On September 24, 2001, The New Yorker’s cover featured Art Spiegelman’s black silhouette of the missing Twin Towers against a black background in Lower Manhattan, a darkness of void and grief. “You could see the phantom limb—the ghost—of the towers that had just fallen,” Spiegelman, who lived 10 blocks north of Ground Zero, told an interviewer.
We are experiencing the same ghosting with the loss of hundreds of thousands of migrants to the malignance of chauvinism. Most aren’t dying of course, though many are, as are American citizens, with the firing-squad-like execution of Alex Pritt in a besieged Minneapolis as if deepfaked from a street in Tehran or Gaza.
The torment is affecting millions of families. The vanishing from job sites and communities and the rendering of law-abiding migrants to dungeons of torture abroad all compound a loss that in the aggregate of human suffering is spreading that void across the country, as if turning Jasper Johns’s exuberantly colorful map of the United States into a black-on-black phantom.
The total number of deportations in the first year of the Second Coming–540,000–is actually less than in either of the last two years of the Biden administration, according to a New York Times analysis (590,000 in 2023 and 650,000 in 2024). That’s only because illegal crossings spiked in those two years, as did apprehensions and expulsions.
When those numbers are excluded, 2025 saw a sharp reduction in crossings, but a surge in uprootings from communities across the country through ICE’s warrantless and violent incursions at worksites, restaurants, schools, courtrooms, homes, and with the collaboration of local police and state troopers, streets, highways and jails. That approach has resulted in the deportation of 230,000 individuals, or close to 12,000 per month.
Concede that every one of them was here illegally: the fact is undeniable. The methods of the expulsions also make the fact irrelevant in the human analysis–the warrantless invasions of homes, the gassing of families, the beating and dragging of human beings, the detention of a 5-year-old on his way to school as his father is seized, the brutalizing of American citizens who dare film it, the mass incarcerations in concentration camps named as if by sadistic juveniles playing dungeons and dragons, the impunity of ICE agents armed and masked like paramilitary goons. The vengefulness and performative violence of the means matter more than the ends. What are the ends, exactly? I’m not sure even Stephen Miller can say it with a straight face.
Professional groups like realtors and builders’ associations in Flagler County as elsewhere like to describe the wealth multiplier on the local economy of a single home built and sold, how it creates secondary jobs, how it solidifies community cohesion and fulfills dreams. The opposite happens with the vanishing of immigrants, so many of whom built your house, repainted it or replaced your roof, the majority of whom are law-abiding, work, have families, pay taxes whose benefits they will never see, and contribute to the American fabric more industriously than the native born pampered by the self-indulgence of grievances.
We saw that kind of devastation during the housing crash, which brought us close to a Depression. We are seeing it now on a lesser scale, though it is not a coincidence that, outside of the Covid pandemic, job creation has fallen to its most anemic level since the crash. In 2024, the foreign-born accounted for almost one in five workers in our labor force, half of them Latinos. You cannot remove the most willing members of your working force in services, construction and maintenance and not blow a hole in your economy.
Two years ago the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office calculated that thanks not to native-born Americans but to immigration, legal or not, the economy in 2033 would have added 5.2 million jobs and grown by $7 trillion (from about $40 trillion), generating $1 trillion more in government revenue. Between the latest tax cuts and the terror war on migrants, those numbers are now fantasy, replaced by the kind of sputtering job reports that have blighted Trump’s first-year rerun.
Every culture in history that has carried out wide-scale expulsions invited economic collapse–Jews from England at the end of the 13th century, Muslims and Jews from the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th, Protestants from France under Louis XIV (the Sun King sent “dragoons” on horseback to terrorized non-Catholics, forcing them to convert, expelling them or killing them). We had the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the Immigration Act of 1924, which all but stopped immigration except from countries our president would consider non-shithole. The Depression followed. Only a world war’s economic windfall ended it.
The Exclusion Act is back with its own force multiplier masked as dragoons. But again: to what end? Even if the administration continues at the same rate and achieves a million expulsions by the end of Ubu Roi’s term–and, inevitably, a few more dozen executions of Americans who get in the way–then what?
There’d still be 12 to 14 million undocumented migrants in the country. Whites will still be a minority before mid-century. We’ll be a DEI country no matter what atrocities its panicked and blanching future minority throws in the way, as it is doing now, only we’ll have kneecapped our economy (to China’s delight) and demolished the fabric of innumerable communities in the name of an unattainable utopia grounded in the bigotry of lebensraum for white purity.
It won’t work. But the damage until that realization may be irreparable as the entire country is now Ground Zero and we experience the America we knew vanish in an orgy of terror that, unlike 9/11, is savagely self-inflicted.
Pierre Tristam is the editor of FlaglerLive. A version of this piece airs on WNZF.
BillC says
Let’s assume that ICE is successful in deporting every last undocumented immigrant. What then? Would “natives” be willing to work those back breaking jobs for the same pay? Dig ditches, carry a bundle of shingles that weigh 50-80 lbs on their shoulders with one hand on the ladder many times a day, over and over again under time pressure all week long through heat and cold? Perhaps non immigrants should go watch workers harvest cabbages nearby, bending over hundreds of times a day, keeping pace with the truck they load at the speed it sets. Try cutting just one cabbage with its thick fibrous stalk with a razor sharp tool. Etc Etc Etc
For that kind of work, what would a “native” non immigrant demand as pay? $30, 40, 50 dollars an hour plus benefits and overtime? (According to ZipRecuiter “the average annual pay for an Aldi Grocery Store in Florida is $39,084 a year.”)
Prices would skyrocket! Imagine unaffordable cabbages!
Sherry says
Thank you Bill! I’ve been pointing out the same thing many, many times on Flaglerlive. But wait, the children and grandchildren of the Maga faithful . . . who no longer can think independently. . . have been aspiring to clean those motel and bar toilets for years! They can’t wait to get off their phones and roll up their sleeves for those high paying jobs in slaughterhouses and picking crops! Etc! Etc! NO US citizen is going to do those jobs. . . especially for such low wages! The price for almost everything is about to go through the roof!
Maga idiots simply can’t think and see beyond the end of their noses, and their mindless fear and hate rules all their opinions ! Millions are being FOX “duped” at every turn! They just don’t get it!
TR says
LOL, you think the youngsters of the lefties can do what you say the maga’s can’t do? Give me a break and stop being ignorant to think the kids from only one side are idiots. The entire generation of who you speak are the one’s who can’t think for themselves or make rational decisions and have no common sense. I would say that most of the kids you speak of are from the left, because they are the ones brought to protests at a young age to stand out on a street corner yelling and screaming about something they know nothing about. They’re there because their mom or dad or grandparent brainwash them into believing what they believe should be the way things should be. They take away the kids childhood and won’t allow their kids to grow up and make their own conclusion. Just look at all the protests in Flagler county and how many young children are forced to be there. If you asked any of them why they are there. They will most likely say because mom, dad, or grandparents said “I should help them yell”. Or they will say “I don’t know”
Standing in the Middle of Palm Coast Parkway says
BillC, we need immigrants to perform menial tasks that non-immigrants would only do for a higher amount of compensation. Are these immigrants slaves? Are they a lower caste? Shouldn’t the vision for our country and our world going forward be to provide opportunity to all? I don’t believe that lawful immigration is the problem. I believe the problem is unlawful immigration under the laws on the books today. Like or hate the current administration in D.C., there are people in our country in violation of our immigration and naturalization laws, and some of those people here unlawfully are violating our laws and victimizing citizens. Should we extend the protections our laws afford citizens to people present in our country without authorization who commit crimes against citizens?
TR says
How ignorant does one have to believe your garbage? Roofing companies deliver the shingles to the roof’s of homes by conveyor belts. (see it every day) Cabbage is also picked by machine. See it all the time on the farms along RT 100W.
As far as your naive comment about Maga’s not wanting to do the work the immigrants do. The lefties won’t do the work either, so I guess their idiots as well, Huh? But here’s the solution to have the cabbage (or any crop) picked if it is to be done by hand. Have the inmates do it. If they can pick up trash on the side of the road or cut the grass. They can pick crops. It would also be a lot less then what the immigrants gets paid to do it.
Willing to pick crops or dig ditches for a low pay IS NOT a requirement to become a US citizen. The left always cry’s this same garbage and forget to say they want the immigrants to come to this country LEGALLY. Which BTW, the right always states.
Laurel says
“…have the inmates do it.” So, let’s think that out. So, we’ll need a constant number of inmates to keep up with the demand. You know, supply and demand.
Next!
BillC says
TR How many farms across the US grow cabbage other than the ones you see along RT 100 W. along with countless other field crops? You also assume that every roofing company and farm in the US is mechanized. It’s your parochial logic that’s garbage.
kennan says
wow TR! you are really kind of a piece of shit.
Ed P says
Bill C,
Simply monetizing this cost of cheap labor you reference, it is actually a net estimated expense between 150-450 billion a year. That burden is on the backs of hard working US taxpayers.
In essence, tax payers are subsidizing the “cheap” labor you reference.
Also, looking down the road 20-40 years, who supports this cohort of people when they are too old or unable to do those back breaking jobs. Who supports them in their retirements because it won’t be meager social security checks. Social security is not even healthy enough to support everyone now.
Before anyone goes off the deep end and starts with any rants, everyone realizes there aren’t any simple answers or solutions.
It was not a humanitarian or kind action allowing these people you reference to pour over the border, nor has it been a humanitarian process of expelling them. There aren’t any answers, just the reality of human suffering. Reality can be frustrating.
Do nothing is also mot a viable solution either.
Ray W. says
Thank you, BillC and Mr. Tristam.
The political story about immigration significantly differs from the economic story about immigration.
As a matter of economics, America needed every last one of the millions of immigrants who lacked any history of criminal activity at the time they entered the country. We needed them all to restore our economy from the massive economic damage directly caused by the pandemic and the ensuing statewide shutdowns.
There is one big reason why America recovered more quickly than did the economies of other developed countries and that reason is the number of immigrants who crossed our borders. Politically, to some, it was a mistake to have so many entering the country. Economically, it was a blessing.
We already know what a Florida owner of a multi-generational family-owned tomato packing had to pay to get native-born Americans to work in his family-owned Panhandle tomato packing plant. $30 per hour.
I repeatedly commented more than a year ago about Florida’s legislature making it a felony to drive an undocumented immigrant to church. So many extended immigrant families left the state that many Florida farmers intentionally reduced the acreage they planted out of concern they would have to let their unpicked crops rot in their fields due to a paucity of pickers.
But not all farmers reduced planted crop acreage. The Florida panhandle manager of the tomato packing plant noted above, identifying himself to a reporter as a long-term Republican from a family of Republicans, said that he suddenly couldn’t find immigrants to pack the tomatoes being delivered to his plant. His advertising job openings to the native-born didn’t work until he advertised pay of $30 per hour. He got his packers.
As an aside, last late summer, a Florida strawberry farmer told an NPR reporter that he planned to plant only 35% of his normal acreage next season because he did not think that the immigrant pickers he normally relied upon would be there for him when he needed them.
Stories of crops rotting in fields proliferated last year from agricultural communities all over the nation.
In 2025, American farmers planted the fewest acres of crops since 2017.
According to a recent USDA report, food price inflation in 2025 was 2.9%, up from 2.3% in 2024.
There are many reasons why food price inflation continues to stubbornly persist in American grocery stores. Can a reduced supply of immigrant pickers and fewer planted acres be some of the many reasons?
The dude says
Ironic the Florida man won’t pick tomatoes or cabbage, but will happily pick saw palmetto berries illegally every year.
Hell you can’t even get Florida man to show up to do things like cut grass or do “handyman” work after agreeing to a place and time.
BillC says
If MAGA won’t be swayed by justice arguments, they may see the self interest in economic ones.
Dusty says
Joey, Obammi, and Maydorkazz let more illegal immigrants than the entire population of Portugal into our country. Let that sink. Yes we want immigrants and yes they do jobs that some other won’t do at least for lower pay. But people have to immigrate legally and orderly so it can be managers. Let me tell you that when my family immigrated they were not marching, chanting , and waving the flags of the countrire they came from around because that would have disqualified them from becoming citizens immediately. So quit whining and support our Constitution if you really want to save Democracy.
Greg says
Agreed. There is a proper way to come to this country. Breaking the law is not one of them. Tired of hearing about these poor illegals. Get them out of America, and they must come back legally.
Laurel says
Dusty, you are not supporting the Constitution if you are supporting Trump and his incompetent, lying cabinet.
When you come up with names like “Joey,” “Obammi,” and “Maydorkazz” (???) you are not to be taken seriously.
Ed P says
But orange stain, Lord and Maga master, Nazi, Fascist, Trump hole, Cheeto, Trumpoleon, Mango Mussolini, King, Vlad’s boy, Satin, Dumph, Tangerine Toddler, Donald Bone-Aspur, Commander in Thief, Orange baby Jesus, Orange Fuhrer, and hundreds of others are acceptable? But we must take those commenters serious!
No one on either side of the aisle is immune from the childish name calling and nicknames buzzing around like noseeums.
Laurel says
Ed P: Why did you attach all those labels to me? Do I speak for everyone here, or does everyone here speak for me, in your mind?
I have, in fact, used “Nazi” and “fascist,” and yeah, that fits. But if you want to make me responsible for everything everyone says here, I can’t take you seriously either. So, do not worry about me, and I won’t worry about you.
FlaglerLive says
“Yes, It’s Fascism.”
Deborah Coffey says
And, what about all those newly deported immigrants that were showing up on time in court to continue their process toward citizenship? Did they deserve a concentration camp and deportation? Some people need to get serious about supporting our Constitution. Hypocrisy will not solve the problem of Obeying the Law. And, we’re getting tons of that (HYPOCRISY) from the right wing that elected a serial lawbreaker, now turned to murdering CITIZENS, and the entire crew he empowered.
JimboXYZ says
Biden-Harris job reports were Delaware lies, restated for overstated prosperity. Not even a soft landing that was crumbling & collapsing. Inflation is still out of control, like Kamala Harris said to Trump, “we aren’t going back”. $ years of fraud & abuse at this level resulted in 4 years of inflation that would embarrass Jimmy Carter & W Bush. Trump’s 2md term is much like Mayor Norris’s 1st term, just inheriting what the last one left him as a unsolvable mess.
“those numbers are now fantasy, replaced by the kind of sputtering job reports that have blighted Trump’s first-year rerun.”
Yes, America is vanishing, that ship sailed a long time ago under Biden. We still have the wars, Trump can’t even get that done. I figure when they realize they are running out of warm bodies to throw at the war, it’ll end that day. A human race united to save the human race from Covid is now a human race of population control. Some just make it easier than others.
Tired of it says
The reason this tragedies are happening is simple. trump wants an excuse, civil unrest, a war with another country, anything to accomplish two goals. Suspending elections and eclipsing the Epstein files. How could we have fallen so far in a year?
Big Mike says
U.S. immigration is facing severe operational and legal challenges but look on how we got here. The unauthorized immigrant population reached a historic high of 14 million by late 2023, a nearly 30% increase from 10.5 million in 2021. Prior U.S. presidents have deported millions of illegal immigrants, with the highest numbers occurring during the Obama administration, which oversaw more than 2.5 million removals between 2009 and 2016. Where was your outcry then???
Tired of it says
Yes, Pres. Obama deported thousands of illegal immigrants….and did it without killing any legal Americans exercising their 1st and 2nd Amendment rights. He didn’t send out of uniform, masked goons into any American city, let alone any red states.
Laurel says
Obama deported illegal immigrants without fighting U.S. citizens in the streets, and murdering them.
Sherry says
@ big mike. . . Please switch from FOX and do your research, “if” you want to learn the “factual” truth.
Just Google President Obama’s deportation protocols compared to trump’s. President Obama actually focused on deporting violent criminals and also turned around people entering “illegally” and returned them to their home countries “shortly” after their arrival. Where as currently ICE is breaking down doors to homes/cars of families who have been “productive, law abiding” member of our society for many years. Many are married to US citizens and have children. NOT “similar” at all!
You do understand that trump has overturned rules that past administrations implement to take in LEGAL “refugees”, right? People who did come here LEGALLY! Now, he is trying to deport them also. Those stories are told on many news outlets, like the BBC and online at AP NEWS . . . just NOT on FOX. You are being terribly duped if FOX is your source for your perspective on this and many other situations.
If the Maga Republicans in congress would just allow comprehensive immigration reform, “LEGAL” immigration could happen in a much more reasonable way. I know immigration attorneys. . . they tell me that the current rules are so complicated and arbitrary that even they have great difficulty in applying them correctly.
Regarding lower wages VS slavery. . . those are FOX BS “talking points”. Those jobs ARE the “boot straps” uneducated immigrants are willing to use to make a life for their families in our country. The majority are not “slaves”. . . they are “choosing” to work at those menial jobs so that their next generations can live in the US, get a good education and have a better life.
Yes, there are some who are “trafficked”. . . often for sexual abuse by people similar to Epstein. Most certainly those ring leaders should be arrested and subjected to our laws and justice system. BTW. . . We still haven’t seen those Epstein files!!!! What will be the “next” distraction? War with Iran?
Sherry says
For the Maga cult members who “incessantly” say immigrants are acceptable as long as they are here “LEGALLY”. Here is the most recent of “many” stories on how trump is trying to “REMOVE THE LEGAL STATUS” of thousand of “LEGAL” refugees. . . this from Politico:
A federal judge has frozen a Trump administration plan to strip more than 10,000 immigrants of their legal status next week.
U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani issued a temporary restraining order Saturday that extends the “family reunification parole” status of immigrants who were set to see it expire on Wednesday as part of the administration’s broad crackdown on immigration.
Talwani, said immigration officials failed to properly notify those who might lose their legal authorization to remain in the United States, despite a requirement that they receive direct notification.
NJ says
Another Chinese Communist Party BULLSHIT article about how terrible America has become. Thank God for people who Love America and Support America First! The CCP supports China First and they are supporting the Russian Invasion of Ukraine!
Deborah Coffey says
America FIRST is America ALONE is America LAST. We’re well on our way to America LAST.
Karen C says
MAGA idiots? This is coming from the “love everyone “ party….
Point made.
BTW. Come here legally and you are welcome. Because us MAGA IDIOTS are REQLLY the ones who love ALL.
Sherry says
@karen c. . . Please read my reply to “big mike”. Please get “educated” on the actual “facts” by switching from FOX propaganda and studying what is really happening by reading the Associated Press online and watching the BBC news on TV.
BTW. . . I did not read anyone calling “you” a Maga idiot. Does that shoe fit? If so, ask yourself why “you” chose to define yourself in that way.
The dude says
Are they REQLLY not the idiots??? And do they REQLLY love all???
They why are they cheering for the shooting in the face of a woman (American citizen) moving her car out of traffic, and the shooting of a disarmed, subdued man (American citizen) in the street?
“MAGA idiots” is being kind to the hateful morons if you ask me.
Gina says
How about calling them this: The Hands of Hate
Sherry says
Thank you The Dude and Gina!
Laurel says
I watched Real Time with Bill Maher last night (so-so) and one of his guests was John Kennedy, Senator of Louisiana. When questioned, Kennedy had some good answers, but what was disappointing was, he frequently deferred to Biden or Obama. C’mon, folks, can you not talk about current events practiced by Trump without injecting Biden or Obama? That’s what the Republican politicians do. That’s what they are taught to say, and it is parroted by their admirers. Deflect. Defer. Same old, same old. Tiresome. Some of our commenters here cannot get through a day without their daily dose of deflection. It’s like an addiction. Pepper it up a bit, and occasionally throw in Pelosi and Clinton. But, I understand. It’s impossible to defend the indefensible, so deflect.
Meanwhile…
I read such comments as the immigrants are “slaves.” Slavery is not a choice, so let that one go.
No, our “silently quitting” generation is not running to apply for the immigrants jobs. So, let that one to, too.
What is happening to our younger generation is the dissolution of the American Dream. The hope is fading with the lawlessness of our federal government. The lack of caring for the individual. The greed of those who never seem to have enough. Corporate control. The lack of bridging of differences, and working together. The lack of humanity, humility, empathy and honor. The hatred turning into apathy. The power of gold, as Dan Fogelberg sang about (it’s currently all over the Oval Office).
I worry very much about our granddaughter, who will be living in a data controlled world, with DOGE babies throwing her statistics around as if she were a plastic toy. She is extremely bright, “gifted” and dark. Will her gift of intelligence, big heart and abilities be accepted? I no longer know. What future are we leaving these wonderful people? Incompetent government? Sanctioned bigotry? Division and hatred, and the apathy that is following? Extreme division of classes? The extremely wealthy and the extremely poor? The rest of the world seeing our country as a place to no longer trust and work with?
If we don’t come together as a country, and stop this blaming of others for our own problems, we are basically doomed, never again, to be the country we once were: The American Dream, which once, attracted many, including our families.
The dude says
I weep for what the dystopian future created by the oligarchs, tech bros and MAGA have in store for my children.
I encourage them not to to procreate any chance I get. At least not until the kleptocracy has been dismantled. Trickle up economics only seems to be accelerating.
Laurel says
Dude: Now you got it. The forces of the negative change started around the 1970’s, and was pushed on us, bit by bit over the decades. Corporations have lobbyists, and the money to put their puppets in place, telling us it’s patriotic to vote (“Corporations are people, my friends”). The average Americas were kept busy, and simply did what they could to try to survive, buy their homes and have a retirement. Just like today, we were lied to, but much more subtly. Today, it’s blatant. The divisions are very intentional. The more divided, the more the oligarchs get want they want.
The only thing I would say about your kids, is don’t discourage them so harshly. You never know. Don’t defeat them before they get a chance to make life better for themselves. Teach them confidence. They may actually be the ones to turn it all around!
Sherry says
Right On Laurel and The Dude! Tragically, that is precisely what awaits future generations. . . if somehow our planet survives climate change.
Sherry says
Paris Agreement withdrawal takes effect
The U.S. is officially out of the Paris Agreement, a global climate pact that seeks to limit the Earth’s rising temperatures.
President Trump moved to pull the U.S. from the global agreement on his first day in office. However, the withdrawal takes a year to go into effect and the United Nations said last year that the move would take effect on Jan. 27, 2026.
Trump’s move is largely symbolic, representing the U.S.’s broader move away from climate policy.
His administration has embraced planet-warming fossil fuels and eschewed renewable energy sources. It is also expected to soon repeal both a 2009 determination that said climate change posed a threat to the public and clean car regulations that go along with it.
Trump also withdrew from the Paris Agreement during his first time in office. Former President Biden rejoined the pact.
The Paris Agreement sets out the goal of limiting the increase in the world’s average surface temperature to well below two degrees celsius (3.6 degrees fahrenheit) with the further goal of keeping warming beneath 1.5 degrees celsius (2.7 degrees fahrenheit).
JOSEPH HEMPFLING says
money out of politics, term limits and most of all MORAL COURAGE !
Anita says
Having read most of the conservative manifesto, listened to what is being said, and watched with growing horror the actions being taken by the current Conservative/Republican/MAGA crowd, I worry less about children of the wealthy having to pick crops in lieu of illiterate newcomers than I do of the very deliberate destruction of Democracy, itself.
If you take the trouble to read about the backgrounds of people like the Trump, Musk and Thiel families; the casual cruelty of Lownes, Miller, Vance and Noem; and the ruthlessness of Vogt, Bannon and many involved in the Military-Industrial complex, you can see what shaped their thoughts, as well as every step nudging us closer to the dissolution of the US Constitution. The undisciplined child in the White House, hinting his wish to suspend mid-term elections, and maybe all future elections. “Why Not?”‘ he asks, his belligerent tone masked by a sly smile. He doesn’t know it, but he is becoming more “tool” than “leader” and his use may even be coming to an end.
Vote tampering, co-0pting the Judiciary and Legislative branches of our Government, ruling by “Executive Order” (read ‘fiat’) and establishing separate , violent and unaccountable to any but the Executive Branch ,para-military units are but first steps in the coup of America and If it succeeds, we could all be harvesting crops.
Sherry says
Excellent comment Anita! Thank You!
Skibum says
Let’s examine some facts. Here is a link to the Pew Research Center’s August 2025 report on undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/08/RE_2025.08.21_Unauthorized-Immigrants_REPORT.pdf
Texas has the 2nd highest number of all 50 states, with an estimated 2.1 million undocumented immigrants. Florida is the 3rd highest with 1.6 million undocumented immigrants. It is estimated that California has the most – 2.3 million undocumented immigrants. The entire state of Minnesota has less than 300,000 undocumented immigrants, far, far below those states which the federal ICE agents SHOULD be surging into if undocumented immigrants were really the true focus of the federal government.
ICE agents already were sent to CA cities, and have mostly left the state. Where is the surge of ICE agents to any of the large cities in TX, where more than 2 million undocumented immigrants are reported to be living? Or large cities in FL? Is it because both are “red” states with maga supporting governors? Minnesota has so few undocumented immigrants compared to any number of other states, yet between 3.000 and 5,000 federal ICE agents have surged into that state, causing chaos after their agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens in separate shootings after they were lawfully protesting ICE presence in Minneapolis.
Do maga sheeple not recall all of the buses that the TX governor ordered, then loaded up with undocumented immigrants and sent those buses to various democrat run cities in other states? Do these maga idiots not remember our FL governor wanting to get into the action as well, secretly using state taxpayer dollars to pay for both buses and also planes to go to TX, load up undocumented immigrants from that state and transport them to other, far away states just for shits and giggles? Then both of these horrible governors, sorry excuses not only for leaders but as human beings, have the temerity to stand in front of TV cameras and disparage city mayors in some of the same cities they ordered bus load after bus load of undocumented immigrants to go to, dropping those immigrants out on sidewalks without food or resources, to try to make it on their own in “blue” cities they had no connection to – and then they use the very same undocumented immigrant population in those cities to lie that “blue” city leaders are taking American citizen’s tax dollars out of their pockets to give to undocumented immigrants.
Talk about circular thinking! This is more of a grand conspiracy by the convicted felon sex abuser in the WH along with his maga lovin sycophant governors and federal officials, all of whom are incompetent, unethical, and trying their hardest to sow discontent and division among the American people, all for their own immoral purposes.
And when American citizens in cities that are being unjustly targeted by ICE surges go out into the streets to lawfully protest, standing up for what is right, it is those same American citizens who are labeled as “domestic terrorists”.
Ed P says
Skibum,
Florida has a state level program. Operation Tidal Wave in partnership with the feds. To date 10,400 illegals removed.
Might be part of reason ICE has not surged major cities in Florida. Also very few law enforcement agencies support sanctuary activities and cooperate with Federal Law. Senate bill 168 passed in 2019.
Skibum says
Ed P, I have to disagree with you because according to the latest undocumented immigrant statistics, TX has the 3rd highest number of undocumented of all 50 states with approx. 2.6 million. FL comes in just behind TX at 4th highest with just under 2 million. Those totals are much, much higher than Minn., which is way down at #23 with an estimate of between a hundred thousand to 300 thousand at the most. When you look at the nation’s urban cities with the highest percentage of undocumented immigrant populations, cities in TX and FL rank up at or near the top, with the twin cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul at the bottom with just 2% of the total population being undocumented.
https://www.poynter.org/fact-checking/2026/florida-texas-undocumented-immigrants-not-minnesota-vance-claim/
You are entitled to your own opinion, of course, but not your own facts. Even if it is true that 10,400 undocumented immigrants have been removed from FL, where are YOUR statistics to validate that number. What period of time are you including to get that total? Does that amount include all of the undocumented immigrants that DeSantis spent taxpayer dollars without legislative approval to send buses and planes to TX multiple times to transport undocumented immigrants from TX to far away cities in other “blue” states just to falsely claim them as part of his “purge” of undocumented immigrants from FL? He has already tried to hide all of the money spent on that misadventure, so how can anyone look at anything he provides and say it is factual?
I believe the truth of the matter is that the state of Minn. and the cities of Minneapolis in particular were targeted by the convicted felon in the WH not because of high numbers of undocumented immigrants, because the facts show otherwise, but because Minn. has a democrat governor that was Kamala Harris’ running mate against the convicted felon president in the last election, because Minneapolis has a democrat mayor, and because one of that state’s members of Congress, Ilhan Omar, is of Somali ancestry… all three of whom the convicted felon president absolutely HATES. They are making up lies about how many undocumented immigrants are living in Minn., they are making up lies about the Somali U.S. citizens of Minn. and trying to justify the ICE surge there when many times more undocumented immigrants are walking the streets of numerous cities in TX and FL, states which have maga supporting republican governors who the convicted felon leaves alone as long as they continue to put their noes up his rear end.
Sherry says
@ Skibum. . . there is simply no reasoning with the “Maga Indoctrinated”! Unfortunately, you are wasting your time in trying. BUT, I love you for it!
Atwp says
I wrote a comment, it wasn’t posted. The fund drive will start later this year. Was it too racist, I probably made a mistake while posting it. Answers please.
FlaglerLive says
Advocating or wishing violence on others will get your comment disallowed. Please comply with our comment policy. Thank you.
Atwp says
Ty. Will try.
Sherry says
As Laurel says. . . “Come on Baby, Let’s Do the (Maga) Twist”! The Maga trolling diehards actually do have “lying eyes” to go with their lying brains. They constantly launder lies, cherry pick, and “TWIST” the facts in a completely lame attempt to justify their life’s view and complete devotion to their lord and master trump! Have you noticed that they rarely post ANY credible and complete factual evidence for their “culture war” remarks?
TDS= “trump Devotion Syndrome”!
Sherry says
Today’s Poll Results from The Hill media outlet:
How concerned are you, if at all, about the future of democracy in the US?
Very concerned
68%
Somewhat concerned
13%
Not at all concerned
17%
Other / No opinion
2%
Based on 2,688 responses