Kendal Blust

Writing on the Wall | Max Granger | Substack Essays, reporting, criticism, and interviews on the polycrisis in América and beyond. Click to read Writing on the Wall, by Max Granger, a Substack publication. Launched 4 days ago.

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Arizona Attorney General Mayes files second motion in an effort to get federal funds unfrozen Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and 22 other attorneys general are filing a second motion to compel the Trump administration to thaw the president’s federal spending freeze.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and 22 other attorneys general are filing a second motion to compel the Trump administration to thaw the president’s federal spending freeze.

Pentagon Sending Combat Forces to Border in Line With Trump Directive (Gift Article) The troop mobilization indicates that President Trump is breaking with recent presidents’ practice of limiting deployments along the U.S.-Mexico border mostly to small numbers of active-duty soldiers ...

“Armed infantry and support troops from the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson in Colorado — one of the Army’s most seasoned combat units” expected to arrive within days at U.S.-Mexico border

www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/u...

What Is Plan Sonora? How the border state became the center of Mexico’s ambitious renewable-energy plan.

For @theborderchronicle.bsky.social, I wrote the first installment in a series about the controversial energy development plan called Plan Sonora: www.theborderchronicle.com/p/what-is-pl...

Dos militares que desertaron de la Fuerza Armada fueron deportados de EE. UU., dice Cabello El ministro indicó que los casos de las personas con antecedentes penales ya "están siendo trabajados" por las autoridades

Aboard the 2 flights that deported 190 people back to Caracas last week were 2 people who'd deserted #Venezuela’s military. The Trump administration delivered them right back to the dictatorship. The feared Interior Minister says, “They are being given the appropriate treatment.”

Well done, folks.

From @jwashing.bsky.social

ICE's Latest Detention Data Shows Growth of Immigrants Targeted With No Criminal Histories – Exactly as Predicted ICE published new detention data today that reflects the outcomes of ICE's recent "enforcement surge." Let's take a closer look.

Takeaways from ICE's latest detention data:

- most growth bc of immigrants w/ no criminal history
- highest detained pop in 4+ years
- biggest biweekly increase in ICE-arrested detention numbers in years

austinkocher.substack.com/p/ices-lates...

Tracking the Trackers with Dr. Austin Kocher: Immigration, Borders, Power, and the State Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Tracking The Trackers with @AustinKocher.com: #Immigration, Borders, Power, and The State tinyurl.com/mwpcrrrz @agakh.bsky.social @eff.org @esqueer.net @evacide.bsky.social @404media.co

Following ⬇️

Protests are set to take place on Presidents Day. Here's why Protests against the Trump administration's actions are planned for Presidents Day. Organizers say they are responding to "the anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration."

1/ Protests are taking place at state capitols and city halls and other civic spaces today, most begin at noon local time. They have already started out East. #50501movement www.npr.org/2025/02/16/n...

“This is very sad and it’s really going to hurt the local economy.” Sidney Noble, fired botanist

Just spoke with a recently fired PhD Forest service botanist just got their permanent position in September. He and his wife are paying $1900/month in rent. They can limp through March…and then the plan stops.

Exclusive: Trump’s foreign aid freeze stops anti-fentanyl work in Mexico President Donald Trump has vowed to destroy Mexican cartels and end the U.S. fentanyl epidemic, but his sweeping freeze on foreign aid has temporarily stopped U.S.-funded anti-narcotics programs in Mexico that for years have been working to curb the flow of the synthetic opioid into the United States.

President Trump vowed to destroy Mexican cartels and end the US fentanyl epidemic, but his sweeping foreign-aid freeze has temporarily stopped US-funded anti-narcotics programs in Mexico that for years have been working to curb the drug's flow into the US reut.rs/42Pab1w

Gov. Hochul Can Remove Eric Adams From Office. Will She? The governor indicated that she was examining her options, but removing a reliable ally could create political problems.

Houchul can remove Adams. And at this point, she must. www.nytimes.com/2024/09/26/n...

Infrequent reminder that I still post the weekly Border Updates to my old "Daily Border Links" list, if you'd like them in your e-mail inbox.

(It's a Google Group, which I know is janky, but it doesn't cost me anything.)

groups.google.com/g/daily-bord...

"Armored Tesla" forecast to win $400 million State Department contract after Trump's election, government document shows The State Department’s procurement forecast, revised as of late December 2024, lists Tesla as the recipient of the largest expected contract, with Marco Rubio’s department planning to buy $400,000,000...

🚨New from @dropsitenews.com: Tesla is forecast to win the largest State Dept contract of 2025 -- $400 million for "Armored Tesla" -- according to procurement documents we reviewed.

(And Elon Musk before you accuse us of doxxing, the docs are public)

www.dropsitenews.com/p/elon-musk-...

Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily allow funds for foreign aid to flow again A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to temporarily lift a three-week funding freeze that has shut down U.S. aid and development programs abroad.

BREAKING

apnews.com/article/usai... Judge orders Trump administration to temporarily allow funds for foreign aid to flow again

Trump’s Pardons and Purges Revive Old Question: Who Counts as a Terrorist? The president’s sweeping clemency for Capitol rioters and his administration’s ongoing removal of career national security specialists foretell a permissive new climate for extremist movements, say…

In the past weeks, the Trump administration has purged federal law enforcement agencies of prosecutors and investigators who’d been pursuing white supremacist groups that had been listed among the most dangerous threats to national security.

By @hannahallam.bsky.social

America's Gulag In COMPLEX, artist David Taylor documents border surveillance and the “most significant architectural legacy we have created in the last 20 years.”

For @theborderchronicle.bsky.social, I wrote about photographer David Taylor’s exhibition COMPLEX and what it can teach us about keeping watch on border surveillance: www.theborderchronicle.com/p/americas-g...

Tucson restaurant owner calls visit by ICE agents 'intimidation' attempt Three federal agents visited long-time Tucson restaurant La Indita this week, seeking to verify the legal status of its employees, which the owner called an attempt at "intimidation."

Three federal agents visited long-time Tucson restaurant La Indita this week, seeking to verify the legal status of its employees, which the owner called an attempt at "intimidation."

Managing Wildfires Using A Centuries-Old Indigenous Practice The Karuk Tribe in Northern California has stewarded its home using prescribed burns for millennia. Now, they’re training others on the skill.

And finally, the good folks at @scifri.bsky.social had Bill and I on to talk further. My part's fine, and I share some of what the Karuk have helped me better understand. But please pay special attention to Bill's portion. www.sciencefriday.com/segments/kar...

It’s taken me forever, but my feature on last fall’s #KTREX burn on Karuk territory in N. California is coming soon. And I’m glad it’s coming in the wake of the #LAfires, a spectacular example of our terrible relationship with fire. The Karuk show that a different way - a better way - is possible.

Please read. @sidehilling.bsky.social nails so much of what has been on my mind in recent years. Wildfire is not a war.

White picket fences and pipe bombs: How David Lynch’s Boise childhood inspired uncanny filmmaking David Lynch, the director of cult classics such as Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead passed away last week. Known for his cryptic storytelling, surrealist imagery, and eerie moodiness, the f...

This is just a wonderful bit of radio. Julie has quickly become quite the audio artisan www.boisestatepublicradio.org/news/2025-01...

Asylum seekers in Nogales 'in mourning' after legal pathway shut down NOGALES, Sonora — Mexican national and asylum seeker Tania, 24, knew something was wrong when she saw her husband Edwin's face, as he stood in the courtyard of the Nogales

In Nogales, Sonora, asylum seekers 'in mourning' after legal pathway shut down tucson.com/news/local/s...

Trump's executive orders shut down asylum, parole pathways Migrant advocates and shelter operators in Nogales, Sonora are bracing for the impact of 10 executive orders signed within hours of President Donald Trump's Monday inauguration, including a declaration of

Migrant advocates and shelter operators in Nogales, Sonora are bracing for the impact of 10 executive orders signed within hours of President Donald Trump's Monday inauguration, including a declaration of

Minutes ago, the Trump admin revoked the sensitive locations policy that prevented ICE from carrying out enforcement arrests inside churches, hospitals, and schools.

Alerta en Nuevo León, estado mexicano fronterizo con EEUU, por las deportaciones de Trump “No podemos descuidar a los conciudadanos mexicanos que, si de alguna manera llegan a México y pasan por Nuevo León”, Javier Navarro

El estado de Nuevo León, en la frontera de México con Estados Unidos, está “en alerta” tras investidura de Trump por las deportaciones masivas.

“Estamos en alerta porque no podemos descuidar a los conciudadanos mexicanos”.

@efe.com desde Monterrey:

If you have a Pima County Public Library card, this is how you can access the Arizona Daily Star online.

Inside Trump’s Search for a Health Threat to Justify His Immigration Crackdown President-elect Donald J. Trump’s advisers have spent months trying to identify a disease that will help them build their case for closing the border.

Trump is likely to justify his plans to seal off the border with Mexico by citing a public health emergency from immigrants bringing disease into the United States. Now he just has to find one, write Zolan Kanno-Youngs and @Haleaziz.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2025/01/09/u...