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Dan Vock
@danvock.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.1K following 13K posts
Freelance reporter. Illinoisan in D.C. Helping you understand how government works—or doesn’t. I RT Illinois news and politicians a lot. Reach me at dcvock@gmail.com

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danvock.bsky.social
Dan Vock @danvock.bsky.social · Jan 4
How much has Operation Midway Blitz cost the federal government so far? The Trump administration isn't saying, so for the @chicagotribune.com I came up with a rough -- but conservative -- estimate of $59 million and counting. Check out more at this gift link www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/04/o...
Cost of Operation Midway Blitz: $59M and counting
A Tribune review of court filings, databases and other public records detailing the scope of the incursion and typical costs shows how much the federal government has spent since September.
www.chicagotribune.com
Reposted by Dan Vock
mprnews.org
Super Bowl viewers Sunday speculated that 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos appeared in the halftime show. In fact, he has been in hiding with his family.

“He can’t sleep well at night. He wakes up three or four times a night screaming, ‘Daddy, Daddy,’” Liam's father Adrian Conejo Arias, said.
‘He’s not the same’: Father of Liam Conejo Ramos says 5-year-old continues to suffer
Some people thought they say the 5-year-old during the Super Bowl halftime show. But Liam is still in hiding with his family, after he and his father were detained and then released from a Texas deten...
www.mprnews.org
February 10, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
richardkimnyc.bsky.social
BREAKING: ICE officials under a judge’s order to clean up overcrowded & squalid conditions on 10th floor at 26 Federal Plaza detained migrants on a separate, secret floor where they decided that ruling didn’t apply, the Trump admin admitted in court Monday.

www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/09/2...
ICE Moved Detainees to Previously Undisclosed Floor of 26 Federal Plaza
A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reduce overcrowding and squalid conditions at a Manhattan holding room. Months later, he finds ICE merely shifted floors.
www.thecity.nyc
February 10, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
chicagotribune.com
Gov. JB Pritzker talked Bears with NFL commissioner, says progress is being made to keep team in Illinois
Gov. JB Pritzker talked Bears with NFL commissioner, says progress is being made to keep team in Illinois
While Indiana officials play up their efforts to lure the Chicago Bears across the border for a new stadium, Gov. JB Pritzker said Monday that he and his staff have made “progress” to i…
trib.al
February 10, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
chicago.suntimes.com
Prosecutors have dropped charges against nearly two dozen people arrested during a clergy-led protest outside the Broadview ICE facility last fall.
Cook County prosecutors drop charges against 19 arrested during clergy-led protest at Broadview ICE facility
chicago.suntimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
jilldlawrence.bsky.social
“Raskin also said that he saw ‘references to 17-year-old girls, 16-year-old girls, 14-year-old girls, 11-year-old girls, 10-year-old girls, and I saw a reference today to a 9-year-old girl. So it is a really gruesome and grim story.’“ www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...
Trump administration live updates: Lawmakers view unredacted Epstein files at Justice Department
Trump administration live updates: Congress members may begin viewing unredacted Epstein files at DOJ
www.nbcnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
bachynski.bsky.social
“Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, likened Dr. Oz’s comments to taking a garden hose to a forest fire.

“When you cast those kinds of doubts about vaccine safety and effectiveness, one interview on one news show is not going to move the needle,” he said”
Oz Offers Forceful Call for Vaccination as Measles Becomes More Dire
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
lawdorknews.bsky.social
BREAKING: The Department of Homeland Security is taking a third crack at restricting congressional oversight visits to immigration facilities — a requirement under federal funding laws that is not new to the Trump administration.

More from @chrisgeidner.bsky.social: substack.com/@chrisgeidne...
chrisgeidner.bsky.social Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 2h
BREAKING: On February 2, Sec. Noem issued a memo asserting the lapse in appropriations for DHS meant there is no Sec. 527 — the provision protecting congressional oversight visits to immigration detention facilities — and she was issuing a new (third) policy requiring seven-day notice for visits.
Case 1:25-cv-02463-JMC Document 55-1 Filed 02/09/26 Page 2 of 2 Secretary U.S. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC 20528 DEPARTMEN Homeland Security MEMORANDUM FOR: FROM: SUBJECT: February 2, 2026 Todd. M. Lyons Acting Director for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Rodney Scott Commissioner, U.S. Customs and Border Protection James H. Percival Il General Counsel Holly C. Mehringer Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Chief Financial Officer Kristi Noon at ar Secretary of Homelet Security Congressional Access to Alien Detention Facilities - Ratification of Access Policy and Use of Appropriations for Enforcement On January 8, 2026, I issued a new policy directing that requests by Members of Congress to visit an ICE facility be submitted at least seven days in advance of the visit.' On February 2, 2026, in Neguse v. ICE, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia temporarily enjoined DHS from enforcing that policy or otherwise requiring any plaintiff to provide advance notice before conducting oversight visits for a period of 14 days.? The court concluded that DHS's policy remains inconsistent with Section 527(b) of the Department's appropriation. It is odd that the court issued this decision given the appropriation containing Section 527(b) lapsed on January 31, 2026. As a result of the lapse, Section 527 is not currently in effect. Therefore, as of this date, I am issuing this new policy that is identical in substance to the January 8 access policy. The General Counsel will provide further guidance regarding the effective date of this policy in light of the court's order. ' This updated policy-issued as a result of the case against ICE-was directed to ICE. Neither CBP nor its policy has been involved in the case to date. In light of today's decision, however, I am also issuing that policy as to CBP. 2 Neguse v. ICE, No. 25-2463, Memorandum Op. at 9 (D.D.C. Feb. 2, 2026).
February 10, 2026 at 12:22 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
josheidelson.bsky.social
Scoop: The US labor board is giving up oversight over Elon Musk's SpaceX, and abandoning its yearslong case over the firing of engineers behind an open letter that criticized Musk www.bloomberg.com/news/article... NLRB prosecutors now say NMB, not NLRB, has jurisdiction over SpaceX
US Labor Board Gives Up Oversight of SpaceX in Victory for Musk
Agency drops yearslong case over firing of Musk critics.
www.bloomberg.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:04 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
joshuajfriedman.com
NEW: An immigration court has terminated removal proceedings against Tufts doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk, finding that DHS did not meet its burden of establishing that she was removable, her lawyers tell the Second Circuit. live-awp-vermont.pantheonsite.io/app/uploads/...
Dear Ms. Wolfe, Petitioner-Appellee Rümeysa Öztürk submits this Rule 28(j) letter to advise the Court that on January 29, 2026, the immigration court held that the Department of Homeland Security had not met its burden of proving removability, and the immigration court thereby terminated removal proceedings against Ms. Öztürk.' This development underscores the dangers of the government's interpretation of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Under the government's view, it could punitively detain any noncitizen in retaliation for her speech for many months, so long as it simultaneously institutes removal proceedings—no matter how unmeritorious—all without any federal court review of the lawfulness of detention at any time. To be clear, the termination of Ms. Öztürk's removal proceedings does not moot her habeas case. (By contrast, as Ms. Öztürk has argued, this appeal is moot. Br. 18-20.) Without habeas jurisdiction and the bail order that is currently in place, any government appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals would again subject Ms. Öztürk to re-detention. See 8 C.F.R. § 1003.6(a). For that reason, she continues to suffer the threat of continuing "now-or-never" First and Fifth Amendment harms. Br. in Opp. 55-57.
February 9, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
masslive.bsky.social
‘I’m scared he won’t come back’: Father with infant arrested by ICE at Chelsea courthouse
‘I’m scared he won’t come back’: Father with infant arrested by ICE at Chelsea courthouse
The Chelsea courthouse spiraled into chaos Monday morning, as ICE detained two men — one, a young father with his baby and wife — and advocates raced to stop a third.
www.masslive.com
February 9, 2026 at 11:55 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
klasfeldreports.com
Civil rights lawyer Nekima Levy Armstrong's latest brief reveals the backstory of her arrest in a footnote. Feds refused to let her self-surrender, taped her arrest at a hotel, and broke a promise not to post it on social media, she says.

The White House then digitally altered it to smear her.
She also would have explained that she was staying at a hotel because she had been receiving death threats as a result of top officials in the government denouncing her in the media, and because she was trying to be in a location where she could facilitate her self-surrender at the federal court several blocks away. As previously explained, the government through United States Attorney Daniel Rosen himself refused to allow Ms. Levy Armstrong to self-surrender at the courthouse but instead insisted on arresting her at the hotel where one of the arresting agents video recorded her arrest on his cell phone. Despite the agent promising that the video would not be on Twiiter, a photo of her being arrested was placed on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's Twitter Feed, and then digitally altered to portray Ms. Levy Armstrong in a false and derogatory light and published on the White House Twitter feed.
February 9, 2026 at 2:48 PM
danvock.bsky.social
Here we go again…

Trump Administration to Cut $600 Million in Health Funding From Four States www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/h...
Trump Administration to Cut $600 Million in Health Funding From Four States
www.nytimes.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:23 AM
Reposted by Dan Vock
burgessev.bsky.social
Schumer says “the clock is ticking” on Republicans to respond to Democrats’ ICE proposals
“Since Saturday, the ball has been in the Republicans’ court. We have no idea which of our proposals they will accept and which they reject”

Republicans are working on a response
February 9, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
felipedlh.bsky.social
During October's ICE raid in NYC's Chinatown, I saw an IRS criminal division agent standing guard on a corner. A majority of that agency had been detailed to ICE ERO. For @slate.com, I wrote about the phenomenon of federal agents from once-specialized agencies absorbed into this national police blob
The Democratic Plan to “Reform” ICE Misses One Huge Thing
We are no longer talking about individual law enforcement agencies, but rather a giant, singular blob.
slate.com
February 9, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
ryanmarino.bsky.social
5 months ago
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com FOX: Do you agree with Florida ending all childhood vaccine mandates? MEHMET OZ: I would definitely not have mandates for vaccinations 4:03 PM • Sep 3, 2025
February 9, 2026 at 9:33 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
thebarbedwire.com
When Texas lawmakers tried to visit 33-year-old “political prisoner” Leqaa Kordia at an ICE facility, she’d already lost 50 pounds and was running a high fever.

By Friday, she was hospitalized. But her family still has not been able to locate her.
thebarbedwire.com/2026/02/09/l...
‘Political Prisoner’ Leqaa Kordia Has Been Hospitalized, DHS Says. After Calling 16 Hospitals, Her Lawyers Say They Can't Find Her.
The Columbia University protester had a fever when lawmakers tried to visit her last month — and her health is declining fast.
thebarbedwire.com
February 9, 2026 at 7:25 PM
danvock.bsky.social
Couldn’t resist one more banger that isn’t in English m.youtube.com/watch?v=zUF7...
February 9, 2026 at 7:31 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
mollyjongfast.bsky.social
You know what they’re going to store in those warehouses?

People
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 7h
In the last month ICE has bought warehouses in:

- Hagerstown, MD: $102 million
- Surprise, AZ: $70 million
- Hamburg, PA: $87 million
- Tremont, PA: $120 million
- San Antonio, TX: $82 million
- El Paso, TX: $123 million
- Social Circle, GA: price unknown

This is unprecedented.
February 9, 2026 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
theintercept.com
In one 30-minute stretch, three legal observers were arrested — as Trump’s Border czar Tom Homan calls on locals to “end the resistance.”
“Uptick In Abductions”: ICE Ramps Up Targeting of Minneapolis Legal Observers
In one 30-minute stretch, three Minneapolis legal observers were arrested as ICE ramped up its targeting of community volunteers.
interc.pt
February 9, 2026 at 6:19 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
jonathanmladd.com
California and New Jersey have set up online portals where residents can report ICE crimes. The states will keep these databases so they or the federal government can conduct prosecutions in the future.
California: www.offmessage.net/p/california...
New Jersey: bsky.app/profile/kras...
February 4, 2026 at 5:47 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
latimes.com
New Epstein documents expose emails with Ghislaine Maxwell and deepen scrutiny of Casey Wasserman as pressure grows over his leadership of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
How Casey Wasserman entered Epstein’s orbit and why it might affect his role with the LA28 Olympics
Newly-released risque emails with Ghislaine Maxwell, longtime confidant of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, threatens Casey Wasserman's role overseeing the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics Games.
www.latimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Dan Vock
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
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...
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
Reposted by Dan Vock
latimes.com
Did torn ACL cause Lindsey Vonn's crash? Ski experts say no
Did torn ACL cause Lindsey Vonn's crash? Ski experts say no
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, surgeon for sport stars, says he saw no signs Lindsey Vonn's ruptured ACL caused her crash. Ski experts agree it was bad luck.
www.latimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 6:55 PM
danvock.bsky.social
Post a banger that isn’t in English youtu.be/mp-cYoDo_lo
February 9, 2026 at 7:00 PM