2019-05-08: Social Media Postees

Julian Assange Tortured with Psychotropic Drug
Kurt Nimmo | globalresearch.ca | 2019-05-08
Retired USAF lieutenant colonel Karen Kwiatkowski writes in an article posted at Lew Rockwell's website that Julian Assange is receiving the same treatment as suspected terrorists while in captivity at "Her Majesty's Prison Service" at Belmarsh. | The FBI, Pentagon, and …
globalresearch.ca/julian-assange-tortured-psychotropic-drug/5676921

New Era for the ERA? 35 Years Later, Will Equal Rights Amendment Finally be Ratified?
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-08
Activists and lawmakers testified last week before a House Judiciary subcommittee in the first congressional hearings on the Equal Rights Amendment in more than 35 years. The constitutional amendment was approved by Congress in 1972, and was ratified by 35 states over the next decade — three states short of the required total needed by a 1982 deadline. Nevada and Illinois have since ratified the amendment. A bill by Rep. Jackie Spear would eliminate the 1982 deadline, leaving the ERA just one state away from becoming a part of the U.S. Constitution. We speak with co-presidents and CEOs of the ERA Coalition/…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/8/new_era_fo…

Remembering the Woman Who Renovated the House that RBG Built
aclu.org | 2019-05-08
Lenora Lapidus led the ACLU's Women's Right Project for nearly two decades. She died on Sunday, May 5. | On the 50th anniversary of Selma's Bloody Sunday, one of the darkest stains in our nation's civil rights history, President Obama spoke with hope and confidence about Americans who were "unencumbered by what is, and ready to seize what ought to be." Lenora Lapidus lived her life by both of these tenets. | Public servants come in many forms. They're elected officials, politicians, activists, lawyers, organizers, students, ordinary citizens, and steadfast patriots. Our beloved Lenora represented the ve…
aclu.org/blog/womens-rights/remembering-woman-who-renovated-house-rbg-built

Mayor Watkins Blocks Food Not Bombs Proclamation
Santa Cruz News | indybay.org | 2019-05-08
Mayor Martine Watkins has blocked a city proclamation proposed to honor the work of Food Not Bombs in Santa Cruz. In a letter to Councilmember Chris Krohn, Watkins stated it would not be "appropriate" to issue a proclamation honoring Food Not Bombs because the organization is "suing the city". Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs has provided information in support of the plaintiffs in Quntero v. the City of Santa Cruz, a civil right lawsuit filed on April 9 by a group of homeless residents of the Ross Camp, which maintained the closure of the encampment by the city would violate their constitutional rights.
indybay.org/newsitems/2019/05/06/18823248.php

Workers and youth defend Assange and democratic rights at SEP (Australia) meetings
wsws.org | 2019-05-08
"Politicians have a vested interest in keeping him behind bars, so it will require a broad mobilisation of people to save Assange and defend our rights."
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/08/sint…

Women's Rights Are Human Rights
Andrea Arroyo | thenation.com | 2019-05-08
Women's Rights Are Human Rights…
thenation.com/article/womens-rights-are-human-rights/

Theresa May needs to prove her PMQs words on hunger strikers aren't just lip service
Emily Apple | thecanary.co | 2019-05-08
During Prime Minister's Questions on 8 May, Theresa May was asked whether she will intervene over ongoing Kurdish hunger strikes in the UK and abroad. And she pledged to encourage her Turkish allies to 'uphold human rights'. But she now needs to prove her words aren't just lip service. | Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts questioned the PM over whether she would take action as a matter of 'urgency' given the critical condition of Kurdish hunger strik…
thecanary.co/global/world-analysis/2019/05/08/theresa-may-needs-to-prove-her-pmqs-words-on-hunger-strikers-arent-just-lip-service/

US Venezuela Sanctions Violate Human Rights, International Law: UN Expert
TeleSUR English | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-05-08
UN expert Idriss Jazairy stated that unilateral measures are against the U.N.'s Declaration on the Principles of International Law concerning friendly relations and cooperation among States.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14474

'Genuinely Really Scared for Women and Girls': Busy Philipps Shares Personal Abortion Story In Viral Video
Jenna McGuire, newsroom staff | commondreams.org | 2019-05-08
"I can not sit idly by while women's rights are stripped away." | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…
commondreams.org/news/2019/05/08/genuinely-really-scared-women-and-girls-busy-philipps-shares-personal-abortion-story?cd-origin=rss

New Iran sanctions: Trump threatens anyone trading aluminum, iron, steel & copper
rt.com | 2019-05-08
The US has imposed sweeping new sanctions on anyone who trades with Iran in iron, steel, copper, aluminum and related products, escalating the economic blockade of Tehran as the nuclear deal continues to unravel. | …
rt.com/usa/458769-iran-sanctions-metal-industry/

Trump's "Deal of the Century" Will Use Sanctions, Military Threats to Force Palestinian Acceptance
Whitney Webb | mintpressnews.com | 2019-05-08
Recently leaked provisions of the plan include threats of US sanctions & military force if Palestinians reject the plan and a requirement for Palestinians to pay the Israeli Defense Forces for protection.
mintpressnews.com/trump-deal-of-the-century-will-use-sanctions-military-threats-to-force-palestinian-acceptance/258312/

Democratic-Aligned Think Tank Knocks Bernie Sanders For Vote Aimed at Avoiding War With Iran
Akela Lacy | theintercept.com | 2019-05-08
A mainstream, Democratic Party-aligned foreign policy think tank is knocking Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., for voting against new sanctions on Iran in 2017 — though the think tank itself and many members of its board oppose new Iran sanctions. | Sanders has been an outspoken supporter of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and said at the time that he voted against the measure in…
theintercept.com/2019/05/08/bernie-sanders-foreign-policy-for-america-score/

Pence lifts US sanctions from Venezuela's defector general, hopes to inspire more turncoats
rt.com | 2019-05-08
The US has lifted sanctions from a former Venezuelan spy chief, who recently defected from President Nicolas Maduro's side. US Vice President Mike Pence hopes this incentive will prompt others to defect as well. | …
rt.com/usa/458686-venezuela-defector-sanctions-lifted/

Russia Blames U.S. for Endangering Iran Deal
Staff | truthdig.com | 2019-05-08
TEHRAN, Iran — The Latest on Iran's decision to step away from embattled nuclear deal (all times local): | 2: 30 p.m. | Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov says the situation surrounding the fate of the 2015 Iran nuclear accord has been complicated by "irresponsible behavior" from Washington. | Lavrov is meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Moscow on Wednesday. The nuclear deal will be at the top of their agenda after Iran announced it would suspend some of its commitments in response to U.S. sanctions. | Lavrov says they will discuss the "unacceptable situation" that has been ex…
truthdig.com/articles/russia-blames-u-s-for-endangering-iran-deal/

Chelsea Manning Says She'll Never Testify Against WikiLeaks, Seeks Release From Jail
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-08
(ANTIWAR.COM) — Whistleblower Chelsea Manning has been held in detention in Alexandria, VA for the last two months on "contempt" charges for refusing to testify against WikiLeaks. On Monday, her legal team issued a new legal argument seeking release. The argument is seen in an 8-page legal filing, which at its core is that she is never going …

Chelsea Manning Says She'll Never Testify Against WikiLeaks, Seeks Release From Jail

Chelsea Manning: Despite Heartbreak And Hardship, Cooperation With WikiLeaks Grand Jury Not An Option
shadowproof.com | 2019-05-08
Editor's Note: The following declaration from Chelsea Manning was filed in a federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, on May 6. It is part of her defense attorneys' ongoing efforts to free her from the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center. Shadowproof is republishing the statement to help bring further attention to what Manning has endured. | Throughout her declaration, Manning makes it abundantly clear she will never testify before the grand jury investigating WikiLeaks. "I can either go to jail or betray my…
shadowproof.com/2019/05/08/chelsea-manning-despite-heartbreak-and-hardship-cooperation-with-wikileaks-grand-jury-not-an-option/

Former Trump chief of staff John Kelly joins board of migrant detention firm
wsws.org | 2019-05-08
The retired general and anti-immigrant demagogue is profiting from the draconian policies he helped implement while working in the Trump administration.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/08/kell…

Bail Reform Should Include Efforts to End Pretrial Incarceration
Staff | truthout.org | 2019-05-08
Bail reform is a struggle at the very center of criminal legal reform, but recent proposals to reform bail have failed to effectively address the pervasive problems wrapped up in pretrial detention. Bail reform measures generally seek to reduce the number of people held on pretrial incarceration, and to dismantle the $2 billion-annual-for-profit bond industry that the cash bail system is built on. Some proposals are well-meaning but don't go far enough. While eliminating cash bail, as some have attempte…
truthout.org/articles/real-bail-reform-would-end-pretrial-incarceration/

Arizona students demand release of classmate detained by immigration agents
wsws.org | 2019-05-08
Over 200 high school students in Tucson, Arizona walked out of school Monday to protest the detention and deportation of their classmate, Thomas Torres.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/05/08/walk…

"Endorsement of Murder": Trump Pardons US Soldier Who Tortured, Killed Iraqi Prisoner
Eoin Higgins | theantimedia.com | 2019-05-07
(CD) — President Donald Trump on Monday evening pardoned an American soldier for murdering an Iraqi prisoner in 2008, generating outrage from progressives and human rights activists. First Lt. Michael Behenna was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2009 for the murder, and released on parole in 2014. The killing came a month after two of Behenna's fellow …

"Endorsement of Murder": Trump Pardons US Soldier Who Tortured, Killed Iraqi Prisoner

Joe Biden's Son Hunter Is Invested in China's Mass Surveillance Program Used to Monitor Uyghur Muslims
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-07
As the United Nations accuses the Chinese government of setting up massive camps in the far-west Xinjiang province to imprison an unknown number of ethnic Uyghurs and other Muslims, Human Rights Watch reports that China is carrying out mass surveillance there using a mobile app that lets authorities monitor the Muslim population. We speak with investigative reporter Lee Fang about an unexpected investor in Chinese surveillance: Hunter Biden, Joe Biden's son. And we speak with Human Rights Watch China director Sophie Richardson.
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/7/joe_bidens…

After Florida Re-enfranchises 1.4 Million, Republicans Push New "Poll Tax" For Formerly Incarcerated
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-07
Civil rights groups are decrying what they say is a new poll tax after the Florida Senate passed a bill Friday that would require formerly incarcerated people with felony convictions to repay all fines and fees to courts before their voting rights are restored. This comes six months after voters in Florida approved a measure to restore voting rights to 1.4 million people with nonviolent felonies who have fully completed their sentences, overturning a Jim Crow-era law aimed at keeping African Americans from voting. Nearly 65 percent of voters approved the constitutional amendment to re-enfranchise people with form…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/7/after_flor…

Release of prize-winning Reuters journalists in Myanmar welcomed by UN
United Nations | un.org | 2019-05-07
The release of two prize-winning Reuters journalists jailed in Myanmar after reporting on the massacre of Rohingya Muslims has been welcomed by the UN human rights office, OHCHR, which warns however that press freedom there remains "dire".
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/05/1038011

As Countries Seek Trade With China, Imprisoned Uyghur Muslim Community Has Become "Collateral Damage"
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-07
China's top trade negotiator is traveling to Washington this week as tension over trade intensifies between the two nations. President Trump is threatening to impose a 25 percent tariff on nearly all Chinese imports after the U.S. accused China of backtracking on trade commitments. Talks are expected to resume on Thursday, but the Trump administration is facing criticism for refusing to address China's human rights record as part of the negotiations. The United Nations and a number of human rights groups have accused the Chinese government of setting up massive camps in the far-west Xinjiang province to hold an u…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/7/as_countri…

Young workers, community members rally for workers' rights in Florida
Fight Back | fightbacknews.org | 2019-05-07
Tampa, FL – Over 30 young workers, trade unionists and community members rallied May 3 to demand an end to attacks on public school employees in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. The rally was organized by West Central Florida Future Labor Leaders. | Hillsborough County School Board (HCSB) is currently accepting bids to contract out all custodial services at Hillsborough County Public Schools in an attempt to 'cut costs.' Custodians in Hillsborough County are already only paid $24,000 a year. The only savings HCSB will find by contracting out custodial services is through cutting custodian's wages, l…
www.fightbacknews.org/2019/5/6/young-wor…

Foreign Minister Arreaza: 'The People of Venezuela Are Prepared to Defend Their Sovereignty'
TeleSUR English | venezuelanalysis.com | 2019-05-07
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza denounced US sanctions and asset freezes during a recent trip to Moscow.
venezuelanalysis.com/news/14472

Number of US tourists to Cuba almost DOUBLES amid Trump's sanctions & threats
rt.com | 2019-05-07
Despite the Trump administration's pressure on Cuba and threats to impose a "full and complete embargo", US tourists have been flocking to the country in record numbers, according to data provided by Cuban authorities. | …
rt.com/usa/458530-cuba-tourists-us-surge/

Getting It Right on Immigration
Andrew Moss | counterpunch.org | 2019-05-07
As the 2020 presidential campaign intensifies in the coming weeks and months, we'll see candidates and pundits airing a wide variety of proposals on immigration policy. We'll get recommendations on border security, asylum, detention, the status of the Dreamers, the status of the 11 million people living in the U.S. without documentation, and the role…
counterpunch.org/2019/05/07/getting-it-right-on-immigration/

Saudi Arabia Detains 174 Yemeni Fishermen and Their Boats in Violation of Ceasefire Provisions
Ahmed Abdulkareem | mintpressnews.com | 2019-05-07
"Despite Sweden's truce, Coalition forces have continued to prevent Yemeni fishermen from fishing and if the fishermen dare to sail, they will be killed or detained." — Mohammed al-Hassani, head of the Forum of Tahamah Fishermen…
mintpressnews.com/saudi-coalition-kidnaps-174-yemeni-fishermen-ignoring-provisions-ceasefire/258269/

The Use of Solitary Confinement in Virginia Is Inhumane and Unlawful
aclu.org | 2019-05-06
Instead of keeping its word to courts and reforming its use of solitary, the VA Dept. of Corrections built two massive super maximum-security prisons. | William Thorpe has spent nearly 24 straight years in solitary confinement in Virginia prisons stuck in a cell about half of the size of a parking space for more than 22 hours a day, every day, with no outside light and almost no human contact. | In his nearly two and a half decades in solitary, Thorpe has seen changes in leadership at the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) and attempts to reform how solitary confinement is used in our state prisons. | The…
aclu.org/blog/prisoners-rights/solitary-confinement/use-solitary-confinement-virginia-inhumane-and-unlawful

Cameroon: Clear 'window of opportunity' to solve crises rooted in violence – Bachelet
United Nations | un.org | 2019-05-06
The UN human rights chief on Monday welcomed Cameroon's willingness to cooperate over finding workable solutions to "major human rights and humanitarian crises", caused by months of serious unrest and violence across the west and north of the country.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/05/1037991

SPLC Action Fund: Florida Legislature passes unnecessary bill that would preserve vestige of shameful Jim Crow-era voting restrictions
Scott McCoy, Senior Policy Counsel for the SPLC Action Fund | splcenter.org | 2019-05-06
The Florida Legislature on Friday passed Senate Bill 7066, a piece of legislation that is not only unnecessary but that actually contradicts the will of voters who last year approved Amendment 4, a measure that restored voting rights to people with past felony convictions who have served their sentences.
splcenter.org/news/2019/05/06/splc-action-fund-florida-legislature-passes-unnecessary-bill-would-preserve-vestige

Asylum Officers Are Being Replaced By CBP Agents
aclu.org | 2019-05-06
Having a CBP officer conduct a credible fear interview is like having an arresting police officer also sit as the judge. | Last week, President Trump issued a memorandum outlining his latest wishlist of ways to undermine the integrity of our nation's asylum system. Among them was a direction to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to change how it conducts credible fear interviews, the threshold screening interview given to thousands of asylum…
aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/ice-and-border-patrol-abuses/asylum-officers-are-being-replaced-cbp-agents

Monday's Daily Brief: biodiversity and forests, labour and road safety, women's rights, and fallen UN staff remembered
United Nations | un.org | 2019-05-06
This Monday, we cover: how one million species face extinction; the importance of safeguarding forests; a look at labour inequalities worldwide; efforts to tackle road safety; a new intergenerational campaign for the realization of women's rights; and a memorial service honouring fallen UN staff.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/05/1037971

The Atlantic Illustrates Everything That's Wrong With Media Coverage of Venezuela Sanctions
Joshua Cho | fair.org | 2019-05-06
The Atlantic ( 4/17/19) wonders "whether slow suffocation will prove a match for the myriad international actors that have shored up support for Maduro." | "Trump's Venezuela Policy: Slow Suffocation," an Atlantic report ( 4/17/19) by Uri Friedman and Kathy Gilsinan, passed up a rich opportunity to expose the humanitarian pretexts for economic intervention, and…
fair.org/home/the-atlantic-illustrates-everything-thats-wrong-with-media-coverage-of-venezuela-sanctions/

Ban Russians from US, sanction sports teams & target Putin, says ex-NATO commander
rt.com | 2019-05-06
The US is too "weak" on Russia in the wake of Mueller's report, a TIME article by former NATO commander James Stavridis claims, suggesting Washington go beyond sanctions to target Russian civilians, even President Putin himself. | …
rt.com/usa/458527-sanction-russians-putin-stavridis/

Guilt by Association? Arrest of Assange Friend Has No Basis
Staff | therealnews.com | 2019-05-04
Cyber-security and privacy expert Ola Bini was arrested in Ecuador the same day that Ecuador revoked Julian Assange's asylum. A court now affirmed his pre-trial detention, while his parents and his lawyers say it has no basis…
therealnews.com/stories/guilt-by-association-arrest-of-assange-friend-has-no-basis

Roger Waters on Palestine: "You Have to Stand Up for People's Human Rights All Over the World"
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-03
After a judge ruled a panel can move forward Saturday at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on "Israel, Free Speech, and the Battle for Palestinian Human Rights," we speak with one of the event's scheduled participants: Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, one of the most popular rock bands of all time. He says he welcomes the lawsuit that challenged the event, because "what it does is it serves to shine a light on the predicament of the Palestinian people."
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/3/roger_wate…

Friday's Daily Brief: hunger in North Korea, human rights in Iran, updates on DR Congo and Benin
United Nations | un.org | 2019-05-03
This Friday, we cover: a worrying food crisis in the Democratic Republic of North Korea; attacks against civilians in DR Congo; outrage after the execution of child offenders in Iran; concerns over a super cereal distributed by the World Food Programme; and post-electoral violence in Benin.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/05/1037851

NAACP Files Suit Challenging Restrictive Tennessee Voter Registration Law
Aba Blankson | naacp.org | 2019-05-03
NASHVILLE, TN — The NAACP, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, pro bono firm Hogan Lovells US LLP, Memphis-based firm Burch, Porter, & Johnson PLLC, Bromberg Law LLC, and community practitioner Daniel Ayoade Yoon filed suit today challenging Tennessee's new third-party registration law. The complaint alleges that the law, which imposes burdensome requirements …
naacp.org/latest/naacp-files-suit-challenging-restrictive-tennessee-voter-registration-law/

Chinese Fund Backed by Hunter Biden Invested in Technology Used to Surveil Muslims
Lee Fang | theintercept.com | 2019-05-03
On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch released a troubling report about a phone application made by the Chinese government. The app provides law enforcement with easy, daily access to data detailing the religious activity, blood type, and even the amount of electricity used by ethnic minority Muslims living in the western province of Xinjiang. | The app relies heavily on facial recognition software supplied by Face++, a division of the Chinese startup Megvii, a relationship that sparke…
theintercept.com/2019/05/03/biden-son-china-business/

Migrants, asylum seekers detained in Hungary 'deliberately deprived of food': UN human rights office
United Nations | un.org | 2019-05-03
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Friday it was alarmed by reports that migrants and asylum seekers who are being held in Hungarian detention centres are being "deliberately deprived of food in contravention of international laws and standards".
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2019/05/1037811

Mass. Judge Refuses to Halt Pro-Palestinian Event at UMass Featuring Roger Waters & Linda Sarsour
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-03
"Not Backing Down: Israel, Free Speech, and the Battle for Palestinian Human Rights." That's the title of an event set to take place Saturday at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After three anonymous UMass students filed a lawsuit to stop the event, a judge ruled Thursday the event can proceed, saying, "There's nothing that comes even close to a threat of harm or incitement to violence or lawlessness." We get an update from Sut Jhally, event organizer and professor of communication at the University of Massachusetts, and Rachel Weber, attorney and member Jewish Voice for Peace, Western Massachusetts chapt…
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/3/mass_judge…

"We Shall Overcome": Remembering Folk Icon Pete Seeger on What Would Have Been His 100th Birthday
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-03
It was 100 years ago today that the late folk singer and activist Pete Seeger was born. In 2004, Seeger came into our Firehouse studio for an in-depth interview. We play an excerpt to mark his centennial celebration, in which he recalls how he learned about the classic civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome," that he helped to popularize. Watch the "full interview": www.democracynow.org/2006/7/3/we_shall_o… and our "full archive of interviews": www.democracynow.org/appearances/pete_se… with Seeger.
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/3/we_shall_o…

We Can't Back People Who Hate Our Kids: Kentucky & Minnesota Teachers of Year Boycott Trump Meeting
Democracy Now! | democracynow.org | 2019-05-03
We speak with two award-winning teachers who are trying to teach Trump a lesson. On Monday, Jessica Dueñas, the 2019 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and Kelly Holstine, the 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, boycotted a White House ceremony honoring them and other state winners of the award in protest of the Trump administration's education policies. But Dueñas and Holstine skipped the event to register their opposition to Trump's policies on immigration, education and LGBTQ rights, saying many of the White House policies directly impact their immigrant and refugee students.
www.democracynow.org/2019/5/3/we_can_t_b…

Venezuelan economist: 'Hyperinflation is a powerful imperialist weapon'
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-05-03
Much is made in the media of Venezuela's deep economic crisis. But why does Venezuela have the world's highest inflation rate and what impacts have the sanctions really had on the country? Green Left Weekly's Federico Fuentes spoke to Venezuelan economist Pascualina Curcio, from the Simón Bolívar University, to find out more. | Hyperinflation is a grave problem in Venezuela, but its causes are less clear. How do you explain it?: | The determinant cause of hyperinflation in Venezuela is the political manipulation by third parties of the exchange rate between the bolívar [Bs, Venezuela's local currency] and…
greenleft.org.au/content/venezuela-economist-hyperinflation-powerful-imperialist-weapon

US sanctions have killed more than 40,000 people in Venezuela
susan_p | greenleft.org.au | 2019-05-03
US sanctions imposed on Venezuela in 2017 contributed to the deaths of more than 40,000 people last year, according to a new report — and this figure is set to rise due to the latest round of sanctions. | According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research report co-authored by economists Jeffrey Sachs and Mark Weisbrot, the 2017 sanctions deprived Venezuela of billions of dollars it needed to pay for essential food and medicine, leading to a rise in disease and mortality and the displacement of millions seeking to flee the worsening situation. | The report states: "The sanctions exacerbated Venezuela'…
greenleft.org.au/content/us-sanctions-killed-more-40000-venezuela

SPLC Action Fund: Florida immigration enforcement bill dangerous, unnecessary and unconstitutional
Scott McCoy, Senior Policy Counsel, SPLC Action Fund | splcenter.org | 2019-05-03
The Florida Legislature this week passed Senate Bill 168, which would ban so-called "sanctuary cities."
splcenter.org/news/2019/05/03/splc-action-fund-florida-immigration-enforcement-bill-dangerous-unnecessary-and

Attorney General Barr Says ICE Has Power to Lock Up Asylum Seekers Without Hearings
aclu.org | 2019-05-02
The Constitution does not allow the government to lock people up without due process of law. | Today the ACLU, the ACLU of Washington, the American Immigration Council, and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project launched a legal challenge to the Trump administration's latest assault on people who have come to the United States to seek refuge from persecution: jailing asylum seekers without even allowing a judge to decide if there's any reaso…
aclu.org/blog/immigrants-rights/immigrants-rights-and-detention/attorney-general-barr-says-ice-has-power-lock

SPLC: Facebook and Instagram ban far-right and extremist figures, but still have more work to do against hateful content
Keegan Hankes, Researcher, Intelligence Project | splcenter.org | 2019-05-02
Facebook and Instagram announced today that they have banned several far-right, antisemitic and extremist figures and organizations for being "dangerous," a sign that they are more aggressively enforcing their hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights organizations, including the SPLC.
splcenter.org/news/2019/05/02/splc-facebook-and-instagram-ban-far-right-and-extremist-figures-still-have-more-work-do

2019-05-07: News Headlines

Santa Cruz News (2019-05-07). Mayor Watkins Blocks Food Not Bombs Proclamation. indybay.org Mayor Martine Watkins has blocked a city proclamation proposed to honor the work of Food Not Bombs in Santa Cruz. In a letter to Councilmember Chris Krohn, Watkins stated it would not be "appropriate" to issue a proclamation honoring Food Not Bombs because the organization is "suing the city". Santa Cruz Food Not Bombs has provided information in support of the plaintiffs in Quntero v. the City of Santa Cruz, a civil right lawsuit filed on April 9 by a group of homeless residents of the Ross Camp, which maintained the closure of the encampment by the city would violate their constitutional rights.

Fight Back (2019-05-07). Young workers, community members rally for workers' rights in Florida. fightbacknews.org Tampa, FL – Over 30 young workers, trade unionists and community members rallied May 3 to demand an end to attacks on public school employees in Hillsborough County and the state of Florida. The rally was organized by West Central Florida Future Labor Leaders. | Hillsborough County School Board (HCSB) is currently accepting bids to contract out all custodial services at Hillsborough County Public Schools in an attempt to 'cut costs.' Custodians in Hillsborough County are already only paid $24,000 a year. The only savings HCSB will find by contracting out custodial services is through cutting custodian's wages, l…

Andrew Moss (2019-05-07). Getting It Right on Immigration. counterpunch.org As the 2020 presidential campaign intensifies in the coming weeks and months, we'll see candidates and pundits airing a wide variety of proposals on immigration policy. We'll get recommendations on border security, asylum, detention, the status of the Dreamers, the status of the 11 million people living in the U.S. without documentation, and the role More

WSWS (2019-05-07). After nearly two months in jail, Chelsea Manning submits powerful appeal for release. wsws.org Manning has been detained for contempt of court after she refused to testify before a grand jury impaneled to bring frame-up charges against WikiLeaks publisher and journalist Julian Assange.

RT (2019-05-07). Number of US tourists to Cuba almost DOUBLES amid Trump's sanctions & threats. rt.com Despite the Trump administration's pressure on Cuba and threats to impose a "full and complete embargo", US tourists have been flocking to the country in record numbers, according to data provided by Cuban authorities.

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (2019-05-06). Around 70 Airstrikes within 12 Hours… Israel Violates the Gaza Strip: Pregnant Woman and Her Baby Girl Killed, Residential Buildings Targeted and Israeli Attacks Continue. globalresearch.ca The Israeli forces escalated their attacks against the Gaza Strip and continued to carry out intense airstrikes and shelling throughout the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the Israeli warplanes continue until the moment to target residential buildings in central Gaza neighborhoods in …

United Nations (2019-05-06). Monday's Daily Brief: biodiversity and forests, labour and road safety, women's rights, and fallen UN staff remembered. un.org This Monday, we cover: how one million species face extinction; the importance of safeguarding forests; a look at labour inequalities worldwide; efforts to tackle road safety; a new intergenerational campaign for the realization of women's rights; and a memorial service honouring fallen UN staff.

Tyler Durden (2019-05-06). US Carrier Strike Group Sent to Middle East in "Clear and Unmistakable Message" to Iran. theantimedia.com (ZH) — After weeks of heated rhetoric and the exchange of threats related to US oil export sanctions on Iran, and with both sides eyeing the enforcement of its rights over the vital Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, the White House has just announced what will be looked on by Tehran as a major and …

ACLU (2019-05-06). Asylum Officers Are Being Replaced By CBP Agents. aclu.org Having a CBP officer conduct a credible fear interview is like having an arresting police officer also sit as the judge. | Last week, President Trump issued a memorandum outlining his latest wishlist of ways to undermine the integrity of our nation's asylum system. Among them was a direction to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to change how it conducts credible fear interviews, the threshold screening interview given to thousands of asylum…

Julia Conley, staff writer (2019-05-06). Critics Condemn 'Double Dehumanization' of Palestinians by Corporate Media as Headlines Focus on Israeli Casualties. commondreams.org Human rights advocates and progressives in Congress on Monday slammed the corporate media for perpetuating anti-Palestinian sentiments in their reporting on the violence in Gaza and Israel over the weekend—barely mentioning Palestinians who were killed by Israeli missiles and providing no context for how the violence began. | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files…

United Nations (2019-05-06). Cameroon: Clear 'window of opportunity' to solve crises rooted in violence – Bachelet. un.org The UN human rights chief on Monday welcomed Cameroon's willingness to cooperate over finding workable solutions to "major human rights and humanitarian crises", caused by months of serious unrest and violence across the west and north of the country.

ACLU (2019-05-06). The Use of Solitary Confinement in Virginia is Inhumane and Unlawful. aclu.org Instead of keeping its word to courts and reforming its use of solitary, the VA Dept. of Corrections built two massive super maximum-security prisons. | William Thorpe has spent nearly 24 straight years in solitary confinement in Virginia prisons stuck in a cell about half of the size of a parking space for more than 22 hours a day, every day, with no outside light and almost no human contact. | In his nearly two and a half decades in solitary, Thorpe has seen changes in leadership at the Virginia Department of Corrections (VDOC) and attempts to reform how solitary confinement is used in our state prisons. | The…

Scott McCoy, Senior Policy Counsel for the SPLC Action Fund (2019-05-06). SPLC Action Fund: Florida Legislature passes unnecessary bill that would preserve vestige of shameful Jim Crow-era voting restrictions. splcenter.org The Florida Legislature on Friday passed Senate Bill 7066, a piece of legislation that is not only unnecessary but that actually contradicts the will of voters who last year approved Amendment 4, a measure that restored voting rights to people with past felony convictions who have served their sentences.

Mark Gruenberg (2019-05-06). Six Dem hopefuls push workers' rights at Las Vegas forum. peoplesworld.org LAS VEGAS —Six Democratic presidential hopefuls, vying for workers' support in the 2020 primaries, pushed hard for workers' rights at an all-day forum in Las Vegas April 27. For five of them — Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) and Kamala Harris (Calif.), former Rep. Beto O'Rourke (Texas) and former Gov. John Hickenlooper (Colo.) …

teleSUR (2019-05-06). Sri Lanka: Curfew Imposed Post-Sinhala Muslim Clashes. telesurenglish.net Sri Lanka police arrested two men after a personal feud led to clashes between Sinhalese and Muslims in a beachside resort north of the capital, the site of one of the deadliest Easter Sunday suicide bombings, as schools reopened to near-empty classes. | RELATED: | Sri Lanka Bans All Face Coverings to Facilitate Suspect IDing | Two weeks after 257 peo…

RT (2019-05-06). Ban Russians from US, sanction sports teams & target Putin, says ex-NATO commander. rt.com The US is too "weak" on Russia in the wake of Mueller's report, a TIME article by former NATO commander James Stavridis claims, suggesting Washington go beyond sanctions to target Russian civilians, even President Putin himself. |

teleSUR (2019-05-06). Defiant Turkey Vows to Not Bow to US Sanctions Over S-400 Deal. telesurenglish.net Turkey will never bow to U.S. sanctions over its agreement to purchase Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems, Vice President Fuat Oktay said on Sunday regarding a deal that has strained ties between the NATO allies. | RELATED: | UAE Spy Suspect Committed Suicide in Istanbul Prison: Turkey | The U.S. fears over the Russian-Turkish deal has to do with its Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets, which are not compatible with the S-400 system. It has warned of possible U.S.

Joshua Cho (2019-05-06). The Atlantic Illustrates Everything That's Wrong With Media Coverage of Venezuela Sanctions. fair.org by Joshua Cho The Atlantic ( 4/17/19) wonders "whether slow suffocation will prove a match for the myriad international actors that have shored up support for Maduro." | "Trump's Venezuela Policy: Slow Suffocation," an Atlantic report ( 4/17/19) by Uri Friedman and Kathy Gilsinan, passed up a rich opportunity to expose the humanitarian pretexts for economic interv…

Staff (2019-05-04). Guilt by Association? Arrest of Assange Friend Has No Basis. therealnews.com Cyber-security and privacy expert Ola Bini was arrested in Ecuador the same day that Ecuador revoked Julian Assange's asylum. A court now affirmed his pre-trial detention, while his parents and his lawyers say it has no basis…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-03). "We Shall Overcome": Remembering Folk Icon Pete Seeger on What Would Have Been His 100th Birthday. democracynow.org It was 100 years ago today that the late folk singer and activist Pete Seeger was born. In 2004, Seeger came into our Firehouse studio for an in-depth interview. We play an excerpt to mark his centennial celebration, in which he recalls how he learned about the classic civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome," that he helped to popularize. Watch the "full interview": www.democracynow.org/2006/7/3/we_shall_o… and our "full archive of interviews": www.democracynow.org/appearances/pete_se… with Seeger.

United Nations (2019-05-03). Friday's Daily Brief: hunger in North Korea, human rights in Iran, updates on DR Congo and Benin. un.org This Friday, we cover: a worrying food crisis in the Democratic Republic of North Korea; attacks against civilians in DR Congo; outrage after the execution of child offenders in Iran; concerns over a super cereal distributed by the World Food Programme; and post-electoral violence in Benin.

Democracy Now! (2019-05-03). We Can't Back People Who Hate Our Kids: Kentucky & Minnesota Teachers of Year Boycott Trump Meeting. democracynow.org We speak with two award-winning teachers who are trying to teach Trump a lesson. On Monday, Jessica Dueñas, the 2019 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and Kelly Holstine, the 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, boycotted a White House ceremony honoring them and other state winners of the award in protest of the Trump administration's education policies. But Dueñas and Holstine skipped the event to register their opposition to Trump's policies on immigration, education and LGBTQ rights, saying many of the White House policies directly impact their immigrant and refugee students.

United Nations (2019-05-03). Migrants, asylum seekers detained in Hungary 'deliberately deprived of food': UN human rights office. un.org The UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Friday it was alarmed by reports that migrants and asylum seekers who are being held in Hungarian detention centres are being "deliberately deprived of food in contravention of international laws and standards".

Democracy Now! (2019-05-03). Roger Waters on Palestine: "You Have to Stand Up for People's Human Rights All Over the World" democracynow.org After a judge ruled a panel can move forward Saturday at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on "Israel, Free Speech, and the Battle for Palestinian Human Rights," we speak with one of the event's scheduled participants: Roger Waters, co-founder of Pink Floyd, one of the most popular rock bands of all time. He says he welcomes the lawsuit that challenged the event, because "what it does is it serves to shine a light on the predicament of the Palestinian people."

Democracy Now! (2019-05-03). Mass. Judge Refuses to Halt Pro-Palestinian Event at UMass Featuring Roger Waters & Linda Sarsour. democracynow.org "Not Backing Down: Israel, Free Speech, and the Battle for Palestinian Human Rights." That's the title of an event set to take place Saturday at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After three anonymous UMass students filed a lawsuit to stop the event, a judge ruled Thursday the event can proceed, saying, "There's nothing that comes even close to a threat of harm or incitement to violence or lawlessness." We get an update from Sut Jhally, event organizer and professor of communication at the University of Massachusetts, and Rachel Weber, attorney and member Jewish Voice for Peace, Western Massachusetts chapt…

Aba Blankson (2019-05-03). NAACP Files Suit Challenging Restrictive Tennessee Voter Registration Law. naacp.org NASHVILLE, TN — The NAACP, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, pro bono firm Hogan Lovells US LLP, Memphis-based firm Burch, Porter, & Johnson PLLC, Bromberg Law LLC, and community practitioner Daniel Ayoade Yoon filed suit today challenging Tennessee's new third-party registration law. The complaint alleges that the law, which imposes burdensome requirements …

susan_p (2019-05-03). Venezuelan economist: 'Hyperinflation is a powerful imperialist weapon'. greenleft.org.au Much is made in the media of Venezuela's deep economic crisis. But why does Venezuela have the world's highest inflation rate and what impacts have the sanctions really had on the country? Green Left Weekly's Federico Fuentes spoke to Venezuelan economist Pascualina Curcio, from the Simón Bolívar University, to find out more. | Hyperinflation is a grave problem in Venezuela, but its causes are less clear. How do you explain it?: | The determinant cause of hyperinflation in Venezuela is the political manipulation by third parties of the exchange rate between the bolívar [Bs, Venezuela's local currency] and…

susan_p (2019-05-03). US sanctions have killed more than 40,000 people in Venezuela. greenleft.org.au US sanctions imposed on Venezuela in 2017 contributed to the deaths of more than 40,000 people last year, according to a new report — and this figure is set to rise due to the latest round of sanctions. | According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research report co-authored by economists Jeffrey Sachs and Mark Weisbrot, the 2017 sanctions deprived Venezuela of billions of dollars it needed to pay for essential food and medicine, leading to a rise in disease and mortality and the displacement of millions seeking to flee the worsening situation. | The report states: "The sanctions exacerbated Venezuela'

Scott McCoy, Senior Policy Counsel, SPLC Action Fund (2019-05-03). SPLC Action Fund: Florida immigration enforcement bill dangerous, unnecessary and unconstitutional. splcenter.org The Florida Legislature this week passed Senate Bill 168, which would ban so-called "sanctuary cities."

Democracy Now! (2019-05-02). Headlines for May 2, 2019. democracynow.org Attorney General Barr Grilled by Senate Judiciary over Mueller Report, Trump Administration Says It May Go to War to Oust Venezuelan President, Hundreds Arrested in St. Petersburg, Russia, and Paris, France, at May Day Rallies, Haitians Mark May Day with Calls for Living Wages, Ouster of President MoàØse, Honduras Cancels Education and Healthcare Privatization Plans Amid Protests, Puerto Rico May Day Protesters Demand End to Austerity Measures, 10,000 South Carolina Teachers Rally for Union Rights and Livable Wages, New York Domestic Workers Join Protest at the Trump Building on Wall Street, 16-Year-Old Gu…

Beyond Prisons (2019-05-02). Beyond Prisons: Voting Rights feat. Maya Schenwar. shadowproof.com Maya Schenwar returns to Beyond Prisons to discuss voting rights, the current political landscape, and her forthcoming book. | Maya is the Editor-in-Chief of Truthout. She is also the author of "Locked Down, Locked Out: Why Prison Doesn't Work and How We Can Do Better" and the co-editor of the Truthout anthology "Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? Police Violence and Resistance in the United States." She has written about the prison-industrial complex for Truthout, The New York Times, The Guardian, The Nation, Salon, Ms. Magazine, and others. Maya lives in Chicago and organizes with the abolitionist collective…

United Nations (2019-05-02). A free press is 'cornerstone' for accountability and 'speaking truth to power': Guterres. un.org At a time when disinformation and mistrust of the news media is growing, a free press is "essential for peace, justice, sustainable development and human rights", said the UN Secretary-General, in his message for World Press Freedom Day, marked on Friday.

ACLU (2019-05-02). Attorney General Barr Says ICE Has Power to Lock Up Asylum Seekers Without Hearings. aclu.org The Constitution does not allow the government to lock people up without due process of law. | Today the ACLU, the ACLU of Washington, the American Immigration Council, and Northwest Immigrant Rights Project launched a legal challenge to the Trump administration's latest assault on people who have come to the United States to seek refuge from persecution: jailing asylum seekers without even allowing a judge to decide if there's any reaso…

Keegan Hankes, Researcher, Intelligence Project (2019-05-02). SPLC: Facebook and Instagram ban far-right and extremist figures, but still have more work to do against hateful content. splcenter.org Facebook and Instagram announced today that they have banned several far-right, antisemitic and extremist figures and organizations for being "dangerous," a sign that they are more aggressively enforcing their hate speech policies under pressure from civil rights organizations, including the SPLC.

ANSWER Coalition (2019-05-02). Struggle to protect the Venezuelan Embassy in D.C.: coup-makers blocked on May Day. liberationnews.org The illegal seizure of the Embassy has been stopped by a combination of disciplined activists who held their ground and a legal strategy that asserted their rights.

Janine Jackson (2019-05-02). 'There Are Ways to Uplift the Resilience of Communities' – CounterSpin interview with Tina Vasquez on covering immigration. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed Tina Vasquez about covering immigration for the April 26, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…

Janine Jackson (2019-05-02). 'These Sanctions Amount to Collective Punishment Against the Entire Iranian Population'. fair.org Janine Jackson interviewed Sina Toosi about the Trump administration's anti-Iran campaign for the April 26, 2019, episode of CounterSpin. This is a lightly edited transcript. | Media…

Robert Mackey (2019-05-01). New House Bill Would Bar Israel From Using U.S. Military Aid to Detain Palestinian Children. theintercept.com Rep. Betty McCollum's bill seeks to ban Israel from using U.S. funds to detain, interrogate, or torture Palestinian children in the occupied West Bank.

Democracy Now! (2019-05-01). Ilhan Omar Speaks Out Against U.S. Sanctions & Bipartisan Support for Regime Change in Venezuela. democracynow.org Amid an ongoing coup attempt in Venezuela, we speak with Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, who questioned U.S. special envoy to Venezuela Elliott Abrams on Capitol Hill in February about his record. Abrams is a right-wing hawk who was linked to the 2002 coup attempt in Venezuela that tried to topple Hugo Chávez. In the 1980s, Abrams defended Guatemalan dictator General Efraín Ríos Montt as he oversaw a campaign of mass murder and torture of indigenous people. Ríos Montt was later convicted of genocide. Rep. Ilhan Omar says that there is a direct correlation between this type of detrimental U.S. foreign policy in Lati…

United Nations (2019-05-01). Wednesday's Daily brief: Day 3 of anti-hatred summit, UNFPA turns 50, Ben Stiller #WithRefugees, updates on Abyei and Venezuela. un.org This Wednesday, our top stories cover: leaders gathered in Geneva to tackle hate speech; the 50th birthday of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA); Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller advocating for Syrian refugees in the USA; human rights issues in the Philippines and in Venezuela; and an update on the UN peacekeeping misson in Abyei.

Vanessa Mbonu@naacpnet (2019-05-01). NAACP Statement on William Barr Testimony. naacp.org The NAACP, the nation's foremost civil rights organization, released the following statement in response to Attorney General William Barr's testimony today: "Attorney General William Barr is unfit to serve. We opposed his confirmation because we believed he could not serve independently and would protect Donald Trump at all costs. Since taking office, Mr. Barr has demonstrated …

Democracy Now! (2019-05-01). Hands Off Ilhan Omar: Angela Davis & Black Women Leaders Defend Congresswoman from Right-Wing Attacks. democracynow.org African-American women leaders gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday in defense of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim congresswomen in history and the first member of Congress to wear a hijab. Omar has been the target of numerous right-wing attacks since taking office, including by President Donald Trump himself. Omar says death threats against her have spiked in number since President Trump tweeted a video juxtaposing her image with footage of the 9/11 attacks. Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley and Rashida Tlaib, civil rights icon Angela Davis and others addressed the crowd Tuesday to urge Congress to…

United Nations (2019-05-01). Venezuela: UN human rights office calls for 'maximum restraint' by authorities in face of new demonstrations. un.org With another day of mass protests taking place across Venezuela, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Wednesday it was "extremely worried by reports of the excessive use of force" by security forces, loyal to President Nicolás Maduro, a day after an opposition-led uprising appeared to stall.

Anya Parampil (2019-05-01). Trump admin. behaves 'like thugs in a barrio': Interview with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza. thegrayzone.com Exclusive interview: Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza comments on new US sanctions, the Trump administration's coup efforts, the OAS, and…

Democracy Now! (2019-05-01). Economist Jeffrey Sachs: U.S. Sanctions Have Devastated Venezuela & Killed Over 40,000 Since 2017. democracynow.org More than 40,000 people have died in Venezuela since 2017 as a result of U.S. sanctions, according to a new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research co-authored by economists Jeffrey Sachs and Mark Weisbrot. The report examines how U.S. sanctions have reduced the availability of food and medicine in Venezuela and increased disease and mortality. We speak with Jeffrey Sachs in our New York studio. In the report, he writes, "American sanctions are deliberately aiming to wreck Venezuela's economy and thereby lead to regime change. It's a fruitless, heartless, illegal, and failed policy, causing grave ha…

Democracy Now! (2019-04-30). Angela Davis: I Would Like to Accept Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Award After BDS Controversy. democracynow.org In February, Angela Davis returned to her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama. She originally planned the visit to receive the Fred L. Shuttlesworth Human Rights Award from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, but the institute withdrew the award in January, soon after the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center sent a letter urging the board to reconsider honoring Davis due to her support of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting the Israeli government and Israeli institutions. Facing swift and widespread outcry, the institute then reversed its decision and reinstated the award. While Angela Davis…

splcenter (2019-04-30). Court certifies class action in lawsuit on behalf of children detained by Trump administration. splcenter.org A federal court certified as a class action an SPLC lawsuit challenging the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) policies and practices regarding the release of unaccompanied minors and the reunification of immigrant families — a ruling with the potential to help end the prolonged detention of immigrant children across the United States.

Patrick Ostiguy (2019-04-29). Student "lunch debt" skyrockets across the country. Here's how it works. liberationnews.org Under a socialist system, food and education would no longer be luxuries or sources of debt, but guaranteed social rights…

Shadowproof (2019-04-27). The Shameful Moralizing On Prisoner Voting Rights. shadowproof.com Editor's Note: We're pleased to publish this preview of our member newsletter, "Keeping The Issues Alive," which provides a closer look at the stories we're following at Shadowproof. | Subscribe for $9/month and receive this weekly newsletter: SUBSCRIBE NOW | For this week's newsletter, Shadowproof publishing editor Brian Sonenstein responds to the backlash against the notion of allowing prisoners to vote, including those convicted of "violent offenses." | Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sander…

Kevin Gosztola (2019-04-26). Appeals Court Decision Upholds First Amendment Rights Of Undocumented Immigrants. shadowproof.com In a victory for undocumented immigrants who engage in activism, a federal appeals court found activist Ravi Ragbir had a valid claim against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which attempted to deport him in retaliation for his political speech.