Elena Smith
@heronelena.bsky.social
📚⚖️🦂🥂📸
Reader, Life-long Learner, Public Interest Lawyer, Amateur Photographer, Gardening, Raging Against a Fascist Takeover
Buffalo, New York
Interested in Philosophy, Real Housewives, Sunsets, Psychics, and everything between
Reader, Life-long Learner, Public Interest Lawyer, Amateur Photographer, Gardening, Raging Against a Fascist Takeover
Buffalo, New York
Interested in Philosophy, Real Housewives, Sunsets, Psychics, and everything between
Reposted by Elena Smith
Reposted by Elena Smith
Happy Valentines Day, you giddy romantics.
February 14, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Happy Valentines Day, you giddy romantics.
Reposted by Elena Smith
WATCH — @gomez.house.gov interviews Rep. @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social : “I think 🇺🇸 has been lied to about who these people are in ICE detention. That stereotype has so consumed what we think of immigrants that we’ll put a 5-year-old kid who’s done nothing wrong in prison.”
February 14, 2026 at 5:27 AM
WATCH — @gomez.house.gov interviews Rep. @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social : “I think 🇺🇸 has been lied to about who these people are in ICE detention. That stereotype has so consumed what we think of immigrants that we’ll put a 5-year-old kid who’s done nothing wrong in prison.”
Reposted by Elena Smith
Reposted by Elena Smith
Reposted by Elena Smith
NEWS: A federal grand jury has rejected the Trump regime’s attempt to indict six Democratic members of Congress for posting a video reminding service members of their oath and their duty to refuse illegal orders.
February 11, 2026 at 2:13 AM
NEWS: A federal grand jury has rejected the Trump regime’s attempt to indict six Democratic members of Congress for posting a video reminding service members of their oath and their duty to refuse illegal orders.
Reposted by Elena Smith
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
February 10, 2026 at 6:52 PM
When a sitting representative refers to the Super Bowl halftime show as “pornography,” people should use that to reflect on how they and other representatives are simultaneously working to ban, censor, and restrict “pornography” and what that actually means
Reposted by Elena Smith
A backgrounder is someone who conducts background checks.
Bloomington police announce arrests in sex trafficking bust: "Rashad Johnson out of Maple Grove. This is the most disturbing arrest that we've had here. He is a backgrounder for ICE, Homeland Security, and federal agencies."
February 10, 2026 at 9:40 PM
A backgrounder is someone who conducts background checks.
Reposted by Elena Smith
Internal White House meetings going on, like, "Hopefully the racism will distract from the pedophilia which will distract from the killings which will distract from the pedophilia again which will distract from the economy which will distract from the pedophilia a third time"
February 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM
Internal White House meetings going on, like, "Hopefully the racism will distract from the pedophilia which will distract from the killings which will distract from the pedophilia again which will distract from the economy which will distract from the pedophilia a third time"
Reposted by Elena Smith
Donald Trump spoke to an audience of religious leaders, foreign dignitaries and business elites in what will surely not go down as one of the Godliest addresses in history.
February 5, 2026 at 9:47 PM
Donald Trump spoke to an audience of religious leaders, foreign dignitaries and business elites in what will surely not go down as one of the Godliest addresses in history.
Reposted by Elena Smith
Reposted by Elena Smith
Casar holds a 3 minute and 26 second moment of silence to represent the time in which DHS officers let Renee Good bleed out after she was shot
February 3, 2026 at 10:37 PM
Casar holds a 3 minute and 26 second moment of silence to represent the time in which DHS officers let Renee Good bleed out after she was shot
Reposted by Elena Smith
Marimar Martinez, shot 5 times by Border Patrol in Chicago, speaks out after Renee Good, Alex Pretti deaths
'I am their voice'
NEW w/ @adrianacardmag.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
'I am their voice'
NEW w/ @adrianacardmag.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Marimar Martinez, shot by Border Patrol in Chicago, speaks out after Good, Pretti deaths: 'I am their voice'
In a wide-ranging interview with the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ, Martinez discusses her shooting, the federal government’s failed attempt to prosecute her and the role she now sees for herself in a fi...
chicago.suntimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Marimar Martinez, shot 5 times by Border Patrol in Chicago, speaks out after Renee Good, Alex Pretti deaths
'I am their voice'
NEW w/ @adrianacardmag.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
'I am their voice'
NEW w/ @adrianacardmag.bsky.social: chicago.suntimes.com/immigration/...
Reposted by Elena Smith
"Two clients Lawyer Eric Lee visited last week, a boy and a girl who are twins, turned 5 in the detention center....The twin 5-year-olds, and their family members who are 9, 16, and 18, have been there for an appalling eight months."
Why a Scared 5-Year-Old Boy Shook Our National Conscience
What the image of Liam Ramos, grabbed in Minnesota and thrown in detention in Texas, means for our democracy.
lnk.thebulwark.com
February 3, 2026 at 1:30 AM
"Two clients Lawyer Eric Lee visited last week, a boy and a girl who are twins, turned 5 in the detention center....The twin 5-year-olds, and their family members who are 9, 16, and 18, have been there for an appalling eight months."
Reposted by Elena Smith
"Canada cannot claim to defend human rights while exporting armoured vehicles that will be used to terrorize communities”: @greenpeaceca.bsky.social calls on MPs to halt export of armoured vehicles to U.S. immigration agency ICE
www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/pr...
www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/pr...
Greenpeace calls on MPs to halt export of armoured vehicles to U.S. immigration agency ICE - Greenpeace Canada
Toronto – Greenpeace activists unveiled a banner saying “No Canadian Arms for ICE” at the Brampton headquarters of the Canadian company that is building armoured vehicles for the U.S. Immigratio...
www.greenpeace.org
February 2, 2026 at 7:37 PM
"Canada cannot claim to defend human rights while exporting armoured vehicles that will be used to terrorize communities”: @greenpeaceca.bsky.social calls on MPs to halt export of armoured vehicles to U.S. immigration agency ICE
www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/pr...
www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/pr...
Reposted by Elena Smith
Reposted by Elena Smith
CHICAGOANS!!!!
Voting is open for the annual snowplow naming contest. And “Abolish Ice” is one of the options.
You know what to do (vote): chicagoshovels.org
Voting is open for the annual snowplow naming contest. And “Abolish Ice” is one of the options.
You know what to do (vote): chicagoshovels.org
February 1, 2026 at 6:55 PM
CHICAGOANS!!!!
Voting is open for the annual snowplow naming contest. And “Abolish Ice” is one of the options.
You know what to do (vote): chicagoshovels.org
Voting is open for the annual snowplow naming contest. And “Abolish Ice” is one of the options.
You know what to do (vote): chicagoshovels.org
Reposted by Elena Smith
NEW: A federal judge has ordered 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father RELEASED from the Dilley detention center. www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/u...
Source: Judge orders 5-year-old Liam Ramos and father released | CNN
A federal judge has ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejos Ramos and his father from the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas, according to a source with knowledge of the fed...
www.cnn.com
January 31, 2026 at 8:25 PM
NEW: A federal judge has ordered 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father RELEASED from the Dilley detention center. www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/u...
Reposted by Elena Smith
Citing fear of ICE, pregnant immigrants in Minnesota are
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
Fear of ICE is keeping pregnant immigrants in Minnesota from critical care
Health care providers in Minnesota said pregnant patients are having more complications linked to stress. But fear of immigration agents is keeping them from prenatal care.
19thnews.org
January 30, 2026 at 7:28 PM
Citing fear of ICE, pregnant immigrants in Minnesota are
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
-skipping prenatal care
-requesting home births, even when not medically advised
-going w/o adequate food
Many are experiencing complications providers say can be stress-onset: diabetes, high blood pressure, and even water breaking early
Reposted by Elena Smith
Can’t believe they released the Epstein files to cover up for the Melania movie.
January 30, 2026 at 7:47 PM
Can’t believe they released the Epstein files to cover up for the Melania movie.
Reposted by Elena Smith
My first remarks since being arrested last night.
January 30, 2026 at 11:30 PM
My first remarks since being arrested last night.
Reposted by Elena Smith
just a reminder: if fire hydrants near where you live are buried in snow after this week’s storms, it’s a mitzvah (and a gooooood workout!) to dig out around that hydrant so fire crews can get to it faster if need be.
January 28, 2026 at 5:15 AM
just a reminder: if fire hydrants near where you live are buried in snow after this week’s storms, it’s a mitzvah (and a gooooood workout!) to dig out around that hydrant so fire crews can get to it faster if need be.
Reposted by Elena Smith
My colleagues in housing court tell me the increase in evictions has already begun. We need an eviction moratorium. It can be limited only for nonpayment of rent, and even limited to protecting rent from December 1 onward, but we need to pause these evictions now. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Hotline operators report flood of calls for rental assistance as residents hide during ICE surge
211 calls from Spanish-speakers have increased more than 1,600 percent and requests for rental assistance have more than tripled, according to Greater Twin Cities United Way. Local officials are pushi...
www.mprnews.org
January 28, 2026 at 12:26 AM
My colleagues in housing court tell me the increase in evictions has already begun. We need an eviction moratorium. It can be limited only for nonpayment of rent, and even limited to protecting rent from December 1 onward, but we need to pause these evictions now. www.mprnews.org/story/2026/0...
Reposted by Elena Smith
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com