May-lee Chai (she/her)
@mayleechai.bsky.social
Writer. Prof at SFSU. Tomorrow in Shanghai & Other Stories; Useful Phrases for Immigrants; The Girl from Purple Mountain, etc. Board member of NBCC @bookcritics. Web: https://may-leechai.com/
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
BREAKING: The Trump administraiton has committed a mass violation of ICE detainees' constitutional rights in MN, effectively blocking their acess to attorneys in the Whipple building, a judge ruled tonight.
The judge: Trump appointeee Nancy Brasel
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The judge: Trump appointeee Nancy Brasel
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
February 13, 2026 at 12:00 AM
BREAKING: The Trump administraiton has committed a mass violation of ICE detainees' constitutional rights in MN, effectively blocking their acess to attorneys in the Whipple building, a judge ruled tonight.
The judge: Trump appointeee Nancy Brasel
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The judge: Trump appointeee Nancy Brasel
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Calling it "Citizens United" instead of "Corporations Unleashed" makes our cause to stop billionaires from purchasing themselves politicians and thus total say over our lives sound like we oppose "people being in solidarity."
Let's not do same with the Eliminating Voters Act.
Let's not do same with the Eliminating Voters Act.
February 12, 2026 at 11:09 PM
Calling it "Citizens United" instead of "Corporations Unleashed" makes our cause to stop billionaires from purchasing themselves politicians and thus total say over our lives sound like we oppose "people being in solidarity."
Let's not do same with the Eliminating Voters Act.
Let's not do same with the Eliminating Voters Act.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
NEW @ms.now: The lawyer representing the woman who was shot 5x by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago in Oct says the agent is the subject of a criminal investigation by the US Attorneys Office. This would be a remarkable shift in a case that started w/ the gov’t trying to prosecute the woman he shot ⬇️
Agent investigated in Chicago woman’s shooting, her lawyer says
The attorney for Marimar Martinez says prosecutors told him the agent who shot her five times is facing a criminal probe.
www.ms.now
February 12, 2026 at 11:25 PM
NEW @ms.now: The lawyer representing the woman who was shot 5x by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago in Oct says the agent is the subject of a criminal investigation by the US Attorneys Office. This would be a remarkable shift in a case that started w/ the gov’t trying to prosecute the woman he shot ⬇️
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Literally fuck around and find out.
New poll: In 2024, low-engagement voters went for Trump over Harris by 11 percentage points. But now they disapprove of the way he's handling the presidency by 13. They have moved 25 points against Trump — 2x as large as the shift for high-knowledge voters www.gelliottmorris.com/p/trump-lost...
Trump has lost the voters who weren’t paying attention in 2024
The least-engaged Americans have swung 25 points against him since 2024 — about twice the shift among everyone else. Trump has flattened the engagement gap.
www.gelliottmorris.com
February 12, 2026 at 11:30 PM
Literally fuck around and find out.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Lana in Gaza is trying to raise funds for food for her family and her father’s medicine , if you can help. chuffed.org/project/1401...
Help Me Rebuild My Life and Education – Gaza is Bleeding, and We’re Just Trying to Survive
Hello,My name is Lana Zaiter, a university student from Gaza Strip, majoring in Elementary Education. I was supposed to graduate this year, but the ongoing war in Gaza has stolen that dream from me — ...
chuffed.org
February 12, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Lana in Gaza is trying to raise funds for food for her family and her father’s medicine , if you can help. chuffed.org/project/1401...
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
TikTok, like so many other companies, has trackers built into websites all over the internet. That's old news
But TikTok just launched major updates to it's "pixel," one of the tools used to harvest data from other parts of the web that have nothing to do with TikTok
/2 www.bbc.com/future/artic...
But TikTok just launched major updates to it's "pixel," one of the tools used to harvest data from other parts of the web that have nothing to do with TikTok
/2 www.bbc.com/future/artic...
TikTok is tracking you, even if you don't use the app. Here's how to stop it
TikTok is growing its data harvesting empire, and avoiding the app won’t protect you – but some easy steps can keep you safe.
www.bbc.com
February 11, 2026 at 6:12 PM
TikTok, like so many other companies, has trackers built into websites all over the internet. That's old news
But TikTok just launched major updates to it's "pixel," one of the tools used to harvest data from other parts of the web that have nothing to do with TikTok
/2 www.bbc.com/future/artic...
But TikTok just launched major updates to it's "pixel," one of the tools used to harvest data from other parts of the web that have nothing to do with TikTok
/2 www.bbc.com/future/artic...
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
NEW: No TikTok account? They're tracking you anyway
TikTok harvests sensitive and embarrassing information about you even if you don't use the app. Last week I watched websites send TikTok data on cancer diagnoses, fertility treatment, and mental health crises
Here's what you can do about it:
/1
TikTok harvests sensitive and embarrassing information about you even if you don't use the app. Last week I watched websites send TikTok data on cancer diagnoses, fertility treatment, and mental health crises
Here's what you can do about it:
/1
February 11, 2026 at 6:12 PM
NEW: No TikTok account? They're tracking you anyway
TikTok harvests sensitive and embarrassing information about you even if you don't use the app. Last week I watched websites send TikTok data on cancer diagnoses, fertility treatment, and mental health crises
Here's what you can do about it:
/1
TikTok harvests sensitive and embarrassing information about you even if you don't use the app. Last week I watched websites send TikTok data on cancer diagnoses, fertility treatment, and mental health crises
Here's what you can do about it:
/1
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
I'm going to write one long thread over the next couple of days about the people I worked with at the Post. They deserve the extra time and attention. I'll start with someone you likely know well: @roncharles.bsky.social 1/TK
February 12, 2026 at 5:56 PM
I'm going to write one long thread over the next couple of days about the people I worked with at the Post. They deserve the extra time and attention. I'll start with someone you likely know well: @roncharles.bsky.social 1/TK
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Three things (among dozens) to say about Ron: Everyone knows he's funny. The day after he accepted the Nona Balakian award from the NBCC in 2008, I emailed him, as a stranger, to thank him for such uncharacteristic levity at a literary event. He brings the same joy to his colleagues, all the time.
February 12, 2026 at 6:01 PM
Three things (among dozens) to say about Ron: Everyone knows he's funny. The day after he accepted the Nona Balakian award from the NBCC in 2008, I emailed him, as a stranger, to thank him for such uncharacteristic levity at a literary event. He brings the same joy to his colleagues, all the time.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
"There are still plenty of places to read about literature, many of them excellent.... But they are produced for an audience that already knows it cares about literature. The books section of a newspaper plays an altogether different role. It does not cater to aficionados; it seeks new recruits."
Becca Rothfeld, a former critic at the Washington Post, on the death of the paper’s books section. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/zmzLbN
The End of Books Coverage at the Washington Post
Becca Rothfeld, a former critic at the Washington Post, on the death of the paper’s books section.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
February 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM
"There are still plenty of places to read about literature, many of them excellent.... But they are produced for an audience that already knows it cares about literature. The books section of a newspaper plays an altogether different role. It does not cater to aficionados; it seeks new recruits."
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
BREAKING: A judge temporarily blocks the Pentagon from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for calling on U.S. troops to resist unlawful orders.
Judge temporarily blocks Pentagon from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for call to resist unlawful orders
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Pentagon from punishing Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, a former U.S.
bit.ly
February 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM
BREAKING: A judge temporarily blocks the Pentagon from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for calling on U.S. troops to resist unlawful orders.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Walz: "The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. There's going to be accountability on things that happened, but one of them is the incredible and immense cost borne by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible."
February 12, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Walz: "The federal government needs to pay for what they broke here. There's going to be accountability on things that happened, but one of them is the incredible and immense cost borne by the people of this state. The federal government needs to be responsible."
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Vermont Congressmember Becca Balint walked out of Wednesday's contentious hearing of the House Judiciary Committee after Attorney General Pam Bondi accused her of supporting antisemitism. Balint, who is Jewish, has relatives who died in the Holocaust.
“I Was Just So Disgusted”: Jewish Rep. Balint Walks Out of Hearing After Bondi Calls Her Antisemitic
As we continue to look at Wednesday’s contentious hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, we speak with Vermont Congressmember Becca Balint, who walked out after Attorney General Pam Bondi accused h...
www.democracynow.org
February 12, 2026 at 5:38 PM
Vermont Congressmember Becca Balint walked out of Wednesday's contentious hearing of the House Judiciary Committee after Attorney General Pam Bondi accused her of supporting antisemitism. Balint, who is Jewish, has relatives who died in the Holocaust.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Breaking: Judge grants Mark Kelly a preliminary injunction against Hegseth, who is reconsidering his rank: "This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Sen. Kelly's First Amendment freedoms & threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
February 12, 2026 at 5:36 PM
Breaking: Judge grants Mark Kelly a preliminary injunction against Hegseth, who is reconsidering his rank: "This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Sen. Kelly's First Amendment freedoms & threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees."
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Hegseth wants to feed AI with classified information. He is also the least qualified Secretary of Defense in modern history and has led an unprecedented purge of experience in the military’s top ranks.
The Pentagon Wants to Raw Dog the Latest AI Models on Classified Systems
Defense officials are pushing tech companies to loosen restrictions on their most powerful models as the military expands its use of AI.
gizmodo.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Hegseth wants to feed AI with classified information. He is also the least qualified Secretary of Defense in modern history and has led an unprecedented purge of experience in the military’s top ranks.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
For Everything is Political, I reported on young people working multiple jobs. It's about more than side hustles—factors like worker exploitation & lack of opportunities to break in have impacted multiple generations. Now, some young adults say working only one job has never felt viable.
The Toll Working Multiple Jobs Takes on Young People
“Rat race,” “chaos,” “stressful”: these are just a few ways young people are describing days stuffed with side projects, shift schedules, and Google Calendars color-coded by job. Illustration Credit: ...
everythingispolitical.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:43 PM
For Everything is Political, I reported on young people working multiple jobs. It's about more than side hustles—factors like worker exploitation & lack of opportunities to break in have impacted multiple generations. Now, some young adults say working only one job has never felt viable.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Columbia University fessed up Wednesday to its dental school's involvement in an admissions scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend.
Ivy League university admits to admissions scandal involving Epstein's girlfriend
Columbia University fessed up Wednesday to its dental school's involvement in an admissions scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend.Documents recently released by President Donald Trump's Department of Justice revealed that a student linked to the disgraced financier was admitted throu...
bit.ly
February 12, 2026 at 11:40 AM
Columbia University fessed up Wednesday to its dental school's involvement in an admissions scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein's former girlfriend.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Last year, people in the U.S. made an estimated $4.7 billion selling their plasma. Donation centers are popping up in middle-class neighborhoods, including suburban strip malls and college towns.
Middle-class Americans are selling their plasma to make ends meet
Last year, people in the U.S. made an estimated $4.7 billion selling their plasma. Donation centers are popping up in middle-class neighborhoods, including suburban strip malls and college towns.
nbcnews.to
February 12, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Last year, people in the U.S. made an estimated $4.7 billion selling their plasma. Donation centers are popping up in middle-class neighborhoods, including suburban strip malls and college towns.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
oh so just dumb luck these idiots didn’t shoot down a passenger aircraft
According to multiple NYT sources, it wasn’t even military personnel at Fort Bliss that fired an anti-drone laser at alleged cartel drones. It was CBP who used the weapon on loan from DoD against a child’s party balloon they mistook for a drone. The Pentagon gave CBP an anti-aircraft weapon.
February 12, 2026 at 11:36 AM
oh so just dumb luck these idiots didn’t shoot down a passenger aircraft
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
oh god please get these children out of Dilley.
Some children in Dilley were so distraught they cut themselves or talked about suicide, parents told ProPublica.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
The Kids Trump Sent to ICE’s Dilley Detention Center
ProPublica went inside the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of...
www.propublica.org
February 12, 2026 at 12:28 PM
oh god please get these children out of Dilley.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
NEW: “CBS Evening News” producer Alicia Hastey sends a bombshell farewell note:
Stories are “evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations.”
Stories are “evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations.”
February 12, 2026 at 3:22 AM
NEW: “CBS Evening News” producer Alicia Hastey sends a bombshell farewell note:
Stories are “evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations.”
Stories are “evaluated not just on their journalistic merit but on whether they conform to a shifting set of ideological expectations.”
I guess —air quotes— “Wuthering Heights” is what Hollywood calls whitewashing now
February 12, 2026 at 5:06 AM
I guess —air quotes— “Wuthering Heights” is what Hollywood calls whitewashing now
Quite the understatement. // www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...
Weapons Used to Fight Drones Don’t Mix Well With Civilian Airspace
www.nytimes.com
February 12, 2026 at 5:00 AM
Quite the understatement. // www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/u...
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
Some children in Dilley were so distraught they cut themselves or talked about suicide, parents told ProPublica.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
The Kids Trump Sent to ICE’s Dilley Detention Center
ProPublica went inside the immigrant detention center for families in Dilley, Texas. Children held there told us about the anguish of being ripped from their lives in the United States and the fear of...
www.propublica.org
February 12, 2026 at 4:00 AM
Some children in Dilley were so distraught they cut themselves or talked about suicide, parents told ProPublica.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
They said kids lost their appetites after finding worms and mold on their food, had trouble sleeping, and were constantly sick.
Reposted by May-lee Chai (she/her)
WATCH: “In any remotely sane political climate she would be impeached, fired, or just have the good sense to resign in disgrace,” says Chris Hayes on Attorney General Pam Bondi.
‘Astounding’: Chris Hayes stunned Bondi still has DOJ job
YouTube video by MS NOW
www.youtube.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:43 AM
WATCH: “In any remotely sane political climate she would be impeached, fired, or just have the good sense to resign in disgrace,” says Chris Hayes on Attorney General Pam Bondi.