Latest news with #Gestapo-like
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump's War on the Vulnerable Has Now Reached Military Families
The family residential section of U.S. Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, is usually a very pleasant place, with military families from the Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps enjoying the sunny respite of a golden duty station like Key West. At least it was until the Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Donald Trump's lackeys, abandoned their vital mission of keeping military families safe and instead became a Gestapo-like force imprisoning them. Just when you thought the Trump administration couldn't sink any lower, it just moved to deport the wife of an active-duty Coast Guardsmen. The military spouse's crime? An expired work visa. It is unclear if any children had to witness this act of terror in the very place they should be safest, a military family community. DHS oversees both Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the U.S. Coast Guard. Using their knowledge and inside information, DHS officials have turned their power against one of their own, arresting an active duty Coast Guard wife who was attempting to find on-base housing at Naval Air Station Key West. There has been debate on whether the arrested military spouse was home alone, with her husband being deployed or on temporary duty somewhere, as the Associated Press reported that the Coast Guardsman's ship, the USCGC Mohawk (WMEC-913), has been in port at Key West since mid-March. Either way, what a dastardly move by the Trump Administration to attack someone and their family who has done more for this country than Trump ever could. After returning from a long deployment defending democracy, the Coast Guardsman's reward will be having his wife deported. As tales spread of judges being detained and arrested for 'interfering' with immigration operations, federal and local law enforcement personnel flinch at the prospect of defying illegal orders from the Trump Administration, facing threats of arrest and career-ending repercussions. At the same time, Jose Barco, a U.S. Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, sits in a Texas detention center awaiting deportation. Barco fought in Iraq, survived a traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and tried to become a citizen, only to have his application lost by the very system he fought for. After returning home broken and untreated, Barco spiraled and committed a tragic crime. After he served his time, he now faces exile to Venezuela, a country that refuses to accept him. It is unclear whether the Coast Guardsman will face any disciplinary action, as the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) does not cover immigration law. But don't count out the Trump administration and its extreme cruelty toward migrants. They have already shown a willingness to weaponize immigration law by digging up defunct statutes like the Alien Enemies Act, no matter how flimsy the rationale. Now, people across the military are taking notice. Word is spreading fast through the ranks that not even service members or their families are safe from Trump and Stephen Miller's draconian assault on those they label 'illegal.' If a Purple Heart doesn't protect you, nothing will. If active-duty military personnel and their families, with guns and guards, aren't safe from Trump and his minions, how safe are you? Americans must take heed of this. Trump will go down in history as one of the cruelest presidents in American history — here's looking at you, Andrew Jackson and all the slaveholding presidents — and possibly the worst. In the first 100 days, Trump has arguably done more damage to this nation than any other president. No one is coming to save our active duty military members, our veterans, our senior citizens, or our migrant neighbors. The only person who can save you is you. Organize, act, resist. Before it is too late. More from Rolling Stone Trump Melts Down Over Plummeting Popularity, Says Pollsters Are 'Criminals' Lawyers for Deported U.S. Citizen Kids Say Moms Were 'Coerced' Into Taking Them John Oliver Slams RFK Jr.: 'Clearly in Way Over His Worm-Riddled Head' Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
USA Today
07-02-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Hallelujah: Sarasota faith leaders are finally speaking out on policies
Sarasota Herald-Tribune Stand with faith leaders against Trump All decent, moral people of goodwill should thank the 22 Sarasota faith leaders who cowrote the guest column titled, 'Let's unite, Sarasota, and show we stand up for everyone' that appeared in the Herald-Tribune on Jan. 31. It is long past due that religious leaders speak out against the bigotry, racism and hate-mongering that is the cornerstone of President Donald Trump and his Republican enablers as they attack and demean the most vulnerable among us. Their policies and rhetoric deny immigrants, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community dignity and humanity and undermine the very principles of common decency, equity and inclusion that our country professes to stand for. Trump and the GOP have disgraced America in the eyes of the world. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. As Thomas Jefferson said, 'It is in our lives and not our words that our religion must be read.' The president and his toadies have demonstrated that they have no claim to a moral or ethical high ground or to any religion that values people and preaches decency, forgiveness, acceptance and love. Rudolph Lucek, Sarasota ICE raids would stress out students I agree with the letter Jan. 30 about the possibility of ICE raids in the schools ('No immigrant raids on school grounds'). It is bad enough that our children have to deal with live shooter drills much less have Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers raid their schools and take away a friend or peer who may be an immigrant. I know firsthand the anxiety that the shooter drills have caused students. They don't know at the time whether a real shooting is occurring or just a drill. Students also experience lockdowns because of threats in regard to shootings and bombs. My grandchildren went through this anxiety. I don't feel they should have to go through this Gestapo-like method of searching for illegal immigrants. Dianne Plough, Venice Floridians not responsible for federal jobs The U.S. Constitution assigns certain responsibilities to certain levels of government and, while policies sometimes change the levels of responsibility − usually to promote consistency across 50 states (such as driving rules or basic education requirements) − certain jobs are best done by one level of government. Abortion, immigration and national defense are federal issues. The federal government has the manpower and the money to carry out those missions. If you do not like how they are carried out, you use the voting booth to make a change. Certain other responsibilities, such as maintaining roads; providing modern traffic control equipment; expanding sewage treatment plants to avoid dumping raw sewage into our waterways; and making sure there is enough water to serve our expanding community and that the treatment and distribution facilities are adequate, are state and local concerns. With these latter responsibilities being totally neglected by Florida state and local officials, I see no reason why we should spend state tax money to do the job of the federal government. And if this diversion of funds by our state elected officials continues, we taxpayers must use the voting booth to make necessary changes and elect people who will spend our money on projects more useful to us. Joseph Angelo, Sarasota Biden, Democrats popular scapegoats Blame former President Joe Biden and the Democrats for everything: Fires in California. Hurricanes in Florida and North Carolina. Inflation. High gas and egg prices. Immigration issues. Wars in Israel and Ukraine. Oh, and don't forget the new $925,000 state-of-the-art mobile command vehicle at the Sarasota Police Department. Bernadette Koval, Sarasota President broke promises from Day One President Donald Trump railed about grocery prices during the campaign and said he was going to bring down prices on Day One. Now that he is in office we hear about the Panama Canal, Greenland and changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali. His latest brainstorm is to take over the Gaza Strip and turn it into the 'Riviera of the Middle East.' Gas shot up nearly 50 cents a gallon when he talked tariffs and eggs are still going up, if you can find them. I have not heard a peep from Trump on that and his press secretary is still trying to blame former President Joe Biden. I also thought Trump was going to end the war in Ukraine on Day One. Trump's base falls for his distractions every time. Talk is cheap; doing is Marra, Venice Not surprised DeSantis wants gun holiday I am appalled that Ron DeSantis, governor of the state with one of the worst school shootings ever in Parkland, is now suggesting we should have a tax holiday for the purchase of firearms. Appalled, but not surprised. By now we know DeSantis will do anything so long as he is in the media eye. Sharon Epperson, Sarasota Write to us:How to send a letter to the editor
