Tuesday, January 13, 2026
New to URL Media? Subscribe below to get our weekly newsletters.
A View From the Ground
News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.
This week, let’s talk about the "f-word," what’s happening at ICE detention centers, the Minneapolis ICE shooter and more. And as always, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com.
Credit: AsAm News
It's time to work together. We could lose democracy if we don't.
Emil Guillermo reflects in AsAm News on Trump's second term through a lens of deep concern, calling out what they see as dangerous overreach. From pardoning January 6 rioters (at least 33 were later rearrested for new crimes) to launching a military strike on Venezuela and arresting President Maduro, the piece argues Trump is pushing America into what Guillermo bluntly calls fascism.
Trump himself told the New York Times that only "my own morality, my own mind" can stop him. After an ICE agent killed Renee Good in Minneapolis, Trump immediately labeled her a "professional agitator" without investigation. Guillermo sees a pattern of unchecked power and asks how Americans can push back.
The answer might be in collective action. Take New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams's inauguration speech about holding hands and not letting anyone fall through the cracks; it's a call for people power, inspired by Filipino protests against Marcos, to counter what Guillermo sees as America's dangerous backward slide.
Source: Sahan Journal / Alberto Villafan
Oversight at a detention center, a big change in a Michigan race, the Minneapolis ICE shooter and more stories from the URL Media network
Oversight denied at ICE detention center: Three Minnesota congresswomen showed up for a surprise oversight visit to the Fort Snelling immigration detention center on Saturday and got kicked out. Reps. Morrison, Omar, and Craig say they had authorization and legal precedent on their side, but DHS told them to leave anyway, citing a seven-day notice requirement a judge already blocked. In their brief time inside, they saw 20 people detained in a facility with no beds or hygiene products. The congresswomen say ICE is openly violating federal law and blocking congressional oversight. Keep reading at Sahan Journal.
Michigan’s lieutenant governor switches races: Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist just ditched his governor's race to run for secretary of state instead, clearing the path for frontrunner Jocelyn Benson. Gilchrist was getting crushed in fundraising (he had $378K while Benson had nearly $3 million) and couldn't match her name recognition. The secretary of state role is huge in Michigan, overseeing elections in a key battleground state. Meanwhile, former Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan is running as an independent and skipping the Democratic primary entirely, which has Democrats stressed about splitting their vote. Keep reading at Outlier Media.
ICE shooter flew MAGA flags at home: The ICE agent who killed Minneapolis poet Renee Good is a 43-year-old MAGA supporter who flew Trump and "Don't Tread On Me" flags at his home. Jonathan Ross is married to a Filipino American woman, and his sister publicly disagreed with him on Facebook about Trump refusing to denounce the Proud Boys in 2020. Just months before the shooting, Ross was dragged 300 feet by a deportation suspect's car and needed 20 stitches. Neighbors describe his wife as outgoing while calling him "very reserved." Keep reading at AsAm News.
Florida wants two more immigration detention sites: Florida is waiting on federal approval for a third immigration detention center and eyeing a fourth, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced. The state already runs "Alligator Alcatraz" in the Everglades and "Deportation Depot" at a former prison. DeSantis says Florida has made 20,000 immigration arrests in the past year and Trump needs more detention space. But attorneys say conditions at the Everglades facility are deplorable, with flooded tents and officers pressuring detainees to sign deportation papers before talking to lawyers. Three federal lawsuits are challenging the facility's practices and legality. Keep reading at The Haitian Times.
Source: iStockOther recommended reading
Houston judges unite to bridge gap between culture and community - Houston Defender
How Donald Trump’s takeover of Venezuela is nothing new - The Latino Newsletter
Have a question? Write to [email protected].
This content was created with AI assistance or collection.
