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Matthew Blanton

@matthewblanton.bsky.social

Sociologist and demographer. Migration and religion. English and Spanish. @utaustinsoc & @UTPopCenter https://www.matthewblanton.com/

98 Posts161 Follower184 Folgt
Stephen Judkins@stephenjudkins.bsky.social · 4d ago

It's pretty infuriating that Trump is denying disaster aid to Oregon for political reasons and I have barely heard anything about it, while Biden was falsely accused of doing the exact same thing to North Carolina and millions of people believed that

Seth Masket@smotus.bsky.social · 7d ago

This is honestly one of the most shocking images coming out of this administration and that’s saying something

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Murshed Zaheed@murshedz.bsky.social · 7d ago

“Trump has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.” Right now people in blue states are basically paying federal taxes as if they’re colonized territories of red states. www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

Trump has denied most disaster requests from Democratic-led states A graph showing Presidential approval rates for disaster requests from Democratic-led states and Republican-led states Source: POLITICO's E&E News analysis of FEMA records
Gregory Pratt@royalpratt.bsky.social · last wk.

A Polish-born woman in Des Plaines who “had done everything right” has been in ICE custody for the past year. Green Card for 20 years, sought citizenship. “And it didn’t matter.” www.chicagotribune.com/2026/07/27/i...

Illinois woman with green card has been detained by ICE for 12 months. Her daughters plead for her release.

ICE arrested Beata Siemionkowicz, a Poland native and green card holder of more than two decades, last year while she was gardening in her daughter’s backyard in Des Plaines.

chicagotribune.com

Brad Lander@bradlander.bsky.social · 2w ago

We’ve seen so much cruelty from ICE over the past year. But using kids as “bait” to arrest & detain their relatives is a new level of evil. I witnessed it last week at 201 Varick Street. Per this article in the Texas Tribune, it’s happened over 100X. (1/3)

ICE arresting relatives trying to take custody of migrant kids

Attorneys say the federal agencies are using children as “bait” to detain sponsors, leaving kids waiting in shelters for months.

texastribune.org

Chris Murphy@chrismurphyct.bsky.social · last mo.

Trump has turned the White House into a 24/7 corruption operation. This is a national crisis. Trump thinks the public will stop paying attention. So I went to the Senate floor to call his bluff. I told the ENTIRE STORY of his 500 days of corruption. 1/ Here it is - in one🧵

Sergio Perez@sergioperez.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Stoking hate and racial fear, Trump’s website refers to our abducted neighbors as “it.” Absolutely abhorrent.

Screenshot of a White House website reading: If 'you' ve witnessed an Alien abduction, do not be alarmed. The Alien.is in good hands:' We will take care of it... and return 'it safely to its place of origin. REPORT SUSPICIOUS ALIENS → ICE TIP LINE × JOIN NOW whitehouse.gov - Private
Ernesto Castañeda@drernestocast.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The Trump administration's cruel use of the term 'alien' and tropes to dehumanize migrants echoes prevalent conspiracy theories. A new .gov website criminalizes and calls for reporting undocumented people. #MigrantRights #Dehumanization #WhiteSupremacy #ICE #BorderCrisis #Undocumented

Matthew Blanton@matthewblanton.bsky.social · 3mo ago

New Research! My article in @prpr-journal.bsky.social is the first systematic validation of CBP apprehensions as a proxy for undocumented migration in nearly 30 years, with evidence from Guatemala at both national and subnational levels. Spoiler: they still work. 🔓 link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Brief Report: Are Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Apprehensions a Reliable Proxy for Undocumented Migration? New Evidence on Migration from Guatemala - Population Research and Policy Review

Researchers have long relied on United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) apprehension data as a proxy for undocumented migration, yet the last time their validity was assessed was in 1995. Si...

link.springer.com

Sanho Tree@sanho.bsky.social · 3mo ago

This is what Elon threw into the wood chipper: “Gawande cited an analysis in The Lancet that estimated that USAID assistance—aimed at combatting diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, & polio, reducing maternal & child deaths, & fighting malnutrition—had saved 92 million lives over 2 decades.“

Anjali Dayal@anjalikdayal.bsky.social · 3mo ago

“The dismantling of USAID, according to models from Boston University epidemiologist Brooke Nichols, “has already caused the deaths of six hundred thousand people, two-thirds of them children,” Gawande wrote.” hsph.harvard.edu/news/usaid-s...

Matthew Blanton@matthewblanton.bsky.social · 4mo ago

I'm at a cafe working next to a group of 70-year old women who are knitting. They are currently alternating between discussing health issues and their thoughts on Pulp Fiction. Division between those who think "it's a strange movie," and the ones who "just love to watch John Travolta dance." 😂

Andy Craig@andycraig.bsky.social · 6mo ago

Judge Biery signed the order with a photo of Liam and two bible verses: The first is "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." The second is simply "Jesus wept." Astonishing thing for a judge to do.

Philadelphia, September 17, 1787: "Well, Dr. Franklin, what do we have?" "A republic, if you can keep it." With a judicial finger in the constitutional dike, It is so ORDERED. SIGNED this 31st day of February, 2026. _________________________________________________ FRED BIERY UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE [photo of Liam] Credit: Bystander Matthew 19:14 John 11:35
Legal AF@legalafmtn.bsky.social · 6mo ago

NEWS: Judge Biery has ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Ramos. A thunderous rebuke against ICE’s violent campaign in Minnesota. Read the order below. Link: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

Aaron Reichlin-Melnick@reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 6mo ago

You have to read this. Firsthand affidavit from one of the women who was there and recording the video. She talks about how Alex Pretti was directing traffic when she arrived. She watched him be killed in front of her. She's afraid to go home, worried she'll be arrested.

1. I am a resident of the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am over 18 years of age. I am a children's entertainer who specializes in face painting. 2. On Saturday, January 24, 2026, at about 8:50 am, I was getting ready to go to work when I heard whistles outside. I knew the whistles meant that ICE agents were in the area, so I decided to check it out on my way to work. I've been involved in observing in my community because it is so important to document what ICE is doing to my neighbors. Connecting to your local community and knowing who your neighbors are is something I profoundly value. 3. I drove to Nicollet Ave. and 26th where I could hear the whistles coming from. I turned south onto Nicollet. There were already several ICE agents there and they'd set up a sort of vehicle convoy on Nicollet and 28th. There were also about 15 observers there, recording and observing ICE. 4. I saw ICE agents surrounding cars and punching car windows. I also saw them stopping vehicles further down Nicollet, so I backed up because I didn't feel safe continuing on. 5. I noticed a man sort of acting to help traffic move more smoothly. He helped me find a place to park. I got out with my whistle and my camera. I went over to him and said something like, "I'm going to film and use my whistle." 6. It seemed like most ICE activity was happening a little farther down the street from us, near 27th. Someone was being thrown to the ground.7. I started recording. There was an agent by a car across the street. Two observers were a few feet away from the agent, blowing their whistles. One was wearing a backpack. 8. I and the man who was observing and helping direct traffic were standing in the street. There was a phone in the man's hand recording a video. 9. An agent approached and asked us to back up, so I moved slowly back onto the sidewalk. 10. The man stayed in the street, filming as the other observers I mentioned earlier were being forced backward by another ICE agent threatening them with pepper spray. The man went closer to support them as they got threatened, just with his camera out. I didn't see him reach for or hold a gun. 11. Then the ICE agent shoved one of the other observers to the ground. Then he started pepper spraying all three of them directly in the face and all over. The man with the phone put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him. 12. Then the man tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground. The ICE agents just kept spraying. More agents came over and grabbed the man who was still trying to help the woman get up. All three of the observers looked to have been badly affected by the pepper spray. I could feel the pepper spray in my eyes.13. The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn't see him touch any of them-he wasn't even turned toward them. It didn't look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn't see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times. 14.1 don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him. 15. The video I recorded of what happened accurately depicts the events leading up to the agents shooting him and several minutes afterwards. The video is attached as Exhibit 1. 16. I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong. The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground. 17. I feel afraid. Only hours have passed since they shot a man right in front me and I don't feel like I can go home because I heard agents were looking for me. I don't know what the agents will do when they find me. I do know that they're not telling the truth about what happened. I've heard that other witnesses might have been arrested and taken to the Whipple Building. 18. I am disgusted and gutted at how they are treating my neighbors and my state. I keep alternating between crying and feeling determined it is important to remember the value of documenting injustice. We show up for the people who need us to bearwitness, because it can't just be one group of people bearing the brunt of their tyranny. This is a struggle to protect our freedom and democracy, those things are on the line. He lost his life for those values. I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct. Dated and signed on Jan 24, 2026 in Hennepin County, State of Minnesota.
Josh Gerstein@joshgerstein.bsky.social · 6mo ago

JUST IN: Lawyers file declaration in federal court from first-hand witness to immigration agents' shooting of a US citizen onlookers today. Minneapolis Mayor Frey said details would be used to bolster case for ousting ICE from city. Doc: www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

Ambassador Ken Fairfax (ret)@portlandken.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Remember right after ICE murdered Renee Good when they shot a second person, this time in the leg? They put out an elaborate story about the man assaulting ICE agents, ramming them, etc. Only one problem: it was all a lie, as shown by multiple videos and the transcripts of calls to 911. ICE lies.

Aftermath video of latest ICE shooting in Minneapolis involving an undocumented Venezuelan national | CNN

Newly obtained videos of the moments right after the Wednesday incident in which an Immigration and Custom Enforcement agent shot a Venezuelan man in the leg for allegedly assaulting an officer in Min...

cnn.com