Today's Liberal News

Advocates say new ICE order backing off immigrant crime victims is ‘powerful policy’—if followed

The Biden administration this week issued a directive instructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to not target the undocumented immigrant victims of crime, barring “exceptional circumstances.”

The guidance instructs agents to refrain from sweeping up immigrants protected by special U-visas aiding the undocumented immigrant victims of crime, or are in the process of applying for one.

‘Get out of my country’: D.C. Man shouts racist and homophobic slurs at family before attacking them

As the delta variant surges across the country, America’s racism pandemic continues to flourish. Anti-Asian crimes especially are on the rise as misinformation about the virus spreads and xenophobic language is often used in conservative circles to describe it.

In the latest incident of reported anti-Asian hate crimes, a gay Asian man and his family were attacked in Washington D.C.

Will the U.S. Pass a Point of No Return?

This is the latest installment in a series that began back in 2019, with an article I did for the print magazine on Americans’ long-standing obsession with the decline-and-fall narrative of Rome.Many people wrote in to agree, disagree, and otherwise react. The online discussion begins here. But the most sustained line of response has been from my friend Eric Schnurer.

Frank Ocean Fans Are Mad About a Million-Dollar Necklace

Five years to the month after releasing arguably the best album of the 2010s, the spotlight-shy Frank Ocean has emerged to share something with the world again. Late last week, he cleared his Instagram archive of all old photos—a now-common maneuver for pop stars about to move into a new artistic era—and began touting something called “Homer.

Someone Show NASA a Calendar

The proper attire for an outdoor adventure matters, and perhaps no dress code counts more than what you wear to the surface of the moon.A spacesuit must be carefully sewn and assembled. The gold-coated helmet should shield your eyes from the sun’s unfiltered glare. The fabrics closest to the body should be laced with tubes of chilled water to keep you cool.

Don’t Be a Schmuck. Put on a Mask.

Earlier this week, I delivered a simple message: There is a virus here. It kills people. The only way you can prevent it is to get vaccinated, wear masks, and do social distancing.Some people are complaining, “Well, my freedom is being kind of disturbed here.” Well, I told them, “Screw your freedom.” You have the freedom to wear no mask. But if you exercise that freedom, you’re a schmuck—because you’re supposed to protect your fellow Americans.

“Not Going Quietly”: Paralyzed with ALS, Ady Barkan Continues Fighting for Medicare for All

We speak with healthcare activist Ady Barkan, the 37-year-old lawyer and father who, since his ALS diagnosis in 2016, has devoted his life to campaigning for universal healthcare. He has continued to speak out even after losing his voice and now uses a computerized system that converts his eye movements to speech. Barkan is the subject of “Not Going Quietly,” a new documentary following his cross-country activism.

Afghan Journalist: Only a Political Compromise Can Stop Taliban’s Military Takeover of Afghanistan

The Taliban claim to have seized 17 provincial capitals across Afghanistan, including Kandahar and Herat, the country’s second- and third-largest cities, as the group continues its sweep through the country. The Taliban now have almost full control of the south, west and north of Afghanistan and are advancing on the capital Kabul, where the United States is preparing to evacuate its embassy in case of a Taliban defeat of the Afghan government.

Vaccines Are Like Sunscreen … No, Wait, Airbags … No, Wait …

This is, in some ways, a mea culpa.For the past year or so, I’ve been reporting on the COVID-19 vaccines, a job that’s required me to convey, again and again, how inoculations work to boost immunity and why. The shots are new, and immunology is complex. So I, like so many others in journalism and science, turned to analogies to help make the ideas of disease prevention and public health tangible.

Taliban’s Sweeping Offensive in Afghanistan Was “Inevitable” and Stems from Brutal U.S. War

The Taliban have continued to seize territory in Afghanistan as the U.S. completes its withdrawal of ground troops from the country, with the militant group now controlling a majority of Afghanistan’s districts and a quarter of provincial capitals. The strength of the Taliban offensive in recent weeks has put the future of Afghanistan’s government in doubt. “This kind of a crisis was inevitable whenever the U.S.

News Roundup: New coup details; Republicans issue new debt ceiling threat

In the news today: There’s now confirmation that former U.S. attorney Byung Pak resigned his post after refusing to go along with Trump team demands that supported Trump’s claims of election “fraud” in Georgia. Trump also intended to fire and replace the acting U.S. attorney general for not supporting the scheme. Republicans lawmakers are again threatening to hold the nation’s finances hostage rather than agree to an increase of the “debt ceiling.

‘There is no moral and economic recovery without including immigrants,’ 50 groups tell Congress

Following the advancement early Monday of an ambitious and historic budget resolution that includes funding for a pathway to citizenship for undocumented communities, dozens of leading organizations—including the American Federation of Teachers, MoveOn, and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund—are calling on legislators to remain firm and ensure legalization is passed through the reconciliation process.

Newly uncovered text messages shed additional light on Gaetzgate

Sometimes when I wake up in the morning feeling a bit down, and life seems like little more than a small service to the strange, twisted course of the universe, I think, “Well, it could be worse. I could be Matt Gaetz.” And then I think, “Nah. Impossible. If I were Matt Gaetz, I’d be wearing Donald Trump Underoos.” Then I go back to sleep, wondering when our country will return to any semblance of sanity.

This Week in Statehouse Action: Hold the Line edition

Welp, y’all, it’s time.

With the Census Bureau’s release of redistricting data this week, the drawing of new congressional and state legislative maps can finally begin.

But … oh, it’s going to be bad.

So bad.

Here’s how, and here’s why.