Sarah Pierce
@sarahpierce.bsky.social
Director of Social Policy at Third Way; Former USCIS, HSGAC, & Migration Policy Institute. Views are my own.
https://www.thirdway.org/about/staff/sarah-pierce
https://www.thirdway.org/about/staff/sarah-pierce
Pinned
Sarah Pierce
@sarahpierce.bsky.social
· Sep 30
Excited to share my first piece with @thirdway.bsky.social: breaking down what “sanctuary” really means—and why the Trump admin’s narrative doesn’t match reality.
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
“Hiding your friends as subcontractors is like playing hide the salami with the taxpayer,” - Charles Tiefer
NEW:
Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
www.propublica.org/article/kris...
w @josh-kaplan.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
www.propublica.org/article/kris...
w @josh-kaplan.bsky.social @amierjeski.bsky.social
Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Secretly Got Money From $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
The company is run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson and has personal and business ties to Noem and her aides. DHS invoked the “emergency” at the border to skirt competitive bidding rule...
www.propublica.org
November 14, 2025 at 3:56 PM
“Hiding your friends as subcontractors is like playing hide the salami with the taxpayer,” - Charles Tiefer
Effective immigration enforcement depends on cooperation with local police — not conflict.
Yet this administration keeps undermining that partnership: first with a bogus “sanctuary list" it deleted after sheriffs pushed back.
Now by poaching police to quickly fill ICE’s ranks.
Yet this administration keeps undermining that partnership: first with a bogus “sanctuary list" it deleted after sheriffs pushed back.
Now by poaching police to quickly fill ICE’s ranks.
Federal immigration authorities are trying to poach New York City police officers with social media ads that suggest the NYPD doesn't respect them or their families.
https://gothamist.com/news/ice-targets-nypd-officers-with-ads-claiming-the-agency-offers-respect
https://gothamist.com/news/ice-targets-nypd-officers-with-ads-claiming-the-agency-offers-respect
ICE targets NYPD officers with ads claiming the agency offers ‘respect’
A new federal recruitment push plays on morale issues in the NYPD and tensions under Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
gothamist.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Effective immigration enforcement depends on cooperation with local police — not conflict.
Yet this administration keeps undermining that partnership: first with a bogus “sanctuary list" it deleted after sheriffs pushed back.
Now by poaching police to quickly fill ICE’s ranks.
Yet this administration keeps undermining that partnership: first with a bogus “sanctuary list" it deleted after sheriffs pushed back.
Now by poaching police to quickly fill ICE’s ranks.
"In Albuquerque and elsewhere, ICE has attempted to recruit officers from local law enforcement, a desperate move local police chiefs rightly warn will compromise local public safety. Diverting local officers from investigating violent crimes... does nothing to make our streets safer."
November 6, 2025 at 1:45 PM
"In Albuquerque and elsewhere, ICE has attempted to recruit officers from local law enforcement, a desperate move local police chiefs rightly warn will compromise local public safety. Diverting local officers from investigating violent crimes... does nothing to make our streets safer."
“Sanctuary cities” aren’t lawless — they’re practical. Local police are balancing safety and resources while D.C. plays politics. NYT Magazine's latest backs up what I argued for @thirdway.bsky.social: sanctuary policies are about smart governance, not defiance.
October 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
“Sanctuary cities” aren’t lawless — they’re practical. Local police are balancing safety and resources while D.C. plays politics. NYT Magazine's latest backs up what I argued for @thirdway.bsky.social: sanctuary policies are about smart governance, not defiance.
Human trafficking spikes at events like the Super Bowl. Yet this admin is deploying ICE to arrest “illegal aliens” in response to a halftime performance.
They’ve pulled officers who fight trafficking to instead do civil immigration enforcement—a perfect snapshot of their broken priorities.
They’ve pulled officers who fight trafficking to instead do civil immigration enforcement—a perfect snapshot of their broken priorities.
October 6, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Human trafficking spikes at events like the Super Bowl. Yet this admin is deploying ICE to arrest “illegal aliens” in response to a halftime performance.
They’ve pulled officers who fight trafficking to instead do civil immigration enforcement—a perfect snapshot of their broken priorities.
They’ve pulled officers who fight trafficking to instead do civil immigration enforcement—a perfect snapshot of their broken priorities.
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
Excited to share my first piece with @thirdway.bsky.social: breaking down what “sanctuary” really means—and why the Trump admin’s narrative doesn’t match reality.
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
September 30, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Excited to share my first piece with @thirdway.bsky.social: breaking down what “sanctuary” really means—and why the Trump admin’s narrative doesn’t match reality.
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.
Trump Canceled 94 Million Pounds of Food Aid. Here’s What Never Arrived.
ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the administration’s cut...
projects.propublica.org
October 3, 2025 at 12:15 PM
NEW: ProPublica obtained records from the Department of Agriculture that detail the millions of pounds of food, down to the number of eggs, that never reached food banks because of the Trump administration’s cuts to an aid program.
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
Shelters that house unaccompanied minors are bracing for "Freaky Friday," the start of an ICE operation that will first issue letters to children, seeking to pressure them to return to the countries they've fled in exchange for a cash payment. If they decline, their parents will be targeted by ICE.
October 3, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Shelters that house unaccompanied minors are bracing for "Freaky Friday," the start of an ICE operation that will first issue letters to children, seeking to pressure them to return to the countries they've fled in exchange for a cash payment. If they decline, their parents will be targeted by ICE.
This is horrific.
The harder it gets for the Trump admin to reach their arrest & deportation quotas, the more ruthless their pressure for self-deportation will get.
This time? They’re trying to get kids to self-deport.
The harder it gets for the Trump admin to reach their arrest & deportation quotas, the more ruthless their pressure for self-deportation will get.
This time? They’re trying to get kids to self-deport.
Shelters that house unaccompanied minors are bracing for "Freaky Friday," the start of an ICE operation that will first issue letters to children, seeking to pressure them to return to the countries they've fled in exchange for a cash payment. If they decline, their parents will be targeted by ICE.
October 3, 2025 at 12:58 AM
This is horrific.
The harder it gets for the Trump admin to reach their arrest & deportation quotas, the more ruthless their pressure for self-deportation will get.
This time? They’re trying to get kids to self-deport.
The harder it gets for the Trump admin to reach their arrest & deportation quotas, the more ruthless their pressure for self-deportation will get.
This time? They’re trying to get kids to self-deport.
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
I always pay attention to what stories People Magazine and other consumer media outlets cover. That's how you can tell that something has broken through the usual political and news bubbles. This horrific Chicago story has broken through. people.com/ice-agents-o...
ICE Agents Rappel from Helicopter in Overnight Chicago Raid, Dragging Kids from Beds to U-Hauls
Overnight on Tuesday, Sept. 30, federal agents from different agencies raided an apartment building on the South Side of Chicago, pulling men, women and children — some of them allegedly naked — from ...
people.com
October 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM
I always pay attention to what stories People Magazine and other consumer media outlets cover. That's how you can tell that something has broken through the usual political and news bubbles. This horrific Chicago story has broken through. people.com/ice-agents-o...
Even before the $45 billion for detention money started leaving the government, Trump officials were already self-dealing.
When contract bidders hire someone with direct ties to the border czar to ‘help win work,’ that’s not innovation — it’s corruption.
When contract bidders hire someone with direct ties to the border czar to ‘help win work,’ that’s not innovation — it’s corruption.
NEW: This story by Avi Asher-Shapiro and Jeff Ernsthausen and me looks inside several tent companies push to cash in on the Trump administration's deportation campaign and how they hired a consultant with ties to Tom Homan who would become the border czar www.propublica.org/article/tom-...
Trading on Tom Homan: Inside the Push to Cash in on the Trump Administration’s Deportation Campaign
A Pennsylvania businessman who had Tom Homan on his payroll led companies to believe his connections to the future border czar could help advance their bids for government work, industry executives sa...
www.propublica.org
October 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Even before the $45 billion for detention money started leaving the government, Trump officials were already self-dealing.
When contract bidders hire someone with direct ties to the border czar to ‘help win work,’ that’s not innovation — it’s corruption.
When contract bidders hire someone with direct ties to the border czar to ‘help win work,’ that’s not innovation — it’s corruption.
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
My god.
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'
The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.
chicago.suntimes.com
October 2, 2025 at 10:06 AM
My god.
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
“Watson said she saw agents dragging residents, including kids, out of the building without any clothes on and into U-Haul vans. Kids were separated from their mothers…’It was heartbreaking to watch…seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.’”
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
Surreal moment for America. Needless to say, if the normal police ever pulled something like this — pulling every single person out of an apartment building and handcuffing them to run warrant checks — they would be sued into oblivion.
Yet ICE is going to get away with it entirely.
Yet ICE is going to get away with it entirely.
October 2, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Surreal moment for America. Needless to say, if the normal police ever pulled something like this — pulling every single person out of an apartment building and handcuffing them to run warrant checks — they would be sued into oblivion.
Yet ICE is going to get away with it entirely.
Yet ICE is going to get away with it entirely.
Excited to share my first piece with @thirdway.bsky.social: breaking down what “sanctuary” really means—and why the Trump admin’s narrative doesn’t match reality.
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
September 30, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Excited to share my first piece with @thirdway.bsky.social: breaking down what “sanctuary” really means—and why the Trump admin’s narrative doesn’t match reality.
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
Spoiler: every jurisdiction in America helps ICE. Here’s the real story ⬇️
This is also a frightening sign of what is to come.
If diverting TENS OF THOUSANDS of federal law enforcement officers to deportations & causing mass distress with nonstop at-large arrests is still keeping them at numbers well below their goas & Obama's numbers... what will they do next?
If diverting TENS OF THOUSANDS of federal law enforcement officers to deportations & causing mass distress with nonstop at-large arrests is still keeping them at numbers well below their goas & Obama's numbers... what will they do next?
NEW: Unsurprisingly, Kristi Noem extends the "mass influx" declaration authorizing it to deputize local police for ICE.
Buried in the notice is new official data on ICE removals, showing 145k removal from Oct. 2024 to Sept. 8. This is substantially lower than previous figures leaked to the press.
Buried in the notice is new official data on ICE removals, showing 145k removal from Oct. 2024 to Sept. 8. This is substantially lower than previous figures leaked to the press.
September 19, 2025 at 2:01 PM
This is also a frightening sign of what is to come.
If diverting TENS OF THOUSANDS of federal law enforcement officers to deportations & causing mass distress with nonstop at-large arrests is still keeping them at numbers well below their goas & Obama's numbers... what will they do next?
If diverting TENS OF THOUSANDS of federal law enforcement officers to deportations & causing mass distress with nonstop at-large arrests is still keeping them at numbers well below their goas & Obama's numbers... what will they do next?
One week from today! Come view a sneak peek of "Credible Fear", a forthcoming feature length documentary about the asylum system, & join a discussion with @yaelschacher.bsky.social & myself.
Date: Sept 24, 6pm
Location: Immigrant Food, Ballston
Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/credible-f...
Date: Sept 24, 6pm
Location: Immigrant Food, Ballston
Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/credible-f...
September 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM
One week from today! Come view a sneak peek of "Credible Fear", a forthcoming feature length documentary about the asylum system, & join a discussion with @yaelschacher.bsky.social & myself.
Date: Sept 24, 6pm
Location: Immigrant Food, Ballston
Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/credible-f...
Date: Sept 24, 6pm
Location: Immigrant Food, Ballston
Tickets: www.eventbrite.com/e/credible-f...
12 Senate Dems on Armed Services write strongly against use of military as immigration judges:
"the Trump administration views skilled personnel as pawns to be traded between agencies, rather than as professionals essential to their core missions, in order to advance misguided immigration policies"
"the Trump administration views skilled personnel as pawns to be traded between agencies, rather than as professionals essential to their core missions, in order to advance misguided immigration policies"
September 17, 2025 at 6:04 PM
12 Senate Dems on Armed Services write strongly against use of military as immigration judges:
"the Trump administration views skilled personnel as pawns to be traded between agencies, rather than as professionals essential to their core missions, in order to advance misguided immigration policies"
"the Trump administration views skilled personnel as pawns to be traded between agencies, rather than as professionals essential to their core missions, in order to advance misguided immigration policies"
"At DHS, Trump has ordered agents formerly dedicated to investigating and arresting human traffickers to focus on deporting immigrants."
This is not an administration that cares about public safety. This is an administration that cares about padding its deportation numbers.
This is not an administration that cares about public safety. This is an administration that cares about padding its deportation numbers.
September 17, 2025 at 3:54 PM
"At DHS, Trump has ordered agents formerly dedicated to investigating and arresting human traffickers to focus on deporting immigrants."
This is not an administration that cares about public safety. This is an administration that cares about padding its deportation numbers.
This is not an administration that cares about public safety. This is an administration that cares about padding its deportation numbers.
This new @thirdway.bsky.social memo is just as relevant for immigration.
"Dismissing voters’ legitimate concerns about crime & public safety will only confirm their suspicions that at best, you’re not serious about these issues, & at worst, your policy stances are making things worse"
"Dismissing voters’ legitimate concerns about crime & public safety will only confirm their suspicions that at best, you’re not serious about these issues, & at worst, your policy stances are making things worse"
September 17, 2025 at 3:52 PM
This new @thirdway.bsky.social memo is just as relevant for immigration.
"Dismissing voters’ legitimate concerns about crime & public safety will only confirm their suspicions that at best, you’re not serious about these issues, & at worst, your policy stances are making things worse"
"Dismissing voters’ legitimate concerns about crime & public safety will only confirm their suspicions that at best, you’re not serious about these issues, & at worst, your policy stances are making things worse"
As helpful as streamlining & simplifying H-2As could be, a reform that allowed farmers to legally employ unauthorized immigrants that they have long worked with & trust, would be far more effective.
For decades, 40-55% of farmworkers have been unauthorized.
For decades, 40-55% of farmworkers have been unauthorized.
September 16, 2025 at 3:06 PM
As helpful as streamlining & simplifying H-2As could be, a reform that allowed farmers to legally employ unauthorized immigrants that they have long worked with & trust, would be far more effective.
For decades, 40-55% of farmworkers have been unauthorized.
For decades, 40-55% of farmworkers have been unauthorized.
Former ICE Director John Sandweg, expressing concern that the Trump administration is prioritizing padding their deportation numbers over public safety:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLy...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLy...
September 9, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Former ICE Director John Sandweg, expressing concern that the Trump administration is prioritizing padding their deportation numbers over public safety:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLy...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NLy...
The State Department's Diplomatic Security Service-- which should be investigating human trafficking, passport or visa fraud, etc.-- is now added to the long list of agencies pursuing the admin's deportation numbers instead of focusing on public safety.
State Department Agents Are Now Working With ICE on Immigration
The State Department’s law enforcement arm is now involved in immigration enforcement, an area solidly outside its usual duties. One source compares it to IRS agents investigating espionage at NASA.
www.wired.com/story/state-...
The State Department’s law enforcement arm is now involved in immigration enforcement, an area solidly outside its usual duties. One source compares it to IRS agents investigating espionage at NASA.
www.wired.com/story/state-...
State Department Agents Are Now Working With ICE on Immigration
The State Department’s law enforcement arm is now involved in immigration enforcement, an area solidly outside its usual duties. One source compares it to IRS agents investigating espionage at NASA.
www.wired.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:56 PM
The State Department's Diplomatic Security Service-- which should be investigating human trafficking, passport or visa fraud, etc.-- is now added to the long list of agencies pursuing the admin's deportation numbers instead of focusing on public safety.
"I'm angry that society has a playbook for reacting to dead children-- but still can't answer the only question that matters: How do we stop it from happening again?" - Sam Hasler, Annunciation School parent
www.startribune.com/annunciation...
www.startribune.com/annunciation...
September 3, 2025 at 8:35 PM
"I'm angry that society has a playbook for reacting to dead children-- but still can't answer the only question that matters: How do we stop it from happening again?" - Sam Hasler, Annunciation School parent
www.startribune.com/annunciation...
www.startribune.com/annunciation...
Reposted by Sarah Pierce
Proud to have the support of @sarahpierce.bsky.social for our recently released Immigration & Border Security Framework.
New Dems are committed to using commonsense policies that address our more important issues.
New Dems are committed to using commonsense policies that address our more important issues.
August 29, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Proud to have the support of @sarahpierce.bsky.social for our recently released Immigration & Border Security Framework.
New Dems are committed to using commonsense policies that address our more important issues.
New Dems are committed to using commonsense policies that address our more important issues.
Public opinion is shifting on immigration & (as long as Stephen Miller is in the White House) the Trump admin is not shifting with it.
Democrats need to define themselves on immigration with clarity & purpose. Dems can be the party of balanced solutions vs. Trump's rage & noise.
Democrats need to define themselves on immigration with clarity & purpose. Dems can be the party of balanced solutions vs. Trump's rage & noise.
August 28, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Public opinion is shifting on immigration & (as long as Stephen Miller is in the White House) the Trump admin is not shifting with it.
Democrats need to define themselves on immigration with clarity & purpose. Dems can be the party of balanced solutions vs. Trump's rage & noise.
Democrats need to define themselves on immigration with clarity & purpose. Dems can be the party of balanced solutions vs. Trump's rage & noise.