Are we now in full blown fascist totalitarianism?

[Axulus]

Some officials say U.S. citizens who criticize administration policies could be charged with crimes, based on the notion that they're aiding terrorists and criminals.

"You have to ask yourself, are they technically aiding and abetting them, because aiding and abetting criminals and terrorists is a crime," White House senior director for counterterrorism Seb Gorka said in an interview with Newsmax.

"Homegrowns are next," Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele last week, referring to sending Americans convicted of crimes to serve time in foreign prisons.

The administration's resistance to returning Kilmar Abrego Garcia — who was legally in the U.S. with an order not to be deported back to El Salvador, but deported to the prison there anyway — has raised questions about how far Trump's team can go in trying to skirt court orders.

A 3 step blueprint to send critics of the administration (citizens included) to El Salvador. Accuse them of aiding and abeding terrorists and criminals, cut a deal with El Salvador, and skirt around court orders.

https://www.axios.com/2025/04/23/trump-immigration-crackdown-us-citizens

 

[Axulus]

A Texas attorney gave some free legal advice to an undocumented family. Then two law enforcement officers showed up at his door.

The courage to be decent

The Trump administration wants to make us too afraid to look out for one another. Don't let them.

open.substack.com

 

[Politesse]

Yeah, a coworker of mine also works for a local law office that offers immigration advice, and says they've started getting a lot of visits and phone calls from individuals who make vague threats and refuse to identify themselves. Feels like the 1960s are back, and not in a good way.

 

[ZiprHead]

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

American citizens keep getting ensnared in Trump’s immigration crackdown

Nineteen-year-old Jose Hermosillo, whose family says he was held in ICE detention for 10 days, is just the latest such example.

www.msnbc.com

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

1 in 4 Americans say they prefer Garcia is in prison in El Salvador. That is disturbingly high.

 

[lostone]

Repugs even control purple states where they rule with an iron fist with a bare majority, or even a minority

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

As we continue moving towards that Constitutional Crisis, FBI arrests Milwaukee County Circuit Judge. Details are sparse, as always with any accusation by the Trump Admin (yes, the FBI counts as part of the Trump Admin).

FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday that the bureau had arrested a Milwaukee judge and charged her with obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week — the first known instance of the Justice Department prosecuting a local official for allegedly interfering with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.

...

Patel announced the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan in a post on the social media platform X. He accused Dugan of “intentionally misdirecting” federal agents who arrived at the courthouse to detain an immigrant who was set to appear before her in an unrelated proceeding.

Public records aren't available as of yet.

 

[Artemus]

As we continue moving towards that Constitutional Crisis, FBI arrests Milwaukee County Circuit Judge. Details are sparse, as always with any accusation by the Trump Admin (yes, the FBI counts as part of the Trump Admin).

FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday that the bureau had arrested a Milwaukee judge and charged her with obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week — the first known instance of the Justice Department prosecuting a local official for allegedly interfering with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.

...

Patel announced the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan in a post on the social media platform X. He accused Dugan of “intentionally misdirecting” federal agents who arrived at the courthouse to detain an immigrant who was set to appear before her in an unrelated proceeding.

Public records aren't available as of yet.

This is...disturbing. I can't find any other words to describe how I feel.

 

[Swammerdami]

1 in 4 Americans say they prefer Garcia is in prison in El Salvador. That is disturbingly high.

Quoting from Jimmy's link:

A majority of Americans, 53 percent, disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration, with 46 percent approving, a reversal from February when half of the public voiced approval of his approach. Negative views have ticked up across partisan groups over the past two months, with 90 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of independents and 11 percent of Republicans now disapproving of the way the president has managed one of his core policy issues.

I find three things about this paragraph to be very disturbing:

• Throughout much of the 20th century, Democrats and Republicans were "playing with the same deck." Most everyone was centrist; and the portion of left-of-center Ds wasn't so very much higher than that of left-of-center Rs. Yet 90% of Ds now disapprove of DJT, while only 11% of Rs disapprove????? That is a HUGE disparity. It can only mean that the USA now suffers from a HUGE and IRRATIONAL polarization.
• Overall ONLY 53% disapprove of the man trying to out-Hitler Hitler himself????? I don't think Adolf ever had that much support among Germans. Did the pollsters ask what pollees thought of Adolf Hitler?
• In February 50% ("half") disapproved of Trump's approach to immigration. In the latest poll this number "skyrocketed" to 53%. That tiny (3%) change is probably within the margin of error, yet the WaPo called it a "reversal." !!!!! Is it too much to ask that the WaPo -- once a Pulitzer champion -- hire editors with as much math savvy as a 6th-grader?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I think the majority of Republican voters were displeased with January 6th when it happened. Now well over half think the election was likely tampered with. The right-wing voter has lost their partisan mind.

 

[Axulus]

In addition to the war on the courts, they are now turing their sights on journalists as well:

A.G. Bondi reverses Garland policy against subpoenaing journalists
Stating that leaks "undermine President Trump’s policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that "the news media ‘must answer subpoenas’ when authorized."

A.G. Bondi reverses Garland policy against subpoenaing journalists

Stating that leaks "undermine President Trump’s policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that "the news media ‘must answer subpoenas’ when authorized."

www.lawdork.com

 

[Axulus]

Donald Trump directs the DOJ to conduct an opened ended investigation into ActBlue, the main fundraising platform for Democratic candidates:

President Donald Trump signed an executive memorandum Thursday aimed at investigating ActBlue, the leading Democratic fundraising platform.

The memorandum directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to “investigate allegations regarding the unlawful use of online fundraising platforms to make 'straw' or 'dummy' contributions or foreign contributions to political candidates and committees, and to take appropriate action to enforce the law."

Trump takes executive action targeting ActBlue, the main Democratic fundraising platform

ActBlue is widely considered one of the pillars of the Democratic Party’s digital ecosystem.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[lostone]

We have a Mad King

 

[ZiprHead]

1 in 4 Americans say they prefer Garcia is in prison in El Salvador. That is disturbingly high.

1 in 4 Americans are idiots who only watch the lying Fox news. They don't know the things Trump, Baghdad Blondie, and PeeWee German is saying are lies.

 

[Patooka]

I think the majority of Republican voters were displeased with January 6th when it happened. Now well over half think the election was likely tampered with. The right-wing voter has lost their partisan mind.

Ironically, they exhibit the tribal "ask no question" gang mentality that they claim migrants are bringing into the country.

 

[Derec]

Obama must have been a conservative.

Anwar al-Awlaki - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Killing of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

AaA was an enemy combatant who was, being in Yemen, beyond the reach of US law and its due process. No different that killing a US citizen of German descent who decided to join the Wehrmacht in WWII.
His son was not a target. He just had the bad luck (and judgment) to hang out with some Al Qaeda targets. Lie with dogs, wake up with fleas. Lie with terrorists, wake up with a Hellfire missile.

 

[RVonse]

As we continue moving towards that Constitutional Crisis, FBI arrests Milwaukee County Circuit Judge. Details are sparse, as always with any accusation by the Trump Admin (yes, the FBI counts as part of the Trump Admin).

FBI Director Kash Patel said Friday that the bureau had arrested a Milwaukee judge and charged her with obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week — the first known instance of the Justice Department prosecuting a local official for allegedly interfering with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.

...

Patel announced the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan in a post on the social media platform X. He accused Dugan of “intentionally misdirecting” federal agents who arrived at the courthouse to detain an immigrant who was set to appear before her in an unrelated proceeding.

Public records aren't available as of yet.

This is...disturbing. I can't find any other words to describe how I feel.

Would you call this Trump the Hitler dictator or is this "nobody is above the law" for the judges? I mean.....according to the law the judges actually look like they broke the law.

Other than some over reach with Pam Bondi going after the press most of what Trump gets accused of is kind of a gray area IMO. But I am admittedly much less liberal in my worldview than most on this board.

 

[RVonse]

1 in 4 Americans say they prefer Garcia is in prison in El Salvador. That is disturbingly high.

Quoting from Jimmy's link:

A majority of Americans, 53 percent, disapprove of Trump’s handling of immigration, with 46 percent approving, a reversal from February when half of the public voiced approval of his approach. Negative views have ticked up across partisan groups over the past two months, with 90 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of independents and 11 percent of Republicans now disapproving of the way the president has managed one of his core policy issues.

I find three things about this paragraph to be very disturbing:

• Throughout much of the 20th century, Democrats and Republicans were "playing with the same deck." Most everyone was centrist; and the portion of left-of-center Ds wasn't so very much higher than that of left-of-center Rs. Yet 90% of Ds now disapprove of DJT, while only 11% of Rs disapprove????? That is a HUGE disparity. It can only mean that the USA now suffers from a HUGE and IRRATIONAL polarization.
• Overall ONLY 53% disapprove of the man trying to out-Hitler Hitler himself????? I don't think Adolf ever had that much support among Germans. Did the pollsters ask what pollees thought of Adolf Hitler?
• In February 50% ("half") disapproved of Trump's approach to immigration. In the latest poll this number "skyrocketed" to 53%. That tiny (3%) change is probably within the margin of error, yet the WaPo called it a "reversal." !!!!! Is it too much to ask that the WaPo -- once a Pulitzer champion -- hire editors with as much math savvy as a 6th-grader?

We don't often find common ground but this time I fully agree with you. One way or another we have to get along and respect each other better. A nation divided can not stand. And I for one hope and pray for the nation right now.

I believe both sides need to manage their fear better and more clearly understand where each are coming from.

 

[RVonse]

In addition to the war on the courts, they are now turing their sights on journalists as well:

A.G. Bondi reverses Garland policy against subpoenaing journalists
Stating that leaks "undermine President Trump’s policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that "the news media ‘must answer subpoenas’ when authorized."

A.G. Bondi reverses Garland policy against subpoenaing journalists

Stating that leaks "undermine President Trump’s policies," Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that "the news media ‘must answer subpoenas’ when authorized."

www.lawdork.com

I do agree with you here. Bondi is going too far and I don't feel comfortable with this either.