Scientist Banned From Entering US Over Opinions About Trump—Minister
"The space researcher was randomly selected for a search when arriving in Houston, Texas, on March 9, AFP and Le Monde reported. Officers found messages criticizing Trump's policies on his phone and computer following sweeping cuts to scientific research.
U.S. authorities saw these messages as "hate and conspiracy messages," which prompted an FBI investigation that was later dropped.
However, the researcher was sent back to France.
CBP's move to deny entry to a foreign national seemingly solely based on their opinion of the president, rather than necessarily expressing ill will or intentions to harm him, comes amid increased scrutiny of those entering the country."
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Welcome to Hungary -- we are no long the "land of the free and the home of the brave" when this sort of intimidation of foreigners happens. What makes any of us think it won't happen to us? To this blog, for example, that has a low opinion of Trump?
When MAGA chanted, "Let's Go Brandon," which meant "F**k Joe Biden," not one of those Trump supporters, foreign or domestic, lived in fear of being questioned by the FBI or any federal authority about it. But that was under a president whose administration was NOT authoritarian like this one under Felon Trump.
This is what we live under now.
What are we going to do about this assault on US?
16 comments:
Oppression of anything and anyone that does not hail the Amerikan Fuhrer as the greatest is on the way. It'll be here sooner rather than later.
It’s here now.
On some things you can call me pollyannish, but I'm going to choose to believe all of this incident is still not known.
Maybe I'm being hopeful in the midst of everything else.
Toxic waste, which most accurately defines the Fuhrer of the USA, will ,as it grows more toxic ultimately results in the Fuhrer's undoing. We simply will have to be patient as good people work to crumble his lies and hate.
Who gave the president the power to withhold money committed to a university because he disagrees with something they do. I agree that men should not be allowed to beat up women in sports but he doesn't have the authority to punish those who disagree with him as long as it is legal and that's still in question.
I'm sure this will not hold up in court but we should spend our taxpayer money for other things than paying lawyers to defend stupid decisions.
From the NYTimes: "Philippe Baptiste, France’s minister for higher education and research, described the move as worrying.
“Freedom of opinion, free research and academic freedom are values we will continue to proudly uphold,” Mr. Baptiste said in a statement. “I will defend the possibility for all French researchers to be faithful to them, in compliance with the law, wherever they may be in the world.”
Mr. Baptiste did not identify the scientist who was turned away but said that the academic was working for France’s publicly funded National Center for Scientific Research and had been traveling to a conference near Houston when border officials stopped him.
The U.S. authorities denied entry to the scientist and then deported him because his phone contained message exchanges with colleagues and friends in which he expressed his “personal opinion” on the Trump administration’s science policies, Mr. Baptiste said.
It was not immediately clear what led the border authorities to stop the scientist, why they examined the contents of his phone or what they found objectionable about the conversations.
Customs officers are allowed to search the cellphone, computer, camera or any other electronic device of any travelers crossing the border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, although the agency says that such instances are rare. In 2024, less than 0.01 percent of arriving international travelers had their electronic devices searched, according to the agency.
Mr. Baptiste has been particularly vocal over the past few weeks in denouncing threats to academic freedom in the United States, where funding cuts and layoffs by the Trump administration have targeted institutions of higher education, scientific research and the federal government’s own scientific work force.
Mr. Baptiste has also urged French universities and research institutes to welcome researchers seeking to leave the United States.
“Europe must be there to protect research and welcome the talent that can contribute to its success,” Mr. Baptiste wrote on social media after meeting with his European counterparts in Warsaw on Wednesday to address “threats to free research in the United States.”
Skud... no one gave a president the power to withhold money committed to anything. The Constitution of the US gives that power specifically and only to Congress. Period.
Anything else is by definition, unconstitutional.
I wonder why MAGA folks, maybe you included, are so in favor of discarding two centuries of this reality in favor of a few political wins?
Why don't ppl already know this? It's basic high school civics. Surely the clowns at the Mothership, a few teachers among them, one who specifically taught civics, know this.
And yet, who cares? Not a one...
Conservatives and lovers of the Constitution my eye.
This is why we can't have nice things: The Captain of the Mother Ship wrote this without a scintilla of self-awareness -- (none of the sailors would have picked up on it either, because they suffer from TDS):
Geeez: "We don’t honor criminals in America."
She voted to put a convicted felon/adjudicated sexual assaulter in the presidency!
She's also suspicious of our friend, BB-Idaho: "BB-IDAHO….someone in my Moderation comments said he had no problem believing you’re patriotic but that some of your comments at liberal sites don’t give him that impression at ALL…"
That's MAGA mentality. If you have a whiff of anything liberal in your opinions at Mother Ship, your patriotism is suspect. They don't see themselves for what they are.
Here's her fantasy for what Trump should say to the American people: “Americans, you are hearing about community judges who want to stop me from doing what you asked me to do;"
What the hell are "community judges?" Anyway, it is the judicial branch of our government's job to decide if something the executive or legislative branch does is CONSTITUTIONAL. Just because Trump is president, that doesn't make him a KING! with absolute power. The Constitution is the law of the land and even King Trump needs to conform to the law of the land.
I swear Geeez and her cohorts know nothing about our Constitution and are glad to see our country sleep-walking into authoritarianism. Her blog is filled with that longing, because she and her fellow sailors are in love with Trump, not our country and its laws.
The argument about the judge who made the decision to tell the president he can't deport criminals was appointed by bush so the argument that he is a left wingnut is not correct. Should he have the authority to override the president, I don't believe he should. Trump used an existing law and a judge shouldn't have issued a decision.
Of course the left is all in a panic because their non-leadership team is to busy trying to shut down the government and supporting violence. So much for peaceful demonstration when you have the minnesota clown is thrilled about the states retirement fund losing a significant portion of the funds because tesla is down. When the right took exception to bud lite they didn't buy it. When the left took exception to tesla, they burned and vandalized. So much for personal choice because it is if you disagree with us we will fight you.
I think we should leave the decision on whether or not Trump broke the law up to the judges who know the law. The right to due process applies to everyone, including undocumented immigrants, as guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution, regardless of legal status.
If Trump doesn’t like the law, there are processes available to change it. He cannot just ignore the Constitution. He would be breaking his oath of office, and that’s an impeachable offense.
Skud, The plain reading of the Alien Sedition Act gives the president those powers during war time. If Trump is using it as legal justification for his deportations, it's up to the legal system to determine the legality of his justification.
I'm a Minnesotan. Our investment fund manages $125 billion in assets. Investment in Tesla is $1.8M. I think we'll survive the hit.
I guess I'm a Lefty. Vandalizing Tesla is criminal and stupid. I haven't seen or heard any politician or citizen on "The Left" condone violence against Tesla. I hope anyone who uses violence gets arrested and then we'll probably find out their political affiliation. You might regret your broad brush if you're capable of regret.
As for Bud Light. The Right was angry over a trans women in an add. The CEO wasn't firing fed workers, defunding scientific research, life saving work abroad, education, myriad gov. services, on and on. It appears he's doing it in violation of the Constitution. A few on the angry Right bought a bunch of Bud Light and sprayed it with bullets (Manly) or bought a bunch of cases so they could steam roller them. I would never accuse everyone on the Right as being that petty and stupid.
Trump will not be impeached. Regardless his disrespect for the rule of law and the Constitution he swore to uphold. For him the only interpretation seen as vaid is his own.
He is, after all, King Donnie.
The Christian Nationalists are even praying over him in the Oval Office.
The American right has lost its frigging mind.
skud, tell me you don't know how the three co-equal branches of our government work without saying the words.
Someone never had the opportunity to view any of the shorts produced for Schoolhouse Rock.
Craig, Who knew wanting clean air and waterways, healthcare, housing, and nutrition for all our fellow citizens was a lefty thing. Back in the day it was considered the least one could do. Now it's called Marxist (it's not) or Communist (also not).
When skud mentioned 'lefties' losing their cool over Tesla vs their oh so moderate response to Bud lite I also flashed on the plethora of videos filming stacks made of cases of beer being gunned down not with just a revolver or a six shooter but with assault rifles fitted with bump stocks issuing a multitude of bullets expended with insufficient backstop.
Right. A totally measured response to a private company exercising their First Amendment Rights.
Honestly if skud and those like them didn't have double standards they'd have no standards at all.
Grey, I haven't read where any tesla owners setting their car afire. Own a can of beer and you can do what you want with it, torch a store carrying the beer is not the same.
You can see the difference can't you.
As Ms. Shaw, let the courts decide. The problem with that is if trump is found guilty what is going to happen to him. The SCOTUS has determined a president is immune from prosecution during time in office. He doesn't care about his popularity or reelection so what is going to happen.
We have created a situation where the president can do whatever he wants.
QUOTE OF THE DAY - QUOTE OF THE DAY
This is, of course, from Skud, who was speaking of a SCOTUS decision granting immunity to a president for most, if not all crimes he, or she commits while in office...
"We have created a situation where the president can do whatever he wants."
Skud, who is this "we"?
It's not me, Shaw, RN, BB or most of the other commenters here. It was you and your MAGA supporting friends. You voted for the party that denied a Dem a legit opportunity to name a SCOTUS judge. You and your MAGA friends enabled Trump, his lies, and his SCOTUS picks to create this situation.
It was you Skud and the politicians you've supported, voted for and encouraged that caused this. There is no "we" involved here. It's all on you, your friends who support Trump, your friends who vote for a GOP that enables him and you who try everyday to deflect blame and skirt responsibility.
And unless and until you and folks like you get it, that you are the reason this is happening, we'll never move forward.
Never.
Dems have been crappy presidents for sure. But none has ever claimed immunity from prosecution while in office. Never. And none has ever shown such ineptness in running the federal government.
Even Sleepy Joe on his worst day, never destroyed our international security alliances, never put innocent ppl in jail after admitting they committed no crime and never pardoned a single person who "savagely and brutally" beat US Capitol Police Officers. And Sleepy Joe never turned our collective US backs on a Democratic ally fighting an invading Communist army, bent on establishing dictatorial rule.
This is all on you Skud and the people, who like you, enabled his presidency and for the most part, cheer him and his minions on. Each and every day.
You own this Skud. Not us, not we.
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