Yesterday, the Trump admin made its 42nd application to the Supreme Court shadow docket—that's more than Trump's first term, as well as the Biden admin's 19 requests and the Obama and George W. Bush admin's 8 emergency docket requests combined, according to the @brennancenter.org.

It finally happened. After weeks of threats and rumors, the Trump administration has sanctioned the International Criminal Court—hours after Navi Pillay, a former judge in the ICC's Appeal Chamber, won the Nobel Peace Prize, as @reuters.com points out.

"ARCHITECTURE OF CRUELTY: Third Country Removal Agreements and the Second Trump Administration," the full report from @hrcberkeley.bsky.social, is now live at the link below.

Tyler McBrien@tylermcbrien.com · last wk.

NEW: Ahead of Supreme Court oral argument on 3rd country removals in Dec, @hrcberkeley.bsky.social released a report, reading room, & other resources digging into 33 publicly available agreements the US has entered into with 29 (out of at least 35) countries. humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/tra...

NEW: a Department of Veterans Affairs report found that 6,488 veterans died by suicide in 2024—62% of whom had no contact with the Veterans Health Administration and received no VA benefits—an average of nearly 18 veteran deaths by suicide per day, a slight decrease from 2023.

NEW: Ahead of Supreme Court oral argument on 3rd country removals in Dec, @hrcberkeley.bsky.social released a report, reading room, & other resources digging into 33 publicly available agreements the US has entered into with 29 (out of at least 35) countries. humanrights.berkeley.edu/projects/tra...

My favorite podcast this year was “Who Blew Up the Guidestones?” It was made by @tylermcbrien.com and our friends at Goat Rodeo, and they’re now up for an award! If you loved Guidestones as much as I did, help them win by voting at the link below👇⬇️ vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting...

The Signal Listener's Choice Award needs YOU

I just voted for this finalist to win a Signal Listener's Choice Award. You should too.

vote.signalaward.com

"WHO BLEW UP THE GUIDESTONES?" is a finalist for Best Sound Design at the 2026 @signalawards.bsky.social! I have never won an award in my life, so it would mean a lot to me (and the incredible team at @goatrodeo.bsky.social) if you would vote for us at the link below 👇

Today in memory-holing news: the government appears to be scrubbing dockets from military commissions cases at Guantánamo Bay. One important 2023 ruling from the ongoing Al Nashiri case is now redacted in full in one spot on the OMC website...and available in full in another.

BREAKING: Supreme Court grants Trump administration request to revive third-country deportations and takes case onto merits docket for December oral argument

The next chapter of DEPORTATION, INC., an investigative video series from @situ-research.bsky.social @lawfaremedia.org—and now @theintercept.com —is out now. CHAPTER 2: REMOVAL examines the network of flights shuffling migrants around and out of the US, & the shady deals behind 3rd country removals

NEW: Today, the ACLU and other immigrant rights' orgs filed a new lawsuit — NATHAN V. TRUMP — in federal court in D.C. challenging President Trump's new birthright citizenship executive order by asking a judge to declare it unlawful and prevent the admin from enforcing it.

NEW: Lawyers for migrants in D.V.D. v DHS—a class action lawsuit challenging the Trump admin's third-country removal policy—filed its opposition to the government's emergency application to the Supreme Court for an administrative stay of the lower court's ruling agnst the policy.

"You think I'm Santa Claus? No Santa in Israel, pal." - President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

The Atlantic@theatlantic.com · 2w ago

In April 2024, Joe Biden and the U.S. military helped avoid a wider conflict in the Middle East by working with Israel to defeat an Iranian missile attack, Brett McGurk writes. In an excerpt from his new book, McGurk details the tense scene inside the White House: theatln.tc/B2snuDWn

@dsquareddigest.bsky.social and I have a @britishacademy.bsky.social paper on how the US is now somehow managing to combine gross overuse of dollar power (e.g. upcoming ICC sanctions) with genial complaisance about the use of crypto to circumvent ordinary controls

The US dollar system as a source of international disorder

thebritishacademy.ac.uk

Tyler McBrien@tylermcbrien.com · 2w ago

NEW: A Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report released today "exposes how [Howard Lutnick-linked] Tether & its...token have become central to Iran’s shadow banking system" allowing Iran to fund proxies, commit human rights abuses, and...defy US sanctions, says Senator Blumenthal.

NEW: A Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations report released today "exposes how [Howard Lutnick-linked] Tether & its...token have become central to Iran’s shadow banking system" allowing Iran to fund proxies, commit human rights abuses, and...defy US sanctions, says Senator Blumenthal.

Amid Trump admin plans to admit 17,500 more Afrikaners, this story making headlines in South Africa hasn't gotten much traction in the US: an Afrikaner family lost US refugee status after returning to South Africa to treat their sick child because they still had medical aid there

NEW: A new @hrcberkeley.bsky.social investigation found that in Mexico during President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's administration (December 2018 to September 2024), 337 journalists and human rights defenders were killed—a number much higher than previously reported. (1/6)

Despite 1st Circuit's 9/18 ruling invalidating DHS's 3d-country removal policy, DHS claims the decision hasn't yet taken effect. Class counsel fears a flight will take class members to Burundi, Rwanda, & Central African Republic *tomorrow.* Asks 1st Cir for emergency action.

On Lawfare Daily, @tylermcbrien.com sits down with Zoe Kurland and Terence O’Rourke discussed “A Whole Other Country,” six-part podcast series that tells the story of a secessionist movement in the mid-90s called the “Republic of Texas.” youtu.be/cXuhXyZdUp8?...

NEW: Tues 9/22, Sen Blumenthal & Rep Garcia will hold their 5th public forum on DHS abuses with witness testimony from family members of Ruben Martinez, Renée Good, Alex Pretti, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, & Johan Durán Guerrero—who were all fatally shot by federal immigration agents

Finding the most amazing places to stay for my trip to Taiwan

I touched grass....and trees and sand and boulders and pebbles and pinecones and trekking poles...last week hiking the West Coast Trail in beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Here are some of my favorite photos from the trip:

On Lawfare Daily, @tylermcbrien.com spoke to Zoe Kurland and Terence O’Rourke about “A Whole Other Country,” the podcast series that tells the story of a secessionist movement in the mid-90s called the “Republic of Texas.” youtu.be/cXuhXyZdUp8

On Sept. 24, join @situ-research.bsky.social, Lawfare, @theintercept.com for an in-person screening + panel discussion of "Deportation Inc." The discussion will feature @tylermcbrien.com, @nickturse.bsky.social, @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social, and Setareh Ghandehari.

Deportation Inc.: Investigating the Business of Migrant Removal

A Screening and Panel Discussion of the Second Chapter of Deportation Inc.

givebutter.com

On Lawfare Daily, @tylermcbrien.com talked to Nina Hachigian about her recent piece in Foreign Affairs, entitled "The Autocrat’s Worst Enemy: Why Despots Hate Cities and the Mayors Who Run Them.” youtu.be/2CIm_03HoAM?...

Next Thursday, @situ-research.bsky.social, Lawfare, @theintercept.com will host an in person screening + panel discussion of "Deportation Inc.: Investigating the Business of Migrant Removal." With @tylermcbrien.com, @nickturse.bsky.social, @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social, and Setareh Ghandehari.

Deportation Inc.: Investigating the Business of Migrant Removal

A Screening and Panel Discussion of the Second Chapter of Deportation Inc.

givebutter.com

For more on why we at @lawfaremedia.org are suing the Trump administration and State Department, read this piece from @sranderson.bsky.social, published moments ago (link below)

Tyler McBrien@tylermcbrien.com · last mo.

NEW: @lawfaremedia.org sued the Trump admin over State Dept and Sec Rubio's failure to disclose details of international agreements on 3rd-country deportations & other issues, allegedly in violation of the Case Act. Yesterday, Judge Boasberg in D.C. rejected the government's motion to dismiss.

NEW: @lawfaremedia.org sued the Trump admin over State Dept and Sec Rubio's failure to disclose details of international agreements on 3rd-country deportations & other issues, allegedly in violation of the Case Act. Yesterday, Judge Boasberg in D.C. rejected the government's motion to dismiss.

🚨DC FRIENDS🗓️ Join me Thurs 9/24 at the Festival Center for a screening of "Deportation, Inc: Investigating the Business of Migrant Removal" + panel discussion w/ @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social, @nickturse.bsky.social & more Presented by @lawfaremedia.org @situ-research.bsky.social @theintercept.com

Did you know that this weekend your friends are legally obligated to agree to any fun plans you make as long as you say “it’s what Dolly would’ve wanted”