@katherinefranke.bsky.social
Avid flyfisher & lover of penguins. James L. Dohr Professor of Law, Columbia Law School (retired); Founding Director, Center for Gender & Sexuality Law. Author of Repair: Redeeming the Promise of Abolition, and Wedlocked: The Perils of Marriage Equality.
The gov't doesn't have the exclusive power to (mis)interpret the law, the people can give it meaning too under the principle of popular sovereignty. The law doesn't treat protests ag immigration raids as a "rebellion" & I explain why (and provide signs!). youtu.be/bIEhD2hw2oM
Calling in the National Guard in LA to suppress protests against ICE arrests: yes we shd protest, but with awareness that this is part of the gov't's plan - provoking protests as a manufactured "crisis" that then necessitates a suspension of "normal law". youtu.be/MsuGWFgNg14
Cuomo is running for Mayor while aggressively using the law to retaliate against women who accused him of sexual harassment. @columbiauniversity.bsky.social has done the same - uses the law to retaliate against whistleblowers. They're using the same lawyer, Theresa Trzaskoma. youtu.be/nnI506Fv58I
New SCOTUS decision allowing a school to ban a student from wearing a trans-phobic t-shirt. Justices Alito and Thomas dissented, arguing that banning this t-shirt violated the student’s free speech rights. I explain, and connect the case to Brown v. Board of Ed. youtu.be/3CwaHjc7yiw
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" - the Repub Budget Bill - has a provision tucked into it on p. 562 that renders current fed'l court orders against the Trump Admin unenforceable. This renders the administration immune from legal accountability. I explain. youtu.be/aFntw5ZuLhQ
@hassan.senate.gov - thank you for asking the question, you may want to share my short tutorial on the writ of habeas corpus with @secnoem.govpeeps.us:
Reposting yesterday's 'splainer on what "the writ of habeas corpus" is, for the benefit of Sec. Kristi Noem, who testified in the Senate today that it was "a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country" youtu.be/5flVKgk_J-0
As I was saying … he can’t do that.
Law School is in session: Can Trump suspend the writ of habeas corpus and eliminate the legal tool that has been successfully used to release students from ICE detention? I explain. youtu.be/5flVKgk_J-0
Columbia University Acting President Claire Shipman welcomed to Columbia College's graduation ceremony with sustained jeers and boos.
Minutes later, students break out in loud chants of "Free Mahmoud":
Student speakers at graduations across the country are compelled to bear witness to the genocide in Gaza. I join them in naming it as a genocide, and situate the annihilation of Palestinian life in Gaza in an historical context. youtu.be/UM7zLCf5GVw
Last Monday night I got to hang with these incredible legal advocates at the @IMEU dinner. This group is leading the charge in freeing students who've been kidnapped by ICE, in fighting the evils of fascism in the US, and in defending the rights and dignity of Palestinians.
Students are devoting graduation speeches to the genocide in Palestine. Logan Rozos, the graduation speaker at NYU bravely did so yesterday. We need to stand behind these students who bear witness to the defining human rights atrocity of a generation. youtu.be/p3zHes8IeS8
Another student released from ICE detention by a federal judge: Badar Khan Suri!! With this winning streak in gaining freedom for detained students, why isn't Mahmoud Khalil being released? youtu.be/IQVUfdpV804
Why is Mahmoud Khalil still in ICE detention when other students have been released by federal court judges? I offer some thoughts. youtu.be/gO6Gz8ivU30
Frankly, universities have received very bad advice from their General Counsels about how to handled student protests and ICE surveillance of students - I break down why, and call out some of the worst lawyers who have advised Columbia. youtu.be/swHM_C-p7lI
What if the @columbia students' occupation of Butler Library yesterday was leaked to the Columbia administration? We need to be thinking 2, 3, 4 steps ahead with our organizing in these times. youtu.be/Yk5U-PCKAlg
Today's installment of: "Can he do that?" Can Trump pull Harvard's non-profit status? Spoiler alert: no. I explain. youtu.be/KVWf7fdOJd4
Today's: "How on Fire 🔥🔥 are things right now?" The Repubs in the House did NOT vote this week to give the gov't the power to deport US citizens, contrary to @ericswalwell.bsky.social's alarm bell. I explain why.
youtu.be/Fmkheq3Eo2Y
At @columbiauniversity.bsky.social, the call has been coming from inside the house & the callers are working closely w the Trump Admin: they're the authors of a new "report" today, whose WhatsApp texts show their disdain for Columbia's Senate, faculty, and students. youtu.be/xzZzkaVdM4g
The federal judge released Mohsen Mahdawi today. I explain the ruling, what it means, how it relates to the immigration case, and the other students' cases. The 29 page decision is available here: drive.proton.me/urls/S14H3MQ...
youtu.be/57YHLBZH7fE
I break down Monday's EO that signals the Trump admin's plans to deploy federal and Nat'l Guard troops to quell public protests - violating the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, and what we might do to head this off. youtu.be/x7jInSCJrwM
I break down yesterday's EO that signals the Trump admin's plans to deploy federal and Nat'l Guard troops to quell public protests - violating the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, and what we might do to head this off. youtu.be/x7jInSCJrwM
NEW EPISODE!
Academic freedom is the right to interrogate the world, to teach, and the right to learn. We’re joined by Katherine Franke, renowned law professor, who has endured a relentless campaign of harassment for her support of Palestinian rights.
bit.ly/44vfwvV
@katherinefranke.bsky.social
I want to urge that we resist emphasizing how some of the people being deported are "innocent" or "haven't even been convicted of a crime" - all people deserve to have their free speech and due process rights respected, regardless of their assumed "guilt" or "innocence". youtu.be/RfLOrbILk_E
Barnard College faculty and staff are getting emails from the EEOC asking them to answer the question: "Are you Jewish?" I explain what this is all about and what you might do in response. youtu.be/YUHiZfDTPbQ
The FBI raided students' homes in Michigan this morning. Why, and what does this signal? My thoughts.
If you think you might also be targeted by the FBI, contact the @nlgnews.bsky.social for their attorney referral directory: www.nlg.org/referral-dir...
youtu.be/_UMEZjV3ufI