Joseph Steffen

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

Millions of "snowflakes" moved by an ill wind can become a powerful angry blizzard and wipe clean a desolate landscape. #fightforthefuture

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@JimKingstonGA Glad to know where you stand ( with authoritarian imperialist fascism ). Your dad must be ashamed.

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@CamLemons_ @Les_Johns Agree. He NEEDS to find minutes for them. Falling into the same bad habit in game one of keeping bench too short. 3-4 min blow for others HELPS.

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@KellyWillisKW SO much enjoyed the performance and catching up afterwards. Wonder Women is an amazing concept in both the combination of unique talents and in pure enjoyment. I hope you can bring it to Savannah. I would be glad to put you in touch with my friend Brian who owns Victory North

[Occupy Democrats @OccupyDemocrats]

BREAKING: The Catholic Church enrages MAGA world as the Archdiocese of Miami unequivocally condemns "Alligator Alcatraz" as "unbecoming of public officials" and "corrosive of the common good."

The Church has quickly become Donald Trump's greatest enemy...

"We all want to make America great again, but you're not going to make America great by making America mean," said Archbishop Thomas Wenski.

"No matter how well secure you have the tents, in a strong storm I would think they would be hazardous. Plus the Everglades out there is very hot," said Wenski.

The facility was constructed in Florida to hold migrants in brutal conditions with a gleefully cruel nicknamed designed to excite MAGA xenophobes. Those with a more clear-eyed historical perspective have taken to calling it "Alligator Auschwitz."

Pope Pope Leo XIV is a strong advocate for humane treatment and care of migrants and under his leadership the Church has pushed back forcefully against many of Trump's worst abuses.

"To mock these people that are detained here is to forget, that they… have parents, mothers, fathers, children, brothers and sister that are very distressed by people being detained here," the Archbishop said.

"What makes it cruel right now is the arbitrariness of this push to deport more people that really have a stake, who've already been here, that put in sweat equity and staying here," he added.

Alligator Alcatraz is just the latest horrifying development in Donald Trump's ongoing war against immigrant communities. His brutal ICE crackdowns are tearing families apart and targeting innocent people, all in service of a program of soft ethnic cleansing. When this is all said and done, MAGA wants to bring about a white Christian nationalist authoritarian state.

The Archbishop also released a powerful statement on on the archdiocese of Miami’s website—

"The bishops of the United States have long been advocates of reforms to our broken immigration system," it reads. "Thoughtful observers of the challenges facing our country cannot help but recognize that serious reforms are necessary to preserve safety and the integrity of our borders, as well as to accommodate needs for labor, family stability, and the ability of those at risk of grave harm to migrate. We continue to propose reforms that will enhance our immigration system, respect human dignity, and promote the common good.

"The administration has effectively achieved control of the border. It is aggressively moving to remove and deport 'bad actors,' those who have entered the country and committed serious crimes, but, as employers in the agricultural or services sectors of our economy can tell you, most immigrants are hardworking and honest and only want to build a hopeful future for themselves and their families," it continues.

"The majority, although not having permanent legal status, do enjoy some form of status such as TPS (Temporary Protective Status), parole, or a pending asylum application. Some (Haitians, Cubans, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans) came with special humanitarian visas good for two years, but conditions in their countries of origin have yet to improve," the statement goes on. "Others came legally as students or visitors and fell out of status.  The Dreamers were brought by their parents, and while the government has afforded them 'deferred departure,' they have no path to legal permanent residence."

"The US faces labor shortages in many industries, including healthcare, service, and agriculture. Removing immigrant workers will only exacerbate these shortages," it continues. "Rather than spending billions to deport people who are already contributing positively to our nation’s well-being, it would be more financially sensible and more morally acceptable for Congress, working with the Administration, to expand legal pathways for non-criminal migrants to adjust to a permanent legal status. The administration is responsible for enforcing the laws, but Congress makes the laws and has the authority to change them."

"As the new detention center at Dade-Collier Airport, also known as 'Alligator Alcatraz,' becomes operational, it seems necessary to take stock of recent developments in immigration enforcement and reiterate the need for more than enforcement-only measures," it reads.

"It is alarming to see enforcement tactics that treat all irregular immigrants as dangerous criminals. Masked, heavily armed agents who do not identify themselves during enforcement activities are surprising - so is the apparent lack of due process in deportation proceedings in recent months," it continues.

"Along these lines, much of the current rhetoric is obviously intentionally provocative. It is unbecoming of public officials and corrosive of the common good to speak of the deterrence value of 'alligators and pythons' at the Collier-Dade facility," the letter bluntly states.

"Common decency requires that we remember the individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives," it continues. "We wish to ensure that chaplains and pastoral ministers can serve those in custody, to their benefit and that of the staff. We also raise concerns about the isolation of the detention facility, which is far from medical care centers, and the precariousness of the temporary 'tent' structures in the Florida heat and summer thunderstorms, not to mention the challenge of safely protecting detainees in the event of a hurricane."

"We call on all people of goodwill to pray for our government officials, for those in immigration custody and their families, for those who work in enforcement, and for justice for all in this nation, whose prosperity immigrants have always contributed to," it concludes.

Ironically, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis claims to be Catholic as does fascist Vice President J.D. Vance. Their actions could not be any less Christ-like.

NBC6 has reported on the "inhumane conditions" at Alligator Alcatraz and migrants are being given spoiled food, given limited access to showers, and are being exposed to extreme and mosquito swarms.

History will remember this dark moment and those who stand by silently will be judged accordingly.

Please retweet and ❤️ to thank the Church for speaking out!

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@AntiTrumpCanada D. All of the above

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@KellyWillisKW I just got my tickets. It will great to see you. You performed at my restaurant almost 30 years ago ( Eat at Joe's in Blacksburg VA )

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

#goghostpirates

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

Best of Savannah 2025 is open now! https://t.co/cDznSptvt2

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

Check out Jekyll and Hyde SCT Encore. Best of Savannah 2025 is open now! https://t.co/k5wVSEZ0GL

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@SavGhostPirates

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

#timetohaunt

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@Les_Johns Not hard to figure out. Our 3pt shooters can't shoot.

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

https://t.co/pRqIUzC8Gk

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

https://t.co/xMT1ukPI5i

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@mtomasky @newrepublic Been saying this forever. Faux News spent years plowing the ground for a populist autocrat. Just not sure that there is anything to do about this. 60% of America is already addicted .

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@michaelianblack Actually the feeling is more like someone I loved committed suicide.

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@michaelianblack Amen. The majority of Americans DESIRE easy answers to tough problems and WANT to be led by a neo-fascist authoritarian. I'm ( like you ) Chicago born and live in Savannah. ( Sorry we haven't met yet ) But I'm also a history major. I've seen this movie before. It never ends well

[Joseph Steffen @steffjj]

@Les_Johns I'm in Savannah but donated to him. Truly scary opponent.