Podcast Summary: The Majority Report with Sam Seder

Episode 3577: Epstein Cover Up Falling Apart; True Story of Chicago ICE Raid with Melissa Sanchez & Jodi Cohen
Date: February 10, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Sam Seder dives into two major stories: the continued unraveling of the Jeffrey Epstein cover-up—examining newly unredacted files, congressional hearings, and astonishing revelations involving Trump—and a long-form investigative interview with ProPublica’s Melissa Sanchez and Jodi Cohen about a notorious September 2025 ICE raid on a Chicago apartment building. The conversations combine breaking political news, outspoken analysis, and in-depth journalism, highlighting the intersection of government accountability, immigration, and abuses of power.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Epstein Files: Congressional Pressure, Unredacted Revelations, and the Trump Connection

• Epstein Files Partially Unredacted: DOJ is under mounting congressional pressure to release more Epstein files, with both lawmakers and the public now gaining access to millions of previously hidden documents.
• Worldwide Impact versus U.S. Inaction:
  • Numerous resignations and investigations in European governments tied to Epstein, while the U.S. largely resists prosecution or even open inquiry.
  • Comparison drawn to the Pentagon Papers and lawmakers' power to disclose information on the congressional floor.
• Trump’s False Claims about Epstein:
  • It’s now established through DOJ files that Trump’s long-held claim—that he kicked Epstein out of Mar-a-Lago—was a lie.
  • "That is not true. It's a lie. That's a big deal..." – Sam Seder ([10:59])
• Ghislaine Maxwell Testimony:
  • Ghislaine Maxwell invokes the Fifth Amendment regarding Trump, Epstein, and underage girls; legal ramifications discussed, including the inconsistency with prior interviews.
  • “Many of my questions don't in any way incriminate her. So we'll see what she does. But... she’s pleading the Fifth about things that don't implicate her but may implicate many of the other powerful people in the Epstein class.” – Rep. Ro Khanna (paraphrased by Sam Seder, [13:43])
• Trump's Extensive Involvement Detailed:
  • “Donald Trump is not only named thousands of times in the latest release ... over 38,000 times in the files that were released two weeks ago alone… The United States government is engaged in an active cover up... and Donald Trump is right at the center of it.” – Rep. Melanie Stansberry, [19:31]
  • Direct references to Trump’s subpoena and involvement in a case with a 13-year-old victim at Epstein’s house.
• DOJ Incompetence and Suspicion:
  • DOJ drafted internal reports on Epstein's suicide before it happened, raising questions of cover-up and gross negligence.
  • "I mean, I do this every day... but I'm not working at the Department of Justice, the chief law enforcement agency in the country and am not reporting on the supposed suicide of a guy who could have implicated the President..." – Sam Seder ([15:07])
• Contrast with International Response:
  • The UK is conducting a full investigation into Prince Andrew’s involvement, while the U.S. has barely begun.
  • "Why is there an investigation in England... and we have nothing in this country? Nothing." – Sam Seder ([17:28])

Notable Quotes

• Sam Seder, on constitutional overreach:
  “The biggest issue is the Democrats requiring judicial warrants to enter into people's homes, which is basically like saying follow the Constitution.” ([07:38])
• Rep. Melanie Stansberry:
  “There are now at least nine or 10 other countries ... that have opened investigations or forced their leaders to step down because of their mere association with Jeffrey Epstein.” ([19:31])
• Jody S. Cohen:
  “Donald Trump is not only named over and over in them... There is extensive discussion about a subpoena of Donald Trump in one of Jeffrey Epstein's cases...” ([22:10])

2. Deep Dive: The Chicago ICE Raid—What Really Happened

[34:22] – [60:33] Interview with Melissa Sanchez & Jodi Cohen (ProPublica)

Background

• In September 2025, a large ICE raid on a South Side Chicago apartment complex sparked local panic and national headlines.
• Official narrative: building was a hub for the "Trendidawa" Venezuelan gang, backing up the Trump administration’s anti-immigrant stance.

What Really Happened

• Widespread Fear, No Evidence of Organized Crime:
  • "Most of what was in [the media report] is true. It was a really scary, massive operation. ... 300 federal agents were there... There was a Blackhawk helicopter ... but we found zero evidence that [gang control] was the case.” – Melissa Sanchez ([37:15])
• Targeting of Regular Families:
  • Dozens of Venezuelan families and Black U.S. citizens lived there. Most tenants were simply paying rent, some to fraudulent intermediaries.
• Draconian Tactics:
  • Residents were separated by race and immigration status into vans, handcuffed, and detained—no real public threat, just a show of force for Border Patrol's media team.
  • "Residents told us ... black residents were put in one van and those they thought were immigrants were put in another..." – Brian ([39:16])
• No Criminal Charges:
  • Of 37 immigrants arrested, none were charged with any crime; fabrications about Trend Arawa connections fell apart under scrutiny ([38:48]).
• The State of the Building:
  • Dangerous, decades-long neglect by management. Persistent criminal activity (drugs, weapons, a murder), lack of repairs, and complicated landlord–tenant issues set the stage for ICE involvement.
  • “It was a little bit like the Wild West.” – Melissa Sanchez ([43:21])

Aftermath

• Devastation for Residents:
  • As a result of the raid and building’s persistent deterioration, almost all residents were evicted or deported; rent-paying tenants (including U.S. citizens) got minimal stipends and were forced out.
  • "People's lives have just been turned totally upside down since this happened." – Melissa Sanchez ([48:02])
• Consent Decree Violations:
  • Ongoing legal battles: Federal agents may have violated a longstanding Chicago-specific consent decree limiting warrantless ICE arrests. Immigrant rights lawyers are fighting for the release or protection of those still in detention ([48:42], [49:23]).
• Dire Detention Conditions:
  • Immigrants detailed appalling conditions in ICE facilities: overcrowding, lack of beds, contaminated food/water, medical neglect—all intensifying the desire to “self-deport” even when viable legal cases existed.
  • "It's really hard to verify these allegations. There were plenty of allegations … but the conditions were miserable ... so much that people did give up on good asylum cases..." – Melissa Sanchez ([54:30]–[55:46])
• Legal Grey Zone for Asylum Seekers:
  • Many detained individuals were in the midst of asylum or legal immigration proceedings, had work permits, and were following all rules.
  • “They thought they were doing things the right way ... my papers are on top of the TV—trying to point to where his papers were, and nobody cared.” – Melissa Sanchez ([57:20])

Notable Moments

• ABC7 Resident Clip:
  "It was scary because I've never had a gun put in my face." – Resident (recounted by Jody S. Cohen, [35:18])
• Melissa Sanchez on Deportations:
  "Almost all of those people (Venezuelans) were deported... Some are now living in Colombia or Chile... Just to survive." ([48:02]–[53:02])
• Sam Seder on Systemic Failure:
  "I don't know that we've ever had a raid like that ... and they just raided it as if it was some type of military operation." ([58:33])

Key Timestamps

• [07:38] – Democrats’ “radical” constitutional ask on ICE warrants
• [10:59] – Trump's claim on Epstein banishment revealed as a lie in DOJ files
• [13:43] – Ghislaine Maxwell Pleads the Fifth; legal implications examined
• [19:31] – Rep. Melanie Stansberry on the international scale of the scandal and U.S. cover-up
• [22:10] – Discussion of Trump’s subpoena in rape trial with Epstein
• [34:22] – Introduction to the Chicago ICE raid report and resident testimonies
• [37:15] – Sanchez & Cohen: What really happened that night in Chicago
• [38:48] – No criminal charges found; administration’s story crumbles
• [43:21] – The true “Wild West” conditions in the building
• [48:42] – Consent decree context and legal challenges
• [53:56] – Harsh conditions inside ICE detention facilities
• [57:20] – Asylum seekers detained despite legal status

Memorable Quotes

• Sam Seder:
  "If the Democrats continue to press, which I hope they will ... it is quite clearly bigger than Epstein and it requires investigation." ([22:57])
• Melissa Sanchez:
  "People's lives have just been turned totally upside down since this happened." ([48:02])
• Jody S. Cohen:
  "Not once ... during those [court] hearings ... was there any criminal history for any of these individuals." ([59:27])

Conclusion

This episode provides a densely packed, unflinching look at two major stories: the continued obstruction of justice in the Epstein saga—implicating high-profile figures and U.S. institutions—and the raw reality of federal immigration enforcement on the ground, shattering lives and communities in the name of security theater. The reporting from ProPublica’s Melissa Sanchez and Jodi Cohen adds rare detail and human depth, exposing the gulf between official narratives and lived experience.

For further details, find ProPublica’s reporting linked at Majority.FM and in the show’s YouTube description.