Pedro Rios
@pedroconsafos.bsky.social
Human Rights advocate, Director of AFSC's US-Mexico Border Program & board member of National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
In my latest piece, I look at the implications of Border Patrol usurping top command posts in ICE leadership...
"we can expect an expansion of egregious abuses — and a lack of accountability, opaqueness, and zero oversight."
Read more here @calmatters.org
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
"we can expect an expansion of egregious abuses — and a lack of accountability, opaqueness, and zero oversight."
Read more here @calmatters.org
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
Opinion | New ICE leadership brings more violence, no accountability and zero oversight
If Border Patrol leaders take over ICE, it's likely both agencies will continue avoiding repercussions for violence and deaths in custody.
calmatters.org
November 18, 2025 at 3:15 PM
In my latest piece, I look at the implications of Border Patrol usurping top command posts in ICE leadership...
"we can expect an expansion of egregious abuses — and a lack of accountability, opaqueness, and zero oversight."
Read more here @calmatters.org
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
"we can expect an expansion of egregious abuses — and a lack of accountability, opaqueness, and zero oversight."
Read more here @calmatters.org
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
On Halloween and every other day of the year, which side are you on?
the working class or billionaires?
Photo from protest at San Diego Federal Building, where ICE abducts migrants attending ICE check-ins & court hearings, & where ICE detains people at the building's basement & denies it does this.
the working class or billionaires?
Photo from protest at San Diego Federal Building, where ICE abducts migrants attending ICE check-ins & court hearings, & where ICE detains people at the building's basement & denies it does this.
October 31, 2025 at 6:25 PM
On Halloween and every other day of the year, which side are you on?
the working class or billionaires?
Photo from protest at San Diego Federal Building, where ICE abducts migrants attending ICE check-ins & court hearings, & where ICE detains people at the building's basement & denies it does this.
the working class or billionaires?
Photo from protest at San Diego Federal Building, where ICE abducts migrants attending ICE check-ins & court hearings, & where ICE detains people at the building's basement & denies it does this.
The Trump regime is purging ICE officials in offices in 5 major US cities & will fill some of those top posts with senior Border Patrol agents who will take over interior immigration enforcement in those regions.
The regime is going for tried and tested cruelty.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...
The regime is going for tried and tested cruelty.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...
MSN
www.msn.com
October 27, 2025 at 10:03 PM
The Trump regime is purging ICE officials in offices in 5 major US cities & will fill some of those top posts with senior Border Patrol agents who will take over interior immigration enforcement in those regions.
The regime is going for tried and tested cruelty.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...
The regime is going for tried and tested cruelty.
www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...
"Consider choosing violence"
An ICE agent with a curious uniform, casually and comfortably promoting violence while working at the San Diego federal building.
An ICE agent with a curious uniform, casually and comfortably promoting violence while working at the San Diego federal building.
October 7, 2025 at 4:54 AM
"Consider choosing violence"
An ICE agent with a curious uniform, casually and comfortably promoting violence while working at the San Diego federal building.
An ICE agent with a curious uniform, casually and comfortably promoting violence while working at the San Diego federal building.
Bovino says his agents arrest people in Chicago based on "how they look."
Same goes for how people identify fascists, the people can tell who they are based on how they look (especially when dressed in militarized Border Patrol threads).
chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Same goes for how people identify fascists, the people can tell who they are based on how they look (especially when dressed in militarized Border Patrol threads).
chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Feds in military gear flood downtown Chicago; top border chief says people arrested based on ‘how they look’
The immigration agents were spotted making arrests in downtown Chicago and River North neighborhood early Sunday.
chicago.suntimes.com
September 29, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Bovino says his agents arrest people in Chicago based on "how they look."
Same goes for how people identify fascists, the people can tell who they are based on how they look (especially when dressed in militarized Border Patrol threads).
chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Same goes for how people identify fascists, the people can tell who they are based on how they look (especially when dressed in militarized Border Patrol threads).
chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
With the Supreme Court green-lighting racial profiling for immigration raids, it's a reality we know too well in the borderlands. With appreciation to all who contributed to this piece, here is my recent @calmatters.org commentary on the ruling:
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
Supreme Court ruling subjects California to what border communities have endured for generations | Opinion
San Diego's border communities have long experienced racial profiling, the kind a Supreme Court ruling recently OK'd for immigration agents.
calmatters.org
September 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
With the Supreme Court green-lighting racial profiling for immigration raids, it's a reality we know too well in the borderlands. With appreciation to all who contributed to this piece, here is my recent @calmatters.org commentary on the ruling:
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
calmatters.org/commentary/2...
Check out this much-needed conversation if you're in San Diego on Saturday... register below.
Safety in Unity 2025 with added speakers Sarah T. Hamid (@eff.org) and Pedro Rios (@pedroconsafos.bsky.social) joining TRUST to fight against mass #surveillance in San Diego!
Saturday, September 20 from 11am-3pm in City Heights
RSVP at trst.fyi/su25 for location
Saturday, September 20 from 11am-3pm in City Heights
RSVP at trst.fyi/su25 for location
September 17, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Check out this much-needed conversation if you're in San Diego on Saturday... register below.
Reposted by Pedro Rios
Sessions on surveillance and the working class fight with Satomi Rash-Zeigler and Lilly Irani, on surveillance and immigration with Homayra Yusufi (@panasd.org) and Pedro Rios (@pedroconsafos.bsky.social)
RSVP! trst.fyi/su25
RSVP! trst.fyi/su25
Safety in Unity 2025 Conference
An annual conference about creating safety in our city through community alliance and solidarity
trst.fyi
September 11, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Sessions on surveillance and the working class fight with Satomi Rash-Zeigler and Lilly Irani, on surveillance and immigration with Homayra Yusufi (@panasd.org) and Pedro Rios (@pedroconsafos.bsky.social)
RSVP! trst.fyi/su25
RSVP! trst.fyi/su25
San Diego protested Palantir and its dangerous and deadly surveillance technologies that track everyday people and cause untold human suffering while prioritizing profits for billionaires. Sharing four photos from the event, which was part of a national day of action against Palantir.
August 23, 2025 at 5:49 AM
San Diego protested Palantir and its dangerous and deadly surveillance technologies that track everyday people and cause untold human suffering while prioritizing profits for billionaires. Sharing four photos from the event, which was part of a national day of action against Palantir.
"[Noem] touted the height of the wall as well as its depth as ways to deter people seeking to go over or under the walls."
Now T's preposterous idea is to paint it black "to make the metal hotter."
But the paint will peel, people will climb at night & continue to fall with life-altering injuries.
Now T's preposterous idea is to paint it black "to make the metal hotter."
But the paint will peel, people will climb at night & continue to fall with life-altering injuries.
DHS Secretary Noem says entire southern border wall will be painted black to stop people from climbing it
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says the entire southern border wall with Mexico is being painted black to deter illegal immigration, at President Trump's request.
www.cbsnews.com
August 20, 2025 at 3:35 PM
"[Noem] touted the height of the wall as well as its depth as ways to deter people seeking to go over or under the walls."
Now T's preposterous idea is to paint it black "to make the metal hotter."
But the paint will peel, people will climb at night & continue to fall with life-altering injuries.
Now T's preposterous idea is to paint it black "to make the metal hotter."
But the paint will peel, people will climb at night & continue to fall with life-altering injuries.
Join in tonight if you have time to spare. It will be an invigorating conversation.
TONIGHT! Join us at 7pm ET for a discussion on the intersections of U.S. militarization and Israel’s genocide in Gaza. We will be joined by Columbia University graduate and activist Mahmoud Khalil and U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez. Register:
Stop ICE Abductions and Block the Bombs · American Friends Service Committee
Join us for a critical conversation with Congresswoman Delia Ramirez, who introduced a historic bill – H.R.3565, the Block the Bombs Act, to prevent the Trump administration from sending weapons to Is...
www.mobilize.us
July 22, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Join in tonight if you have time to spare. It will be an invigorating conversation.
Erasure of indigenous people is at the core of this country’s genocidal history, and the ideological premise for its neo-fascist bent.
They are extremely comfortable.
They are extremely comfortable.
The official DHS account is now tweeting about “your homeland’s heritage”
July 14, 2025 at 11:37 PM
Erasure of indigenous people is at the core of this country’s genocidal history, and the ideological premise for its neo-fascist bent.
They are extremely comfortable.
They are extremely comfortable.
Reposted by Pedro Rios
When Mohamad showed evidence about how the Taliban had tortured him, a U.S. official found him credible.
But the increasingly opaque path for asylum protection adopted by Trump leaves those who fled their homeland with little hope.
By @bgirledukate.bsky.social
capitalandmain.com/tortured-by-...
But the increasingly opaque path for asylum protection adopted by Trump leaves those who fled their homeland with little hope.
By @bgirledukate.bsky.social
capitalandmain.com/tortured-by-...
Tortured by the Taliban, Locked Up in the U.S.
The increasingly opaque path for protection adopted by Trump leaves those who fled their homeland with little hope.
capitalandmain.com
July 11, 2025 at 6:26 PM
When Mohamad showed evidence about how the Taliban had tortured him, a U.S. official found him credible.
But the increasingly opaque path for asylum protection adopted by Trump leaves those who fled their homeland with little hope.
By @bgirledukate.bsky.social
capitalandmain.com/tortured-by-...
But the increasingly opaque path for asylum protection adopted by Trump leaves those who fled their homeland with little hope.
By @bgirledukate.bsky.social
capitalandmain.com/tortured-by-...
ICE holds a volunteer in San Diego for 8 hours in a "detention investigation" after they fabricate an accusation of assault.
VIDEO: 'Legal observer' handcuffed by ICE in hallway of federal courthouse - NewsBreak
The best local & breaking news source in the US, featuring local weather, alerts, deals, events and more.
www.newsbreak.com
July 9, 2025 at 4:36 PM
ICE holds a volunteer in San Diego for 8 hours in a "detention investigation" after they fabricate an accusation of assault.
Reposted by Pedro Rios
The bill before the Senate today will throw 12 million Americans off health insurance (CBO estimate).
Cutting taxes for the wealthiest leaves no money for that.
But apparently, there's money for this:
Cutting taxes for the wealthiest leaves no money for that.
But apparently, there's money for this:
June 30, 2025 at 11:10 AM
The bill before the Senate today will throw 12 million Americans off health insurance (CBO estimate).
Cutting taxes for the wealthiest leaves no money for that.
But apparently, there's money for this:
Cutting taxes for the wealthiest leaves no money for that.
But apparently, there's money for this:
Shameful. This is Border Patrol taking their tactics to the interior. A rogue agency for over 100 years, sees no problem with putting babies in harm’s way. If only Republicans AND Democrats hadn’t funded them for decades. Now they have free reign.
Damn‼️ Federal agents blew a door off for this?
Federal agents blasted their way into an LA home where Jenny Ramirez lives with her boyfriend and two kids.
She heard the blast while checking on her 6-year-old, with her 1-year-old in her arms.
Ramirez says everyone in the home is a U.S. citizen.
🧵
Federal agents blasted their way into an LA home where Jenny Ramirez lives with her boyfriend and two kids.
She heard the blast while checking on her 6-year-old, with her 1-year-old in her arms.
Ramirez says everyone in the home is a U.S. citizen.
🧵
June 27, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Shameful. This is Border Patrol taking their tactics to the interior. A rogue agency for over 100 years, sees no problem with putting babies in harm’s way. If only Republicans AND Democrats hadn’t funded them for decades. Now they have free reign.
Costa Rican court orders government to free migrants who were deported by US
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Costa Rican court orders government to free migrants who were deported by US
About 200 people were brought to the country in February under an agreement with the Trump administration
www.theguardian.com
June 26, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Costa Rican court orders government to free migrants who were deported by US
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...
Reposted by Pedro Rios
For more investigations like this and if you have tips to share please follow my colleague @schwellenbach.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/pabl...
NEWS: Stephen Miller owns a six-figure stock in Palantir, a company profiting off deportations, per @POGOwatchdog report migrantinsider.com/p/stephen-mi...
Stephen Miller’s Financial Stake in ICE Contractor Palantir Raises Conflict Concerns
POGO report shows top Trump adviser owned six-figure stock in company profiting off deportations.
migrantinsider.com
June 24, 2025 at 12:46 PM
For more investigations like this and if you have tips to share please follow my colleague @schwellenbach.bsky.social bsky.app/profile/pabl...
Outrageous seems too nice at this point.
Bisbee is a tiny artsy town (less than 5000 population) with a vibrant queer community near the AZ-Mexico border and a bunch of Border Patrol agents rolled up to Bisbee Pride this weekend and snatched people up right as the parade was about to kick off.
Bisbee Pride Marred by Border Patrol Detainments
Attendees say the timing and location of the arrests felt like a show of force in a town known for LGBTQ+ safety.
www.lookoutnews.org
June 19, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Outrageous seems too nice at this point.
Quite a story, & now that Trump has made DHS investigative bodies (CRCL & OIDO) anemic or nonexistent, complaints addressing these types of systemic abuses have nowhere to go.
To be fair, CRCL & OIDO often were black holes, but sometimes the processes helped air out the complaints & forced a review.
To be fair, CRCL & OIDO often were black holes, but sometimes the processes helped air out the complaints & forced a review.
He Wanted to Record a TikTok, But Ended up in Immigration Detention
A Chinese college student spent nearly a month in immigration detention in San Diego under the suspicion of human trafficking. He says it was all a misunderstanding.
voiceofsandiego.org
June 18, 2025 at 3:54 AM
Quite a story, & now that Trump has made DHS investigative bodies (CRCL & OIDO) anemic or nonexistent, complaints addressing these types of systemic abuses have nowhere to go.
To be fair, CRCL & OIDO often were black holes, but sometimes the processes helped air out the complaints & forced a review.
To be fair, CRCL & OIDO often were black holes, but sometimes the processes helped air out the complaints & forced a review.
Last week, ICE arrested Sayed, an Afghan refugee, after a DHS attorney asked an immigration judge to dismiss his case.
Sayed escaped Afghanistan when the Taliban targeted him for interpreting for US troops. The US has placed him in increased danger since it seeks to remove him to Afghanistan.
Sayed escaped Afghanistan when the Taliban targeted him for interpreting for US troops. The US has placed him in increased danger since it seeks to remove him to Afghanistan.
Advocates say an Afghan refugee was detained at San Diego immigration court
AfghanEvac said the man had lawful parole in the U.S. and was detained when he went for his first immigration hearing.
www.kpbs.org
June 17, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Last week, ICE arrested Sayed, an Afghan refugee, after a DHS attorney asked an immigration judge to dismiss his case.
Sayed escaped Afghanistan when the Taliban targeted him for interpreting for US troops. The US has placed him in increased danger since it seeks to remove him to Afghanistan.
Sayed escaped Afghanistan when the Taliban targeted him for interpreting for US troops. The US has placed him in increased danger since it seeks to remove him to Afghanistan.
ICE raids in San Diego foreshadowed the roundups, protests now spreading across California
Sharing my latest commentary and photos for @calmatters.org reflecting on the worksite raid at a San Diego restaurant in its South Park neighborhood, and how neighbors pushed out the militarized ICE force.
Sharing my latest commentary and photos for @calmatters.org reflecting on the worksite raid at a San Diego restaurant in its South Park neighborhood, and how neighbors pushed out the militarized ICE force.
ICE raids in San Diego foreshadowed the roundups, protests now spreading across California | Opinion
As immigration enforcement escalated in San Diego, a dramatic raid in one neighborhood prompted a remarkable response from its residents.
calmatters.org
June 13, 2025 at 6:36 PM
ICE raids in San Diego foreshadowed the roundups, protests now spreading across California
Sharing my latest commentary and photos for @calmatters.org reflecting on the worksite raid at a San Diego restaurant in its South Park neighborhood, and how neighbors pushed out the militarized ICE force.
Sharing my latest commentary and photos for @calmatters.org reflecting on the worksite raid at a San Diego restaurant in its South Park neighborhood, and how neighbors pushed out the militarized ICE force.
Tell San Diego City Council: Reject Flock ALPR Funding
Flock Automatic License Plate Readers are costing us millions and supporting extremist agendas.
Stop funding oppressive technology and instead fund our neighborhoods!
www.change.org/p/tell-city-...
Flock Automatic License Plate Readers are costing us millions and supporting extremist agendas.
Stop funding oppressive technology and instead fund our neighborhoods!
www.change.org/p/tell-city-...
Sign the Petition
Tell City Council: Reject Flock ALPR Funding in San Diego
www.change.org
June 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Tell San Diego City Council: Reject Flock ALPR Funding
Flock Automatic License Plate Readers are costing us millions and supporting extremist agendas.
Stop funding oppressive technology and instead fund our neighborhoods!
www.change.org/p/tell-city-...
Flock Automatic License Plate Readers are costing us millions and supporting extremist agendas.
Stop funding oppressive technology and instead fund our neighborhoods!
www.change.org/p/tell-city-...
ICE issues a statement regarding its agents' use of "less lethal noise flash diversionary devices" on May 30 to excuse state violence, and blames neighbors wanting to protect migrant workers.
I suppose ICE feared the middle finger brigade that ran them out of the San Diego neighborhood.
I suppose ICE feared the middle finger brigade that ran them out of the San Diego neighborhood.
June 2, 2025 at 11:19 PM
ICE issues a statement regarding its agents' use of "less lethal noise flash diversionary devices" on May 30 to excuse state violence, and blames neighbors wanting to protect migrant workers.
I suppose ICE feared the middle finger brigade that ran them out of the San Diego neighborhood.
I suppose ICE feared the middle finger brigade that ran them out of the San Diego neighborhood.
ICE raided a popular restaurant in a San Diego neighborhood. About 3 dozen agents, some in full tactical gear, arrested restaurant workers while patrons were enjoying dinner. The ICE agents didn't expect a resounding rejection by neighbors & patrons. The community spontaneously protested.
May 31, 2025 at 6:03 AM
ICE raided a popular restaurant in a San Diego neighborhood. About 3 dozen agents, some in full tactical gear, arrested restaurant workers while patrons were enjoying dinner. The ICE agents didn't expect a resounding rejection by neighbors & patrons. The community spontaneously protested.