Knowing that I can't possibly cover everything that goes on each day in this hour we have together, today we'll focus on two...
First, I must apologize. I’m a one-woman show here. I don’t have a producer, engineer, webmaster or anyone else helping me out. I multitask, with the best of intentions. But more often than I’d like to admit, things don’t go as smoothly as I’d planned. If you want the video version of the show, you’ll see what I mean. During the segment where I attempted to show you the videos to illustrate what I’m about to tell you, it was to put it literally, a clusterfuck. But I’ll post the materials below as I try to explain what I was trying to explain!
Here we go… another media giant caved to Trump. We learned yesterday. that Paramount, the parent company of CBS (the home of 60 Minutes) settled a frivolous and ridiculous lawsuit filed by the orange menace occupying the White House. D'ump sued Paramount for $10 billion last year, claiming that 60 Minutes deceptively edited an interview with former Vice President/ then presidential candidate Kamala Harris in order to interfere with the election.
Nowhere near $10 billion, Paramount agreed to pay the extortionist-in chief $16 million, the same amount ABC paid him off with for another similarly frivolous extortion bid. Paramount said its payment includes the felon's legal fees & costs, and that the money, minus the legal fees, will be paid to his future presidential library (insert your own joke here).
Paramount also agreed to release written transcripts of future “60 Minutes” interviews with presidential candidates. They also said that the settlement did not include an apology.
Today on the show, I attempted to share both the edited portion of the interview in question that aired and the raw footage before editing. My intent was to show you that there was nothing that merited one dime of a settlement let alone $16 million! JFC!
Here’s the portion of the interview that was edited, the subject of the lawsuit
That part of the 60 Minutes segment, the basis of the lawsuit, ran 2 minutes & 3 seconds.
Here’s the raw footage, including the false start, until the subject in question finished. It ran 6:18.
There was quite a bit edited out, but nothing was “deceptively” edited. It was shortened for time and for clarity. I’m sure the rest of the interview was similarly edited, but this is the portion that Trump sued over.
Here’s the transcript. The highlighted portion is what was included in the edited part of the interview that aired. The parts not highlighted were edited out. That’s it. They didn’t move things around or take any other liberties that Trump objected to. See for yourself.
It was blackmail.
I made another mistake during the show. I kept referring to the Sumner family, while knowing that was wrong. Duh. Paramount is owned by Shari Redstone. She inherited it from her late father, Sumner Redstone! (The memory is the first thing to go!!)
Anyway, according to the NY Times,
But Shari Redstone, the chair and controlling shareholder of Paramount, told her board that she favored exploring a settlement with Mr. Trump. Some executives at the company viewed the president’s lawsuit as a potential hurdle to completing a multibillion-dollar sale of the company to the Hollywood studio Skydance, which requires the Trump administration’s approval.
Our free press is free no more.
The second issue I dealt with today was what this administration is doing to immigrants! I was happy to welcome Gaby Pacheco to the show.
I first met Gaby around 15 years ago when we were both “DFA Scholars”. The now-defunct Democracy for America brought a group of us to Netroots Nation as part of their scholarship program. I knew then that Gaby was pretty special.
Gaby Pacheco was a Dreamer. She came to the US from Ecuador, but was raised in Miami, FL. She's worked tirelessly for immigrant rights and to help other Dreamers like her. She rose to become CEO and President of TheDream.US and 2023 became a naturalized US Citizen.
I read a couple of Gaby’s posts on LinkedIn in the past week that prompted me to invite her back on the show:
When the news broke that one of our Scholars, Caroline Goncalves, had been detained by ICE, I was in London. Thousands of miles away, I was scrambling, trying to reach her family and attorney and understand how we could help. That night, I didn’t sleep. I started a Change.org petition, wrote a statement, and worked with our team to spread the word. Caroline, a nursing student working two jobs this summer and preparing for the fall semester, had been unjustly placed in immigration detention.
I didn’t realize at the time that I’d soon be flying to Colorado to speak at the AILA conference, just 20 minutes from where Caroline was being held at the Aurora Detention Center.
I stayed in CO and three days after my keynote, I took an Uber to the facility early Friday morning, June 20th. I stood at a small window marked “U.S. Department of Justice,” trying to get answers. Her bond had been paid three days earlier. But due to a holiday and a slow, disjointed process, she remained locked up. A woman behind the glass spoke with me, soft-spoken, kind. I kept thinking: Why is someone this gentle working in a place like this, run by the GEO Group? And yet I also felt relieved. We need kind, compassionate people in these places too. She told me that if the bond was processed through the El Paso system, Caroline would be released between 3 and 4 PM.
I walked to a nearby restaurant to wait. I called another Scholar, Ximena, who had been released from detention a month earlier, and asked: What did you need most in those first moments of freedom? Without hesitation, she said: cold water and a shower. With temperatures nearing 100 degrees, I bought toiletries and a bottle of cold water, filled a cup with ice, and returned.
At 2:30, I walked back. I was told she'd be released soon. Senator Hickenlooper’s staffer met me there. We waited outside, baking in the dry Colorado heat. We bought paletas from the local paletero—mine melted faster than I could eat it. At 5:30 PM, three young people walked out. Caroline was one of them. One of the young men carried college textbooks.
Caroline’s mom had asked me to hug her daughter. I was a stranger to Caroline, but I felt the weight of that request.
In the 24 hours that followed, I tried to make sure she felt comfortable, safe, and seen. For 15 days, she had no privacy. She endured the cold, dehumanizing machinery of detention. Caroline is someone’s daughter, someone’s niece, a college student with dreams and responsibilities.
Caroline later released a statement. In it, she wrote:
“The past 15 days have been the hardest of my life. I was scared and felt alone. I was placed in a system that treated me like I didn’t matter” https://lnkd.in/edcsQZeT
Caroline’s story isn’t the exception—it’s the reality for too many people who call this country home. And every one of them deserves dignity, safety, and the chance to belong.
Pretty amazing, right? Then yesterday, Gaby posted this:
Last night I went to the ER and, as part of the registration process, the nice young man helping me asked, “Were you born in the U.S.?” I declined to answer.
As I sat there, I kept thinking about all the ways we can—and must—resist.
What’s happening isn’t just a policy debate. It’s a full-on attack on our democracy, our communities, and the people we love—our family and friends.
Here are just a few things you can do, every day, to stand up for immigrants and build a country rooted in dignity. If you have others, post them in the comments—let’s build our list.
1) Question intrusive questions.
If you’re asked where you were born or whether you’re a U.S. citizen—ask, “Is this something I’m required to answer?” Your resistance creates room for others to breathe.
2) Use your foreign passport, if you have one.
If you’re a dual national, consider using your foreign passport when you travel. Just carry both. It helps normalize it for TSA and makes it easier for Dreamers to travel.
3) Record law enforcement interactions (where legal).
Know your rights. Know your state’s laws. And if it’s legal—record and post. Visibility is one of our most powerful tools against abuse and injustice.
4) Support immigrant-owned businesses.
Buy local. Spend your money with people whose values align with yours—or at places that stand with immigrants, like Costco. Every dollar can be an act of solidarity.
5) Hold your alma mater accountable.
Ask where your donations go. If they don’t support Dreamers or immigrant students, withhold your support. FIU isn’t getting a penny from me. I removed my Panther Pride plate, I’m not attending events, and I’m speaking up. Higher ed must align with higher values.
6) Turn small luxuries into small donations.
Skip one coffee a week and give that to orgs doing meaningful work—whether or not they’re in the headlines. In Miami, that’s Americans for Immigrant Justice. Nationally, MALDEF. And yes, TheDream.US. Small donations lift morale and attract big ones.
7) Keep writing. Keep speaking. Bear witness.
People are tired. I know. But silence helps no one. Write. Share. Speak your truth. As my friend Liza says, “Those who care the most, win.” Stephen Miller isn’t tired. DHS isn’t tired. We can’t be either.
8) Interrupt everyday xenophobia—with questions.
When someone spreads myths about immigrants, don’t let it slide. Ask:
“Where did you get that?”
“Do you know if that’s true?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Show me how that’s true.”
Sometimes questions are more powerful than arguments.
9) Celebrate immigrant joy.
Don’t just show up when immigrants are hurting. Show up when they’re thriving. Share their wins, their art, their stories. Immigrants are more than their struggles—they’re part of the cultural fabric of this country.
Let’s keep showing up. Let’s not look away. Let’s care more—and act like it. I look forward to seeing what others come up with and how we grow this list!!!
That’s some great advice from an amazing woman, Gaby Pacheco.
OK, I’ve written enough for today. I hope this makes up for the mess that was the first part of today’s show. You can see for yourself, if you want to see what I’m talking about, by watching today’s show via YouTube.
The podcast audio is edited to delete some of the misery. See, it’s done all the time!
Share this post