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John Hawkinson

@johnhawkinson.bsky.social
4K followers 550 following 10K posts

Cambridge, MA freelance reporter, usually for @CambridgeDay. MIT; public recs; data; legal news Lately: immigration. jhawk@alum.mit.edu 617.797.0250

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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Anyhow, I don't have any hard data on how length of time affects the possibility of granting of interim injunctive relief (neither in courts generally nor in Middlesex Superior Court specifically), so that's all just vague feelings from my limited experience. SO: Still waiting for decision.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Some of this turns on how time-sensitive you view the PI as being. The OND 1740 developers said they're losing $23,600/week in the current state. Without getting into whether that's compensible in court, I think different people might have different views on how time-sensitive that might be.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
PI hearing was Sept. 29. For the first 10 ten days I thought: "The longer Judge Ellis takes, the more likely she is finding a way to grant the PI, because a flat denial is easy." But today, I now think, "The longer she takes, the less likely that she'll grant the PI, or she'd have done it by now."
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
I guess the RCFP posted about it on their web page on the topic, which apparently I was not monitoring: www.rcfp.org/federal-cour...
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Reposted by John Hawkinson
Roger Parloff @rparloff.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Judge Sorokin orders vindictive-selective prosecution discovery & disclosure of grand jury minutes for Ksenia Petrova, the frog embryo researcher. "Credible showing [she] was prosecuted due to her status as Harvard-affiliated researcher & J1 visa holder." storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
They, in turn, reproduce under-oath statements made by a longtime customs
attorney in Petrova's federal habeas proceedings, which also concerned the events at issue in this
case. Doc. No. 45 at 13. The attorney had provided a sworn declaration attesting that, during his thirty-five-year career, he was not aware of any person having been prosecuted for smuggling without having been processed by customs officers for a "failure to declare" violation, nor could
he recall ever seeing smuggling charges brought for failing to declare a research sample
regardless of the traveler's willfulness. Id.; Doc. No. 67 at 22 (quoting same declaration). In the
circumstances presented, the foregoing suffices to satisfy Petrova's burden of supplying "some
evidence" of discriminatory effect as the relevant caselaw requires. The cited declaration
comprises a credible showing that Petrova was prosecuted due to her status as a Harvard-affiliated researcher and J-1 visa holder-
facts which "some evidence" before the Court also
shows placed her in the crosshairs of those presently controlling the Executive Branch. E.g., Doc. No. 67-2 (referencing visa and "educated individuals with a pedigree"); Doc. No. 67-4 at 5 (responding to "fake news" and mentioning Petrova's affiliation with Harvard); see also Doc.
No. 67 at 9-10 (describing context in which Petrova's case arose and actions targeting Harvard
and higher-education-related visa holders). The same declaration also credibly shows that other
travelers who have willfully failed to declare research samples or similar items but were not
Harvard-affiliated visa holders were not treated the same way.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
I asked the TV guys whyyyyy it looked so bad/fuzzy/lo-rez/unsharp and they said, "YouTube is now receiving the same signal/feed that is being sent from Comcast. This all involves an ongoing conversation with Comcast; so we’re not at the end of the discussion." huh.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The N.D.Cal. proposal is a result of advocacy by @rcfp.org which sought local rulemaking in a whole bunch of districts, seemingly without success…UNTIL NOW. Also, local rulemaking can be quite quick, whereas the federal rules takes 3+ years at a minimum.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Also of interest, the Northern District of California has published for public comment a local rule / general order that would remove the 5.2(c) restrictions on immigration cases entirely. It'd also allow use of initials by default. cand.uscourts.gov/news/2026/09... h/t @joshgerstein.bsky.social
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Broader discussion 5.2(c) and restricted access to immigration cases here: bsky.app/profile/john...
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I anticipate a more substantive discussion when Civil Rules meets on Oct. 21. And the issues in Civil and Appellate are somewhat different here, given how the rules are written.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
err, privacy SUBcommittee, rather.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Well, that was fast. By action of the Chair (Allison Eid), the matter is referred to the Privacy Committee (Adler/FPD Ft. Lauderdale, Coberly/Winston&Strawn, and Mark Freeman/DOJ-appellate). No substantive discussion today, just action the action recommended by the Reporter (Stephen Sachs).
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Up now.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Hi from the Advisory Committee on Appellate Rules meeting in Washington, where this is about to come up. bsky.app/profile/john...
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
We had Storytime With TF and then adjourned, 9:04:41pm, "See you in two weeks." Good night.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
SS says we could do better, but there's no meeting next week. (indigenous people's day)
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
PN asks why these are late resolutions without a rationale?
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
CZ says Steve Kaiser has pneumonia and is at Mt Auburn Hospital: bsky.app/profile/john...
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
ha ha on their roll call vote yes, yes, yes, PN: Yes, if they could be sent to me that would be great.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Resolutions done, city officer comms done, on to late resolutions.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Meeting in the home stretch. No applications, communicatons on file, &c. Now resolutions.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Now up, the uncontroversial greenhouse gas reduction revolving fund ordinance. Ordained 9-0:
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
SS brings back up CR#1, noting a vote was skipped and should be taken on the policy order as-amended. Vote is the same 6-3 as before: AAZ y BA y TF n MM y PN y EDS n JSW y CZ n SS y bsky.app/profile/john... « Yay for parliamentary procedure! »
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
(co-sponsorship added) EDS suggests it's prudent to make sure that other law enforcement agencies that operate in Cambridge (again, she lists, MIT, Harvard, DCR) know that's our policy preference as to sex work. 8-0-1: AAZ y BA y TF present MM y PN y EDS y JSW y CZ y SS y Passes.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
On the amendment, 8-0-1, with TF as present: AAZ y BA y TF present MM y PN y EDS y JSW y CZ y SS y Now AAZ up to be added as a co-sponsor and expressing concern about stigmatization/shame/isolation.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
BA: The amendments are before us? I just wanted to call the question. On calling the question: AAZ y BA y TF y MM y PN y EDS y JSW y CZ y SS y 9 in favor.  « This is so silly, it should be "Is there any objection to voting now?" »
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Now EDS is asking about "other law enforcement agencies" and she starts with MIT, MDC-now-the-DCR, and asks if they "have to adhere to the same principle." [ I am so confused. Is she next going to ask about the FBI? ]
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
And no, it is not true that "uncomfortableness" is not a word. "Uncomfortableness" is indeed a word. Just in case you needed to know. ahdictionary.com/word/search....
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I think this is Shameka Gregory from the Domestic and Gender Based Violence Prevention Initiative (not sure). She can't speak for the CPD but says the CPD does not have a practice of arresting sex workers, with the recent brothel arrests aside because they were a "federal undertaking."
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
CZ now has questions for city staff. "So, are the Cambridge Police Department, currently involved in enforcing, are they putting sex workers in jail?"
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Here's the amendment:
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
PN/JSW have an amendment to remove the support for full decriminalization. She says she isn't sure, because although many workers support that, other sex workers said "No, absolutely do not do that."
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
On to CR#2, which has gotten an awful lot of public comment about decriminalizing sex work (generally in favor of decriminalizing, with some strong objections)
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The MM substitute is in place 6-3: AAZ y BA y TF n MM y PN y EDS n JSW y CZ n SS y Now anything else before voting on the PO-as-amended…or « no, they are skipping the final vote because SS just doesn't understand how voting works? COME ON. »
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Err, this is the MM substitution: (pic) CZ and TF explain why they think it's not a meaningful intervention to address the problem.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
CZ's amendment to go from 5 years to 1 years fails 4-5: AAZ n BA y TF y MM n PN n EDS y JSW n CZ y SS n Next up, the MM substitution amendment from last week. "Call the question," he says, but withdraws that to avoid voting on whether to vote so others can talk.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
PN says she had intended to vote for CZ's amendment because it was better than the underlying original order, but she now thinks that will be too confusing to observers so she will not do so. MM is now asking about afterhours golfcourse parking lot use.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
BM says it'll be hard to measure success until there is a bike lane, unless they preemptively removed that parking before they really had to, which would feel "punitive."
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
BM: …including resident parking at night, unregulated during the day. Gotten a Law Dept opinion that would allow golfers to have placards and enforce non-golfer use of the Golf Course's parking lot. Also changes along Glacken Field.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
AAZ asks staff about a parking study that showed there was parking availability. BM (aka BMcK) isn't sure when the Parkside residential building did their study. AAZ rescopes her question as to what Transportation is doing. BM says they're looking at changing unregulated parking in the area,
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
TF spoke for a while but I failed to capture it, because it was a bit…loquacious. PN is now asking a "procedural question" about ordering of amendments. « It sure seems to me that this is being done in the wrong order, but there are few consequences of such an error. »
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
MM says he appreciates 1 yr over 5 yrs; notes that BMcK sez removal of the parking won't take place until late spring/early summer: allows some of the mitigation efforts for nearby residents. He says also the original plan was to remove 81 spaces & it was reduced to 44 or maybe even 37 in response.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
CZ runs out the 5 minute clock. MM has a "procedural question." SS says they should do CZ's amendment before MM's from last week.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
CZ: "I'm doing it, because it's the right thing to do."
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
On to the Other CSO (Cycling Safety Ordinance) and Outer Huron. We have an amendment from CZ, moving postponement from 5 years to 1 year. adds reference to "anti-car storage policies" (!).
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I recently compared the timekeeper to Vanna White but unfortunately she did not know who that was. I feel old. Perhaps you follow me for my immigration litigation coverage. (or not)
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
PO#2 (CSO) adopted 9-0 as well w/ the Bellis Circle item still in it.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
AAZ to TF: I appreciate your compliments, the amendment came in part from our loquacious community members. « I am so confused. » AAZ amendment adopted unanimously 9-0.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Deputy City Manager Kathy Watkins (KW) (former Chief Engineer and then head of DPW) notes that this tank is very important because it's adjacent to the 401A CSO which is the most active combined/sewer overflow in the city.
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John Hawkinson @johnhawkinson.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
MM asks PN about the WHEREAS about 135 Sherman / Bellis Circle that generated a lot of concern at public comment. PN says that it can become stormwater-only if sewer separation is achieved.
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