations have been assessed a threat level and their citizens’ ability to enter the US will be restricted accordingly. As you may have guessed, this ban is in direct opposition to the Biden administration’s complete reversal of the first Trump administration’s travel ban.
In each Trump immigration policy, individualism is threatened. Being connected to a violent gang because of a (in)correctly identified tattoo by an ICE agent should lead to further evidence gathering to build a legal case, not an immediate deportation to an overseas prison facility which does not welcome reporters and can torture inmates who were never legally convicted of a crime. Banning individuals from dangerous nations sounds obvious enough, but for those who may not be aware, entering the United States without a US passport from any of these nations is not as simple as filling an online form. A vetting process has existed and with adequate federal government staffing can continue to exist.
Americans have worked very hard over generations to not make snap judgements and blanket policies based on stereotypes, often racial and gender in nature. We pride ourselves on evaluating each person on a case-by-case basis. Guilty without any possibility of innocence defies a centuries long American tradition. Cancel culture invoked such a heinous punishment system; the White House (and MAGA) are invoking the same.
While who one may be associated with can be tantamount to imprisonment and ostracization, speaking up for those who cannot stand up for themselves is also reason for punishment under this administration.
Mahmoud Khalil is a green card visa holder married to an American citizen, and he believed he had a legal right to “[advocate] for a free Palestine and an end to the genocide in Gaza.” The administration however wants to equate advocating for a free Palestine with promoting Hamas and terrorism; the problem of course is 2 million plus people living in Gaza cannot logically all be terrorists.
In a nation in which legal precedent can dictate the legal consequences for those who follow, arresting visa holders for speaking freely is obviously the first step down a very slippery slope. Despite audio of Mahmoud Khalil being publicly available, all Americans know the next targets will be any deemed antisemitic and pro-terrorism, without any daylight between the two accusations. Another group to be ostracized.
The argument a visa holder is not entitled to continue living in the United States for exercising their right to free speech can be made; the case that any potential illegal immigrant can be banished to a foreign mega-prison will be difficult for any to argue; banning Africans and Muslims entering the US from dangerous countries will likely not be the hill any legislator will die on. But ensuring all individuals in the United States continue to receive due process and be treated fairly on the merits of their legal case should be.
Economic & Security news updates:
Consumer confidence declines
On Monday, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates “that U.S. households will pay a high direct price from the new import taxes, and the likely economic slowdown will cost the U.S. more than the extra income the tariffs are supposed to generate.”
While Trump is committed to his raised tariffs, the OECD report indicates that “If the tariff increases were lower, or applied to fewer goods, economic activity would be stronger and inflation would be lower than projected.”
Despite the Trump administration increasing the national debt in his first full month in office, Treasury Secretary Bessent emphasized to CNBC “Over the long term, if we put good tax policy in place, deregulation and energy security, the markets will do great.”
Mass federal government layoffs rescinded, yet additional employment cuts to come
Yesterday a federal judge rebuked the dismantling of USAID and stated “[Musk's takeover] usurped the authority of the public's elected representatives in Congress to make decisions on whether, when, and how to eliminate a federal government agency, and of Officers of the United States duly appointed under the Constitution to exercise the authority entrusted to them."
More than 24,000 workers at 18 federal agencies are being rehired to comply with U.S. District Judge James Bredar’s temporary restraining order. The majority are being rehired and immediately placed on paid administrative leave, meaning they are being rehired and paid not to work.
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense is moving forward to cut nearly 60,000 civilian jobs. Officials claim each cut will be made on a “case-by-case basis to ensure cuts don’t affect critical national security jobs.”
Ongoing ceasefire negotiations with Russia
After a 90 minute call Tuesday, Putin and Trump both intimate they want a ceasefire while both sides disagree on whether the condition of the US “[ending] foreign military aid and intelligence sharing with Kyiv” was discussed, let alone to be included in any potential ceasefire deal.
Both sides did agree on “an immediate pause on strikes against energy infrastructure,” which is critical for Ukraine to not experience what could be the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, which also took place on its soil.
To be clear, the 30-day ceasefire against energy infrastructure did not extend to active frontlines or civilian populations. As such, both “Ukraine and Russia exchanged aerial assaults overnight” and fighting ensues while a complete ceasefire remains to be finalized and adhered to by both sides.