Mark Welch
@markwelch.bsky.social
• ex-reporter ex-teacher ex-attorney, he/him
• law, journalism, education, security, privacy, surveillance tech, AI fairness, bias, face recognition, Blue Dot, LFL
• Springfield MO <NorCal <NH <MA <WI
• UC Berkeley JD'89; UMass Amherst BA'83
• law, journalism, education, security, privacy, surveillance tech, AI fairness, bias, face recognition, Blue Dot, LFL
• Springfield MO <NorCal <NH <MA <WI
• UC Berkeley JD'89; UMass Amherst BA'83
Pinned
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
Reposted by Mark Welch
What are the names?
How can the regime's claim about putting on leave immigration agents be trusted without knowing their names?
Trump upgraded the lifestyle of Epstein pedophile sex ring operator Ghislaine Maxwell, but didn't release the Epstein files.
Who trusts Trump or his DHS goons, really?
How can the regime's claim about putting on leave immigration agents be trusted without knowing their names?
Trump upgraded the lifestyle of Epstein pedophile sex ring operator Ghislaine Maxwell, but didn't release the Epstein files.
Who trusts Trump or his DHS goons, really?
Minneapolis live updates: Two Border Patrol agents who fired their guns in Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting have been put on leave
Follow live updates on a preliminary Department of Homeland Security report sent to Congress on Alex Pretti’s fatal shooting in Minnesota that said two officers fired their guns during the struggle.
www.nbcnews.com
January 28, 2026 at 6:47 PM
What are the names?
How can the regime's claim about putting on leave immigration agents be trusted without knowing their names?
Trump upgraded the lifestyle of Epstein pedophile sex ring operator Ghislaine Maxwell, but didn't release the Epstein files.
Who trusts Trump or his DHS goons, really?
How can the regime's claim about putting on leave immigration agents be trusted without knowing their names?
Trump upgraded the lifestyle of Epstein pedophile sex ring operator Ghislaine Maxwell, but didn't release the Epstein files.
Who trusts Trump or his DHS goons, really?
Reposted by Mark Welch
"The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver. 🌻
January 27, 2026 at 9:37 PM
"The Summer Day" by Mary Oliver. 🌻
Reposted by Mark Welch
Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT, which triggered an internal cybersecurity warning — & a DHS-level damage assessment. www.politico.com/news/2026/01... Incompetence is his qualification—it’s not a bug it’s a an utterly putinous feature. #loligarchy
Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT
The interim director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency triggered an internal cybersecurity warning with the uploads — and a DHS-level damage assessment.
www.politico.com
January 28, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT, which triggered an internal cybersecurity warning — & a DHS-level damage assessment. www.politico.com/news/2026/01... Incompetence is his qualification—it’s not a bug it’s a an utterly putinous feature. #loligarchy
Reposted by Mark Welch
👀 Judge Schlitz, the chief federal judge in Minnesota, has ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appeal personally in court Friday and threatened him with contempt for the agency’s repeated violation of court orders.
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
January 27, 2026 at 11:34 AM
👀 Judge Schlitz, the chief federal judge in Minnesota, has ordered the head of ICE, Todd Lyons, to appeal personally in court Friday and threatened him with contempt for the agency’s repeated violation of court orders.
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
“The court’s patience is at an end.” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by Mark Welch
“If the 2C threshold is breached, the new dataset indicates the number of people experiencing extreme heat will increase from 1.54 billion people (which was 23% of the world population in 2010) to 3.79 billion (41% of the projected world population in 2050).” www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Number of people living in extreme heat to double by 2050 if 2C rise occurs, study finds
Scientists expect 41% of the projected global population to face the extremes, with ‘no part of the world’ immune
www.theguardian.com
January 27, 2026 at 10:29 AM
“If the 2C threshold is breached, the new dataset indicates the number of people experiencing extreme heat will increase from 1.54 billion people (which was 23% of the world population in 2010) to 3.79 billion (41% of the projected world population in 2050).” www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Mark Welch
One human rights observer in Maine said agents followed her home, blocked off her street, and came to her door to say they know where she lives. Her children are now staying elsewhere, to keep them safe.
Now in Maine: ICE watchers say federal agents are coming to their house to threaten and intimidate them.
www.pressherald.com/2026/01/23/i...
www.pressherald.com/2026/01/23/i...
ICE watchers in Maine say they were threatened by federal agents
Community members have been monitoring the activity of immigration agents in Greater Portland.
www.pressherald.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:14 AM
One human rights observer in Maine said agents followed her home, blocked off her street, and came to her door to say they know where she lives. Her children are now staying elsewhere, to keep them safe.
Reposted by Mark Welch
Suella Braverman, "There is a very strong case to increase the powers of any immigration enforcement officers that we deploy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
January 26, 2026 at 9:35 PM
Suella Braverman, "There is a very strong case to increase the powers of any immigration enforcement officers that we deploy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
Reposted by Mark Welch
Energy Department Cancels Solar Program For Low Income Residents Of Puerto Rico cleantechnica.com/2026/01/26/e...
Energy Department Cancels Solar Program For Low Income Residents Of Puerto Rico - CleanTechnica
The federal government has pulled the rug out from under Puerto Rico again by cancelling funding for distributed solar.
cleantechnica.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:59 AM
Energy Department Cancels Solar Program For Low Income Residents Of Puerto Rico cleantechnica.com/2026/01/26/e...
January 26, 2026 at 8:14 PM
What could possibly go wrong? Will such regulations be intelligible and enforceable? What loopholes will the techbros push into these regs?
The Trump administration is planning to use artificial intelligence to write federal transportation regulations, which include rules that keep airplanes in the sky, prevent gas pipelines from exploding and stop freight trains carrying toxic chemicals from skidding off the rails.
Trump’s Department of Transportation Plans to Use AI to Draft New Regulations
The agency oversees rules that keep airplanes in the sky and prevent gas pipelines from exploding, among other things.
truthout.org
January 26, 2026 at 7:18 PM
What could possibly go wrong? Will such regulations be intelligible and enforceable? What loopholes will the techbros push into these regs?
Reposted by Mark Welch
Here's a statement from Gov. Walz' office on the call he had with Trump today. According to this, Trump apparently agreed to speak to DHS about allowing the Minnesota BCA to conduct an independent investigation.
January 26, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Here's a statement from Gov. Walz' office on the call he had with Trump today. According to this, Trump apparently agreed to speak to DHS about allowing the Minnesota BCA to conduct an independent investigation.
"They will be named. You can count on that. They will be shunned. Their families will be run out of decent neighborhoods. They will not be able to secure a good job. Their children will, or will contemplate, changing their names."
January 26, 2026 at 7:15 PM
"They will be named. You can count on that. They will be shunned. Their families will be run out of decent neighborhoods. They will not be able to secure a good job. Their children will, or will contemplate, changing their names."
Reposted by Mark Welch
Big Brother Watch responds to Home Secretary’s #facialrecognition expansion announcement - bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/press-releas... "one of the most significant threats to civil liberties in the history of British policing" #privacy
Big Brother Watch responds to Home Secretary’s facial recognition expansion announcement — Big Brother Watch
bigbrotherwatch.org.uk
January 26, 2026 at 7:07 PM
Big Brother Watch responds to Home Secretary’s #facialrecognition expansion announcement - bigbrotherwatch.org.uk/press-releas... "one of the most significant threats to civil liberties in the history of British policing" #privacy
Reposted by Mark Welch
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
January 25, 2026 at 6:26 PM
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
Reposted by Mark Welch
Literally the Party telling you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears
"We don't require a video. We have an official statement from DHS which has not been disproven." - Walter Hudson, Republican Representative from Albert Lea.
January 25, 2026 at 8:32 PM
Literally the Party telling you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears
Reposted by Mark Welch
Bill Melugin of Fox News may be the best-sourced journalist within ICE and CBP. If he's hearing this, the administration has a real problem.
January 26, 2026 at 12:55 AM
Bill Melugin of Fox News may be the best-sourced journalist within ICE and CBP. If he's hearing this, the administration has a real problem.
Reposted by Mark Welch
We have a new paper in Science today on how malicious AI swarms can threaten democracy.
AI systems can already coordinate autonomously, infiltrate communities, and fabricate social consensus.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Led by @kunstjonas.bsky.social & @daniel-thilo.bsky.social!
AI systems can already coordinate autonomously, infiltrate communities, and fabricate social consensus.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Led by @kunstjonas.bsky.social & @daniel-thilo.bsky.social!
January 22, 2026 at 7:09 PM
We have a new paper in Science today on how malicious AI swarms can threaten democracy.
AI systems can already coordinate autonomously, infiltrate communities, and fabricate social consensus.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Led by @kunstjonas.bsky.social & @daniel-thilo.bsky.social!
AI systems can already coordinate autonomously, infiltrate communities, and fabricate social consensus.
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Led by @kunstjonas.bsky.social & @daniel-thilo.bsky.social!
Reposted by Mark Welch
Yesterday, I awoke to news of another ICE killing in MN. On Bluesky, the conversation was deeply critical of ICE. But I wanted to see how things were going on X. Surprisingly, the attempts there to blame the victim weren't getting as much traction as I suspected. So I wrote a thing.
Another Killing on ICE
The right wing propaganda machine can’t spin the killing of Alex Pretti
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 4:51 AM
Yesterday, I awoke to news of another ICE killing in MN. On Bluesky, the conversation was deeply critical of ICE. But I wanted to see how things were going on X. Surprisingly, the attempts there to blame the victim weren't getting as much traction as I suspected. So I wrote a thing.
Reposted by Mark Welch
Remarkable work documenting a year of escalations, from @chrischirp.bsky.social. “a chart of actions over the last year – I’ve logged almost 200 and so have only been able to label the most significant”: christinapagel.substack.com/p/the-ice-st...
The ICE Storm: a year-long escalation
Funding, law, rhetoric, violence. How each has fed the other to lead here
christinapagel.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Remarkable work documenting a year of escalations, from @chrischirp.bsky.social. “a chart of actions over the last year – I’ve logged almost 200 and so have only been able to label the most significant”: christinapagel.substack.com/p/the-ice-st...
“our government and agents of our government are not engaging in good faith with what we’re seeing with our own eyes.”
January 26, 2026 at 10:59 AM
“our government and agents of our government are not engaging in good faith with what we’re seeing with our own eyes.”
Reposted by Mark Welch
Seeing the US government flail in trying to frame these as anything but executions by incompetent trigger happy goons makes me feel like I owe an apology to the FSB morons I mocked for trying to stage an apartment as a Ukrainian terror plot but planting a copy of The Sims III instead of 3 SIM cards.
January 26, 2026 at 10:04 AM
Seeing the US government flail in trying to frame these as anything but executions by incompetent trigger happy goons makes me feel like I owe an apology to the FSB morons I mocked for trying to stage an apartment as a Ukrainian terror plot but planting a copy of The Sims III instead of 3 SIM cards.
Reposted by Mark Welch
The militia goons who fired shots at Alex need to be identified & brought to justice. 7 of them were on him. Beat & pepper sprayed & then murdered him at close range. Shooting him after he lay lifeless on the ground. Gift article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Timeline: How the Shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti Unfolded (Gift Article)
A moment-by-moment analysis of videos from the scene shows that Mr. Pretti was already restrained when shots were fired. The footage contradicts the federal government’s account of the fatal shooting.
www.nytimes.com
January 26, 2026 at 3:20 AM
The militia goons who fired shots at Alex need to be identified & brought to justice. 7 of them were on him. Beat & pepper sprayed & then murdered him at close range. Shooting him after he lay lifeless on the ground. Gift article www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
January 25, 2026 at 6:26 PM
If not now, then when?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
If not us, then who?
If not me, then who?
What action?
Reposted by Mark Welch
“Print soon, or I shall overflow with more rhyme.”—poet Lord Byron, as he sent his agent constant additions and changes to his manuscript during the publication process.
(I'm glaring at a few of you who are guilty of such behavior.)
(I'm glaring at a few of you who are guilty of such behavior.)
January 25, 2026 at 3:37 PM
“Print soon, or I shall overflow with more rhyme.”—poet Lord Byron, as he sent his agent constant additions and changes to his manuscript during the publication process.
(I'm glaring at a few of you who are guilty of such behavior.)
(I'm glaring at a few of you who are guilty of such behavior.)
Reposted by Mark Welch
Anyone else read Number the Stars as a kid? This feels reminiscent. #historicalfiction
Some immigrant parents, fearful of their children facing similar uncertainty if they were to be arrested, detained or deported are taking the extreme step of legally transferring parental authority to teachers, co-workers, fellow parishioners and neighbors.
Fearing ICE, parents make plans for their children’s care
Some families give legal authority to others to make key decisions about a child’s life if a parent is detained and deported.
bit.ly
January 25, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Anyone else read Number the Stars as a kid? This feels reminiscent. #historicalfiction