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I hosted my weekly Substack livestream on Friday. (I am traveling on Saturday, Feb. 14.) You can watch Friday’s livestream here: Live with Robert B. Hubbell
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The administration took the next logical step in the stunning capitulation of social media giants to Trump. It has convinced them to rat on Americans who criticize the government.
It started with the “techbros” appearing on the dais at the inauguration of the only president to attempt a coup and incite an insurrection, to be indicted and convicted of multiple felonies, and to be civilly adjudicated to have committed sexual abuse. It included paying millions of dollars that were allegedly used to sponsor inaugural balls. They assisted his efforts to subvert Congress’s spending authority and shutter agencies that promoted laudable undertakings like education, health, science, and saving people from starvation. They contributed hundreds of millions to tear down one-third of the White House. They sold software designed to track personal details of law-abiding Americans. They helped invade Venezuela and kidnap the president of a sovereign nation.1
And now, ladies and gentlemen, Homeland Security is asking those same social media companies to turn over information about users and accounts that “criticize ICE.” See NYTimes, Homeland Security Wants Social Media Sites to Expose Anti-ICE Accounts. (Accessible to all.)
There is a name for governments that ask collaborators to report on citizens who criticize the regime: They are called fascists.
There was a time not long ago when the tech companies in Silicon Valley were fierce defenders of individual liberties against government encroachment. They would have screamed bloody murder if the government asked for information about their users who did nothing more than criticize a government agency.
But somewhere along the way, the tech billionaires stopped giving a damn about liberty, democracy, the United States, or anything other than their own wealth.
Without a peep, Meta, Facebook, Google, Reddit, and other social media companies have simply notified users that if they don’t seek a court order, the tech companies will turn over personal identifying information to Homeland Security about users who have done nothing more than exercise their First Amendment Right to criticize the government.
Per the Times,
In recent months, Google, Reddit, Discord and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, have received hundreds of administrative subpoenas from the Department of Homeland Security. Google, Meta and Reddit complied with some of the requests, the government officials said.
In the subpoenas, the department asked the companies for identifying details of accounts that do not have a real person’s name attached and that have criticized ICE or pointed to the locations of ICE agents.
The tech companies, which can choose whether or not to provide the information, have said they review government requests before complying. Some of the companies notified the people whom the government had requested data on and gave them 10 to 14 days to fight the subpoena in court.
Got that? If your social media handle is something like “Book Lover Extraordinaire” or “Caffeine Addict” and you write that “ICE’s tactics violate the Constitution,” Mark Zuckerberg will rat you out.
This will not stand. It is an abomination. It is anti-American, undemocratic, and fascistic. What are the tech companies thinking? What happened to their courage? Have they no decency?
Kudos to the New York Times for running this story. The bright light of day will stop this practice, but shame, shame, shame on the tech companies for engaging in a spectacular, humiliating, creepy capitulation to the most corrupt president in America’s past and future!
DHS funding agreement expires
The short-term continuing resolution to fund DHS expired on Friday. The agency will begin suspending operations for various sub-agencies, although many personnel and functions will be exempted from the shutdown on the basis that they are “essential.”
Workers required to report for duty because they are essential are not paid currently, but receive full back pay when the shutdown ends, courtesy of the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019 (signed by Trump).
The right outcome is for Democrats to continue the shutdown until Republicans agree to major structural reforms of DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol. A less optimal outcome would be to secure enforceable agreements regarding training, use of judicial warrants, use of force, and unmasking. That should be the minimum.
But, sadly, the fact that Democrats capitulated on the shutdown in November 2025 taught Republicans that the Democratic caucus doesn’t have what it takes to force change from the minority position. I dearly hope I am wrong, but we should temper our expectations.
If we needed any additional proof that “major structural reforms” to DHS, ICE, and Border Patrol are the right choice, a disturbing but entirely predictable development on Friday makes the point.
The US Attorney in Minnesota dropped charges against a Venezuelan immigrant accused of assaulting ICE agents with a shovel. The ICE agents shot the man in the leg, claiming self-defense. The US Attorney requested dismissal of the charges after the government determined that the ICE agents lied about the encounter. See NBC News, 2 federal agents placed on leave after appearing to make ‘untruthful’ statements about violent encounter in Minneapolis.
Per NBC,
Two immigration agents have been placed on leave after appearing to make “untruthful statements” about an encounter in Minneapolis last month that authorities described as violent. . .
In a statement, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons said the agents could be fired and criminally charged after the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota completes an investigation into the matter.
“Lying under oath is a serious federal offense,” he said.
At the time the incident occurred, family members claimed that ICE agents shot through the doorway of a home into which the suspect ran. When the shots were fired into the home, it was occupied by several people, including children. Bullet holes were found in the walls of the home, contradicting the agents’ claims that the incident occurred in the street in front of the home. Despite the conflicting evidence, the Venezuelan immigrant was charged with assault. But the US attorney ultimately concluded that the ICE agents lied about the encounter.
Here’s the point: ICE agents lie about their use of violence because they believe they can do so with impunity. See, e.g., the murders of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. For ICE agents to believe they will be protected by supervisors, the rot within the agency must be pervasive. It is time to dismantle ICE and start over.
Concluding Thoughts.
Due to travel over the weekend, I need to cut the newsletter short. I have two closing comments:
First, Trump made a statement on Friday that voter ID will be required for the midterms “whether approved by Congress or not!”
Trump’s statement is false. But it is significant because he is conceding that Congress will not pass the SAVE Act (which would impose a national voter ID and proof of citizenship requirement).
Trump cannot impose voter ID requirements by Executive Order. The Constitution gives states the power to regulate the “time, place, and manner” of voting in congressional elections, unless Congress passes a law overriding the state regulation.
In short, Trump’s statement reflects desperation and fear, a point that became clear when Trump added that America “will never be the same” if Democrats seize power in the midterms.” Trump got that part right!
Second, a reader who is a regular participant in “bridge brigade” protests sent an article about a victory by protesters against efforts by Connecticut state police to shut down protests along the highway or on overpasses. See Connecticut Public Radio, Connecticut State Police agree to allow highway overpass demonstrations.
Per the article,
The state’s commissioner of public safety will issue an order limiting state troopers from breaking up highway overpass demonstrations as part of a settlement reached with the Connecticut chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union in federal court on Thursday.
The agreement recognizes the right of peaceful protestors to demonstrate on the sidewalk areas of highway overpasses and to hold signs. The agreement recognizes that Troopers will still respond to calls for service (911 calls) and enforce laws related to unlawful protests, such as demonstrations in the road that block traffic,” Connecticut State Police said in a statement.
State Police added that protestors should not enter the highway or dangle items over the highway.
Police and highway patrol sometimes (often?) take it upon themselves to shut down constitutionally protected activity that occurs on public walkways near or over highways. Officers may (wrongly) believe that their authority to control traffic overrides protesters’ First Amendment rights. Other officers simply disagree with the messages displayed by protesters and are abusing their police authority to silence opinions not shared by the law enforcement officers.
If you encounter similar pushback from law enforcement, seek legal help from a pro bono organization. With a bit of assistance from someone who has read the Constitution, the local police are likely to acknowledge the error of their ways and desist.
Talk to you tomorrow!
Pro-democracy protests photos.
Freeport, Maine, Visibility Brigade over I-295
Silver Spring, MD
James City County Courthouse in Williamsburg, VA; Indivisible-sponsored.
Visibility Brigade from Rochester, New York from February 12, 2026.
SONOMA COUNTY CA VISIBILITY BRIGADE. 2/12/26
Maduro was a bad guy; so stipulated. No emails, please. I am not defending Maduro.)
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