James Schmeling

Good to see: Rep Jamie Raskin is encouraging whistleblowers inside DHS and DOJ to approach Dems and share info about failure to investigate ICE murders.

"We are now being far more direct in asking whistleblowers to come forward," Raskin tells me.

In my new piece:

newrepublic.com/article/2057...

Holy moly this chart: Cumulative US measles cases

Two federal agents shot Alex Pretti, initial government review reveals The review makes no mention of Pretti brandishing a weapon, contradicting initial comments from the administration about the killing.

Breaking news: A DHS report said two officers shot Alex Pretti and did not describe him brandishing a gun. The initial government review contradicts comments from the Trump administration that came in the immediate aftermath of the confrontation.

Fox: Let's talk about Iowa. There were 6 special election races in 2025. Democrats won 5. Two thirds of Iowans' health care costs are rising. An eighth of Iowa needs to go to food pantries. 200,000 Iowan families cannot afford their electricity bills. Tariffs have been a disaster in the farmland.

Maryland and DC. 2 minutes!!!

Abolishing ICE is not even that radical of an idea. One way to help people get on the bandwagon is to reframe the border as a civil affair and not a criminal affair.

CBP and immigration can be part of Commerce—focusing on facilitating lawful trade and economic activity. TSA can be transportation.

"In the past, Republicans have just waited us out because they thought we would break. This would be a very dangerous moment for us to do that because of the specific moral question being put to the nation: Does the president of the United States get to murder American citizens?"

And has everyone forgotten how (mostly women) spouses of military members organized everything during the long-term deployments of their (mostly men) spouses for 20 years? Or the pervasiveness of women spouses as volunteers organizing things to support military bases and communities?

Anatomy of Extremism: What ICE Is Revealing in Minnesota The federal persecution of immigrants and white citizens alike lays bare the unstable logic of in-group power.

My latest, for the MIT Press Reader: Why is an anti-immigrant extremist force cracking down on non-immigrants? Because when extremists can't win over their in-group, they must assign dissenting members to an out-group in order to maintain legitimacy.
thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/anatomy-of-e...

Pentagon releases National Defense Strategy, with homeland defense as top priority - Breaking Defense Pete Hegseth's first National Defense Strategy lays out how the Pentagon will execute guidance from the White House.

ICYMI on Friday amidst the weather reporting: National Defense Strategy (unclassified version) released Friday evening. breakingdefense.com/2026/01/nati...

Ukraine is paying $20,000 to drone firms who can destroy a Russian Shahed, defense minister says Fedorov said that Ukrainian forces are expecting to field 40,000 interceptor drones in January alone, a significant boost to its arsenal.

I suppose this is one way to incentivize manufacturing. www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-pay-...

What the Trump Admin is telling you.

-Don't record ICE
-Don't carry a gun around ICE
-Don't ask ICE for a warrant.

So that takes out the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Amendments.

Left enough of a drip overnight last night! All working today. Yay!

Yep, did that last night but apparently not enough of a drip. Will do better. 🤣

The first professional police force in the US began in 1838 in Boston. In 1854 only three cities had police forces: NYC, Philly, and Boston.

TincherSealedWitnessDec012426.PDF

JUST IN: Lawyers file declaration in federal court from first-hand witness to immigration agents' shooting of a US citizen onlookers today. Minneapolis Mayor Frey said details would be used to bolster case for ousting ICE from city. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

"I don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him."

Whichever

Coupled with their facial recognition app no doubt.

He did.

You have to read this. Firsthand affidavit from one of the women who was there and recording the video. She talks about how Alex Pretti was directing traffic when she arrived. She watched him be killed in front of her. She's afraid to go home, worried she'll be arrested.

NEW: Minnesota BCA was denied access to the crime scene. They got a WARRANT and DHS STILL BLOCKED THEM. So DHS doesn’t need a warrant to enter your house, but an actual warrant to enter the crime scene is denied?

What are the qualifications to be a prosecutor? Asking for a friend.

If the admin's strategic goal was to break public resistance to immigration enforcement activities, it was a tactical mistake to go to the Twin Cities.

Definitely make sure your veteran kin know ICE killed a VA nurse. Almost everyone* who has needed the VA comes out the VA’s partisan, and a fierce protector of it. ICE, undisciplined yahoos, harms the agency that is there for veterans when everyone else fails them.

*There are always assholes.

😡

Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti Parents of Alex Jeffrey Pretti “We are heartbroken but also very angry. Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the ‘hero’ term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He had his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down, all while being pepper sprayed. Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.

Kare 11 local news just read, in full, this statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, the parents of Alex Pretti.

"Please get the truth out about our son."

11 hours to indirectly thaw the frozen hot water line to the kitchen sink. At least I didn’t have to cut open the basement ceiling to get to it. 10 degrees. Colder tonight I think.

ICE detains family seeking emergency care for child at Portland hospital The Venezuelan parents and their 7-year-old daughter entered the U.S. legally.

they went to an emergency room seeking help for their 7 year old child.

ICE arrested the 7 year old and her parents.

the family is here legally.

www.oregonlive.com/portland/202...

Detained by ICE, two women became first responders during agent’s seizure The women say they guided agents through the emergency, later raising concerns about medical protocols, weapons safety and accountability.

Two women trained as first responders were abducted by three ICE agents. One of the agents starts seizing. The other two don’t know what to do. The women jump into action and save the agent’s life, only to be re-handcuffed and processed.

www.startribune.com/detained-by-...