Ben Zipperer
@benzipperer.org
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Congress should act to categorically exempt statistical agency staff from this schedule.
Statistical agencies by definition do not set policy.
Their only power and purpose is collecting data & publishing credible, informative stats. Without political independence, they can't do this.
Statistical agencies by definition do not set policy.
Their only power and purpose is collecting data & publishing credible, informative stats. Without political independence, they can't do this.
February 9, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Congress should act to categorically exempt statistical agency staff from this schedule.
Statistical agencies by definition do not set policy.
Their only power and purpose is collecting data & publishing credible, informative stats. Without political independence, they can't do this.
Statistical agencies by definition do not set policy.
Their only power and purpose is collecting data & publishing credible, informative stats. Without political independence, they can't do this.
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Get yourself a union
The Ford worker who heckled Trump during a visit to the company's plant still has his job and "has no discipline on his record," a union official said
Ford worker who heckled Trump keeps job, 'no discipline' for incident
The United Auto Workers union said TJ Sabula remains employed and called out the president for making an obscene gesture toward the worker.
www.detroitnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Get yourself a union
TIL about dplyr's n_distinct() for counting unique values
I especially love that if you're from the southern US like me, you'd pronounce it "indistinct"
I especially love that if you're from the southern US like me, you'd pronounce it "indistinct"
February 9, 2026 at 6:59 PM
TIL about dplyr's n_distinct() for counting unique values
I especially love that if you're from the southern US like me, you'd pronounce it "indistinct"
I especially love that if you're from the southern US like me, you'd pronounce it "indistinct"
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
New @nber.org paper with @caitlinpatler.bsky.social &
@elizabethacox.bsky.social out!
We examine how ICE arrests differ in Trump 2.0 vs. 1.0
Key Findings 🧵
1) MANY more arrests in Trump 2.0 than 1.0
2) When arrests spike, % arrested w criminal conviction falls
www.nber.org/papers/w3479...
@elizabethacox.bsky.social out!
We examine how ICE arrests differ in Trump 2.0 vs. 1.0
Key Findings 🧵
1) MANY more arrests in Trump 2.0 than 1.0
2) When arrests spike, % arrested w criminal conviction falls
www.nber.org/papers/w3479...
February 9, 2026 at 3:48 PM
New @nber.org paper with @caitlinpatler.bsky.social &
@elizabethacox.bsky.social out!
We examine how ICE arrests differ in Trump 2.0 vs. 1.0
Key Findings 🧵
1) MANY more arrests in Trump 2.0 than 1.0
2) When arrests spike, % arrested w criminal conviction falls
www.nber.org/papers/w3479...
@elizabethacox.bsky.social out!
We examine how ICE arrests differ in Trump 2.0 vs. 1.0
Key Findings 🧵
1) MANY more arrests in Trump 2.0 than 1.0
2) When arrests spike, % arrested w criminal conviction falls
www.nber.org/papers/w3479...
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
OK, *ongoing* thread of books to read on Palestine. Some recent, some not at all so recent.
I’ve been thinking on this as I read more. Also how the settlers trigger response that the army uses to validate excessive force.
Also, I’ve concluded 100 Year War on Palestine. Do you have other suggestions for reading? If you don’t mind. I’d actually love a thread if you do. Not that you have to.
Also, I’ve concluded 100 Year War on Palestine. Do you have other suggestions for reading? If you don’t mind. I’d actually love a thread if you do. Not that you have to.
February 7, 2026 at 12:53 AM
OK, *ongoing* thread of books to read on Palestine. Some recent, some not at all so recent.
has someone done the relevant sample size calculation (putting aside concerns about data transparency)? How many trips or miles are needed to claim the waymo accident rate is lower than the human driver rate, given some confidence level?
There's plenty of data that waymo is safer than average US drivers
But even ignoring that, just think—waymo does 500k trips/week now, if they had were even close to the crash rate of normal drivers they'd be killing a pedestrian like every other week
www.understandingai.org/p/human-driv...
But even ignoring that, just think—waymo does 500k trips/week now, if they had were even close to the crash rate of normal drivers they'd be killing a pedestrian like every other week
www.understandingai.org/p/human-driv...
February 6, 2026 at 9:53 PM
has someone done the relevant sample size calculation (putting aside concerns about data transparency)? How many trips or miles are needed to claim the waymo accident rate is lower than the human driver rate, given some confidence level?
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
"Whoever designed the human visual system has a lot to answer for. Maybe not as much as the knee group. Or the lower back team... who hired those people?"
Trustworthy Data Visualization (Kieran Healy, Duke University) | posit::conf(2025)
YouTube video by Posit PBC
www.youtube.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:26 PM
"Whoever designed the human visual system has a lot to answer for. Maybe not as much as the knee group. Or the lower back team... who hired those people?"
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
I am doing research on examples of debunked cases where ICE/DHS made a claim about arresting, detaining, and deporting a criminal (e.g., "the worst of the worst"). If you have examples, please send them my way via DMs/comments. Thanks.
February 6, 2026 at 9:05 PM
I am doing research on examples of debunked cases where ICE/DHS made a claim about arresting, detaining, and deporting a criminal (e.g., "the worst of the worst"). If you have examples, please send them my way via DMs/comments. Thanks.
In addition to weak firearms controls, legalized sports gambling is another important driver of family violence
Male-to-female assaults spike when the home NFL team is expected to win but loses, especially in states with legal sports betting
Male-to-female assaults spike when the home NFL team is expected to win but loses, especially in states with legal sports betting
February 6, 2026 at 7:32 PM
In addition to weak firearms controls, legalized sports gambling is another important driver of family violence
Male-to-female assaults spike when the home NFL team is expected to win but loses, especially in states with legal sports betting
Male-to-female assaults spike when the home NFL team is expected to win but loses, especially in states with legal sports betting
claude code knowers:
do wildcard permissions like "Bash(cat:*)", etc. let claude access any path, even those outside the project directory?
do wildcard permissions like "Bash(cat:*)", etc. let claude access any path, even those outside the project directory?
February 6, 2026 at 5:38 PM
claude code knowers:
do wildcard permissions like "Bash(cat:*)", etc. let claude access any path, even those outside the project directory?
do wildcard permissions like "Bash(cat:*)", etc. let claude access any path, even those outside the project directory?
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Breaking, from me: An executive order from Oklahoma's governor directs most of the state's public colleges to "phase out tenure." #AcademicSky #HigherEd @chronicle.com
www.chronicle.com/article/tenu...
www.chronicle.com/article/tenu...
Tenure Will Be Eliminated at Most of Oklahoma’s Public Colleges, Governor Says
Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, directed the state’s two-dozen regional universities and community colleges to phase out the practice. Existing faculty members will be grandfathered in.
www.chronicle.com
February 5, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Breaking, from me: An executive order from Oklahoma's governor directs most of the state's public colleges to "phase out tenure." #AcademicSky #HigherEd @chronicle.com
www.chronicle.com/article/tenu...
www.chronicle.com/article/tenu...
For no particular reason, re-upping this great explainer on why adding crypto and private equity to 401k plans is a bad idea
Trump is pushing to include risky assets like crypto and private equity in 401(k)s: Why this endangers retirement savers and the economy
Key takeaways President Trump has veered away from the path that previous administrations have taken on 401(k) and other retirement plans. Instead of protecting the millions of workers with retiremen...
www.epi.org
February 5, 2026 at 10:02 PM
For no particular reason, re-upping this great explainer on why adding crypto and private equity to 401k plans is a bad idea
School enrollment fell for teens with likely undocumented mothers as deportations and detentions increased in 2025
February 5, 2026 at 7:16 PM
School enrollment fell for teens with likely undocumented mothers as deportations and detentions increased in 2025
After substantial gains over the last several years, wage growth at the low end slowed sharply in 2025. The 10th percentile wage actually fell in real terms as the labor market weakened.
Nice analysis from @elisegould.bsky.social and @joe-fast.bsky.social
Nice analysis from @elisegould.bsky.social and @joe-fast.bsky.social
February 5, 2026 at 3:27 PM
After substantial gains over the last several years, wage growth at the low end slowed sharply in 2025. The 10th percentile wage actually fell in real terms as the labor market weakened.
Nice analysis from @elisegould.bsky.social and @joe-fast.bsky.social
Nice analysis from @elisegould.bsky.social and @joe-fast.bsky.social
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
Virginia’s New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now. - Bolts
Abigail Spanberger left the 287(g) program, which empowered state law enforcement to detain immigrants. Will Democrats also bar local police and sheriffs from the program?
boltsmag.org
February 4, 2026 at 10:36 PM
NEW: Abigail Spanberger this afternoon ordered that all state agencies leave ICE's 287(g) program.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
This means that the state police (and some other agencies) will no longer be empowered to detain and arrest people for ICE.
Big, big move by the governor within weeks of coming into office.
Latest ICE data show deportations actually dropped in January, perhaps as the agency concentrated on detention, which hit record levels
February 4, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Latest ICE data show deportations actually dropped in January, perhaps as the agency concentrated on detention, which hit record levels
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
This cannot be something a civilian law enforcement agent is allowed to wear in the US — and an agency that has a culture that tolerates this cannot be saved.
Fucking surreal that people dressed like this and carrying assault rifles are permitted to kidnap people off our streets
February 4, 2026 at 12:53 AM
This cannot be something a civilian law enforcement agent is allowed to wear in the US — and an agency that has a culture that tolerates this cannot be saved.
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Instead of protecting millions of workers with retirement accounts, Trump is knocking down guardrails to allow riskier investments.
@moniquemorrissey.bsky.social has everything you need to know about Trump’s efforts to make crypto, private equity & other alts widely available to retirement savers.
@moniquemorrissey.bsky.social has everything you need to know about Trump’s efforts to make crypto, private equity & other alts widely available to retirement savers.
Trump is pushing to include risky assets like crypto and private equity in 401(k)s: Why this endangers retirement savers and the economy
Key takeaways President Trump has veered away from the path that previous administrations have taken on 401(k) and other retirement plans. Instead of protecting the millions of workers with retiremen...
www.epi.org
February 2, 2026 at 1:18 PM
Instead of protecting millions of workers with retirement accounts, Trump is knocking down guardrails to allow riskier investments.
@moniquemorrissey.bsky.social has everything you need to know about Trump’s efforts to make crypto, private equity & other alts widely available to retirement savers.
@moniquemorrissey.bsky.social has everything you need to know about Trump’s efforts to make crypto, private equity & other alts widely available to retirement savers.
Federal agents shatter a grandmother's car window, tear her rotator cuff, and throw her to the ground. After they dump out her purse and discover her US passport, they drive off, leaving her with a concussion and bruised ribs
U.S. citizen injured by federal agents in Salem who demanded to see “papers,” union says - Salem Reporter
A home care worker and union worker was pulled from her car and injured by federal agents Thursday according to a statement by SEIU 503. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the repor...
www.salemreporter.com
February 1, 2026 at 7:03 PM
Federal agents shatter a grandmother's car window, tear her rotator cuff, and throw her to the ground. After they dump out her purse and discover her US passport, they drive off, leaving her with a concussion and bruised ribs
Trump's aggressive and arbitrary immigration enforcement could devastate the care sector. Immigrants are nearly 30% of direct care jobs, and 40% of home health aides
February 1, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Trump's aggressive and arbitrary immigration enforcement could devastate the care sector. Immigrants are nearly 30% of direct care jobs, and 40% of home health aides
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
As a side note, it’s funny to see so many of these emails with thirsty academics repeatedly enact Marx’s bit in the 1844 Manuscripts about the power of money. “Oh Mr Epstein, your house in New York is enormous and, unrelatedly, your questions at dinner were so intelligent, so insightful, so deep.”
![That which is for me through the medium of money - that for which I can pay (i.e., which money can buy) - that am I myself, the possessor of the money. The extent of the power of money is the extent of my power. Money's properties are my - the possessor's - properties and essential powers. Thus, what I am and am capable of is by no means determined by my individuality. I am ugly, but I can buy for myself the most beautiful of women.
Therefore I am not ugly, for the effect of ugliness - its deterrent power - is nullified by money. I, according to my individual characteristics, am lame, but money furnishes me with twenty-four feet.
Therefore I am not lame. I am bad, dishonest, unscrupulous, stupid; but money is honoured, and hence its possessor. Money is the supreme good, therefore its possessor is good. Money, besides, saves me the trouble of being dishonest: I am therefore presumed honest. I am brainless, but money is the real brain of all things and how then should its possessor be brainless? Besides, he can buy clever people for himself, and is he who has [In the manuscript: is. - Ed.] power over the clever not more clever than the clever? Do not I, who thanks to money am capable of all that the human heart longs for, possess all human capacities? Does not my money, therefore, transform all my incapacities into their contrary?](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:myqic77tkmdhmaufgkvj43hr/bafkreidpuxbx764xh7vobavcnvs3v2lo5fnfi6dukfrmk3ygxmseznkyxi@jpeg)
January 31, 2026 at 4:05 PM
As a side note, it’s funny to see so many of these emails with thirsty academics repeatedly enact Marx’s bit in the 1844 Manuscripts about the power of money. “Oh Mr Epstein, your house in New York is enormous and, unrelatedly, your questions at dinner were so intelligent, so insightful, so deep.”
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Very interesting research paper that shows that using AI with programming can significantly reduce mastery over topics. Perhaps unsurprising, but the lack of significant speed gains in this exercise are remarkable
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
January 31, 2026 at 12:23 AM
Very interesting research paper that shows that using AI with programming can significantly reduce mastery over topics. Perhaps unsurprising, but the lack of significant speed gains in this exercise are remarkable
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
www.anthropic.com/research/AI-...
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Citing fear of ICE, pregnant immigrants in Minnesota are
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
Fear of ICE is keeping pregnant immigrants in Minnesota from critical care
Health care providers in Minnesota said pregnant patients are having more complications linked to stress. But fear of immigration agents is keeping them from prenatal care.
19thnews.org
January 30, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Citing fear of ICE, pregnant immigrants in Minnesota are
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
Reposted by Ben Zipperer
Legal asylum seeker, no criminal record, working two jobs, dragged out of smashed car and kidnapped by ICE as his US citizen newborn cries in a car seat in the freezing cold in Maine and his wife who barely speaks English pleads for help. WTAF
Video shows ICE leaving behind an infant and broken glass after arresting a man with no criminal history.
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
“There was a car seat in the back... There were broken glass shards all over it... There was just this tiny peanut of a baby. He was crying.”
My latest: www.pressherald.com/2026/01/28/i...
ICE agents shatter window, leave 1-month-old baby, mother in car after Portland arrest
Video shows federal immigration agents leaving behind an infant and broken glass after detaining a Guinean immigrant with no known criminal history.
www.pressherald.com
January 29, 2026 at 6:21 PM
Legal asylum seeker, no criminal record, working two jobs, dragged out of smashed car and kidnapped by ICE as his US citizen newborn cries in a car seat in the freezing cold in Maine and his wife who barely speaks English pleads for help. WTAF