08/19/26

Title

It’s Going to Make My Stomach Hurt

Good morning! It’s Wednesday, August 19th

National Soft Ice Cream Day

Better than National Brick Hard Break a Tooth Ice Cream Day

And now, the news.

Deportation in America

-via CBS News (Mexico), NBC News (ICE insurance), and NBC News (Minnesota)

Starting with the CBS News exclusive that, despite the government of Mexico offering to accept the return of migrants who had crossed the border into America, the Trump administration has been deporting those folks to Guatemala and Honduras instead.

Apparently they’re doing this to deter migrants from coming in through the southern border. “You come here? We’re going to send you further south.”

In previous administrations, Mexican migrants would be returned to Mexico, but deep in the country. This, sending the people to countries they’re not from, even though the government of Mexico has agreed to accept them back into the country, is unprecedented.

As always, with this administration, the cruelty is the point. 

And here in America, ICE is… well, it says here, ICE is also bad here.

Nationally, the organization is looking for a way to help hide agents from possible financial consequences if they are accused of misconduct while on duty.

The plan is to subsidize liability insurance that would cover up to $500,000 for state and local officers, by reimbursing the officers $250 a year. So now, when they use their gloves that emit an electric shock from them, they won’t be held financially liable. 

What about being held criminally liable?

Well if they can get to Texas, they’re apparently fine there because in the Lone Star State, Christian Casto, an ICE agent charged with assault and falsely reporting a crime after he shot at the front door of a home in Minneapolis, striking a victim in the leg before lodging in a child’s bedroom wall, and then knowingly providing false information to an officer about it… has found an ally in Greg Abbott.

Castro is currently in jail in Texas, but he’s due to be released next week. The concern is that, once he’s released, Castro can escape the US and head to Mexico. 

To prevent that, Minnesota’s AG, Keith Ellison, requested Casto’s extradition. It was denied by Abbott, and so now he’s suing.

And it’s not that Abbott doesn’t know how to extradite back to Minnesota – he’s done it three times since Castro’s arrest.

But for whatever reason, Abbott wants to protect Castro.

Huh. 

I wonder why.

IRS Wants Names

-via CBS News

And speaking of the shady comings and goings of this government…

The Trump administration is weighing a proposal that would force nonprofits to disclose in their annual tax filings whether their top officials have been convicted of certain financial or terrorism-related crimes in the last ten years.

Now, in theory… that makes sense. 

Except – don’t forget that this administration is anti-antifacism, going as far as to name Antifa, which is not a group but just a vibe, as being a terrorist group. And as you may recall, last Friday, I talked about the government having spied on groups like national unions, local unions, and various community organizing groups.

The groups weren’t charged with anything but clearly, the government is out to break up these groups.

It’s not illegal to have a convicted felon on your nonprofit’s board, but convicting a nonprofit board member of a terrorism-related crime because they, for example, are against fascism, will for sure create a shame around associating with the group. 

The nonprofit wouldn’t require the names of the person convicted of the crimes to be released, which also creates more mystery, and concern, around the groups. 

I wonder if that’s what they’re after…

The IRS hasn’t signed off on this yet, so TBD.

ABC Sues FCC

-via AP News

On Tuesday, ABC filed suit against the FCC, saying the agency’s demand for early review of its broadcast licenses is a First Amendment violation and poses an “existential threat” to the network.

The FCC’s been out against the mouse for a while, but earlier this year, a few days prior to someone allegedly trying to shoot Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Jimmy Kimmel did a bit where he was pretending like he was there and said, “Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow.”

Following that, the FCC announced on Tuesday that they are reviewing eight local broadcasting licenses that ABC uses, which were not scheduled for renewal until 2028. This appears to be connected to an investigation they launched last year, in connection with Disney’s DEI practices (Disney owns ABC).

An early review like that is very rare.

But remember that the FCC is run by Brendan Carr, a buddy of Trump’s. 

And so that brings us to the suit, which notes: “Again and again, the Administration has attacked ABC’s speech — the stories its journalists report and the viewpoints its network programs air. Over time, those attacks have escalated into express demands that ABC be stripped of its broadcast licenses because of its speech. Facing this existential threat, plaintiffs have no choice but to seek redress from the judicial branch for the Administration’s blatant retaliation for their First Amendment speech.”

This case is vital for the sustainability of the First Amendment, and believe me when I say… it’s going to make my stomach hurt until there’s a resolution.

And maybe even after, as well!

And that’s it. That’s the news.

I’m proud of… people suing this administration. 

More people should do it. 

Wait… should I do it?

For the emotional distress it’s causing me, at least.

Also ice cream. Mint chocolate chip ice cream!! Or sherbet.

But more than a mint chocolate chip sherbet… because you’re also super sweet – I’m proud of you.