Shit I Read Yesterday - July 4, 2025
Dispatches from the Shit Show
US/POLITICS
Alien Enemies Act/Immigration...
Gross!
San Gabriel Valley Tribune - Video shows immigration agents urinating on Pico Rivera school grounds, officials say; feds investigating
Pico Rivera school board demands answers after they say video shows 10 ICE agents urinating in "public view" on high school grounds.
WAPO - ICE increasingly targets undocumented migrants with no criminal record
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are ramping up arrests. But the share of detained migrants with a criminal record has been declining.
NPR - How Trump's tax cut and policy bill aims to 'supercharge' immigration enforcement
The massive package sets aside about $170 BILLION to support the Trump's administration's border and immigration goals, which includes detaining and deporting a record number of people from the U.S.
Guardian - US man arrested while filming Home Depot Ice raid sues government for $1m
Photographer Job Garcia, a US citizen, seeks recompense after reportedly being tackled and thrown to the ground.
THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali and Chris Geidner - Welcome to America, Immigrants! Now Go to South Sudan!
With today's ruling, The Supreme Court again reveals itself to be a corrupt, complicit arm of the Trump Regime and its self-destructive agenda to make America white again.
Adam Klasfeld and Harry Litman - SCOTUS lets Trump's immigrant flight to South Sudan take off (Live with Harry Litman)
Sotomayor says Trump has the Supreme Court on "speed dial" whenever he wants a pass on his "lawlessness."
AP - Supreme Court clears way for deportation to South Sudan of several immigrants with no ties there
The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties.
AP - Honduran family freed from detention after lawsuit against ICE courthouse arrests
The lawsuit filed on behalf of the mother identified as “Ms. Z,” her 6-year-old son and her 9-year-old daughter, said they were arrested outside the courtroom after an immigration court hearing in Los Angeles. They had been held for weeks in the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas. Their identities have not been released because of concerns for their safety.
ABC - 200 Marines among those being sent to Florida to help ICE
Last month, the Pentagon announced that it planned to send another 700 troops to Florida, Louisiana and Texas to help immigration officials with logistical and administration support.
AP - First immigration detainees arrive at ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ in Florida Everglades
The first group of immigrants has arrived at a new detention center deep in the Florida Everglades that officials have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” a spokesperson for Republican state Attorney General James Uthmeier told The Associated Press.
CNN - Lawmakers who tried to visit ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ amid humanitarian concerns were denied entry
Florida lawmakers worried about “humanitarian concerns” were denied entry into the new detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” Thursday, just hours after the arrival of its first group of detainees.
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Big Fugly Bill...
First casualty, and it won't be the last.
Nebraska Public Media - Southwest Nebraska medical center announces plans to close, blames uncertainty over funding
The uncertainty over federal Medicaid funding appears to have claimed its first victim in Nebraska. Community Hospital in McCook announced Wednesday that it will close Curtis Medical Center in Curtis, winding down its services over the next several months.
Robert Reich - This is Fascism
Trump’s Big Ugly Bill is fascist — not only in what it does and authorizes, but in how it got enacted
THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali and Mike Madrid - How the GOP's Billionaires' Bill Expands Trump’s Reign of Terror
Two hundred Marines are now going to help ICE terrorize Florida as Trump's billionaire bill gives his Gestappo $175 billion to attack, intimidate, and deport immigrants, citizens, and his critics.
WAPO - Trump is set to cement a budget-busting legacy, adding to the national debt
It’s unclear precisely how much the president will have added to the national debt over two terms, although during his first term, Trump oversaw a roughly $8 trillion increase in the federal debt.
Politico - Planned Parenthood pledges to sue Trump administration over megabill funding cut
“See you in court,” the nonprofit’s CEO said following the House vote to pass the reconciliation bill.
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On the Chopping Block...
The Conversation - Mauna Loa Observatory captured the reality of climate change. The US plans to shut it down
US President Donald Trump has decided to defund the observatory recording the data, as well as the widespread US greenhouse gas monitoring network and other climate measuring sites.
Guardian - EPA puts 139 employees on leave after they sign a ‘declaration of dissent’
The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday put on administrative leave 139 employees who signed a “declaration of dissent” about its policies, accusing them of “unlawfully undermining” the Trump administration’s agenda.
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Idiocracy...
What the literal fuck?!
HuffPost - Full 'Idiocracy': Trump's Bonkers Plan For White House Event Gets Panned By Critics
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a very unusual plan for the nation’s 250th anniversary next year: a mixed-martial arts fight on the grounds of the White House with up to 25,000 spectators in attendance. (CNN)
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Miscellaneous...
Ann Telnaes Cartoon - In 1776 we rejected a monarchy
You can thank the oath breaking Republicans for where we are
Joy-Ann Reid, THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali, and Lev Parnas - Welcome to the Police State of America Inc. with Joy Ann Reid
A recording from Joy-Ann Reid and THE LEFT HOOK with Wajahat Ali's live video
Heather Cox Richardson - Letters from an American
July 3, 2025
Robert Reich - What Patriotism Requires
An ode to a disappearing America
I have no words. So distinguished for the Idiocracy version of the White House Twatter feed. Way to go morons. Go chug some fucking Brawndo.
LGBTQ
Erin In The Morning - Ohio Blocks Funding For Trans-Affirming Mental Health Care For Youth And Adults
Governor Mike DeWine vetoed some anti-trans measures of the state budget bill, but signed off on others. The fight still isn’t over.
AP - North Carolina governor vetoes anti-DEI and transgender rights bills, calling them ‘mean-spirited’
North Carolina Democratic Gov. Josh Stein vetoed on Thursday three anti-DEI bills and another measure that in part would target transgender rights. His actions set up more showdowns with Republican lawmakers who pitch the legislation as doing away with structured racial bias in government and public education, protecting women and empowering parents.
CRIME
CBS - Man arrested for trying to bring "ghost gun" into Capitol Hill office building
Jason White, 35, allegedly tried to bring the gun through a security checkpoint at the Cannon House Office Building shortly after 8:30 a.m. of June 24. The firearm was detected when White placed his bag through a metal detector at an entrance to the building, according to police.
WORLD
Russia's Invasion of Ukraine...
Axios - Trump says he made no progress on Ukraine in his call with Putin
Ukrainian officials said President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to speak with Trump on Friday to discuss the pause of the weapons shipments.
BBC - Kyiv hit by barrage of drone strikes as Putin rejects Trump's truce bid
The hours of darkness were once again punctuated by the staccato of air defence guns, buzz of drones and large explosions. Ukraine said Russia had fired a record 550 drones and 11 missiles during a long night of bombardment.
"Apparent fall" or "window cancer?"
Moscow Times - Transneft Vice President Dies in Apparent Fall From Window, Reports Say
The vice president of Russia’s state-owned oil pipeline monopoly Transneft has died after allegedly falling from a window at his home in the upscale Moscow suburb of Rublyovka, state media reported Friday.
NBC - Hegseth halted weapons for Ukraine despite military analysis that the aid wouldn’t jeopardize U.S. readiness
The move blindsided the State Department, Ukraine, European allies and members of Congress, who demanded an explanation from the Pentagon.
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Middle East...
WAPO - Trump looks for a win on Israel-Gaza peace deal during Netanyahu visit
Trump’s decision to bomb Iran exposed cracks in his MAGA base. Now he’s pushing a Gaza ceasefire. But whether Israel is ready to commit to peace is unclear.
SCIENCE
New Republic - New State Reports Measles Outbreak as RFK Jr. Slashes Vaccines
Measles have reached a record peak, but Robert F. Kennedy Jr. doesn’t want to vaccinate people.
A climate warning for all of us, except for cockroaches. Those fuckers survive every time.
The Conversation - Around 250 million years ago, Earth was near-lifeless and locked in a hothouse state. Now scientists know why
Some 252 million years ago, almost all life on Earth disappeared. Known as the Permian–Triassic mass extinction – or the Great Dying – this was the most catastrophic of the five mass extinction events recognized in the past 539 million years of our planet’s history.
TEXAS
Lone Star Left - An Open Letter To James Talarico And Joaquin Castro
Texas Democrats are ready. We just need you to lead together, not at odds.