Dave Byrnes
banner
djbyrnes1.bsky.social
Dave Byrnes
@djbyrnes1.bsky.social
Forklift-certified journalist in Chicago. Politics, courts & labor. Words in the Chicago Reader, Unraveled Press, The TRiiBE, Courthouse News Service and some other ones I forget right now. All opinions & bad jokes my own. DM me for news tips/Signal info.
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
The presence of electrical activity has implications for surface chemistry, future human exploration and habitability on the Red Planet
Mars Has Lightning, Scientists Prove
The presence of electrical activity has implications for surface chemistry, future human exploration and habitability on the Red Planet
www.scientificamerican.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
4/ 🚧 pilsen residents and electeds are calling on the city buildings and public health departments to stop the demolition of a southwest-side power plant.

community members first want the plant’s owner to agree to widespread environmental tests and a community benefits agreement.
Make It Make Sense: Tenants of buildling raided by feds unionizing
Plus: Layoffs at SAIC’s Video Data Bank, community members fight demolition of a southwest-side power plant, and more.
chicagoreader.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
3/ 🔬 staff at the museum of science and industry reached a tentative deal with management earlier this month, just days before unionized workers had planned to strike.

(via kerry cardoza)
Make It Make Sense: Tenants of buildling raided by feds unionizing
Plus: Layoffs at SAIC’s Video Data Bank, community members fight demolition of a southwest-side power plant, and more.
chicagoreader.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
2/ 🏛️ the school of the art institute of chicago laid off 20 people earlier this month including three of five employees at the renowned video data bank.

(via kerry cardoza)
Make It Make Sense: Tenants of buildling raided by feds unionizing
Plus: Layoffs at SAIC’s Video Data Bank, community members fight demolition of a southwest-side power plant, and more.
chicagoreader.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
this week in make it make sense, the @chicagoreader.com’s weekly news roundup:

1/ ✊ the remaining residents of the south shore apartment building raided by feds in september are unionizing to demand immediate repairs and move-out assistance.

(via @djbyrnes1.bsky.social)
Make It Make Sense: Tenants of buildling raided by feds unionizing
Plus: Layoffs at SAIC’s Video Data Bank, community members fight demolition of a southwest-side power plant, and more.
chicagoreader.com
November 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
“After Ferreira was detained, Dos Santos Rodrigues said Michael Leavitt Sr. and his father, Bob Leavitt, reached out to her.”

“‘They just kept saying, ‘Tell her to self-deport,’” she recalled. “Self-deport to where? Brazil is not her home.’” www.bostonglobe.com/2025/11/26/m...
‘Brazil is not her home.’ Mother of Karoline Leavitt’s nephew, brought to US as child, detained by ICE. - The Boston Globe
Bruna Ferreira, 33, was brought to the United States as a child in 1998. She is now in removal proceedings in Louisiana.
www.bostonglobe.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
I'm ICE, boys. I love crashing cars, getting divorced, crashing cars, bargain bin jeans, texting while driving, crashing cars, OLD GLORY, and let's not forget my one true passion in life—crashing cars
November 26, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
November 26, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
Parks commish says "we want to ensure that we’re also reducing recidivism."

Recidivism is a LOADED word. It means to reoffend. Maybe in the most flattering light to relapse.

To use recidivism to talk about people... existing...and then moving elsewhere when they're displaced is unacceptable.
November 26, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
MPR News photojournalist Kerem Yücel was hit by less-lethal munition during the operation in St. Paul today. Other photojournalists were hit as well.
More on what unfolded at the chaotic scene: www.mprnews.org/story/2025/1...
November 25, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
Photos from St. Paul today captured by MPR photojournalist Kerem Yücel. He filed them even after being hospitalized after being injured by a less lethal munition.
November 26, 2025 at 3:30 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
NEW: ICE has torn up its $180M cap on a proposed immigrant-tracking program and is now guaranteeing private surveillance firms at least $7.5M each, with potential payouts reaching $281M per vendor. The change signals a shift from “pilot” to full-scale outsourcing of street-level investigative work.
ICE Offers Up to $280 Million to Immigrant-Tracking ‘Bounty Hunter’ Firms
Immigration and Customs Enforcement lifted a $180 million cap on a proposed immigrant-tracking program while guaranteeing multimillion-dollar payouts for private surveillance firms.
www.wired.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Thread by @jmetr22b.bsky.social with a pretty bleak courtroom story: a man accused of putting a hit on Greg Bovino withdrew his pretrial release motion today, after the possibility was raised that were he released, ICE might grab him.

A court entry today confirms the release motion's withdrawl.
November 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
Defense attorney Jonathan Bedi: "After further consultation with my client, Mr. Espinoza Martinez would like to Withdraw the request for release without prejudice."
November 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
McShain says in her experience, if Espinoza Martinez is released on bond, ICE will scoop him up and he'll be removed from the district "within days."
November 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
Judge Heather McShain asks the government if there is an ICE detainer on Espinoza Martinez, who is not a U.S. citizen but has lived in Chicago for decades.
Prosecutor says there is, and it would likely be acted on if the defendant gets bond.
Now they're deciding whether to go forward
November 25, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
A hearing is underway for Juan Espinoza Martinez, accused of putting a gang-related bounty on the head of Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino.
In asking for bond, his attorneys say he's not in a gang, releasing this report showing the feds followed him in a helicopter as he took his son to a soccer game
November 25, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
in chicago’s humboldt park neighborhood at division and keystone.

agents in at least two cars. one person abducted.
November 26, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
at least five ice agents in west humboldt park this morning at kildare and le moyne
November 26, 2025 at 2:16 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
NEW — With Border Patrol Cmdr Greg Bovino gone for now, Chicago immigration advocates and community organizers are taking this moment to reflect and strategize for future federal immigration enforcement actions.

“The violence is very real and it’s affected all of us.”

thetriibe.com/2025/11/chic...
Chicago is a model of resistance for cities battling federal immigration enforcement operations • The TRiiBE
Chicago has been resisting ICE and Border Patrol by building rapid response and mutual aid networks, and providing legal defense funding.
thetriibe.com
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
20 years ago, neighbors fought to keep 21 acres of green space from being turned into a Home Depot. Today, the Dunning Read Natural Area is an oasis of natural plants and important wetlands. blockclubchi.co/48A3liI
November 26, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
Shit St Paul ICE agent aims gun
November 25, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
St. Paul
November 26, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Reposted by Dave Byrnes
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro begins serving 27-year prison sentence.
November 25, 2025 at 7:53 PM