A federal judge recently released the written details of a ruling that rebuked the Trump administration’s cancellation of National Institutes of Health grants, deeming the action illegal. Despite limitations imposed by subsequent Supreme Court decisions, the court maintains that the government’s actions were arbitrary and capricious. The ruling highlights that the government failed to establish a clear justification for the grant cancellations, leading to officials canceling grants without evaluating their scientific merit. This lack of clear policy and subsequent attempts to retroactively justify the actions prompted several officials to resign.
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Thirty-five detained Venezuelans, wrongly associated with gangs based solely on their tattoos, endured weeks in ICE detention, with some even facing school expulsion. None faced criminal charges. This incident highlights a broader concern regarding due process and the potential for arbitrary detention based on superficial assumptions. The lack of legal recourse for these individuals underscores a systemic vulnerability affecting all immigrants. Experts warn that such practices erode fundamental rights, jeopardizing the legal protections afforded to all.
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Germany’s recent update to its US travel advice follows the detention of three German citizens at US borders, raising serious concerns about the current state of US immigration enforcement. These detentions, seemingly arbitrary and disproportionate to the alleged offenses, highlight a worrying trend of increased scrutiny by US border authorities, even for individuals with legal standing or minor past infractions.
The case of Fabian Schmidt, a legal US resident since 2008, illustrates this point perfectly. His detention stemmed from a dismissed 2015 misdemeanor marijuana charge, a seemingly minor offense rendered irrelevant by subsequent changes in California’s marijuana laws. This incident underscores a disturbing pattern of using outdated or inconsequential charges as justification for detention, regardless of their current legal standing.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood