Phil Rocco
@philiprocco.bsky.social
politologue // yinzer // co-editor of Publius: The Journal of Federalism // author of "Counting Like a State" https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700638758/counting-like-a-state/
Most posts are first drafts, comments welcome.
Most posts are first drafts, comments welcome.
Pinned
Phil Rocco
@philiprocco.bsky.social
· Mar 5
Counting Like a State
An inside look at the 2020 Census that shows the importance of state and local cooperation in the complex federal project of census taking.The census plays a...
kansaspress.ku.edu
Census 2030 will be the subject of a prolonged political assault. We can learn a lot from what state and local governments and NGOs did to save the 2020 Census. I document those strategies in my forthcoming @univpressofkansas.bsky.social book. kansaspress.ku.edu/978070063875...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Not only are you complying in advance when you watch them lie from behind a podium and conclude “everybody is going to believe this,” you’re also just wrong. Stop concluding that the 10 dumbest people you went to high school with who you still follow on Facebook are representative of public opinion.
the post about this on r/nba, which is an enormous forum that gets millions of visitors a week, is full of comments from people who have seen the videos about how this was “an execution” or “murder” in case you wonder how this is playing outside of here
the nba postponed a game because the united states government is killing its citizens
January 24, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Not only are you complying in advance when you watch them lie from behind a podium and conclude “everybody is going to believe this,” you’re also just wrong. Stop concluding that the 10 dumbest people you went to high school with who you still follow on Facebook are representative of public opinion.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — NBA postpones Warriors-Timberwolves game at the Target Center 'to prioritize the safety and security' of the community.
January 24, 2026 at 8:08 PM
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — NBA postpones Warriors-Timberwolves game at the Target Center 'to prioritize the safety and security' of the community.
MN needs to do this accounting anyway (and have been doing it via declarations) for their 10A lawsuit but the split screen illustrates the absurdity of the exercise because ICE’s harms to constitutional rights are fundamental and dignitary. They are incalculable.
Walz: "We'll be billing the federal government for the cost of the National Guard because they are incurring the costs that are falling on us by their reckless actions"
January 24, 2026 at 8:17 PM
MN needs to do this accounting anyway (and have been doing it via declarations) for their 10A lawsuit but the split screen illustrates the absurdity of the exercise because ICE’s harms to constitutional rights are fundamental and dignitary. They are incalculable.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Are any Democratic leaders planning to travel to Minneapolis immediately to demand an end of this tyranny?
January 24, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Are any Democratic leaders planning to travel to Minneapolis immediately to demand an end of this tyranny?
SCOTUS used to use “gun to the head” as just a legal metaphor. Now it’s quite literal.
Hyper-commandeering: “comply with our wishes across any number of policy domains or we will terrorize your city and state with violence, with organized deprivation, and collective punishment”.
Hyper-commandeering: “comply with our wishes across any number of policy domains or we will terrorize your city and state with violence, with organized deprivation, and collective punishment”.
Fox News: "I've gotten my hands that AG Bondi said she sent to Gov. Tim Walz. It is strongly worded. The AG calls for the governor to support the men and women of ICE, to repeal the state's sanctuary policies, and to allow the DOJ to access state voter rolls."
January 24, 2026 at 7:57 PM
SCOTUS used to use “gun to the head” as just a legal metaphor. Now it’s quite literal.
Hyper-commandeering: “comply with our wishes across any number of policy domains or we will terrorize your city and state with violence, with organized deprivation, and collective punishment”.
Hyper-commandeering: “comply with our wishes across any number of policy domains or we will terrorize your city and state with violence, with organized deprivation, and collective punishment”.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
The killings will continue until you give us the state voter rolls
Fox News: "I've gotten my hands that AG Bondi said she sent to Gov. Tim Walz. It is strongly worded. The AG calls for the governor to support the men and women of ICE, to repeal the state's sanctuary policies, and to allow the DOJ to access state voter rolls."
January 24, 2026 at 7:44 PM
The killings will continue until you give us the state voter rolls
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Democrats can and must make it clear there will be trials and anyone even somewhat associated with ICE will face them. Maybe give a quit-your-job deadline on appeasement and give people 72 hours. I don't know. But currently the plan is to let them murder us in the street and get away with it.
January 24, 2026 at 6:53 PM
Democrats can and must make it clear there will be trials and anyone even somewhat associated with ICE will face them. Maybe give a quit-your-job deadline on appeasement and give people 72 hours. I don't know. But currently the plan is to let them murder us in the street and get away with it.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Sayre: "My background is in international humanitarian response in conflict zones in Yemen, Haiti, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. What I've seen here is what I've seen there. A powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people."
January 24, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Sayre: "My background is in international humanitarian response in conflict zones in Yemen, Haiti, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. What I've seen here is what I've seen there. A powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people."
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Minneapolis protester as he's being brutalized by feds: "You're gonna have to kill me! You're gonna have to kill me! I've done nothing wrong! My name is Matthew James! I'm a US citizen! You're gonna kill me! Is that what you want?" (You can hear his wife screaming)
January 24, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Minneapolis protester as he's being brutalized by feds: "You're gonna have to kill me! You're gonna have to kill me! I've done nothing wrong! My name is Matthew James! I'm a US citizen! You're gonna kill me! Is that what you want?" (You can hear his wife screaming)
Reposted by Phil Rocco
The AP reports that an ICE officer responded to those protesting the cold blood murder this morning by mockingly saying, “‘Boo hoo.’”
“Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.”
apnews.com/article/immi...
“Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.”
apnews.com/article/immi...
January 24, 2026 at 5:09 PM
The AP reports that an ICE officer responded to those protesting the cold blood murder this morning by mockingly saying, “‘Boo hoo.’”
“Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.”
apnews.com/article/immi...
“Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.”
apnews.com/article/immi...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
What we are watching is a paramilitary force learning that they can kill with impunity, that the regime will smear the victim and defend them. Unless politicians and the legal system exerts accountability, it will not stop. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
January 24, 2026 at 4:32 PM
What we are watching is a paramilitary force learning that they can kill with impunity, that the regime will smear the victim and defend them. Unless politicians and the legal system exerts accountability, it will not stop. donmoynihan.substack.com/p/past-the-b...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
They *pistol-whipped* him before shooting him. Let that sink in. It should make you shudder.
January 24, 2026 at 4:22 PM
They *pistol-whipped* him before shooting him. Let that sink in. It should make you shudder.
To paraphrase Arendt, the only "rule" ICE can follow is "Thou shalt kill", not "enemies", but innocent people, who are not even potentially dangerous, and not for any reason of necessity, and even against all military and other utilitarian considerations.
January 24, 2026 at 4:23 PM
To paraphrase Arendt, the only "rule" ICE can follow is "Thou shalt kill", not "enemies", but innocent people, who are not even potentially dangerous, and not for any reason of necessity, and even against all military and other utilitarian considerations.
It's long past time for state and local officials to begin arresting and charging ICE agents.
January 24, 2026 at 4:02 PM
It's long past time for state and local officials to begin arresting and charging ICE agents.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
There is a video from across the street of half a dozen or so masked federal agents wrestling a man to the ground, punching him. Then there is a shot, then several others, until he is lying completely still.
You may want to be cautious if you don't want to see the video.
You may want to be cautious if you don't want to see the video.
Star Tribune is reporting this as well now, multiple shots in the chest.
January 24, 2026 at 3:58 PM
There is a video from across the street of half a dozen or so masked federal agents wrestling a man to the ground, punching him. Then there is a shot, then several others, until he is lying completely still.
You may want to be cautious if you don't want to see the video.
You may want to be cautious if you don't want to see the video.
I have a different question: what can we learn from the fact that the power resources that have proven most impactful in this moment can be found in mass movements rather than the formal legal structures that folk theory sees as safeguards against tyranny?
Am wondering why more Democratic politicians aren’t joining in organic displays of resistance and protest in Minnesota. open.substack.com/pub/donmoyni...
January 24, 2026 at 2:28 PM
I have a different question: what can we learn from the fact that the power resources that have proven most impactful in this moment can be found in mass movements rather than the formal legal structures that folk theory sees as safeguards against tyranny?
Reposted by Phil Rocco
it always comes back to political economy
January 23, 2026 at 3:34 PM
it always comes back to political economy
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Folks not from the Upper Midwest like me might not be able to grasp what it means to get 50,000 witnessing for justice in -10 degree Fahrenheit.
This could be effective, repeatable, and scalable. Today, the Twin Cities. Next, the nation.
Shut down.
inthesetimes.com/article/minn...
This could be effective, repeatable, and scalable. Today, the Twin Cities. Next, the nation.
Shut down.
inthesetimes.com/article/minn...
“Everybody Showed Up”: Stunning Crowds at Minnesota Day of Strike and Shutdown Against ICE
Extreme cold didn't stop the shutdown on Friday as some 100 faith leaders were arrested, residents stayed home from work, and an estimated 50,000 or more marched through downtown Minneapolis.
inthesetimes.com
January 24, 2026 at 3:02 AM
Folks not from the Upper Midwest like me might not be able to grasp what it means to get 50,000 witnessing for justice in -10 degree Fahrenheit.
This could be effective, repeatable, and scalable. Today, the Twin Cities. Next, the nation.
Shut down.
inthesetimes.com/article/minn...
This could be effective, repeatable, and scalable. Today, the Twin Cities. Next, the nation.
Shut down.
inthesetimes.com/article/minn...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
There is a picket line the entire length of the departures terminal.
January 23, 2026 at 4:19 PM
There is a picket line the entire length of the departures terminal.
This has been making the rounds but always worth a return to Elazar: dje.jcpa.org/articles2/mi...
January 23, 2026 at 6:47 PM
This has been making the rounds but always worth a return to Elazar: dje.jcpa.org/articles2/mi...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
If the admin's strategic goal was to break public resistance to immigration enforcement activities, it was a tactical mistake to go to the Twin Cities.
January 23, 2026 at 5:57 PM
If the admin's strategic goal was to break public resistance to immigration enforcement activities, it was a tactical mistake to go to the Twin Cities.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
There was a huge dump of documents related to the American Association of University Professor's lawsuit against the government for abducting students. Among them is a memo March 21, 2025 memo from State Dept. that verifies Rümeysa Öztürk, a student at Tufts, was detained only for writing an op-ed.
January 23, 2026 at 4:19 PM
There was a huge dump of documents related to the American Association of University Professor's lawsuit against the government for abducting students. Among them is a memo March 21, 2025 memo from State Dept. that verifies Rümeysa Öztürk, a student at Tufts, was detained only for writing an op-ed.
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Rogers Smith (1993)
Thesis: ICE is un-American and the Minneapolis protestors are real Americans.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
Antithesis: Ackshually ICE is operating in a long American tradition of racist terror.
Synthesis: Minneapolis is now the epicenter of a clash between two distinct but historically grounded American political traditions.
January 23, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Rogers Smith (1993)
Reposted by Phil Rocco
Hey, the excellent Minneapolis arts and culture magazine Racket took down their paywall for the day, so you can go read their coverage of the occupation unhindered. Start here: racketmn.com/voices-of-th...
January 23, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Hey, the excellent Minneapolis arts and culture magazine Racket took down their paywall for the day, so you can go read their coverage of the occupation unhindered. Start here: racketmn.com/voices-of-th...
Reposted by Phil Rocco
ICE is using Medicaid data to find out where immigrants live stateline.org/2026/01/20/i...
ICE is using Medicaid data to find out where immigrants live • Stateline
In a win for President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, a recent court ruling has cleared the way for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to resume using states’ Medicaid data to find people...
stateline.org
January 23, 2026 at 12:44 PM
ICE is using Medicaid data to find out where immigrants live stateline.org/2026/01/20/i...