Avatara Smith-Carrington
LightNews LightNews
banner
avatarasc.bsky.social
Avatara Smith-Carrington
@avatarasc.bsky.social
78 followers 250 following 16 posts
Litigating from the margins because that is the center of my world.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
UNTIL IT’S DONE, Ep. 4: Sylvia Rivera

In the 1970s, queer New Yorkers had been pushed to the margins of NYC. Our trans neighbors faced immense cruelty. But in Sylvia Rivera, they found a champion.

As we combat Trump’s politics of darkness, her legacy can light the path forward.
October 11, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
UPDATE: Judge Perry issued an opinion explaining why she blocked the Texas National Guard deployment in Chicago.

She begins with Alexander Hamilton’s rejection of a “preposterous” idea that the Constitution lets a President deploy a State’s militia to a different State for political retribution. 🧵
OPINION AND ORDER Since this country was founded, Americans have disagreed about the appropriate division of power between the federal government and the fifty states that make up our Union. This tension is a natural result of the system of federalism adopted by our Founders. And yet, not even the Founding Father most ardently in favor of a strong federal government believed that one state's militia could be sent to another state for the purposes of political retribution, calling such a suggestion "inflammatory," and stating "it is impossible to believe that [a President] would employ such preposterous means to accomplish their designs." But Plaintiffs contend that such an event has come to pass, and argue that National Guard troops from both Illinois and Texas have been deployed to Illinois because the President of the United States wants to punish state elected officials whose policies are different from his own.
October 11, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
histoftech.bsky.social
The Virginia Senate just told UVA it’s not getting state funding if it accepts the compact since UVA exists to serve Virginia, its residents, & their interests—not be a tool of the federal govt. Scoop from our student newspaper, who’ve been doing vital reporting www.cavalierdaily.com/article/2025...
October 10, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social
My first thought was “wow I hope this guy didn’t give out his name because he could absolutely be charged” and yup, he is correct to stay anonymous.

This man’s account is shocking. His neighbors’ situation is shocking. The entire Chicago raid is shocking.
On the other side was a mom and her 7-year-old daughter, pleading for his help. "I wasn't planning on letting her stay, but I didn't know what the hell was going on," the man said of his Venezuelan migrant neighbors. But he quickly relented. The little girl was inconsolable and hid under his bed. "I didn't want them to take her," said the man, who didn't want to be named because he fears he'll be targeted by federal authorities for his actions. "I gave her my bedroom, and I just told her, 'Just stay there. Don't open, don't, shh, just stay quiet," he recalled telling the mom and daughter as he choked back tears.
October 11, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
fvehafric.bsky.social
One of the things I took away from the 60s and Richard Nixon, first mentioned by Hunter Thompson, but I believe to be true, is the fact that we believed, at time, that all our protesting, marching and sign waving was futile and pointless when in fact, it drove Richard Nixon to alcohol fueled madness
brandonfriedman.bsky.social Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · Oct 5
Everyone is trying to have a normal Saturday night and the president's top advisor is on X announcing that civil war is necessary
@StephenM on X: Legal insurrection. The President is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, not an Oregon judge. Portland and Oregon law enforcement, at the direction of local leaders, have refused to aid ICE officers facing relentless terrorist assault and threats to life. (There are more local law enforcement officers in Oregon than there are guns and badges in the FBI nationwide). This is an organized terrorist attack on the federal government and its officers, and the deployment of troops is an absolute necessity to defend our personnel, our laws, our government, public order and the Republic itself.
October 5, 2025 at 3:16 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
paultlevin.bsky.social
““They dragged little Greta [Thunberg] by her hair before our eyes, beat her, and forced her to kiss the Israeli flag. They did everything imaginable to her, as a warning to others,” the Turkish activist ErsinÇelik, a participant in the Sumud flotilla, told Anadolu news agency.”+
Israel accused of detaining Greta Thunberg in infested cell and making her hold flags
Activist tells Swedish officials she has been subjected to harsh treatment, including insufficient food and water
www.theguardian.com
October 4, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
davidjbier.bsky.social
ICE says I cause assaults on ICE by reciting facts about ICE’s recent shooting but refuses to link to the thread. Only posting a picture. ICE lies and ICE hides. You can read the facts for yourselves
October 4, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
aclu.org
BREAKING: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration's deployment of 200 Oregon National Guard members to Portland over the governor's objections.

This decision reinforces one of our country's core principles: The military has no place policing our communities.
October 5, 2025 at 12:09 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
chrisgeidner.bsky.social
Request: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Order: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
reichlinmelnick.bsky.social Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · Oct 4
BREAKING: Federal judge BLOCKS a new ICE policy that went into effect last week to automatically detain unaccompanied migrant children on their 18th birthday when they “age out” of shelter care.

The TRO enforces a court order in a case brought by @immcouncil.org and @immigrantjustice.bsky.social.
Garcia Ramirez v. ICE case caption. ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AND TO ENFORCE FINAL JUDGMENT AND PERMANENT INJUNCTION Upon consideration of Plaintiffs' Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and to Enforce the Permanent Injunction and accompanying Memorandum of Points and Authorities and Declarations (the "Motion"), and all other materials properly before this Court, it is hereby ORDERED that Plaintiffs' Motion is GRANTED; and it is further ORDERED that Defendants and all persons acting under their direction or in concert with them, are hereby ENJOINED from implementing any new directive regarding age-outs; ORDERED that Defendants and all persons acting under their direction or in concert with them, are hereby ENJOINED from detaining any class member in an adult ICE facility in any manner that contravenes the Permanent Injunction; ORDERED that Defendants immediately rescind any determinations to detain based on this directive; ORDERED that Defendants immediately produce that directive, any related policies regarding that directive, and the Age-Out Review Worksheets of any class members who may have been impacted by that directive, including all AORs issued since October 1, 2025. SO ORDERED this 4th day of October 2025.
October 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
acyn.bsky.social
Abughazaleh: I think Kristi Noem should be tried at The Hague. And if the response from ICE to people exercising their first amendment right is to drive vehicles through them, they should not be an agency in the US.
October 4, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
aljazeera.com
BREAKING: US President Trump says Israel "temporarily stopped bombing" Gaza as 17 Palestinians killed in new Israeli attack in Gaza City.

🔴 LIVE updates: aje.io/a1y8rg
October 4, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
genevievelakier.bsky.social
The Trump Administration’s “Compact of Excellence” for Universities is... far from excellent! Indeed, it’s unconstitutional. In this post, let me count the ways.

blog.dividedargument.com/p/the-uncons...
The Unconstitutional Conditions Doctrine and the Compact for Excellence
Members of the Trump administration love to say that federal funding is a privilege not a right and therefore something that can be granted or withheld based on changing administrative priorities.
blog.dividedargument.com
October 3, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
susanrinkunas.com
We contacted more than 40 Planned Parenthood affiliates for this story on the state of care now that the GOP budget law is fully in effect. Service journalism with @garnethenderson.com:
autonomynews.co Autonomy News @autonomynews.co · Oct 1
In the wake of federal “defunding,” one Planned Parenthood affiliate has halted abortions, another has suspended all Medicaid services, and others are self-pay only. Find out where your local organization stands:
Here’s Which Planned Parenthood Clinics Are Still Seeing Medicaid Patients
In the wake of federal “defunding,” one Planned Parenthood affiliate has halted abortions, another has suspended all Medicaid services, and others are self-pay only. Find out where your local organiza...
www.autonomynews.co
October 1, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
chrisgeidner.bsky.social
NEW: Judge William Young's ruling against Rubio and Noem is a lesson for all in the Trump era.

Young lays bare the unconstitutionality of the Trump administration's student deportation efforts — and issues a challenge to America.

Today, at Law Dork:
Judge William Young's ruling against Rubio and Noem is a lesson for all in the Trump era
Young lays bare the unconstitutionality of the Trump administration's student deportation efforts — and issues a challenge to America. Also: More court pushback.
www.lawdork.com
October 1, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
moiradonegan.bsky.social
I think we underestimate the extent to which the right wing has eroded civil society simply by pulling stunts like this that make any public participation extremely unpleasant.
nkalamb.bsky.social Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · Sep 29
Cornell is cancelling a distinguished professor's classes on Gaza and suspending him because of the complaints of a student who previously served in Israel's military surveillance agency and was literally recording the comments of other students in class and deliberately derailing discussion.
Early last semester, Droubi said, students began approaching Cheyfitz with complaints that a graduate student in the “Gaza, Indigeneity, Resistance” class appeared to be recording them, possibly to “gather their names and comments” and intimidate them. “We believe that a student came to the course for the sole reason of surveilling and potentially harming students in the class,” Droubi said. “That ended up proving itself to be true because multiple students came forward and shared their concerns with Professor Cheyfitz.” Cheyfitz said one Palestinian student quit the class after telling him she felt upset and frightened. Current Issue Cover of October 2025 Issue October 2025 Issue According to Cheyfitz, the graduate student often steered conversations away from the assigned readings—which at that point mostly focused on definitions of genocide and international law on Indigenous rights—to defend Israel’s conduct in the war in Gaza and argue with others in the class. “He clearly had not done the readings,” Cheyfitz said. “It was disruptive.” Cheyfitz said he met with the graduate student in late January and spoke to him about concerns from his classmates. During the conversation, he asked the graduate student to drop the course, and by the next class, he did, Cheyfitz said. The graduate student, Oren Renard, a PhD candidate in computer science whose identity was confirmed by other students in the class, previously served in Israel’s elite military surveillance agency, Unit 8200, according to his LinkedIn profile.
September 29, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
anthonymkreis.bsky.social
Look at what the United States Government is citing in the birthright citizenship case.

Non-expert legal scholarship and work done hastily in service of their political goals.
September 29, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
david.noll.org
Ladies and gentlemen, the meritocracy
Ms. Halligan, who took over on Monday after her predecessor quit rather than prosecute James B. Comey with what he believed was insufficient evidence, had a little trouble with the first two tasks. At one point, she entered the wrong courtroom. When she found the right one, she stood on the wrong side of the judge, then appeared confused about the paperwork she just had signed.
September 27, 2025 at 11:02 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
joyurcaba.bsky.social
Texas to become the 20th state with a law restricting what bathrooms transgender people can use

For @nbcnews.com:
www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-...
Texas to become the 20th state with a transgender bathroom law
The bill, which Texas first attempted to pass in 2015, will require transgender people to use restrooms in public schools and government buildings in accordance with their birth sex.
www.nbcnews.com
September 23, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
mapresearch.bsky.social
Including a new law in Texas, 1 in 3 transgender people now live in the 20 states with a bathroom ban, though they vary in scope.

🔗 Learn more via our map: bit.ly/3LOIUSw

Note: TX's law does not go into effect until December 4, 2025, and it will likely be challenged.
www.them.us/story/texas-...
Texas Gov. Abbott Signs Trans Bathroom Bill Into Law With $125,000 Fines
The legislation covers government-owned buildings, public schools, prisons, and domestic violence shelters.
www.them.us
September 23, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
aclu.org
At a time when the Trump administration is trying to force people to conform to their ideology, last week's ruling is an important reminder that the government can't restrict speech based on its political agenda.
Court Rules That NEA 'Gender Ideology' Rule Violates the 1st Amendment
A new policy that required applicants to make supposed anti-"woke" declarations has been struck down.
playbill.com
September 23, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
catachresis.bsky.social
As easy as it is to dunk on the acetaminophen announcement today, I just can't stop thinking about how all this claim of a "cure" for autism plays into a fundamentally eugenicist way of looking at the world. Those who diverge are to be cured or purged.
September 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
nicolefcarr.bsky.social
I want you to read one of my 2022 investigations again + understand that the response you’re seeing from your children’s school boards-the harassment + firing of teachers, administrators & staff-is tied to a network of folks who have been in this game for years: www.propublica.org/article/geor...
White Parents Rallied to Chase a Black Educator Out of Town. Then, They Followed Her to the Next One.
Cecelia Lewis was asked to apply for a Georgia school district’s first-ever administrator job devoted to diversity, equity and inclusion. A group of parents — coached by local and national anti-CRT gr...
www.propublica.org
September 16, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
adamweinstein.bsky.social
Today, the president of the United States of America said that the country's current pediatric vaccine schedule was "too much liquid... going into that baby" and then issued a decree announcing that anti-fascism is terrorism
September 22, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
absolutelyahha.bsky.social
‘Most complaints filed in federal courtrooms do not spend dozens of pages recounting the plaintiff’s “singular brilliance” and “history-making media appearances” in programs like Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson.’ 🤣
audrelawdamercy.bsky.social Barred and Boujee aka Madiba Dennie @audrelawdamercy.bsky.social · Sep 20
Here is my fun new article about him suing the New York Times for a lot of money and the judge saying pls get the fuck outta my face with this shit and come back when you can act like you got some sense

ballsandstrikes.org/law-politics...
September 20, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Reposted by Avatara Smith-Carrington
daphnek.bsky.social
Receipts. Receipts galore.
mrose.ink Meredith Rose @mrose.ink · Sep 19
The weaponization of the FCC is one of the greatest threats to our democracy. Who better to showcase that than… Chairman Brendan Carr? Let’s take a stroll down memory lane through some of Carr’s greatest hits on free speech while he was auditioning for the job of FCC Chair from 2019 to 2024. 1/
September 19, 2025 at 9:06 PM