Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

TJ Wells @twells.bsky.social · 4h

@anthonymkreis.bsky.social

Reposted by TJ Wells

The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 10h

Watch the full interview here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fykx...

DHS Lied About a Veteran They Wrongfully Arrested (w/ George Retes)

YouTube video by The Bulwark

www.youtube.com

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The Bulwark @thebulwark.com · 10h

"They put me on suicide watch and they put me in the cell, I'm naked, in like a hospital dress and just a concrete bed with like a mattress, like a thin mattress and, they leave the light on 24/7."

@timmiller.bsky.social talked to a veteran who ICE wrongly detained and brutalized

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Popehat Agitates And Irritates @kenwhite.bsky.social · 4h

Department of Justice lawyers, from Main Justice to AUSAs in the districts, have ALWAYS enjoyed a sort of aura of truth and justice and trust. That was arguably always unjustifiable but Trump DoJ has absolutely pissed it away with compulsive lying.

Adam Klasfeld @klasfeldreports.com · 8h

There goes another Trump admin talking point.

Claim: Abrego told an immigration judge that he fears persecution in Costa Rica.

Judge Xinis reads the immigration judge's ruling, which doesn't say that.

"That's very troubling to me," Xinis tells Ensign.

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Ashton Pittman @ashtonpittman.bsky.social · 5h

ICE left David, a 17-year-old boy, stranded on the side of Interstate 20 after pulling over his immigrant father, Hector, in Mississippi.

David began running in the scorching sun after the car and watched as it disappeared from sight—soon headed to a Louisiana ICE prison.

Here's their story.

ICE Stranded a 17-Year-Old on I-20 After Arresting His Father. The Mississippi Dad Now Faces Deportation.

A 17-year-old watched as ICE arrested his immigrant father, Hector, on I-20 in June. The family faces mounting legal fees and the risk of deportation.

www.mississippifreepress.org

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Blue Virginia @bluevirginia.bsky.social · 5h

Rep. @JamesWalkinshaw (D-VA11), Ranking Member Garcia Call for GAO Investigation into Vought’s Illegal Layoff Directive During Shutdown bluevirginia.us/2025/10/virg...

Walkinshaw, Ranking Member Garcia Call for GAO Investigation into Vought’s Illegal Layoff Directive During Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman James R. Walkinshaw (VA-11), Member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42), the Committee’s Ranking Member, today requested the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate whether President Trump and OMB Director Russ Vought’s directive ordering agencies to issue Reduction-in-Force (RIF) notices during the GOP government shutdown violates the Antideficiency Act.

In their letter to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro, the lawmakers condemned OMB’s description of the shutdown as an “opportunity” to fire federal employees, calling the memo “legally unsupportable and unconstitutional.”

“Setting aside the abhorrent description of a GOP government shutdown as an ‘opportunity,’ this OMB memorandum rests on a legally unsupportable premise,” the Members wrote. “A lapse in appropriations suspends the availability of funds but does not repeal or nullify statutory mandates. Undefined ‘Presidential priorities’ cannot substitute for statutory direction.”

The Members urged GAO to determine whether agency compliance with OMB’s directive would constitute a violation of the Antideficiency Act, noting that the Act “does not authorize agencies to incur obligations for the purpose of planning or executing reductions in force during a shutdown.”

They emphasized that any agency implementing Trump and Vought’s directive would be breaking federal law and required to report that violation to Congress.

Their request follows reports that the Trump administration has used the shutdown to accelerate workforce reductions that have already weakened agency oversight and public service delivery.

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TJ Wells @twells.bsky.social · 5h

@anthonymusa.bsky.social

Reposted by TJ Wells

Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 6h

Huh: TikTok took down my 8-second video featuring this image of Debbie Brockman — the news producer just detained by Trump’s CBP agents — saying it violates the “joy of TikTok”

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TJ Wells @twells.bsky.social · 5h

Yeah I was angry at first because I thought they’d cave and didn’t think the message was strong enough but happy to be proved wrong!

Reposted by TJ Wells

David Darmofal @daviddarmofal.bsky.social · 5h

Chicago pastor sues Trump after ICE assaults him while praying
baptistnews.com/article/chic...

Chicago pastor sues Trump after ICE assaults him while praying – Baptist News Global

A Presbyterian minister has joined a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration’s violence against demonstrators and media.

baptistnews.com

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Chris Geidner @chrisgeidner.bsky.social · 11h

BREAKING: Federal judge finds the Trump admin likely violated the First (viewpoint discrimination) and Fifth (vagueness) Amendments in a case over changed domestic violence grant conditions.

Preliminary injunction issued.

(A TRO previously was issued.)

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

Case 1:25-cv-00342-MRD-PAS
Document 72
1683
Filed 10/10/25 Page 1 of 39 PagelD #:
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE DISTRICT OF RHODE ISLAND
RHODE ISLAND COALITION
AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, et al.,
Plaintiffs,
v.
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR. in his official capacity as Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, et al.,
Defendants.
C.A. No. 25-cv-342-MRD-PAS
MEMORANDUM AND ORDER
Melissa R. DuBose, United States District Judge.

Over twenty non-profit coalitions that receive federal grant money to help
support survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault as well as members of
society who are unhoused or without stable housing filed suit against the United
States Departments of Health and Human Services ("HHS") and Housing and Urban
Development ("HUD") as well as various administrators and subagencies who fall
under and within these agencies (hereinafter the "Coalitions" or the "Plaintiffs").
Compl. at 1-4. The Plaintiffs allege that the Defendants are springing new conditions
on them as grantees and are requiring compliance with new spending restrictions on grant funds (the "Grants"), all in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act (the
"APA"), 5 U.S.C. § 706, the U.S. Constitution's clearly articulated separation of
Case 1:25-cv-00342-MRD-PAS Document 72
1684
Filed 10/10/25 Page 2 of 39 PagelD #:
powers principles such as the Article I Spending Clause, the First Amendment, and the Due Process Clause under the Fifth Amendment. Id. 11 4, 66-89. The new
conditions and certifications foisted upon the grantees are focused on compelling
compliance with sweeping changes imposed by the executive branch by way of Executive Orders ("E.O.s") aimed at eliminating programs that are perceived as promoting gender ideology; diversity, equity, and inclusion; elective abortions; and
antidiscrimination. Id. 11 21-31, MPI at 73-74.

IV. CONCLUSION
As stated, the Court determines that the Plaintiffs have met their burden as
to the preliminary injunction factors and finds them entitled to relief. Pursuant to Section 705 of the APA, the Court finds that it is necessary and appropriate to grant
the Plaintiffs' request for a preliminary stay of the Challenged Conditions.
See 5
U.S.C. § 705 (permitting a reviewing court to "issue all necessary and appropriate
process to postpone the effective date of an agency action or to preserve status or
rights pending conclusion of the review proceedings on such conditions as may be
required and to the extent necessary to prevent irreparable injury").
38
Case 1:25-cv-00342-MRD-PAS Document 72 Filed 10/10/25 Page 39 of 39 PagelD #:
1721
IT IS SO ORDERED.
Melissa R. DuBose
United States District Judge
October 10, 2025

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Bobert @bobertonbluesky.bsky.social · 5h

RIF’d employees will not suffer irreparable harm if allowed to be (illegally) RIF’d? I know we’ve abandoned the traditional tests in favor of abject deference to the government, but COME ON.

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Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 5h

The founders in fact did NOT create the filibuster, but they DID give the Senate and House each the power to set their own rules, which includes changing rules to allow passage of appropriations bills with simple majorities

ringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · 8h

“And that’s why we nuked it twice in the past month.”

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Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 5h

I love this image.

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Zoomer Antimillenarian ♨️ @surcomplicated.bsky.social · 5h

But especially Reagan judges who actually believed every word about liberty, democracy, and the American Way.

Their anger is vicariously *scary* when deployed against MAGA tyranny.

Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 6h

As a group, District Judges (from across the ideological spectrum!) performing as well as just about anyone right now in defending democratic liberty.

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Mike Masnick @mmasnick.bsky.social · 5h

Only to be mocked by the Supreme Court.

Chris Hayes @chrislhayes.bsky.social · 6h

As a group, District Judges (from across the ideological spectrum!) performing as well as just about anyone right now in defending democratic liberty.

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TJ Wells @twells.bsky.social · 5h

@anthonymkreis.bsky.social

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Bradley P. Moss @bradmossesq.bsky.social · 5h

Someone gonna get fired …. @kenwhite.bsky.social @annabower.bsky.social

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Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 7h

Okay quick thread of the sort of stuff you'll get if you pay a modest monthly or yearly amount to read Gravity Is Gone:

Today's newsletter, about the shutdown and RIFs and how employees are so in the dark that their bosses want them to email UP the chain if they get fired.

Federal Employees Have Been Asked to Tell Their Bosses if They Get Fired

Multiple people at multiple agencies said their bosses have told them to email up the chain if they hear about RIFs, because, per one source, "they probably won't be told if people are fired."

www.gravityisgone.com

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MLC @chicyph80.bsky.social · 6h

Yea, if Rasmussen has this race at Sherill +6, she's safe lol

Poll Tracker 📊 @polltracker.bsky.social · 7h

NEW JERSEY POLL - Governor

🔵 Mikie Sherill: 46%
🔴 Jack Ciattarelli: 40%
🟡 Other: 4%
⚪️ Not sure: 9%

Rasmussen Poll

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Poll Tracker 📊 @polltracker.bsky.social · 6h

substack.perfectunion.us/p/poll-platn...

Poll: Platner Best Positioned Maine Dem to Defeat Susan Collins

After respondents were shown short biographies for both candidates, Graham Platner leads Sen. Susan Collins by 14 points, while Gov. Janet Mills leads Collins by 8 points.

substack.perfectunion.us

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TrumpsTaxes @trumpstaxes.com · 6h

👀

Poll Tracker 📊 @polltracker.bsky.social · 6h

Zenith Research poll | 10/7–10/10 LV

Maine Senate

(initial ballot)
🔴 Susan Collins 38%
🔵 Graham Platner 38%
—
(informed ballot)
🔵 Graham Platner 48%
🔴 Susan Collins 34%

(initial ballot)
🔵 Janet Mills 42%
🔴 Susan Collins 37%

(informed ballot)
🔵 Janet Mills 44%
🔴 Susan Collins 36%

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The Editorial Board @editorialboard.bsky.social · 14h

Yes!

Greg Sargent @gregsargent.bsky.social · 17h

JB Pritzker has also been emphatically placing Trump's mental decline squarely on the agenda. On our pod, he adds a new element: People around Trump are using his decline to manipulate him, so they're less likely to intervene. More Dems should say this. 1/

newrepublic.com/article/2016...

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Tyler King @tyleraking.com · 6h

DHS default is to lie about every encounter. Which is why they’re trying to criminalize recording them.

CHICAGO (WGN) - A WGN creative services department employee was detained by two
Border Patrol officers and later released after federal agents swarmed a busy intersection on Chicago's North Side Friday morning, at the height of rush hour.
WGN is not naming the employee, as station policy requires blurring faces and not identifying those who have not been charged with a crime.
Witnesses on site who captured the incident on video spoke to WGN about the moments leading up to the staffer's detainment.

Thomas added that when he made his way down to the scene, around 8:30 Friday morning, he realized there was another person already detained inside the minivan being used by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
"I didn't get his name, although I asked for his name," Thomas said. "He didn't speak very good English. They claimed that the WGN employee was obstructing justice, even though she was, like all of us, just standing there, taking video.'
"

Tricia McLaughlin ®
@TriciaOhio
X.com
She was arrested for throwing objects at law enforcement.
Heartland Signal D @HeartlandSignal • 3h
BREAKING: Masked Border Patrol agents aggressively arrested WGN video producer Debbie Brockman in Lincoln Square Friday morning, supposedly for "obstructing justice." (Video via Josh Thomas on Facebook)

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TJ Wells @twells.bsky.social · 6h

Literally not true at all

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 6h

Trump: "Portland, I mean -- every time I look at that place it's burning down. There are fires all over the place. When a store -- there are very few of them left -- but when a store owner rebuilds a store they build it out of plywood. They don't put up storefronts anymore. They just put wood up."