This Week in Democracy – Week 74: Record ICE Deaths and Another DOJ Probe Into A Trump Political Enemy
Zeteo's weekly round-up, documenting the growth of authoritarianism in Trump's second term.
Thankfully, there’s a preliminary deal to end Donald Trump’s illegal, deadly, and costly war on Iran. Unfortunately, as Zeteo’s ‘First Draft’ pointed out this week, his war on Americans continues.
Just this week, reports revealed that Trump and his cronies were weighing suspending a Constitutional right, that the FBI director may have a “personal slush fund,” and that deaths in ICE custody have more than doubled since the MAGA leader retook the Oval Office.
That’s why we continue ‘This Week in Democracy’ – to document Trump’s ongoing war on the U.S. Constitution, democracy, and his own citizens. Here’s just a taste of what that war looked like this week:
Saturday, June 13 – Trump to Appoint His Own Lawyer for US Attorney Position
On Truth Social, Trump announced that he will appoint one of his personal lawyers, James McDonald, to succeed his National Intelligence chief nominee Jay Clayton as the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
McDonald is part of the legal team appealing the president’s convictions in New York that stemmed from his hush money payments to Stormy Daniels.
Sunday, June 14 – Trump’s Big Fight Night
Trump marked his 80th birthday by holding a UFC fight on the White House’s South Lawn – an event that cost at least $60 million (paid for by UFC’s parent company TKO), and required the help of more than seven federal agencies. Some of the fighters received bonuses paid in cryptocurrency from the Trump family’s World Liberty Financial.
Monday, June 15 – Trump Weighed Suspending Constitution Right, Newsom Under DOJ Investigation
The New York Times reported that Trump actively considered suspending habeas corpus – the constitutional right for people to challenge their detention in court – in an effort to accelerate his mass deportation campaign early in his second term after the Supreme Court ruled that migrants expelled under the Alien Enemies Act were entitled to challenge their deportations in court before being removed.
Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a video that Trump’s Justice Department is investigating him and his wife, noting that the couple have been placed on the president’s political “hit list” and posted on X that federal agents are on a “fishing expedition” to find a crime to indict him as he prepares a possible run for president in 2028.
Tuesday, June 16 – Patel’s ‘Personal Slush Fund’
FBI Director Kash Patel may be using part of the agency’s budget as a “personal slush fund” to provide more than $1 million in “unlawful ‘bonus’ payments” to special agents on his Director’s Advisory Team and his security detail, according to a letter from Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin that was obtained by MS NOW.
Raskin noted that by issuing the payments, Patel’s office “may be knowingly breaking federal law.” He also said the payments have been sent at “such a frenzied rate” that some of them have bounced from “exhausted accounts.”
Wednesday, June 17 – ICE Deaths More Than Double Under Trump as Agency Buys Immigrants’ Tax Info
Reuters reported that the number of people who have died in ICE detention centers has more than doubled since Trump’s second term began last year, rising from one death per year for every 3,848 detainees between 2009 and 2024 to one death for every 1,630 people under Trump.
Meanwhile, 404 Media reported that ICE appears to be buying records of tax identifiers of immigrants from a data broker as part of a $10 million contract that could potentially be a workaround of a court order banning ICE from obtaining those records.
Thursday, June 18 – Record Number of Denaturalization Cases Planned by Trump Administration
CNN reported that the Trump administration is ramping up its efforts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Americans, with plans to file at least 250 cases by October. Trump’s Justice Department has filed 29 denaturalization cases in less than two months.
Only 166 denaturalization cases were filed between 2008 and June 12 of this year.
Friday, June 19 – Trump’s Acting Intel Chief Weighs Firing Hundreds, CNN reports
CNN, citing two sources, reported that Trump’s acting director of national intelligence, Bill Pulte, showed up to work a day early and asked for a list of all employees in the office, with plans to potentially fire hundreds.
Pulte, who has no previous intelligence or national security experience, will likely remain in the acting role longer than lawmakers had hoped.
In an effort to pressure the Senate to pass a strict voter ID bill, Trump intervened earlier this week in what was expected to be a quick confirmation process for Jay Clayton, the president’s pick to lead the intel community permanently.
Did you miss previous weeks of ‘This Week in Democracy’? Catch up here. And check out more of Zeteo’s reporting from this week below:
Are you concerned that AI may be programmed to change ballots if they are filed or counted electronically? The ICE hires are thugs turned loose on innocent people. When will this megalomaniac narcissist be stopped and put in prison? Thanks for your good reporting.