NEW: At the Arizona border, Native American activists and conservationists told me Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise to build a border wall.
The wall, dismissed by some as “replacement,” is destroying the environment and sacred sites, they say.
“This notion that it's not new really takes away from the fact that this is ripping Arizona and the rest of the borderlands in two,” @LaikenJordahl of @CenterForBioDiv told me in front of an example of old vehicle barrier next to “replacement” wall.
“As far as him failing, no, he didn't fail... he's building the wall... he’s doing exactly what he said he would do,” said B, an Indigenous activist of O’odham Jawed as we overlooked Quitobaquito Springs in @OrganPipeNPS. Its water level has dropped during construction.
JUST IN: 2 million votes have *already* been cast in the 2020 election, 10 times more than this time in 2016, per @ElectProject. That’s something to celebrate if you care about democracy. Remember: FBI says there’s no wide scale voter fraud. @3rdHourTODAY
Here's a further breakdown of those early voting numbers from @AriBerman who knows this stuff better than anyone.
Early voting numbers are exploding past where they were this time in 2016, according to @ElectProject. From my laundry room I joined @3rdHourTODAY for yet another every-so-often update on the ways and days we now vote.
Here are the latest numbers as of an hour ago — early voting totals growing as I type!
I’m obsessed with this stuff yet it still confuses me with the litigation and changes. Voters should be sure to think ahead — #PlanYourVote from @NBCNews is handy. But to steal a line from @alroker, check with local officials in your neck of the woods too. nbcnews.com/specials/plan-…
If you've ready my book, this is the facility Juan was held in while he was separated by Trump for nearly five months from his son, having been coerced into waiving his right to reunite with him. Now, like in many other ICE prisons, they're facing a COVID outbreak.
In July we reported on similar conditions inside the Eloy detention center in Arizona. At the time, one current employee told us "most of our staff is in a war zone. We are exposed on a daily basis." nbcnews.com/politics/immig…
Before that, in June, we reported that detainees said conditions inside the La Palma detention center were "a life or death situation" due to COVID. nbcnews.com/politics/immig…