Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams

Episode: The Rise of State Violence in the United States

Podcast by Crooked Media | Released: October 23, 2025

Episode Overview

In this urgent episode, Stacey Abrams breaks down the alarming rise in state violence across the United States under the 2025 Republican administration. She investigates how authoritarian tactics—once thought unimaginable in America—are being normalized: militarization of cities, attacks on press freedom, suspension of due process, and the weaponization of fear and immigration. Joined by Lindsey Toslosky (Immigrant Defenders Law Center) and Insha Rahman (Vera Institute of Justice), Stacey explores how these measures are executed, their impacts on targeted communities, and—crucially—the strategies and actions citizens can take to resist and reclaim democracy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. State Violence and Authoritarian Tactics (00:59–10:33)

• Abrams' Opening Monologue: A chilling summary of escalating government overreach:
  • Pentagon press restrictions and journalist ejections.
  • “Military occupation” of American cities, including Washington, D.C., Portland, LA, Chicago, and Memphis.
  • Expansion of executive power through decrees like NSPM-7 branding dissent as terrorism.
  • ICE as a paramilitary force “dispatched to menace, threaten and kidnap citizens and immigrants alike.”
  • Supreme Court permitting "race and language" as basis for use of force.
• Historical Context: References to state violence in U.S. history (slavery, Trail of Tears, Kent State, Jim Crow, BLM protests).
• Abrams:

  “Hyperbole is no longer required when we're describing what's unfolding in America under this apocalyptic Republican authoritarian regime.” (04:30)

2. The Authoritarian Playbook and the Ten Steps Campaign (10:33–11:16)

• Stacey introduces her “Ten Steps Campaign” for understanding the authoritarian process:
  • Gutting civil services, installing loyalists, scapegoating, attacking the press.
  • Step 2: Expansion of executive power.

3. Expansion of Executive Power – Breaking Legal Norms (11:16–16:28)

• Rahman on Fear Politics:
  • Draws direct line from Willie Horton ad (1988) through to current strategies.
  • Fear for safety used as bipartisan cover for repression.
  • Militarization presented as safety but actually fuels “unchecked, unprecedented raids.”
• Quote (Rahman):

  “What we are watching is a full on assault on democratic norms and institutions... under the politics of fear.” (11:16)

• Toslosky on Immigration: Drastic escalation from Trump’s first administration:
  • Due process “no longer the law of the land.”
  • Raids in cities rely on open racial profiling and intentionally cruel detention conditions.
  • This isn't just legal gray area—“they aren't afraid to break the law.”

4. Immigrants as Scapegoats, Propaganda, and Conflation with Crime (16:28–18:21)

• Both guests emphasize:
  • GOP blurs the line between “immigrant” and “criminal” to justify repression.
  • Department of Homeland Security’s language is dehumanizing “propaganda.”
• Toslosky:

  “It’s a clear communication strategy.” (17:13)

5. Military Occupation of ‘Blue’ Cities (18:21–22:23)

• Abrams: Deployment of National Guard is a Republican, not just a Trump, project.
• Rahman: Explains the legal firewall (Posse Comitatus, Insurrection Act) breached via National Guard deployments without precedent or legal justification.
• Quote (Rahman):

  “They are absolutely bending the law…what is happening in cities we mentioned… is just without any kind of precedent or norms in our law.” (21:43)

6. The Reality of Mass Deportation and Detention (25:19–31:31)

• Toslosky’s first-hand report from LA:
  • National Guard presence is “political theater,” but the crackdown on immigrants is real and “fundamentally different.”
  • ICE detention numbers at an all-time high, record deaths in custody.
  • Detention conditions intentionally horrific to coerce “voluntary” deportations, families separated, legal access curtailed.
• Quote (Toslosky):

  “What that looks like…are people being ripped out of our communities. …one of the deadliest years in ICE custody history…sending people far away from their families and lawyers is intentional. It's intentionally cruel.” (26:00)

7. Who Is Responsible? Congressional Oversight and Civil Society (31:31–35:07)

• Toslosky: “Who's failing us?” Congress is being stonewalled, lawyers are crucial, civil society must bear witness.
• Quote:

  “It is, really, Congress, it’s the lawyers, it is all of us, the media that need to make sure that we are shining a light on these atrocities.” (32:06)

• Rahman: All Americans are implicated—slippery slope from letting abuses go unchallenged (against immigrants) to them turning against everyone.
• Quote:

  “This is a regime that believes, I will take as much power as you give me and I will take some more. And unless we check that power ... at some point very soon, it will be you.” (35:51)

8. Protests, Authoritarian Backlash, and Dissent (36:49–43:41)

• Toslosky: “Protest is being provoked intentionally to create scenes for repression.”
  • “They are inciting violence by having heavily armed troops…throwing tear gas.”
  • Lawyers and peaceful protesters (e.g., “knitting old women in frog suits”) are being targeted.
• Quote:

  “These Border Patrol agents, to the naked eye, would appear to be National Guard... at car washes in Los Angeles.” (37:13)

• Rahman: GOP calls protest “anti-American,” “domestic terrorism,” trying to criminalize dissent.
  • But massive peaceful mobilizations (e.g., No Kings protests) are shifting public perception and building hope.

9. Effective Resistance: Local Leadership & The 3.5% Rule (43:41–48:20)

• Abrams: Highlights her “10 Steps to Freedom and Power” including collective action goals.
• Toslosky: Praises mayors (Karen Bass, Brandon Johnson), Governor Newsom, Representative Garcia for bold leadership.
  • “We need bold leadership…willing to take risks not just for re-election, but for the future of our democracy.”
• Quote:

  “Violations of immigrant rights are really hitting at a violation of our democracy itself. We need that kind of bold leadership...” (44:37)

• Rahman: "If 3.5% of the public turns out, that is the tipping point at which we are able to fight back and win." (43:41)

10. Action Steps and Homework (49:51–60:43)

• Abrams: Direct call for civic engagement:
  • Demand “masked” ICE agents be banned from cities.
  • Press local officials to require law enforcement identification.
  • Encourage protests and community monitoring/recording of arrests.
• Rahman: Focus on true public safety—investment in local, community-driven solutions.
• Toslosky:
  • Get involved in rapid response networks and direct action.
  • Attend immigration court hearings to bear witness.
  • Share stories, write op-eds, keep issues in the public eye.
  • Support and volunteer at local humanitarian and legal aid events.

11. Staying Informed & Resource Recommendations (56:55–60:43)

• Rahman:
  • Vera Institute of Justice: “Justice in the Age of Trump” blog and resources (vera.org).
  • Emphasizes local action and spreading awareness as vital; polling shows public increasingly recognizes National Guard deployment as “political theater.”
• Toslosky:
  • Immigrant Defenders Law Center (immdef.org): Know Your Rights materials, ways to volunteer, support for immigrant families.
  • Grocery distribution and aid events for communities afraid to leave home.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Stacey Abrams ([04:30]):
  “Hyperbole is no longer required when we're describing what's unfolding in America under this apocalyptic Republican authoritarian regime.”

• Insha Rahman ([11:16]):
  “What we are watching is a full on assault on democratic norms and institutions... under the politics of fear.”

• Lindsey Toslosky ([26:00]):
  “We are in a moment that we have never seen before... And the numbers that we will see, if they are able to continue to push forward at the rate they are right now, will fundamentally alter places like Los Angeles.”

• Insha Rahman ([35:51]):
  “This is a regime that believes, I will take as much power as you give me and I will take some more. …at some point very soon, it will be you.”

• Insha Rahman ([43:41]):
  “If 3.5% of the public turns out in opposition to an authoritarian's agenda, that is the point at which we tip over and we are able to fight back. And chances are we'll win.”

Actionable Takeaways (“Homework” for Listeners)

• Understand the System:
  • Learn about US immigration and criminal legal systems (Refugees International, American Immigration Council, Immigrant Defenders LC, Vera Institute of Justice).
• Collective Action:
  • Attend protests, organize locally, participate in rapid response networks.
  • Demand policy changes (e.g., ban on masks for federal agents, law enforcement identification requirements, protect sensitive locations).
• Bear Witness:
  • Visit courts, record abuses, write and share stories.
• Support Local Efforts:
  • Volunteer or donate to organizations like MDEAF; join mutual aid efforts for families under threat.
• Engage Elected Officials:
  • Ask city councils and governors to resist federal overreach, invest in community-based public safety.

Segment Timestamps

• Opening, context, and threat overview: 00:59–10:33
• Ten Steps Campaign, intro of guests: 10:33–11:16
• Fear tactics and legal boundary-pushing: 11:16–18:21
• Targets and propaganda: 16:28–18:21
• How National Guard is misused: 18:21–22:23
• On-the-ground realities, mass detention: 25:19–31:31
• Accountability and oversight: 31:31–35:07
• Protest, dissent, and regime tactics: 36:49–43:41
• Bold local leadership / 3.5% rule: 43:41–48:20
• Action steps and how to engage: 49:51–60:43
• Resources and further involvement: 56:55–60:43

Tone & Language

• Urgent, unflinching, and direct. Speakers use vivid, rallying language to convey both the grave threats and the possibilities for hope and resistance.
• Rich use of historical analogy (e.g., “not a new part of our history,” “the numbing is the point”) and references to classic authoritarian warning signs.
• Repeated calls for courageous, collective action: “We are all responsible,” “the point is not to lose hope,” “everyday people can disrupt by shining a light.”

For those who have not listened: This episode is a critical, authoritative, and accessible guide to understanding— and fighting— the normalization of state violence in the U.S. It offers tangible context, chilling examples, and a toolkit for resistance in the face of authoritarian encroachment, anchored by expert voices and Stacey Abrams’ signature clarity and optimism.