A former US immigration judge filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Justice (DOJ), charging violations of her civil rights. Tania Nemer, who was released from her position as an immigration judge in February, contends that she was dismissed because of her sex, her ethnicity, and her political affiliation with the Democratic Party. In [...]

US District Judge Sara Ellis on Friday ordered federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to limit use force, prohibiting riot-control weapons against journalists or protestors except under specific and narrow conditions.  The preliminary injunction is the latest in an ongoing court battle that started with a class action suit alleging First Amendment violations, filed [...]

Amnesty International reported Monday that the Tanzanian government has shut down internet access and electric power, suppressing attempts to gather information about nationwide unrest following its October 29 elections. Vongai Chikwanda, deputy regional director for Amnesty, said: “Amnesty … is particularly alarmed by reports that amidst the blackouts, security forces have used excessive force to [...]

The US administration announced sanctions Friday against Colombian President Gustavo Petro, his family, and Colombia’s Minister of the Interior Armando Benedetti.  The US will also reduce financial assistance to Colombia by about $18 million. According to the US Treasury Department, the sanctions mean that all properties and property interests owned in the United States by [...]

On Saturday, I joined the No Kings Day (NKD) protest in the US state of Pennsylvania. The mood was markedly different from the last protest I attended, in June. Last time, I felt afraid—using that word several times in my June dispatch. So much has changed since then. This time, I felt the opposite: joy, [...]

US District Judge Sara Ellis ordered federal Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to wear body cameras during enforcement activity, and all interactions with the public.  This new order follows a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) by Judge Ellis last week, and will now be in effect until November 6. Judge Ellis reasoned that this modified [...]

Multiple human rights groups published a letter to Microsoft on Friday in which they demanded a suspension of business with the Israeli military and government, alleging that Microsoft technology abets human rights abuses in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The letter was sent to Microsoft in September but was only released to the public on Friday. The [...]

The state of Illinois and the city of Chicago filed suit against the Trump administration on Monday seeking to enjoin the deployment of National Guard troops. “These advances in President Trump’s long-declared ‘War’ on Chicago and Illinois are unlawful and dangerous,” the complaint asserts. The suit comes after Secretary of Defense (“Secretary of War”) Pete [...]

The US on Friday accused Colombian President Gustav Petro of doing too little to reduce crime and drug trafficking. US Ambassador Mike Waltz told a UN Security Council meeting that Petro’s policies toward “narco-terrorist groups” are “irresponsible failures.” “The violence and drug trafficking perpetrated by these arms groups…can spread and jeopardize the safety of Colombians, [...]

A US appeals court on Friday refused to enjoin several restrictions on firearms in New York, including bans on carrying firearms in Times Square and on public transportation, as well as carrying a firearm visibly—a practice known as open carry. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held that the restrictions on carrying [...]