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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · 3d

Things authoritarian states do.

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 3d

Jesus Christ. DHS has held this guy in the hospital handcuffed to a bed and under constant guard for over a MONTH without ANY warrant or even ANY steps taken towards putting him into the removal system!

Petitioner’s counsel has requested documentation of a judicial warrant for his arrest, any charging documents, or other authority supporting his detention. See Santiago Decl. ¶¶ 18–20. ICE has provided no response. Id. To date, ICE has not placed Petitioner in removal proceedings, charged him with violating immigration law, set bond, issued a Notice to Appear, or otherwise processed him. See Pet. ¶¶ 16, 49. In Respondent’s Opposition brief, the government states “ICE intends to take further action consistent with the laws prescribed under the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) once Petitioner is released from medical care and it can conduct the examination as [prescribed] in 8 C.F.R § 287.3.” Opp. at 4. Neither Petitioner nor Respondents have provided the Court with information about Petitioner’s citizenship, whether he has violated any law or regulation, or any information that would suggest that Petitioner is a flight risk.

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Josh Michtom @rsgat.bsky.social · 3d

Today, I drove an hour and a half with my wife and a couple friends to pick up a neighbor who was summarily, inexplicably arrested by ICE at a check-in ten days ago and then just as inexplicably released, 100 miles from home today. It was a happy occasion, all things considered, but...

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The Oregonian @oregonian.com · 3d

An 84-year-old said she sustained a concussion and was hit with a projectile after she and her husband, a Vietnam vet, were knocked down by federal officers.

Federal agents knock down elderly couple during Portland protest

An 84-year-old said she sustained a concussion and was hit with a projectile after she and her husband, a Vietnam vet, were knocked down by federal officers.

www.oregonlive.com

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Ida Bae Wells @nhannahjones.bsky.social · 6d

In case it wasn’t clear, the anti-DEI crusade has never been about merit. Zero news experience. Never been a reporter. Elevated to Editor in Chief of CBS News, one of the most storied news institutions in the nation. www.mediaite.com/media/news/p...

Paramount Officially Acquiring The Free Press and Making Bari Weiss CBS News Editor in Chief: Report

Paramount Skydance will be officially acquiring The Free Press and hiring its founder Bari Weiss as editor in chief of its CBS News division, with the deal to be announced this coming Monday, accordin...

www.mediaite.com

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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 6d

Donald Trump knows what he is doing in attacking democracy. Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat shares a warning about Trump's next authoritarian moves and we discuss how we can fight back.

Please watch and share. youtu.be/ovorLE6E494

SCARY: Trump Knows What He's Doing | Ruth Ben-Ghiat

YouTube video by Democracy Docket

youtu.be

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Scott Horton @robertscotthorton.bsky.social · 6d

Carrie A Lee: It underscored the admin’s intention to shift its focus... toward homeland issues, and provided the clearest indication yet that US partners and allies will have to contend with a military increasingly operating outside of international law. www.gmfus.org/news/rough-s...

Rough Seas Ahead

www.gmfus.org

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Our Government is Abusing Us @basil45.bsky.social · 6d

Trump’s Authoritarian Playbook

Fascism expert @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

youtu.be/ovorLE6E494?...

SCARY: Trump Knows What He's Doing | Ruth Ben-Ghiat

YouTube video by Democracy Docket

youtu.be

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Sep 6

Called it last week: The true rationale for the change to Department of War is the war Trump is waging on America:
lucid.substack.com/p/trumps-war...

Trump's War on America

To allow Trump's autocratic allies to prosper, our military and intelligence must take on new roles at home. We can sound the alarm with those who serve.

lucid.substack.com

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Jenn (^_^)/ 🇨🇦 @canadacobrachicken.bsky.social · 20d

"Strongmen" by @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social is an invaluable read right now. The whole playbook we're seeing in the US is laid bare for all of us to see.

"On Tyranny" & "On Freedom" by @timothysnyder.bsky.social are also both must reads given the current moment.

www.goodreads.com/book/show/53...

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present

Ours is the age of authoritarian rulers: self-proclaime…

www.goodreads.com

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Asha Rangappa @asharangappa.bsky.social · 20d

PSA: A "Major Terrorist Organization" (MTO) is not a thing. The Immigration and Nationality Act *delegates* power to the State Department to designate *FOREIGN* terrorist organizations (FTOs) based on certain criteria. It doesn't apply to domestic orgs.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!

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Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 22d

They don’t have the power to do what they’re threatening on a grand scale.

But they want us to think they do.

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Governor JB Pritzker @govpritzker.illinois.gov · Sep 7

Once Donald Trump gets the citizens of this nation comfortable with the current atrocities committed under the color of law – what comes next?

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Sherrilyn Ifill @sifill.bsky.social · Sep 8

Don’t say “Dems aren’t doing anything.” There’s just little attention to the courage of these Missouri Dems resisting the extreme gerrymandering of Republicans desigmed to increase Republican numbers in the House.
www.kfvs12.com/2025/09/05/m...

Missouri House Democrats plan to continue sit-in over weekend

Missouri Democrats have surpassed 24 hours of their sit-in on the House floor protesting a special session.

www.kfvs12.com

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Alex Zucker @alexzucker.bsky.social · Sep 8

Alt text here: bsky.app/profile/alt-...

Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Sep 8

My collaboration with Ivan Ehlers for the @latimes.com

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Sep 8

My collaboration with Ivan Ehlers for the @latimes.com

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Sep 6

Called it last week: The true rationale for the change to Department of War is the war Trump is waging on America:
lucid.substack.com/p/trumps-war...

Trump's War on America

To allow Trump's autocratic allies to prosper, our military and intelligence must take on new roles at home. We can sound the alarm with those who serve.

lucid.substack.com

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Sep 4

This excellent essay is published by Lucid but it is written by @marceldirsus.com

Susan McPherson @susanmcp.bsky.social · Sep 4

"In Trump’s America, it could be ICE. Thousands of armed men, comparatively loyal to the great leader – perhaps even willing to put him above the constitution."

Terrifying read from @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social.

open.substack.com/pub/lucid/p/...

Why Trump Might Want ICE To Be His Private Militia

Seeing ICE as a coup-proofing corps

open.substack.com

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Aug 31

true!

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Prospect Magazine @prospectmagazine.co.uk · Aug 29

While our podcasts are on a summer break, we’re re-posting our fav eps of the year so far. In May, @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social joined us to discuss Trump’s authoritarianism:
prospectmagazine.sub...

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Tim Karr @timkarr.bsky.social · Aug 27

For more on the international parallels between Trump and other authoritarian regimes I recommend subscribing to @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social's Lucid.

This from today's newsletter:

lucid.substack.com/p/trumps-war...

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Asawin Suebsaeng @swin24.bsky.social · Aug 25

The news from the past few days is a stunning example of what happens when the state decides it wants to crush just one guy

Naomi LaChance @naomilachance.bsky.social · Aug 23

www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Aug 22

Things delusional authoritarians do. They create the self-serving reality they need for their ego. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/22/u...

Pentagon Fires the Defense Intelligence Agency Chief

www.nytimes.com

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Ruth Ben-Ghiat @ruthbenghiat.bsky.social · Aug 21

oh

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1.bsky.social · Aug 21

Breaking NYT:

A close adviser to NYC Mayor Eric Adams was suspended from his re-election campaign after giving a journalist cash tucked inside a potato chip bag. www.nytimes.com/2025/08/20/n...