Latest news with #Rodden
ITV News
11-05-2025
- General
- ITV News
First monument for Britain's forced adoption scandal - but still no apology for survivors
This report contains strong language and distressing content Survivors of Britain's forced adoption scandal have marked the first public monument in the UK recognising the "immense suffering" of unmarried mothers and their children for decades in post-war Britain. The unveiling at the former site of Rosemundy Mother and Baby Home - which is now a hotel - in St Agnes, Cornwall, was attended by mothers, adult adoptees and campaigners, some whom had travelled across the country to mark the occasion. Between 1949 and 1976, an estimated 200,000 women and girls were sent away to institutions run by the church and state, which were places of shame and secrecy, with many coerced into having their children adopted. Lyn Rodden was one of these women. She was 19, pregnant and had recently split up with her boyfriend when she was sent to Rosemundy Home, with the belief she would recieve support there. What she experienced in the grounds of the picturesque 18th century Georgian house, surrounded by woodland and quaint cottages, still haunts her to this day. Ms Rodden, now 88, described the home as a "slave camp" where they were "forced to do laundry for the staff and villagers" and scrub the flag stones in the building whilst heavily pregnant. Retracing her steps with ITV News, she described how every Sunday she would be "marched up the hill to church" with the other mothers, who would all be "dressed in tabards to show we were unmarried". "The villagers would shout things like 'whore' and 'prostitute' at us as we passed by," she said. "We weren't seen as human, dogs were treated better than us. It was Dickensian. It was an evil place, no kindness, just punishment." Ms Rodden, who delivered a tearful speech at the unveiling of the plaque, was forced to give up her baby son, Mark. For 50 years, all she had to remember him by was a blurry photo the size of a postage stamp. The pair were finally reunited after Mark tracked her down as an adult. Dr Phil Frampton, who organised the event and was born at the same home in 1953, said the plaque offered survivors the "opportunity to develop a sense of healing". "Today's unveiling in commemoration of the survivors and victims of the Rosemundy Home was incredible and beyond our best expectations," he told ITV News. "Some birth mothers came from across the south of England and one adult adoptee flew in from her home in Portugal. The intense emotion of the survivors ... their relief, tears of joy and sense of healing, was there for all to see." Dr Frampton spent his childhood in care, describing the mistreatment and racism he faced growing up as "cruel". He has been fighting for decades for recognition of his experience and for a public acknowledgement of what his mother, who died aged 32, went through. Speaking after the plaque unveiling, he said: "I feel proud of the women and adoptee survivors, and incredibly pleased at the thought that hundreds of thousands of affected families will today have more than a glimmer of light at the end of one long, often dark, tunnel." Survivors and campaigners are calling on the government to formally apologise for the state's role in institutions like Rosemundy Home. "Why is this five letter word so hard for the government to say?" Ms Rodden said. "Sorry. Why is that so difficult?" In 2021, an inquiry by the Joint Committee of Human Rights concluded that the state bore ultimate responsibility for the suffering inflicted on vulnerable women and their children, calling on the government to issue an official apology. Four years later, survivors are still waiting. "The government's failure to act on the forced adoption scandal raises huge questions about where social justice is going in this country," Dr Frampton added. The group Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) echo these calls, and also want specialist support for those affected including trauma informed counselling services, help with reunions and tracing as well as easier access to historical records. Campaigners from MAA were in attendance at Saturday's event, which included a speech by one of it's leaders Diana Defries, who spoke of an urgency needed due to the age of the victims and survivors. 'I will fight for some measure of justice, but there are people who can no longer do that and we're very conscious that people are dying,' she previously told ITV News. A spokesperson for the government said: 'This abhorrent practice should never have taken place, and our deepest sympathies are with all those affected. "We take this issue extremely seriously and continue to engage with those impacted to provide support.' In response to our investigation into historic forced adoption, the Church of England said: 'We are deeply saddened to hear these painful and distressing accounts of women and families who have been affected by mother and baby homes, including those with connections to the Church of England. "To those who have suffered, we once again offer our heartfelt sorrow and regret. While such decisions may have been considered appropriate by many at the time, society now recognises the profound and lasting impact they have had on so many lives. "We are committed to learning from their experiences and invite anyone who feels they have been harmed or affected by their time in any CofE affiliated homes to come forward.' In 2016 the head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales apologised "for the hurt caused by agencies acting in the name of the Catholic Church". Cardinal Vincent Nichols acknowledged "the grief and pain caused by the giving-up of a child through adoption", and added: "The practices of all adoption agencies reflected the social values at that time".
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
This Texas ICE Attorney Allegedly Tweeted 'America is a White Country,' and That's Not All
An attorney who worked for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been accused of disturbing online behavior. James Rodden, who worked as the agency's assistant chief counsel, allegedly operated a 'racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful, harassing and dishonest' X account, according to a legal complaint filed against him. The complaint was made by J. Whitfield Larrabee, a Massachusetts-based attorney. Last week, the Texas Observer reported that Rodden was behind the X account of user @GlomarResponder. The publication made this determination due to the 'overwhelming number of biographical details matched through publicly available documents, other social media activity, and courtroom observation.' It extensively reviewed posts by the account since 2012 and deduced that it was Rodden by connecting those to federal court records and background interviews. CBS News stated that Larrabee used the the Texas Observer's article in the complaint and it seemingly serves as the crux for his legal filing. The account, which boasts over 17,000 followers, contained tweetsincluding, 'America is a white country, founded by whites,' and 'Migrants' are all criminals.' The complaint says the posts correlate to Rodden's role as he works with immigrants, political asylum applicants and refugees. As an assistant chief legal counsel, the document also labels his voice as a powerful one in court. 'When the representative of the United States in our immigration courts is motivated by bigotry, racism, xenophobia, anti-immigrant bias and hatred of immigrants, this seriously interferes with the administration of justice and undermines the integrity of our legal system,' the complaint explains. The document was filed with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in Washington, D.C. Larrabee stated it's also the city where Rodden was licensed to practice. The complaint ultimately calls for an investigation as well as for Rodden to be suspended from practicing law. 'U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not comment on the substance of this article pending further investigation, to include whether the owner of the referenced 'X' account is a current employee,' an ICE spokesperson said in a statement to the Texas Observer. The spokesperson also shared that ICE takes allegations of inappropriate conduct by its employees seriously. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
CBS News
21-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
ICE attorney in Dallas accused in complaint of allegedly making "racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful" posts on X
An attorney employed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement allegedly made "racist, bigoted, xenophobic, hateful, harassing and dishonest" posts on an X account where he tried to hide his identity, according to a legal complaint filed against him. James Rodden — who, as of at least Wednesday, was employed by ICE as assistant chief counsel, functioning as a prosecutor — allegedly identified himself on the social media platform as Mr. X with the username @GlomarResponder, according to the complaint, which was made by J. Whitfield Larrabee, an attorney in Massachusetts. The Texas Observer claims it has identified Rodden as the operator of the @GlomarResponder X account and published an article on Wednesday titled "ICE Prosecutor in Dallas Runs White Supremacist X Account." The publication said it identified Rodden "based on an overwhelming number of biographical details matched through publicly available documents, other social media activity, and courtroom observation." The article was included in Larrabee's complaint and appears to be the basis for his legal filing, which doesn't include any independent evidence that Rodden is responsible for the posts made on the @GlomarResponder X account. CBS News has not independently confirmed that Rodden is connected to the account. The posts on the X account, which has over 17,000 followers, included comments made over the last year such as "America is a white country, founded by whites,'" "'Migrants' are all criminals," and "I'm a fascist," the complaint says. The posts "directly" relate to Rodden's work as an attorney representing the United States in removal proceedings before judges, the complaint says. Those in such proceedings are often vulnerable immigrants, refugees and political asylum applicants, and Rodden, as an assistant chief legal counsel, "plays a key role in the immigration justice system" and has a "powerful voice in Court." "When the representative of the United States in our immigration courts is motivated by bigotry, racism, xenophobia, anti-immigrant bias and hatred of immigrants, this seriously interferes with the administration of justice and undermines the integrity of our legal system," the complaint argues. The complaint was filed with the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in Washington, D.C., where Rodden was licensed to practice, and with the Office of Professional Responsibility for ICE, Larrabee said. It calls for an investigation and for Rodden to be suspended from practicing law. CBS News has reached out to ICE multiple times for comment and did not receive a response as of Friday afternoon. According to the Observer, an ICE spokesperson said in an email to the publication that the agency would not comment on the "substance" of its article "pending further investigation, to include whether the owner of the referenced 'X' account is a current employee." "Notwithstanding, ICE holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and takes seriously all allegations of inappropriate conduct," the email reportedly said. CBS News Texas reached out to Rodden at a phone number and email address listed as his in public records. The Observer said Rodden did not respond to multiple emailed requests for comment, and that a man reached at a phone number associated with Rodden declined to confirm his identity and hung up. "When approached in a public hallway outside the Dallas immigration court and asked to confirm receipt of the emailed requests, Rodden said only to 'call [his] press office,'" the Observer wrote. Rep. Marc Veasey, who represents Dallas Fort-Worth in Congress, said in a post on Thursday on the platform: "James Rodden has exposed himself as a white supremacist while serving as ICE's Assistant Chief Counsel. I am demanding answers, sending a letter of inquiry, and calling for a full investigation now."
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE Prosecutor Runs White Supremacist Account in His Free Time
A prosecutor who works for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Dallas, Texas. has been outed as running a racist, white supremacist X account. The Texas Observer reports that the 'GlomarResponder' on X is run by James Rodden, an assistant chief counsel for ICE. A review of the account's posts along with public documents, other social media accounts, and Rodden's biographical details led to the Observer's report. GlomarResponder's profile on X is full of racist assertions. Last month, the account wrote 'America is a White nation, founded by Whites.... Our country should favor us.' Last September, he wrote, 'All blacks are foreign to my people, dumb fuck.' In May, he posted, 'Freedom of association hasn't existed in this country since 1964 at the absolute latest,' later clarifying that he was referring to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. His views of immigrants aren't great, either: In August, the profile wrote, ''Migrants' are all criminals,' and posted an image in October that read, 'It is our holy duty to guard against the foreign hordes.' GlomarResponder also describes himself as a 'fascist.' The X account has since been made private, although the Observer has archived the posts cited in its article, said its author Steven Monacelli. The Observer saw Rodden in court, where he often represents ICE in deportation hearings, appearing to post on X at the same time as GlomarResponder's posts. The X account also opposes Covid-19 vaccination, which corresponds to views that Rodden has expressed on his Facebook profile under his actual name. Rodden was once a Marine, a litigation clinic student at the public defender's office, and a U.S. Border Patrol agent—all jobs that would require a background check and a security clearance. His racist views and account seem to have gone undetected before now. According to the Observer, GlomarResponder claimed to be under consideration for a Trump administration job requiring Senate confirmation, although the Observer could not confirm the veracity of that post. Rodden now is the subject of an investigation, and could not only lose his job, but be disbarred and have his prior cases be challenged in court. Will the Trump administration and ICE take action, though? Racism isn't just tolerated by the president, but seems to make up his entire worldview.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
ICE prosecutor runs white supremacist social media account, report says
A Texas prosecutor with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is behind a white supremacist social media account, according to a report. An account on Elon Musk's X platform with the handle @GlomarResponder, which has since locked its posts from public view, has been linked to the ICE employee spouting 'blatantly racist and anti-immigrant views,' the Texas Observer reports. The newspaper extensively reviewed posts by the account since 2012 and, through federal court records, courtroom visits and background interviews, claims that it belongs to 44-year-old James 'Jim' Joseph Rodden, an assistant chief counsel for ICE in Dallas. Rodden's role is representing ICE in court hearings where judges rule on deportations, according to the Observer. One post allegedly posted by Rodden includes one from January 2025. 'America is a White nation, founded by Whites. We are the historical and majority population, and it was founded for our benefit. Our country should favor us,' it read. Another post by the account in January said: 'My WWII vet grandfather didn't get a chance to kill asians, so he volunteered for Korea. He'd be asking for a short term job with ICE kicking doors and swinging a baton.' In September 2024, the account posted that 'all blacks are foreign to my people.' The Independent has contacted ICE for further comment. In March 2024, another suspected read: 'Nobody is proposing feeding migrants into tree shredders. Yet. Give it a few more weeks at this level of invasion, and that will be the moderate position.' The account also posted that 'migrants all are all criminals' in August 2024. The posts are no longer public but the newspaper has archived them. Rodden did not respond to the Observer's attempts to contact him and when a request for comment was made in person in a public courthouse hallway, the prosecutor referred them to his press office. 'U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will not comment on the substance of this article pending further investigation, to include whether the owner of the referenced 'X' account is a current employee,' an ICE spokesperson said in a statement to the newspaper. 'Notwithstanding, ICE holds its employees to the highest standards of professionalism and takes seriously all allegations of inappropriate conduct.' Rodden is a former U.S. Border Patrol agent and U.S. Marine Corps armorer, according to his LinkedIn profile. The Marine Corps confirmed his service and final rank of corporal to the Observer. The newspaper matched Rodden to the GlomarResponder account by linking biographical details it mentioned. The information posted by the anonymous account aligned with Rodden's social media profiles, public records, court hearings and other investigative methods, the outlet claims. During a court hearing where Rodden was working, the journalist who wrote the Observer report noted him 'repeatedly' using his phone 'at moments that corresponded to times GlomarResponder made posts.' A New York-based immigration attorney raised questions over Rodden's capacity to act fairly and impartially in legal proceedings given his alleged views. 'A government lawyer who vilifies people that he opposes in court, and puts that out under the radar, would clearly be engaging in conduct that's prejudicial to the administration of justice,' Cyrus Mehta told the outlet.
