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Globe and Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
How Survivor changed television – and our culture
Danielle J. Lindemann is a professor of sociology at Lehigh University and author of True Story: What Reality TV Says About Us. 'From this tiny Malaysian fishing village,' a voiceover explains, 'these 16 Americans are beginning the adventure of a lifetime.' In the island town, small houses cluster together, interspersed with palm trees. The '16 Americans,' clad in casual, late-1990s attire, move through its streets as a monolith of loose T-shirts, cargo pants and floppy-brimmed hats. Local children point and stare. The Americans board a boat, and we the viewers, along with the locals, watch it depart. The music changes, becoming shanty-like as the boat cuts through the sea. 'They have volunteered to be marooned for 39 days on mysterious Borneo,' the narrator, whose name is Jeff Probst, tells us. A sandy shore. A large snake, swimming. A reptile. A monkey. 'This is their story. This is Survivor.' In late May of 2000, a friend asked if I'd heard about a new TV show that was about to premiere. It was a competition, she said, in which real people would be exiled from a real island. That can't be right, I thought, imagining contestants set adrift on rafts. She was convinced that they would be thrown from a boat into the sea, but I was skeptical. It may seem inconceivable today, in this era of media saturation, that some of us went into the inaugural season of Survivor wondering whether people would be literally pushed out to sea, their lives imperilled. But Facebook and Twitter were years away, and we didn't have an array of search engines to consult. We didn't think to 'Ask Jeeves' what the deal was with this castaway show. We went in unspoiled. As a sociologist who studies reality TV, I've talked to a lot of people who remember exactly where they were when Richard Hatch took home the million-dollar pot on that first season of Survivor. Our personal experiences with the season seem burned into our brains, like the announcement of OJ Simpson's acquittal or, for a different generation, the Kennedy assassination. People who, today, don't give a whit about reality TV can still recall how Richard walked around naked, fishing with a spear, or reference competitor Sue Hawk's 'rat and snake' speech from the final tribal council. It also may be difficult to remember – or to comprehend, for those who are too young – how limited our television options were at the time. Those of us who didn't pay for cable were confined to just a handful of choices when we switched on our TVs. We had to watch whatever was on, and suddenly everybody was watching Survivor. That first summer, more than 51 million viewers tuned in for the season finale. In retrospect, that number, while massive, fails to capture the show's seismic impact on the landscape of contemporary television. It is difficult to overstate the reverberations of Survivor on reality TV as a genre. True, it was not the first reality show. That distinction goes to … well, take your pick. Some media historians point to the quiz shows of the 1950s or dating shows of the 1960s when tracing the origins of reality TV, while others highlight the role of Candid Camera or the 1973 PBS documentary An American Family. Many people pinpoint MTV's The Real World, first airing in 1992, as the beginning of the genre. Media and communication scholars Susan Murray and Laurie Ouellette, for instance, have argued that The Real World pioneered many of the conventions that are integral to reality programs like Survivor today – for example, its 'serial structure,' and casting procedures that were 'intended to ignite conflict and dramatic narrative development.' So, Survivor was not the starting point for the reality genre. It wasn't even the first reality show with its premise! Survivor's executive producer, Mark Burnett, duplicated its format from the Swedish program Expedition Robinson, which had aired three years earlier. But Survivor changed everything. For one thing, the show was an economic juggernaut and the first real indication of how lucrative the reality genre could be. Season one of Survivor paid for itself in advertising revenue before it even aired. This was a pivotal moment in the history of brand integration, with the network cashing in every time the castaways crunched Pringles or sported Reeboks. 'Advertainment'– entertainment that is also commercially oriented – has gone on to become an integral part of the reality genre. As the media scholar June Deery has observed, reality programs 'tend to normalize the embedding of commercial agenda into experience.' This has become truer with the rise of social-media influencers and sponsored content; folks now appear on these shows to boost their follower counts and generate revenue. These days, it's not just the networks recognizing and exploiting the economic possibilities of the reality genre. That said, while the early contestants on Survivor were significantly less image-savvy and much more likely to have regular old jobs than the ones today, they, too, garnered fame and exposure from their participation in the show. Richard, for instance, has since appeared on at least five different reality programs, including a stint on The Celebrity Apprentice – his notoriety being enhanced by a criminal conviction for tax evasion. The season-one Survivor runner-up, Kelly Wiglesworth, a more low-key persona who has been nowhere near as publicly visible since appearing on the show, nonetheless has 75,000 followers on Instagram. In addition to showing the world that reality television was a potential gold mine, season one of Survivor also generated some of the terms and conventions that remain hallmarks of the genre. Richard, for example, spoke about creating an 'alliance' with fellow cast members – a term that's now used broadly on competition programs beyond Survivor. When Kelly said that she was 'not out here to make friends,' it's unlikely she foresaw that this would become a wide-ranging catchphrase, with legions of reality stars across a multitude of programs still uttering it a quarter-century later. And Survivor lingo has moved beyond the competition-TV bubble and entered our lexicon more generally. Today, if you say your annoying co-worker 'so needs to be voted off the island,' folks will likely get the reference and catch your drift. As the infiltration of its terminology into our everyday lives might suggest, Survivor didn't just change reality TV; it changed our culture. Unscripted programming went on to become one of the dominant television genres, its unmistakable conventions even bleeding into scripted shows like The Office, Modern Family, and Abbott Elementary. And, buoyed by the success of Survivor, Mark Burnett produced other long-running reality TV hits, including shows like Shark Tank and The Voice. Among Mr. Burnett's projects, arriving four years after the premiere of Survivor, was The Apprentice, a reality series in which contestants vied for a job with businessman Donald Trump. Though the beach was replaced by a board room, and 'The tribe has spoken' became 'You're fired!', The Apprentice followed the same formula that had proven so successful on Survivor. Both shows were 'gamedocs' – a subset of reality TV that's part-game show, part-dramatic reality series. On each, the contestants' eliminations were punctuated by a snappy catchphrase that became inexorably linked to that show. Whether Donald Trump would have been elected President of the United States without appearing on The Apprentice is an unanswerable question. We know that The Apprentice presented an appealing, curated image of Mr. Trump as a wealthy and capable big shot, shrewd in business but also a family man, with his adult children flanking him in the boardroom. We know from decades of media research that television holds the power to shape the public's attitudes and beliefs. And we know that The Apprentice went on for 14 seasons with Mr. Trump at the helm, catapulting him into public consciousness on a colossal scale. Like Survivor, the show was massively popular – 40 million viewers watched at least part of its first-season finale. Survivor plausibly played a part in creating not only a President who has appeared on reality TV but also a 'reality-TV President' – one who utilizes the tropes of these shows to appeal to his base. Mr. Trump, like the creators of Survivor, knows a thing or two about branding. In addition to his trademark hairstyle and signature lingo ('Fake news!', 'Sleepy Joe!', '#sad'), he has used his political platform to bring attention to his various business ventures. His explanations for world affairs, like episodes of reality TV, are often simplistic stories that rely on broad characterizations of easily identifiable heroes and villains. (Incidentally, the 20th season of Survivor was subtitled 'Heroes Vs. Villains.') Mr. Trump also uses cliffhangers and big reveals – for example, when he unveiled Neil Gorsuch as his first Supreme Court pick in 2017, after an earlier teaser on Twitter (now X). This February, during an explosive meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, evocative of a Survivor tribal council but with far higher stakes, Mr. Trump mused, 'This is going to be great television. I will say that.' Given Mr. Trump's propensity for running his presidencies like reality shows, it is perhaps no accident that he has also stocked his staffs with reality-TV-adjacent personalities like Omarosa Manigault Newman (The Apprentice), Sean Duffy (The Real World), Linda McMahon (of WWE fame), Pete Hegseth (until recently a Fox News host), and Dr. Mehmet Oz (The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Dr. Oz Show). Finally, Mr. Trump has benefitted from operating in the blurry space between truth and fiction that reality TV also occupies. Many viewers seem to understand reality TV as both 'real' and 'fake,' acknowledging its scripted and contrived elements while also allowing it to resonate with us. Similarly, studies show that Mr. Trump's followers don't necessarily have to believe what he says in order to support him and feel he is a strong leader. Though he regularly casts doubt on objective truths, ranging from comical (the size of his inauguration crowd) to weighty (the decades of robust science supporting vaccines), Mr. Trump's appeal exists on an emotional level. And perhaps this is why so many Americans have been reticent to vote him off the island. Survivor, now in its 48th season, is noteworthy not only for its role in shaping the television landscape and its broader cultural impact, but also for its sheer longevity. My college students, few of whom have seen The Apprentice or even heard of The Real World, still watch Survivor – a show that has been on the air for longer than they have been alive. In 2000, the show benefited from its novelty, a paucity of other TV options, and word of mouth, but that doesn't explain why folks are still binge-watching tribal councils on their streaming services a quarter-century later. One of the continuing appeals of Survivor – in addition to its drama and intrigue – is its blend of escapism and familiarity. The show features interesting scenarios and challenges removed from our everyday lives, while remaining relatable. Its small-group dynamics – featuring friends, enemies, frenemies, bromances, wary allies, and even romances – are widely resonant, and the casts teem with archetypes we encounter in our own lives, from the quirky outsider to the charismatic snake (I'm looking at you, Boston Rob). It's not the same show it was in May of 2000. Its format has been tweaked, and new thematic twists introduced ('Redemption Island'! 'Millennials vs. Gen X'! 'All-Stars'!) Season-one competitor Rudy Boesch's casual references to Richard, a gay man, as 'a queer' are an artifact of their time – or, at least, not likely something that would air on network TV today. And just as Survivor has spurred cultural change, it also reflects our changing world. In 2020, for example, in the wake of racial protests surrounding the death of George Floyd, CBS introduced an initiative to diversify the cast, pledging that at least half of the cast members of its unscripted programs would be people of colour. Reality television, the house that Survivor helped build, remains firmly intact. 'DIY' reality shows now proliferate on TikTok and YouTube, helmed by individuals with smartphone cameras and stars in their eyes, but these co-exist with, rather than supplanting, the streaming and network shows. Survivor's most recent season premiere, for example, drew 4.3 million viewers. While the future of reality TV is difficult to predict, as long as these shows are relatively cheap to produce and widely consumed, they will continue to be a dominant force in popular culture. Some might argue that the genre is unsustainable in that it continually needs to up the ante, becoming more and more outrageous to stay relevant. They cite recent programs like Beast Games, a Squid Game-inspired series hosted by YouTuber Jimmy (MrBeast) Donaldson, in which an unprecedented 1,000 contestants competed for a US$5-million pot. Others point to that British show where potential romantic partners are evaluated based on their naked bodies. However, viewers who think reality TV is moving toward an untenable peak of outrageousness clearly do not remember shows like The Swan (2004) or Dating Naked (2014-2016). The genre is not any weirder now than it was, say, in 2014, when women competed for the affections of a Prince Harry doppelgänger whom they had been told was the real deal. Reality TV will stick around for the immediate future, its outrageousness waxing and waning, like the fashions from that first season of Survivor, which have become unstylish, stylish, and then unstylish again. It will continue to dovetail with social media and incorporate new technologies. Can a Humans vs. A.I.s season of Survivor, for instance, be far on the horizon? Survivor's legacy is its key role in the rise of a culture-dominating genre, which arguably wrought a President who casts aspersions on reality in deeply concerning ways. But we can't lay Donald Trump all at the feet of Survivor. The President stokes social antagonisms and a disregard for objectivity that were already latent in our culture. Donald Trump just lit a match to a tiki torch already doused in gasoline. It may be tempting to look at Mr. Trump's rise and think of the legacy of Survivor as a dark one, but the truth is much more nuanced. It's also important to remember why we watch and what it can do for us. The viewership of shows like Survivor transcends age and sociodemographic categories, allowing us to draw closer to each other as we chatter about its drama at watch parties, around office water coolers, and online. And reality TV has historically been more diverse than scripted media, when it comes to race as well as sexuality. In fact, while Rudy's terminology for Richard may be jarring today, the two men were close allies on that inaugural season, seemingly forging a real friendship. Richard, furthermore, was presented as multidimensional rather than simply 'the gay guy,' per so many media representations of non-heterosexual folks at that time. Survivor, and the shows that followed, have given us entry into new worlds and possibilities we might not otherwise have seen – not just remote islands but subpopulations, from doomsday preppers to drag queens, who are often overlooked by scripted media. Finally, binge-watching reality TV has soothed many of us through difficult periods, including a global pandemic and the current, terrifying cycle of world events. Donald Trump is still the President of the United States. (In fact, he has recently mused about seeking a third term, despite that being prohibited by the Constitution.) Buffered by his hit show and using the conventions of reality TV to facilitate his rise, he has had immense cultural staying power. Still, I am confident that Survivor will still be airing long after he's left office. When those '16 Americans' first set foot in that fishing village, they could not have anticipated how this juggernaut would change our lives. A quarter-century later, Survivor is still clutching its immunity idol – a tantalizing blend of fantasy and universality – and it's not going to give that up any time soon.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
We Connect The Dots Appoints Jill Chiucchi, CPA, to Board to Strengthen Nonprofit Financial Strategy and Oversight
Chiucchi's expertise in nonprofit financial governance will help ensure We Connect The Dots' expansion. 'We are excited to welcome Jill to our board at such a pivotal moment in our growth.'— Laurie Carey, Executive Director NY, UNITED STATES, May 15, 2025 / / -- We Connect The Dots, a nonprofit organization committed to closing the skills gap through equitable access to STEAM education and workforce development, proudly announces the appointment of Jill Chiucchi, CPA, to its Board of Directors. With over 14 years of public accounting experience focused on nonprofit and public sector financial oversight, Jill brings exceptional depth in audit leadership, compliance, and strategic financial planning. Jill currently serves as an Audit Senior Manager with a focus on not-for-profit and higher education institutions. Her career has been defined by her ability to lead complex financial audits, navigate regulatory compliance requirements, and guide organizations receiving federal funding. She has performed and overseen audits in accordance with U.S. GAAP and Uniform Guidance, while advising leadership on strengthening internal controls and driving operational improvements. 'We are excited to welcome Jill to our Board at such a pivotal moment in our growth,' said Laurie Carey, Executive Director. 'Her expertise in nonprofit financial governance will help ensure our expansion is met with accountability, transparency, and long-term sustainability. Her insight will be a critical asset as we deepen our impact in the communities we serve.' Jill's work has spanned the auditing of major government entities, educational institutions, and mission-driven organizations. She has managed high-performing teams and partnered with leadership to promote fiscal integrity, mission alignment, and strategic use of resources—values that mirror the core of We Connect The Dots' mission. A Certified Public Accountant licensed in the state of New Jersey, Jill holds memberships in national and state professional associations. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Lehigh University. About We Connect The Dots: We Connect The Dots is committed to transforming lives by empowering individuals. With a focus on young adults aged 13-18 and underemployed adults over 18, our programs ignite passion and impart practical knowledge in coding, cybersecurity, business automation, and other modern skills—grounded in the pillars of STEAM. Through our strategic partnerships with community leaders, educational institutions, government agencies, and industry pioneers, we aim to bridge the gap between the demands of today's workforce and the opportunities available to those embracing a STEAM-driven path. We are dedicated to making a difference at local, national, and global scales, fostering an insatiable thirst for learning and enabling all participants to achieve their full potential. Laurie Carey We Connect The Dots, Inc. +1 631-468-7475 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadian women's futsal team celebrates CONCACAF triumph in first-ever outing
When Esther Brossard found out Canada was launching a women's futsal team, the 18-year-old wrote to newly appointed coach Alexandre Da Rocha to put her hand up. 'She said 'I just want to tell you I've played futsal. I think I'm pretty good at it and I think if you have a camp, I'd be happy to a participate in it,'' said Da Rocha. 'I knew who she was. She was part of my list already. But I thought the way she did it (showed) she wanted to be there.' Brossard made the team and repaid Da Rocha's faith by helping Canada win the inaugural CONCACAF W Futsal Championship on the weekend in Guatemala. Captain Lea Palacio-Tellier holds up the trophy as Canada celebrates winning the inaugural CONCACAF W Futsal Championship, in Guatemala City, Guatemala, in a May 4, 2025, handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-CONCACAF, Victor Straffon, *MANDATORY CREDIT* Brossard led the nine-team tournament with eight goals as Canada booked its ticket to the first-ever FIFA Futsal Women's World Cup by defeating Mexico in a penalty shootout in Saturday's semifinal in Guatemala City. Then the Canadian women dispatched Panama 8-2 in Sunday's final with Brossard scoring three goals. 'She grew a lot in these two weeks, I'm going to be honest. As a player, but also a person … I was very proud of her. Very proud,' said Da Rocha. 'The whole tournament was an incredible adventure,' said Brossard. Brossard was just happy to be invited to the selection camp, becoming the youngest player on the squad. Asked if she thought she would make the team, Brossard answered 'Not at all. Because there's a lot of great players across Canada.' Futsal is a five-a-side indoor soccer game played in two 20-minute halves. Like hockey, teams can make changes on the fly. Brossard took up futsal in high school, joining a local club at the age of 15 and playing over the winter. A sophomore at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, the Montreal native also plays outdoors and earned an invitation to camp with the Canadian under-20 team in February as a training player ahead of the 2025 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Qualifiers. The 16-team FIFA Futsal World Cup is slated for Nov. 21 to Dec. 7 in the Philippines. Da Rocha hopes his side will get some games in Europe before the tournament. The Canadian performance in Guatemala is especially impressive given that Da Rocha's team has not played any international games prior to the competition. 'So that gave us maybe a little slower start in the first game,' said Da Rocha, referencing Canada's 3-2 loss to Costa Rica which was followed by four straight wins. 'But this team just grew so much throughout those five games we had in six days. They bonded so well. They committed to what they had to do, showed so much resilience and character. 'This is by far my greatest accomplishment, not just because of the results but the way that people conducted themselves throughout the whole time. I mean we got so much positive feedback from everyone — CONCACAF, from the referees, even the hotel staff. We just had a classy team.' Canada advanced to the semifinals after beating the United States 3-1 to finish runner-up to Costa Rica at 2-1-0 in Group B. Panama downed Costa Rica 3-1 in the other semifinal. The Canada-Mexico semifinal Saturday went to a shootout after finishing tied 4-4 after two five-minute periods of extra time. Mexico scored three unanswered goals in the first half before Canada answered with four of its own in the first four minutes of the second half. Trailing 4-3, Mexico tied the game with 1.8 seconds remaining on a goal with its net empty. Canada captain Léa Palacio-Tellier won the tournament's Best Goalkeeper Award. Canada also received the Fair Play Award. Da Rocha, a former coach of the Quebec's women's futsal team and assistant coach with the Canadian men's futsal side, was tasked with assembling the national team. Named coach on Jan. 31, Da Rocha held talent evaluation camps in several provinces before holding a final selection camp in late May. Female futsal players have long campaigned for a FIFA championship. In 2022, the International Women's Futsal Players Association condemned FIFAs 'public neglect towards women futsal players.' Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up FIFA held the first Futsal Men's World Cup in 1989 with the 2028 edition featuring 24 teams. Defending champion Brazil has won six of the 10 tournaments to date, finishing runner-up once and third twice. Canada has not participated since being one of the 16 invited countries for the inaugural men's tournament, failing to advance out of the first round after losing to Argentina and Belgium before downing Japan. There have been eight editions of the CONCACAF Men's Futsal Championship with Canada participating in four of them. Canada's best showing was making the quarterfinals, in both 2021 and 2024. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 7, 2025
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sen. Bernie Sanders to bring tour to Pa. criticizing Trump's policies
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) campaigns for Vice President Kamala Harris at Erie High School in Erie, Pa. Oct. 26, 2024 (Capital-Star photo) U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders will be making a three-day swing through Pennsylvania starting on Thursday as he continues his nationwide tour speaking out against President Donald Trump. On Thursday afternoon, Sanders will join the Philadelphia AFL-CIO at City Hall for the group's May Day 2025 rally. 'Join labor, immigrant, and community organizations united, with special guest Senator Bernie Sanders, to say invest in people, not the billionaires,' the Philadelphia AFL-CIO writes in an online sign-up sheet for the event. 'We are united and rising up for a world that works for all of us, not just Elon Musk and his cronies.' The rally in Philadelphia, which is scheduled to kickoff at 4 p.m., will be followed by a march. On Friday afternoon, Sanders will take his 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour to Harrisburg at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex. The following day, he will lead another rally at Lehigh University in Bethlehem. U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-17th District), who represents a district in western Pennsylvania, will join Sanders at the rallies on Friday and Saturday. Musical performances are also scheduled before both events. In February, Sanders began this tour with a gathering in Nebraska and has since visited several states across the country. He has been promoting the events as, 'hitting the road to have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.' U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has been present at several events with Sanders, although she is not scheduled to participate in any of the Pennsylvania stops this week. Sanders visit to the Keystone States comes as President Trump wrapped up the 100th day of his second term in the Oval Office. Trump won Pennsylvania's 19 electoral votes over Democratic candidate Vice President Kamala Harris in last year's presidential election. Although Sanders will be in the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia on Thursday, his visit to Harrisburg and Bethlehem are both in congressional districts represented by U.S. Reps. Ryan Mackenzie and Scott Perry, both Republicans. According to the Cook Political Report, a national ratings outlet, both Mackenzie and Perry are currently the only races in Pennsylvania in 2026 they describe as a 'toss up.'
Boston Globe
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Detained activist Mohsen Mahdawi: ‘A prisoner of this White House'
Mahdawi detained in ICE custody, is here legally, and he has acted legally. He is entitled to freedom of speech under the Constitution. He must be immediately released. Advertisement Born in a refugee camp in the West Bank, Mahdawi became a lawful permanent resident in 2015. He attended Lehigh University and later transferred to Columbia University, where he planned to continue his education and begin a Master's in International Affairs this fall. At Columbia he attended protests against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza where he advocated with Jewish and Palestinian students for a permanent ceasefire and human rights for suffering civilians, and criticized antisemitic voices. Though he advocated for peace, The Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up Despite the grave injustice he has faced in the past week, Mahdawi was forthright, reflective, and showed a profound empathy toward the men he was detained with, many of whom are immigrants. Throughout our 30-minute discussion, we talked about his arrest and legal fight, civil and human rights, and what is at stake for America. Advertisement Mahdawi shared that he finds purpose in seeking a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians, and shared his fear that a peaceful resolution is slipping away: The two-state solution is being destroyed, the West Bank is being annexed, Trump has proposed ownership of Gaza by the United States, and the United Nations humanitarian mission in Gaza is facing collapse. Mahdawi told me that he believes in peace deeply, and he believes in the American people. He believes, even in these dark times, that ultimately the right decisions will be made in his case and for both Palestinians and Israelis. Mahdawi's story has captured the nation's attention. He is one of many who have been arrested, in some cases deported, in the Trump administration's wholesale attack on the Constitution and our system of justice. Kilmar Abrego Garcia, Mahmoud Khalil, Rümeysa Öztürk, and Andry José Hernández Romero – only a few of the many peopleunjustly detained. This weekend, toddlers who are US citizens, including a 4-year-old with cancer, The heart-wrenching case of Abrego Garcia shows the shocking nature of Trump's plan. Abrego Garcia fled his homeland at the age of 15, reportedly to escape gang violence. He has been living legally in this country since 2019, and is married to an American citizen with whom he has three young children. But neither this nor the fact that he has never been charged or convicted of a crime — here or in El Salvador — protected him from the Trump administration's out-of-control antimigrant crusade. Advertisement This administration sent him, in chains, to a foreign country's notoriously brutal prison, jammed with tens of thousands of inmates. He is entitled to none of the rights he would have in America. He has no access to a lawyer or due process, no way to contact his family, and no idea if or when he will ever be released. It is only thanks to the admirable and relentless efforts of Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland to meet with him that we have proof he is alive. Despite a Supreme Court order that the administration 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's return, Rubio has feigned helplessness. The White House has claimed there's nothing it can do to get him back, since Abrego Garcia is in the custody of the government of El Salvador. That's absurd. We all know it's not that they can't get him back. They don't want him back. Abrego Garcia is, for all practical and legal purposes, a prisoner of this White House. Mahdawi is a prisoner of this White House. Far more than a matter of foreign policy, the imprisonment of Mahdwai, Abrego Garcia, and the others named above is fundamentally a domestic matter: The administration is willfully refusing to uphold US laws that protect the rights of migrants who are lawfully in the United States. Everyone's freedom is at risk when government officials cynically abuse their power and play dishonest political games with people's life and liberty. Americans in every state are speaking out, because they see this for what it is — their own constitutional rights and safety are threatened. Advertisement President Lincoln, speaking at Gettysburg 161 years ago, asked whether a nation 'conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal ... can long endure.' Today, that same question echoes. Our system of justice, our rights, and the separation of powers are all under fierce assault from within. We all must stand up for those who are detained, and to defend the constitutional principles of liberty and justice on which we all depend.
