Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Mike Elk

@mikeelk.bsky.social

3.6K followers 680 following 1.9K posts

Emmy-nominated labor reporter @PaydayReport often in 🇧🇷. Alum: @Guardian! Yinzer @UEunion fam. Autistic⚾️ Jew. Falo Português in Pittsburgh. [email protected]

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · Sep 5

Over 450 workers nabbed by ICE at the Hyundai plant in Georgia.

Since construction began, three workers have been killed on the job.

Activists say that the raid is only likely to prevent immigrant workers from speaking out.

paydayreport.com/450-napped-b...

450 Nabbed by ICE at Hyundai Georgia Plant, Where 3 Workers Were Killed Previously

Since the Trump Administration took over and began cutting back on federal workplace safety enforcement, two workers have died at the plant in just two months.

paydayreport.com

6 46 78

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 4d

OMG, go see “One Battle After Another”, it starts with leftists raiding an ICE camp in a fictional US & the movie just gets deeper and deeper from there.

Its like “Battle of Algiers” meets “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”

I’m shocked that a studio was able to make this youtu.be/kQUPdVxZNPk?...

One Battle After Another | Official Trailer 2

YouTube video by Warner Bros.

youtu.be

1 1 7

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 4d

OMG, go see “One Battle After Another”, it starts with leftists raiding an ICE camp in a fictional US & the movie just gets deeper and deeper from there.

Its gonna inspire leftists in the way that “Battle of Algiers”

I’m truly shocked that a studio was able to make this youtu.be/kQUPdVxZNPk?...

One Battle After Another | Official Trailer 2

YouTube video by Warner Bros.

youtube.com

Reposted by Mike Elk

El Faro English @elfaroenglish.bsky.social · 4d

The deportation of Salvadoran journalist Mario Guevara isn’t only a story of attacks on immigrants in Georgia; it highlights another trend: By August, assaults on journalists in the U.S. had already reached a four-year high. beta.elfaro.net/en/a-region-...

Podcast: The Deportation of Mario Guevara: Where Attacks on Immigrants and Journalists Collide

Salvadoran-born journalist Mario Guevara was deported today, Friday, after his arrest in June, while covering protests in Georgia against the immigration raids of Trump’s first months. He was the…

beta.elfaro.net

11 27

Reposted by Mike Elk

Soren Spicknall @sorenspicknall.bsky.social · 7d

"Rodrick Johnson, 67, is one of many residents who were detained by federal agents during the South Shore raid. A U.S. citizen, he said agents broke through his door and dragged him out in zip ties."

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

chicago.suntimes.com

43 520 770

Reposted by Mike Elk

The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 5d

The anti-ICE protester, 19, was hurling insults but standing still when she was sprayed.

Federal officer blasts chemical spray into vocal but nonviolent Portland protester, video shows

The anti-ICE protester, 19, was hurling insults but standing still when she was sprayed.

www.oregonlive.com

61 240 630

Reposted by Mike Elk

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 4d

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 4d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

99 2.3K 7K

Reposted by Mike Elk

Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 4d

*A Republican lawmaker objected to reference to Charlie Kirk holding “often racist and controversial views” in local Alaska news
*The corporate owner took down the story and edited it
*The journalists resigned

This feels like more and more of our media now.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/03/u...

Journalists at 3 Newspapers Quit Over Edits to a Charlie Kirk Story

www.nytimes.com

49 890 2.6K

Reposted by Mike Elk

Doug McVay @dougmcvay.bsky.social · 5d

Google Calls ICE Agents a Vulnerable Group, Removes ICE-Spotting App ‘Red Dot’
www.404media.co/google-calls...

Google Calls ICE Agents a Vulnerable Group, Removes ICE-Spotting App ‘Red Dot’

The move comes as Apple removed ICEBlock after direct pressure from U.S. Department of Justice officials and signals a broader crackdown on ICE-spotting apps.

www.404media.co

5 9 16

Reposted by Mike Elk

Luke Epplin @lukeepplin.bsky.social · 6d

75 years ago today, the first "Peanuts" strip was published in a mere seven newspapers. It's been the chief artistic influence of my career, and I wrote yet another piece about the strip and how it relates to today's power relations in my new newsletter. lepplin.substack.com/p/charlie-br...

Charlie Brown and the Futility of Positive Thinking

A celebration of "Peanuts" at 75

lepplin.substack.com

3 14 50

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 6d

I just saw the Battleship Potemkin w/ experimental jazz trio accompanying it at this 1892 historic labor site in Homestead.
It was so powerful and roaring in a rustic site like that where 7 striking steelworkers were killed.

Reposted by Mike Elk

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 6d

From @theathletic.com: The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement is set to expire on Oct. 31. Revenue sharing and player salaries have been hang-ups in negotiations. Players have said they are prepared for the possibility of a work stoppage.
nyti.ms/3WiIs4J

A WNBA player wearing a black T-shirt with the words: Pay Us What You Owe Us

5 14 100

Reposted by Mike Elk

Lynda Lopez @lyndab08.bsky.social · 7d

“It was heartbreaking to watch,” said Watson. “Even if you’re not a mother, seeing kids coming out buck naked and taken from their mothers, it was horrible.”

Massive immigration raid on Chicago apartment building leaves residents reeling: 'I feel defeated'

The Department of Homeland Security said federal agents with Border Patrol, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives arrested 37 people in the raid.

chicago.suntimes.com

6 140 180

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 7d

Remember when the Teamsters backed Trump’s Department of Labor pick?

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 7d

I am told that furloughed Department of Labor employees were instructed today that out-of-office messages should blame Democrats.

3 10

Reposted by Mike Elk

Hell Gate *subscribe today!* @hellgatenyc.com · 7d

Morning Spew for Night Owls—New York City's floating dungeon—a towering symbol of our deadly municipal carceral system that has sat off the Bronx coast for more than 33 years—will soon be turned into scrap metal.

Scrapping NYC's 'Modern-Day Slave Ship'

The prison barge's sale to a Louisiana scrap metal company closes a grim chapter of New York City history. And more news to start your Wednesday.

hellgatenyc.com

1 13 40

Reposted by Mike Elk

Veena Dubal @veenadubal.bsky.social · 8d

Another win for the people: Gavin Newsom signed AB288! The law states that if the NLRB fails to respond to petitions to vindicate the rights of workers, then the CA Public Employment Relations Board can take up the matter - this is particularly important for ULPs!

legiscan.com/CA/text/AB28...

California AB288 | 2025-2026 | Regular Session

Bill Text (2025-09-22) Employment: labor organization and unfair practices. [Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.]

legiscan.com

2 51 180

Reposted by Mike Elk

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 8d

Doubly hard to buy the idea that "oh now you've done it, we're REALLY going to fire people" when that's been the M.O. since January 20 at 12:01pm.

Rodger Sherman @rodger.bsky.social · 8d

Pretty hard to buy the “THEY shut down the government, NOT US” line from the people who took power and immediately started firing every government employee possible and bragging about it

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 8d

loser shit

3 50 250

Reposted by Mike Elk

Truthout @truthout.org · 8d

As Israel’s bombardment of Gaza and starvation policy in the exclave nears the beginning of its third year, the assault that has killed more than 66,000 Palestinians has driven US support for Israel “off a cliff,” according to a new poll.

Majority of Voters Oppose Sending Israel More Military, Economic Aid, Poll Finds

Forty percent of surveyed voters said they believe Israel is intentionally killing Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

truthout.org

1 18 45

Reposted by Mike Elk

David Dayen @ddayen.bsky.social · 8d

AFGE has already sued to block threatened reductions in force after a shutdown, which "deviat[e] from historic practice and violat[e] applicable laws"
www.afge.org/globalassets...

6. The OMB memorandum takes the legally unsupportable position that a temporary
interruption of appropriations eliminates the statutory requirement for all unfunded government
programs and directs all federal agencies to “use this opportunity” to consider reductions in force
(“RIFs”) for any programs for which the funding has lapsed and that are not priorities of the
President.
7. This past weekend, the Trump administration doubled down on its illegal activity, as
OMB and the Office of Personnel Management (“OPM”) told agencies that federal employees could
work during the shutdown in order to effectuate these RIFs. But this directive is contrary to federal
law, because carrying out RIFs is plainly not a permitted (or “excepted”) function that can lawfully
continue during a shutdown.

1 10 34

Reposted by Mike Elk

Bill Arceneaux (keep on blogging in the free world) @billarceneaux.com · 8d

From Migrant Insider, via @mikeelk.bsky.social: paydayreport.com/meet-the-iri...

Meet the Irishman Exposing ICE From Amsterdam

The Amsterdam-based activist continues to infuriate nativists on the far-right, from xenophobic senators like Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, to the MAGA media chorus of ICE apologists who insist witho...

paydayreport.com

3 13

Reposted by Mike Elk

Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 10d

This is the secret the Trump regime tried so hard to keep about the Dallas ICE shooting

The names of the dead and wounded

Jose Andres Bordones-Molina

Miguel Ángel García-Hernandez

Norlan Guzman-Fuentes

Fight Trump's dehumanization. Say their names. My new column www.inquirer.com/opinion/dall...

What the Trump regime doesn’t want you to know about Dallas ICE shooting

The Trump regime's refusal to say the names of the Dallas ICE victims exposes the inhumanity of American fascism.

www.inquirer.com

63 2.4K 4.5K

Reposted by Mike Elk

Till Eckert @tilleckert.com · 13d

1/ I’m Till Eckert, a ProPublica reporter. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been going to the same NY immigration courthouse.

Nearly every time, I see ICE agents arresting immigrants. Today, a woman was slammed to the ground after begging officials not to take her husband away.

Thread 👇

750 3.9K 7.6K

Reposted by Mike Elk

Wisconsin Examiner @wisconsinexaminer.com · 13d

Trump threatens mass firings of federal employees in a government shutdown wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/09/25/r...

Trump threatens mass firings of federal employees in a government shutdown • Wisconsin Examiner

WASHINGTON — The White House has sent guidance to departments and agencies, telling them that if a shutdown begins Wednesday, they’re expected to institute mass firings and layoffs. The two-page memo...

wisconsinexaminer.com

2 2

Mike Elk @mikeelk.bsky.social · 13d

Racist AF - the owners of the waterfront will no longer allow buses to pick people up there www.wpxi.com/news/local/p...

PRT bus stops will be removed from inside Waterfront property

Starting next month, riders who use public transit at the Waterfront in Homestead will no longer be able to catch a bus inside the shopping plaza.

www.wpxi.com

Reposted by Mike Elk

Working Class History @workingclasshistory.com · 15d

#OtD 24 Sep 1945 in NYC up to 1.5 million workers got an impromptu day off when elevator workers in over 2000 city high-rise buildings, including the Empire State building, went on strike against pay cuts stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/9699...

1 19 40

Reposted by Mike Elk

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal @jayapal.house.gov · 15d

I was just notified of ANOTHER death in ICE custody — the 16th since Trump took office.

The second death TODAY. This is absolutely unacceptable.

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal @jayapal.house.gov · 15d

Congress was just notified of the 15th death in ICE custody since Trump took office.

This is the direct result of this administration expanding the use of private, for-profit prisons that put their bottom line over people’s health and safety.

34 430 860