Depths of depraved bureaucratic violence

I just can’t stop thinking abt federal agents raiding the cells of incarcerated children to confiscate their drawings & letters. This is Nazi shit.

This holiday season, on Lifetime, it’s A Christmas Crush.

Saddened to learn of Richard Alba’s passing. He touched many hearts and minds including mine. His voice lives on in print and in the many discussions of which he will still be a part. You will be missed Richard.

Dozens of people were reportedly taken into custody at immigration courts around the country. Many of them were for people who were hoping to file asylum applications. ICE's admitted goal for this? Place these people through "expedited removal" - no judge, order them deported on the spot. 3/4

Exclusive: National Science Foundation staff were told today that the agency’s 37 divisions—across all eight directorates—are being abolished and the number of programs within those divisions will be drastically reduced.

You guys, a conclave of old cardinals can decide on a POPE faster than an academic search committee can decide on the four people we're bringing to campus for an assistant professor search.

Timely piece by @jodyav.bsky.social at a time when "progressives" and "dems" are happy to throw immigrants under the bus, forgetting their own family stories and how they daily benefit from immigrant labor.

And Chris Rufo on @pbsnews.org So disappointing that they’re stooping so low

Cruel incompetence is probably one of the most apt descriptions of the current regime’s policies in most domains: apple.news/AKvl4u-XSQrW...

Sad to see @pbsnews.org descending into both-siderism by including Chad Wolf's extremist views on cancelled student visas. He insinuated that if we knew more about these students, we'd see the justification for this extreme measure and lack of due process. Nick Shifrin: really?!

QEPD. apple.news/Axmv8TL2lSgm...

Well, if meta shows it…. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

You could fund "science" lots of other way, but our university system has its own benefits. One of the benefits of that system is, of course, protest and dissent. Try that in a world where Tesla, Google, Pfizer, and NASA and the NSA do all research.

Federally funded R&D (not all of which is spent at universities) as a fraction of GDP is as low as it's been since we started tracking. Which is a different way of looking at it than "line go up." 4/x ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf2332...

The disclaimer is especially relevant to the nationalist libertarians of our day: “I have nothing to do with the crimes I’ve committed”

This framing of "dependence" is fucking propaganda. The whole point of the federal government is to build and maintain national institutions that promote public health, education, scientific advancement, etc. The implication here is that those functions are a matter of private not public concern.

@profgalloway.com has a snappy take on this massive inside trading scheme: bsky.app/profile/prof...

Foxes in the hen house. That always ends well

Since the Trump admin continues to claim Mr. Abrego Garcia is a gang member, I thought I'd take the time to put together a timeline, based on all the documents filed in court, which lays out all the "evidence" the government has ever offered. As you'll find out, there's very little "there" there!

NEW Judge says in a written decision Sunday there's "no evidence" man mistakenly deported to El Salvador is a gang member, contrary to Trump administration claims. And the judge finds that the US can bring the man back. Waiting for a decision on appeal. www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/...

Today, across the country and around the world, tens of thousands of people turned out for what organizers say has been the single biggest day of protests against President Trump and his second-term policies and actions.

From the ancient archives of last week:

Two excellent takes on the Columbia debacle: www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Now this is a good, accurate headline

Gaza death toll breaks 50,000 mark www.npr.org/2025/03/23/n...

From 2010 to 2016 (latest data I have ), NIH research contributed to EVERY drug approved by the FDA

My tombstone will say "we think he's gone, but the docusign is still in his queue"

CARTOON OF THE DAY 😕🇺🇸

Our cartoonists are doing the job our journalists are afraid to.

A few of the statements & letters to university administrations from our colleagues during this historical moment of assault on higher ed. Solidarity to all those working hard to defend our institutions. #academicsky academeblog.org/2025/03/17/r...

Sociology grad students & recent phds: Submit to the 2025 Junior Theorists Symposium! scatter.wordpress.com/2025/03/17/s...

The subjugation of universities to official power is a hallmark of autocracy. No one should be under any illusions about what’s going on here. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/n...

These are the senators who collaborated with the GOP. Schumer Fetterman Cortez Masto Durbin King Shaheen Gillibrand Schatz Hassan Peters Don’t let them forget it. No peace for them.

I think some in the Senate have convinced themselves that the backlash to folding will be limited to “the left” and therefore ignorable. Those people are deeply and profoundly misreading the moment and the stakes. Virtually every swing district House Dem walked the plank to vote NO for a reason.

Now this is some incisive reporting by @npr.

None of these Democrats should enjoy a moment's peace. Cortez Masto (NV) Durbin (IL) Fetterman (PA) Gillibrand (NY) Hassan (NH) Peters (MI) Schatz (HI) Schumer (NY) Shaheen (NH) They've effectively just voted for Donald Trump's agenda without putting up a fight. Never let them hear the end of it.

Now this guy’s got some backbone

In case we've forgotten, the New Yorker did an investigation about war crimes committed by American soldiers some of whom Trump pardoned at Hegseth's behest www.newyorker.com/podcast/in-t...

Whether you like or dislike what’s said at universities, free speech is at the core of our democracy, and protecting it should be one of the core missions of universities. Which is why America needs a new Free Speech Movement, similar to the one that broke out on college campuses 61 years ago.

This likely confirms that the decision to arrest him was made at the highest levels of government, a terrifying return to the policies of ideological exclusion last seen used during the heights of the Cold War. A very, very worrying precedent at the start of this government.

The issue of transfers for contract minimums became a bigger issue in 2020 because they kept doing it DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC and were thus directly spreading COVID around the country. Here's a letter Rep. Crow wrote at the time calling for them to stop. crow.house.gov/media/press-...

NYC Monday 3/10/25 - Release Mahmoud Khalil - US Permanent Resident detained by DHS for exercising free speech

It really is time for democrats to find a spine. Especially the 10 who voted to censure Rep Green. We are here because our representatives sacrifice principle to politeness. The list of 10 follows

That is exactly true.

how many child cancer researchers were fired to pay for this?

A must read review of No Other Land www.rogerebert.com/reviews/no-o...

One of our best security experts sums it up:

@ersjournal.com has curated a number of articles spanning several decades which you may find useful for your research and teaching. The first in this 🧵is on theories and changing agendas: