Joan McRobbie
@joanmcrobbie.bsky.social
Policy, communication, former journalist, HKS MPA.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Awfully hard to square the claims that ICE is focused on removing violent criminals that are so dangerous we can't let them be around with the fact that ICE tricks their targets by pretending to need help and waiting for neighborly types to respond by offering to help a stranger for free.
Two female ICE agents popped the hood of their car and knocked on the door of a mechanic born in Mexico. He went out to help.
“A bunch of agents jump out and tackle him, essentially restraining him, and take him away...His six kids are now without their father." www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
“A bunch of agents jump out and tackle him, essentially restraining him, and take him away...His six kids are now without their father." www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
ICE drawdown? Indications point to steady enforcement activity outside the Twin Cities
Some people who observe ICE activity are skeptical about a large scale drawdown of agents in the state. There are indications that activity has decreased in the Twin Cities, but has continued outside ...
www.mprnews.org
February 19, 2026 at 1:51 AM
Awfully hard to square the claims that ICE is focused on removing violent criminals that are so dangerous we can't let them be around with the fact that ICE tricks their targets by pretending to need help and waiting for neighborly types to respond by offering to help a stranger for free.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
In the concentration camp universe, this is what's known as a filtration camp. A government preemptively takes a whole class of people to interrogate and detain extrajudicially in order to inflict duress on them while arbitrarily assessing their (supposed) culpability.
This is a truly horrifying memo. It says that the policy of the US government will now be to proactively seek out and arrest likely tens of thousands of refugees who entered legally under Biden and subject them to detention, where they will be interrogated about their status.
February 19, 2026 at 2:20 AM
In the concentration camp universe, this is what's known as a filtration camp. A government preemptively takes a whole class of people to interrogate and detain extrajudicially in order to inflict duress on them while arbitrarily assessing their (supposed) culpability.
"It’s often the corruption that is key to toppling autocratic leaders," writes @brendanballou.bsky.social, who then describes legal tools that can stop the corruption "without waiting for the Justice Department, or anyone else, to act."
Opinion | One Man Stole $660 Million. He’ll Never Pay It Back.
www.nytimes.com
February 19, 2026 at 2:41 AM
"It’s often the corruption that is key to toppling autocratic leaders," writes @brendanballou.bsky.social, who then describes legal tools that can stop the corruption "without waiting for the Justice Department, or anyone else, to act."
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
notorious radical left communist rag says tax the rich
February 18, 2026 at 4:03 PM
notorious radical left communist rag says tax the rich
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Read this sentence slowly:
“Gov. Gavin Newsom, crypto executives and business leaders are ramping up efforts this week to stop the proposed wealth tax...”
gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
“Gov. Gavin Newsom, crypto executives and business leaders are ramping up efforts this week to stop the proposed wealth tax...”
gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
As Bernie Sanders Comes to California, Wealth Tax Opponents Intensify Efforts
www.nytimes.com
February 17, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Read this sentence slowly:
“Gov. Gavin Newsom, crypto executives and business leaders are ramping up efforts this week to stop the proposed wealth tax...”
gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
“Gov. Gavin Newsom, crypto executives and business leaders are ramping up efforts this week to stop the proposed wealth tax...”
gift link:
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/u...
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
If one election was ever going to be postponed, it obviously would have been in 1864. But Abraham Lincoln refused even to consider delaying it. And he was convinced he was going to lose!
That’s how a small-d democrat behaves. Can you imagine Donald Trump doing that? trib.al/5XSpzut
That’s how a small-d democrat behaves. Can you imagine Donald Trump doing that? trib.al/5XSpzut
Trump’s New Voter I.D. Threat Is His Gravest Attack on Democracy Yet
The president says he’ll do it “whether approved by Congress or not!” He can’t legally do that—but that hasn’t stopped him before.
trib.al
February 18, 2026 at 12:45 AM
If one election was ever going to be postponed, it obviously would have been in 1864. But Abraham Lincoln refused even to consider delaying it. And he was convinced he was going to lose!
That’s how a small-d democrat behaves. Can you imagine Donald Trump doing that? trib.al/5XSpzut
That’s how a small-d democrat behaves. Can you imagine Donald Trump doing that? trib.al/5XSpzut
"Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children."
“I don’t want to be in this place I want to go to my school.”
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
- 7 year old imprisoned by ICE for 70 days in a concentration camp in Texas.
Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children.
www.propublica.org/article/ice-...
February 17, 2026 at 8:32 PM
"Today, after @propublica.org published this story, the camp was raided to confiscate letters from the children."
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
As an attorney with occasional experience with the Equal Time rule, I can explain what's going on here and how the FCC's Brandon Carr is leveraging his position to force late night and daytime talk show hosts to exclude Democratic candidates.
First I need to explain the Equal Time rule itself. 1/
First I need to explain the Equal Time rule itself. 1/
Stephen Colbert said that the FCC and CBS - which is in no way a compromised or complicit organization - wouldn’t allow him to broadcast an interview with Democratic State Rep James Talarico. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/a...
Colbert Doesn’t Give an FCC About Calling Out CBS
www.nytimes.com
February 17, 2026 at 1:37 PM
As an attorney with occasional experience with the Equal Time rule, I can explain what's going on here and how the FCC's Brandon Carr is leveraging his position to force late night and daytime talk show hosts to exclude Democratic candidates.
First I need to explain the Equal Time rule itself. 1/
First I need to explain the Equal Time rule itself. 1/
Colbert to Brandon Carr: “FCC you.”
“‘Let’s just call this what it is,’ said Colbert plainly. ‘Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV. Because all Trump does is **watch** TV.’”
Stephen Colbert blasted Brendan Carr after FCC scrutiny led CBS to pull an interview with Texas State Rep James Talarico. Instead, 'The Late Show' posted it to YouTube.
February 17, 2026 at 7:16 AM
Colbert to Brandon Carr: “FCC you.”
Merchants who say no to this will get my business.
(5/11) Walmart, Whole Foods, and Kohls are switching to electronic shelf labels that can display dynamic prices. Kroger deployed them with Microsoft AI—a setup a 2024 Senate inquiry warned could enable “surge pricing” via facial recognition. (Kroger claims it will only lower prices.)
February 16, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Merchants who say no to this will get my business.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
having your city noticed by the president is now a natural disaster on par with a hurricane or major flood
February 11, 2026 at 2:12 PM
having your city noticed by the president is now a natural disaster on par with a hurricane or major flood
Californians: the risk is real that the jungle primary may deliver our ultra blue state a MAGA governor.
California is the bluest state in the country — but there’s still a very real chance that the state will elect a MAGA Republican governor this November.
The Nation’s Most Democratic State Might Elect a Trump-Friendly Governor - The American Prospect
California’s nonpartisan primary pits eight Democrats against two Republicans; only the top two finishers advance. Do the math.
buff.ly
February 14, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Californians: the risk is real that the jungle primary may deliver our ultra blue state a MAGA governor.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
no foreign foe has ever dreamed of being able to sack and pillaging this country the way Trump admin and its congressional and scotus enablers do every day.
A leading American research lab is slated to lose its critical supercomputing facility, according to a letter released by the National Science Foundation.https://cnn.it/3MoF7zU
February 14, 2026 at 3:43 AM
no foreign foe has ever dreamed of being able to sack and pillaging this country the way Trump admin and its congressional and scotus enablers do every day.
Noem eager to make sure we have the right (white) people voting, the right (MAGA) leaders leading.
Just as ICE and CBP have no legitimate role in "election security" neither does the head of DHS. The mere existence of this press conference should be a scandal, much less this tone-deaf comment.
Kristi Noem: "When it gets to Election Day, we've been proactive to make sure we have the right people voting, electing the right leaders to lead this country."
February 14, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Noem eager to make sure we have the right (white) people voting, the right (MAGA) leaders leading.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Please read this long but important thread from an immigration defense attorney.
If this administration is permitted to scale its current abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatment of immigrants to the breadth and scope for which they’re currently planning, we’ll all be witness to mass atrocities.
If this administration is permitted to scale its current abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatment of immigrants to the breadth and scope for which they’re currently planning, we’ll all be witness to mass atrocities.
I don’t really know what I expect in posting this, but maybe some people see it and can learn from it.
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
I’ll call it “lessons from an unwilling immigration attorney.”
1/
February 14, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Please read this long but important thread from an immigration defense attorney.
If this administration is permitted to scale its current abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatment of immigrants to the breadth and scope for which they’re currently planning, we’ll all be witness to mass atrocities.
If this administration is permitted to scale its current abuse, neglect, and inhumane treatment of immigrants to the breadth and scope for which they’re currently planning, we’ll all be witness to mass atrocities.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
This is, for real, tear jerking.
Yesterday morning kids were sent running from their bus stop in panic because ICE showed up. This guy at today’s ICE Out of Lindenwold protest is a must watch 😭. @maddow.bsky.social
February 14, 2026 at 5:03 PM
This is, for real, tear jerking.
@gregsargent.bsky.social spells out how public outrage over ICE atrocities opens the door for Democrats to frame a smart, humane approach to immigrants & immigration--one that the public wants & the country needs.
The extraordinary courage of people who are documenting ICE atrocities in places like Minneapolis, at great personal risk, are also achieving something else: They're changing the public's mind about immigration. We have a rare opportunity here. 1/
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2059...
(new piece)
newrepublic.com/article/2059...
How the Democrats Can Play Offense on Immigration
Typically, Democrats run for the hills when immigration comes up. But as two blue-state governors are showing, the winning play is actually to confront ICE and MAGA xenophobia head on.
newrepublic.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:30 AM
@gregsargent.bsky.social spells out how public outrage over ICE atrocities opens the door for Democrats to frame a smart, humane approach to immigrants & immigration--one that the public wants & the country needs.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
When the CIA did this to the Senate it was one of the biggest intel scandals of the 21st century. But here it’s not just a huge scandal, it’s dumb: Pam Bondi is so bad at her job she brought the evidence herself to an open congressional hearing. www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j...
February 12, 2026 at 12:20 AM
When the CIA did this to the Senate it was one of the biggest intel scandals of the 21st century. But here it’s not just a huge scandal, it’s dumb: Pam Bondi is so bad at her job she brought the evidence herself to an open congressional hearing. www.theguardian.com/world/2014/j...
@kevinmkruse.bsky.social perfectly sums things up.
February 11, 2026 at 11:23 PM
@kevinmkruse.bsky.social perfectly sums things up.
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Breaking: Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Trump told Palm Beach police chief ‘everyone’ knew about Epstein, Maxwell was ‘evil’
The new information comes as Ghislaine Maxwell was summoned to appear Monday before a Congressional committee.
www.miamiherald.com
February 9, 2026 at 10:32 PM
Breaking: Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
Measles cases, by vaccination status, in South Carolina.
It’s almost like vaccines work!
It’s almost like vaccines work!
February 4, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Measles cases, by vaccination status, in South Carolina.
It’s almost like vaccines work!
It’s almost like vaccines work!
Reposted by Joan McRobbie
🚨BREAKING: The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use its new, voter-approved congressional map in the 2026 election, clearing the way for Democrats to counter President Donald Trump’s redistricting gains in Texas. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
SCOTUS allows California to use new congressional map in 2026
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use its new, voter-approved congressional map in the 2026 election, clearing the way for Democrats to counter President Donald Trump’s redistr...
www.democracydocket.com
February 4, 2026 at 8:19 PM
🚨BREAKING: The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed California to use its new, voter-approved congressional map in the 2026 election, clearing the way for Democrats to counter President Donald Trump’s redistricting gains in Texas. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...