The United States, once a self-proclaimed beacon of democracy and human rights, now stands as a glaring example of systemic oppression and authoritarian governance. Under the current administration, the erosion of civic freedoms and the blatant disregard for human dignity have reached unprecedented levels, harking back to the darker chapters of American history

While the current administration campaigned on and cried foul of "the deep state"; actors such as Stephen Miller, advisor to U.S. Homeland Security, as well as the Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, have taken it upon themselves to institute their own shadow government.

Noem and Miller orchestrated the deportation of alleged members of Tren de Aragua, a violent Venezuelan gang. Concerningly, more than a few of those deported do not match the description of gang members and all of those deported under guise of the Alien Enemies Act were not sent to Venezuela - rather to the notorious CECOT prison of El Salvador, from which incarcerated individuals are never to be released.

On Saturday, March 15, when this craven act came to light and the planes had not reached El Salvador yet, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg ordered the return of flights and issued a stay of further deportations. The executive branch decided to flaunt the court orders, claiming the flights were over international waters and could not turn back, and that the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 gave them the authority to deport the Venezuelans without any due process of law, knowingly sending them to a facility outside of U.S. Government control and widely reported to instigate human rights abuses. While the United States continues to feign ignorance of the situation, somehow Kristi Noem was given a VIP tour of the facility.

Note:

1. The Alien Enemies Act has a pre-requisite declaration of war. The United States is not at war with any nation or government named in the March 15 violation of rights.
2. Prior invocations following major world wars infringed on the rights of American immigrants and their descendents, most notably Japanese Americans imprisoned during the 1940s.

While those deported, even mistakenly, languish in CECOT, the administration of the 47th president marches ever rapidly towards a Constitutional crisis. Lower courts have upheld Judge Boasberg's order yet the government seems hell-bent on pushing obvious human rights violations straight to the Supreme Court.

The fate of those caught in the grotesque play of egos remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that there are forces at play that are putting profit front and center, human rights be damned. Several companies enjoy no-bid contracts worth billions of dollars from running incarceration "services" and deportation flights to the tune of $8000/hour of flight time, all on taxpayer dime. United States taxpayers are funding the flights that are tearing families apart and supporting oppressive regimes (present one included). Meanwhile, basic services and government services meant to benefit those same taxpayers are being dismantled by the richest man in the world - Elon Musk.

The companies with a broken moral compass and fat bank accounts include:

• CSI Aviation - $3.6 billion, no-bid contract
• Classic Air Charter - $800 million in annual ICE contracts
• GlobalX - $65 million in deportation flights
• GEO Group - a federal incarcerator, $1 billion annually operating private prisons.
• CoreCivic - private prison operator, boasting of a highly profitable period.

Getting information about how those detained are being treated, where they are being held, and how their rights are being upheld is an ordeal, with these companies lacking transparency and being accused of further human rights abuses (sensing a theme here?)

Most, if not all, of the aforementioned companies are closely tied to the politicians and PACs supporting the Trump organization, having donated to or spent money at Trump events and properties. In other words, they are direct beneficiaries and benefactors of the sitting president, a blatent conflict of interest and ethical violation.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

-- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States

President Eisenhower foresaw the danger inherent in too close of ties between businesses and government, and what lax rules and oversight may lead to. Indeed, on these flights of misery operated by GlobalX reside security guards supplied by the firm Akima.

Akima itself is a subsidiary of NANA Regional Corporation, a "small business" worth over $2 billion dollars which counts among its shareholders the Iñupiat Indigenous people of Alaska. In the 1970s, 13 regional corporations were created to settle longstanding land claims by Alaskan natives. NANA is one of those corporations. A formerly oppressed minority now enabling the United States to continue a campaign of oppression, intimidation and violating due process of law against other minorities... drips of irony.

While select residents of the United States may choose to ignore (or glorify) the country's troubled past, the rest of the world, notably western nations formerly counted among allies of the U.S., have begun to raise the alarm. The United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Germany, and Canada have all recently updated travel guidance for visiting or traveling to the United States.

You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry. The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules.

-- U.K. Foreign Travel Advice for U.S.A
source

This compares unfavorably with the United States' own travel guidance for a number of other countries.

Do not travel to North Korea due to the continuing serious risk of arrest and long-term detention of U.S. nationals. Exercise increased caution to North Korea due to the critical threat of wrongful detention.

-- US Advisory for North Korea
source

Do not travel to Venezuela due to the high risk of wrongful detentions, terrorism, kidnapping, the arbitrary enforcement of local laws, crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure.

-- US Advisory for Venezuela
source

Do not travel to Iran due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, arbitrary arrest of U.S. citizens, and wrongful detention.

-- US Advisory for Iran
source

Do not travel to Syria due to the risk of terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, hostage taking, armed conflict, and unjust detention.

-- US Advisory for Syria
source

In another time and place, such a situation might be deemed comical.

But, there is nothing funny about this.

Citizens and lawful permanent residents have become fearful of everyday life, and many have canceled travel overseas for fear of being unable to enter the United States upon their return. Noem, Miller, Trump, and oddly Musk, seem to be drunk on McCarthyism and running the government on hate and fear.

This has to stop.

The only question is whether it will take a Constitutional crisis, a third impeachment proceeding, or something else to realize a step back from the precipice.

You would be hard-pressed to speak with an American (citizen or otherwise) who does not agree that reform is needed. There is growing consensus that the approach taken by this president and by Miller pulling the strings is anathetical to the well-being of the United States.

America has a dark history, but as a nation of, for, and built by immigrants progress has been steadily made. We should not let the whims of a few weak men and women ruin what was for several decades a beacon of hope and freedom admired throughout the world.

There is still a chance, but we must speak up before there is no one left to speak up for us.

#NeverForget