Josh Block
banner
joshablock.bsky.social
Josh Block
@joshablock.bsky.social
Attorney @ACLULGBT. He/him. Views expressed here are my own.
Reposted by Josh Block
You can't even say "women" anymore
Breaking News: Texas A&M ended its women’s studies program and changed hundreds of courses over race and gender to comply with new policies limiting how race and gender ideology may be discussed in classrooms.
Texas A&M Ends Women’s Studies and Overhauls Hundreds of Classes on Race and Gender
New policies limiting the teaching of race and gender issues led administrators and professors to change hundreds of courses. School leaders say the rules could hurt A&M’s reputation.
nyti.ms
January 30, 2026 at 7:22 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
I'm glad this is happening because when critics said people would drive to Brooklyn, try to find a spot near Borough Hall then take the subway for the rest of the trip I was like "no, only a crazy person would do that" www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Congestion Pricing’s Unexpected Winners: Suburban Drivers
NYC’s controversial toll program hasn’t just sped up trips inside Manhattan, a new paper finds. It’s easing traffic in outer boroughs and neighboring counties.
www.bloomberg.com
January 30, 2026 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Fox News poll: The Democratic Party is favored by voters on transgender issues by 22 points
Fox News Poll: An early look at the 2026 midterms
Fox News poll shows Democrats leading Republicans 52% to 46% in generic congressional ballot for midterm elections, highest Democratic support recorded.
www.foxnews.com
January 30, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Reposted by Josh Block
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Can confirm.
Heated Rivalry (2025)
January 28, 2026 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Reposted by Josh Block
Her name is Stella Carlson, and she’s come forward.

bsky.app/profile/cweb...
This is testimony…

📌 Stella Carlson, “Pink coat lady”, speaks on the murder of Alex Pretti.

“After the shooting, they (ICE) decided to just scatter and save themselves.”
January 28, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
My former ACLU colleagues have filed suit over the Venezuela boat strikes, which they (properly) characterize as “murders, ordered by individuals at the highest levels of government.” www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/u...
Trinidadian Families File Wrongful Death Lawsuit Over Boat Strike by U.S. Military
www.nytimes.com
January 27, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Hi, @chrismurphyct.bsky.social. Section 1983 needs to include federal law enforcement. Dealbreaker otherwise.
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...
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 3:10 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
JUST IN: 3rd Circuit rejects Justice Dept request for en banc (full court) review of ruling disqualifying Trump's choice for US Attorney in NJ, Alina Habba. Apparent 8-3 vote. Fmr DOJ official Bove did not take part. Doc www.documentcloud.org/documents/26... Earlier: www.politico.com/news/2025/12...
GiraudEBOrd012626
www.documentcloud.org
January 26, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Man Forced To Come Up With 45 Seconds Of Facial Expressions While Waitress Lists Off Specials https://theonion.com/man-forced-to-come-up-with-45-seconds-of-facial-express-1819577896/
January 25, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Poem by @amandagorman.bsky.social (via Twitter):
For Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
x.com/i/status/201...
January 25, 2026 at 7:44 PM
And then for the past year intervened repeatedly to allowed Trump to violate statute after statute after statute.

bsky.app/profile/mfor...
SCOTUS let an insurrectionist run for president again and then gave him criminal immunity for his “official acts.” Everything flows from that.
What authority does ICE have to arrest or detain citizens who witnessed a homicide?
January 24, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
SCOTUS let an insurrectionist run for president again and then gave him criminal immunity for his “official acts.” Everything flows from that.
What authority does ICE have to arrest or detain citizens who witnessed a homicide?
Per this report ICE has detained several witnesses
January 24, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Apologies, wrong link in the first post (there are two letters).

Correct link here: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

I suggest reading in full…it’s really something. The judge, by the way, is a Bush appointee and two-time Scalia clerk.

bsky.app/profile/anna...
January 24, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
A magistrate judge found no probable cause to support arrest warrants for 5 people involved in the St. Paul church protest.

DOJ appealed to the 8th Cir.

That appeal led to this remarkable letter from the Chief Judge of the Minnesota district court…

storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 24, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
@rikiwilchins.bsky.social 2026 Jan 23 Advocate: Skeptical fed appellate judges from left and right grill govt lawyers for 3 hours on "meaningless process" of trans military ban. “It’s just moving paper around. There’s no chance one of the plaintiffs could continue to serve," said one.
Skeptical judges grill Trump government lawyers on logic of ‘meaningless process’ in trans military ban
“It’s just moving paper around. There’s no chance that one of the plaintiffs could continue to serve," Judge Judith Rogers told government lawyers.
www.advocate.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:46 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Newly unsealed evidence makes it even clearer that Rubio and Noem knew they were targeting students based solely on their political speech and that they knew this policy was unconstitutional. They just didn’t care. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/22/u...
January 23, 2026 at 11:30 AM
The full extent of these purges wouldn’t have been possible if SCOTUS hadn’t (on the emergency docket) let Trump unlawfully fire the Special Counsel and members of the MSPB.
January 22, 2026 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
🚨HOLY CRAP. An ICE whistleblower just revealed a secret memo authorizing ICE officers to break into homes without a judicial warrant, which DHS's own legal training materials say is unconstitutional!

ICE then hid the memo from the public, passing it along by word of mouth and private conversation.
January 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
It's one retirement, Michael. What could it cost, 10 homes?
Those people are tripping. The disconnect from reality is so huge that one can wonder if they are not psychotic.

Scott Bessent: “Someone, maybe your parents for their retirement have bought 5, 10, 12 homes.”
January 21, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Trump Administration Drops Appeal in School D.E.I. Lawsuit www.nytimes.com/2026/01/21/u...
Trump Administration Drops Appeal in School D.E.I. Lawsuit
www.nytimes.com
January 21, 2026 at 8:15 PM
Sutton and Murphy write concurrence putting a target on Title IX's athletic regulations and interpretative guidance. When we talk about the great progress Title IX made for women's athletic opportunities, these are the provisions responsible for it. www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions.pdf...
www.opn.ca6.uscourts.gov
January 20, 2026 at 10:05 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
MORE: DOJ revealed these "corrections" to the record in a long-running lawsuit against DOGE's access to Social Security systems. The corrections describe broader access — and potential dissemination — than previously described in court. www.politico.com/news/2026/01...
January 20, 2026 at 6:54 PM
Reposted by Josh Block
Florida Passes Law Granting Viruses Personhood https://theonion.com/florida-passes-law-granting-viruses-personhood/
January 19, 2026 at 4:30 PM