Justin Kilborn

Public Defense, Constitutional Rights, & general political tweets. Former poli-sci professor, works in law office but not a lawyer. Pragmatic libertarian.

[David J. Bier @David_J_Bier]

Here's a compilation of clips from dozens of videos I've shared over the last year and a half since Stephen Miller ordered ICE to racially profile people on the streets. I intentionally included the "benign" incidents b/c every one degrades our citizenship. Congress, end it!

[Timothy Sandefur @TimothySandefur]

This is your regular reminder that anyone who uses the line about the Constitution “not being a suicide pact” is virtually always aiming to destroy freedom.

[Billy Binion @billybinion]

During the 2024 campaign, JD Vance said the killing of Peanut the squirrel showed that Democrats stand for government overreach.

Now, Peanut's owner is in ICE detention & is facing deportation over an alleged paperwork violation.

Which is a worse example of overreach? I wonder.

[Justin Kilborn @KilbornAgain]

This isn't at all how that works. 🙄

[Mickey Kaus @kausmickey]

Man embezzles $500K from a bank, gives it to his teen children. They don't know where it comes from, though they enjoy spending it. But the bank wants it's money back. The children righteously claim they shouldn't be punished for the actions of their parents.

The fact is we punish children for the actions of their parents all the time.

[Ben Winograd @benwinograd]

This analogy is supposed to show why it’s fine to deport Dreamers

But it actually does the opposite, as the bank couldn’t recover money from the children themselves precisely because they didn’t know where it came from

Only the parent who took the money could be punished

[Eric Boehm @EricBoehm87]

I completely unironically love this idea.

It might be the best idea Levin has ever had.

[David J. Bier @David_J_Bier]

"FALSE!" but then admit that the third grader was "taken into federal custody after an immigration check-in." Turns out ICE deported his father and has now arrested and separated him from his uncle. ICE never gave the father or uncle a chance to put in place legal guardianship

[Giancarlo Sopo @GiancarloSopo]

It’s Never Just the Economy

It's true that Hispanics prioritize the economy over immigration, but it's not that simple.

When the border is chaotic, Hispanics see disorder and they'll punish the party that allowed it. When enforcement becomes too heavy-handed, they interpret it as contempt for their communities.

Immigration and the economy are also closely related in many communities. When you raid construction sites and Home Depot parking lots, that has an economic impact. If people are afraid they'll get deported on their way to work, they engage in self-imposed COVID-style lockdowns and that has an economic impact. When you deport someone's dad, that family now has a financial hole to deal with.

Economic indicators are rarely uniform. Right now we have record high stock market numbers and low unemployment, yet many rate the economy as poor. A politician message their way out of economic perceptions, but if someone thinks you're coming for their parents or their cousins, they'll tune you out. There’s a reason Obama announced DACA five months before the 2012 election.

So, sure, Hispanics will always tell you the economy is the top issue. Our communities are disproportionately working class and everyone wants to live a better life. But moving too far in one direction or another on immigration — whether the border or internal enforcement — can certainly discredit you with Hispanic voters.

Hispanic Democrats didn't turn out in record numbers last week because of "the economy." Gas is about $3.42 a gallon in the RGV, not $5. You vote at existential levels when you feel threatened.

[Justin Kilborn @KilbornAgain]

@AriCohn I didn't notice the year. Holy shit that's even worse.

It confounds me how people still take these folks seriously.

[Justin Kilborn @KilbornAgain]

The polls were pretty accurate.

[Aaron Rupar @atrupar]

Trump: "Does anybody really believe that this 'Election' was honest. How could the Polls be so wrong??? Some early voting 'dumps' were so large that it was impossible to win, no matter how many people went to vote.
It’s all about the machines, which are far more important than the voter! President DJT"

[Justin Kilborn @KilbornAgain]

Californians are god damn terrible.

[The Assembly @InTheAssembly]

BREAKING: California voters just passed Prop 37. Buyers of newly built homes can now put down 3% instead of 20%.

How: the state lends you the other 17% as a second mortgage, funded by up to $25 billion in bonds.

On an $800,000 home that's $24,000 down instead of $160,000.

[Justin Kilborn @KilbornAgain]

This kind of shit is why so many groups of people that leaned toward Trump 2 years ago have abandoned him. You can enforce immigration law without being a fucking prick about it.

[NBC 7 San Diego @nbcsandiego]

ICE took an 8-year-old Haitian boy into custody after calling him in for a check-in Wednesday, sparking outrage among San Diego Unified School District leaders, who said Friday they were unsure where the child was being held. https://t.co/zJFQZyHEYP

[Tommy Bennett @tommy_bennett]

Percentage of federal civil cases reaching trial, 1962-2025

[derek guy @dieworkwear]

Not true. Hegseth gets his clothes from a company called Book a Tailor, which he confirmed in a Fox News segment. I suspect he got his clothes for free in exchange for this mention on Fox News. The company owner confirmed in an interview that their suits are made in Thailand.

In the time he since promoted this company, three US suit factories have faced closure. Instead of promoting US-made clothing, Hegseth promoted cheap imports that undercut US manufacturers.

You only think they're made in the US because the clothes are plastered with US flags. This is because you are more easily impressed by spectacle than substance, which is why this administration is so exciting for you.

[David J. Bier @David_J_Bier]

ICE HSI agent Kent Blacklidge who racially profiled and tackled US citizen Leo Venegas while trespassing at his worksite (the first of Leo's three illegal detainments) was just arrested for rape and child sex crimes. The agent's duties had included child sex investigations.

[Tax Foundation @TaxFoundation]

Tariffs are taxes.

Tariffs are regressive taxes.

Tariffs are distortionary, regressive taxes.

Tariffs are distortionary, regressive taxes that raise prices for US businesses and consumers.

[Natasha Bertrand @NatashaBertrand]

“Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, the famously anti-Trump GOP lawmaker, told CNN he plans to trigger a vote to impeach Hegseth when Congress returns next week — and multiple GOP sources said they expect it to pass.” https://t.co/04H4ADGWR2

[Katrin Marquez @KatrinMarquez]

When the admin said immigration enforcement was focusing on the “worst of the worst,” we may have misunderstood what they meant:
@IJ client Leo, a FL-born US citizen who repeatedly tried to show his REAL ID, was tackled by an HSI agent now indicted for rape and child sex crimes.