Critical State: Texas Sheriffs to Join Immigration Enforcement … or Else
If you read just one thing this week … read about the controversial new bill in Texas that is already sowing fear among migrant communities.
At the Border Chronicle, Pablo de la Rosa reported on a new Texas law that requires sheriffs across the state to undertake federal immigration enforcement in tandem with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Texas Governor Greg Abbott is expected to soon sign the measure, Senate Bill 8, into law, which will empower the state’s attorney general to sue any sheriff’s department that doesn’t comply.
De la Rosa pointed out that Abbott is currently trying to wrangle $11 billion out of the US Congress as “reimbursement” for Operation Lone Star, the state-led immigration and border crackdown the governor launched in 2021.
“Abbott has played a national role in MAGA’s anti-immigrant messaging, pledging to assist Trump in his mass deportation campaign,” the article explained.
The fact that the bill passed the state legislature has already sown “fear in communities already terrorized by ICE raids” in South Texas, de la Rosa added.
If You Read One More Thing: ‘Islamophobia,’ ‘Wokeism,’ and a French University
At The New Republic, Adrian Daub reported on a controversy over free speech at Sciences Po Grenoble in France that has reignited debates over academic freedom and Islamophobia. The dispute began in March 2021 when students posted a banner accusing two professors, Vincent T. and Klaus Kinzler, of fascism and Islamophobia.
The incident quickly escalated, drawing national and international media attention. Kinzler, a professor of German civilization, had previously argued against equating Islamophobia with racism and antisemitism, sparking backlash from student groups. The university suspended Kinzler for "defamatory remarks," prompting accusations of censorship and political bias.
The fallout led to the withdrawal of regional funding for Sciences Po Grenoble, with right-wing politicians condemning the university’s handling of the case. Kinzler called the university “a political reeducation camp” marred by “wokeism.” The case has fueled concerns about self-censorship among scholars and the limits of free expression in higher education.
Guantanamo’s New, Anti-Immigrant Role
The Trump administration is preparing to send thousands of undocumented migrants to Guantanamo Bay, with at least 9,000 individuals being vetted for transfer, according to Nahal Toosi and Myah Ward’s latest at Politico. The move marks a significant escalation from the roughly 500 migrants previously held at the facility.
The official rationale is to free up bed space in domestic detention centers, but critics argue the move is designed to deter illegal immigration. Some European nationals are among those considered for transfer, raising diplomatic concerns.
Legal challenges are mounting, with civil rights groups arguing that detaining migrants at Guantanamo violates constitutional protections. The administration’s broader immigration crackdown includes ramped-up ICE arrests and expanded detention capacity, fueling controversy over the militarization of immigration enforcement
Deep Dive: Delayed Justice
Amnesty International (AI) released a report on Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Kisangani, a strategic city, and the 25-year delay in justice after the city saw a brutal military confrontation between Rwandan and Ugandan forces on June 5, 2000. Indiscriminate shelling and gunfire devastated the city for six days. Basic services like electricity and water were cut, leaving civilians trapped in a humanitarian nightmare. Desperate for refuge, some sought shelter in churches or hospitals, but few places remained safe. The bombardment left hundreds dead, thousands injured, and homes destroyed. Women suffered sexual violence, and widespread looting compounded the devastation.
Survivors recounted the experience to AI. A woman said she “was seven at the time of the war, living on 6th Avenue. On this side there were many Rwandan soldiers. I was walking with my grandmother when I was struck by a bomb in my leg. I didn't know how to get to hospitals, it was dangerous, so we were dealing with the injury at home but the foot was rotting. On the fifth day I went to the hospital, but it was too late they cut off my leg.”
Despite extensive documentation by Congolese civil society and the United Nations (UN), accountability remains elusive. Over the past 25 years, not a single individual has faced trial for crimes committed in Kisangani. At the international level, the International Criminal Court (ICC) is powerless to act, as its jurisdiction does not cover crimes committed before 2002. Within the DRC, neither civilian nor military courts have initiated investigations. The primary reason, AI argued, is political obstruction. The peace deal negotiated to end the Second Congo War discouraged judicial efforts, as many of the conflict’s key figures were incorporated into the government. Former belligerents, now political leaders, had little incentive to support accountability, leaving the judiciary compromised and dependent on political will.
The lack of accountability has deepened distrust in the justice system among affected communities. Survivors and local advocacy groups continue their calls for legal action, pushing for either the use of appeals courts — given their jurisdiction over crimes under international law since 2013 — or the creation of a dedicated judicial mechanism. This was an idea proposed by Congolese authorities but never implemented.
The AI report quoted a human rights campaigner as saying “with regards to prosecutions, whether nationally or internationally, nothing, nothing, nothing has been done. All these people [alleged perpetrators] strut around. Before Congolese courts, there is general impunity. Our justice system makes no effort, if only to investigate!”
The DRC is legally obligated to investigate the Kisangani war, prosecute those responsible, and ensure fair trials. Yet, years of inaction reflect the state’s unwillingness to reckon with past crimes.
For over two decades, victims of the Kisangani war received no reparations. This changed in 2024 when Uganda was ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to compensate survivors, following a case filed by the DRC against both Uganda and Rwanda. The ICJ ruled against Uganda but lacked jurisdiction over Rwanda, limiting the scope of accountability. While some victims have begun receiving payments, Amnesty International highlights mismanagement within the Congolese institution responsible for distributing funds. Critics argue that compensation has been uneven and plagued by bureaucratic inefficiencies.
The DRC government has an obligation to provide timely, full reparations, developed in collaboration with survivors and local organizations, according to AI. The flawed distribution process underscores the broader failure to uphold victims’ rights and deliver justice. Without genuine commitment to accountability, trust in the government and judiciary will remain fractured, the report said.
For many Congolese families, the wait for truth, justice, and reparations is measured not in years but generations.
Show us the Receipts
At Inkstick, Abid R. Baba reported on India's recent deportation policy and how it has upended the lives of Pakistani women who settled in Kashmir under a 2010 rehabilitation program. Following a deadly attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians, the Indian government ordered the expulsion of all Pakistani nationals, including women married to Kashmiri men. Many of these women, who have lived in India for over a decade, now face separation from their families and children. Some, like Zahida Begum, fear being forced to leave their youngest children behind. Despite holding Indian-issued documents, these women now find themselves without legal protections.
Martin Makaryan covered Russia’s cyber operations and how they have intensified since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, prompting Eastern European nations to reassess their digital security strategies. Governments in the region, long wary of Moscow, now face heightened vulnerabilities due to increased digitization and connectivity. Countries like Poland are ramping up defensive measures, while others debate whether to invest in offensive cyber capabilities. The dilemma for Eastern Europe is clear: bolster cyber resilience or risk falling prey to Moscow’s digital aggression. As cyber threats evolve, the region’s response will shape its security landscape for years to come.
At The World, Hannah Chanatry interviewed John Vaillant, author of Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World, about the fires raging across Canada. The fires have forced over 30,000 evacuations and blanketed skies as far as Europe with smoke. Climate change is fueling more frequent and intense fires, Vaillant said. He notes that 2025 is on track to rival the catastrophic 2023 fire season, which saw an area the size of Florida burn. Vaillant explains that rising temperatures increase lightning strikes, igniting remote blazes. While human activity causes most fires near populated areas, climate-driven conditions make them harder to control.
Inkstick Call
Inkstick is calling on reporters and writers who may have ideas that align with our editorial mandate to submit pitches. Our nonprofit newsroom focuses on the human impact of global security, the defense industry, and war. We’re especially interested in reported features out of the United States. Email editors Patrick Strickland and Allyn Gaestel at pstrickland (at) inkstickmedia (dot) com and agaestel (at) inkstickmedia (dot) com.
Critical State is written by Inkstick Media in collaboration with The World.
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Critical State is made possible in part by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.