Jose Pagliery
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Articles by Jose Pagliery
No ID, No Money, No Way Out: DHS Deports a Man to a Country He Doesn’t Know
Guayaquil, ECUADOR — Rogelio Bolufé stared out the porthole of the white Boeing 767 as the landing gear hummed to life. He eyed endless green fields, a sparkling expanse of water, and a sprawling city along a river. The 44-year-old Cuban, who’d lost months of his life inside the vast network of U.S. immigration jails, was staring at his new purgatory: southern Ecuador. His mind wasn’t on the reality of being stranded in this strange place; that despair would swallow him later.
A Judge Demanded More Info From the U.S. in a Secret Deportation Case
Nazira Haji Zada will have to continue waiting in custody for at least much of this month as the Trump administration tries to make her the first person deported though a newly activated secret court. The Alien Terrorist Removal Court on Monday postponed a hearing that is meant to determine whether Haji Zada, an Afghan woman who was arrested by the FBI last month, may be released as the case moves forward.
Jeanine Pirro Finds Her Limit
Jeanine Pirro took on the role of the top prosecutor in Washington, D.C., with two personas: a bombastic Fox News host willing to pursue politically charged issues with zeal, and a former Westchester County prosecutor and judge who wants to run a U.S. attorney’s office with a sense of normalcy. President Donald Trump’s botched Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool project put those sides at odds — and her job at risk.
The DEA Makes the Case to Take It Easy on Marijuana
The Drug Enforcement Administration made the case for the first time that marijuana has a medical use, a stark reversal that aligns with the view of most Americans and could reshape the legal landscape for the cannabis industry. In a modest courtroom in Virginia this month, lawyers for the DEA called two witnesses in a renewed Trump administration push to remove weed from being included among the nation’s most heavily regulated drugs.
Texas Immigrant Is First to Face Terrorist Deportation Court
The Justice Department awakened a terrorist deportation court this month to remove the mother of an Afghan teenager who was convicted of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024, according to newly released filings. A public hearing Thursday morning will be the first for the “Alien Terrorist Removal Court,” an untested tribunal also handling its first case in its 30-year existence.
Texas Immigrant Is First to Face Terrorist Deportation Court
6 hours ago Across the country, federal judges are calling out Department of Justice lawyers, questioning in unprecedented ways whether they can be trusted to tell the truth or uphold centuries-old legal norms. From Washington, D.C., to Rhode Island to Oregon, federal judges nominated by presidents from both …
DOJ Agrees to Withdraw Subpoenas Issued to New York Times Reporters
NEW YORK — The Justice Department agreed Thursday to withdraw an attempt to force New York Times reporters to reveal to a grand jury their sources for a story on national security concerns about the Qatari-gifted airplane to replace Air Force One.
A Decades-Old Terrorist Deportation Court Is Being Used for the First Time
The Justice Department’s decision last week to activate a terrorist deportation court for the first time in its 30-year existence has surprised the judges who once sat on this dormant tribunal — and long wondered what hearings would even look like. The Alien Terrorist Removal Court is a little-known and untested venue for the government to deal with terrorism suspects in the U.S. with something other than regular criminal charges.
Judge Sets Maduro Criminal Trial for June 2027
NEW YORK — Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s criminal trial in New York City will start in June 2027, a judge ruled during a Wednesday hearing, a timeline that reflects the mountain of classified evidence in a case that involves spy agencies, the U.S. military and law enforcement. The court hearing was the ousted Venezuelan president’s first public appearance in months, as his case slowly advances. It was brief, with little discussion about the pending issues in the case.
Trump Demands New Probes and Charges Based on Info That’s Anything but New
President Donald Trump asserted in a prime-time address to the nation that declassified intelligence revealed by his administration is evidence of widespread election vulnerabilities and argued that previous administrations conspired to suppress information about China’s plan to interfere in the 2020 election. The documents, which were heavily redacted and published on the White House website, largely do not contain new information.
Chuck Grassley Joins Democrats in Demanding Info on Kash Patel’s Spending
Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley sought information from FBI Director Kash Patel over his use of the bureau’s private jets and other spending, in a previously undisclosed letter that adds bipartisan heft to similar oversight efforts from Democrats. The May letter from the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman was reviewed by NOTUS on Thursday, as Patel prepares for a scheduled trip to the FBI field office in Chicago on Friday.
‘Broadview Six’ Activists Want an Investigation Into Their Botched Prosecution
As the Justice Department races to distance itself from the missteps in the prosecution of six anti-ICE protesters in Chicago, lawyers for those protesters — known as the “Broadview six” — are asking a federal judge to investigate the prosecutors who brought the case.
Justice Department hasn’t taken its usual steps to protect the 2026 election
President Donald Trump says, “if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t really have a nation.” But five months out from the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, his Justice Department has canceled election-integrity training sessions for prosecutors and FBI agents, deleted a 281-page guide to prosecuting election offenses, fired most of the lawyers in its Public Integrity Section and failed to replace the director of its Election Crimes Branch.
‘Broadview Six’ Activists Want an Investigation Into Their Botched Prosecution
Politics 1 hour ago Georgia Republicans backtrack on redistricting plans NBC News - By Jane C. Timm • 1h After Gov. Brian Kemp called them into a special session, state lawmakers said they didn’t have enough time to draw new maps that would have taken effect for the 2028 elections. Georgia lawmakers will not redraw the state’s political maps this month after GOP Gov.
Justice Department hasn’t taken its usual steps to protect the 2026 election
President Donald Trump says “if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t really have a nation.” But five months out from the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, his Justice Department has canceled election-integrity training sessions for prosecutors and FBI agents, deleted a 281-page guide to prosecuting election offenses, fired most of the lawyers in its Public Integrity Section and failed to replace the director of its Election Crimes Branch.
The Trump Administration Keeps Ghosting Its Congressional Watchdog
A growing number of federal agencies are either refusing to provide the Government Accountability Office access to information or ignoring the congressional watchdog altogether.
Justice Department appears to be quietly scrapping ‘command center’ to monitor Election Day emergencies
(Courtesy of the U.S. Justice Department) President Donald Trump says “if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t really have a nation.” But five months out from the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, his Justice Department has canceled election-integrity training sessions for prosecutors and FBI agents, deleted a 281-page guide to prosecuting election offenses, fired most of the lawyers in its Public Integrity Section and failed to replace the director of its Election...
2026 midterms poised to have less federal oversight as Trump admin defangs election watchdog
This article is made possible through Spotlight PA’s partnership with NOTUS, a nonpartisan news organization that covers government and politics with the fresh eyes of early career journalists and the expertise of veteran reporters.
The Justice Department Hasn’t Taken Its Usual Steps to Protect the 2026 Election
President Donald Trump says “if you don’t have honest voting, you can’t really have a nation.” But five months out from the midterm elections that will determine control of Congress, his Justice Department has canceled election-integrity training sessions for prosecutors and FBI agents, deleted a 281-page guide to prosecuting election offenses, fired most of the lawyers in its Public Integrity Section and failed to replace the director of its Election Crimes Branch.
Lawsuits Claim Cruel Conditions At Delaney Hall
Above photo: Worms, Mold and ‘Psychological Torture.’ Court records describe deplorable situation at the ICE jail in New Jersey as protests continue nightly. Newark, N.J. — A woman says in court papers that guards starved her for five days straight.
Worms, Mold and ‘Psychological Torture.’ Lawsuits Claim Cruel Conditions at Delaney Hall
NEWARK, N.J. — A woman says in court papers that guards starved her for five days straight. A man claims “conditions violate basic standards of human dignity.” And several plead for help as the drinking water tastes like “raw sewage.” The mistreatment of immigrant detainees that has led to daily protests outside a privately-run ICE jail in New Jersey is laid bare in lawsuits describing deplorable conditions as well as first-hand accounts of wretched treatment some believe is intentionally cruel.
Missing Rep. Tom Kean Jr. Is Still Introducing Legislation in the House
Rep. Tom Kean Jr., the New Jersey Republican who disappeared from public life 88 days ago, has introduced two bills since going MIA — including one as recently as last week. On Friday, he became the lead sponsor of H.R.9061, which would force the federal government to give states clarity on whether Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover early-detection screenings for preeclampsia. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
A Judge Has Temporarily Blocked Trump’s ‘Anti-Weaponization’ Fund
It only took 11 days for President Donald Trump’s $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” slush fund to hit a brick wall. On Friday, a federal judge in Virginia temporarily barred the federal government from taking more steps to create or disburse money from the fund, which the White House created to dole out funds to people who say they’re victims of government overreach. The two-page order is meant “to ensure that no funds are irreversibly disbursed,” U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema wrote.
Samuel Alito’s Son Has Been Quietly Working for Trump’s Treasury Department
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s son quietly landed a political appointee job as a lawyer in the Treasury Department early last year, NOTUS has learned, posing a potential conflict of interest as courts wrestle with challenges to President Donald Trump’s deal to avoid future tax audits and the new massive $1.776 billion fund meant to enrich his allies.
The Prosecutor at the Center of a Botched DOJ Case Was Working For Senate Democrats
The federal prosecutor at the center of a Justice Department scandal in Chicago — where a tainted grand jury indictment has tanked a case against anti-ICE activists — had been reassigned to work for Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats until Friday, but has now been summarily dismissed from that assignment. Sheri H.
Tom Kean’s Neighbors Haven’t Seen Him Either
WESTFIELD, N.J.— Rep. Tom Kean Jr. hasn’t been seen in Washington for more than 75 days. Speaker Mike Johnson says he hasn’t spoken to him recently, and his neighbors in suburban New Jersey say they haven’t seen him either. The people who live on Kean’s affluent block noticed the Republican lawmaker’s disappearance long before it became the subject of a political mystery.
U.S. Indicts Former Cuban President Raúl Castro on Murder and Conspiracy Charges
The Trump administration amped up its aggressive posture against Cuba on Wednesday, announcing that the Department of Justice obtained a criminal indictment against former President Raúl Castro and several fighter pilots for shooting down a pair of American planes that were said to have entered the island’s airspace in 1996.
The White House Is Meeting With DOJ, DHS and USPS About Creating Voter Lists
President Donald Trump’s attempt to impose federally approved voter lists on states and restrict mail-in voting is moving full-steam ahead. White House officials have held discussions in recent weeks about putting the plan into action with the help of the Justice Department, the postmaster general and a known election conspiracy theorist who’s been put in charge of “election integrity” at the Department of Homeland Security.
FBI Created ‘Payback Squad’ to Handle Political Cases, Sources Say
The FBI now has a team of special agents that’s being internally referred to as the “payback squad” specifically put together to handle politically sensitive cases, according to four sources briefed on the matter who spoke to NOTUS on the condition of anonymity. These sources — which include two current government officials, a former official and a fourth person familiar with current operations — differed on whether the squad is based out of Washington headquarters or New York.
What the Border Security Industry Wants DHS to Buy Next
PHOENIX — There’s a ton of money to be made with the Trump administration’s commitment to mass deportation and a militarized approach to drug cartels. An annual border expo this week showed what the future of immigration enforcement could look like. There were constantly spinning radar mounts that can spot the speck of a human being crossing the barren Sonoran Desert, driverless offroad buggies to chase them down for miles and quickly deployable tents to detain them at massive encampments.
Blanche Vows DOJ Will Prioritize Denaturalization Cases
PHOENIX — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche vowed on Wednesday to continue transforming the Justice Department into an enforcement arm for the president’s mass-deportation and anti-immigration priorities, adding that under his leadership the DOJ would prioritize denaturalization cases that seek to strip citizenship from recent immigrants. “We are on track to surpass the number of denaturalization filings the Biden administration submitted in four years.
The FBI's Raid of a Virginia Democrat's Office Goes Back to a Biden-Era Probe, Officials Say
The FBI served more than 10 search warrants Wednesday morning in a criminal investigation that dates back “years” targeting Democratic Virginia state Sen. Louise Lucas, according to a top Trump administration official who spoke to NOTUS on the condition of anonymity. A second official described the investigation as “financial” in nature and said it started during the Biden administration. Lucas, who is the president pro tempore of the state’s Senate and an ally of Democratic Gov.
Border Czar Threatens an ICE Surge in New York
PHOENIX — The Trump administration threatened to flood New York with federal agents performing deportation roundups if the state passes a law that cuts off immigrationenforcement cooperation, border czar Tom Homan said at a business conference Tuesday. Speaking to government contractors at the Border Security Expo 2026 in Phoenix, Homan vowed to continuethe aggressive tactics used recently by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol teams in Los Angeles, Memphis and Minneapolis.
Judge Who Laid the Groundwork for Trump’s Supreme Court Battle Used to Work for Him
The appellate judge whose dissent laid the groundwork for a Supreme Court intervention in E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case against President Donald Trump worked in the White House in 2019, when Trump made the defamatory comments. It’s an apparent conflict of interest that’s made even more relevant given the judge’s forceful defense of Trump’s actions at the time.
Republicans Say Todd Blanche’s Audition to Be Full-Time AG Is Going Well
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is expected to get an extended run atop the Justice Department, as the White House views his prosecution of President Donald Trump’s political opponents as part of his audition for the full-time post. Trump announced earlier this month that Blanche would replace Pam Bondi as attorney general, but kept his options open as to who would lead the department down the road.
Ex-FBI Director James Comey Indicted Again, This Time Over ‘86’ Seashells
Former FBI Director James Comey was criminally indicted again on Tuesday, this time by a federal grand jury in North Carolina over his “86 47” Instagram post last year that MAGA followers interpreted as a threat to President Donald Trump, according to two law enforcement sources. This is the second time the Trump administration has attempted to fulfill Trump’s pledge to seek revenge on the FBI director he fired during his first administration.
Trump’s Power To Fire Federal Employees Can Be Challenged in Court, Judge Rules
The Trump administration’s go-to tactic for firing career federal employees — delivering form letters that cite President Donald Trump’s “Article II” constitutional powers — is backfiring in a way that could bolster the flood of lawsuits against the government. Until now, the White House had effectively shut down the primary legal avenue ex-employees had to challenge their terminations by refusing to fully staff an obscure government panel that handles workplace disputes.
SPLC Indicted on Federal Fraud Charges Over Its Past Use of Paid Informants
The Justice Department on Tuesday obtained a criminal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center for its covert tactics to spy on violent domestic extremist groups, accusing the group of money laundering when it paid undercover informants that have shed light on racist movements.
Brennan Case Nears Indictment, Potentially in Front of Trump’s Favorite Judge
As the Justice Department prepares to attempt to criminally indict former CIA director John Brennan in the coming weeks, a source familiar with the investigation told NOTUS the newly appointed lawyer overseeing the prosecution is going to be traveling back and forth between Miami and Fort Pierce, Florida — the location ofa small courthouse that’s home to a single jurist: U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon.
Men In ICE Detention Centers Say Guards Deny Them Basics Like Laundry and Medication
Detained immigrants in the U.S. — including some of the men who say they witnessed Texas guards suffocate Cuban detainee Geraldo Lunas Campos — say they’ve been denied clean clothing, showers, adequate food and medicine. Dozens of men from several immigration detention camps across the Southwest have written letters and talkedto NOTUS over the phone from behind bars in recent months.
A Federal Judge Dismisses Trump’s Suit Against the WSJ Over Epstein Letter — and Gives Him Two Weeks to Try Again
A federal judge on Monday tossed President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal for first revealing a sexually suggestive letter bearing his signature that was gifted to Jeffrey Epstein, but the president now has two weeks to file a new suit. U.S. District Judge Darrin Gayles concluded that The Wall Street Journal reporters acted well within the protections afforded by the Constitution’s First Amendment.
A Federal Judge Compared the U.S. Prison System to a ‘Soviet Gulag’ Over Inmate Health Concerns
The Federal Bureau of Prisons denied a potentially vital doctor’s appointment to an imprisoned Florida woman with signs of breast cancer, drawing a sharp rebuke from a judge who noted that the Justice Department’s own inspector general recently investigated the prison system for delaying “urgent medical appointments, leading to the death by treatable cancer of an inmate.” In his Tuesday order releasing the woman from home confinement on April 9, U.S. District Judge Roy Dalton Jr. compared the...
How Todd Blanche Climbed the Ranks in Trumpworld to Acting Attorney General
Todd Blanche, who will temporarily lead the Department of Justice as the nation’s acting attorney general, has one of the few qualities that defines a survivor in the heads-will-roll world of President Donald Trump. He does the kind of damage control Trump loves.
Trump Says Pam Bondi’s Time as Attorney General Is Over
President Donald Trump has ousted Pam Bondi from leading the Department of Justice. “We love Pam, and she will be transitioning to a much needed and important new job in the private sector, to be announced at a date in the near future,” Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump made the decision on Thursday after telling his former personal defense attorney that her time leading the Department of Justice was up, according to the source briefed on the conversation.
Trump Watches as Supreme Court Justices Poke Holes in His Attack on Birthright Citizenship
Supreme Court justices on Wednesday showed little appetite to greenlight President Donald Trump’s unilateral attempt to limit birthright citizenship, with nearly every member of the court expressing skepticism of the administration’s revisionist version of a long-established and core American principle.
Marco Rubio Spent Hours Testifying About Getting Dragged Into Shadow Diplomacy With Venezuela
MIAMI — Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s three-hour testimony at a Florida trial on Tuesday was supposed to elucidate his relationship with former Republican Rep. David Rivera, who is accused of striking a $50 million deal to engage in what federal prosecutors have called “a secret political influence campaign” from Venezuela.
A Very Important Trial ‘About Nothing’ That Demands Marco Rubio’s Presence
MIAMI — A trial that kicked off this week in Florida has all the makings of an international spectacle thanks to the involvement of an unlikely witness: Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
FBI Braces for Blowback in Joe Kent Investigation
FBI Director Kash Patel has privately indicated a desire to make public as much information as possible about material allegedly leaked by Joe Kent, who resigned this week as director of the National Counterterrorism Center, according to a law enforcement source.
The Legal Battles Over Trump’s Prosecutor Appointments Are Escalating
The Trump administration is engaged in a power struggle with the nation’s judiciary over who can determine the top federal prosecutors in each region, leading to confusion over who’s in charge of regional offices across the country. At least six times, judges have disqualified politically appointed interim U.S. attorneys after their terms have expired. But the Department of Justice has left them in place by giving them different titles.
Trump’s Attempt to Brand Anti-Fascism as Terrorism Is on Trial
FORT WORTH, Texas — The verdict in a trial now underway in Texas has stakes that go well beyond the fate of nine defendants: whether or not the Trump administration can brand self-identified anti-fascists as “terrorists.” If the Justice Department prevails at trial, the results could be sweeping, potentially allowing the department to punish protesters en masse if a demonstration suddenly turns violent.
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