I think it'll try it first with cases relating to protesters - whether they be Palestine, or other rights like abortion - where there's unlikely to be much pushback from their hardline voters, because they think it won't happen to them.
Did you see another plane's fallen out of the sky in Pennsylvania?

I did. Loads of flames, so tragically I suspect the passengers did not survive. That’s a lot of plane accidents in a very short period of time - since #DOGE cut back the #FAA

Amazingly, the last I saw (admittedly before I went to bed, so it could easily have changed) was that there were several injured but no dead.
I think that might be six crashes now? Perhaps more, I haven't kept up. You might be interested in this:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/faa-trump-elon-plane-crash/681975/?gift=YEBuXAvhOS4l5kcj6eh-Y6fgfdDV4U1uQB0-V4nm_AE

Musk wants control of the air, with his untested and unapproved system which works off Starlink. Then he can just switch it off when he thinks he’s not paid enough, or not given the control of something else he demands. He’s switched off Starlink for Ukraine more than once already, so this is a known and documented risk.
There’s the complication of the contract with Verizon also.
And will other aircraft need different internal systems to be able to work with Musk’s version? Or could it be used to prevent a plan from landing on a whim? So many questions, so much room for bad management, malfeasance and malice.

Did you hear about the argument he's started with Poland re: switching off Starlink to Ukraine? Someone in the government - the Foreign Minister maybe, I'm not sure - mentioned that they have a $50mn contract with them that includes provision of service to Ukraine and threatened to cancel it. SK's reply was "be quiet little man".

How rude! I understand Poland is actively seeking another system to use instead of Starlink, and I hope many others are also. Those alternative systems must be designed so Starlink cannot interfere with their signals or block their signals.

It feels like the start of something really, really bad. Speculating pessimistically, I'd say they'll try suspension of habeas corpus when dealing with pro-Palestine student protesters first (primarily foreign, but then US nationals), then widen it to include all protesters, abortion rights cases, and I don't want to think any further than that. And the MAGAs will love it because they think it won't apply to them.

I’ve read about ice grabbing a few Europeans at the border entering legally with appropriate visas and holding them w/o contact in the last few weeks. Not looking at msm so not sure how much of a splash that’s making. This will though. Going bad fast. Too bad none of the houses here are old enough to have priests holes.

The German lady who's still in ICE detention somewhere got a lot of traction but I didn't see it in any of the major papers. That's the only one I heard about. I was talking to someone else about it earlier today who said bands are cancelling tours and the like. Doesn't help that planes keep falling out of the sky, like in Pennsylvania today.

I did hear about a second one but can’t recall where.
The plane thing is just reporting bias. We are actually having statistically fewer fatal plane crashes this year than normal, there just usually isn’t much reporting on them except locally since it’s almost always small planes and caused by operator error. The DC crash of AA 5342 was unusual, major plane crashes are rare here.

Coincidentally, this has just crossed my path.

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/03/faa-trump-elon-plane-crash/681975/?gift=YEBuXAvhOS4l5kcj6eh-Y6fgfdDV4U1uQB0-V4nm_AE

Oh yes, cuts to FAA and issues with air control staff are a real concern. It’s bonkers to fuck around with this.

Thanks mate, I'll add it to the main post if you don't mind?

Sure thing! 👍

✊ 😘

Blimey, and this was under Grandpa Joe?? Have you read it? Why were they detained?
AFAIK the German lady is still MIA.

Yes, the lady outstayed her visa as she had been injured in a car accident. She told them she WANTED to return home and would pay the fare but was detained anyway.

I don't know I'm afraid and Xitter's down worldwide atm so I can't check. Maybe contact the legal firm direct by email?

There's a petition going round if you want to sign it

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/demand-the-immediate-release-of-columbia-student-pro-palestine-advocate-mahmoud-khalil-from-dhs-detention/thankyou?delivery_id=115949344

I may do that, but I don't think a petition is going to make any difference to ICE or Trump. The courts are doing a good job so far of upholding the law. I'm looking for a way to help him with paying his lawyer.

I'm of your view when it comes to petitions these days. Ditto editorials in newspapers or "strongly worded letters", or anything else of that ilk. The parameters have fundamentally changed. X is back up now, so I'm going to look for some information on how to donate, as originally asked.
As an aside, with regard to your point about the courts, I think the operative words there are "so far".