This Is What Authoritarian Creep Looks Like in Real Time
Today’s headlines read like a checklist for power testing its limits: a Justice Department pushed to serve politics instead of law, immigration courts stripped of due process, ICE frightening schools and lying about incentives, Homeland Security fishing for data on government critics, the Pentagon threatening youth organizations over ideology, and open talk of nationalizing elections. None of this is subtle. It’s a stress test — probing which norms still hold, which communities can be bullied, and how much outrage it takes before anyone pushes back. The answer depends on whether people are paying attention.
Department of War Crimes
Pentagon Threatens to Pull Military Support From Scouting America Over “Core Values” Fight
The Department of Defense has put Scouting America (formerly the Boy Scouts of America) on notice: the Pentagon says it may end decades-old military support — including logistical aid for major events like the National Jamboree — unless the organization rolls back what top officials call “gender-fluid ideological stances” and returns to traditional “core values,” a critique clearly aimed at its inclusivity on gender and LGBTQ issues. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell posted the ultimatum on social media, saying negotiators are “near a final agreement” but emphasizing that the group is “on the clock” to comply ahead of critical summer programs, setting up a conflation of youth outreach and ideological enforcement at the highest levels of government.
Guardians of Pedophilia (GOP)
Rep. Comer Admits Epstein Probe Could “Hurt” Republicans, Highlights Political Interference in Investigations
In a revealing statement, House Oversight Chair James Comer acknowledged that pursuing investigations connected to Jeffrey Epstein and his circle could “hurt” members of the Republican Party, underscoring how political calculations are affecting the scope and aggressiveness of congressional oversight. Comer’s remarks, made in the context of ongoing inquiries into government failures and potential high-level connections, spotlight the tension between rigorous investigation and partisan self-protection. Critics argue this admission exposes how political self-interest can limit accountability, weaken public trust in oversight, and allow powerful figures or institutions to evade scrutiny. The exchange has intensified discussions about the need for independent investigation and transparency in cases that implicate both elite networks and governmental responsibility.
American Gestapo
BREAKING: DOJ Quietly Hands Board of Immigration Appeals Power That Could Block Millions of Immigrant Appeals
The U.S. Department of Justice is poised to publish a sweeping new interim final rule that transforms how the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) handles deportation and removal appeals, effectively stripping due process for many noncitizens by making appellate review discretionary, summary dismissal the default, and tightening deadlines for filing appeals, a change immigration advocates warn could leave the initial decision by an Immigration Judge as the final word in countless cases and fast-track deportations with much less review. Critics say the move comes amid a massive backlog of cases but prioritizes enforcement speed over fair legal review, fundamentally reshaping the appeals process within the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and curtailing a safety net that has long allowed migrants to challenge errors or legal misinterpretations in their cases.
U.S. Polling Shows Majority of Americans Reject “Mass Deportation” as Immigration Policy
Recent analysis of polling and historical data indicates that most Americans do not support broad, non-criminal mass deportation of immigrants living in the United States, including long-settled undocumented residents, even as immigration remains a hot-button issue in national politics. While support for deporting undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes can be significant, multiple polls and exit-poll comparisons show that when presented with options such as a path to legal status or deportation, a majority favors legal solutions over mass removal—historically over 60% preference for staying and legal pathways, according to data reviewed, versus much lower levels backing deportation only. This suggests that despite hardline political rhetoric around immigration enforcement, broad “mass deportation” strategies lack broad public support and run counter to the preferences of most voters.
Minnesota Educators Sue to Block ICE From Schools as Enforcement Frightens Students and Families
A coalition of Minnesota school districts and educators has filed a federal lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security, seeking to stop immigration enforcement activities at or near school grounds after long-standing “sensitive locations” protections were rescinded late last year. Plaintiffs — including Fridley and Duluth public schools and the statewide teachers union — argue that increased ICE presence has instilled fear in students and families, led to sharp attendance declines and forced some districts to shift to remote learning, and disrupted education and community trust. The lawsuit asks a federal court to reinstate protections that would bar enforcement operations within roughly 1,000 feet of schools unless there is a warrant or urgent emergency, alleging the rescission of the policy was abrupt and harmful to students’ safety and learning environments.
ICE Agents Discover $50,000 Bonus Promise Was a Lie, Triggering Backlash on Message Boards
According to social posts and internal agent discussions circulating online, many U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have realized that a widely promoted $50,000 signing bonus or promised payment tied to recruitment or incentive plans was not actually being delivered, leading to frustration and complaints on private message boards. The claim — which has not been independently verified by mainstream news outlets and appears largely through user-generated social content — underscores growing discontent within parts of law enforcement about recruitment incentives, pay, and support; independent reporting confirms immigration policy tensions are high but does not specifically confirm the bonus deception claim.
Cheeto Von Taco Schitzenpantz
Trump’s Plan to “Nationalize” Elections Would Centralize Control and Undermine State Voting Rights, Critics Warn
An analysis on Mueller She Wrote argues that Donald Trump’s campaign proposals to “nationalize” election procedures—including federal control over election standards, ballot handling, and dispute resolution—pose a direct threat to the traditional U.S. model where individual states administer elections under their own laws. Supporters of the plan claim it would standardize fairness and prevent alleged fraud, but critics say it would centralize power in Washington, reduce local autonomy, and open the door to greater partisan manipulation of voting rules. The piece underscores that many legal scholars view elections as historically and legally anchored in state authority under the Constitution, and that sweeping federal control could trigger significant constitutional challenges and political backlash. (Source: MuellerSheWrote.com)
Trump Reposts Racist Slur Disguised as a “Meme,” Pretends Outrage Is the Problem
Donald Trump sparked fresh backlash after reposting a video on Truth Social that depicts Barack and Michelle Obama as apes—an explicitly racist trope with a long, ugly history—while also recycling debunked election lies for good measure. When critics across the political spectrum condemned the post, the White House waved it off as “fake outrage,” insisting the video was just a meme portraying Trump as a “king of the jungle,” not racist propaganda. The episode landed during Black History Month, underscoring how casually Trump continues to weaponize racism and disinformation at the same time—then gaslights the public for noticing.
Epstein Trump Pedo”files”
The Epstein Web Tightens: Raids, Revelations, and a Global Political Reckoning
If it feels like everything is cracking at once, that’s because it is. In just the last two weeks, governments across Europe and beyond have opened new Epstein-related investigations, officials have stepped down under pressure, and institutions that once shrugged and stalled are suddenly “reviewing,” “reassessing,” and “looking into it.” This isn’t coincidence and it isn’t charity. It’s the result of sustained exposure, public scrutiny, and people refusing to move on just because powerful men want the story to die. When the paper trail gets loud enough, even the most insulated elites start sweating.
The Resistance
Ex-DOJ Staff Say Trump’s Justice Department Has Been Hollowed Out, Forcing Career Lawyers to Resist and Organize
According to former Department of Justice employees, the Trump administration’s leadership under Attorney General Pam Bondi has systematically undermined the DOJ’s independence by firing or pushing out thousands of career attorneys and agents who refused to treat the Department as the president’s personal legal team rather than an impartial law enforcement institution. These departures have weakened institutional memory, redirected personnel toward immigration enforcement and other political priorities, and sparked the formation of a new advocacy network of ex-DOJ personnel determined to defend the rule of law and professional norms. The ex-employees argue that eroding internal checks and long-standing professional standards has damaged judicial credibility and public trust in federal law enforcement—even as many career public servants remain and continue to push back.
Supreme Court’s Daubert Standard Is Holding Strong — Judges Aren’t Caving to Junk Science
In “Undaunted From the Bench,” legal analyst David French argues that despite political pressure and frequent calls to relax evidentiary rules, federal judges continue enforcing the Daubert standard — the legal framework requiring scientific and expert testimony to be grounded in reliable methods and reasoning — and are not abandoning it in major civil and criminal cases. The piece explains how the Supreme Court’s precedent in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals still demands that expert evidence be vetted rigorously before juries see it, pushing back against what French describes as junk science and untested theories seeking courtroom acceptance. By focusing on recent decisions where judges excluded weak or speculative testimony, the analysis suggests that the judiciary remains committed to protecting accuracy and integrity in fact-finding, even as partisan critics advocate lowering the bar for admissible expert evidence.
What We Are Watching Today
- Vice President Vance Remarks to U.S. Olympic Athletes in Milan
- Justice Department Announces Arrest of “Key Participant” in Benghazi Attack
Featured Resisters
- Minnesota Healing Justice Network
- Minnesota DFL Constitutional Observer Trainings
- Stand With Minnesota – Donation & Action Directory
Today’s Call to Action
- Attend A Nationwide Event
- Tue, Feb 10 · Common Cause
Phone Bank with Common Cause! › - Thu, Feb 12 · Indivisible
What’s the Plan with Leah and Ezra › - Tue, Feb 10 · The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights
Volunteer Child Advocate National Information Session ›
- Tue, Feb 10 · Common Cause
- Call your lawmakers
- Read Today’s Resistance Survival Guide: #196 How to Safely Share Information Without Amplifying Disinformation
- Send and Share These Pre Written Letters
- Sign and Share These Petitions
- Stop Republicans’ New Attack on Voting Rights
- Tell Congress: Demand Stephen Miller’s Resignation
- Congress Must Investigate FBI’s Georgia Election Center Raid
- Tell Congress: Block Kevin Warsh From the Federal Reserve
- Tell Congress: Block Kevin Warsh From the Federal Reserve
- Sign the petition denouncing Donald Trump for the damage his reckless words and deeds in regards to Greenland have caused to the reputation and alliances of the United States of America.
- Tell Sec. Kristi Noem, AG Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel to stop shielding Renee and Alex’s killers.
- Condemn Trump’s Racist Video Targeting the Obamas
- ICE Is Using Deadly Chokeholds. Congress Must Stop Them.
- Stop Trump’s DOJ from Punishing Dissent
This is the moment where prevention still works. Demand oversight before abuses harden into policy. Support organizations defending civil liberties, immigrants, educators, and whistleblowers. Share verified reporting instead of panic bait. Call representatives and make them say, on the record, whether they support surveillance of critics and elections run from Washington. Authoritarianism doesn’t arrive all at once — it arrives in pieces, hoping no one connects them. We connect them. We stop it early.