The Man Is Charged With Zero Crimes — But Is Being Denied Visits From His Wife And Child — In Custody For Two Months In Jena… Without A Formal Judicial Charging Hearing?!?

This cannot be allowed to persist. There is no showing of dangerousness — let alone any felony indictment. To the extent he is suspected of anything, it was a peaceful protest at Columbia U, months ago now. Even if Noem thinks he wasn’t completely candid on his entry application (now over a decade ago)… not a jot of it suggests any real security concern.

But I am reprinting his counsel’s entire letter, to the able USDC Judge in Newark — as it makes clear that for Rubio / Noem / Trump… lawless cruelty is the sole end goal here. There is no policy being advanced — just fascist terror and abduction — at will. [I will not link the PDF, as it contains the doctor’s full name — and there are lots of MAGA nuts that might come after her, as they did Mr. Abrego Garcia’s wife. Damn.] So here it is, in full, with only the redactions I indicated:

…Dear Judge Farbiarz:

Petitioner respectfully writes with an urgent request for this Court’s intervention regarding his ongoing detention. Specifically, and for the reasons set forth below and to aid in his habeas and proceedings, Petitioner requests that this Court issue an order: (1) requiring the LaSalle Detention Facility to permit Mr. Khalil to have a private contact visit with his wife, Dr. [Redacted], and newborn child today, May 21, 2025, for two hours1 and/or (2) at a minimum, permit Dr. [Redacted] to join a contact visit currently scheduled with immigration counsel at LaSalle so the legal team can discuss legal strategy and facts known collectively between Dr. [Redacted] and Mr. Khalil and which is relevant to his pending habeas case and for pending motions in his immigration proceedings. One of the first orders issued in this case was to direct the U.S. Attorney’s office to ensure that DHS would provide regular access to counsel, Khalil v. Joyce, 1:25-cv-01935, ECF 29 (S.D.N.Y.), which is an equitable power this Court retains and authorizes the relief requested — modest as it is as compared to the painful costs of denial.

As the Court is aware, the Khalil family welcomed their first child one month ago, on April 21, 2025. In order to provide the most indispensable human connection and to help Mr. Khalil prepare for his ongoing habeas proceeding and for the upcoming immigration hearing, Petitioner’s wife and his newborn baby have traveled over 6 hours and 1500 miles to visit Mr. Khalil in detention, which will be the first time he will be able to see or hold his family since his arrest and transfer to Louisiana, over 10 weeks ago. As this Court well knows, Mr. Khalil is purportedly in civil immigration detention, where he cannot be subject to punishment or retaliation; yet currently, routine legal or family visits only occur in a confined space permitting muffled communication through a full plexiglass window that permits no human touch.

Petitioner’s counsel have made repeated requests for a contact visit to occur between Mr. Khalil and his wife and baby to the relevant ICE and GeoGroup administrators at the LaSalle Detention Facility in Jena. Such a visit is necessary for the most elementary human reasons and given the ongoing strain of his pending habeas petition, this visit is critical to ensure Mr. Khalil, who is an active participant his legal case, can continue to meaningfully contribute to the proceedings before this Court.

The relevant administrators have responded that they are unable to accommodate this request, including a confirmation of this refusal this morning. (Email correspondence attached as Exhibit A). ICE policy authorizes contact visits between detained individuals and family members, subject to the reasonable discretion of DHS officials. The refusal to permit a contact visit is not reasonable and is further evidence of the retaliatory motive behind Mr. Khalil’s arrest and faraway detention as well as the ongoing punitive nature of his detention. Petitioner, his wife and infant son are, as all the evidence in this case demonstrates, the farthest thing from a security risk. It is the government who chose to detain Mr. Khalil and send him 1500 miles from his family rather than detain him, as they could have (and as we have requested in seeking a transfer there), in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where counsel confirmed with an EDC official that family contact visits are ordinarily provided on a daily basis and where a parent is permitted to hold their child.

In addition, a legal contact visit has been authorized for today between Mr. Khalil and his counsel, from 11-3pm CT. It thus appears the facility can accommodate contact visits absent a plexiglass barrier. Thus, the facility should make accommodations during or after this time for a private in-person visit where the family can be alone together for the first time. In addition, and at a minimum, counsel needs to meet with Petitioner and his wife together to discuss the factual circumstances surrounding his arrest on March 8, 2025. This discussion is relevant both to his habeas proceedings and his immigration proceedings. For the former, this conversation is relevant to his claims of retaliatory arrest and detention and the unusual circumstances surrounding both events that reflect the government’s retaliatory motive. For the latter, Petitioner has an outstanding motion to terminate his removal proceedings on the grounds of his warrantless arrest and to rebut DHS’s misrepresentation to the immigration court that Mr. Khalil attempted to evade his arrest.

Undersigned counsel emailed the government to seek assistance with this request and their position on this motion, and agreed to give the government until 12:30 PM ET to communicate a response. The government finally responded that they would not facilitate a contact visit as “doing so would pose security concerns, such as requiring the visit to occur in an unsecure part of the facility or requiring Mr. Khalil’s wife and newborn inside a secured part of the facility.” Petitioner has responded asking for clarification regarding these responses in the hope of reaching an accommodation, but is filing this motion nevertheless in the interest of expediency….

/s/

And, contrary to Ms. Noem’s idiotic answers (yesterday at a hearing on the Hill), the great writ of habeas corpus is the opposite of what she said. It is not the preznit’s right to deport. It secures the PEOPLE’S right to be released from lawless detentions, like these. Damnation. Out.

नमस्ते

More Wondrous Barsoomian Geology Underway — Perseverance Now Sampling Some Of The Oldest Rocks On The Martian Surface… Perhaps 5 Billion Years On…

It is a vast privilege to be alive during an era when the inter-planetary sciences are advancing by leaps and bounds, month by month — due to NASA and JPL and ESA and JAXA and the Indian, Chinese and Russian science efforts all leap-frogging forward, and often in concert.

This spirit of close cooperation would be a wonder to be seen, should it start to “spill over” — into our international politics, more broadly. [But anything like that… will have to await the end of 47’s term, at a minimum — to be certain.] Still, here is the midday’s fascinating and great update — from my favorites — John Carter / Barsoomian / Jezero Crater:

…NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover is exploring a new region of interest the team is calling “Krokodillen” that may contain some of the oldest rocks on Mars. The area has been on the Perseverance science team’s wish list because it marks an important boundary between the oldest rocks of Jezero Crater’s rim and those of the plains beyond the crater.

“The last five months have been a geologic whirlwind,” said Ken Farley, deputy project scientist for Perseverance from Caltech in Pasadena. “As successful as our exploration of “Witch Hazel Hill” has been, our investigation of Krokodillen promises to be just as compelling.”

Named by Perseverance mission scientists after a mountain ridge on the island of Prins Karls Forland, Norway, Krokodillen (which means “the crocodile” in Norwegian) is a 73-acre (about 30-hectare) plateau of rocky outcrops located downslope to the west and south of Witch Hazel Hill.

A quick earlier investigation into the region revealed the presence of clays in this ancient bedrock. Because clays require liquid water to form, they provide important clues about the environment and habitability of early Mars. The detection of clays elsewhere within the Krokodillen region would reinforce the idea that abundant liquid water was present sometime in the distant past, likely before Jezero Crater was formed by the impact of an asteroid. Clay minerals are also known on Earth for preserving organic compounds, the building blocks of life….

Now you know — still gray here, but the rains are at an end… and it is warming up — maybe even enough for a lakeside bike ride, followed by some hot soup! Grin!

नमस्ते

Gee, Scott — How Many Former [Or Current] Preznits… Were PERSONALLY Convicted Of 32 Felonies?! How Many?

Scott Johnson is… rather flatulent, this morning. He and Judge Ho… both are vexed by what they (preposterously) perceive as “the unfairness” the Supremes, and the District Courts, as a rule… have engaged in, in looking at Tangerine 2.0.

Both argue that he is not getting the “presumption of regularity” he is due.

H I L A R I O U S.

First, we have never (in 240 years of history!) had a felon at 1600 Penn. — now twice. No president has EVER accepted a $500 million bribe from a power he previously called a sponsor of global terror.

No previous president ever was found liable in a forcible sexual assault trial on the merits. No president ever was barred from running charities in New York, for life — due to tax scams created to benefit that president on his 1040.

No president ever exhorted his rabid followers to storm the Capitol and prevent a peaceful transfer of power (in an impotent bid to holdover in office!) — resulting in the injury of dozens of law enforcement officers, and at least two deaths.

That is why he is now on the losing end of about 110 rulings — in perhaps as many cases, to three, that ended in his favor.

I could go on — but the point (by now) is blindingly obvious: this man is entitled to only a “presumption” of… criminality — and mob-actions. These are his stock in trade, Scottie.

Wake up. Smell the coffee, man. Damn.

Out.

Palette Cleanser?! Let’s Catch Up — On The Science Of Rain, Over Frigid Northern Ocean-Shores, On Saturn’s Moon, Titan…

We find that the endless bouts of lawlessness… fatigue our sensibilities — so we will now venture off… into space, with NASA’s JWST — for some planetary learnings, this rainy mid-afternoon. [More backgrounders, here.]

Do enjoy the excellent video below, on it all:

…Of all the alien worlds in our solar system, one in particular resembles our home planet. Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is the only other place we know of where you could walk along the seashore or stand in the rain. However, Titan’s exotic seas and its oily raindrops are not made of water, but of the natural gases methane and ethane, super-chilled into liquid form. Now, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a crucial, missing step in how ethane is formed, and its discovery could tell us about the future of Titan’s atmosphere….

Onward, forever grinning….

नमस्ते

The REVOLUTION [Initial McIver Appearance] WILL BE TELEVISED. Hah. Hon. US Rep. McIver To Be Zoomed In From DC Today…

I can’t emphasize enough what a completely lawless, and idiotic, move this is — by Trumpian Alina Habba.

A political appointee in NJ cannot criminalize oversight by the Congress (just entered as text order this morning in 25-mj-15118):

…Pursuant to Fed. Rule Cr. P. 5(g), at the request of [Hon. US Rep. McIver] due to her need to be in Washington, D.C. for a congressional session, and with the consent of the Government, the initial appearance in this matter shall be held via video conference. A live stream will be available in the courthouse for members of the public to attend and view. So Ordered by Magistrate Judge Stacey D. Adams on 05/21/25….

Cheers, to one and all — of good will!

नमस्ते

Here’s That Oregon Tariffs Case, Due To Be Argued Tomorrow In NYC — On Injunction, Against Trump’s Lawless IEEPA Invocation.

As mentioned in the immediately prior post,we will take help wherever it comes from in blunting Trump’s lawless power grab — on tariffs. In the International Court of Trade, in Manhattan tomorrow this motion will be argued, on behalf of state economies being wrecked by Trumpian tariffs.

Here’s to hoping that the CIT judges read (and enforce) the plain text of Congressional Acts, here:

…Congress limited the President’s IEEPA power to dealing with an “unusual and extraordinary threat” because it intended IEEPA to serve as residual authority to address unprecedented circumstances that Congress could not have anticipated through ordinary legislation. A persistent trade deficit for which Congress has already equipped the President with separate authorities that he “must, of course, comply with,” Yoshida, 526 F.2d at 582 n.33, does not constitute an “unusual and extraordinary threat.” Similarly, across-the-board tariffs on products that bear no relationship to the fentanyl crisis do not “deal with” that threat. See id. at 572 (“[T]he primary implication of an emergency power is that it should be effective to deal with a national emergency successfully.”)….

IEEPA is not a blank check for the President to fill out at his whim. As a matter of law, the tariffs that the President imposed fall outside authority Congress delegated under IEEPA. This Court should grant the States’ motion for summary judgment, declare the tariffs unlawful, and permanently enjoin them….

We will follow this one now — as well. Onward.

नमस्ते

So Hinderaker Shills For Trump’s Failures — Twice! — To Release A Full Physical?! Precious.

Tonight, John Hinderaker would tell us that Joe Biden is somehow a latter-day antichrist, for — in John’s fevered imaginings at least, not disclosing to the world that he had advanced cancer… which (of course!) John, without the benefit of any medical training, claims he has known about for more than four years.

The very notion is preposterous, and thus completely predictable from the malign and senile John Hinderaker.

But as is often the case with senile narrators, John doesn’t realize that the entirety of his belching nonsense does in fact indict Donald Trump.

In both 2016, and 2020 (as well as 2024?!), Donald Trump promised he would release his full physical results. [And tax returns — but why quibble?]

He did none of these things. And to my eye, he looks increasingly feeble, as though he is losing weight in an unnatural way… Not just Ozempic.

How soon will it be, when we learn that Trump‘s long-rumored decades long addiction to Adderall has broken his immune system?

And if Mr. Biden (even speciously) is thought to have committed a stoning offense by keeping private any part of his own long-term health issues in the last six months, should it not be a similar “stoning offense” — for the sitting occupant of 1600 Penn.?

Do tell, Johnnie. Do tell.

The Federalist Society Guy’s Florida Case Against Trump’s Tariffs Will Be Heard In The Court Of International Trade In NYC…

Well, we have a decision.

I think it unlikely that the [former?] Trump supporter will appeal this decision in North Florida — but he might. Here’s the opinion, and a bit:

…[A]t this point, it makes no sense for this case to remain in this Court because the CIT is already considering multiple nearly identical suits and the panel of judges presiding over two of those cases held a preliminary injunction in one of the cases (V.O.S.) last week and scheduled a preliminary injunction/summary judgment hearing in the other case (State of Oregon v. Trump, CIT Case No. 1:25- cv-77) for tomorrow….

Now you know. Onward. Here’s to opposing the Trump tariffs — via whomever, and wherever that all may go down. Grin.

नमस्ते

The Purported DoJ “Criminal Complaint” Just Dropped, In NJ — Complete With Highly Misleading Still Screen Caps… This Is… Professional Misconduct — By The US Atty.

Well, one thing is now certain: Alina Habba ain’t remotely the sharpest tool — in the shed.

The criminal complaint she’s filed overnight in Newark’s federal courts… admits that the Mayor COULD NOT lawfully be arrested, for seeking to inspect a non-compliant “ordinary business” — inside his city.

So the subsequent roughing up of the Mayor, by ICE agents, was from the go… unlawful. When a sitting member of Congress tries to defuse the unlawful action of the ICE agents (over whom she herself has oversight authority, under long standing federal law)… a scuffle ensues.

Now the dolt of a Tangerine 2.0 political appointee in New Jersey to the US Attorneys’ offices (Alina Habba)… has sworn out a criminal complaint against the intervening Congresswoman. This is silly — beyond words.

Here is what actually happened, and why Habba will be bounced on the very first motion to toss this case, as a lawless abuse of her office, and preposterously selective / retributive prosecution, based on largely on race, and party politics (in the Congresswoman’s own words):

…Earlier this month, I joined my colleagues to inspect the treatment of ICE detainees at Delaney Hall in my district,” McIver said in a statement. “We were fulfilling our lawful oversight responsibilities, as members of Congress have done many times before, and our visit should have been peaceful and short.

“Instead, ICE agents created an unnecessary and unsafe confrontation when they chose to arrest Mayor Baraka. The charges against me are purely political — they mischaracterize and distort my actions, and are meant to criminalize and deter legislative oversight….”

Hoping to bolster her chances of avoiding a professional discipline complaint — likely now, from the state bar authorities, Alina Habba includes screen caps of the longer video we’ve all seen — and the Congresswoman’s defense counsel will offer the able USDC Judge when s/he hears the matter, very shortly.

But Habba offers no factual connection to any unlawful activity, given that the DoJ now admits it had no predicate authority to try to arrest the Mayor. The doctrine is called “fruits of the poison tree” here. She’s DOA.

Ms. Habba won’t just be embarrassed by the able Judge — she will now face an abuse of process complaint, and a potential loss of her law license — just like Ms. Jenna Ellis (now disbarred — like Giuliani/Powell — Election Deniers, all), in Tangerine 1.0 (Ms. Ellis when still a lawyer — in 2020 — is in black and white, over Rudy’s shoulder, at right).

Hilarious.

नमस्ते

Don’t Believe A Word Of What Alina Habba Says. She Will NEVER Win This Purported “Obstruction” Case, Not Against A US House Member In Good Standing…

D A M N A T I O N.

A few weeks ago, we mentioned that these Tangerine 2.0 sycophants/jamokes are a-holes — and liars. Now one of them, who happens to be a political appointee in the DoJ, is trying to charge this protest — as some crime — all while admitting that the Mayor of Newark has the absolute right to serve a notice of concompliant business use on any facility in the city. So that cannot ever be any crime.

The idiot Alina Habba tells us that the entirely unarmed foursome of elected leaders “attacked a federal facility“. Flatly false.

The “facility” is a private, for profit contract prison, run by a NY businessman controlling the GEO Group, a New Jersey company.

It recently greatly expanded this previously-acquired private property, inside Newark city limits. As such, it is required to get re-certified by the city — AS A BUSINESS, before re-opening lawfully.

It is NOT a federal prison. At all. It is a for-profit / graft / Trumpian donor’s BUSINESS operation.

For at least four days, lower level local authorities tried to serve papers telling the biz it was out of compliance with local ordinances and laws. The lower level city officers were refused entrance, and left the papers hanging on the concertina wire barriers at the gates.

Then, the Mayor arrived — seeking to inspect the business, along with various members of the US Congress. They are plainly allowed to observe any federal / state dispute on the public sidewalks.

When refused entrance, a small scuffle ensued. No one stormed the Capitol. No one beat officers unconscious. No one shot anyone. No one ransacked the Speaker’s office, or stole the gavel. Or defecated on the marble floors.

In sum — this is fish v. bicycles, compared to J6. [Four people — as opposed to over 4,000 violent insurrectionists, trying to prevent a peaceful transfer of national power.]

And as for the garage lawyer, Alina Habba? She will never win on this charge — it will be dismissed immediately, in the federal courts of New Jersey — the only place she can bring it. This was lawful Amendment One activity. So, do sit this one out — all you morons, on the frothy hard right.

Onward.

नमस्ते