The Republican police state

Well TAT readers, we made it to another Friday here in Trump and the GOP’s, Police state. Like most of you, my head feels as if it will explode sometimes, due to the un-American and cruel policies of the current regime. Still, I have a special and visceral level of disgust with what we are seeing in our streets and farms, all across our republic. Hordes of masked, badge less, violent and warrantless gangs of roving thugs now occupy our streets and the scenes are horrific, especially to those of us who still believe in the constitution that the GOP is systematically dismantling. Today’s essay is mostly me highlighting some of the reasons about just how dangerous today’s GOP is, and with the full support of their voting base.

There is so much wrong with what the fascists called the Republican Party in Washington D.C., are imposing on Americans. There is though, one line recently heard all across the nation and spoken by the masked thugs called ICE, “show me your papers” that sticks in my craw, as the old saying goes. This line from my youth, was seen throughout the 20th century as defining authoritarian police states like Nazi, Germany, fascist Italy, the Soviet Union and all of their satellite nations. US citizens of both major parties would have recoiled in disgust, had they been asked this question by authorities. Of course, our discriminated against minorities, were tragically used to being asked the very same question, but this is a story for another day.

Even watching the iconic 1942 movie, Casablanca with my history and government teacher father, the scene where Vichy French policemen ask a man for his papers and end up murdering him seconds later, was memorable and not in a good way. I would watch and listen when my history teachers and my father’s friends would discuss the historical issue of “showing papers” and would invariably see a subtle sneer form at the corners of their mouths. It was that disgraceful in the 60s and 70s.

Now with this Hitleresque administration, the phrase has become popular again and is temporarily endorsed by our current far-right, Supreme Court/ SCOTUS. This trump enabling SCOTUS also recently gave ICE at least temporary permission to employ racial profiling to arrest and interrogate arrestees. Ironically, in shutting down affirmative action, they said that race is not a factor of admissions to universities but is welcome while being rousted by government sponsored thuggery. The great disgrace is that only those who are not Caucasian, would fall into the “show me your papers” and racial profiling categories.

"However, on Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he would not only buck that trend but that the U.S. would provide a new tool that even Russian oligarchs could use to purchase American citizenship. 

Sitting in the Oval Office, Trump announced the launch of a “gold card” visa. According to Trump, the new program would sell a “path to citizenship” for $5 million — an amount out of reach to most people, but pocket change for oligarchs around the world, including in Moscow. "

- Trump Is Rolling Out the Red Carpet for Russian Oligarchs
- The Moscow Times
- By Casey Michel
- Feb. 28, 2025

White immigrants and especially white Russian aliens and other white, illegal visa violators, have been using the US for money laundering and birther tourism since Trump’s first administration. Apparently, the Republican Party doesn’t mind if white immigrants take advantage of American rights, privileges and finance laws. While they whine and moan incessantly about immigrants of color, there is no standard that they operate against if an immigrant is white. That SCOTUS enables this, should be disqualifying for their seat on our nation’s highest court. SCOTUS was far more restrictive to Democratic administrations, even regarding border immigration issues.

Additional reading regarding SCOTUS

• SCOTUS just stood in the middle of the street and shot the constitution, and nothing can be done about it.

• SCOTUS, our very own Kangaroo Court - by Paul Cobaugh

• John Roberts’ SCOTUS, is legalizing a Confederacy 2.0

Having read and scanned a few Yale Law Journal and Bar association documents today, it is no myth that the court has become what they still consider, decidedly “conservative.” There seems to be no debate on this topic. Predictive modeling also shows that SCOTUS will remain so for a very long time based on several factors. In my opinion, this particular SCOTUS that includes AJs (associate justices) Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh and CJ Roberts, is far further to the right than being conservative.

This court essentially supports a criminal and insurrectionist administration by doing what Thomas Jefferson and James Madison found unacceptable. They despised laws so voluminous and twisted that they could mean anything to anyone, especially if Justices used such tactics to support their political ideology by twisting the law into a pretzel. Both insisted in our most important founding documents, that every citizen must be able to understand the law. The Chief Justice John Roberts court, fails this miserably in my lay but studied opinion.

Our favorite quotes: James Madison – LII News

So, now that we understand a bit about how ICE and CBP are being SCOTUS enabled to commit assaults on citizens and residents, legal or otherwise, there is no place like the Bill of Rights to begin. Within, our first ten amendments are clearly being abused by the GOP and SCOTUS. Things like unconstitutional search and seizures, denying our right to assemble and demand redress from our government, restricting our rights to free speech and allowing unidentified armed men and women, should stop those without identification to assault, harass, injure (physically, emotionally and financially) those impacted by their alleged intentions to go after “the worst of the worst.”

To me and based on my professional experience in terrorism, radicalization and extremism, I would argue that terror is the objective of the thugs. These alleged agents apparently like cosplaying in more tactical gear than I wore on a couple of hundred missions in combat zones, while forgetting that they are sworn Law Enforcement officers with legal obligations to behave lawfully. The facts and data, prove the administration is per their norm… lying about going after the “worst of the worst.

"Yet a number of studies have found that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than Americans born in the U.S., and that undocumented immigration does not increase violent offenses. And recent federal data show that over 70% of detainees who were being held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as of Thursday had no criminal convictions."

- Trump Vowed His Mass Deportation Efforts Would Target ‘the Worst of the Worst.’ Here’s What the Data Shows
- Time Magazine
- Connor Greene
- September 29th, 2025

Not only are these fascist raids unproductive in focusing on just, “the worst of the worst,” but those participating treat most people around them with aggression and unprovoked violence. This is by order of the president and his henchmen, like Goebbels wannabe, Stephen Miller.

"Under President Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration crackdown, federal agents are on orders to aggressively go after people they believe are in the country illegally."

- US citizens seek millions in damages after violent ICE arrests
- USA Today
- Lauren Villagran
- September 30th, 2025

So these past two quotes should give any sane citizen pause, over SCOTUS approving violent, racist and likely, unconstitutional freedom, to terrorize US citizens, legal residents and those who are actually in the country, illegally. This also raises another constitutional issue regarding the Sixth Amendment to the constitution.

In America, all persons have a right to due process, whether they are a citizen or not. We also have the right to know our accusers. In the case of ICE’s thuggery, when someone is masked, with no identification available to the accused, it would be virtually impossible to “know your accuser” when you finally get your court date, another requirement of the Sixth Amendment. Not only are these thugs masked and without badges and name tags, we have all seen people tackled and dragged away violently without even knowing what they are charged with. If you’re feeling frustrated or angry with SCOTUS, you have every right to be. What they allow and what the Republicans are doing, violate so many of our rights as to anger even the most patient person. Yes, I am angry as well and will expend any legal effort to fight back against state-sponsored brutality.

This brings us to a point that we must all remain focused on. Trump and his party are doing all possible to rig the general election and as we saw with horror at Quantico, a plan to deploy the US military into what he alone considers dangerous cities and regions. This violates US law in a variety of ways but then again, Chief Justice John Roberts will always be there to enable him, as proved by the majority SCOTUS’ decisions over the past decade. Let’s also not forget the Republican strategy to rig the election. I won’t bother to paraphrase but there is an excellent and detailed rundown in the two links below, one from The Brennan Center for Justice and one from Mother Jones.

1. The Trump Administration’s Campaign to Undermine the Next Election | Brennan Center for Justice

2. Project 2026: Trump’s Plan to Rig the Next Election – Mother Jones

Here’s where I gather concern; As I have often said and for years, “Americans can only be pushed so far until we reach the proverbial, “last straw.” When that occurs, our DNA tells us that it’s time to fight back. The massive protests that we are currently seeing are proof of this and ICE and CBP’s aggressive and violent actions, will trigger an angrier response if they are not far more careful. This will give the administration the pretext to deploy the military, which in the face of widescale violence, will almost certainly give SCOTUS the opportunity to grant emergency powers. Things at the moment are so volatile, that if widescale violence begins, no one will be able to stop it. That’s when we transition from what I discussed not long ago in an essay, Low Intensity Conflict, to the early phases of civil war. At the moment, this is a dicey but not out of the question, result of the ICE provocations.

Finally, there is a topic that is another likely outcome that will impact everyone, especially those behind the masks committing the violence. At the Nuremberg trials of Nazi War Criminals after WW II, the concept of “I was just following orders” did not save any found guilty, from hanging. Just because the administration ordered ICE and their colleagues to “aggressively go after people” doesn’t mean that those orders will protect them once we regain control of our nation, reestablishing the rule of law.

What ICE and the rest don’t understand is that we’re well into the 21st century and not only Peter Thiel, Elon Musk and the rest have digital skills. There are always hackers and whistleblowers willing to acquire and publish the names and faces of the masked thugs. Once the nation is on solid ground again, these alleged agents will be some of the most unpopular people in the nation. Whether they face jail time for their assaults or not, their only legacy with family, friends and neighborhoods, will be one of deep shame, for themselves and their families. Once a fascist thug always a fascist thug, will be the refrain from most Americans. That kind of shame doesn’t wash off for generations. That is something that they must all consider the next time that they shove, hit, tackle or otherwise brutalize another accused person or protester. As most military and government workers know, almost nothing stays secret forever in the US government.

This should not dissuade anyone though from protesting and standing firm in the face of threats to ourselves, fellow citizens and residents or our constitutional republic itself. What makes us Americans, is that we don’t back down from challenges to our liberty. We haven’t for 250 years and it’s not likely that we’ll stop now. I will be humbly honored to stand shoulder to shoulder, with any and all of you.

Best for your weekend and keep the faith,

Publius Redux