Seems like if the administration had a strong legal theory for killing people in the Caribbean, they’d be willing to share it publicly.

News of the DOJ OLC memo justifying these strikes broke just after we wrapped. But we already knew the govt’s legal theory — and carefully debunked it:

The Senate Judiciary Committee needs to get a copy of this OLC memo publicly released.

www.cnn.com/2025/10/06/p...

Notable statement from @nycbarassociation.bsky.social.

It's a pretty big deal that the NYC Bar Association--one of the most prominent and respected bar associations in the country--is accusing the President of ordering the "unlawful summary execution," i.e. murder--of civilians in violation of US and international law. www.nycbar.org/press-releas...

Only by acting promptly can Congress bring our nation into compliance with the Constitution and international law, reduce the risk of hostilities with neighboring countries and assure that similar abuses of Presidential power do not expand to American shores. bit.ly/3KVqX84

Proud to endorse this @nycbarassociation.bsky.social statement condemning the unlawful summary executions carried out by the U.S. Government. The attacks on Venezuelan vessels violate U.S. and international law. www.nycbar.org/press-releas....

It's worth examining this alongside the 2001 AUMF authorizing force against al Qaeda. Note the 2001 explicit tie to the actual armed attacks of 9/11. And note the lack of any tie to an armed attack in the proposal to give POTUS power to wage war against drug cartels and nations he claims harbor them

This appears to be the 3rd lethal US strike in the Caribbean.

Once again, the specific "terrorist" entity targeted is not identified.

No legal justification is offered for this premeditated killing.

President Trump is asserting a license to kill outside of the law. 1/n

I know people are overwhelmed by too much news from every angle, and maybe people are distracted by the "terrorist" language, or just plain exhausted.

But this is the President of the United States saying he is going to go around killing people because he thinks they're criminals. And already did.

Today's purging of State Dept. employees is a blow to our global influence. The impact will echo for years. AFSA stands with the workforce & Americans who know that professional, non-partisan diplomacy is not expendable. We won't stop fighting to defend it.
Read our statement: afsa.org/press

The fired employees are getting separation notices with info about resources on things like pensions. The notices end with the statement: “Thank you for your work at the Department of State.”

Heartbreaking but vital thread on the human, political and moral costs of the reckless (and likely unlawful) slashing of career FSO and civil service positions and vital diplomatic functions at the State Department. This from DRL hits hard.

Well look here: A USDC taking "judicial notice" of a state (El Salvador) submission to @wgeid.bsky.social - a special procedure mechanism of the UN Human Rights Council. The international human rights system at work in U.S. courts!

STAGGERING: This new study of 133 countries is the first to estimate the impact of all USAID’s work. In 2 decades, it has saved *92M* lives. Current cuts, if not reversed, are forecast to cost up to *14M* lives thru 2030. www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Are you thinking VCCR Art. 36 notification of consulate requirement? Would be an interesting angle, using Art. 36 as facilitating international due process (as IACtHR concluded in the Mexico v. US advisory opinion in 1999).

Fantastic news!

Jeremy, This is excellent! Thank you for sharing it.

Congrats, Ben!

1. Three reactions to today’s oral argument involving “nationwide” injunctions against Trump’s birthright citizenship order. www.npr.org/2025/05/15/n...

Happening now: From the bench, Judge Alvin Hellerstein indicates he’ll extend a TRO barring removals of Venezuelans detained in SDNY under the Alien Enemies Act. Detailing horrific conditions at CECOT, he partly cited the likelihood of irreparable harm.

“What way is that to treat a (human) being?”

This description of 50-yrs of bipartisan human rights diplomacy is bonkers:

The bureau for democracy, human rights and labor, Mr. Rubio said, had become a “platform for left-wing activists to wage vendettas” against conservative foreign leaders, including those in Poland, Hungary and Brazil.

Trump Administration Live Updates: Rubio Announces Major State Dept. Overhaul www.nytimes.com/live/2025/04...

Let's go!

bit.ly/43YVdqh