The Daily Beans

Episode: Pretti’s Killers Named (feat. Asha Rangappa)

Date: February 2, 2026
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG, aka A), Dana Goldberg (DG, aka C)
Special Guest: Asha Rangappa

Main Theme

This episode focuses on explosive developments around the identification of the CBP agents who killed Alex Pretti, the incomplete DOJ release of Epstein files, escalating ICE and CBP abuses, mass protests across the U.S., a shocking Democratic upset in the Texas Senate, and an in-depth conversation with former FBI agent and legal analyst Asha Rangappa about the politicization of federal law enforcement ahead of the 2026 elections.

The hosts deliver the news with their signature snark, urgency, and focus on civil rights, punctuated by genuine moments of outrage, hope, and some laughter.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Identification of Pretti's Killers and Systemic CBP Abuse

[03:01]

• ProPublica identified the two federal agents who murdered Alex Pretti: Jesus Ochoa (joined 2018) and Ramondo Gutierrez (joined 2014), despite the Department of Homeland Security withholding their names from Congress.
• The hosts emphasize that with 8+ years of service each, these were not "bad apples" or a training issue:

  "This is systematic and it goes very, very deep, years and years and years." — Dana Goldberg [03:41]

• There's institutional rot in CBP and ICE, not isolated incidents.

2. Broader Patterns: ICE & CBP Escalations

[10:24]

• ICE has expanded agents’ ability to arrest without warrants following Trump's crackdown.
• The memo from acting director Todd Lyons significantly weakens the legal standard for home entries and detentions:

  "We've gone from the warrants that were legal to the warrants that were not legal to no warrants at all." — Dana Goldberg [09:46]

• An immigrants’ rights group is suing to block warrantless home invasions.

3. Attacks on Journalists and Racial Targeting

[12:05]

• Four Black independent journalists—including Don Lemon—were arrested while covering a peaceful protest at a church, charged under the FACE Act and even the Ku Klux Klan Act.
• The hosts highlight the chilling effect and the racial aspect:

  "Every single independent and corporate white media outlet journalist needs to be shouting at the top of their lungs." — Allison Gill [05:26]

4. ICE Assault and Cover-Up

[13:53]

• A Mexican immigrant, Alberto Castaneda Mondragon, was hospitalized with fractured skull and facial bones after ICE custody. Officers claimed he “ran into a wall,” but medical staff and independent experts refuted this as impossible.

• "That sounds like when Russians murder journalists … They beat the shit out of this guy, broke his skull and then tried to tell the doctors. And the doctors are like, fuck you." — Allison Gill [16:16]

5. Antisemitic Remarks by Border Patrol Leadership

[18:05]

• CBP leader Gregory Bovino mocked a prosecutor's Jewish faith during a call with lawyers, impacting legal strategies and potentially requiring disclosure under Giglio.

6. Massive Nationwide Protests

[22:52]

• Peaceful marches protesting ICE and CBP spree killings swept Minneapolis and cities across the U.S. (DC, LA, NYC, SF, Chicago, Denver, Portland):

  “Organizers called for a nationwide strike from work, school, and shopping.” — Dana Goldberg [22:52]

• Moving stories of first-time protesters and immigrants drawing parallels to Japanese internment.

7. Political Developments: Defund ICE Push and Texas Democratic Upset

[20:21]; [26:12]

• Senate Democrats (and 2 Republicans) voted for Bernie Sanders’ amendment to claw back ICE's $75B slush fund; most Republicans blocked it, but the vote exposes Dem support for defunding ICE.
• In Texas, machinist union leader Tyler Remt (Democrat) flipped a deep-red state Senate district, overcoming a 20:1 fundraising gap and shifting the seat by 30 points:

  “They spent like a million dollars, and Remt had like eighty-five grand.” — Allison Gill [26:20]

• The result is seen as a warning shot for Republicans and a sign of shifting voter engagement.

8. Good News: Release of Liam Ramos & Father

[28:03]

• Five-year-old Liam Ramos and his dad Adrian were released from the Dilley concentration camp, escorted home by Rep. Joaquin Castro.
• Judge Fred Beery criticized the goverment’s "ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence" in his ruling.

Featured Interview: Asha Rangappa on FBI Election Raids & Trump’s Playbook

[32:39–56:55]

Context & Main Concerns

• AG and Asha Rangappa discuss Tulsi Gabbard’s presence at a raid of the Fulton County election office, connecting it to historic Trump efforts to manufacture foreign interference claims to seize voting machines.
• Asha explains the ongoing risks:
  • Trump had tried to use DOJ, DHS, and DoD to seize machines in 2020, seeking a pretext via foreign interference.
  • Comparable scenarios could emerge in 2026/2028, but with fewer "adults in the room" in Trump's administration.
  • The DNI (now Tulsi Gabbard), has no law enforcement authority, making her presence highly irregular and worrying.

  "I have literally never heard of the DNI being any way involved in...the execution of any kind of criminal search warrant." — Asha Rangappa [39:58]

Maduro Scenario

• U.S. has detained Venezuelan ex-president Maduro; a hypothetical false confession by Maduro could be used as pretext for federal interference, including ICE or military deployments:

  "What if they were to get some kind of affidavit from Maduro that's like, I interfered with...A) what does he have to lose? B) Even if he's lying, like, who's gonna prove it?" — Asha Rangappa [41:45]

Dangers of National Security Pretext

• National security is being wielded as a “fig leaf” to overstep legal boundaries, with the supportive Supreme Court “due deference” language repeatedly invoked:

  "National security has become their fig leaf for being able to do what they want to do..." — Asha Rangappa [47:08]

Legal Barriers/Protections & What Can Be Done

• Even conservative courts have reaffirmed that federal power over elections is limited; outreach to state/local officials is encouraged.
• Pre-bunking false narratives is key:

  "Amplifying and spreading that the conclusion of the intelligence community is that there was no intrusion or alteration of actual votes." — Asha Rangappa [53:18]

Notable Quotes

• "We don't have the people who pushed back last time … as much as I hate to refer to people like Bill Barr and...Cuccinelli as the adults in the room, they actually were at that time." — AG [48:32]
• "It's like the 9/11 phrase: it's a failure of imagination. I can't even come up with all the crazy things they might be able to do or try to justify." — Asha Rangappa [45:43]

Memorable Moments & Quotes (w/ Timestamps)

• [03:41] Dana Goldberg: "It needs to be abolished. This is systematic and it goes very, very deep..."
• [11:55] Allison Gill: "So we can't put limits on the Second Amendment, but they're going to put limits on the Fourth. Do I have that right?"
• [16:16] Allison Gill: "That sounds like when Russians murder journalists."
• [22:00] Dana Goldberg: “Your beans are rarely wrong, my friend. They're rarely wrong.”
• [41:45] Asha Rangappa: "What if they were to get some kind of affidavit from Maduro that's like, I interfered with...A) what does he have to lose? B) Even if he's lying, like, who's gonna prove it?"
• [47:08] Asha Rangappa: "National security has become their fig leaf for being able to do...what they want to do, partly because you get a lot of legal deference for it..."
• [54:32] AG: "Contact our state attorneys general... ask them what their plan is in the event of ICE being told that they have to come to our polls..."

Good News & Listener Submissions

[59:40–end]

• Guide to safely filming ICE and CBP agents (Wired.com, paywall-free resource shared)
• Listener celebrates Democratic win in Texas Senate District 9 ([62:59]; adorable adoptable dog photo)
• Accounts from first-time protesters—including a mother and daughters—joining the ICE protests
• Denver, CO, shoutout for rallying against Trump’s operations
• Project for Awesome charity event highlighted
• Pet photos, shoutouts to progressive churches, and a palate cleanser in memory of Catherine O’Hara are shared, closing the episode with hope.

Segment Timestamps

| Segment | Start | Description | |--------------------------------------------|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Episode Intro/News Recap | 00:58 | Headlines: Pretti’s killers named, ICE abuses, protests, TX election, Epstein docs | | Pretti Case & CBP Systemic Issues | 03:01 | Ochoa & Gutierrez named, analysis of CBP/ICE abuses | | ICE Home Raids & Warrant Expansion | 09:46 | Escalating warrantless powers, legal challenges | | Journalists Arrested/KKK & Face Act misuse | 12:05 | Black journalists arrested, misuse of laws | | ICE Violence & Cover-up | 13:53 | Castaneda Mondragon case, medical evidence contradicts ICE claims | | Border Patrol Antisemitism | 18:05 | Bovino’s comments, legal ramifications | | Protests Nationwide | 22:52 | Details and stories from wave of protests | | Defunding ICE/Political Developments | 20:21 | Sanders amendment, Dems/2 GOP for, GOP blocks; TX 30-point swing | | Better News: Liam Ramos’ Release | 28:03 | Young boy and father freed from camp, scathing judicial ruling | | INTERVIEW: Asha Rangappa | 32:39 | Deep dive into FBI raids, Maduro, legal risks, and what’s at stake | | Good News Palate Cleanser | 59:22 | Listener stories, protest coverage, and a heartfelt sign-off |

Summary

This episode exposes the depth and breadth of institutional abuses by ICE and CBP, the persistence of cover-ups and racial targeting, and the high stakes for American democracy as federal powers are repurposed for political gain. Through personal stories, sharp analysis, and an expert interview with Asha Rangappa, listeners are armed not only with facts and context but avenues for action: protest, voting, contacting local officials, and fighting propaganda.

The hosts end with glimmers of hope—grassroots wins, community resilience, and small joys, reminding listeners to “microdose the hope.”

For listeners seeking context, analysis, and encouragement in the fight for justice and democracy, this episode is timely, fiery, and indispensable.