Ben Ricchio
@benricchio.bsky.social
Chicago native, living near Indy. Web developer. Gardener, with interests in soil ecology, biodiversity, and pollinators. Focused on how to boost civic engagement.
Pinned
Ben Ricchio
@benricchio.bsky.social
· Jul 23
The U.S. says no one has died due to the dismantling of USAID. So CNN’s Isobel Yeung went to Afghanistan to investigate.
Producer: Mick Krever
Photojournalist: Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou
Producer: Mick Krever
Photojournalist: Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou
I watched this last night, it is both difficult to watch and infuriating because of Trump, his xenophobic administration, and especially because all of those who voted for him.
I'm saving and pinning this clip to show to my MAGA neighbors, so I can tell them that they helped cause this.
I'm saving and pinning this clip to show to my MAGA neighbors, so I can tell them that they helped cause this.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
A 10-year-old boy recounted fleeing Thursday morning as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation began near his school bus stop in Lindenwold, New Jersey, saying, "We all were scared."
"We were all scared," says child who ran as ICE operation unfolded near New Jersey school bus stop
Dylan, who is a U.S. citizen, told CBS News the day seemed normal — until he heard his classmates suddenly start shouting "ICE."
cbsn.ws
February 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM
A 10-year-old boy recounted fleeing Thursday morning as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation began near his school bus stop in Lindenwold, New Jersey, saying, "We all were scared."
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Social Security Workers Are Being Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE…
The recent request goes against decades of precedent and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions…
www.wired.com/story/social...
The recent request goes against decades of precedent and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions…
www.wired.com/story/social...
Social Security Workers Are Being Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE
The recent request goes against decades of precedent and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions.
www.wired.com
February 15, 2026 at 3:13 AM
Social Security Workers Are Being Told to Hand Over Appointment Details to ICE…
The recent request goes against decades of precedent and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions…
www.wired.com/story/social...
The recent request goes against decades of precedent and puts noncitizens at further risk of immigration enforcement actions…
www.wired.com/story/social...
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Particularly when CBP agents have already been caught wearing Meta glasses to immigration raids even without facial recogntion www.404media.co/a-cbp-agent-...
February 13, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Particularly when CBP agents have already been caught wearing Meta glasses to immigration raids even without facial recogntion www.404media.co/a-cbp-agent-...
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
“Four of my children just evaporated,” Badran said, holding back tears. “I looked for them a million times. Not a piece was left. Where did they go?”
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
Israel used weapons in Gaza that made thousands of Palestinians evaporate
US-made thermal weapons burning at 3,500C caused 2,842 people to "evaporate" in Gaza, Al Jazeera investigation finds.
www.aljazeera.com
February 10, 2026 at 10:29 PM
“Four of my children just evaporated,” Badran said, holding back tears. “I looked for them a million times. Not a piece was left. Where did they go?”
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
There are no words to adequately describe the evil here.
@oliviaralph.bsky.social just want to say that I read your article on the draft-statement that Jeffrey Epstein died, dated 1 day before he was actually found dead in his cell.
I have....no idea....why that isn't front-page news.
I have....no idea....why that isn't front-page news.
February 9, 2026 at 8:49 PM
@oliviaralph.bsky.social just want to say that I read your article on the draft-statement that Jeffrey Epstein died, dated 1 day before he was actually found dead in his cell.
I have....no idea....why that isn't front-page news.
I have....no idea....why that isn't front-page news.
February 9, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
February 9, 2026 at 12:25 PM
1/ ProPublica collected handwritten letters in mid-January from children held at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center, the same facility where 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was taken.
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Hundreds of kids are still detained.
We’ll let the children’s words speak for themselves. 🧵
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Felon47 is trying to interfere with elections...AGAIN.
February 7, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Felon47 is trying to interfere with elections...AGAIN.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Accurate information is the enemy of the regime.
After decades of serving as a reliable, authoritative public repository of basic information about countries, their economies, and their people, The World Factbook disappeared from the internet on February 4 with no advance notice. https://cnn.it/4kqanLy
February 6, 2026 at 12:06 AM
Accurate information is the enemy of the regime.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
At this point, some leaked videos might help.
February 4, 2026 at 11:54 AM
At this point, some leaked videos might help.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
February 4, 2026 at 5:07 PM
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
I’m sharing Aliya’s entire opening statement. We owe it to her, and those who no longer have a voice, to watch. youtu.be/zrcW8SZtYpI?...
WATCH: Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen Aliya Rahman describes being detained by ICE
YouTube video by PBS NewsHour
youtu.be
February 4, 2026 at 3:44 AM
I’m sharing Aliya’s entire opening statement. We owe it to her, and those who no longer have a voice, to watch. youtu.be/zrcW8SZtYpI?...
I'm concerned that the majority of Americans are going to look back on Trump 2.0's ICE crackdown and overreach, and extrapolate that to mean that bigger government is always bad, instead of being more precise and saying " big government under Republican leadership doesn't work."
February 2, 2026 at 3:49 PM
I'm concerned that the majority of Americans are going to look back on Trump 2.0's ICE crackdown and overreach, and extrapolate that to mean that bigger government is always bad, instead of being more precise and saying " big government under Republican leadership doesn't work."
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting
The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raym...
www.propublica.org
February 1, 2026 at 9:10 PM
BREAKING: The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
That is SOME ratio for the Melania movie.
January 31, 2026 at 3:43 AM
That is SOME ratio for the Melania movie.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Seems like a good video for his trial
January 29, 2026 at 5:26 AM
Seems like a good video for his trial
@npr.org Trump country gave us a 2nd Trump term, even after J6, a botched response to COVID, cruel detention of migrants (I could go on).
No one cares what Trump country thinks anymore. They might disagree with him now, but they'll vote for him again and again and again.
That's the story.
No one cares what Trump country thinks anymore. They might disagree with him now, but they'll vote for him again and again and again.
That's the story.
January 29, 2026 at 3:58 PM
@npr.org Trump country gave us a 2nd Trump term, even after J6, a botched response to COVID, cruel detention of migrants (I could go on).
No one cares what Trump country thinks anymore. They might disagree with him now, but they'll vote for him again and again and again.
That's the story.
No one cares what Trump country thinks anymore. They might disagree with him now, but they'll vote for him again and again and again.
That's the story.
So, Trump orders a raid on the Fulton County election office because he thinks the 2020 election was stolen.
But Georgia is worth 16 electoral votes, and Trump lost to Biden in 2020 with 232 electoral votes, to Biden's 306 - a difference of 74 electoral votes.
But Georgia is worth 16 electoral votes, and Trump lost to Biden in 2020 with 232 electoral votes, to Biden's 306 - a difference of 74 electoral votes.
January 29, 2026 at 12:27 PM
So, Trump orders a raid on the Fulton County election office because he thinks the 2020 election was stolen.
But Georgia is worth 16 electoral votes, and Trump lost to Biden in 2020 with 232 electoral votes, to Biden's 306 - a difference of 74 electoral votes.
But Georgia is worth 16 electoral votes, and Trump lost to Biden in 2020 with 232 electoral votes, to Biden's 306 - a difference of 74 electoral votes.
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
A retired Minneapolis couple who had guns pointed at them by ICE in a church parking lot.
"They were obviously not trained at all. I've known many police officers in my life. These people were right off the streets."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals."
ht: @paulgraham.bsky.social
"They were obviously not trained at all. I've known many police officers in my life. These people were right off the streets."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals."
ht: @paulgraham.bsky.social
January 28, 2026 at 7:09 PM
A retired Minneapolis couple who had guns pointed at them by ICE in a church parking lot.
"They were obviously not trained at all. I've known many police officers in my life. These people were right off the streets."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals."
ht: @paulgraham.bsky.social
"They were obviously not trained at all. I've known many police officers in my life. These people were right off the streets."
"They had the professional demeanor of criminals."
ht: @paulgraham.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
1/27/2026 - Minneapolis
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
January 27, 2026 at 10:01 PM
1/27/2026 - Minneapolis
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
ICE just attempted an illegal entry into the ECUADORIAN CONSULATE to abduct someone
They did not have a warrant
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Abolish. ice. 💔
January 27, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Abolish. ice. 💔
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
This five year old is still in jail
January 27, 2026 at 1:38 PM
This five year old is still in jail
Reposted by Ben Ricchio
Walz: "To Americans who are watching this, I've got a question for you: What side do you want to be on? The side of an all powerful federal govt that can kill, injury, menace, & kidnap its citizens off the streets? Or on the side of a nurse at the VA hospital who died bearing witness to such govt?"
January 25, 2026 at 8:24 PM
Walz: "To Americans who are watching this, I've got a question for you: What side do you want to be on? The side of an all powerful federal govt that can kill, injury, menace, & kidnap its citizens off the streets? Or on the side of a nurse at the VA hospital who died bearing witness to such govt?"