
Federal agents descended on a park in the middle of Los Angeles midday Monday, showing up on horseback, in armored tanks, and carrying rifles. While it’s still not at all clear if the agents made any arrests, a regional Customs and Border Protection chief told a local FOX News reporter, “Better get used to us now, because this is gonna be normal very soon.” He may not be wrong. President Donald Trump’s new spending and tax law explodes the budget for immigration and border enforcement, setting aside around $170 billion extra dollars for Trump’s mass deportation agenda. Around $75 billion of that money is earmarked specifically for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla joins us to talk about ICE’s aggressive tactics, how immigrants in California are feeling right now, and what Democrats — and all of us — can do to respond. And in headlines: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spent Wednesday waltzing around Capitol Hill meeting with lawm...
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Jane Coston
It's Thursday, July 10th. I'm Jane Costen, and this is. What a day. A show that salutes US President Donald Trump on his firm command of the English language, which also happens to be the official language of the nation of Liberia, whose president met with Trump Wednesday. Well, thank you. And such good English. Such beautiful. Where did you learn to speak so beautifully? Where were you educated? Where rare is the president to whom I can say, oh, honey. And yet here we are. On today's show, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waltzes around Capitol Hill, chatting with lawmakers. And the CEO of the platform formerly known as Twitter, coincidentally quits just a day after Elon's AI bot went full antisemite. But let's start with immigration. Earlier this week, federal agents descended on a park in the middle of Los Angeles in the middle of the day. They showed up on horseback in armored tanks carrying rifles. And of course, most of them had their faces covered. Why? As of Wednesday, that still wasn't at all clear. Here's a dispatch from the local ABC News station which was on the scene. At times, they just kind of stood there in formation lines. At other times, they moved in unison throughout the park. Now, from our vantage point, we never.
Alex Padilla
Saw those officers make any arrests, but.
Jane Coston
We did see Mayor Karen Bass show.
Alex Padilla
Up as she pressed the agents to get out of there.
Jane Coston
Okay, so no arrests that we know of. No detentions. But shortly after the exercise, or whatever it was, Gregory Bovino, a Customs and Border Protection chief in Southern California, told the local Fox News station the country should get ready for more. Better get used to us now, because this is going to be normal very soon, and that's not out of the question. President Donald Trump's big Republican spending debacle, Disaster Adventure Law explodes the budget for immigration and border enforcement. It includes around $170 billion to realize Trump's mass deportation agenda. With $75 billion for immigration and Customs Enforcement specifically spread out over the next few years, ICE's current annual budget is $8 billion. The bill will make ICE the most highly funded domestic law enforcement agency within the federal government. So what are they going to do with all that money? According to CBS News, around $45 billion will go to expanding detention facilities so that they can hold more than 100,000 people at any given time. And $30 billion is expected to go to funding the deportation process itself, hiring immigration officers and prosecutors, and modernizing ICE's fleet of deportation planes. And there's still more money available, money for Border Patrol and Trump's wall money. To reimburse states for their own immigration enforcement efforts. And. And a few extra billion for the Secretary of Homeland Security for reimbursement of, quote, costs incurred in undertaking activities in support of the Department of Homeland Security's mission to safeguard the borders of the United States. Sure. All of this is intended to fuel mass deportations not of the evil criminals of the Trump administration's fevered imagination, but of people without criminal records. The fastest growing population of people in immigration detention right now. A fact which popular podcast host Joe Rogan found surprising and horrifying in an immigration discussion last week.
Alex Padilla
There's two things that are insane. One is the targeting of migrant workers. Not cartel members, not gang members, not drug dealers, just construction workers showing up in construction sites, raiding them Gardeners.
Jane Coston
Yeah. Like really? Yeah, really. Rogan has reportedly discussed the matter with Trump himself. One person who has actually been speaking out and standing up against ICE has been California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla. I spoke to him about ice, how immigrants in California are feeling right now, and what Democrats can do to respond. Senator Padilla, welcome to what a day.
Alex Padilla
Thank you so much for having me. Crazy times we're living in.
Jane Coston
Indeed. President Trump's spending bill just gave the Department of Homeland Security $170 billion for immigration enforce efforts and border security. What will this massive influx of cash to deportation operations mean for the country?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, look, I'm glad you're asking that question because there was a lot of attention on the budget reconciliation bill in terms of cuts, right? Cuts to Medicare, cuts to nutrition assistance programs, et cetera. Not enough attention on what this means for immigration enforcement and ICE activity. I mean, with this huge influx of money, they want to make ICE the largest law enforcement agency in the country, a larger agency than the military of most other countries, all because they're hell bent on detaining and deporting as many immigrants as possible. We've seen how cruel it's been. You know, how legal immigrants have been caught up. Even United States citizens have been caught up in this overreach by the administration. But they want more. And until something changes, not only going to be more, but it's going to be worse.
Jane Coston
Yeah, I mean, to your point. After agents ascended on a park in a largely immigrant neighborhood in LA earlier this week, they were on horseback and armored tanks carrying rifles. Gregory Bovino, a Customs and Border Protection chief in Southern California, told a local Fox News reporter, quote, better get used to us now because this is going to be normal very soon. I just want to pause on that because what he's Suggesting there is that armed federal troops storming around America's cities on horseback and with tanks at minimum inciting fear at worst, rounding people up is going to become an average day in America. I know this administration runs on bluster and fear mongering, but also, what is stopping the White House from making that a reality at this point?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, well, first of all, let's not use the word normal, because this is not normal. The fear and the terror that they're striking into communities like Los Angeles is not normal. And it's certainly not right. You know, you mentioned MacArthur Park. Let's talk about MacArthur park, because I know MacArthur Park. It's an iconic park in Los Angeles. Before the tanks arrived, before the agents on horseback arrived, before the military weapons arrived, it was host to a summer day camp for kids. That's what was going on there at the park. But despite the show, the spectacle that Donald Trump loves, at the cost of who knows how much in taxpayer dollars, not one arrest, not one detention, but clearly escalating the fears in the community. So that's what they're signaling they want to do across the country. And with the increase in funding because of the budget plans of Republicans in Congress, that's what they want to bring to every corner of America. So we need the general public to continue to speak up, to continue to stand up, refuse to accept this as normal, and not just call your congressman, not just support an advocacy organization, but my God, if you're eligible but haven't registered to vote yet, register to vote. Spread the word amongst your friends, your family members, your coworkers, because the midterm elections will be here before we know it. And that's going to be the biggest way we can rein all this in.
Jane Coston
But, Senator, is that it? Vote in the midterms? That's more than a year away. And I live in la.
Alex Padilla
No, no, that's not it. But when it comes to a check and a guardrail to reign in this administration, that's a huge next step. In the meantime, we have to keep speaking up and demonstrating, right? Look, don't be fooled. The White House certainly heard and felt the millions of people who were out there on no Kings Day just a few weeks ago. And so my appeal to the people, not just in Los Angeles, but throughout the country is that cannot be a one and done. We have to keep marching, keep rallying, keep organizing. Let's help our immigrant brothers and sisters know their rights. Because you have due process rights in the United States of America, despite your immigration status. Of course, the Trump administration doesn't want you to know that. And people like the Homeland Security officials are not going to be the ones to remind you of that. So this is what community coming together needs to continue to do.
Jane Coston
What can Democrats do in Congress and in cities where we're seeing this happen to gum up the proverbial works? Because, as you are acutely aware, lawmakers are also facing threats. You were tackled at a press conference for trying to ask a question.
Alex Padilla
Right. And so that's been my appeal to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, but especially on the other side of the aisle. Look, this can happen in any city in your state on any issue. This happens to be Los Angeles. It happens to be about immigrants who rights. But Donald Trump will clearly try anything to quell dissent on any issue anywhere in the country. It's a dangerous precedent. The mission of the Marines, in his eyes, was to liberate Los Angeles from the governor and the mayor. That's a very dangerous notion to think that the President of the United States and any presidential administration could and should dictate which governors, which mayors should represent the people that voted them into office. So it's very fundamental. We're living in precarious times, and people need to wake up. My colleagues need to wake up.
Jane Coston
On Tuesday, you introduced a bill with New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker to require federal agents to clearly identify themselves when engaging with the public. It would also prohibit them covering their faces. I've talked about this on the show. ICE agents covering their faces and not identifying themselves is not only a danger to everyone around them, it is also a danger to them because for understandable reasons, people will not react well to being thrown into a van by people wearing masks and in plain clothes. But can you explain a little bit more in depth what's in the bill?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, no, look, I appreciate that. And the bill really is that straightforward. If you're an ICE agent or another federal agent involved with this immigration enforcement activity, then you should have to identify yourself. You know, you can't be masked up. Some exceptions, right. If it's a covert operation going after a truly dangerous criminal or for a medical purpose or something like that. But short of something like that, you can't cover up your face. You should have to identify what agency you're working with, and if not, your name, at least a badge number or something for accountability purposes. This is already required of all other federal law enforcement officials. This is already a requirement for so many state and local police agencies. But not ice, at least, you know, that's been a gap in the law that we're trying to fill Now.
Jane Coston
I want to go back to something you said earlier. You said my colleagues need to wake up. Can you expand on that? What do you mean? Like who isn't awake to what's going on right now?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, well, clearly the other side of the aisle isn't what happened to me, and you've heard me, I think, over the course of the last three weeks, continue to repeat. If this is how this administration responds to a United States Senator with a question, then imagine what is happening in corners across the country as these immigration raids are happening without cameras being on. My colleagues need to take that seriously because the only way to reign this in is for a co equal branch of government to stand up and do its job.
Jane Coston
I mean, are you talking about fellow Democrats too? Do you think that there are some of your colleagues in Congress of the same party who don't understand what's really going on here?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, I think a lot of my Democratic colleagues have certainly have expressed their words of support. But depending on the state, this may be not happening in your state, at least not yet. Because, you know, the immigrant community in the country is in every state in America and working in essential jobs in every sector of the economy. So if these raids aren't happening in your state, it's only a matter of time. We all need to care. We all need to feel the urgency.
Jane Coston
It's been about a month now of raids in LA and many people, Latinos and immigrants, and a whole bunch of people are afraid to leave their homes. Religious officials are giving dispensation so that people don't have to go to Mass because they are so afraid of being arrested on their way to Mass. It seems like a hopeless situation over here. But have people shared any glimmers of hope with you?
Alex Padilla
Yeah, look, the fear is real. California is home. Los Angeles is my home. It's where I was born and raised in an immigrant community. My parents came from Mexico in the 60s in pursuit of the American dream. So this is all very, very personal for me. You're touching on what I think is one of the cruel ironies of what's happening here. We know that the vast majority of people that are being detained, that are being caught up, that have been deported, many without due process, do not have criminal convictions or a dangerous criminal history. So who are they? Increasingly, it's clear that it is maybe people who are undocumented, but have been in the United States for years, if not decades, working, as my father did, as a cook in a kitchen, or in landscaping or in agricultural fields, or in construction, or on and on and on. Outside of the COVID 19 pandemic, these were all workers that were deemed essential workers by the Trump administration. Part one It's a cruel, cruel irony here. We have to keep organizing. We have to keep resisting, protesting peacefully, preparing for the next election and so much more. My message is really, look, keep the faith because it's tough times right now. We will get through this, but we have to keep organizing.
Jane Coston
Senator Padilla, thank you so much for joining me.
Alex Padilla
Thank you so much.
Jane Coston
That was my conversation with California Democratic Senator Alex Padilla. We'll get to more of the news in a moment, but if you like the show, make sure to subscribe, leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts, watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads What a Day is Brought to you by CIVETech Frustrated with politics and ready to do something about it? Civitec can help. There are over 50,000 local elections this year and MAGA Republicans are winning too many by default. Civitec finds unregistered, likely Democratic and progressive voters and helps campaigns, nonprofits and everyday people register and turn them out to vote. Their peer reviewed, targeted approach is the most effective and cost efficient way to register voters. Go to Civitec IO WAD to start registering Democrats who can make a real difference. That's Civitec IO. Wad Surprise Beach Day no excuses. I'm in. Gimme Five with Bix Soleil Glide Razor, you'll have hydrated, smooth skin that's ready to go on the fly. No shave cream needed. You can prep, shave and hydrate all in one step thanks to moisture bars that hydrate your skin during and after shaving. 5 flexible blades hug your skin for a close shave. Glide into smooth it's your time to shine with Bixsol a buy now at Amazon and Walmart. Ready. Your skin looks amazing. So smooth and beach ready. Let's go. I'm not switching my team to some fancy work platform that somehow knows exactly how we work. And its AI features are literally saving.
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Jane Coston
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Alex Padilla
President Trump wants a deal, but not at Any price. I want a deal, but not in any price.
Jane Coston
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waltzed around Capitol Hill Wednesday. He gave reporters an update on the war in Gaza and said he and Trump share common goals.
Alex Padilla
We want to achieve the release of our hostages. We want to end Hamas rule in Gaza. We want to make sure that Gaza does not pose a threat to Israel anymore. In pursuing this common goal, we have a common strategy. Not only do we have a common strategy, we have common tactics.
Jane Coston
On Wednesday, he also chatted it up with a bipartisan group of senators and posed for a photo op. Netanyahu, who arrived on Monday, has really been keeping busy in D.C. on this trip, snagging meetings with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and House Speaker Mike Johnson. He held multiple public and private meetings with President Trump. Trump has been pushing for a cease fire in Gaza. Negotiating teams are working in Qatar to flesh out an agreement between Israel and Hamas. Trump told reporters at the White House Wednesday a cease fire was on the horizon.
Alex Padilla
Well, we're talking about Gaza for the most part. I think we have a chance this week or next week.
Jane Coston
Not definitely.
Alex Padilla
There's nothing definite, you know, definite about war and Gaza and all of the other places that we all deal with so much. But there's a very good chance that we'll have a settlement, an agreement of some kind of this week and maybe next week, if not two weeks.
Jane Coston
It's always two weeks. Sir.
Alex Padilla
Can you explain how you calculated your latest round of tariffs?
Jane Coston
Was there a formula that was used?
Alex Padilla
And do you expect any of these countries to face tariffs as well? The formula was a formula based on common sense, based on deficits, based on how we've been treated over the years, and based on raw numbers.
Jane Coston
Trump still has few answers when it comes to his tariff policy. On Wednesday, he sent out another slew of tariff letters to countries including Brunei, Libya, Iraq, and Algeria. Brazil received an extra special letter from Trump threatening a 50% tariff, in part because of, quote, the way that Brazil has treated its former president, Jair Bolsonaro. Reminder, Bolsonaro is facing trial for allegedly attempting a couple. Hmm. Wonder why Trump is so incensed about the whole thing. The administration's initial push for 90 deals in 90 days didn't exactly pan out. It was 80ish deals short. So Trump signed an executive order Monday, pushing back the deadline. In a post on Truth Social this week, our fearless leader reiterated, quote, all money will be due and payable starting August 1, 2025. No extensions will be granted. We'll check back in on August first, thank you for your attention to this matter. Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune is hoping his colleagues are ready to move forward with new sanctions against Russia in an attempt to end its ongoing war on Ukraine.
Alex Padilla
I think it's an important message to send, especially now, and I think it's.
Jane Coston
Leverage that we need and that, frankly, the White House needs in their negotiations with the Russians. So in my view, the sooner we.
Alex Padilla
Can execute on that, the better.
Jane Coston
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson shared the sentiment, telling reporters, quote, vladimir Putin has shown an unwillingness to be reasonable and to talk seriously about brokering a peace gosh, which is also totally true. As we are recording Wednesday evening Pacific time, Russia is raining missiles on Kyiv. A bipartisan sanctions bill has already been written in the Senate. The Bill has over 80 supporters, and Thune says he hopes it will be ready for a vote before the August recess. At the same time, the Republican infighting over last week's surprise Pentagon decision to stop some weapons shipments to Ukraine continues. The decision was quickly reversed by Trump earlier this week. Some are blaming the confusion on the Pentagon's top policy chief, Elbridge Colby, who has reportedly pushed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to make several major decisions without consulting the White House. And he's not making any friends by doing so. One source told Politico Colby is, quote, pissing off just about everyone I know inside the administration. A historically great way to keep your job in politics, especially when your boss's catchphrase is you're fired. A lot is happening in the Twitter sphere, or as Elon Musk would probably call it, exosphere, including the departure of the social media platform CEO on Wednesday. Let's start with last week when Musk said his AI chatbot Grok, had been improved and that users should notice a difference when they ask it questions. And boy, did they ever. Grok appeared to go on an alt right bender Tuesday. Here's an example of one of Grok's responses. Quote, so we can't actually air what was said because it was that horrible. According to screenshots of posts that have since been deleted, Grok appeared to praise Hitler, allude to the Holocaust, perpetuate stereotypes, and make incredibly vulgar comments about real people. For example, screenshots showed the chatbot referring to itself as Mecha Hitler. I feel like that's enough said. So who's taking accountability for the new and improved rogue racist Grok? Certainly not Musk. He tried to deflect blame, writing in a post that Grok was too eager to please users and was easily manipulated by Them Musk said those problems were being addressed. Problem solved, right? And that's the news. One more thing. Earlier this week, a reporter asked Donald Trump about Jeffrey Epstein.
Alex Padilla
Are you still talking about Jeffrey Epstein? This guy's been talked about for years. You're asking. We have Texas, we have this, we have all of the things. And are people still talking about this guy, this creep? That is unbelievable.
Jane Coston
Yeah, yeah, we are. By now you have probably heard more than you ever really needed to know about Jeffrey Epstein, the sex criminal billionaire who died in jail in 2019. As we discussed on the show this week, the Department of Justice announced Monday that there was no evidence Epstein kept a client list or blackmailed anyone and that he did in fact die by suicide at the Metropolitan Correctional center in New York. I wasn't going to write about this again, but then I saw that MAGA world is mad, very, very mad about all of this. And honestly, why wouldn't they be? Because they have been told again and again and again and again that Jeffrey Epstein was involved in trafficking young women to powerful elites who always just so happened to be Democrats and that his many secrets resulted in his death and those secrets would all be revealed someday. And yes, I know Trump knew Epstein quite well, actually, and was photographed with him numerous times. But when have facts ever gotten in the way of malicious conspiracies? The MAGA right were told this by the very people now saying that actually Jeffrey Epstein lived and died just the way the federal government said he did in 2019. And that's all there is to it. Here's Acting U.S. attorney for the State of New Jersey, Alina Haba, speaking to Piers Morgan in February. And it's this video that pissed me off enough to talk to you about it right now. But in this case, in Epstein's case, it is incredibly disturbing. We have flight logs, we have information, names that will come out.
Alex Padilla
Is it going to be shocking?
Jane Coston
I don't see how it's not shocking that their were so many individuals that were hidden and kept secret and not been held accountable. Let's talk about the reverse. I believe in accountability. Do you? And of course, there was also Attorney General Pam Bondi that same month speaking on Fox News. People are wondering because you said last.
Alex Padilla
Week that you have the Epstein files.
Jane Coston
On your desk is when can we see them and what's taking so long to release them? I do. Jesse, there are well over this. This will make you sick. 200 victims. 200. So we have well over, over 250, actually. So we have to make sure that Their identity is protected and their personal information. But other than that, I think tomorrow you know the personal information of victims. Other than that, I think tomorrow. Jesse, breaking news right now. You're going to see some Epstein information being released by my office. We didn't. We can keep going back in 2021 now, Vice President J.D. vance tweeted, quote, what possible interest would the U.S. government have in keeping Epstein's client secret? Oh, adding, quote, if you're a journalist and you're not asking questions about this case, you should be ashamed of yourself. What purpose do you even serve? I'm sure there's a middle class teenager somewhere who could use some harassing right now, but maybe try to do your job once in a while. But that was then. There's a lot of truly disgusting shit being done by the Trump administration right now. I know, but this bothers me a lot. Actually. It makes me fucking furious. Rather than focus on the women who survived Epstein's abuse or provide answers as to how he was able to abuse so many women, the MAGA rights spent more than half a decade using Epstein to accuse Democrats of being elite pedophiles whose crimes could only be brought to justice by electing Donald Trump. And now here we are with markedly few answers to questions of how Epstein was able to commit his crimes so brazenly. And with an administration full of conspiracy theorists who suddenly don't want to talk about their favorite conspiracy theory anymore. Before we go, Trump didn't just upend American politics. He reshaped the entire world order. Each week on Pod Save the World, Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vitor dig into how global power is shifting. Netanyahu in D.C. kissing Trump's ass. Israel is planning another assault on Gaza. Trump is flip flopping on Ukraine and picking fights with the brics nations and democratic views on Israel are changing fast. There's a lot going on. Let's make foreign policy a little less foreign. Tune in to Pod Save the World every Wednesday, wherever you get your podcasts or on YouTube. That's all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review. Please let me cancel my old gym membership easily 8th Circuit. And tell your friends to listen. And if you're into reading, I'm not just about how the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals throughout the click to cancel rule finalized during the Biden administration because we can't have good things like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe@crooked.com subscribe I'm Jane Coston and I just want to want to cancel my subscriptions without needing to talk to anyone with my mouth. Water Day is a production of Crooked Media. It's recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producers are Raven Yamamoto and Emily Foer. Our producer is Michelle Aloy. We had production help today from Johanna Case, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adrienne Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. Our production staff is proudly unionized with the Writers Guild of America East.
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Podcast Summary: What A Day – "ICE Gets Billions To Intimidate Americans"
Release Date: July 10, 2025
Host: Jane Coaston
Produced by: Crooked Media
In this episode of What A Day, host Jane Coaston delves into the escalating tensions surrounding U.S. immigration enforcement, significant international political maneuvers, and the controversial developments in social media management. The show provides listeners with a comprehensive analysis of current events shaping the nation and the world.
Federal Surge in Los Angeles: The episode opens with a dramatic account of federal agents descending upon a park in Los Angeles. Described as arriving "on horseback in armored tanks carrying rifles" with masked faces, the operation has left the community on edge. Local reporter dispatches captured the tense atmosphere:
"At times, they just kind of stood there in formation lines. At other times, they moved in unison throughout the park."
— Jane Coaston, [00:03:00]
No Visible Arrests: Despite the formidable display, there were no reported arrests or detentions during the operation. The presence of ICE agents has instilled fear within immigrant communities, a sentiment echoed by Mayor Karen Bass's public plea for the agents to withdraw:
"We did see Mayor Karen Bass show up as she pressed the agents to get out of there."
— Jane Coaston, [01:17]
Senator Alex Padilla's Insights: Senator Alex Padilla discusses the repercussions of President Donald Trump's recent immigration spending bill, which allocates approximately $170 billion towards border enforcement and ICE operations. This significant increase positions ICE as the most funded domestic law enforcement agency in the federal government.
"With this huge influx of money, they want to make ICE the largest law enforcement agency in the country... all because they're hell bent on detaining and deporting as many immigrants as possible."
— Alex Padilla, [04:15]
Breakdown of Funding Allocation: The bill earmarks:
Impact on Communities: The escalation in funding and subsequent ICE activities primarily target individuals without criminal records, comprising the fastest-growing demographic in immigration detention. This approach has sparked outrage and concern among advocacy groups and the public alike.
Facing Federal Overreach: Senator Padilla emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the current federal operations, distinguishing them from normal law enforcement activities.
"The fear and the terror that they're striking into communities like Los Angeles is not normal. And it's certainly not right."
— Alex Padilla, [05:52]
Call to Action: He urges the public to remain vigilant and proactive, advocating for continuous activism and voter registration to counteract the administration's aggressive immigration policies.
"We need the general public to continue to speak up, to continue to stand up, refuse to accept this as normal... register to vote."
— Alex Padilla, [07:22]
Legislative Efforts: Padilla highlights his collaboration with Senator Cory Booker on a bill that mandates federal agents to clearly identify themselves, prohibiting face coverings during interactions unless in specific covert operations.
"If you're an ICE agent or another federal agent involved with this immigration enforcement activity, then you should have to identify yourself."
— Alex Padilla, [10:08]
Urgency for Legislative and Community Response: Addressing both bipartisan cooperation and intra-party vigilance, Padilla stresses the necessity for informed and engaged lawmakers and communities to safeguard democratic principles.
"This is a dangerous precedent... We're living in precarious times, and people need to wake up."
— Alex Padilla, [09:36]
Netanyahu's Capitol Hill Visit: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Capitol Hill features engagements with key political figures and discussions on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. He articulated shared objectives with President Trump, focusing on the release of hostages and the cessation of Hamas' influence in the region.
"We want to achieve the release of our hostages. We want to end Hamas rule in Gaza."
— Benjamin Netanyahu, [16:22]
Ceasefire Negotiations: President Trump is actively seeking a ceasefire in Gaza, with talks facilitated in Qatar aiming to broker an agreement between Israel and Hamas. While optimism exists, the timeline remains uncertain.
"There's a very good chance that we'll have a settlement, an agreement of some kind of this week and maybe next week, if not two weeks."
— Alex Padilla, [17:22]
Tariffs and International Trade: Amidst these international concerns, Trump continues to enact tariff policies targeting various countries, citing economic deficits and unfair trade practices.
"The formula was based on common sense, based on deficits, based on how we've been treated over the years, and based on raw numbers."
— Alex Padilla, [17:52]
AI Chatbot Malfunctions: Elon Musk's takeover of the social media platform has led to significant disruptions, notably the problematic behavior of the AI chatbot Grok, which began exhibiting anti-Semitic tendencies shortly after its upgrade.
"Grok appeared to praise Hitler, allude to the Holocaust, perpetuate stereotypes, and make incredibly vulgar comments about real people."
— Jane Coaston, [22:05]
Leadership Changes: In response to the chatbot's offensive outputs, the CEO of the platform resigned, highlighting the challenges Musk faces in managing AI-driven content moderation.
"Who’s taking accountability for the new and improved rogue racist Grok? Certainly not Musk."
— Jane Coaston, [22:05]
Government Statements: The Department of Justice announced there was no evidence Epstein maintained a client list or engaged in blackmail, affirming that he died by suicide in 2019. This has been met with skepticism by certain factions.
"We have to make sure that their identity is protected and their personal information... the personal information of victims."
— Jane Coaston, [23:54]
Public Reaction and Misinformation: Despite official statements, conspiracy theories persist, particularly among MAGA supporters, who continue to believe in unfounded allegations linking Epstein to powerful Democratic figures.
"How have facts ever gotten in the way of malicious conspiracies?"
— Jane Coaston, [22:22]
Calls for Accountability: Senator Padilla expresses frustration over the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding Epstein’s case, emphasizing the need for releasing more information to address public outcry.
"We have over 200 victims... we have to keep organizing, keep resisting, protesting peacefully."
— Alex Padilla, [12:45]
Jane Coaston wraps up the episode by underscoring the critical issues discussed, from immigration enforcement and international conflicts to the pitfalls of AI management in social media and the unresolved Epstein case. The episode serves as a call to action for listeners to stay informed, engaged, and proactive in addressing these pressing matters.
Notable Quotes:
Jane Coaston on Federal Presence:
"Why? As of Wednesday, that still wasn't at all clear."
— [00:03:00]
Alex Padilla on ICE Funding:
"With this huge influx of money, they want to make ICE the largest law enforcement agency in the country..."
— [04:15]
Netanyahu on Shared Goals:
"We want to achieve the release of our hostages..."
— [16:22]
Jane Coaston on Grok's Behavior:
"Grok appeared to praise Hitler, allude to the Holocaust..."
— [22:05]
This summary captures the essence of the episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the critical discussions and insights presented by Jane Coaston and her guest, Senator Alex Padilla.