Mike Ludwig

Noem Faces More Calls to Resign After Gutting FEMA, Abandoning Disaster Victims A FEMA whistleblower is calling for the agency, which Trump has threatened to phase out, to become independent again.

FEMA employees were sent home after the deadly flash floods in Texas for calling out Noem.

“Secretary Noem took only 36 hours to illegally retaliate against us as whistleblowers … that is twice as long as she took to send search and rescue to Kerrville.”

-- Abby McIlraith said, FEMA whistleblower

I always opt out of the facial recognition scan at the airport. I do not trust signs claiming the data will be deleted in 12 hours for US citizens. Kristi Noem is in charge and a proven liar. Even if you've already done it, you can still limit exposure by opting out from now on.

Mass layoffs at Washington Post; hundreds of journalists cut as Bezos gives millions to Melania Trump | The NewsGuild - TNG-CWA The Washington Post on Wednesday announced a devastating number of layoffs to journalists, decimating one of the most important newsrooms in the country.

allow me to say what some of my union sisters and brothers cannot: Jeff Bezos is making a complete fool of himself licking Trump's boots like this

Judge Blocks Noem’s Latest Attempt to Stop Democrats From Inspecting ICE Jails ICE is incarcerating a record 73,000 people in dangerous and increasingly deadly immigration jails.

A federal judge has temporarily blocked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s latest effort to prevent Democratic lawmakers from making unannounced inspections of federal immigration jails, where at least 38 people have died since Donald Trump returned to the White House.

Rubio Dodges Accountability at Senate Hearing as Deadly Boat Strikes Continue The families of two men killed on a small boat targeted by the US military filed a wrongful death lawsuit this week.

With ICE ravaging my neighborhood, it's easy to forget Pete Hegseth is still blowing up speedboats.

Meanwhile, Marco Rubio is deferring questions about whether there's really any cocaine on those boats to the "War" secretary.

Wrote this last week but still timely:

truthout.org/articles/rub...

A reminder that incarcerated folks in Texas reported having to douse themselves with toilet water to cool off from sweltering heat – and the state still refuses to provide A/C.

ICE Was Warned About Conditions at Fort Bliss Migrant Jail. Then 2 Men Died. Immigrant rights activists and elected officials are calling to shut down Camp East Montana.

This is where people snatched up in Trump's occupation of Minneapolis and Saint Paul are being sent.

After the first death at the notorious "tent city" at Fort Bliss, advocates warned ICE that detainees reported extreme physical and sexual abuse at the facility.

Within weeks, two men were dead.

Vance and Rubio Show Off Weird Gifts From ‘Daddy’ Trump The president bought four pairs of shoes for the vice president and the secretary of state.

Submission to humiliation in exchange for power is one of their most ancient rituals, still practiced today in frat houses and White Houses

And so mockery becomes the antidote to their evil spells, and a nation roars with laughter at the small men wearing big man shoes

Deaths in Detention Warn of Horrors Behind ICE’s Prison Walls At least 32 people died in ICE jails in 2025, and four more have already died in ICE custody this year.

ICE left Parady La to die in his cell of withdrawal, which is totally preventable. That's just one of dozens of deaths.

“If we are seeing that sort of outward extreme violence in broad daylight in the streets of Minneapolis...imagine what people must be facing behind closed doors and behind bars."

Even just a name can put in motion efforts that get someone released. If they're a citizen, we can get them jail support. If they're an immigrant, there are groups working overtime to file habeas petitions before they're whisked out of state. But it starts with a name.

Trump’s “Homes for People” Plan Distracts From Failing Policies, Experts Say Trump’s proposal to ban institutional investors from buying homes won’t make up for damage of tariffs and deportations.

In a rambling speech full of lies, Trump pledged to release a housing plan next week.

Right.

Pushing big $ out of the housing market is an interesting idea but won't make up for costs pushed up by tariffs, deportation of workers, and destruction of the safety net, says @shamusroller.bsky.social.

the split screen of trump glued to the protests for freedom in Iran while attempting to crush those of his own people...

My go to for ICE data:

mainstream press is scratching its head about Trump playing nice Delcy Rodríguez in Venezuela. She went from Marxist to businesswomen!

Trump needs the same police state he accuses of serving coke to stay in power and prevent chaos so he doesn't have to send in troops. There's no plan. That's why

I saw this video of a Vietnam vet in the fur coat yelling at ICE and thought to myself, "this is missing something," before I realized, "Ah, of course, the Ether instrumental. It's so obvious."

ICE’s Murder of Renee Nicole Good Was Not an Aberration — It Is the New Normal US immigration agents have now shot 11 civilians in cars in four months.

ICE’s Murder of Renee Nicole Good Was Not an Aberration — It Is the New Normal

ICE was already a problem, but Trump created a not-so-secret police that is enforcing MAGA ideology at the barrel of a gun. That's not a political statement, here's the evidence to prove it.

Lol JD Vane converted to Catholicism, a religion that demands compassion for migrants, and is now crucifying his entire reputation and career to defend a murderous immigration cop because his boss won't do it

Cable news needs to get rid of these "former law enforcement" so-called "experts" on who make excuses for abusers and murderers as long as they are in uniform

Truthout | Fearless Independent News & Analysis Explore progressive perspectives and stay informed on social justice, activism, and politics at Truthout.org. Uncover truth, spark change.

Can you share any video and witness statements you have with me? I report for Truthout.org and have been living in Seward. Thanks!

mikelud@protonmail.com

ICE shot and killed a women in South Minneapolis. She is dead. Protests are already being organized. The video shows ICE agent firing into her car as he tries to drive away.

Kristi Noem is calling her a "terrorist." Lies. This could change everything.

As Towns and Cities Fight Off Data Centers, Calls Grow for a National Moratorium The battle to build new data centers has pitted communities across the country against Silicon Valley.

As Towns and Cities Fight Off AI Data Centers, Calls Grow for a National Moratorium

The rush to build data centers emerged in 2025 as a major fault line dividing working people of all political stripes against Silicon Valley.

The fight is dissolving partisan division and set to explode in 2026...

Trump’s Embrace of Natural Gas Exports Is Driving Up Energy Bills for Consumers US households paid $12 billion more for natural gas over the first nine months of Trump’s term, about $124 per family.

Here's a fun fact to share with relatives: Trump promised over and over to slash our energy bills in half but also embraced the fossil fuel industry's rush to export as much fracked gas as possible.

Now winter heating bills are up 22% over 2024, even though the US is the world's top gas producer!

Trump’s Expanded Drug War Will Make Overdose Crisis Worse, Experts Say An executive order declaring fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction could remove supports that keep people alive.

Trump’s Expanded Drug War Will Make Overdose Crisis Worse, Experts Say

Trump declares fentanyl a "weapon of mass destruction" -- it's not, and it's not made in Venezuela either -- while his administration slashes budgets for mental health and addiction treatment.

truthout.org/articles/tru...

He keeps saying this

"Such an overhaul at #FEMA would leave cities and states shouldering the costs of disaster preparation, response, and recovery — costs most states cannot afford — and put disaster victims at risk of serious harm, especially those with fewer financial resources..."

Survivors Slam Kristi Noem Over FEMA’s Response to Deadly Disasters FEMA workers say the agency is being gutted under Trump, putting disaster victims at risk.

Survivors of deadly floods, wildfires, and tornadoes converged on DC this week to demand accountability from Noem as the Trump admin guts FEMA.

“That means the next time a hurricane or horrific wildfires materialize we may again experience a disturbing FEMA fiasco on par with Hurricane Katrina."

"Disney's landmark OpenAI deal is a huge endorsement of AI-created content by one of the world's foremost creative companies..."

...and a sure sign the internet is about to get flooded with Mickey bangin Cinderella bangin Sam Altman

New Orleans Resists ICE Invasion Despite Surveillance and State Repression Before ICE descended on New Orleans, GOP lawmakers made it a crime to interfere with immigration enforcement.

Despite a new state law making it a crime punishable by a year of hard labor in prison to interfere with immigration enforcement, and mass surveillance of social media and Reddit by state and federal cops, New Orleanians are determined to protect immigrants from ICE sweeps -- and it's working.

Love my city of New Orleans 💜 #NOLA 💪🏼

Microsoft Faces Reckoning for Assisting Israel’s Genocide in Gaza The tech giant could face legal liability for aiding and abetting “atrocity crimes” in Palestine, legal groups say.

Microsoft Faces Reckoning Over Israel’s Genocide in Gaza

The tech giant and its executives could face legal liability in the US, EU and UN for aiding and abetting “atrocity crimes” in Palestine, legal groups say.

Microsoft shareholders will vote on proposal for human rights transparency on Dec. 5