Maya Sen
@mayasen.bsky.social
Professor, Harvard Kennedy School | Speaking in a personal capacity | https://msen.scholars.harvard.edu/
It would take a two-word amendment to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to subject ICE agents and other federal law enforcement officers to the same liability for constitutional violations that local and state officers currently face.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
If Congress actually cared about what it's seeing, it could pass that overnight.
January 15, 2026 at 6:17 PM
many people on social media assume that those whose rights are violated will lawyer up and somehow sue these agents into oblivion
no!
no!
January 15, 2026 at 6:11 PM
many people on social media assume that those whose rights are violated will lawyer up and somehow sue these agents into oblivion
no!
no!
I think it depends on who in the Trump administration you ask
December 24, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I think it depends on who in the Trump administration you ask
There are no good guys here. Not Harvard. Not the Trump admin. Not the leakers. And probably not these reporters.
a woman in a yellow sweater is making a funny face and giving the middle finger .
ALT: a woman in a yellow sweater is making a funny face and giving the middle finger .
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:13 PM
There are no good guys here. Not Harvard. Not the Trump admin. Not the leakers. And probably not these reporters.
The narrative of Harvard’s leadership courageously fighting this battle on principled moral grounds is just not true
It’s more that they wanted this wrapped up a while ago but the Trump admin has been too erratic & incompetent and asking too much
It’s more that they wanted this wrapped up a while ago but the Trump admin has been too erratic & incompetent and asking too much
December 24, 2025 at 7:10 PM
The narrative of Harvard’s leadership courageously fighting this battle on principled moral grounds is just not true
It’s more that they wanted this wrapped up a while ago but the Trump admin has been too erratic & incompetent and asking too much
It’s more that they wanted this wrapped up a while ago but the Trump admin has been too erratic & incompetent and asking too much
It usually works out that way
Hiring BS is usually correlated with bigger culture problems!
Hiring BS is usually correlated with bigger culture problems!
December 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
It usually works out that way
Hiring BS is usually correlated with bigger culture problems!
Hiring BS is usually correlated with bigger culture problems!
I had a dean at a fancy school lean over the desk to look at my hands to see if I was wearing a wedding ring
December 19, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I had a dean at a fancy school lean over the desk to look at my hands to see if I was wearing a wedding ring
Yes. It’s so widespread that often pointing it out makes * you * the problem
December 19, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Yes. It’s so widespread that often pointing it out makes * you * the problem
#2 is particularly toxic
That, plus the scarcity of academic jobs, can lead to exploitative and possibly illegal behavior in academia that simply would not be tolerated in the much more liquid private sector hiring market
That, plus the scarcity of academic jobs, can lead to exploitative and possibly illegal behavior in academia that simply would not be tolerated in the much more liquid private sector hiring market
December 19, 2025 at 2:54 PM
#2 is particularly toxic
That, plus the scarcity of academic jobs, can lead to exploitative and possibly illegal behavior in academia that simply would not be tolerated in the much more liquid private sector hiring market
That, plus the scarcity of academic jobs, can lead to exploitative and possibly illegal behavior in academia that simply would not be tolerated in the much more liquid private sector hiring market
Academia sucks at this particularly hard because:
1) faculty aren’t trained in basic HR protocol. Searches are decentralized with little oversight on legal issues
2) candidates who witness or experience illegal conduct are told to ignore it by advisors, lest they develop a “difficult” reputation
1) faculty aren’t trained in basic HR protocol. Searches are decentralized with little oversight on legal issues
2) candidates who witness or experience illegal conduct are told to ignore it by advisors, lest they develop a “difficult” reputation
December 19, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Academia sucks at this particularly hard because:
1) faculty aren’t trained in basic HR protocol. Searches are decentralized with little oversight on legal issues
2) candidates who witness or experience illegal conduct are told to ignore it by advisors, lest they develop a “difficult” reputation
1) faculty aren’t trained in basic HR protocol. Searches are decentralized with little oversight on legal issues
2) candidates who witness or experience illegal conduct are told to ignore it by advisors, lest they develop a “difficult” reputation
I’d be very interested in any evidence that alerting people (newspaper readers, for example) as to the legality of something changes their minds on either the underlying issue or the actors involved
December 18, 2025 at 10:32 PM
I’d be very interested in any evidence that alerting people (newspaper readers, for example) as to the legality of something changes their minds on either the underlying issue or the actors involved
I do indeed. Or defendants “assigned to”.
Wishing for an edit button.
Wishing for an edit button.
December 18, 2025 at 8:32 PM
I do indeed. Or defendants “assigned to”.
Wishing for an edit button.
Wishing for an edit button.