Disappearing People Is Bad.

Cass Troy

— 7 min read
Disappearing People Is Bad.
Columbia University security officers speak with Mahmoud Khalil at Columbia University on Thursday, March 6. Photo: Janine AlHadidi

Seems like a no-brainer, right? And yet, ICE has detained Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holding Columbia University student who coordinated pro-Palestine protests on campus. He's a permanent resident, who was lawfully demonstrating his first amendment rights, and has now been detained, had his green card revoked, and his lawyers and (eight months pregnant) spouse are unable to confirm which detention facility he is being held at.

This all comes after the State Department under DOGE started using AI to revoke foreign student visas for people they believe have participated in anti-Israel activity.

Aside from the gross government over-reach, the dismissal of basic civil rights, and the selective use of victimization at play, any of this might be more understandable... if the government was doing fuck all to prosecute actual, flag-waving, street-fighting, swastika tattooed Nazis that are terrorizing US citizens on a regular basis.

In the last week:

This week ahead:

Early warning:

Resources:

Veterans Fighting Fascism has launched their Antifascist Book Club program - check out the site and their guide to starting an anti-fascist hub in your community.

LGBTQIA+ News

baum, s. “Enola Gay Aircraft, Which Dropped the Atomic Bomb, Targeted Because It Said ‘Gay,’” July 25, 2024. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/enola-gay-aircraft-which-dropped?publication_id=994764&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=3bc3gd&utm_medium=email.

Cieslik, Emma. “Montana’s Latest Anti-Trans Bill Has Disturbing Parallels With 19th-Century Eugenics Laws.” Ms. Magazine, March 3, 2025. https://msmagazine.com/2025/03/03/montana-hb-446-criminalizes-trans-existence-social-contagion/.

Lazine, Mira. “New HHS Directive Cites Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Groups, Demands Hospitals Stop Trans Youth Care,” July 25, 2024. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-hhs-directive-cites-anti-lgbtq?publication_id=994764&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=3bc3gd&utm_medium=email.

Reed, Erin. “Debunked: No, New Study Does Not Show Transgender Surgeries Double Depression,” March 4, 2025. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/debunked-no-new-study-does-not-show.

———. “New Texas Bill Outright Criminalizes Being Trans As Felony Fraud,” July 25, 2024. https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/new-texas-bill-outright-criminalizes?publication_id=994764&utm_campaign=email-post-title&r=3bc3gd&utm_medium=email.

sdfortransrights.bsky.social. “BREAKING: SD4TR Activists Have Gained Access to the SD Card Containing Annie Jump’s Bodycam Footage from the Attack on 2/27. This Is Only 18….” Post. Bluesky, March 4, 2025. https://bsky.app/profile/sdfortransrights.bsky.social/post/3ljjjdua2bk2b.

Waller, Arin. “These Lawmakers’ Speeches Were so Powerful That 29 Republicans Abandoned Their Anti-Trans Bill.” LGBTQ Nation, March 7, 2025. https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/03/these-lawmakers-speeches-were-so-powerful-that-29-republicans-abandoned-their-anti-trans-bill/.

Abortion News:

EdJenner. “Lawmaker Vows to Push Bill to Repeal FACE Act ‘Irrespective of Normal Procedures.’” Conservative Angle (blog), March 7, 2025. https://conservativeangle.com/lawmaker-vows-to-push-bill-to-repeal-face-act-irrespective-of-normal-procedures/.

Examiner, Ashley Oliver, Washington. “DOJ Makes Early Plays to Reverse Biden-Era Legal Activity.” Colorado Springs Gazette, March 8, 2025. https://gazette.com/news/wex/doj-makes-early-plays-to-reverse-biden-era-legal-activity/article_aa58f03f-0aa7-5e35-9950-3bf6e9c89398.html.

Gleason, Moira. “Attorney General Faces Impeachment for Targeting Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers.” The Daily Signal, March 4, 2025. https://www.dailysignal.com/2025/03/04/attorney-general-faces-impeachment-targeting-pro-life-pregnancy-centers/.

Jipping, Thomas. “Congress Should Repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act.” The Heritage Foundation. Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.heritage.org/life/report/congress-should-repeal-the-freedom-access-clinic-entrances-act.

Jordan Fischer [@JordanOnRecord]. “Judge Kollar-Kottelly Orders the the Case against Lauren Handy Dismissed Following President Donald Trump’s Pardon Last Month of Her Conviction for Orchestrating the Invasion of a D.C. Clinic. Https://T.Co/bNqdu1w4dE.” Tweet. Twitter, March 3, 2025. https://x.com/JordanOnRecord/status/1896711597718204546.

“Judge: Abortion Protester’s Lawsuit against Idaho State Police Troopers Can Go to Trial.” Accessed March 7, 2025. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/judge-abortion-protester-s-lawsuit-against-idaho-state-police-troopers-can-go-to-trial/ar-AA1Art0h.

Lucas, Ryan. “How Scaling Back Enforcement of FACE Act Affects Those on Each Side of Abortion Debate.” NPR, March 7, 2025, sec. Law. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/07/nx-s1-5312008/how-scaling-back-enforcement-of-face-act-affects-those-on-each-side-of-abortion-debate.

NBC News. “Trump’s FDA Pick Says He’ll Review Whether Abortion Pill Must Be Dispensed in Person Again,” March 6, 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/trumps-fda-pick-says-review-whether-abortion-pill-must-dispensed-perso-rcna195156.

Nichols, Anna Liz. “Following Trump Pardons of Anti-Abortion Protestors, Pohutsky Introduces Clinic Obstruction Bills • Michigan Advance.” Michigan Advance (blog), March 5, 2025. https://michiganadvance.com/2025/03/05/following-trump-pardons-for-anti-abortion-protestors-rep-pohutsky-introduces-clinic-obstruction-bills/.

The Epoch Times. “Rep. Roy Says He’s Prepared to Force a Vote on FACE Act’s Repeal,” March 7, 2025. https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/rep-roy-says-hes-prepared-to-force-a-vote-on-face-acts-repeal-5821449.

“Trump Administration Expected to Seek to Let Idaho Enforce Its Strict Abortion Ban, in Drastic Reversal from Biden White House’s Stand - CBS News,” March 5, 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/idaho-emergency-abortions-trump-administration/.

WORLD. “FACE Act Must Equally Protect Worship Access, DOJ Says,” March 4, 2025. https://wng.org/sift/face-act-must-equally-protect-worship-access-doj-says-1741116479.

Hate Group News:

Diko, A. C. Thompson, James Bandler,Lukáš. “How the Terrorgram Collective’s Neo-Nazi Influencers Groomed a Teen to Kill.” ProPublica, March 8, 2025. https://www.propublica.org/article/telegram-terrorgram-collective-bratislava-murders-neo-nazi-online-hate.

“Discipulus Ventures.” Accessed March 7, 2025. https://www.discipulusventures.com/.

Discipulus Ventures [@DiscipulusVent]. “Announcing Our next Speaker for Our Spring Cohort Lineup: @ADoricko Augustus Is the Founder of @RainmakerCorp, a Cloud-Seeding Geoengineering Startup That Aims to Create Water Abundance in the United States. Apply to the Cohort at the Link in Bio! 🇺🇸 Https://T.Co/XOiyLmcz2g.” Tweet. Twitter, March 7, 2025. https://x.com/DiscipulusVent/status/1898056050198114449.

Donovan, Kari. “Bannon’s WarRoom, Show Clip Roundup 6 MARCH 25 [AM].” Stephen K Bannon’s War Room, March 6, 2025. https://warroom.org/bannons-warroom-show-clip-roundup-6-march-25-am/.

From The Depths. “Blood, Betrayal, and Branding: Inside 764’s Hierarchy of Horrors,” March 7, 2025. https://www.maargentino.com/blood-betrayal-and-branding-inside-764s-hierarchy-of-horrors/.

Graham, Ruth. “He Gave a Name to What Many Christians Feel.” The Victoria Advocate, March 6, 2025. https://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/features/faith/he-gave-a-name-to-what-many-christians-feel/article_5025b831-8d61-5138-ba56-5d5c217126fa.html.

News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF). “Dramatic Video Shows Neo-Nazi Assault on 20-Year-Old Man during Hate Group’s Visit to Nashville,” March 6, 2025. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/confronting-hate/dramatic-video-show-neo-nazi-assault-on-20-year-old-man-during-hate-groups-visit-to-nashville.

News Channel 5 Nashville (WTVF). “‘This Isn’t Your Granddad’s KKK.’ Inside the Hate Group Expanding Its Presence in Tennessee,” March 4, 2025. https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/this-isnt-your-granddads-kkk-inside-the-influential-hate-group-thats-expanding-in-tennessee.

Government News:

Bose, Meghnad. “BREAKING: DHS Detains Lead Negotiator of Columbia Gaza Solidarity Encampment After Online Campaign by Pro-Israel Groups,” January 27, 2025. https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/dhs-detains-columbia-university-student-gaza?publication_id=2510348&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email-share&isFreemail=true&triedRedirect=true.

Bower, Anna. “Trump’s Executive Order Establishing DOGE Called for the Creation of a ‘DOGE Team’ within Each Federal Department. But Who Are the “DOGE….” Post. Bluesky, March 6, 2025. https://bsky.app/profile/annabower.bsky.social/post/3ljplfdn5c22y.

Caputo, Marc. “Scoop: State Dept. to Use AI to Revoke Visas of Foreign Students Who Appear ‘pro-Hamas.’” Axios, March 6, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamas.

———. “Scoop: State Dept. to Use AI to Revoke Visas of Foreign Students Who Appear ‘pro-Hamas.’” Axios, March 6, 2025. https://www.axios.com/2025/03/06/state-department-ai-revoke-foreign-student-visas-hamas.

emptywheel. “Attention Deficit and Defiance Division of Labor: There’s Stuff Happening Where You’re Not Looking.” Emptywheel (blog), March 7, 2025. https://www.emptywheel.net/2025/03/07/attention-deficit-and-defiance-division-of-labor-theres-stuff-happening-where-youre-not-looking/.

France 24. “Dozen Teslas Torched Outside French Dealership: Authorities,” March 3, 2025. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250303-dozen-teslas-torched-outside-french-dealership-authorities.

Government Executive. “VA Plans to Lay off as Many as 83,000 Employees This Year,” March 5, 2025. https://www.govexec.com/workforce/2025/03/va-plans-lay-many-83000-employees-year/403477/.

Haskins, Caroline. “‘Startup Nation’ Groups Say They’re Meeting Trump Officials to Push for Deregulated ‘Freedom Cities.’” Wired. Accessed March 9, 2025. https://www.wired.com/story/startup-nations-donald-trump-legislation/.

“‘I Miss Lynch Mobs’: The Secretary of Retribution’s Followers Are Getting Impatient - Raw Story.” Accessed March 9, 2025. https://www.rawstory.com/raw-investigates/who-is-ivan-raiklin/.

Jedeed, Laura. “What The Hell Is Going On? Part 2,” December 27, 2023. https://www.bannedinyourstate.com/p/what-the-hell-is-going-on-part-2-ba8.

Lee, Tristan. “Kingsley Wilson, the Newly-Appointed DoD Deputy Press Secretary, Believes in a Thoroughly-Debunked Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory. I’ve Mostl….” Post. Bluesky, March 5, 2025. https://bsky.app/profile/tristanl.ee/post/3ljlvcefqw223.

Rupar, Aaron. “Mike Johnson: ‘We’ve Seen This Movie before. George Soros Groups and Others Literally Pay Protesters.’” Post. Bluesky, March 4, 2025. https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3ljks5gytnq2c.

“Texas National Guard Sworn in to Support Border Patrol Efforts in El Paso Sector | U.S. Customs and Border Protection.” Accessed March 4, 2025. https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/local-media-release/texas-national-guard-sworn-support-border-patrol-efforts-el-paso.

“Who Is the DOGE and X Technician Branden Spikes? – Krebs on Security,” March 6, 2025. https://krebsonsecurity.com/2025/03/who-is-the-doge-and-x-technician-branden-spikes/.

Yahoo News. “Reward Offered for Info on Suspicious Fire at Tesla Superchargers in Littleton, Mass.,” March 3, 2025. https://www.yahoo.com/news/reward-offered-suspicious-fire-tesla-220621800.html.

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