The remaining assets that belong to ICE must be frozen. Congress must refuse to appropriate any more funds to that department. Look how much we would be saving. How much money are these cities losing in terms of businesses not having customers because of fear from ICE occupation?
I especially think about the occupation of New Orleans, a Southern city that tourism lifts from otherwise certain poverty. The conventions and festivals and hotels and restaurants all depend on immigrant labor--as they do in every city, but particularly in NOLA. It's the same response from locals everywhere ICE is--people are afraid of being detained due to the way they look and talk because that is what is happening, thanks to Kavanaugh and the court. ARE YOU GETTING THIS, AMERICA?
Absolutely, there’s many immigrant owned businesses and immigrants that work in those businesses. My sister lived there 14 years and my parents and I always went during spring break for a visit while everyone else went to the beach or Disney World. It’s a popular destination this time of year. The height of the festivities this year is around February 11th and ends on Fat Tuesday February 17th. If ICE is still there then there might not be as much participation as would be expected.
The pandemic hit the city hard, and they are just now coming back. I'm a big fan of WWOZ and have made friends with a DJ long-distance. I am so grateful for their cultural gifts; it is a unique treasure trove in America. Anyone can listen online at https://www.wwoz.org/listen/player/ .
Thank you, Mr. Nesbit, for keeping this in the news cycle. We should be talking about nothing else. If you rarely have time or need to contact your Congress members, please do it now; they all have .gov sites with comment forms that track constituent opinions. It took me 5 minutes to hit both senators and my House rep.
I find this the most dreadful aspect of this godforsaken administration. An "army" without any regulation, carrying weapons, hiding faces. Do we need any more comparisons to black shirts, brown shirts, nazi party thugs? The people signing up for these roles used to be the ones hiding out in bunkers out in the hills and shadows of this nation. This "mobilization" must not, must not, must not be allowed to continue.
Thank you for this detailed assessment. In thinking about the events you discuss I am moved to share my own thoughts: The events of April 18th, 1775 - two hundred and fifty years ago - inspired our beloved national legend as rendered in poetic fiction by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Currently in 2026, as in 1775 and again in 1861, we in the here and now face a great trial as did the colonists in the countryside who were called to do what they could to bring forth a free and democratic nation. We were called again in 1861 to preserve that nation - our and Abraham Lincoln’s Union. Now we are once more called to be courageous, to embrace our national identity as a free and fair people, to be vigilant, as we face our own "hour of darkness and peril and need.” In 1775 the warnings went out by flashing lanterns in The Old North Church and riders on horseback in the night. Today we use whistles and smartphones with tracking apps and video cameras to warn of the approaching enemy. We know the power of peaceful protest and economic boycotts in huge numbers. And so far we still have our precious right to assemble and to vote. We must amplify our call to action until every citizen understands that now is the moment. Our cause is just but our domestic enemies are gathering power and deploying forces to take away our free and fair nation. They march through our streets with guns and masks spreading fear and sweeping people into jails like trash in the bin. We will not stand for this abuse from our so-called leaders! We see the evil they’ve wrought - the pain, suffering and death. We’ve heard the lies. Oh, the lies upon lies upon lies! Let’s not be the generation that allows our “nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” be destroyed by greedy fascists and their misguided followers. Look to the future and think of your children and grandchildren. Think of your good neighbors and those who would always lend a helping hand. Think of our beautiful life-sustaining planet Earth. All who are good and fair must now do the hard thing and resolve to take action.
I often think of the courage of the colonists and the abject, overt, very public cowardice of many elected officials and of my own friends who just "can't bear to read the news." It is our duty as citizens in a democracy to pay attention, stay informed, and act when necessary.
This country did quite well without the invasive attacks of ICE. What used to be the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) has been militarized beyond all reason and turned into a private army. If it isn't illegal, it should be. Noem, Homan, and Bovin(e)o should be impeached and charged as domestic terrorists, which Renee Good definitely was not. Congress, get to work and break up the Department of Homeland (In)Security.
The other aspect of this is the almost complete inability of the power of public opinion to affect this Administration's policies in any way. It feels that huge sections of the citizen population feel threatened by what ICE is doing and are expressing that fear through demonstrations. In an ordinary Administration, there might be some kind of reconsideration of the policy. During the Vietnam War, massive demonstrations against the war shook the country. Johnson decided not to run for re-election in 1968. He even made a peace overture to the North Vietnamese, which was apparently sabotaged by Nixon. The war continued. But the demonstrations did too. And we finally ended American involvement in the war in 1973. Today, the Administration doesn't care what the demonstrators are doing. They're trashing and defaming a mother they murdered who didn't threaten their ICE agents. On the last No Kings Day, Trump produced a charming video showing him with a crown on his head in an airplane dumping excrement on demonstrators' heads. If someone disagrees with him, he insults them and implies they're less than human. Remember, Rob Reiner? He basically said Reiner and his wife were killed because they spoke against Trump's policies. Bret Stephens, a conservative writer for the Times, called Trump "loathsome." George Will, the ultra conservative columnist for what's left of the Wash Post described the Administration a "moral slum."
Just like in past demonstrations and outcries, time is a factor. Although it is difficult to believe, the current fiasco administration is 'only" 1 year in power. Yes, I know, it seems like much, much, much too long. We keep on persevering, keep on trucking, and we shall overcome.
This is because Trump is a narcissist and a sociopath. The first can't imagine anyone else's opinion being more important than their own. The second is unable to appreciate or care for the humanity of others. We should be having a very loud, very public conversation about the consequences of electing this type of mentally ill person to the highest office in the land.
But thanks for mentioning the hurtful response to Rob Reiner's death. We all so loved him. We who are capable of recognizing the good in others.
You are right, of course. I have been reading newspapers and magazines since a very young age and I have never seen a president so psychoanalyzed in the press. Trump is so maniacal and manipulating that it's horrifying to me that we elected him twice! I Also, he's impulsive and I think he really loves chaos. He loves exercising power over other people, sadist that he is. Reading about his personality in the papers and on websites is like reading a horror novel. Except it's really happening. He thinks there are no limits on what he can do, except his own morality, which is insane, because he doesn't have any.
What are the possibilities of crashing the online government application service if thousands of us were to coordinate our “applications” to ICE simultaneously?
They can’t hire people if the people can’t apply, right?
All that money they want for massive detention centers and a paramilitary could be better spent on programs that provide social and environmental benefits - and also restore goodwill overseas.
The way these thugs are acting, I would hazard a guess that at least 75% of them are criminals themselves.
Even those who were "normal" before, now act as criminals would do. Witness the "officer" who killed Renee Good. He's been with CBP and/or ICE since 2005 or somewhere thereabouts. They must have all been instructed that nothing would happen to them, aka carte blanche, no matter how bad they treat citizens and non-citizens alike.
Again, Jen reminded me that there's no statute of limitations on murder. A future non-Trump administration could bring charges at any time. This also needs to be broadcast to the ICE thugs. I'm thinking Sen. Mark Kelly would deliver the message well :)
Jonathan Ross, the agent who murdered Renee Good, was in the U.S. Army previously deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with his National Guard Unit. The military does its best at killing and breaking things. This fits right in with his performance in ICE, and the behavior is condoned. He should be charged under state law in Minnesota where Trump can do nothing to protect him.
ICE should be de-funded and brought to a halt. They act in a lawless manner ... up to and including murder as was the case with Renee Good ... and worst of all is Noem, Vance and DJT defending murder and lying about what happened when videos show that Ms Good threatened no one's life or safety and that a murder occurred.
Minneapolis has around 600 licensed police officers. The entire state of MN has just over 10,000 active, licensed police officers.
Yesterday there were 2000 ICE/ Border Patrol agents in MN. With another 1000 en route. 3000 agents in MN.
Really?
Minneapolis Chief of Police O’Hara did an interview on a NYT podcast addressing this invasion and the chaos and havoc it is unnecessarily inflicting. I invite you to check it out.
Slate journalist Laura Jedeed showed that there are little-to-no background checks before ICE makes a job offer. She found this out by applying for a job at ICE.
This is why there are gangs of armed thugs roaming out streets.
Thanks for the summary Jeff. Unfortunately this ICE Gestapo is not just for US non residents, it's for ALL LIBERALS. Rene Good wasn't an accident, she was an early casualty of a war that is just beginning. Anyone who opposes the regime could be subject to detention and or injury/death. Rev Dr William Barber's post describes this war and was chilling to me. Jonathan Ross' (the ICE shooter) father was Proud of his accomplishment.
On the contrary, they very much ARE targeting the "worst of the worst". Unfortunately it's for their recruitment drive. Given the prizes they've recruited so far I can't wait to see what the next 10,000 are like. I'm willing to bet that the ranks of ICE agents have a higher percentage with criminal records than the people they've rounded up.
The remaining assets that belong to ICE must be frozen. Congress must refuse to appropriate any more funds to that department. Look how much we would be saving. How much money are these cities losing in terms of businesses not having customers because of fear from ICE occupation?
I especially think about the occupation of New Orleans, a Southern city that tourism lifts from otherwise certain poverty. The conventions and festivals and hotels and restaurants all depend on immigrant labor--as they do in every city, but particularly in NOLA. It's the same response from locals everywhere ICE is--people are afraid of being detained due to the way they look and talk because that is what is happening, thanks to Kavanaugh and the court. ARE YOU GETTING THIS, AMERICA?
Absolutely, there’s many immigrant owned businesses and immigrants that work in those businesses. My sister lived there 14 years and my parents and I always went during spring break for a visit while everyone else went to the beach or Disney World. It’s a popular destination this time of year. The height of the festivities this year is around February 11th and ends on Fat Tuesday February 17th. If ICE is still there then there might not be as much participation as would be expected.
The pandemic hit the city hard, and they are just now coming back. I'm a big fan of WWOZ and have made friends with a DJ long-distance. I am so grateful for their cultural gifts; it is a unique treasure trove in America. Anyone can listen online at https://www.wwoz.org/listen/player/ .
Thank you, Mr. Nesbit, for keeping this in the news cycle. We should be talking about nothing else. If you rarely have time or need to contact your Congress members, please do it now; they all have .gov sites with comment forms that track constituent opinions. It took me 5 minutes to hit both senators and my House rep.
I find this the most dreadful aspect of this godforsaken administration. An "army" without any regulation, carrying weapons, hiding faces. Do we need any more comparisons to black shirts, brown shirts, nazi party thugs? The people signing up for these roles used to be the ones hiding out in bunkers out in the hills and shadows of this nation. This "mobilization" must not, must not, must not be allowed to continue.
Agree, and please encourage friends and all to quickly let their representatives know; the funding bill vote is this month.
Thank you for this detailed assessment. In thinking about the events you discuss I am moved to share my own thoughts: The events of April 18th, 1775 - two hundred and fifty years ago - inspired our beloved national legend as rendered in poetic fiction by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Currently in 2026, as in 1775 and again in 1861, we in the here and now face a great trial as did the colonists in the countryside who were called to do what they could to bring forth a free and democratic nation. We were called again in 1861 to preserve that nation - our and Abraham Lincoln’s Union. Now we are once more called to be courageous, to embrace our national identity as a free and fair people, to be vigilant, as we face our own "hour of darkness and peril and need.” In 1775 the warnings went out by flashing lanterns in The Old North Church and riders on horseback in the night. Today we use whistles and smartphones with tracking apps and video cameras to warn of the approaching enemy. We know the power of peaceful protest and economic boycotts in huge numbers. And so far we still have our precious right to assemble and to vote. We must amplify our call to action until every citizen understands that now is the moment. Our cause is just but our domestic enemies are gathering power and deploying forces to take away our free and fair nation. They march through our streets with guns and masks spreading fear and sweeping people into jails like trash in the bin. We will not stand for this abuse from our so-called leaders! We see the evil they’ve wrought - the pain, suffering and death. We’ve heard the lies. Oh, the lies upon lies upon lies! Let’s not be the generation that allows our “nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal” be destroyed by greedy fascists and their misguided followers. Look to the future and think of your children and grandchildren. Think of your good neighbors and those who would always lend a helping hand. Think of our beautiful life-sustaining planet Earth. All who are good and fair must now do the hard thing and resolve to take action.
I often think of the courage of the colonists and the abject, overt, very public cowardice of many elected officials and of my own friends who just "can't bear to read the news." It is our duty as citizens in a democracy to pay attention, stay informed, and act when necessary.
Very poetic and expressive.
This country did quite well without the invasive attacks of ICE. What used to be the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) has been militarized beyond all reason and turned into a private army. If it isn't illegal, it should be. Noem, Homan, and Bovin(e)o should be impeached and charged as domestic terrorists, which Renee Good definitely was not. Congress, get to work and break up the Department of Homeland (In)Security.
The other aspect of this is the almost complete inability of the power of public opinion to affect this Administration's policies in any way. It feels that huge sections of the citizen population feel threatened by what ICE is doing and are expressing that fear through demonstrations. In an ordinary Administration, there might be some kind of reconsideration of the policy. During the Vietnam War, massive demonstrations against the war shook the country. Johnson decided not to run for re-election in 1968. He even made a peace overture to the North Vietnamese, which was apparently sabotaged by Nixon. The war continued. But the demonstrations did too. And we finally ended American involvement in the war in 1973. Today, the Administration doesn't care what the demonstrators are doing. They're trashing and defaming a mother they murdered who didn't threaten their ICE agents. On the last No Kings Day, Trump produced a charming video showing him with a crown on his head in an airplane dumping excrement on demonstrators' heads. If someone disagrees with him, he insults them and implies they're less than human. Remember, Rob Reiner? He basically said Reiner and his wife were killed because they spoke against Trump's policies. Bret Stephens, a conservative writer for the Times, called Trump "loathsome." George Will, the ultra conservative columnist for what's left of the Wash Post described the Administration a "moral slum."
Just like in past demonstrations and outcries, time is a factor. Although it is difficult to believe, the current fiasco administration is 'only" 1 year in power. Yes, I know, it seems like much, much, much too long. We keep on persevering, keep on trucking, and we shall overcome.
I hope you're right!
So do I and all the Contrarians :)
This is because Trump is a narcissist and a sociopath. The first can't imagine anyone else's opinion being more important than their own. The second is unable to appreciate or care for the humanity of others. We should be having a very loud, very public conversation about the consequences of electing this type of mentally ill person to the highest office in the land.
But thanks for mentioning the hurtful response to Rob Reiner's death. We all so loved him. We who are capable of recognizing the good in others.
You are right, of course. I have been reading newspapers and magazines since a very young age and I have never seen a president so psychoanalyzed in the press. Trump is so maniacal and manipulating that it's horrifying to me that we elected him twice! I Also, he's impulsive and I think he really loves chaos. He loves exercising power over other people, sadist that he is. Reading about his personality in the papers and on websites is like reading a horror novel. Except it's really happening. He thinks there are no limits on what he can do, except his own morality, which is insane, because he doesn't have any.
What are the possibilities of crashing the online government application service if thousands of us were to coordinate our “applications” to ICE simultaneously?
They can’t hire people if the people can’t apply, right?
All that money they want for massive detention centers and a paramilitary could be better spent on programs that provide social and environmental benefits - and also restore goodwill overseas.
The way these thugs are acting, I would hazard a guess that at least 75% of them are criminals themselves.
Even those who were "normal" before, now act as criminals would do. Witness the "officer" who killed Renee Good. He's been with CBP and/or ICE since 2005 or somewhere thereabouts. They must have all been instructed that nothing would happen to them, aka carte blanche, no matter how bad they treat citizens and non-citizens alike.
Again, Jen reminded me that there's no statute of limitations on murder. A future non-Trump administration could bring charges at any time. This also needs to be broadcast to the ICE thugs. I'm thinking Sen. Mark Kelly would deliver the message well :)
Jonathan Ross, the agent who murdered Renee Good, was in the U.S. Army previously deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan with his National Guard Unit. The military does its best at killing and breaking things. This fits right in with his performance in ICE, and the behavior is condoned. He should be charged under state law in Minnesota where Trump can do nothing to protect him.
ICE should be de-funded and brought to a halt. They act in a lawless manner ... up to and including murder as was the case with Renee Good ... and worst of all is Noem, Vance and DJT defending murder and lying about what happened when videos show that Ms Good threatened no one's life or safety and that a murder occurred.
Minneapolis has around 600 licensed police officers. The entire state of MN has just over 10,000 active, licensed police officers.
Yesterday there were 2000 ICE/ Border Patrol agents in MN. With another 1000 en route. 3000 agents in MN.
Really?
Minneapolis Chief of Police O’Hara did an interview on a NYT podcast addressing this invasion and the chaos and havoc it is unnecessarily inflicting. I invite you to check it out.
Slate journalist Laura Jedeed showed that there are little-to-no background checks before ICE makes a job offer. She found this out by applying for a job at ICE.
This is why there are gangs of armed thugs roaming out streets.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2026/01/ice-recruitment-minneapolis-shooting.html
Thanks for the summary Jeff. Unfortunately this ICE Gestapo is not just for US non residents, it's for ALL LIBERALS. Rene Good wasn't an accident, she was an early casualty of a war that is just beginning. Anyone who opposes the regime could be subject to detention and or injury/death. Rev Dr William Barber's post describes this war and was chilling to me. Jonathan Ross' (the ICE shooter) father was Proud of his accomplishment.
https://open.substack.com/pub/ourmoralmoment/p/the-lie-that-killed-renee-good-is?r=1aan8i&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Does anyone know how many of those ICE thugs came from outfits like the Oathkeepers or Proud Boys? Brightest and best, right?
I wonder how ICE agents feel about the fact that they have collectively become mass murderers.
On the contrary, they very much ARE targeting the "worst of the worst". Unfortunately it's for their recruitment drive. Given the prizes they've recruited so far I can't wait to see what the next 10,000 are like. I'm willing to bet that the ranks of ICE agents have a higher percentage with criminal records than the people they've rounded up.