cover of episode A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems

A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems

2025/3/18
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The Trump administration has escalated deportation measures, using the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans without due process. This raises concerns about the erosion of legal protections and human rights abuses in El Salvador's mega-prisons.
  • The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, last used during WWII, to deport Venezuelans.
  • 137 Venezuelans were deported to El Salvador, a country with notorious mega-prisons.
  • A U.S. district court temporarily blocked the deportations, but the administration ignored the order.
  • The deportations raise concerns about due process and potential human rights abuses.
  • The administration's actions have been criticized as authoritarian and a threat to legal and citizen rights.
  • There is fear that this policy could extend beyond Venezuelans to other groups.
  • The use of El Salvador as a deportation destination supports a dictator known for mass incarceration without due process.
  • Media coverage often takes the administration's claims at face value, despite a lack of evidence.
  • The administration's actions are part of a broader strategy to undermine legal protections and due process for immigrants.

Shownotes Transcript

The Trump administration just took things to a chilling new level — deporting people to foreign prisons without due process. They’re using the Alien Enemies Act — a law last invoked to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII — to deport 137 Venezuelans to El Salvador, where they’re now being held in a notorious, crowded mega-prison where visitation and recreation are forbidden. Meanwhile, Chuck Schumer’s decision to back the GOP’s spending bill has sparked fierce backlash from Democrats across the board. Jon, Lovett, and Tommy break down the administration’s defiance of the courts and debate both sides of the shutdown fight. Then, Dan talks to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about his break with Schumer and how Democrats can unite against the Trump administration.