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Reposted by Mary Fontana

Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · Jun 8

To be clear, this is what an insurrection looks like:

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · May 12

I wrote this choose-your-own-ending story about migration across the US-Mexico border to illustrate the many impossible choices that Central and South American refugees often navigate in their home countries, on the journey, and once they reach the US. Please check it out and LMK what you think!

The Lemonwood Quarterly @lemonwoodquarterly.bsky.social · May 9

lemonwoodquarterly.com/spring-2025-...
A powerful story about a mother's struggle to save her family, based on true events. Read it in The Lemonwood Quarterly; our magazine is always free. Enjoy!

#Litmag #shortstory #mothersday

Rio Grande Roulette by Mary Fontana in the Spring 2025 issue of The Lemonwood Quarterly. Art by Nancy Panganiban, a detail from Pollen Nation, acrylic on birch panel, 28" x 28", 2020.

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Apr 29

This is exhausting.

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Apr 26

This is shocking, and also an example of Orwellian language creep. Sending a US citizen to another country is not "deporting" that person. Kidnapping, maybe. Exiling.

The New York Times @nytimes.com · Apr 26

Breaking News: A federal judge expressed deep concern that the Trump administration deported a 2-year-old U.S. citizen to Honduras “with no meaningful process.” www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/u...

A card dated April 25, 2025, reads: "Trump Administration Deports 2-Year-Old U.S. Citizen to Honduras. A federal judge in Louisiana said the deportation of the child to Honduras with her mother, even though her father had filed an emergency petition, appeared to be 'illegal and unconstitutional.'"

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Apr 15

Have never said or even thought these words before, but: GO HARVARD!

Reposted by Mary Fontana

America's Voice @americasvoice.bsky.social · Apr 14

@vcardenas.bsky.social: "The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear that Mr. García should be brought back to his family in Maryland. Yet, today, President Trump said they have no plans to abide by the Court’s ruling and return a man that President Trump’s own DOJ acknowledges was mistakenly deported."

America's Voice @americasvoice.bsky.social · Apr 14

“What we saw today at the White House should shock every American who cares about our system of checks and balances and the rule of law," says @vcardenas.bsky.social reacting to today’s White House Oval Office meeting between President Trump and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.

Vanessa Cárdenas Reacts to Trump and Bukele Meeting - America's Voice

Washington, DC — The following is a statement from Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice, reacting to the details and implications of today’s White House Oval Office meeting between ...

americasvoice.org

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Apr 10

Couple of new poems up over at The Wild Umbrella. One is about babies and astronauts, the other death and crocodile cousins. If none of that intrigues you, you aren't human:

www.thewildumbrella.com/profile/eab3...

Profile | The Wild Umbrella

www.thewildumbrella.com

Reposted by Mary Fontana

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · Apr 7

The man pictured in the below post is Andry, who came to a port of entry seeking asylum. A foolish CBP officer threw him into ICE detention last year because of his “mom” and “dad” tattoos with little crowns over them.

That was bad enough. Then Trump sold him to El Salvador.

BRING THEM BACK.

A photo of Andry in happier times, in a stylish outfit, outside, holding flowers.

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Reposted by Mary Fontana

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · Mar 30

NEW: @aclu.org obtained ICE's "Alien Enemies Act Validation Guide," confirming all it takes to be sent to rot in prison in El Salvador is being Venezuelan and 1) having a tattoo an ICE officer says is a "gang tattoo" and 2) displaying "logos," "symbols" or clothes an ICE officer says are gang signs.

ALIEN ENEMIES ACT:
ALIEN ENEMY VALIDATION GUIDE
In the case of: ________________________________ A-File No:__________________
1. The person named above is fourteen years or older:
2. The person named above is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United
States:
3. The person named above is a citizen of Venezuela:
If any of these three requirements are not satisfied, the person named above shall not
be ordered removed under the Alien Enemies Act (AEA). In such a case, you should consult
your supervisor and the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement, and, where applicable, initiate removal proceedings under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
4. The person named above is validated as a member of Tren de Aragua (TDA), as
determined by reference to the following evaluation form:
Instructions: Complete the following validation evaluation form for each suspected
alien targeted for removal under the AEA, or, following apprehension, for each alien
potentially subject to an AEA removal.
After accounting for the two comments below, aliens scoring 8 points and higher are
validated as members of TDA; you should proceed with issuing Form AEA-21B, titled, “Notice
and Warrant of Apprehension and Removal under the Alien Enemies Act.” Aliens scoring 6 or
7 points may be validated as members of TDA; you should consult with a supervisor and
OPLA, reviewing the totality of the facts, before making that determination; if you determine
an alien should not be validated at this time as a member of TDA, when available, you should
initiate removal proceedings under the INA. Alien scoring 5 points or less should not be
validated at this time as member of TDA; when available, you should initiate removal
proceedings under the INA.

The following alt-text is excerpted of a larger checklist, as the whole page doesn't fit within alt-text character limits.

Comment 2: For purposes of validating an alien as a member of TDA, at least one
scoring category must involve conduct occurring, or information received, within the past five
years.
Valuation Explanation
Category Definition Explanation Points
Judicial
Outcomes and
Official
Documents
a. Subject has been convicted of violating Title 18, United States Code,
Section 521 or any other federal or state law criminalizing or imposing
civil penalties for activity related to TDA
10
b. Court records (e.g., indictments, criminal complaints, sentencing
memorandums) identifying the subject as a member of TDA, describing
specific activity of TDA
5
Self-Admission
a. Subject self-identifies as a member or associate of TDA verbally or in
writing to law enforcement officer, even if that self identification to a
law enforcement officer is unwitting, e.g., through lawful interception of
communications.
10
Criminal
Conduct and
Information
a. Subject participates in criminal activity (e.g., narcotics trafficking,
human smuggling, etc.) with other members of TDA, including
preparatory meetings and significant incidents directly attributed to TDA
6
b. Law enforcement or intelligence reporting identifying subject as a
member of TDA, to include Bureau of Prisons validations and reliable
foreign partner information.
4
c. Credible testimonies/statements from victims, community members, or
informants that affirm the subject’s membership in or allegiance to TDA. 3
d. Detailed open-source media (e.g., newspapers, investigative journalism
reports) that describe arrest, prosecution, or operations of a subject as a
member of TDA
2
e. Subject conducts and/or facilitates business with TDA (e.g., money
laundering, mule, service provider) 2
Documents and
Communications

Final page: Association
a. Surveillance documentation that a subject is frequently observed closely
associating with known leaders and members of TDA 2
b. Subject part of group photos with two or more known members of TDA 2
c. Subject presently resides with known members of TDA 2
Total Points
VALIDATION DETERMINATION
Note: If any of the four requirements are not satisfied, do not
complete this validation determination.
Based on the validation guide and instructions above, including Comments 1 and 2, I find
that the person named above, _______________________________________________:
1. Is fourteen years or older;
2. Is not a citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States;
3. Is a citizen of Venezuela; and
4. Is a member of Tren de Aragua.
Accordingly, the above-named person is validated as an Alien Enemy.
_____________________ _________________________ __________________
Name of Agent/officer Signature of agent/officer Date
completing the form completing the form
______________________ _________________________ ____________________
Name of Supervisor Signature of Supervisor Date

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 13

Aslan?

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 8

This is the best thing I've read all week. The winner of the windfall is the one who finds the...

Gwenda Bond @gwenda.bsky.social · Mar 7

Now THIS is news www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Sale of Ellen Raskin Estate Reveals Unpublished 'Westing Game' Sequel

International Literary Properties has acquired Raskin’s estate and, along with it, two previously unpublished manuscripts by the late author, including a sequel to her Newbery Award–winning mystery, '...

www.publishersweekly.com

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 8

North Woods by Daniel Mason
The Entire Sky by Joe Wilkins
Everyone Who is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 8

One small victoriousness: it appears we CAN still say "equity."

Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · Mar 8

Trump administration has identified words to be banned on government websites or at least be wary of using. Among them: women, race, injustice, climate science, pollution, victim, historically. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

The Words Federal Agencies Are Discouraged From Using Under Trump

Federal agencies have issued guidance to employees on hundreds of terms to limit or avoid using. An analysis of government websites shows many of the same words being removed.

www.nytimes.com

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 8

A few more pics from today's Stand Up for Science rally in Seattle. Phagocytose the rich!

@standupforscience.bsky.social

Protest sign reading "Stand Up For Science"

Protest sign reading "Think research is expensive? Try DISEASE."

A protest with a banner reading "Stand up for science" and a sign with a normal distribution and the words "This is NOT normal."

Protest with a sign reading "Phagocytose the rich"

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Mar 8

Sunny vibes and great turnout at Seattle's rally to Stand Up For Science. Glad to see UW Immunology well-represented.

@standupforscience.bsky.social

A crowd holding signs in front of the Space Needle and blue sky

Protest sign reading "Science is our hope for a brighter future"

Protest sign reading "Diverse Scientists = Better Science"

Protest sign reading "Science is for everyone"

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 26

Agree! Though I wish they had a different cover photo here...

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 21

Opinion piece from UW scientists Jakob von Moltke @jmoltke.bsky.social , Patrick Mitchell, and Thornton Thompson advocating against proposed cuts to biomedical research. Washington (state) readers especially take note:

www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comm...

Comment: Pending cuts to medical research would harm all in state | HeraldNet.com

As UW medical scientists, we urge Washingtonians to defend the NIH’s life-saving research funding.

www.heraldnet.com

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 21

Wondering what you can do TODAY to oppose the madness? Comment on proposed changes to passports that would change "gender" to "sex" and require everyone to choose only M or F based on sex assigned at birth. Links below take you to the comment forms. Took me about 8 min to do all 3.

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · Feb 19

Public comment is now open for passport gender marker changes.

You can go here to go to each of the three proposed passport rules, and submit comment.

My suggestion: be unique, argue for trans-inclusive policies, against the constitutionality of the changes, etc.

www.reddit.com/r/Passports/...

Public comment on US passport form changes related to trans

www.reddit.com

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 21

@jmoltke.bsky.social

David Shiffman, Ph.D. 🦈 @whysharksmatter.bsky.social · Feb 21

Science (and science policy, and conservation) friends, I need your help!

We are collecting *specific, clear* examples of harms caused by the Trump administration's attacks on science, to be included in an open letter.

Can be links to news stories/social media posts. 🧪🦑🌎 #SciComm #SciPol

The Trump administration’s attacks on scientific funding, restrictions on Federal scientist activities, and
indiscriminate firing have caused chaos, panic, and harm.

We need *specific* examples of harms caused
by these policies to include in an open letter.
Grants cut, projects cancelled, jobs lost.

Feel free to send news stories, blog posts, or social media posts that mention these, as well as original contributions.

Please send to WhySharksMatter @ gmail or DM me

Reposted by Mary Fontana

Stand Up for Science! @standupforscience.bsky.social · Feb 12

Welcome to the Bluesky account for Stand Up for Science 2025!

Keep an eye on this space for updates, event information, and ways to get involved. We can't wait to see everyone #standupforscience2025 on March 7th, both in DC and locations nationwide!

#scienceforall #sciencenotsilence

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 18

Seattle keeping President's Day with a protest at the Federal Building.

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Reposted by Mary Fontana

Jen Mercieca @jenmercieca.bsky.social · Feb 15

No one can tell that whole story & no group can fight all of those changes. Pick a lane. Fight for that thing. Tell that story.

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Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 8

Let me see if I've got this straight. The one group of refugees the US is accepting right now is... white South African landowners?

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Feb 7

Today I discovered the song "Espresso" solely because it got covered by I'm With Her and that right there tells you most of what you need to know about my knowledge of popular music

Mary Fontana @maryfontanawrites.bsky.social · Jan 28

Trump has frozen trillions of dollars in federal funding--affecting Medicaid, DV shelters, school lunches, life-saving biomedical research, student loans and more--and meanwhile over at F*x News the top headline 🤦 is:

All the Buzz: White House clears the air on mystery drones in first briefing of new Trump admin