Heavy police presence ringing the Capitol this morning, fleet of plows for crowd control, clear ‘police line’ signage and police vans for mass arrests situations at the ready. Security not messing around.
Some Three Percenter regalia here, including one man with a ‘Vietnam Veteran’ hat and jacket . Several affiliated with these loose anti-govt groups were arrested after Jan. 6.
A very good boy doing security.
Small counterprotest presence here too. No visible pro-Trump signage, which is what organizer asked for.
Event underway, very low key. Wife of Jonathan Mellis (one of Jan. 6 defendants held in pretrial detention) currently speaking.
Aaaand it’s over. Protesters appeared to be outnumbered by media/cops for duration of event. A muted demonstration that nevertheless put DC on edge and drew an overwhelming display of force from police/government.
USCP chief Manger hanging out with Montgomery County officers (his old force) on front line of Capitol defenses.
NEW: DC was on edge, but a rally in support of those arrested on Jan. 6 drew a meager turnout — media presence rivaled the crowd size and overwhelming police force was on display.
BREAKING: A judge has ordered the immediate release of Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia student detained amid Trump administration crackdown on pro-Palestinian activists.
@liz_crampton was in the Vermont courthouse where the decision just came down.
@liz_crampton NEW: Columbia pro-Palestinian activist Mohsen Mahdawi walked out of court today after a judge ordered his immediate release from ICE detention. His words to Trump: "I am not afraid of you."
NEWS: After canceling thousands of foreign students' immigration records — threatening their ability to study and live in the US — the Trump administration has reversed course and restored them all.
It follows intense pushback from courts across the country.
Details TK
ICE had terminated the records of thousands of students from a federal database called SEVIS that tracks their legal status in the country. The effect of those terminations was in dispute, but many students said they had been barred from continuing their studies and were at risk of deportation.
The reason ICE appeared to have canceled their SEVIS records? Minor legal infractions that showed up in criminal history searches — which the law explicitly says is not a basis to deny a foreign student, studying on an F1 visa, their legal status.
Now, after dozens of judges across the country flagged the likely illegality, ICE says it won't do that anymore. politico.com/news/2025/04/2…
By my count, there had been 103 lawsuits filed in the last 20 days, and judges had issued 50 restraining orders requiring the Trump administration to reverse the SEVIS terminations. Those decisions came in more than 23 states and from judges appointed by several presidents, including Trump. politico.com/news/2025/04/2…
It is unfathomable that Martin was unaware of the widely publicized allegations about Hale-Cusanelli, who he has interviewed for hours and whose case made national headlines for years after Jan.6.
BUSY NIGHT FOR THE COURTS: Late last night, a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring DOGE’s access to sensitive Social Securitt data, saying the government flouted the law to provide unfettered access to DOGE without a reasonable basis. storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…
ALIEN ENEMIES ACT: The Trump administration filed an emergency motion to block Judge Boasberg’s initiation of contempt proceedings, saying his suggestion of forcing the administration to prosecute itself — or bring back deported Venezuelans — is unconstitutional.”
DISMANTLING CFPB: Judge Amy Berman Jackson has called a 10am hearing on whether the Trump administration violated her order against large-scale dismantling of the agency. She is seeking details of a purported reduction in force and the order to implement it.
JUST IN: Judge Boasberg finds probable cause to hold administration in contempt of court for defying his order to turn around planes, demands new details in order for officials to “purge” their contempt. Details TK
BOASBERG said the evidence shows willful defiance by the Trump administration that amounts to criminal contempt. Full 46-page opinion: ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_p…
Boasberg cites the administration’s gloating after his order was violated, noting the snarky “oppose”tweet from Bukele and how it was amplified by administration officials.: ecf.dcd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/show_p…