Cait
@caitesq.bsky.social
Public defender. Professional troublemaker. Burrito and word game enthusiast.
Pinned
Cait
@caitesq.bsky.social
· Aug 23
Apologies to my followers who are not here for the beansposting
Reposted by Cait
The office of U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says it has identified more than 1,000 credible reports of human rights abuses inside the U.S. immigration detention system over the course of President Trump’s first year back in the White House.
www.ajc.com/news/2026/01...
www.ajc.com/news/2026/01...
More than 1,000 alleged rights abuses in immigration detention, Ossoff finds
The Georgia Democrat’s office has produced a report that describes “an undeniable pattern of human rights abuses in immigration detention.”
www.ajc.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:27 PM
The office of U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff says it has identified more than 1,000 credible reports of human rights abuses inside the U.S. immigration detention system over the course of President Trump’s first year back in the White House.
www.ajc.com/news/2026/01...
www.ajc.com/news/2026/01...
Called my senators to say that as a condition of the DHS bill, they should demand Kristi Noem’s resignation, and also keeping CBP “at the border” needs to specify actual limits that aren’t just “within 100 miles from the border.”
January 27, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Called my senators to say that as a condition of the DHS bill, they should demand Kristi Noem’s resignation, and also keeping CBP “at the border” needs to specify actual limits that aren’t just “within 100 miles from the border.”
Reposted by Cait
Who are _refugees_. Who came through extensive vetting to enter the country legally. You know, the "right way."
An interesting thing to note: This is not the same as the random sweeps on the street. These arrests are targeted. What’s new is that ICE is targeting people who are legally present and haven’t committed crimes.
January 27, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Who are _refugees_. Who came through extensive vetting to enter the country legally. You know, the "right way."
Reposted by Cait
if you’re having a bad morning just think that you could be the person in the philadelphia office of emergency management who sent out a citywide text alert with a link to chubbyparade dot com
January 27, 2026 at 3:34 PM
if you’re having a bad morning just think that you could be the person in the philadelphia office of emergency management who sent out a citywide text alert with a link to chubbyparade dot com
Incredible, infuriating article. In these cases, “detained” means arrested and sent to Texas to immigration jail. One young man was beaten. ICE kept one woman’s papers and jewelry.
We profiled refugees who:
Arrived in the country legally.
Applied for green cards.
Were arrested by ICE and detained.
One refugee who was arrested found out they got their green card after being released.
This is an unprecedented operation.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
Arrived in the country legally.
Applied for green cards.
Were arrested by ICE and detained.
One refugee who was arrested found out they got their green card after being released.
This is an unprecedented operation.
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/u...
They ‘Had Done Everything Right.’ ICE Detained Them Anyway.
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:37 PM
Incredible, infuriating article. In these cases, “detained” means arrested and sent to Texas to immigration jail. One young man was beaten. ICE kept one woman’s papers and jewelry.
Reposted by Cait
one kind of weird aspect of this is that a relatively diverse federal agency has been sent to a very white city by white nationalists to do ethnic cleansing, where they're executing white people in the street
January 26, 2026 at 6:22 PM
one kind of weird aspect of this is that a relatively diverse federal agency has been sent to a very white city by white nationalists to do ethnic cleansing, where they're executing white people in the street
“The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and that they’re the ones who are alone.”
One thing I found deeply moving about resistance in the Twin Cities was the universalism of loving your neighbor, the philosophy driving the opposition to the ICE/BP invasion. I couldn't help but notice the contrast with the blood and soil-ism of Miller and Vance. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
January 27, 2026 at 3:19 PM
“The secret fear of the morally depraved is that virtue is actually common, and that they’re the ones who are alone.”
Reposted by Cait
One thing I found deeply moving about resistance in the Twin Cities was the universalism of loving your neighbor, the philosophy driving the opposition to the ICE/BP invasion. I couldn't help but notice the contrast with the blood and soil-ism of Miller and Vance. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
January 27, 2026 at 2:38 PM
One thing I found deeply moving about resistance in the Twin Cities was the universalism of loving your neighbor, the philosophy driving the opposition to the ICE/BP invasion. I couldn't help but notice the contrast with the blood and soil-ism of Miller and Vance. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
Reposted by Cait
That third one needs to come with a statutory cause of action.
Dems coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE, I'm told:
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
A Dem Senator’s Harsh Takedown of Trump Hits Home: “Breaking Point”
As Trump scrambles to contain the damage from the latest ICE horrors, Senator Chris Murphy offers a sharp indictment of Trump-ICE lawlessness—and explains how Dems can meet the urgency of the moment.
newrepublic.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:57 PM
That third one needs to come with a statutory cause of action.
Reposted by Cait
I post the above not because I am endorsing or opposing the specifics. It's way too premature, especially as the situation remains *extremely* fluid. But it's important for us not to lose sight of:
1. The general obstacles faced by Congressional Dems; AND
2. The need for actual, tangible fixes.
1. The general obstacles faced by Congressional Dems; AND
2. The need for actual, tangible fixes.
January 27, 2026 at 2:55 PM
I post the above not because I am endorsing or opposing the specifics. It's way too premature, especially as the situation remains *extremely* fluid. But it's important for us not to lose sight of:
1. The general obstacles faced by Congressional Dems; AND
2. The need for actual, tangible fixes.
1. The general obstacles faced by Congressional Dems; AND
2. The need for actual, tangible fixes.
Reposted by Cait
Dems do not have a majority and ICE has $75 billion outside of normal appropriations that it can spend even if DHS shuts down. Some of these asks would make actual, tangible difference (the warrant requirement being a huge one to correct an egregious illegality), but it wouldn't stop ICE in general.
Dems coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE, I'm told:
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools
"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
A Dem Senator’s Harsh Takedown of Trump Hits Home: “Breaking Point”
As Trump scrambles to contain the damage from the latest ICE horrors, Senator Chris Murphy offers a sharp indictment of Trump-ICE lawlessness—and explains how Dems can meet the urgency of the moment.
newrepublic.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:53 PM
Dems do not have a majority and ICE has $75 billion outside of normal appropriations that it can spend even if DHS shuts down. Some of these asks would make actual, tangible difference (the warrant requirement being a huge one to correct an egregious illegality), but it wouldn't stop ICE in general.
Reposted by Cait
Fetterman’s calling for Kristi Noem to be fired:
January 27, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Fetterman’s calling for Kristi Noem to be fired:
Reposted by Cait
"I am 5 years old"
Shut it all down. All of it. ICE, DHS, Border Patrol, the entire Republican Party, all the fascist billionaires, X, Tesla, Avelo, and every Democrat who supports them.
It's evil through and through.
Shut it all down. All of it. ICE, DHS, Border Patrol, the entire Republican Party, all the fascist billionaires, X, Tesla, Avelo, and every Democrat who supports them.
It's evil through and through.
January 27, 2026 at 5:46 AM
"I am 5 years old"
Shut it all down. All of it. ICE, DHS, Border Patrol, the entire Republican Party, all the fascist billionaires, X, Tesla, Avelo, and every Democrat who supports them.
It's evil through and through.
Shut it all down. All of it. ICE, DHS, Border Patrol, the entire Republican Party, all the fascist billionaires, X, Tesla, Avelo, and every Democrat who supports them.
It's evil through and through.
Reposted by Cait
Downfall Bovino Edition. You're welcome.
January 27, 2026 at 5:36 AM
Downfall Bovino Edition. You're welcome.
Reposted by Cait
It could take a generation to recover the talent lost from federal science.
But it doesn't have to. We should be ready to scale up the Presidential Management Fellowship program to triple what it once was and rebuild U.S. capacity by 2030.
But it doesn't have to. We should be ready to scale up the Presidential Management Fellowship program to triple what it once was and rebuild U.S. capacity by 2030.
How many STEM Ph.D.s were lost from the U.S. federal government last year?
My colleagues @mghersher.bsky.social and @policyhound.bsky.social dug into a recent data release to find the answer. A @science.org exclusive.
www.science.org/content/arti...
My colleagues @mghersher.bsky.social and @policyhound.bsky.social dug into a recent data release to find the answer. A @science.org exclusive.
www.science.org/content/arti...
January 27, 2026 at 5:52 AM
It could take a generation to recover the talent lost from federal science.
But it doesn't have to. We should be ready to scale up the Presidential Management Fellowship program to triple what it once was and rebuild U.S. capacity by 2030.
But it doesn't have to. We should be ready to scale up the Presidential Management Fellowship program to triple what it once was and rebuild U.S. capacity by 2030.
Reposted by Cait
franz kafka in certain situations: wow this is so me-esque
January 26, 2026 at 8:11 PM
franz kafka in certain situations: wow this is so me-esque
Reposted by Cait
Reposted by Cait
🎸 hmm, will I work this into a fun instrumental for the new album now underway? we’ll see! 🎻 #belugagrads
January 26, 2026 at 4:59 PM
🎸 hmm, will I work this into a fun instrumental for the new album now underway? we’ll see! 🎻 #belugagrads
Reposted by Cait
Victor Manuel Diaz's fundraiser. According to @lastar.bsky.social, the fund "needs to reach $4,750 by WEDNESDAY 1/28. His remains need to be repatriated to Nicaragua very soon."
This is a more direct link for Victor Manuel Diaz's fundraiser to help his mother repatriate his body to Nicaragua. The total is still only at $2,859. PayPal-friendly payment.
www.facebook.com/share/p/16Cd...
www.facebook.com/share/p/16Cd...
January 27, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Victor Manuel Diaz's fundraiser. According to @lastar.bsky.social, the fund "needs to reach $4,750 by WEDNESDAY 1/28. His remains need to be repatriated to Nicaragua very soon."
Reposted by Cait
About 100 people here, making a hellacious and constant racket with the stolid, calm patience of a people prepared to do this for hours
January 27, 2026 at 2:37 AM
About 100 people here, making a hellacious and constant racket with the stolid, calm patience of a people prepared to do this for hours
Reposted by Cait
Incredible byline
January 27, 2026 at 3:28 AM
Incredible byline
Reposted by Cait
things like can make a person’s heart grow three sizes and help retain your belief in humanity after a horrible few weeks, a horrible year, a horrible decade at the hands of a sentient ruptured anal gland spackled with bronzer
brass solidarity band performing “stand by me” in the streets of whittier next to alex pretti’s memorial. the crowd started chanting “the people united will never be defeated” so they incorporated it into the song. i love minneapolis
January 27, 2026 at 3:12 AM
things like can make a person’s heart grow three sizes and help retain your belief in humanity after a horrible few weeks, a horrible year, a horrible decade at the hands of a sentient ruptured anal gland spackled with bronzer
Reposted by Cait
One of many awful stories: “One woman, who had no history of mental illness, asked ChatGPT for advice on a major purchase she had been fretting about. After days of the bot validating her worries, she became convinced that businesses were colluding to have her investigated by the government.”
How Bad Are A.I. Delusions? We Asked People Treating Them.
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:02 AM
One of many awful stories: “One woman, who had no history of mental illness, asked ChatGPT for advice on a major purchase she had been fretting about. After days of the bot validating her worries, she became convinced that businesses were colluding to have her investigated by the government.”