Trump Has a Habit of Asserting Broad, Unreviewable Authority
Whether he is waging the drug war, imposing tariffs, deporting alleged gang members, or fighting crime, the president thinks he can do "anything I want to do."
Immigration
Trump Threatens Another Federal Takeover of D.C. While Planning Memphis Crackdown
Trump’s emergency order in the nation’s capital expired last week, but he has already rolled out a plan to crack down on crime in Memphis.
Florida Applies for Federal Reimbursement for 'Alligator Alcatraz' Costs Despite Court Warning
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promised that the federal government would reimburse the state for the costs of "Alligator Alcatraz," but doing so would make the detention facility subject to environmental reviews Florida ignored.
Immigration Agents Held a U.S. Citizen—and Veteran—for 3 Days Without Checking His ID
George Retes was denied access to an attorney, wasn’t allowed to make a phone call, was not presented to a judge, and was put in an isolation cell before being released with no charges.
Michael Tracey: Cutting Through the Jeffrey Epstein Fog
Journalist Michael Tracey discusses problems with what he call the "Epstein mythology" on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions.
Over 300 Workers Return to South Korea After Immigration Raid, but Damage to Trade Relations Is Already Done
“As things stand now,” South Korean President Lee Jae Myun said, “our businesses will hesitate to make direct investments in the United States.”
Fourth Circuit Rules Performing Forced Labor as a Cook for a Terrorist Organization Does Not Count as "Material Support" for Terrorism that Precludes a Migrant From Getting Asylum
The 2-1 ruling got the right result, but not entirely for the right reason.
Kavanaugh Flouts the Fourth Amendment and Blesses Trump's Racial Profiling
The justice’s stance on immigration enforcement is undermined by the facts of the case before him.
Hyundai Raid Shows Trump Can't Deport His Way To a Manufacturing Boom
Trump's mass deportation policies are undermining his manufacturing agenda.
Americans Don't Actually Like Trump's Bad Guy Posturing on Immigration and the Military
Shows of force and mass deportations play well to the base, but they’re falling flat with the public.
Supreme Court Issues Dubious "Shadow Docket" Ruling Staying Injunction Against Racial Profiling in Immigration Enforcement
There is no majority opinion, so the reasoning is unclear. But Justice Kavanaugh's concurring opinion undercuts principle that government must abjure racial discrimination.
What Is ICE Doing With This Israeli Spyware Firm?
The Department of Homeland Security restored a $2 million contract with Paragon, maker of the surveillance tool Graphite, despite earlier civil liberties concerns.
My New Boston Globe Article Making Case for Abolishing ICE and Giving the Money to State and Local Police
It builds on an earlier piece in The Hill
Huge Immigration Bust
Plus: Light-rail killing, short-term rental ban ineffective, Perónism strikes back, and more...
Trump's 1 Percent Tax on Money Immigrants Send Home Is a Tax on the Global Poor
Analysts expect the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to reduce the number of remittance payments sent abroad.
Perils of the Pentagon's Plan to Use Military Lawyers to Adjudicate Immigration Cases
The plan is illegal for multiple reasons, is likely to lead to poor decisions, and could undermine military readiness.
Trump Forcibly Returns Russian Dissenters who Fled Putin
It's a new low in US refugee/asylum policy; simultaneouly unjust and counterproductive.
Sen. Eric Schmitt Echoes Bernie Sanders With Attack on Foreign Worker Program
The Republican and the socialist agree: Free trade and H-1B visas are bad news.
2 Trump Cases To Watch as the Supreme Court Returns From Summer Break
Plus: A momentous date in the life of Frederick Douglass
Fifth Circuit Rules Trump's Use of Alien Enemies Act is Illegal
The 2-1 ruling is in line with most previous court decisions on Trump's invocation of the AEA. Judge Oldham wrote an extremely long, but significantly flawed, dissent.
The 5th Circuit Rejects Trump's Invocation of the Alien Enemies Act
The appeals court blocked the removal of alleged Venezuelan gang members under that law "because we find no invasion or predatory incursion."
Not So Fast, ICE
Plus: Rogue sheriffs, Trump life coaching, Trump family cryptocurrency, and more…
Help Workers by Breaking Down Barriers to Labor Mobility
Labor Day is a great time to remember that we can make workers vastly better off by empowering more of them to vote with their feet, both within countries and through international migration.
Why Is Trump's Border Patrol Arresting Firefighters During a Wildfire?
Trump has promised to go after illegal immigrants "committing vile and heinous acts against innocent Americans." His record consistently says otherwise.
Trump's Immigration Crackdown Could Make Wildfire Season Deadlier This Year
Two firefighters were recently detained by federal law enforcement while fighting the Bear Gulch fire in Washington state. The arrests appear to be immigration-related.
America Educates the World's Best and Brightest—Then Shows Them the Door
As students grapple with an unfriendly immigration system and targeted crackdowns on campus, how long will the U.S. remain the world's top study destination?
My New The Hill Article: "Abolish ICE and Give the Money to Real Cops"
It makes the case for abolishing ICE and transferring its funds to state and local police.
Inside Jeffrey Epstein's Spy Industry Connections
Leaked emails show Epstein’s attempts to dabble in security tech—across borders—in the last years of his life.
Trump's Unconstitutional Plan to Penalize States that Allow Cashless Bail
His executive order directs the Justice Department to deny federal funds to jurisdictions that use cashless bail for suspects for many types of crimes. The plan is another assault on federalism and separation of powers.
Chicago Next for National Guard?
Plus: Zohran can't benchpress, Powell speech doesn't exactly soothe markets, Waymo approved for NYC, and more...
On the Original Meaning of Birthright Citizenship
My new paper on the original meaning of the citizenship clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Visit Your Ancestral Homeland
The best sort of travel is that which confounds our expectations rather than confirms our prejudices.
$500 Million To Paint the Border Wall? 5 of Trump's Strangest, Most Expensive Vanity Projects
Donald Trump is no stranger to wasteful spending. But these examples are especially egregious.
Judge Orders Alligator Alcatraz To Wind Down Operations Within 60 Days
A federal district court judge granted environmentalist groups’ request for a preliminary injunction.
ICE's Tricked-Out Trucks Might Boost Recruitment, but They Won't Make America Any Safer
The agency has spent millions of taxpayer dollars on custom SUVs, trucks, and recruitment ads.
Born in N.Y., Lived in U.S. for Nearly 70 Years, Subscribed Oath of Allegiance 5 Times—But, It Turns Out, He Isn't a U.S. Citizen
Was the father a consul or an attaché? It is on such matters that the law sometimes turns.
Trump's Deportation Goals
Plus: Elites in the media, revoking security clearances, car prices going up, and more...
Video Shows Immigration Officers Shooting at a San Bernardino Family's Car. DHS Calls It Justified.
CBP officers said they acted in self-defense when the driver fled the scene, but passengers believe video evidence shows they were the real victims.
Chip Roy on Why He Backed Trump's Spending Bill
Texas Rep. Chip Roy joins Nick Gillespie to talk about runaway spending, the uphill battle for health care reform, and where immigration fits into the liberty vs. sovereignty debate.
9 Years Ago, Marco Rubio Explained Why Trump's Birthright Citizenship Order Is Unconstitutional
The 2016 brief defended the understanding of the 14th Amendment that the president wants to overturn.
The Human Rights Crisis in ICE Detention Centers
Reports of human rights abuses are piling up as the number of people in immigrant detention reaches all-time highs.
Trump Administration Sued for Violating Foreign Students' Free Speech Rights
The First Amendment protects everybody from the government, whether citizen or not.
CBP Is Deporting Cruise Ship Crew Over Child Pornography Allegations Without Evidence
Advocacy groups say more than 100 cruise ship crew members have been deported in recent months, and they're not being shown the evidence against them or given any due process.
With $75 Billion Boost, ICE Launches Aggressive Recruitment Campaign
ICE is offering a near $90,000 salary, a $50,000 signing bonus, and loan forgiveness to grow its ranks by 10,000 officers.
