Major Updates: Syndication Announcement, Research Breakthroughs, and More Big News
Don’t miss this: key developments in immigration policy, media outreach, enforcement data, and student-led discoveries—all in one post.
I have an aunt and uncle who live in Seattle, Washington, outdoorsy types whose wonder for the natural world translates into a habit of bringing home treasures, big and small, to brighten their sanctuary. I always loved the way that the juxtaposition of unexpected textures and colors in their house mirrored the authenticity of the world outside.
Today’s Substack edition is a bit like that. I have a backlog of good news, upcoming events, and immigration enforcement updates collected into a single post. Each of these could have been its own post, but I have too many deeper-dive essays in the publication queue to allow things to get too backlogged—including some never-before-seen data and new findings about the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.
Enjoy this smorgasbord of announcements and celebrate a few pieces of good news with me. (Gotta enjoy the wins when they come your way!)
Table of Contents
This Substack is Now Syndicated!
Immigration Court History Project Kicks Off Thanks to Amazing Intern Team
Huge Thanks to Mary Bosworth for this Incredible Book
Event Announcement — “Data Sovereignty: Whose Data, What Sort of Sovereignty, Limits and Possibilities”
Join Me on Majority Report Next Wednesday in the 12:00 PM Hour
Major 287(g) Enforcement Action in Florida this Week
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1. This Substack is Now Syndicated!
In the past two weeks, I have been incredibly honored to work with Carmen Nobel at The Journalist’s Resource at Harvard University to republish select newsletter issues from my Substack newsletter to their platform. The Journalist’s Resource does incredible work to “bridge the gap between academia and journalism, informing the news by empowering journalists to rely on academic research throughout every step of the reporting and editing process.”
I have had an incredible positive experience working with them in the past to provide clarity about immigration policy and data for various essays and I presented at one of their events in February of this year. But now I have the pleasure of working with them even more closely as we take Substack posts here and distribute them to more reporters. Carmen’s work, and her team’s work, is essential as local newsrooms are shrinking and reporters often do not have the deep support they used to.
Here are two posts that have been republished, with minor updates and edits for their platform, in the past two weeks.
As a result of this exciting new collaboration, the Global Investigative Journalism Network also reached out to ask if they could republish for their more global audience. I’m honored to work with both of these well-respected outlets.
If you would also like to republish any of my Substack posts on your platform, please reach out to me in the comments or through Substack direct messages so we can discuss if it would be a good fit.
2. Immigration Court History Project Kicks Off Thanks to Amazing Intern Team
I had the great fortune to work with a team of undergraduate interns from Syracuse University this spring who spent the semester in Washington, D.C. What a time to be in D.C. learning about immigration policy!
In addition to observing Congressional hearings and so much more, they also kick-started an archival research project on the history of the immigration courts. They handled everything I threw at them, no matter how exploratory and unstructured, and in just two months, we actually have preliminary findings that we were able to present at the Migration Policy Institute earlier this week. We will publish our initial findings this summer. I couldn't be prouder of these fellas.
3. Huge Thanks to Mary Bosworth for this Incredible Book
On the way out of my apartment yesterday, I found a package from Mary Bosworth, the amazing scholar from Oxford University who (among many things) has done so much to promote the accessible work of migration scholars through Border Criminologies. (Subscribe to that, for real.)
After reading my previous post on non-traditional books about migration, an obsession of mine, she was kind enough to send me this tragic-yet-magnificent work that explores immigrant detention from a uniquely artistic perspective. The book is called Bordered Lives and it focuses on experiences of detention in the U.K.
I will definitely include it in the forthcoming 2025 migration book post that is in the works based on your many amazing recommendations. If you can’t wait for that post, learn more about Bordered Lives now and buy it online here.
4. Event Announcement — “Data Sovereignty: Whose Data, What Sort of Sovereignty, Limits and Possibilities”
Center for Latin American & Latino Studies at American University is hosting a fascinating virtual discussion on May 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Shout out to my colleague Rob Albro who will be on the panel.
The discussion of the meaning of data sovereignty for distinct users and at different levels, specifically as it relates to the generation and potential use of data by and for native communities, from an agrobiodiversity perspective, and in light of the geopolitical and security challenges posed by international data transfers. In so doing it draws attention to multiple emerging understandings of sovereignty in response to the evolving interests and goals of different data generators and users.
5. Join Me on Majority Report Next Wednesday in the 12:00 PM Hour
The Majority Report is your antidote to the slew of unstomachable 24-hour cable news shows. As a longtime fan, I always trust Sam Seder and Emma Vigeland to put together a thoughtful show. So the fact that they’ve reached out to me recently is a tremendous honor. I was on the show recently to talk about Trump’s immigration policies and I will be back again next week in the noon hour to talk about the 287(g) immigration enforcement program, the latest ICE detention and deportation data, and probably even more news that will break between now and then.
Follow the Majority Report on YouTube and tune in next Wednesday, May 7 to be a part of the conversation.
6. Major 287(g) Enforcement Action in Florida this Week
Speaking of 287(g), Hamed Aleaziz at The New York Times wrote about a blitzkrieg of immigration enforcement in Florida that took place this week with the help of 287(g) agreements. Read his story “6-Day ICE Operation in Florida Resulted in More Than 1,000 Arrests“ published on Thursday. I even managed to contribute some perspective in the online version of the article:
“Austin Kocher, a research professor at Syracuse University who analyzes immigration data, said that ICE has signed over 200 agreements allowing local officers to make arrests since the beginning of the administration. ICE has long had the ability to pair up with the local authorities on operations, but the ability of local law enforcement to make arrests on their own would help the agency the most, he said.”
Hamed is on my short list of journalists that I recommend following for anyone who wants to know how to keep up with immigration news.
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So much great work is going on and Austin I applaud all this information you are helping us gather!! You and all your sources and family inspiration are a beacon of truth. Thank you from the bottom of my ❤️