The Trump Administration Says Its Speech-Based Deportation Policy 'Does Not Exist'
The government’s lawyers also say that supposedly nonexistent policy is perfectly consistent with the First Amendment.
Department of State
The U.S. Is Closing Every Door on Afghan Allies
Afghan prosecutors, interpreters, and other U.S. partners are being evicted, abandoned, or forced back into Taliban hands.
The Rationale for Deporting Mahmoud Khalil Is Alarmingly Vague and Broad
Marco Rubio’s nebulous invocation of foreign policy interests is bound to have a chilling impact on freedom of speech, which is the whole point.
A Judge Said the Excuse for Arresting Mahmoud Khalil Was Unconstitutionally Vague. Why Isn't Khalil Free?
U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz highlights the chilling impact of Marco Rubio's dubious rationale for deporting students whose views offend him.
Pakistan Deports Afghans Awaiting U.S. Resettlement
Afghans who fled Taliban rule with hopes of U.S. resettlement now face detention, extortion, and forced return.
U.S. Government: We Didn't Use 'Political Violence' in Iraq
A training slideshow reveals how deluded American leaders continue to be about the Iraq War, more than two decades later.
Rumeysa Ozturk's Op-Ed Is Still the Only Public Justification for Her Arrest
"It is unthinkable that a person in a free society could be snatched from the street, imprisoned, and threatened with deportation for expressing an opinion the government dislikes," says FIRE.
Washington's Broken Promises Leave Afghan Allies in Limbo
But volunteers are stepping up even as Congress fails to act.
Trump's Actions Contradict His Avowed Commitment to First Amendment Rights
The president has launched a multifaceted crusade against speech that offends him.
Marco Rubio Brags About Defending Freedom of Speech While Eagerly Undermining It
The secretary of state, who aims to "liberate American speech," nevertheless wants to deport U.S. residents for expressing opinions that offend him.
A Ruling Against Mahmoud Khalil Highlights Marco Rubio's Vast Power To Deport People for Their Opinions
An immigration judge's decision reinforces the constitutional argument against the law that the secretary of state is invoking.
Defending Student Deportations, Marco Rubio Equates Writing an Anti-Israel Op-Ed With Starting a Riot
The detention of Tufts graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk illustrates the startling breadth of the authority the secretary of state is invoking.
Pete Hegseth's Carelessness and Dishonesty Mirror Hillary Clinton's
The defense secretary, who shared information about imminent U.S. air strikes in a manifestly insecure group chat, thought Clinton should be prosecuted for her careless handling of sensitive information.
Trump Is Explicitly Targeting Legal Residents Based on the Opinions They Express
The rationale for deporting Mahmoud Khalil is chillingly vague and broad.
Passport Applicants May Have To Affirm That They Are 'Not Required To Register' As Sex Offenders
The proposed State Department policy would add to the irrational burdens that registrants face.
DOGE Goes Deep State
A smaller government with a more powerful set of unaccountable executive officials is unlikely to be much of a win for liberty.
Meet Trump's Incredibly Confusing New National Security Cabinet
Establishment hawks will be running the State Department and National Security Council, but Trump has peppered in some antiestablishment mavericks too.
Little Marco Goes Global
Plus: Trump island, AI regulations you've never heard of, Gaza death count, and more...
The Classic Neocons Are Out, but They Might Still Get What They Want
Even without Mike Pompeo and Nikki Haley, the Trump administration still could be heading for regime change in the Middle East.
Who Wanted To Kill Henry Kissinger?
Newly released FBI files show a lot of strange threats against the former secretary of state’s safety—and say a lot about 1970s America.
Federal Judge, ICE Agents Linked to Compromised Spyware Use
The surveillance company mSpy just suffered its third data breach in a decade, exposing government officials snooping for both official and unofficial reasons.
Trump Promised To 'Drain the Swamp.' He Did the Opposite.
Total spending under Trump nearly doubled. New programs filled Washington with more bureaucrats.
Kissinger Dies
Plus: Trump opts out of debates, blackface story gets a twist, AI-enhanced IRS, and more...
Bahrain's Dictatorship Gets More Biden Administration Help
The U.S.-Bahraini security pact is the first step towards a future U.S.-Saudi “mega-deal.” Critics say it violates the U.S. Constitution and aids torturers.
Why Can't You Renew Your Passport Online?
Applicants are currently waiting 10 to 13 weeks for routine processing.
Here's Why the State Department Is Taking Months To Renew Your Passport
COVID-era problems are partially to blame, but so are outdated government practices.
U.S. State Department Funds a Disinformation Index That Warns Advertisers To Avoid Reason
Reason is listed among the "ten riskiest online news outlets" by a government-funded disinfo tracker.
America's Refugee Resettlement Process Is Broken. Now Private Citizens Can Help Fix It.
A new State Department initiative will let American citizens sponsor refugees fleeing danger.
Why Do Travelers to the U.S. Have To Wait an Average of 247 Days for Their Visa Interviews?
The State Department's network of consulates are keeping tourists and business travelers in limbo.
RIP Madeleine Albright, Who Escaped Both Fascism and Communism as a Child
The former secretary of state died today at the age of 84 after a long and complicated career in U.S. foreign policy.
Risking Their Lives to Rescue Afghans Left Behind
Inside the volunteer effort to save the stranded men and women who worked with the U.S. military
Two Years Into the Pandemic, the U.S. Is Still Struggling To Issue Visas
The government has had ample time to figure out how to provide standard visa services in the face of COVID-19, but it’s come up short.
Ukraine Needs Clear Communication, Not Weapons, From the U.S.
Supplying the Ukrainian army hasn’t stopped Putin.
The Government Has Struggled To Resettle Evacuated Afghans. A New Program Will Let Private Citizens Pick Up the Slack.
With tens of thousands of Afghans awaiting assistance, the initiative will capitalize on local knowledge and turn resettlement into a bottom-up process.
The Government Let a U.S. Citizen Spend Months in a Foreign Prison for No Good Reason
Amir Meshal was never charged with a crime.
The Federal Government Cautions Incoming Afghan Refugees Against Moving To California
Both liberals and conservatives could take some lessons from the U.S. State Department's list of cities that it recommends Afghan refugees relocate to.
Biden Lectures Businesses About Vaccines While Fully Vaccinated Feds Stay Home From Work
The entire federal workforce is required to be vaccinated. So why is the federal bureaucracy still operating as if routine public interactions are a public health threat?
Americans Can't Travel Because State Department Employees Won't Work
Massive passport-processing delays, due to COVID restrictions and staffing shortages, are ruining summer travel plans and prompting fantastical workarounds.
The State Department Fought To Allow 'Ghost Gun' Files and Won. Why Is It Still Trying To Remove Them?
Despite its victory, the State Department is insisting that a court order to allow the files to spread is not yet technically in effect.
Should Biden's Choice for Secretary of State Discourage Libertarians?
President Joe Biden's promised return to normality will unfortunately extend to his administration's foreign policy.
Joe Biden's Secretary of State Pick Has Been an Avid Backer of American Military Intervention
The president-elect's forthcoming nomination of Antony Blinken as the country's top diplomat suggests an appetite for continuing America's role as the globe's policeman.
Mike Pompeo Jokes, Hopefully, About 'a Smooth Transition To a Second Trump Administration'
The Secretary of State places himself among the ranks of Republican officials willing to humor, but not quite endorse, Trump's claims that he in fact won the election.
State Department Demands Spouses of Gay Diplomats, U.N. Staff Get Legally Married to Visit—Even if They Can't
An absurdly petty intersection of anti-gay and anti-foreigner policies.
Iran Hawk Mike Pompeo Confirmed as Secretary of State
Pompeo says he's learned a lesson about American interventions in the Middle East, but can he be trusted?
Rand Paul Worries Mike Pompeo Will Keep America in Afghanistan Even Longer
"The president has been very specific, at times, on this," Paul said. "He said 'it is time to get out of Afghanistan.'"
Rand Paul Will Oppose Trump's Pro-War, Pro-Torture Nominees for State, CIA
Paul says Mike Pompeo, Trump's pick to be the next secretary of state, will repeat the foreign policy mistakes of the past two decades.
Scarlet-Letter Passports Are Unjust and Irrational
The new "unique identifier" for sex offenders stigmatizes people who pose no threat.
John McCain's Cronyist 'Humanitarian' Group: Your Path to Trump's State Department
Kurt Volker, the McCain Institute's well-connected executive director, has been appointed special representative for Ukraine negotiations.
