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
So in addition to the Second Amendment, looks like the right is ceding the Castle Doctrine, too.
Mullin: "When you start talking judicial warrants -- it would be basically making every arrest, even if its a traffic stop, that's like making judicial warrants only possible to arrest somebody w/ a DUI. It's same concept as having judicial warrants for arresting someone entering country illegally"
February 11, 2026 at 1:02 PM
So in addition to the Second Amendment, looks like the right is ceding the Castle Doctrine, too.
Have to confess, if you had asked me which institutions would prove to be formidable against the threat of fascism, I would not have guessed grand juries.
February 11, 2026 at 12:58 PM
Have to confess, if you had asked me which institutions would prove to be formidable against the threat of fascism, I would not have guessed grand juries.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Police in Bloomington, MN just announced that one of the guys they arrested in an underage sex trafficking sting was a **background checker for ICE agents.**
He had a high security clearance in the Trump administration... and he was caught trying to abuse children. Sickening.
He had a high security clearance in the Trump administration... and he was caught trying to abuse children. Sickening.
February 10, 2026 at 8:53 PM
Police in Bloomington, MN just announced that one of the guys they arrested in an underage sex trafficking sting was a **background checker for ICE agents.**
He had a high security clearance in the Trump administration... and he was caught trying to abuse children. Sickening.
He had a high security clearance in the Trump administration... and he was caught trying to abuse children. Sickening.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Trump: "So I put on a 30% tariff, which is very low. I got an emergency call from I believe the prime minister of Switzerland. She was very aggressive ... I didn't really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39%."
February 10, 2026 at 9:18 PM
Trump: "So I put on a 30% tariff, which is very low. I got an emergency call from I believe the prime minister of Switzerland. She was very aggressive ... I didn't really like the way she talked to us, so instead of giving her a reduction, I raised it to 39%."
Reposted by Radley Balko
They're calling it the most embarrassing op-ed of all time: The Louisiana SG, who has multiple cases pending before the Supreme Court right now, writing an essay about how his old boss, Justice Samuel Alito, is the nicest, smartest, bestest justice who ever lived www.foxnews.com/opinion/i-wo...
February 10, 2026 at 8:30 PM
They're calling it the most embarrassing op-ed of all time: The Louisiana SG, who has multiple cases pending before the Supreme Court right now, writing an essay about how his old boss, Justice Samuel Alito, is the nicest, smartest, bestest justice who ever lived www.foxnews.com/opinion/i-wo...
Reposted by Radley Balko
Rep Mark Alford (R-MO) says House Rs are "investigating" Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show & talking with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. Alford says he didn't watch the whole thing & also doesn't know Spanish but suspects it might have been "much worse than the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction"
February 10, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Rep Mark Alford (R-MO) says House Rs are "investigating" Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show & talking with FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr. Alford says he didn't watch the whole thing & also doesn't know Spanish but suspects it might have been "much worse than the Janet Jackson wardrobe malfunction"
Reposted by Radley Balko
Like 75% of the US Olympic curlers are from Minnesota. A lot of them curl out of two clubs in Saint Paul, one club is in Frogtown, a neighborhood that has been very heavily targeted by ICE. These curlers are good neighbors.
US Olympic Curling Team member speaks out against ICE:
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
"I'm proud to represent Team USA. But we'd be remiss if we didn't mention what's going on in Minnesota and what a tough time it's been. What's happening is wrong. There's no shades of gray."
February 10, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Like 75% of the US Olympic curlers are from Minnesota. A lot of them curl out of two clubs in Saint Paul, one club is in Frogtown, a neighborhood that has been very heavily targeted by ICE. These curlers are good neighbors.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Finding embarrassing ways to make yourself the victim of people trying to stop horrible things from happening is the only growth sector in journalism.
Bari Weiss bravely invites us to focus on the real fascism in Minneapolis
www.thefp.com/p/mob-rule-c...
www.thefp.com/p/mob-rule-c...
February 10, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Finding embarrassing ways to make yourself the victim of people trying to stop horrible things from happening is the only growth sector in journalism.
Reposted by Radley Balko
We now have confirmation that the Social Circle warehouse cost ICE $130 million, bringing the total spent on warehouses to $714 million. ICE is also reportedly planning on buying a second warehouse in Oakwood, GA and is finalizing the sale now.
Billions more will be spent on retrofitting/staffing.
Billions more will be spent on retrofitting/staffing.
February 10, 2026 at 10:15 PM
We now have confirmation that the Social Circle warehouse cost ICE $130 million, bringing the total spent on warehouses to $714 million. ICE is also reportedly planning on buying a second warehouse in Oakwood, GA and is finalizing the sale now.
Billions more will be spent on retrofitting/staffing.
Billions more will be spent on retrofitting/staffing.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Jesus has an opportunity to do the funniest thing, while also making a fucking killing on Polymarket.
February 10, 2026 at 9:41 PM
Jesus has an opportunity to do the funniest thing, while also making a fucking killing on Polymarket.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Worth watching this in full. The statement is more powerful than this quote alone. Here is is from USA Today, with alt text.
Also! Rich Ruohonen is a personal injury lawyer and the oldest athlete to ever represent the United States in a Winter Games at 54 years old.
Also! Rich Ruohonen is a personal injury lawyer and the oldest athlete to ever represent the United States in a Winter Games at 54 years old.
February 10, 2026 at 10:12 PM
Worth watching this in full. The statement is more powerful than this quote alone. Here is is from USA Today, with alt text.
Also! Rich Ruohonen is a personal injury lawyer and the oldest athlete to ever represent the United States in a Winter Games at 54 years old.
Also! Rich Ruohonen is a personal injury lawyer and the oldest athlete to ever represent the United States in a Winter Games at 54 years old.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Circle back to this one. It’s still a crime for an agency head to lie to Congress, last I checked.
Asked about the Maine ICE agent who told a protester that her info would be entered into a "nice little database," Lyons said there is no such database.
"There is no database that’s tracking U.S. citizens."
"There is no database that’s tracking U.S. citizens."
February 10, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Circle back to this one. It’s still a crime for an agency head to lie to Congress, last I checked.
Reposted by Radley Balko
My father in law published a deeply reported article about the real world impacts of the governments position on bond hearings a couple of weeks ago.
Helps provide the background to explain the Judge's exasperation at the government's bad faith behavior:
Helps provide the background to explain the Judge's exasperation at the government's bad faith behavior:
‘Is Bond Now Being Granted?’: Conflicting Orders Leave Detainees, Attorneys in Limbo - Documented
The Trump administration has continued to push mandatory detention despite a court order to stop.
documentedny.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:36 PM
My father in law published a deeply reported article about the real world impacts of the governments position on bond hearings a couple of weeks ago.
Helps provide the background to explain the Judge's exasperation at the government's bad faith behavior:
Helps provide the background to explain the Judge's exasperation at the government's bad faith behavior:
Reposted by Radley Balko
"[I]mmediate release is appropriate for two reasons. First, this Court has no faith that the Government would comply with an order to hold a bond hearing. ... Second, a bond hearing would be futile."
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 10, 2026 at 4:12 PM
"[I]mmediate release is appropriate for two reasons. First, this Court has no faith that the Government would comply with an order to hold a bond hearing. ... Second, a bond hearing would be futile."
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Radley Balko
Alarming new revelations about ICE's use of administrative subpoenas to get information about people the administration wanted to detain and deport because of their protests against government policies. theintercept.com/2026/02/10/g...
Google Handed ICE Student Journalist’s Bank and Credit Card Numbers
Amandla Thomas-Johnson didn't know how much information ICE requested in a subpoena now. Google never gave him a chance to fight it.
theintercept.com
February 10, 2026 at 5:16 PM
Alarming new revelations about ICE's use of administrative subpoenas to get information about people the administration wanted to detain and deport because of their protests against government policies. theintercept.com/2026/02/10/g...
Reposted by Radley Balko
Here's what DHS doesn't want you to know: Working for ICE is one of the safest jobs in America — and last year was the second-safest year for the agency on record.
And the doxxing? It hasn't actually happened even once.
The masks are justified by a lie. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/ice-s-mask...
And the doxxing? It hasn't actually happened even once.
The masks are justified by a lie. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/ice-s-mask...
ICE's Masks Are All a Lie
Working for ICE is actually less dangerous than being an elementary school student in America.
www.doomsdayscenario.co
February 10, 2026 at 3:48 PM
Here's what DHS doesn't want you to know: Working for ICE is one of the safest jobs in America — and last year was the second-safest year for the agency on record.
And the doxxing? It hasn't actually happened even once.
The masks are justified by a lie. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/ice-s-mask...
And the doxxing? It hasn't actually happened even once.
The masks are justified by a lie. www.doomsdayscenario.co/p/ice-s-mask...
Reposted by Radley Balko
NEW: ICE is leasing offices throughout the US as part of a secret, months-long expansion campaign. WIRED is publishing dozens of these locations.
ICE Is Expanding Across the US at Breakneck Speed. Here’s Where It’s Going Next
ICE plans to lease offices throughout the US as part of a secret, months-long expansion campaign. WIRED is publishing dozens of these locations.
www.wired.com
February 10, 2026 at 4:07 PM
NEW: ICE is leasing offices throughout the US as part of a secret, months-long expansion campaign. WIRED is publishing dozens of these locations.
Reposted by Radley Balko
He doesn't know if the Census Bureau is part of the department he runs?! Or he doesn't know the Census Bureau establishes the poverty line?
Either way, that's the kind of staggering admission of utter cluelessness that should get this ass-kissing toady shown the door
Either way, that's the kind of staggering admission of utter cluelessness that should get this ass-kissing toady shown the door
KENNEDY: The Census Bureau is under your jurisdiction & responsible for defining what it means to be poor, is that right?
LUTNICK: I don't know
K: Well you need to look, bc it does. What's the % of Americans who live below poverty level?
L: I don't know
K: It's around 11%. It's been constant
LUTNICK: I don't know
K: Well you need to look, bc it does. What's the % of Americans who live below poverty level?
L: I don't know
K: It's around 11%. It's been constant
February 10, 2026 at 5:38 PM
He doesn't know if the Census Bureau is part of the department he runs?! Or he doesn't know the Census Bureau establishes the poverty line?
Either way, that's the kind of staggering admission of utter cluelessness that should get this ass-kissing toady shown the door
Either way, that's the kind of staggering admission of utter cluelessness that should get this ass-kissing toady shown the door
Reposted by Radley Balko
The ethic that the Trump administration is instilling in government agencies is one of evasion, defiance and dishonesty
ICE officials under a judge’s order to clean up squalid conditions on the 10th floor of 26 Federal Plaza detained migrants on a secret floor where they decided that ruling didn’t apply, attorneys for the Trump administration said Monday.
www.thecity.nyc/2026/02/09/2...
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 3:06 AM
The ethic that the Trump administration is instilling in government agencies is one of evasion, defiance and dishonesty
Reposted by Radley Balko
This is why domestic "shuffle" flights between ICE detention centers have skyrocketed, much moreso than ICE deportation flights.
When you are moved to a different jurisdiction, you have to refile your habeas petition all over again. They want to wear people down so they'll give up on their cases.
When you are moved to a different jurisdiction, you have to refile your habeas petition all over again. They want to wear people down so they'll give up on their cases.
February 10, 2026 at 3:26 PM
This is why domestic "shuffle" flights between ICE detention centers have skyrocketed, much moreso than ICE deportation flights.
When you are moved to a different jurisdiction, you have to refile your habeas petition all over again. They want to wear people down so they'll give up on their cases.
When you are moved to a different jurisdiction, you have to refile your habeas petition all over again. They want to wear people down so they'll give up on their cases.
Reposted by Radley Balko
Trump's racist video depicting the Obamas as apes wasn't a mistake—it's part of a pattern. From DHS posting neo-Nazi recruitment material to erasing slavery exhibits, white nationalism has become official government policy.
My latest in @theunpopulist.net
My latest in @theunpopulist.net
Trump's Vile Obama Video Follows the White House's Official White Nationalist Line
DHS and other agencies have been spewing racist goals as government policy
www.theunpopulist.net
February 9, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Trump's racist video depicting the Obamas as apes wasn't a mistake—it's part of a pattern. From DHS posting neo-Nazi recruitment material to erasing slavery exhibits, white nationalism has become official government policy.
My latest in @theunpopulist.net
My latest in @theunpopulist.net
Reposted by Radley Balko
Ex-LAPD Officer Clifford Proctor was indicted for murder.
Then, he spent a year flying internationally and living at his Southern California home without DHS or L.A. authorities trying to arrest him.
Latest from the "Wait... what?" files w/ @lacrimes.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Then, he spent a year flying internationally and living at his Southern California home without DHS or L.A. authorities trying to arrest him.
Latest from the "Wait... what?" files w/ @lacrimes.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Ex-cop wanted on murder charge flew overseas, lived in L.A. for a year without arrest
Former LAPD Officer Clifford Proctor was indicted for murder by an L.A. County grand jury in September 2024. He was able to leave the U.S. four times and live in Carson for more than a year before bei...
www.latimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Ex-LAPD Officer Clifford Proctor was indicted for murder.
Then, he spent a year flying internationally and living at his Southern California home without DHS or L.A. authorities trying to arrest him.
Latest from the "Wait... what?" files w/ @lacrimes.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Then, he spent a year flying internationally and living at his Southern California home without DHS or L.A. authorities trying to arrest him.
Latest from the "Wait... what?" files w/ @lacrimes.bsky.social
www.latimes.com/california/s...
Reposted by Radley Balko
Thomas Massie is cooking right now and explicitly states that UAE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was sending torture videos to Epstein
February 10, 2026 at 3:18 AM
Thomas Massie is cooking right now and explicitly states that UAE Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem was sending torture videos to Epstein
Reposted by Radley Balko
In July 2006, Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell. But he continued to party and deal with them for another decade, at least (likely longer). 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 11:03 PM
In July 2006, Trump told Palm Beach police chief 'everyone' knew about Epstein and 'evil' Maxwell. But he continued to party and deal with them for another decade, at least (likely longer). www.miamiherald.com/news/politic...