Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Jessica Washington

The Intercept @theintercept.com · 1h

@akelalacy.bsky.social, @radleybalko.bsky.social, and @nickturse.bsky.social discussed Trump's rhetoric and rationale to justify extrajudicial killings abroad — and possibly at home.

License to Kill: Trump’s Extrajudicial Executions

Akela Lacy, Radley Balko, and Nick Turse on the administration’s rhetoric and rationale to justify extrajudicial killings abroad — and possibly at home.

interc.pt

1 14 27

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Anna Merlan @annamerlan.bsky.social · 3h

You simply have to read this @juliannemcshane.bsky.social and @kieraevebutler.bsky.social joint and not just because there's way more levitation in it than you would think possible. The Archangel Michael is also somehow involved www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

From medicine to mysticism: the radicalization of Florida's top doc

Joseph Ladapo was a normie—until he met his wife and a guru into levitating and communicating with spirits.

www.motherjones.com

3 25 73

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 3h

ICE isn't supposed to detain pregnant women except in extenuating circumstances, but our reporting found that the Trump administration appears to be detaining pregnant women at alarming rates in deplorable conditions.

Read my latest for @theintercept.com

theintercept.com/2025/10/10/i...

The Trump Administration Is Hiding How Many Pregnant People Are in ICE Detention

The evidence indicates ICE is detaining pregnant women at alarming rates, in rapidly deteriorating conditions.

theintercept.com

3 80 110

Reposted by Jessica Washington

NPR @npr.org · 3h

ICE claims assaults on its officers are up sharply since June. There's no public evidence that number is true.

White House claims "more than 1,000%" rise in assaults on ICE agents, data says otherwise

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers claim assaults on their officers are up sharply since June. There's no public evidence that number is true.

n.pr

160 310 990

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Akela Lacy @akelalacy.bsky.social · 3h

NEW POD 🎧: The Trump admin has executed 21 people it claims were “narcoterrorists.” It's a dark turn in U.S. drug war policy. It’s also in line with the U.S. legacy of killing innocent people chalking it up to “collateral damage,” says @radleybalko.bsky.social
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l...

License to Kill: Trump’s Extrajudicial Executions

Podcast Episode · The Intercept Briefing · 10/10/2025 · 42m

podcasts.apple.com

3 21 70

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 1d

I wrote about the inherent contradiction between the Trump administration's MAHA agenda and its refusal to investigate or halt the dumping of toxic chemicals into our food, water and air.

theintercept.com/2025/10/02/r...

1 37 62

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 1d

People not responding to my emails (who were probably already not going to respond) is obviously not the worst part of the shutdown, but it is personally annoying.

2

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 2d

Really vital reporting from @streetsensedc.bsky.social

Harms Committed @harmscommitted.com · 2d

"Everything else was thrown away."

"[F]eeling pushed, feeling forced, feeling like I didn't count as a person in D.C."

"Thankful he'd worn two layers of clothes, Kingery looked at his now-empty street corner with nothing but the bruises on his back."
#WashingtonDC #USA #Policing #Housing

Two months after the federal takeover began, these homeless D.C. residents are still in hiding - Street Sense Media

Here are the stories of 6 people who were affected by Trump and D.C.’s crackdown on people sleeping outside.

streetsensemedia.org

1 5

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Nick Turse @nickturse.bsky.social · 2d

"The Sinister Reason Trump Is Itching to Invoke the Insurrection Act" by the incomparable @natashalennard.bsky.social
theintercept.com/2025/10/07/t...

The Sinister Reason Trump Is Itching to Invoke the Insurrection Act

An authoritarian’s dream, the Insurrection Act is ripe for abuse — and Trump’s Cabinet is already setting up his justification to use it.

theintercept.com

4 26 55

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 2d

Looking to speak with families with young children in Chicago for a story on how the ICE raids are impacting them. Reach out to [email protected], if you're interested.

1 44 71

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Lauren Harper @laurenleharper.bsky.social · 3d

Don't love the "use AI so you can more efficiently delete records and not provide as many documents in response to FOIA" angle

Agencies Increasingly Applying AI in Processing FOIA Requests, Says Report

Almost a fifth of federal entities that process FOIA requests are using AI and machine learning, and those “early adopters are demonstrating the ability

www.fedweek.com

1 3 7

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 3d

Some good news on a story I covered for once!

elpasomatters.org/2025/10/01/e...

El Paso DACA recipient Catalina 'Xóchitl' Santiago freed by ICE Wednesday on federal judge's order

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone ruled that ICE must release El Paso DACA recipient Catalina “Xóchitl” Santiago, who has been detained since Aug. 3.

elpasomatters.org

11 41

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 4d

This footnote to Illinois and Chicago's lawsuit against Trump is an important reminder:

* There is no Department of War or Secretary of War, which are make-believe names for the actual agencies created by Congress.

Doc storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

53 990 3.4K

Reposted by Jessica Washington

The Intercept @theintercept.com · 6d

Amid the Republican-Democrat shutdown blame game, a federal judge’s extraordinary ruling is taking on Trump’s unlawful detentions of pro-Palestine protesters.

Listen on
Apple: interc.pt/4o6oPZG
Spotify: interc.pt/3ITmDFI
Everywhere else: interc.pt/3VNv3l8

Inside the Government Shutdown and Free Speech Showdown

YouTube video by The Intercept

youtube.com

2 15 30

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 4d

Genuinely could not stop talking about this story all weekend.

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 4d

I wrote about the political marriage between crony capitalism and fringe health conspiracism in the Trump administration, and its many many contradictions. theintercept.com/2025/10/02/r...

MAHA Slams “Corporate Capture” by Food and Pharma Giants — While Trump Strips Regulations

RFK Jr.’s rhetoric can appeal to desperate parents in a broken health system. But experts say his policies only hurt children.

theintercept.com

1 11 34

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 8d

We need a bigger national spotlight on this building raid, fam. Agents dropped from helicopters onto the roof. Citizens and non-citizens alike were dragged from their homes in the night. People who weren't kidnapped during the raid had their belongings seized after the fact. This is madness.

Preorder Read This When Things Fall Apart @mskellymhayes.bsky.social · 8d

"Jones, 27, is among the residents left at 7500 S. South Shore Drive who are trying to piece together what remains after an early morning, high-powered federal immigration raid led to the arrests of dozens of their neighbors at their South Shore apartment building."

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

chicago.suntimes.com

230 5.5K 8.8K

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 8d

Went to the Hill yesterday to cover the shutdown. The anger from Republicans about Dems picking this healthcare fight is really interesting given the last decade.

1 13 81

Reposted by Jessica Washington

The Intercept @theintercept.com · 9d

A judge just smacked down the Trump administration’s targeting of pro-Palestinian speech, comparing it to the Red Scare.

The Reagan-appointed judge kind of went off.

Read more: interc.pt/483AWlr

✍️ @shawnmusgrave.bsky.social 📹 @jordanuhl.com

This Judge WENT OFF On The Trump Administration's Targeting Of Pro-Palestine Speech #politics

YouTube video by The Intercept

youtube.com

1 52 160

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 9d

What a time to be covering the White House and health care.

Axios @axios.com · 9d

Trump orders $50M for AI in pediatric cancer research

The move is part of a broader embrace of artificial intelligence across federal agencies but comes as the administration is slashing biomedical research spending and pausing grants.

www.axios.com

1

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 10d

Based on some of my conversations with veteran groups about the culture of military sexual violence under Hegseth, this feels deeply concerning.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10d

Hegseth: "You should not pay for an earnest mistake for your entire career. That's why today, at my direction, we're making changes to the retention of adverse information on personnel records."

37 160 730

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 10d

Ohhh this was significantly weirder than I thought it would be.

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 10d

Hegseth: "It all starts with physical fitness and appearance. If the secretary of war can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force. Frankly, it's tiring to look out at combat formations and see fat troops. Likewise, it's completely unacceptable to see fat generals and admirals."

2

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 11d

The Trump administration is trying to hold a DACA recipient and activist in immigration detention indefinitely, even after a judge dismissed her case.

Read my latest for @theintercept.com theintercept.com/2025/09/29/t...

The Trump Administration Is Arguing It Can Hold Dreamers Indefinitely

Immigration experts warn the Trump administration is trying to keep a DACA recipient in detention so her protected status expires.

theintercept.com

36 50

Reposted by Jessica Washington

Nick Turse @nickturse.bsky.social · 11d

The Trump Administration Is Arguing It Can Hold Dreamers Indefinitely

More must-read reporting by @jesswash.bsky.social

theintercept.com/2025/09/29/t...

The Trump Administration Is Arguing It Can Hold Dreamers Indefinitely

Immigration experts warn the Trump administration is trying to keep a DACA recipient in detention so her protected status expires.

theintercept.com

1 9 17

Jessica Washington @jesswash.bsky.social · 14d

A thing no one prepares you for in political journalism is the extent to which you have to ask the government questions like they're a wily trickster who can only answer if it's phrased a specific way.

3