Undocumented Immigrants

The Horrors And Fears Latinos Now Face Due To ICE Raids!

Tragically, Latinos in America, whether born in America, or naturalized citizens, or those with a “green card”, or those who are undocumented, face the horrors and fear of ICE raids!

This is true in Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Washington DC, and elsewhere, as thousands upon thousands of immigrants who washed cars, shopped for groceries, delivered food, walked dogs, drove their cars and attended schools and jobs, are being summarily arrested and facing deportation!

Mothers and fathers and even teenagers have been separated from their families without notice or knowledge of where such victims are being sent on the way to deportation.

This is a civil liberties crisis unmatched in American history, with an out of control Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency waging massive raids, with a hardline attitude by Kristi Noem, Tom Homan, Stephen Miller, and others, who are acting as authoritarians under their sycophantic loyalty to Donald Trump.

The Supreme Court has bent to the will of the Trump Administration, with six of the nine members of the high Court giving leeway to whatever is occurring, which is violating the Bill Of Rights, and the future will be determined in future cases being argued on the Court.

At the same time, lower courts have often blocked Trump actions, so we have a split judicial system, but with the Supreme Court soon to decide just how far these violations of basic human rights will be implemented long term.

The lives of these unfortunate victims are being upended, as people stay home from work and school, and are unable to pay their bills, and have to depend on others for grocery shopping.

“The American Dream” is being upended, and is, sadly, likely to get worse, under a Supreme Court more extreme than any in a century since the 1920s, as the advancements of the previous Warren and Burger Courts are being upended by the Roberts Court!

Open Racism And Nativism Of ICE And Its Leadership! :(

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has become an agency promoting a policy of open, clearcut racism and nativism.

ICE has been horribly abusive, perceiving anyone with black or brown skin, or who has a Spanish surname or speaks Spanish as the primary language, as automatically the “enemy”.

Many of the people being picked up by ICE, abused, and often incarcerated in horrendous conditions, are US Citizens, not undocumented immigrants.

The tactics being employed, as recently in the brazen raid on an apartment building in Chicago, of putting children, the elderly, and all the residents of that building in handcuffs, zip ties, and injuring many of the residents, is an outrage that cannot be allowed to continue!

Kristi Noem, Thomas Homan, Stephen Miller, and others that are pushing this abuse of power, must be held accountable, and ICE must be put under control and restrictions, as basic civil liberies are being horribly abused!

ICE Agents Abusing The Constitution, Acting Totally Lawless And Like The Nazi Gestapo Of Adolf Hitler!

ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), under Thomas Homan, Stephen Miller, and Kristi Noem, is acting in a totalitarian way, abusing the Constitution, and acting totally lawless, in their mass arrests and abuses against undocumented immigrants, most of whom are NOT criminals!

Mass raids and the use of the National Guard and US Marines in Los Angeles; the raiding of schools, hospitals, court houses, work places, private homes, and so many other locations; are destroying the lives of people who have no criminal record, and in some cases, are in fact, citizens of the United States, or people with green cards that allow them to remain in America.

There is no sense of ethics, morals, empathy, compassion, or decency among ICE agents and their evil leadership, so as a result, there have been examples of resistance by citizens who are then roughly dealt with, as if we live in a nation, similar to Nazi Germany’s Gestapo.

And the so called “Alligator Alcatraz” in the Everglades in South Florida is a total violation of basic human rights, with inadequate sanitary and other living facilities, very much like a concentration camp, and illegally constructed by the evil and arrogant Florida Governor Ron DeSantis!

Imagining A Ronald Reagan-Donald Trump Meeting!

Ronald Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, is honored and really worshipped by tens of millions of conservatives, seen as an icon of their beliefs in limited government.

But if Ronald Reagan was alive today, it seems very clear that he would be vehemently opposed to everything Donald Trump believes in and promotes.

Ronald Reagan believed in dialogue, and managed to work with opposition Democrats on major issues, and had Democratic Speaker of the House Thomas “Tip” O’Neill at the White House on a regular, friendly basis. Most famously, on the crucial issue of Social Security reform, the two men came up with an agreement in 1983 that helped promote the long term survival and extension of Social Security.

Ronald Reagan believed the solution to undocumented immigration, a constant reality over the decades at the US-Mexico border, was to promote immigration reform, as was agreed to in 1986.

Ronald Reagan understood the threat of the Soviet Union, and while supporting all efforts for dialogue and diplomacy, he knew that the nation needed to work to undermine Russian aggression as part of the Cold War.

Ronald Reagan clearly knew the danger of high protective tariffs, having lived through the Great Depression of the 1930s, with a major cause of that horrific economic disaster being the Smoot_Hawley Tariff signed by President Herbert Hoover in 1930, despite the entreaties of hundreds of economists.

Ronald Reagan believed in the power of oratory, and avoided “stirring the pot” of turmoil, and worked to unify the nation through his speeches and public utterances in times of celebration and also, of tragedy.

Ronald Reagan’s children, Ron Reagan Jr. and Patti Davis, have made clear their vehement opposition to everything MAGA Republicans promote under Donald Trump, and as do multitudes of conservative commentators, assert that Donald Trump is NOT a conservative of the Ronald Reagan stripe in any way!

Donald Trump lies incessantly, more than any President in American history.

Donald Trump works to divide and denounce anyone in his Republican party who dares to challenge him, as well as any opposition in the nation, as he conducts himself as an authoritarian figure.

Donald Trump is extremely nativist, connected to racism, and has no concern for the plight or the rights of any undocumented immigrant, and even is out to remove any foreign born individual that has moved toward citizenship, instilling fear by his massive deportation efforts without any common decency, compassion, or empathy.

Donald Trump is a known collaborator with the Russian Federation uncer Vladimir Putin, and is ready to give up our alliances with democratic nations around the world. He and his team, including JD Vance, Marco Rubio, and others in the Cabinet engaged in national security, are ready to abandon Ukraine, and cozy up to our long term rival that does not have our safety and security as their goal.

Donald Trump is ready to cause a new Second Great Depression in his incessant drive to impose high tariffs, which history tells us is suicidal economic policy. And Trump representa a threat to the longevity of Social Security, in his quest to cut government spending.

This author and blogger is NOT defending Ronald Reagan, who he considers terrible in many ways, BUT in comparison to Donald Trump, he is to be seen as in the main wave of conservatism, while Trump is clearly NOT a conservative, just an unprincipled opportunist, who is conducting himself in a Fascist authoritarian manner!

Donald Trump’s “Wrecking Ball” On The Federal Government!

Donald Trump, in just four days in office, has applied the “wrecking ball” on the federal government.

Thousands of civil servants in many different government agencies have been told not to come to work, and have lost access to their offices and websites.

The Civil Service system set up in 1883 under the Pendleton Act is being eviscerated before our eyes.

The plan is to end government agencies, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created under President Jimmy Carter; the Department of Education, also created under Carter; and radically changing the State Department, Defense Department, the intelligence agencies, and the Department of Justice, all of whom Trump considers to be the “Deep State”.

Additionally, undocumented immigrants and gay and transgender people are subject to threats and lack of protection of basic human rights.

Plans are in place to undermine public education, and promote a right wing agenda on the curriculum, ignoring the reality of American history, and denying the reality of climate change and global warming.

Access to health and medical information is being limited, and if Robert F. Kennedy Jr is confirmed as Health and Human Services Secretary, or even if replaced by some other extremist, the nation will not be ready to deal with future health crises and potential for pandemics, since there is a denial of the reality of disease threats. And any investigation of racial disparities in disease study, and also of health issues involving gays and lesbians, has been halted, an absolutely horrifying scenario!

And Trump is trying to undermine the Constitution by promoting the end of Birthright Citizenship, which is protected by the 14th Amendment, clearly a racist move to limit migration and citizenship of immigrants from Latin America, Asia and Africa.

His proposal to allow a third term defies the 22nd Amendment, and is clearly a power grab by his supporters in Congress.

And his decision to deny continued security to former members of his earlier administration, including John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, is an outrage, putting their lives in danger!

But clearly, he only cares about himself, and does not value human life beyond what it can do for his power grab.

And to top it off, the pardoning of known violent extremists who attacked the US Capitol viciously gives these threats to public order the potential to cause more violence and bloodshed, and likely receive future Presidential pardons, so it is like the Brown Shirts of Adolf Hitler!

We are living in a time of right wing radical extremism, which is a threat to the Bill of Rights, the Constitution, the rule of law, and the concept of American democracy.

And at least short term, there is not much of a reaction or counter plans to deal with this crisis which is on the level of a potential equivalent of the Civil War or the Great Depression or World War II in the past of American history!

Donald Trump: No Compassion, Empathy Or Humanity, Just Oriented Toward Revenge!

Donald Trump is a wretched human being, a man who clearly is racist, sexist, nativist, misogynist, homophobic, and elements of antisemitism.

Trump is a very disturbed person, who flirts with authoritarian leaders, including Vladimir Putin, and the leaders of other nations with dictatorships.

Somehow, he has a hold on the Republican Party, which refuses to speak out over the years about his outrageous utterances, actions, and illegal and unethical activities.

Now, just two days into his second Presidency, Trump is displaying once again his lack of compassion, empathy, and humanity.

Trump has created a new potential threat with the pardon of all of the January 6, 2021 Insurrectionists.

He has also made clear mass deportation will include raids on churches and schools.

He has eliminated the Spanish language translation on government websites.

He is in process of firing many civil servants in the federal government.

He has demanded an apology from the Washington National Cathedral Bishop, who pleaded with him for the protection of gay, lesbian and transgender people, and undocumented immigrants who have not committed crimes.

He has moved to get rid of birthright citizenship, even though it is in the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

There are clear signs that he is bent on assuming absolute power, and has totally intimidated members of Congress, who with only a few exceptions, have not been willing to speak out against his actions and intentions.

Project 2025: Attack On Women, Minorities, Gay And Transgender Rights

Project 2025, created by the right wing think tank The Heritage Foundation, is a direct attack on the civil rights of vulnerable groups, including women, racial minorities, immigrants, and gay and transgender Americans, despite Donald Trump’s claim that he has no connection to this group or project, yet another lie added to the tens of thousands he has enunciated since 2015!

It would work to ban all abortions nationwide with no exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.

It would retract the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and other laws and rules that have promoted protection for racial minorities.

It would end birth right citizenship, and arrest and imprison millions of undocumented immigrants before deportation.

It would arrest and imprison all homeless people, and put a ban on Muslim immigrants.

It would repeal gay rights and gay marriage rights, and promote discrimination against transgender Americans.

This attack on vulnerable groups would set up a society in which white Christian supremacy and nationalism would reign.

It would destroy the concept of a multi racial, multi ethnic society where human rights and freedom would reign!

Another Florida Republican Presidential Contender Flops: Florida Is NOT America!

The state of Florida may be the third largest state in population, but it is clear that despite the Republican Party domination of state government in the past generation, that its office holders have very little appeal nationally.

So in 2016, former Governor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio both flopped badly, and now Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, despite an early boost after his 59 percent victory in the gubernatorial election is 2022, is on the way to a total collapse in his campaign to stop Donald Trump from being the 2024 Republican Presidential nominee.

Even in Florida, DeSantis is way behind Trump in public opinion polls, and his extremist right wing agenda is not having any success on a national level.

Trump, himself, resides in Florida part of the year at Mar a Lago, but was really a New Yorker, and has never run for public office in Florida.

DeSantis’s mean spirited, nasty, narrow minded, and unlikeable personality is flopping badly, and law suits are in process to stop his hateful legislation toward women, African Americans, Gay and Transgender Floridians, undocumented immigrants, and his censorship in Education, and Health Care intervention in a dictatorial manner!

Clearly, Florida is NOT America!

Florida Economy To Suffer Due To Anti Immigrant Legislation

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is adding to his image as the most dangerous and hate oriented Southern Governor since George Wallace of Alabama in the 1960s!

The Florida legislature has just passed an extreme anti immigrant law, that will devastate the state economy, as undocumented immigrants are on the way to fleeing Florida, as they will be subject to legal action after July 1.

The American economy depends on undocument immigrants to perform various jobs that no one else wishes to do, including agricultural work; maids and housekeepers; lawn care; taxi drivers and chauffeurs; taking care of children and the elderly; home construction; hotel workers; and janitors.

The new law will make it impossible for undocumented immigrants to live and work in Florida, and they will be reported if they end up needing health care in hospitals, and there is a fund to deport such immigrants to northern states and cities, by the cruel, nasty, uncaring governor, who has ZERO compassion and empathy!

The Florida population, so accustomed to the need for such workers, is waking up to reality that the state will see tremendous shortages of workers that cannot easily be replaced, and they will have no one to blame but themselves, believing in a man who has no conscience!

Ron DeSantis’s War Against Truth, Facts, And Vulnerable Victims!

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, judged by many as a so called “Frontrunner” for the Presidency in 2024, is seen by decent people as a real threat to basic truth and facts, and as a person who promotes right wing groups and ideology to undermine the freedoms and rights of endangered Americans!

When one looks back to past demagogues, DeSantis comes closest to the late Alabama Governor George Wallace, who gained the backing of one seventh of the American people in his third party Presidential campaign of 1968, railing against African Americans and basic civil rights. But the danger is that DeSantis actually could end up the nominee of the Republican Party in 2024!

DeSantis has shown his demagogic tendencies by promoting censorship of educational curriculums in public schools, as well as at Florida public universities and colleges. DeSantis wants to prevent the teaching of the truth and facts about white supremacy, the reality of slavery and Jim Crow segregation, because of his assertion that it might upset some young white children!

He also wants to suppress the reality of sexuality, including the facts and truth about students, who are gay, lesbian, or transgender, endangering their emotional stability, as he demands teachers and counselors refuse to consult regarding the turmoil many young people are going through daily!

DeSantis has also made undocumented immigrants another target, sending some from Texas borders to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts without notice, a clear political stunt that promotes fear and hatred of those escaping persecution and crime in the nations of Central America!

Ironically, today is the 100th anniversary of the Rosewood Massacre in Northern Florida, where a massacre of horrendous proportions occurred, destroying an African American town, and little was done to compensate victims, and a decision to cover up the reality of what had happened, until 1993.

Thirty years ago, Democratic Governor Lawton Chiles arranged for some reparations for the few surviving elderly people who were still alive 70 years later, and for descendants of those who were victims, to be given financial support for a college education.

But will Ron DeSantis acknowledge it in 2023, when he seems so concerned that young white children might feel guilt, a totally preposterous assertion? It is the reason for his desire to suppress the history of racial discrimination, not only in Florida, but elsewhere, as part of his push to ignore the crimes against Native Americans and other people of color as well!

DeSantis is also emboldening ignorant and biased parents, to suppress through control of school boards and library boards, the enlightenment of children to confront the issues of racial discrimination and sexuality, and tolerance of immigration.

For public libraries to censor any literature or other material focusing on these matters is reprehensible, and does not allow for a true understanding of reality. Instead, DeSantis’s goal and that of the Right Wing Extremists that he supports, is to promote narrow minded bigotry and ignorance in a nation that needs to confront reality, not be taught propaganda that covers up truth and facts!