Day 132 of our Authoritarian Tragedy
First came the militarization of domestic law enforcement. Now, under the guise of “Project Homecoming,” we’re watching something even more dangerous unfold: the slow, deliberate dismantling of one of the core pillars of American civil liberties.
Buried in this latest executive order is the legal framework to suspend habeas corpus—the constitutional right to not be imprisoned without due process.
Let’s be very clear: habeas corpus is what prevents the government from disappearing people. It is the line between a functioning democracy and an authoritarian regime. And this administration is preparing to erase it.
They’re using the Suspension Clause of the Constitution, which only allows habeas to be revoked in cases of “rebellion or invasion.” The twist? They’re trying to classify undocumented immigration as an invasion. That legal sleight of hand is how they intend to bypass the courts, lock people up indefinitely, and cut off their access to lawyers and hearings entirely.The intent is to create a class of people—right now, undocumented immigrants—who can be detained indefinitely without charges, without trial, without defense.
And if that doesn’t make you pause, it should.
Because once you accept that the government can revoke rights for one group, history shows us it never stops there.
Who decides what counts as an “invasion”? Or who gets labeled a “threat”? Protesters? Journalists? Activists? The moment the state can lock people up without oversight, the door is wide open for that power to expand. It always expands.
This is the same pattern we’ve seen in regimes throughout history. It starts with legal exceptions for a targeted group. Then comes normalization. Then comes silence. Then comes fear.
Meanwhile, while they’re promising “order,” they’re gutting the economy.
In 2022, undocumented immigrants paid nearly $97 billion in taxes. Let’s break that down:
- $59.4 billion in federal taxes
- $37.3 billion in state and local taxes
- $33.9 billion into programs they’re banned from using, like Social Security and Medicare
That’s nearly $34 billion paid into a system they get zero benefit from. That’s not a burden. That’s a backbone.
If mass deportations go forward, California alone stands to lose $8.47 billion in annual tax revenue. Texas? $4.87 billion. New York? $3.1 billion. This isn’t just political theater—it’s economic sabotage.
And when that revenue disappears, guess who gets stuck with the bill?
You. Me. The working class.
Not the billionaires gaming tax codes with offshore loopholes. Not the ultra-wealthy who pay a lower effective rate than teachers and welders. The same people being crushed by inflation, medical bills, and student debt will be the ones forced to fill the gap.
This isn’t policy. It’s scapegoating. It’s authoritarianism disguised as immigration reform. And it’s happening in real time.
If habeas corpus falls, the system we live under changes forever.
This is the line. This is the moment.
Don’t normalize it. Don’t scroll past it. Don’t look away.
Sound the alarm. Educate your neighbors. Hold your representatives accountable. Push back in every way you can.
Because once indefinite detention becomes policy, it doesn’t stop at the border.
It comes for all of us.
