Brian Root
@brianroothrw.bsky.social
Senior quantitative analyst at Human Rights Watch -
@hrw Posting on methodology, data and human rights research. And sometimes, the records I'm listening to.
@hrw Posting on methodology, data and human rights research. And sometimes, the records I'm listening to.
Reposted by Brian Root
So proud of my colleagues @fightforthefuture.org and the massive coalition of local folks that made this happen www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/19/o...
Oakland rejects $2 million contract with surveillance company over concerns of ICE spying
Flock Safety was shown the door after hundreds rallied against the company.
www.mercurynews.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:48 PM
So proud of my colleagues @fightforthefuture.org and the massive coalition of local folks that made this happen www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/19/o...
Reposted by Brian Root
NEW: The Israeli government’s forced displacement of the populations of three West Bank refugee camps in January and February 2025 amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Read more: www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
Read more: www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
November 20, 2025 at 2:14 PM
NEW: The Israeli government’s forced displacement of the populations of three West Bank refugee camps in January and February 2025 amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Read more: www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
Read more: www.hrw.org/news/2025/11...
Reposted by Brian Root
In Bovino's upside down world, there is no difference between an armed gang member preying on others in his community and a guy working 12 hours a day washing cars, flipping burgers, or installing sheetrock to feed his family — and he wants you to hate and fear both men equally.
Bovino: "Whether they were criminals or individuals that were taking jobs from Americans -- you name it, that's what they were doing. And I'll tell you what's gonna happen. We're gonna go even harder on the streets. If he releases those 650, we're gonna apprehend 1,650 on the streets of Chicago."
November 13, 2025 at 7:49 PM
In Bovino's upside down world, there is no difference between an armed gang member preying on others in his community and a guy working 12 hours a day washing cars, flipping burgers, or installing sheetrock to feed his family — and he wants you to hate and fear both men equally.
Reposted by Brian Root
Commentary: Not Sure How They Deal With Criminals In Your Town, But ’Round Here We Use A Restorative Justice Process https://theonion.com/not-sure-how-they-deal-with-criminals-in-your-town-but-round-here-we-use-a-restorative-justice-process/
November 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Commentary: Not Sure How They Deal With Criminals In Your Town, But ’Round Here We Use A Restorative Justice Process https://theonion.com/not-sure-how-they-deal-with-criminals-in-your-town-but-round-here-we-use-a-restorative-justice-process/
Reposted by Brian Root
NEW: The Venezuelan nationals the US government sent to El Salvador in March and April were tortured and subjected to other abuses, including sexual violence.
In a new report, HRW and @cristosal.bsky.social provide a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Salvador.
In a new report, HRW and @cristosal.bsky.social provide a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Salvador.
November 12, 2025 at 3:18 PM
NEW: The Venezuelan nationals the US government sent to El Salvador in March and April were tortured and subjected to other abuses, including sexual violence.
In a new report, HRW and @cristosal.bsky.social provide a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Salvador.
In a new report, HRW and @cristosal.bsky.social provide a comprehensive account of the treatment of these people in El Salvador.
Reposted by Brian Root
This chart and its implications are absolutely bonkers. From Axios. www.axios.com/2025/11/04/h...
November 11, 2025 at 8:03 PM
This chart and its implications are absolutely bonkers. From Axios. www.axios.com/2025/11/04/h...
Has it been 30 yrs? I was at SF show a couple nights prior, aged 16 about to be 17. The Amps record had only been out a week and I freaked out when Kim Deal walked on stage to open. So exciting.
Top form SY Washing Machine-era. Opened with EVOL/Sister tracks. No Little Trouble Girl though!
Top form SY Washing Machine-era. Opened with EVOL/Sister tracks. No Little Trouble Girl though!
Thirty years ago tonight ... my first Sonic Youth show! www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2cI...
November 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Has it been 30 yrs? I was at SF show a couple nights prior, aged 16 about to be 17. The Amps record had only been out a week and I freaked out when Kim Deal walked on stage to open. So exciting.
Top form SY Washing Machine-era. Opened with EVOL/Sister tracks. No Little Trouble Girl though!
Top form SY Washing Machine-era. Opened with EVOL/Sister tracks. No Little Trouble Girl though!
Excellent news. MacArthur Foundation stepping up and supporting an essential project.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has generously awarded us funding to secure our own storage. This critical processing space will be instrumental in ensuring that large datasets can be temporarily stored, curated, and described.
Thank you, MacArthur Foundation, for your support!
Thank you, MacArthur Foundation, for your support!
Data Rescue Projects receives support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to support data rescue efforts
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Since launching in February 2025, the Data Rescue Project has grown substantially. At this point, the DRP has enabled the rescue of more than 1,000 datasets from US Federal…
www.datarescueproject.org
November 4, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Excellent news. MacArthur Foundation stepping up and supporting an essential project.
Reposted by Brian Root
NEW: Trump has announced that the US will admit the lowest level of refugees ever at 7,500 in FY 2026. The US will only be admitting as refugees White people from South Africa and "victims of illegal or unjust discrimination," which leaked memos suggest means far-right Europeans.
October 30, 2025 at 5:11 PM
NEW: Trump has announced that the US will admit the lowest level of refugees ever at 7,500 in FY 2026. The US will only be admitting as refugees White people from South Africa and "victims of illegal or unjust discrimination," which leaked memos suggest means far-right Europeans.
Reposted by Brian Root
Today, @hrw.org released the 1st major report on tax, documenting how policies that favor the rich drove Sri Lanka into economic crisis & starved its public education system. UN tax treaty negotiations are historic chance to address a root cause. www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Sri Lanka: Ruinous Tax Policies Stoke Inequality
Sri Lanka’s tax policies played a driving role in the country’s devastating 2022 economic crisis and have contributed to the chronic underfunding of education and other public services.
www.hrw.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Today, @hrw.org released the 1st major report on tax, documenting how policies that favor the rich drove Sri Lanka into economic crisis & starved its public education system. UN tax treaty negotiations are historic chance to address a root cause. www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Brian Root
Lawmakers in Rio de Janeiro have approved a bonus for police who kill suspects during raids.
Rio police killed almost 2 people per day in 2024—86% of them Black.
The bonus will spur officers to shoot instead of seeking arrests.
The governor should veto it.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Rio police killed almost 2 people per day in 2024—86% of them Black.
The bonus will spur officers to shoot instead of seeking arrests.
The governor should veto it.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro Bill Will Encourage Police Shootings
The governor of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro should veto provisions in a new bill that would give civil police an economic incentive to kill suspects and would weaken forensic analysis, Human...
www.hrw.org
October 2, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Lawmakers in Rio de Janeiro have approved a bonus for police who kill suspects during raids.
Rio police killed almost 2 people per day in 2024—86% of them Black.
The bonus will spur officers to shoot instead of seeking arrests.
The governor should veto it.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Rio police killed almost 2 people per day in 2024—86% of them Black.
The bonus will spur officers to shoot instead of seeking arrests.
The governor should veto it.
www.hrw.org/news/2025/10...
Reposted by Brian Root
The United States is "actively trying to dismantle" today's system of international justice.
@fborello.bsky.social and @agnescallamard.bsky.social discuss how US sanctions against Palestinian rights orgs and ICC and UN officials puts rights at risk globally:
@fborello.bsky.social and @agnescallamard.bsky.social discuss how US sanctions against Palestinian rights orgs and ICC and UN officials puts rights at risk globally:
Opinion | What Happened to Human Rights for Palestinians?
www.nytimes.com
October 1, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The United States is "actively trying to dismantle" today's system of international justice.
@fborello.bsky.social and @agnescallamard.bsky.social discuss how US sanctions against Palestinian rights orgs and ICC and UN officials puts rights at risk globally:
@fborello.bsky.social and @agnescallamard.bsky.social discuss how US sanctions against Palestinian rights orgs and ICC and UN officials puts rights at risk globally:
Reposted by Brian Root
The participation of big name funnymen, including Dave Chappelle, Aziz Ansari and Kevin Hart, provoked criticism from fellow comedians and human rights groups.
Marc Maron, Human Rights Watch and others slam Saudi comedy festival
The participation of big name funnymen, including Dave Chappelle, Aziz Ansari and Kevin Hart, provoked criticism from fellow comedians and human rights groups.
n.pr
September 29, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The participation of big name funnymen, including Dave Chappelle, Aziz Ansari and Kevin Hart, provoked criticism from fellow comedians and human rights groups.
Reposted by Brian Root
This is, without any exaggeration, exactly how Putin and Orbán proceeded — using antisemitism to discredit the idea of civil society and political opposition, and as an excuse to undo the rule of law.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
Justice Dept. Official Pushes Prosecutors to Investigate George Soros’s Foundation
www.nytimes.com
September 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
This is, without any exaggeration, exactly how Putin and Orbán proceeded — using antisemitism to discredit the idea of civil society and political opposition, and as an excuse to undo the rule of law.
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/25/u...
Reposted by Brian Root
If you are okay with this, if you think this is justified, if you think people living on the street have brought this upon themselves, if you think this is good leadership, you may be able to fool yourself that you care about others but you don’t fool me
Newsom launches statewide task force to clear homeless encampments
Newsom launches statewide task force to clear homeless encampments
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday announced the creation of a statewide task force aimed at dismantling homeless encampments on state property and expanding access to shelter and services. The State Acti…
ktla.com
August 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
If you are okay with this, if you think this is justified, if you think people living on the street have brought this upon themselves, if you think this is good leadership, you may be able to fool yourself that you care about others but you don’t fool me
Reposted by Brian Root
A dramatic, extremely worrying moment; over 61,000 people held in ICE detention. That is the highest number ever on record in United States history; roughly 6,000 higher than the previous record set under Trump six years ago, and over 21,000 higher than when Trump took office just seven months ago.
ICE just released updated detention statistics.
As of August 24, ICE is holding 61,226 people at authorized facilities around the United States and its Territories.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
As of August 24, ICE is holding 61,226 people at authorized facilities around the United States and its Territories.
www.ice.gov/detain/deten...
Detention Management
An official website of the United States government
www.ice.gov
August 29, 2025 at 7:52 PM
A dramatic, extremely worrying moment; over 61,000 people held in ICE detention. That is the highest number ever on record in United States history; roughly 6,000 higher than the previous record set under Trump six years ago, and over 21,000 higher than when Trump took office just seven months ago.
Immigration beat journalists should absolutely take a look as should immigration advocates, researchers and activists.
Come work with me and amazing colleagues and let's fight the good fight.
Come work with me and amazing colleagues and let's fight the good fight.
Human Rights Watch is hiring a senior researcher for its U.S. immigrant rights program.
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Senior Researcher, Immigrants Rights
Multiple Locations Considered
job-boards.greenhouse.io
August 29, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Immigration beat journalists should absolutely take a look as should immigration advocates, researchers and activists.
Come work with me and amazing colleagues and let's fight the good fight.
Come work with me and amazing colleagues and let's fight the good fight.
Reposted by Brian Root
Human Rights Watch is hiring a senior researcher for its U.S. immigrant rights program.
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Senior Researcher, Immigrants Rights
Multiple Locations Considered
job-boards.greenhouse.io
August 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Human Rights Watch is hiring a senior researcher for its U.S. immigrant rights program.
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Not many non-newsroom jobs are this similar to the day to day work of journalism. If you’re a journalist and considering getting out, seriously take a look. job-boards.greenhouse.io/humanrightsw...
Reposted by Brian Root
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week targeting cashless bail.
Lawmakers should be considering ways to preserve and strengthen pretrial justice reforms, not roll them back.
Lawmakers should be considering ways to preserve and strengthen pretrial justice reforms, not roll them back.
What to know about cashless bail after Trump's executive order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday threatening to withhold federal funding from local and state governments that allow cashless bail, arguing that it is a threat to public safety.
apnews.com
August 26, 2025 at 4:02 PM
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week targeting cashless bail.
Lawmakers should be considering ways to preserve and strengthen pretrial justice reforms, not roll them back.
Lawmakers should be considering ways to preserve and strengthen pretrial justice reforms, not roll them back.
Reposted by Brian Root
Dear @washingtonpost.com: these two paragraphs are absolute malpractice. Utterly disgraceful.
You use total counts, not rates … for the THIRD BIGGEST CITY IN THE US. Of COURSE it has a high total.
And rates “have come down” … with a link, but no number.
Down FIFTY PERCENT IN FOUR YEARS.
You use total counts, not rates … for the THIRD BIGGEST CITY IN THE US. Of COURSE it has a high total.
And rates “have come down” … with a link, but no number.
Down FIFTY PERCENT IN FOUR YEARS.
August 24, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Dear @washingtonpost.com: these two paragraphs are absolute malpractice. Utterly disgraceful.
You use total counts, not rates … for the THIRD BIGGEST CITY IN THE US. Of COURSE it has a high total.
And rates “have come down” … with a link, but no number.
Down FIFTY PERCENT IN FOUR YEARS.
You use total counts, not rates … for the THIRD BIGGEST CITY IN THE US. Of COURSE it has a high total.
And rates “have come down” … with a link, but no number.
Down FIFTY PERCENT IN FOUR YEARS.
Reposted by Brian Root
The US State Department’s new human rights report is in many places an exercise of whitewashing and deception.
Entire categories of abuses have been erased, while serious rights violations by allied governments have been papered over.
Learn more:
Entire categories of abuses have been erased, while serious rights violations by allied governments have been papered over.
Learn more:
US: Rights Report Mixes Facts, Deception, Political Spin
The Trump administration’s omission of key sections and manipulation of certain countries’ rights abuses degrade and politicize the 2025 US State Department human rights report, Human Rights Watch sai...
www.hrw.org
August 13, 2025 at 5:43 PM
The US State Department’s new human rights report is in many places an exercise of whitewashing and deception.
Entire categories of abuses have been erased, while serious rights violations by allied governments have been papered over.
Learn more:
Entire categories of abuses have been erased, while serious rights violations by allied governments have been papered over.
Learn more:
Reposted by Brian Root
The thing about Grok isn't just that it's a Nazi, it's that it tells on all the other LLMs. Outsourcing critical parts of your brain/workflows/team to systems tuned in more subtle ways by companies that may not share your values is just as risky as obvious bias or hallucination
July 8, 2025 at 9:20 PM
The thing about Grok isn't just that it's a Nazi, it's that it tells on all the other LLMs. Outsourcing critical parts of your brain/workflows/team to systems tuned in more subtle ways by companies that may not share your values is just as risky as obvious bias or hallucination
The bar has plummeted though. Accountability and standards out the window for the most part. And a lot of that cash will go to tech and surveillance.
It's hard to find sparks of hope here. Whatever they accomplish as they "try" will be devastating. And hard to rollback as you know.
It's hard to find sparks of hope here. Whatever they accomplish as they "try" will be devastating. And hard to rollback as you know.
We are going to see a lot of ppl claiming, understandably, that the BBB has now provided Trump w a massive ICE army.
That is incorrect.
It has provided him with the funds to TRY.
A 2017 DHS-OIG report said ICE would need to interview 500,000 ppl to get 10,000 new hires.
Not easy!
That is incorrect.
It has provided him with the funds to TRY.
A 2017 DHS-OIG report said ICE would need to interview 500,000 ppl to get 10,000 new hires.
Not easy!
The overarching point to this thread and the threads of mine nested in it (sorry abt that) is this:
This is a poorly-designed proposal made by ppl w no interest in even cosplaying as serious policy makers.
Fascism on the cheap by the indifferent.
That does NOT mean be complacent!
The point is:
This is a poorly-designed proposal made by ppl w no interest in even cosplaying as serious policy makers.
Fascism on the cheap by the indifferent.
That does NOT mean be complacent!
The point is:
July 3, 2025 at 8:49 PM
The bar has plummeted though. Accountability and standards out the window for the most part. And a lot of that cash will go to tech and surveillance.
It's hard to find sparks of hope here. Whatever they accomplish as they "try" will be devastating. And hard to rollback as you know.
It's hard to find sparks of hope here. Whatever they accomplish as they "try" will be devastating. And hard to rollback as you know.
A 21x increase to ICE's budget means:
cranking up mass surveillance to 11
arrests/detention skyrocketing
ICE forces that go beyond immigration enforcement (policing of anti-ICE, i.e. anti-administration, dissent), etc.
And it's not temporary. It will be incredibly difficult to claw this $ back.
cranking up mass surveillance to 11
arrests/detention skyrocketing
ICE forces that go beyond immigration enforcement (policing of anti-ICE, i.e. anti-administration, dissent), etc.
And it's not temporary. It will be incredibly difficult to claw this $ back.
With this vote, Congress makes ICE the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency in history, with more money per year at its disposal over the next four years than the budgets of the FBI, DEA, ATF, US Marshals, and Bureau of Prisons combined.
🚨🚨 NEW: House passes sprawling domestic policy bill, sending it to Trump's desk
Final House vote is 218-214, with TWO Rs voting no (Massie & Fitzpatrick).
Senate passed it 51-50.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
Final House vote is 218-214, with TWO Rs voting no (Massie & Fitzpatrick).
Senate passed it 51-50.
www.nbcnews.com/politics/con...
July 3, 2025 at 7:10 PM
A 21x increase to ICE's budget means:
cranking up mass surveillance to 11
arrests/detention skyrocketing
ICE forces that go beyond immigration enforcement (policing of anti-ICE, i.e. anti-administration, dissent), etc.
And it's not temporary. It will be incredibly difficult to claw this $ back.
cranking up mass surveillance to 11
arrests/detention skyrocketing
ICE forces that go beyond immigration enforcement (policing of anti-ICE, i.e. anti-administration, dissent), etc.
And it's not temporary. It will be incredibly difficult to claw this $ back.