Gas Bandit's Political Thread V: The Vampire Likes Bats

1. Breaking overnight: Supreme Court blocks Trump administration from deporting Venezuelans under 1798 Alien Enemies Act while litigation continues.
2. Van Hollen accuses Trump administration of law-breaking after visiting deported Maryland man in El Salvador.
3. Trump White House mocks Van Hollen for meeting deported man, posts Abrego Garcia is “never coming back.”
4. Federal judge orders ICE to transfer detained Tufts student and fast-track hearing on due process violations.
5. Arizona Gov. Hobbs vetoes bill forcing local police to help Trump administration with immigration crackdowns.
6. Trump replaces fourth IRS chief this year after Musk-backed pick sparks clash with Treasury secretary after two days.
7. Trump administration formalizes plan to revive Schedule F and strip protections from 50,000 federal workers.
8. Judge orders Trump administration to tell fired workers they were not let go for poor performance.
9. Judiciary warns Congress that stagnant court security funding is unsustainable amid rising threats and judge harassment.
10. Judge halts Trump’s CFPB firings, demands answers from White House officials for defying court rulings.
11. Trump replaces COVID data website with page blaming Fauci and China, deletes info on vaccines and treatment.
12. Immigrants forced to prove they’re alive at Social Security after Trump officials falsely marked them dead to revoke legal status.
13. Trump’s DOJ sends threats to medical journals, demanding answers over ‘partisan’ science.
14. Trump wins delay in contempt case as appeals court blocks Boasberg over El Salvador deportations.
15. Trump demands decade of foreign funding records from Harvard as clash escalates.
16. Musk operatives and Palantir are building a surveillance system using SSA, tax, and voter records to track immigrants.
17. Musk operatives are tapping Labor Dept systems to gather data on migrant workers, visa applicants, and ex-prisoners.
18. Trump says egg prices are “too low” and brags they’re down 87% despite recent data showing he’s lying.
19. Trump appoints Fox News host Mark Levin and ex-NYPD detective Bo Dietl to Homeland Security Advisory Council.

1. Three top Hegseth aides ousted in leak probe accuse Pentagon of slander.
2. U.S. expands bombing in Yemen with new strikes on Sanaa and Hodeida after earlier attacks killed more than 70.
3. Seattle police officers who joined Jan. 6 rally ask Supreme Court to keep their names hidden in public records case.

blotsfan said:

So now puberty blockers are ok.

Click to expand...

• Day 1525: Top Trump administration officials planned military strikes on Yemen in an unclassified Signal group chat that accidentally included The Atlantic’s editor-in-chief. The group, which included Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, and JD Vance, exchanged detailed plans including “targets, weapons, and attack sequencing.” Hours before the attack, Hegseth claimed “We are currently clean on OPSEC.” Vance appeared to question the decision, writing, “I am not sure the president is aware how inconsistent this is with his message on Europe right now,” before backing down. Stephen Miller responded: “The president was clear: green light.” The White House confirmed the messages were real, but downplayed the breach, calling the episode “a demonstration of […] deep and thoughtful policy coordination.” National security lawyers, meanwhile, called the use of Signal for classified discussion a likely violation of the Espionage Act and federal records law. Despite that, Trump claimed ignorance: “I don’t know anything about it.”

Notables.

1. Trump replaced acting IRS Commissioner Gary Shapley days after appointing him, following a dispute between Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Elon Musk. Bessent said Shapley was installed without his approval, reportedly at Musk’s direction, and named Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender as the new acting head. The IRS has now gone through three commissioners in a week. (ABC News / Bloomberg / NBC News / New York Times)
2. The FDA failed to warn the public about a deadly E. coli outbreak tied to romaine lettuce that sickened at least 89 people across 15 states and killed one. The agency closed the investigation in February without naming the grower or processor, claiming there was no longer “actionable advice” for consumers. Days later, the FDA suspended key food safety quality checks after mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services. Food safety advocates say the agency is now withholding critical information and losing the ability to prevent future outbreaks. (NBC News / Reuters / CBS News)
3. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will order U.S. food companies to phase out eight synthetic food dyes by the end of 2026. The dyes, derived from petroleum, are used in products like cereals and sports drinks. Research linking synthetic food dyes to health issues remains limited and inconclusive, but some studies suggest a possible connection to hyperactivity and behavioral problems in children. (New York Times / Bloomberg)
4. The Trump administration removed federal COVID-19 resource sites and replaced them with a White House webpage promoting the lab leak theory as the “true origins” of the pandemic. Covid.gov and CovidTests.gov now redirect to a page that claims, without evidence, that the virus came from a Wuhan lab and accuses the Biden administration of covering it up. The U.S. intelligence community remains divided on the origins of COVID-19, with the CIA recently backing the lab origin theory with “low confidence” while other agencies continue to lean toward natural transmission from animals. The scientific community has also not reached a consensus on the virus’s origins. While the site offers no testing, vaccine, or treatment information, it attacks Anthony Fauci, the World Health Organization, and pandemic safety measures like masking and social distancing – despite the fact that many of these same policies were initiated under Trump’s own administration. In 2020, Trump himself endorsed social distancing and declared a national emergency, while the CDC under his administration recommended mask use in public. (NPR / Associated Press / Axios / New York Times / CBS News)
5. The White House is weighing cash bonuses, fertility education programs, and other pro-family benefits to raise U.S. birthrates. Proposals pitched to Trump aides include a $5,000 “baby bonus” for married parents, federal funding for menstrual cycle tracking classes, and reserving fellowships for married applicants or parents. But Trump has taken credit for overturning Roe v. Wade, tried to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, and repeatedly proposed cuts to programs that directly support women and families, including Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Head Start, and maternal health services like newborn screenings and data collection. He has also backed efforts to defund reproductive health programs. (New York Times)

Notably Next

1. Trump says migrant trials aren’t possible and slams Supreme Court for blocking Alien Enemies Act deportations.
2. Trump calls Powell a ‘loser,’ demands immediate rate cuts as markets reel and team explores firing Fed chair.
3. Education Department to resume collections on 5 million defaulted student loans starting May 5.
4. House Democrats go to El Salvador to demand return of immigrant deported in defiance of court order.
5. Montana confirms first measles cases in 30+ years; health officials hope high vaccination rates will limit spread.
6. Judge temporarily blocks plan to reopen ICE office on Rikers Island over sanctuary city law and mayoral overreach.
7. Justice Dept gives Musk’s DOGE access to full database of immigrants’ court records, addresses, and law enforcement history.
8. After firing agency head, Trump’s Office of Special Counsel tells over 2,000 terminated federal workers they have no basis to appeal.
9. Harvard sues Trump administration over $2.2 billion funding freeze tied to campus freedom of speech.
10. Interior Department launches major restructuring led by Musk-aligned DOGE official with sweeping control over funding and personnel.
11. Retired general and GOP Rep. Don Bacon says Trump should fire Defense Secretary Hegseth over leaks and Pentagon chaos.
12. White House Easter Egg Roll draws thousands as Trump solicits corporate sponsorship for first time in event’s history.
13. Judge blocks deportation of two Oregon college students, citing lack of justification for revoked visas and ordering they remain in state.
14. Maduro accuses El Salvador of kidnapping deported Venezuelans and demands their release after Bukele proposes prisoner swap.
15. House Oversight Chair James Comer refers former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for criminal charges over COVID nursing home cover-up.
16. Feds threaten to cut NYC highway funds unless MTA halts congestion pricing, calling tolls illegal class warfare.
17. Columbia students and alumni chain themselves to campus gates after ICE detains Palestinian activists with university ties.

• Interior Secretary Doug Burgum gave a former oil executive and aide to Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency authority to overhaul the Department of the Interior. Tyler Hassen, who is not Senate-confirmed, now controls major functions including grants, contracts, personnel systems, and communications. Internal emails show DOGE aides demanded lists of grants to cut, including millions directed to Maine, as Trump threatened to defund the state over LGBTQ+ policies. (Washington Post)

Notables.

1. The Trump administration will restart collections on defaulted federal student loans beginning May 5, ending a five-year pause started during the pandemic. More than 5 million borrowers are currently in default and millions more nearing it. Less than 40% of borrowers are current on their loans. (NPR / Associated Press)
2. Harvard sued the Trump administration after the federal government froze $2.2 billion in research funding and demanded oversight of the university. The lawsuit accuses the administration of violating the First Amendment, attempting “unprecedented and improper control,” and claimed the government failed to justify its actions with a clear link to antisemitism concerns. The administration had ordered Harvard to audit faculty, monitor international students, and appoint an outside overseer. (New York Times / Axios / NBC News)
3. ICE denied Mahmoud Khalil temporary release to attend the birth of his first child. The Columbia University graduate, a legal U.S. resident and pro-Palestinian activist, has been held in ICE custody since March after a judge ruled he could be deported over national security concerns. He has not been charged with a crime, but the Trump administration claims his presence threatens U.S. foreign policy. (Associated Press / CNN / Axios)
4. ICE detained Harvard scientist Kseniia Petrova, stopping her work on a breakthrough microscope that could advance early cancer detection. Petrova, a Russian-born specialist in image analysis, was arrested in February at a Boston airport for failing to declare frog embryo samples and now faces possible deportation. Petrova, who opposes the war in Ukraine, said she fears persecution if sent back to Russia. (NBC News)
5. A Venezuelan immigrant disappeared after being detained by U.S. immigration authorities and deported in March. Ricardo Prada Vásquez mistakenly crossed into Canada and was arrested trying to return to the U.S., then transferred between detention centers before vanishing from government records. Although ICE confirmed his deportation, officials have not disclosed where he was sent, and his name does not appear on flight or detention rosters. (New York Times)
6. Attorneys for Kilmar Abrego Garcia accused the Trump administration of failing to comply with a court order requiring officials to testify about his wrongful deportation to El Salvador. A federal judge had previously ruled that Abrego Garcia must be returned to the U.S., a decision later affirmed by the Supreme Court. His lawyers, however, say the administration has provided no meaningful information and is hiding behind baseless claims of privilege. Meanwhile, top Trump adviser Stephen Miller reversed earlier acknowledgments of an “administrative error,” claiming Abrego Garcia was deported appropriately. (ABC News / New York Times)
7. The Justice Department granted DOGE access to a sensitive immigration database, which contains private records of millions of immigrants.The system includes names, addresses, legal history, and asylum testimony typically restricted to legal representatives. (Washington Post)
8. More than 500 political scientists warn that the U.S. is rapidly shifting toward authoritarianism under Trump’s second term. Scholars rate the performance of American democracy on a scale from zero (complete dictatorship) to 100 (perfect democracy). Trump’s second term currently sits at 55 due, in part, to expanded executive power, attacks on media and universities, and efforts to punish political opponents. Meanwhile, more than 150 university presidents condemned the administration’s funding threats and political interference in higher education. The White House, however, dismissed the letter, saying it would not be “swayed by worthless letters by overpaid blowhards.” (NPR / NBC News)
9. Al Gore compared Trump’s use of executive power to early Nazi Germany. Gore warned that Trump’s administration is “creating their own preferred version of reality” and cited philosopher Theodor Adorno’s analysis of fascist regimes. He accused Trump of stalling clean energy progress and spreading falsehoods about climate change. The White House dismissed Gore’s remarks, saying: “Those who yell the loudest about Nazis are often times using their same tactics themselves.” (NBC News / The Guardian / Politico)

1. Rubio cuts 15% of State staff, shutters 100+ offices, and eliminates women’s and diversity programs under Trump plan.
2. Trump says he’s ‘entitled’ to deport people without trials days after Supreme Court blocked Venezuela deportations.
3. Trump says he has ‘no intention’ of firing Fed Chair Powell despite his recent threats and demands.
4. EPA to fire or reassign 450 environmental justice and DEI staff on Earth Day under Trump order.
5. Kansas reports 37 measles cases linked to Texas and NM outbreaks; governor urges vaccinations.
6. NIH to launch autism registry and share private medical data for RFK Jr.’s study criticized as stigmatizing and unfounded.
7. Judge extends Colorado ban on Trump’s Alien Enemies Act deportations, orders 21-day notice and language access.
8. Hegseth pulled airstrike data from secure military channel before sharing in private Signal chat, report says.
9. Bessent calls U.S.-China trade war unsustainable, signals de-escalation as S&P 500 surges.
10. Judge orders Trump admin to reinstate VOA staff and restore funding to U.S. global media outlets.
11. DOJ cancels grants for gun-violence prevention, addiction programs, and victim advocacy under Trump directive.
12. NSF terminates 400 active grants tied to DEI and misinformation, citing new Trump-era priorities.
13. Judge says Trump admin defied court orders in Abrego Garcia case, orders more officials deposed in misconduct probe.
14. Three more federal prosecutors resign over Trump admin threat to admit wrongdoing in Eric Adams case, bringing total to 10.
15. US health officials push to phase out artificial food dyes by 2026, but won’t require it yet.
16. Zelensky slams U.S. proposal to accept Russia’s annexation of Crimea in exchange for cease-fire.
17. Borrenpohl sues Idaho sheriff and security firm after being dragged from GOP town hall for jeering.
18. ‘60 Minutes’ chief resigns, citing corporate interference tied to Trump lawsuit and Paramount merger.