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Rachel Levinson-Waldman

@rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social
7K followers 251 following 445 posts

Director, Liberty & National Security Program, Brennan Center for Justice. Raised in Austin TX; in DC for last 20+ years; MA/WA/IL/CA/NZ in between. Owner of extremely cute dog.

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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 15/10/2026
Money is flooding the midterm elections in unprecedented amounts, including Elon Musk’s reported $366 million to help GOP candidates. It all shows the need for an effective ban on such spending from federal contractors. bit.ly/4ykN5fi
brennancenter.org
The Campaign Finance Scandal Is What’s Legal
Between Citizens United, a toothless FEC, and $1.3 billion in dark money, reform is badly needed.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Faiza Patel @faizapatel.bsky.social · 15/10/2026
1/8 The feds recently searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in an immigration fraud probe. Trump thinks she should be “sent back to Somalia.” If they're going after her citizenship, SCOTUS has set a high bar, esp when political views are involved tinyurl.com/y28uww3k
brennancenter.org
Stripping Naturalized Americans of Citizenship Faces High Legal Hurdles
The Trump administration may want to aggressively denaturalize citizens, but the Supreme Court has forbidden doing so when a person’s political beliefs are a focus.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Just Security @justsecurity.org · 14/10/2026
An 86-year-old ban on political donations from government contractors has become “more loophole than law.” @eepetry.bsky.social of the @brennancenter.org on how Congress can fix it:
justsecurity.org
Closing Pay-to-Play Loopholes: Strengthening the Ban on Federal Contractor Political Spending
To help curb government corruption, Congress should close the gaps in and expand the ban on contractor political spending.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Amos Toh @amostoh.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
More security breaches traced to AI companies tinkering with experimental or insecure models. The call is coming from inside the house. All the more reason to regulate internal use. My @brennancenter.org brief explains how 👇
brennancenter.org
The Conversation We Need to Have About Regulating AI
Safeguards must address not only public releases but also risky uses of advanced models behind closed doors.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 08/10/2026
Technology is making it easier and easier for law enforcement to track and investigate Americans -- and that raises acute privacy concerns, @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social tells @npr.org.
npr.org
Flock is catching flak. Experts say other police surveillance tools are more worrisome
Real-time crime-center software is a sometimes overlooked but powerful tool allowing police to aggregate immense amounts of data, significantly expanding their surveillance reach.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Amos Toh @amostoh.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Rogue AI or rogue AI industry? My latest for @brennancenter.org explains how Congress should investigate AI companies for the recent wave of hacking incidents. Lawmakers should focus on whether the race to build ever more powerful AI sidelined digital security:
brennancenter.org
How Congress Should Investigate Threat from Rogue AI Agents
The government must evaluate systemic failures with an eye toward establishing meaningful regulation.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
👇👇👇 this is an incredible offer - you’d have no better guide than Julia!
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 21/09/2026
Originalism is gaining influence in constitutional law. How can lawyers and historians work together to address originalist arguments in the courts? Join Brennan Center lawyers and leading American historians virtually on Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. ET. RSVP:
brennancenter.org
Reading the Past: Historians and Lawyers in Dialogue
This practical conversation will explore originalism, historical evidence, and how lawyers and historians can work together in the courts.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 18/09/2026
Here are eight solutions that could ensure all eligible U.S. citizens have a right to vote in elections that are free, fair, and secure — a cornerstone of democracy. bit.ly/4j4uGiG
brennancenter.org
Eight Solutions to Protect Voting Rights and Improve Representation
Congress must make voting fairer and more accessible for U.S. citizens and mitigate damage done by states, the executive branch, and the Supreme Court.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
This seemed to fly under the radar when it came out last week, but it’s quite seismic: Anthropic is proactively monitoring dissent & reporting it to police while refusing to share the underlying information. This is an obvious and also wildly concerning development in this timeline we’re living in.
prospect.org
Anthropic Is Building a Predictive Surveillance System to Monitor Activists - The American Prospect
New hires and comments in interviews show that the AI giant is using its capabilities against dissenters.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 13/09/2026
Inspectors general play a critical role in keeping government accountable. But their independence is under threat. Congress must act to restore robust oversight. bit.ly/4zOOOeN
brennancenter.org
Restoring Independence to Government Watchdogs
Stronger job protections, auditing standards, and oversight are needed to allow inspectors general to do their jobs effectively.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
From former DHS inspector general John Roth, a true expert on what offices of inspector general need in order to carry out their critical functions.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
As @faizapatel.bsky.social observes, the Prairieland prosecutions & convictions, the Minneapolis indictments, and the Southern Poverty Law Center investigation have a common thread: quashing opposition to administration policies and practices. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/ana...
brennancenter.org
How the Administration Picks Its Targets, Then Picks the Crime
The administration is using the Antifa label and other means to prosecute its opponents.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 01/09/2026
We interviewed 35 federal judges. Every single one said the dangers federal judges face are more serious today than in the past. @washingtonpost.com breaks down our report, which covers the sharp rise in threats over the past decade and makes recommendations.
washingtonpost.com
Dozens of federal judges describe intensifying threats in new report
One jurist paid to construct a safe room after the floor plan of their home was posted on the internet.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Alicia Bannon @aliciabannon.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
NEW: Threats against federal judges have surged since 2021. My @brennancenter.org colleagues and I interviewed 35 sitting and retired judges about the heightened threat environment. We discuss causes & impact make recs about how to improve judicial security. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Protecting Judges from Rising Threats
Federal judges and their families are facing extraordinary pressures. Improved security can ensure that they remain safe and that judicial independence remains uncompromised.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Again, free speech is a pillar of democracy, and a right for all, not just a chosen few. And as the judge in FIRE's case recognized: "Freedom of speech is illusory if we are only “free” to express complementary views about the government and its leaders."
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
This opinion is an important companion to - and relies on - the victory by @knightcolumbia.org in its lawsuit challenging what it called (and the court affirmed as) the administration's policy of ideological deportation. knightcolumbia.org/content/fede...
knightcolumbia.org
Federal Court Restricts Trump Administration’s Ability to Deport Noncitizens for Pro-Palestinian Advocacy
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
This is the section of the Immigration & Nationality Act that the Department of State used in detaining and seeking to deport Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder - while not accusing him of any crime. www.npr.org/2025/04/10/n...
npr.org
Trump administration lays out its evidence for deporting activist Mahmoud Khalil
Khalil's attorneys say the government's case against their client largely rests on a memo from Secretary of State Marco Rubio alleging Khalil participated in "antisemitic" and "disruptive activities."
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
- that a person who wants to avoid violating the law knows what he or she can do to stay within its bounds. Instead, the non-citizen must "guess" at U.S. foreign policy at any moment, and whether their speech could undermine that policy. As the judge put it, "this is an incomprehensible standard."
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
And critically, the judge held that the law allowing the Sec of State to deport someone as long as the Sec. "personally determines” that the non-citizen's presence “would compromise a compelling United States foreign policy interest" fails to satisfy the most basic standard of the rule of law -
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
This quote encapsulates the thrust of the opinion: "It is irrefutable that the government has significant authority on matters of foreign policy and affairs as well as national security. Yet even in those arenas, the government’s authority is constrained by First Amendment rights." 💥💥
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Congratulations to @thefireorg.bsky.social! This is an incredibly important victory for the principle that every single person in this country - regardless of their citizenship status - is vested with the rights to free speech and due process.
fire.org
BREAKING: Federal court rules the statutes the Trump admin used in its speech-based deportation scheme are unconstitutional
A federal court ruled that the provisions Secretary of State Marco Rubio used in an attempt to deport legal immigrants for their speech are unconstitutional.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 27/08/2026
For 30 years, no administration used the Alien Terrorist Removal Court. But now, a case is making its way through the court. bit.ly/3SWQLoQ
brennancenter.org
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court, Explained
The Trump administration is the first to use the 30-year-old specialty court to try to deport an immigrant it says has ties to terrorist activity.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
Relatedly, I'm glad to see members of Congress, led by @pressley.house.gov, @ramirez.house.gov, & @repmcgovern.bsky.social, spearheading an inquiry into State & Treasury's targeting of civil society, political dissent, & foreign nationals under the banner of combating domestic terrorism & extremism.
ramirez.house.gov
Ramirez, Pressley, McGovern Open Congressional Inquiry of Trump Administration Persecution of Political Dissent, Targeting of Left-leaning Political Groups
Washington, DC — Congressmembers Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jim McGovern (MA-02), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) led 23 colleagues in a letter to the U.S.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 25/08/2026
DHS agents secretly recorded meetings of anti-ICE protesters at churches, libraries around Minneapolis, infiltrated group chats, sought financial records, and more. The scope of the surveillance was “breathtaking,” @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social tells NPR.
npr.org
Churches, libraries and breweries: Inside DHS' covert surveillance operation
DHS allegedly went undercover at community meetings, subpoenaed the financial records of labor unions, and created dossiers on people at a church gathering, according to court filings.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
My friend gave incredibly moving testimony this week at a TX Parks & Wildlife hearing about what it means to her & countless other Texans to see this area destroyed. “ I hope that none of you ever have to go to the wilderness to feel God or your child, but if you do, may it be there if you need it.”
drive.google.com
TPWD laura testimony big bend.mp4
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
DHS has started doing construction - including possibly to build a wall - in this breathtaking, unspoiled, remote part of the country. There is widespread bipartisan opposition in the state, which has prompted a temporary halt - but what that really means is anyone’s guess. time.com/article/2026...
time.com
How One Small Section of Trump's Planned Border Wall Became the Center of a Big Battle
The Administration paused construction on border barriers in Texas' Big Bend National Park this week following months of opposition.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
It’s also a dark sky sanctuary. We were there at a new moon, so the stars were breathtaking - all the way down to the horizon.
Photo of a blanket of stars on a moonless night between two canyon walls.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Even though I grew up in Texas, I had never been to Big Bend. It is an incredibly special place - remote and gorgeous and forbidding, with a fragile ecosystem and residents who have built their lives and livelihoods around the natural beauty.
Photo of canoe and two paddlers floating down an open stretch of the Rio Grande.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
A personal post: in March, I joined seven other women, including my closest childhood friend, on a spectacular canoe trip down a section of the Rio Grande. We started off by driving through Big Bend National Park to get to our put-in spot. The scenery was some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.
Picture of crystalline water reflecting stark desert hills and green brush.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Great explainer on the legal questions around state and local cooperation with the federal government 👇👇
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Really great rundown by @danw329.bsky.social on voters’ feelings about money in politics in Alaska and beyond - starts at 21:25.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
But whether we saw it coming or not, this latest salvo should still shock the conscience. Whether you are a regular protester or you have never picked up a sign, dissent is for everyone. It is what creates the breathing room for a functioning democracy. These revelations are a red alert.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This is a direct outgrowth of the administration's orders last year on domestic terrorism, which were essentially designed to put a target on the backs of people and groups speaking out against government policies and practices. www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Trump’s Version of “Domestic Terrorism” vs. the First Amendment
The administration has given itself permission to prosecute people and organizations for their political views.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
And you don't have to look far to find more recent examples of the criminalization of protest activity, including Black Lives Matter and environmental activism. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019...
theguardian.com
Revealed: how the FBI targeted environmental activists in domestic terror investigations
Protesters were characterized as a threat to national security in what one calls an attempt to criminalize their actions
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This isn't new, of course. It echoes some of the worst excesses of Cointelpro and J. Edgar Hoover's weaponization of the FBI to target civil rights leaders in the 1960s and 1970s. www.lib.berkeley.edu/about/news/fbi
lib.berkeley.edu
‘Discredit, disrupt, and destroy’: FBI records acquired by the Library reveal violent surveillance of Black leaders, civil rights organizations
It was the late 1960s, and J. Edgar Hoover smelled trouble. The status quo — hallowed by hate, sanctioned by Jim Crow — was beginning to crack.Behind the scenes, Hoover’s Federal Bureau of Investigati...
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This is outrageous:
From NY Times article: "The [government] documents further detailed an expansive covert surveillance operation in which undercover agents spied on protesters and organizers at meetings held online, as well as in libraries, parks and churches, taking down not only what they said, but also their names and sometimes license plate numbers. The undercover agents also infiltrated group chats on Signal, listening as activists discussed coming demonstrations and their political opinions."
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
This blockbuster story about DHS's and DOJ's joint investigation of individuals and orgs who committed no crimes should be getting ALL the attention. With a functional legislative branch, it would be kicking off a major Congressional investigation as well. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/13/u...
nytimes.com
U.S. Investigated Left-Leaning Groups During Minnesota Immigration Crackdown (Gift Article)
The government conducted expansive surveillance, infiltrated group chats and obtained financial records of organizations never accused of crimes.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
It could well get worse from here. “The label of ‘terrorism’ is a powerful political tool,” Sufia Khalid, a lawyer representing one of the Prairieland defendants, told me. For the last two decades, the “terrorism” charge was leveled almost exclusively at a religious minority, lulling some into believing that such laws would not affect them. Now, the domestic use of the terrorism charge threatens to cast its net even wider.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 17/08/2026
States and localities generally have the authority to decide whether and how their officials work with ICE. Our new explainer breaks down the legal questions surrounding those decisions: bit.ly/4ghurOi
brennancenter.org
Are States and Localities Required to Cooperate with ICE?
State and local officials’ responsibility to aid in federal immigration enforcement is largely a matter of state and local law, despite the administration’s claims to the contrary.
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 17/08/2026
Breaking: Four cities and counties filed a lawsuit challenging DHS’s new funding conditions, which require states to adopt certain election policies — like using the inaccurate SAVE program to verify voters’ and election workers’ citizenship — or risk losing tens of millions in federal funds.
brennancenter.org
Nashville v. DHS
The Brennan Center and co-counsel filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of cities and counties to challenge the Department of Homeland Security’s demand that states change election rules or lose antiterro...
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Finally, none of these issues are new. Advocates have been sounding the alarm about license plate readers for years, & stories about actual - sometimes lifechanging - errors & misuse have long been public. This looks like a business decision above all; the real test comes when the spotlight moves on
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Audit assistance, lockout for suspicious behavior, and case number requirements should absolutely be the default as well - 👏👏. But Flock needs to release more information about how they'll work. What is audit assistance looking for, and what might it miss? Will the company audit the functionality?
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
The devil is in the details. The 7-day default is only for new customers, though existing customers who opt in will get "evidence mode" for free, which allows longer preservation in "cold storage" for active investigations. Per the ACLU, TBD whether that's a pro or con. www.aclu.org/news/privacy...
aclu.org
Flock's Cameras Remain Civil Liberties Threat Despite Updates
ACLU responds to surveillance company Flock's announcement of changes to license plate reader system.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Interesting developments 24 hours after I posted this - Flock announced it was reducing default data retention from 30 to 7 days, turning on audit assistance by default, automatically suspending access by users whose activity looks abnormal, and requiring case numbers for all searches.
flocksafety.com
Flock Updates Privacy, Accountability, Security, and Transparency Safeguards
Flock is cutting default data retention to seven days, making misuse detection mandatory for every customer, and inviting the rest of the industry to meet the same standard.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Multiple times no less - it was very helpful!
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Reposted by Rachel Levinson-Waldman
Julia Rose Kraut @juliarosekraut.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Honored to join Ellen Schrecker & Sam Lebovic in submitting the Historians' Amicus Brief in AAUP v. Rubio. 🗃️ The brief focuses on the First & Second Red Scares, & on the development of free speech jurisprudence. Read ⬇️ Grateful to @brennancenter.org & Counsel www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...
brennancenter.org
Historians’ Amicus Brief in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio
Historians filed a brief supporting a challenge to the federal government’s policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty on the basis of their speech and associations.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Honored to have your expertise reflected in the brief!
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
Thank you also to Davis Wright Tremaine and McDermott Will & Schulte, our outstanding partners on the brief. And the outstanding lawyers of the Knight First Amendment Institute are litigating the case - follow @knightcolumbia.org for updates.
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Rachel Levinson-Waldman @rlevinsonwaldman.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
I can't sum it up any better than the brief:
Paragraph of brief reading: "The government repeats the mistakes of the past. Amici urge this Court to take heed of the damage that was done through governmental excesses, the judicial opinions that ultimately enforced the promises of the First Amendment, and the voices in American society that attempted to sound the alarm. The time to do so is now, before the government’s latest attempt at widescale repression is legitimized."
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