Radley Balko
@radleybalko.bsky.social
Journalist. Quattrone Center journalism fellow.
Author: Rise of the Warrior Cop.
Co-author: The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist.
New podcast: Collateral Damage
Substack: radleybalko.substack.com
Signal: radleybalko.52
Author: Rise of the Warrior Cop.
Co-author: The Cadaver King and the Country Dentist.
New podcast: Collateral Damage
Substack: radleybalko.substack.com
Signal: radleybalko.52
Reposted by Radley Balko
I feel like Los Angeles is a place where people expect ICE to happen because the kidnappings have been happening to my home city for decades, so there’s less media attention to it now. and I want folks to see that in LA, Latine students are organizing major protests & the police are attacking them
LAPD Charges at Hundreds of High School Students in Peaceful Walkout Protest at MDC ~ L.A. TACO
LAPD arrested at least two teenagers protesting ICE raids in Los Angeles yesterday. They were also seen corresponding with ICE agents on Alameda Street during the demonstrations.
lataco.com
February 7, 2026 at 2:10 PM
I feel like Los Angeles is a place where people expect ICE to happen because the kidnappings have been happening to my home city for decades, so there’s less media attention to it now. and I want folks to see that in LA, Latine students are organizing major protests & the police are attacking them
They look like the “irregular” rack at an outlet store that sells young white dudes.
February 7, 2026 at 2:07 PM
They look like the “irregular” rack at an outlet store that sells young white dudes.
Reposted by Radley Balko
New: Trump's administration tonight told a Boston judge that his proposal that it issue a student visa to a Babson College student it deported to Honduras in violation of a court order is "unfeasible" and said ICE declines to facilitate her return. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Trump administration won't let student deported to Honduras return
President Donald Trump's administration on Friday called a judge's proposal that the government issue a student visa to a college student it deported to Honduras in violation of a court order "unfeasi...
www.reuters.com
February 7, 2026 at 1:26 AM
New: Trump's administration tonight told a Boston judge that his proposal that it issue a student visa to a Babson College student it deported to Honduras in violation of a court order is "unfeasible" and said ICE declines to facilitate her return. www.reuters.com/world/us/tru...
Reposted by Radley Balko
The GOP thinks this is different than their own gerrymandering bc they see this as people not in the Herrenvolk getting disproportionate representation. They don’t think liberals & city voters are real Americans, so when they do it it’s fine. They have told us this, here in WI & across 🇺🇸, for years:
February 7, 2026 at 3:40 AM
The GOP thinks this is different than their own gerrymandering bc they see this as people not in the Herrenvolk getting disproportionate representation. They don’t think liberals & city voters are real Americans, so when they do it it’s fine. They have told us this, here in WI & across 🇺🇸, for years:
Reposted by Radley Balko
The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025. n.pr/3MhYNoP
State Department will delete X posts from before Trump returned to office
The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025.
n.pr
February 7, 2026 at 1:53 PM
The policy change orders the removal of any post made by official State Department accounts on X before President Trump returned to office in 2025. n.pr/3MhYNoP
Reposted by Radley Balko
I do want to shout-out my fellow sociologists, who have collectively created a discipline so woke that not a single one of our introductory textbooks can make it past Florida's censors.
Great work everyone.
Great work everyone.
February 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM
I do want to shout-out my fellow sociologists, who have collectively created a discipline so woke that not a single one of our introductory textbooks can make it past Florida's censors.
Great work everyone.
Great work everyone.
Reposted by Radley Balko
They’ll be hearing from his father
February 7, 2026 at 2:14 AM
They’ll be hearing from his father
Reposted by Radley Balko
who called it Heated Rivalry and not Fuck Ice
February 6, 2026 at 3:08 PM
who called it Heated Rivalry and not Fuck Ice
Reposted by Radley Balko
So about TrumpRx: We crunched the numbers today and about half of the drugs on there have cheaper generics available already. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...
February 6, 2026 at 11:09 PM
So about TrumpRx: We crunched the numbers today and about half of the drugs on there have cheaper generics available already. www.statnews.com/2026/02/06/t...
Well at least JD was on time.
American star Alysa Liu overcame a delay en route to the Milano Skating Arena caused by Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade and finished second in the women’s short program at the Olympics team event.
“We almost didn’t make it,” her coach said.
“We almost didn’t make it,” her coach said.
Nothing could stop the U.S. figure skating team. Not even JD Vance’s motorcade.
Alysa Liu and world champion dance team of Madison Chock and Evan Bates have the Americans leading the team event after day one.
www.washingtonpost.com
February 7, 2026 at 1:33 AM
Well at least JD was on time.
Just unspeakably cruel
Metry and her husband of 4 years go to DHS to get their I-130 in motion. "Good news" a DHS employee told them, the form to start her naturalization was approved.
DHS employee asks the husband to follow him through a secure door. When it locks behind him, ICE detains his wife to deport her.
DHS employee asks the husband to follow him through a secure door. When it locks behind him, ICE detains his wife to deport her.
EXCLUSIVE: Terez Metry was 13 when her family fled to Tennessee from Egypt in 2011. Then, they left her behind. She only recently discovered she had an order of removal from 2011. But she was following the legal path to citizenship. On Monday, at a routine DHS meeting, Metry was detained.
February 6, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Just unspeakably cruel
Amid the flagrant ethics violations among SCOTUS justices, a U.S. senator is demanding Justice Jackson be investigated for attending the Grammies. In a year in which she was nominated for one.
To be fair, Blackburn is really dumb. And hyper partisan. And rarely acts in good faith.
To be fair, Blackburn is really dumb. And hyper partisan. And rarely acts in good faith.
Marsha Blackburn Demands Probe Of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson For Crime Of 'Attended Grammys'
It's getting harder for any one GOP loon to stand out in a sea of weirdness.
www.wonkette.com
February 6, 2026 at 11:11 PM
Amid the flagrant ethics violations among SCOTUS justices, a U.S. senator is demanding Justice Jackson be investigated for attending the Grammies. In a year in which she was nominated for one.
To be fair, Blackburn is really dumb. And hyper partisan. And rarely acts in good faith.
To be fair, Blackburn is really dumb. And hyper partisan. And rarely acts in good faith.
Reposted by Radley Balko
it's so, so, so frustrating how they act like people applying for asylum are subject to removal proceedings. that is not the law!!!!
Just heard back from DHS on why they abruptly expedited Ramos' asylum hearing:
“These are regular removal proceedings. This is standard procedure and there is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. He will receive full due process."
(This is not standard procedure.)
“These are regular removal proceedings. This is standard procedure and there is nothing retaliatory about enforcing the nation’s immigration laws. He will receive full due process."
(This is not standard procedure.)
February 6, 2026 at 8:17 PM
it's so, so, so frustrating how they act like people applying for asylum are subject to removal proceedings. that is not the law!!!!
Reposted by Radley Balko
They’re not capable of shame, but they’re capable of being forced to act like they’re capable of shame
February 6, 2026 at 9:06 PM
They’re not capable of shame, but they’re capable of being forced to act like they’re capable of shame
Reposted by Radley Balko
Every time I re-read Trump v. United States, it feels like getting hit in the head with a mallet.
February 6, 2026 at 5:55 PM
Every time I re-read Trump v. United States, it feels like getting hit in the head with a mallet.
Reposted by Radley Balko
ICE repeatedly violated a court order by continuing to “indiscriminately” arrest people in Colorado without warrants and without first checking if they’re likely to flee, attorneys allege in a new legal filing // Story by @sethklamann.bsky.social
ICE has repeatedly violated Colorado court order restricting arrests of immigrants, lawyers allege
Federal immigration authorities have repeatedly violated a court order by continuing to “indiscriminately” arrest people in Colorado without warrants and without first checking if they&…
www.denverpost.com
February 6, 2026 at 8:59 PM
ICE repeatedly violated a court order by continuing to “indiscriminately” arrest people in Colorado without warrants and without first checking if they’re likely to flee, attorneys allege in a new legal filing // Story by @sethklamann.bsky.social
Reposted by Radley Balko
ICE is still doing checkpoints in Minneapolis like we are an occupied territory. Life remains really hard here thanks to Trump's thugs.
February 6, 2026 at 2:56 PM
ICE is still doing checkpoints in Minneapolis like we are an occupied territory. Life remains really hard here thanks to Trump's thugs.
The gall. He shot a woman who posed no threat to him and then boasted about it as he and his colleagues falsely maligned *her* reputation to cover it up.
The only question should whether his texts are admitted as evidence at his criminal trial.
The only question should whether his texts are admitted as evidence at his criminal trial.
The feds say the release of a Border Patrol agent's texts could "sully" his reputation.
But a judge says they're fair game, partly because Homeland Security has shown "zero concern" for the rep of Chicago's Marimar Martinez.
UPDATED @chicago.suntimes.com story: chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/06/f...
But a judge says they're fair game, partly because Homeland Security has shown "zero concern" for the rep of Chicago's Marimar Martinez.
UPDATED @chicago.suntimes.com story: chicago.suntimes.com/2026/02/06/f...
Federal judge will let Marimar Martinez release text messages sent by Border Patrol agent who shot her
U.S. District Judge Georgia Alexakis pointed out that Martinez is "presumed innocent of any offense of which she has not been convicted." Martinez's attorney said the text messages and other evidence ...
chicago.suntimes.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:00 PM
The gall. He shot a woman who posed no threat to him and then boasted about it as he and his colleagues falsely maligned *her* reputation to cover it up.
The only question should whether his texts are admitted as evidence at his criminal trial.
The only question should whether his texts are admitted as evidence at his criminal trial.
Reposted by Radley Balko
In an opinion dismissing Trump's attempt to get an unredacted copy of Oregon's complete voter registration list, a federal judge cites Bondi's extortion letter to Gov. Walz as support for denying the government a presumption of regularity
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 6, 2026 at 8:22 PM
In an opinion dismissing Trump's attempt to get an unredacted copy of Oregon's complete voter registration list, a federal judge cites Bondi's extortion letter to Gov. Walz as support for denying the government a presumption of regularity
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Radley Balko
Reviewing video from Fulton County elections raid.
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
February 6, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Reviewing video from Fulton County elections raid.
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Taken aback by the dismissive & sneering attitude from FBI agents toward the cop politely asking to see the warrant.
Looked him up: He's an immigrant w/ a doctorate in philosophy. His thesis? "Force by police officers toward African Americans."
Reposted by Radley Balko
Something I think a lot of people aren't clear on, Liam's parents have followed the legal process of claiming asylum. They are here LEGALLY.
Liam was being used to try to lure someone ELSE out of the house. He and his father were taken because that failed.
Now ... they seek revenge.
Liam was being used to try to lure someone ELSE out of the house. He and his father were taken because that failed.
Now ... they seek revenge.
ICE Barbie Targets Family of 5-Year-Old Boy That ICE Abducted
The Department of Homeland Security has moved to end asylum claims for Liam Conejo Ramos’s family.
newrepublic.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:14 PM
Something I think a lot of people aren't clear on, Liam's parents have followed the legal process of claiming asylum. They are here LEGALLY.
Liam was being used to try to lure someone ELSE out of the house. He and his father were taken because that failed.
Now ... they seek revenge.
Liam was being used to try to lure someone ELSE out of the house. He and his father were taken because that failed.
Now ... they seek revenge.
Reposted by Radley Balko
“I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Border Patrol agent's texts after he shot a Chicago woman five times will be released, judge rules
The government dropped its case against Marimar Martinez but her lawyers say it has refused to correct the record after calling her a “domestic terrorist.”
www.nbcnews.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:52 PM
“I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.” www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...
Reposted by Radley Balko
NEW: A federal judge in Oregon issued a sweeping rebuke of the Justice Department’s nationwide push to seize state voter rolls, ruling that the department can no longer be presumed to be acting in good faith and warning that its conduct threatens voters and states’ rights.
Federal judge rules DOJ can ‘no longer’ be trusted in voter roll crusade
The judge pointed to a letter from Bondi to Minnesota that tied federal immigration enforcement to demands for voter data as the smoking gun.
www.democracydocket.com
February 6, 2026 at 6:35 PM
NEW: A federal judge in Oregon issued a sweeping rebuke of the Justice Department’s nationwide push to seize state voter rolls, ruling that the department can no longer be presumed to be acting in good faith and warning that its conduct threatens voters and states’ rights.
Reposted by Radley Balko
I love the combination of this statement with this headwear.
February 6, 2026 at 1:14 PM
I love the combination of this statement with this headwear.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Of course RFK Jr. lied about the Samoan people whose deaths from measles he is responsible for.
Literally no one believed his lies except people like Bill Cassidy who chose to believe him in order to please the King.
And now RFK Jr. will continue to get people killed by preventable diseases.
Literally no one believed his lies except people like Bill Cassidy who chose to believe him in order to please the King.
And now RFK Jr. will continue to get people killed by preventable diseases.
Newly revealed emails undermine RFK Jr testimony about 2019 Samoa trip ahead of measles outbreak
Kennedy later said the purpose of his trip had nothing to do with vaccines. US embassy and UN staff at the time said otherwise, emails show
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 7:29 PM
Of course RFK Jr. lied about the Samoan people whose deaths from measles he is responsible for.
Literally no one believed his lies except people like Bill Cassidy who chose to believe him in order to please the King.
And now RFK Jr. will continue to get people killed by preventable diseases.
Literally no one believed his lies except people like Bill Cassidy who chose to believe him in order to please the King.
And now RFK Jr. will continue to get people killed by preventable diseases.