Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 211

December 6, 2025

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  • The episode compilation for "It Could Happen Here Weekly 211" focuses heavily on the perilous journey and subsequent struggles of migrants, exemplified by the story of Primrose and Kim crossing the Darién Gap and facing exploitation in Mexico. 
  • Historical parallels are drawn between contemporary migrant treatment and the 1948 Los Gatos Canyon plane crash, where 28 Mexican deportees were killed and subsequently erased from public record by the media, highlighting a persistent pattern of dehumanization. 
  • The host expresses deep frustration with mainstream media's extractive reporting on migrant suffering, citing the viral video of Primrose falling from the border wall as an example of turning personal trauma into uncontextualized content for profit, which further endangered her family. 
  • The journey through the Darién Gap is described as extremely perilous, involving long treks over difficult terrain, resulting in severe hardship for vulnerable populations like pregnant women and the elderly. 
  • The Trump administration implemented immediate and severe executive actions upon taking office to halt asylum processing at the border and increase enforcement actions, leading to widespread fear and disruption for migrants already in the US. 
  • Despite facing systemic cruelty, detention designed to break their will, and public hostility, migrants like Primrose and her daughter Kimberly demonstrated profound resilience, supported by a network of community members and activists who provided crucial aid and legal defense. 
  • The experience of witnessing or living through state violence and authoritarianism, previously thought confined to other countries, is deeply jarring and feels unreal, like being in a movie. 
  • The asylum system in the US is described as absurdly bureaucratic, setting up applicants for suffering by denying them the ability to legally work while they navigate complex, impractical requirements for basic needs like medical care. 
  • Despite systemic failures and government inaction regarding migrant crises, acts of solidarity and mutual aid from ordinary people, both in the US and along migrant routes, provide a source of strength and optimism for collective resilience. 
  • Sanctuary laws vary significantly by jurisdiction, and the discussion highlights the complexity of mapping federal deportation criteria, including 'crimes involving moral turpitude' like turnstile hopping, onto state and local laws. 
  • New York City Mayor-elect Zoran's platform focuses on strengthening sanctuary protections by ending illegal ICE cooperation, increasing immigration legal defense funding, and reducing police interactions by addressing root causes of crime. 
  • The partnership between the prediction market platform Kalshi and news outlets like CNN to use betting odds as 'real-time prediction data' is viewed as a dangerous manipulation tactic that treats gambling outcomes as factual polling data, threatening democratic discourse. 

Segments

Podcast Introduction and Ads
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(00:00:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The episode is a compilation of weekly content with reduced advertisements.
  • Summary: The segment begins with advertisements for Airtasker, iFit, Odoo, and Trashy. Robert Evans then introduces the episode as a compilation of the week’s content, noting that interviews were conducted in Spanish and French and translated.
Introduction to Primrose’s Story
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(00:03:09)
  • Key Takeaway: The host frames the current political climate as fascism and introduces Primrose’s ordeal at the border wall.
  • Summary: The host discusses his personal reaction to the 2025 inauguration and introduces Primrose, who was found atop a border wall modified by Donald Trump. It details her dangerous crossing under a bridge through sewage.
Primrose’s Journey to Bajojiquito
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(00:05:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose and her daughter Kim traveled through multiple countries seeking a better life in the US.
  • Summary: The host recounts the boat journey to Bajojiquito and seeing Primrose and Kim in the line of migrants. Primrose states her American dream is for her daughter to attend school. She highlights the kindness of strangers who helped them.
Post-Election Anxiety and Lost Contact
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(00:09:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The election of Trump increased anxiety for migrants, and the host lost contact with many people he had met.
  • Summary: The host discusses the fear among migrants after Trump’s election. He recounts hearing daily about terrible injustices and losing contact with many people, including a little girl named Noemi.
The Cost of Border Regime Deaths
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(00:14:52)
  • Key Takeaway: The death toll inflicted by the US border regime is immense and often ignored by media coverage.
  • Summary: The host reflects on personal grief and compares the border death toll to war casualties. He notes that proposed wall construction will lead to more deaths in the desert.
Primrose’s Successful Border Crossing
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(00:33:54)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose successfully crossed the border on January 20th by walking under a bridge through sewage.
  • Summary: Primrose describes her final crossing into the US on January 20th, where they paid $350 to be taken under a bridge through sewage to reach the border.
Historical Context: Los Gatos Canyon Crash
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(00:38:11)
  • Key Takeaway: The 1948 plane crash of deported Mexican workers highlights the historical erasure of migrant lives.
  • Summary: The host details the 1948 plane crash that killed 28 deported Mexican agricultural workers, noting the New York Times only referred to them as ‘28 Mexican agricultural workers,’ erasing their names.
Guthrie’s Song and Migrant Erasure
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(00:42:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Woody Guthrie wrote a protest song about the crash because the victims were not named in the media.
  • Summary: The host discusses Woody Guthrie writing a song about the crash due to the lack of names in reporting. He notes that many famous artists have covered the song, which remains relevant.
Primrose’s Trauma and Media Exploitation
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(00:53:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose is angry that a video of her painful fall at the border was shared widely without her name or context.
  • Summary: The host discusses a viral video showing Primrose breaking her leg after falling from the wall, noting the media failed to name her or detail her journey. Primrose expresses embarrassment and anger over the exploitation.
Reasons for Fleeing Zimbabwe and South Africa
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(00:57:37)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose fled Zimbabwe due to political persecution and torture by the ruling party, and later fled South Africa due to xenophobia.
  • Summary: Primrose explains that she and her family were targeted by the ZANU-PF government in Zimbabwe, leading to torture and the disappearance of her daughter’s father. She also fled violence in South Africa.
Migrant’s Sadness and Journey
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(01:10:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The emotional toll on a young mother risking her life for a better future.
  • Summary: The host describes a young mother traveling alone, noting the tiredness in her eyes despite her predisposition to joy, highlighting the sadness of being away from her children. The speaker reflects on the tragedy of a world where seeking a future requires such risk, only to potentially be denied help.
Motivations for Migration
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(01:11:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Economic necessity, driven by poverty and low wages, is the primary motivator for migration.
  • Summary: A speaker explains that the situation in Bolivia is economically dire, similar to Venezuela, forcing people to migrate for work because they cannot earn enough to support their families.
The Jungle Journey Hardships
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(01:12:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The journey through the jungle is extremely difficult, involving long climbs, carrying supplies, and posing severe risks to vulnerable travelers.
  • Summary: A description of the arduous journey, including an eight-hour climb up a hill to the Panama/Colombia border, followed by an eight-hour descent. Travelers must carry all supplies, and many people, including pregnant women and the elderly, suffer injuries or faint.
Sleeping Rough by the River
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(01:13:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Large groups of migrants, including infants, are forced to camp together in dangerous conditions by a riverbank.
  • Summary: The group had to sleep on the edge of a riverbank with about 200 people, including babies as young as one month old, who suffer the most on the journey.
The Dream of a Better Future
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(01:15:48)
  • Key Takeaway: The dream is fundamentally about financial stability to provide for children and family, not necessarily extravagant wealth.
  • Summary: Rose/Noemi discusses her dream: to get ahead financially to provide for her two sons and family. She emphasizes that once the difficult journey begins, retreat is impossible; one must move forward.
Critique of the American Dream
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(01:16:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The true American dream for migrants involves basic necessities like fair pay and safety, which are often denied.
  • Summary: The host critiques the nebulous concept of the American dream, noting that while privileged Americans pursue wealth, migrants seek the basic dreams of being paid fairly, speaking without fear, and feeding their children healthily.
Trump’s Immediate Anti-Migrant Orders
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(01:22:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Upon taking office, Trump immediately signed executive orders targeting migrants, including ending CBP1 and attempting to rescind birthright citizenship.
  • Summary: Within hours of taking office, Trump signed orders affecting migrants, including keeping TikTok online, pardoning Jan 6th rioters, and attempting to end birthright citizenship. He also ordered more wall construction.
Raids and Device Searches
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(01:23:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Federal agents began social media-ready raids, searching devices for evidence, including mocking the president.
  • Summary: ICE, DEA, and FBI agents conducted raids, including on universities and apartment buildings. People entering the country had devices searched for evidence of mocking the president or vice president.
Ending Asylum Access
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(01:23:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Trump attempted to ban asylum entirely, canceling appointments made via CBP1 and leaving migrants without recourse.
  • Summary: Trump added crime groups to terror lists and tried to ban asylum, canceling CBP1 appointments. People were left without hope, facing immediate removal or only limited screenings for torture risk.
Legal Expert on Asylum Suspension
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(01:24:09)
  • Key Takeaway: The administration used 212(f) authority to suspend entry, meaning new asylum cases were stopped, leading to immediate removal or transfer to third countries.
  • Summary: Kirsten Zitlau explains that people crossing the border are detained for immediate removal under 212(f) authority, bypassing credible fear interviews previously used to fight asylum cases.
Fear of Unmarked Federal Agents
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(01:25:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Masked, unidentified federal agents conducting raids terrified migrants who had fled totalitarian states.
  • Summary: Videos emerged of masked men grabbing people, often migrants. For those fleeing state disappearances, this felt like the unsafe place they had tried to leave.
Judge Advises Self-Deportation
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(01:26:03)
  • Key Takeaway: A judge issued an unusual order telling Primrose to self-deport while her case was still active, showing administration influence.
  • Summary: Kirsten received an order where the judge included a notice that Primrose should self-deport, which the bar considered inappropriate and a due process violation.
Protests Against CBP Raids in LA
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(01:30:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Mass protests erupted in LA against violent CBP raids, leading to clashes with police and arrests.
  • Summary: Following violent raids, Border Patrol agents met protests with tear gas and projectiles. The host traveled to LA and witnessed citizens using their rights to assembly to oppose state violence.
Kimberly Recognizes Uncle James
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(01:33:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Kimberly recognized the host from a bus while passing protesting crowds during an ICE check-in.
  • Summary: While riding a bus past protesters, Kimberly recognized the host (James), despite him wearing protective gear, demonstrating her strong memory and connection to him.
Expedited Removal Proceedings
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(01:34:19)
  • Key Takeaway: ICE began snatching people after withdrawing cases and placing them into expedited removal, requiring mandatory detention.
  • Summary: Kirsten explains that those entered within two years face expedited removal, mandatory detention, and only get out if ICE releases them, which they are not doing.
Primrose Detained at Check-in
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(01:36:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose and Kimberly were detained at a routine ICE check-in despite having their documents in order.
  • Summary: After being made to wait for hours, an ICE officer informed Primrose she was being detained because ‘rules are changing every day,’ despite her compliance.
Conflicting ICE Actions
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(01:40:18)
  • Key Takeaway: One branch of ICE was detaining Primrose while another branch was trying to locate her via her GPS tracker.
  • Summary: While detained, Primrose’s friends and the other ICE officers were trying to locate her because her GPS tracker was off, leading to confusion and concern for her safety.
Detention and Transfer Chaos
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(01:43:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose and Kimberly were subjected to a chaotic, all-night transfer process involving multiple airports and rude officers.
  • Summary: After being detained, they were taken to a hotel, then back to a detention center, then to LAX, and finally flown to San Antonio, Texas, all while Kimberly was distressed.
Flores Settlement Ignored
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(01:45:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The Flores settlement, which limits child detention to 20 days, was widely flouted by the administration.
  • Summary: Kirsten notes that the settlement governing child detention was being ignored, though it was the best hope for Primrose and Kimberly.
Detention Isolation and Depression
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(01:47:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose and Kimberly suffered isolation in detention due to language barriers, as most detainees only spoke Spanish.
  • Summary: Primrose, who doesn’t speak Spanish, was placed in a room with only Spanish speakers and was unable to communicate effectively, leading to reports being filed against her.
Kimberly’s Resilience in Detention
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(01:50:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Kimberly began learning Spanish in detention and helped translate for her mother, taking on a caretaker role.
  • Summary: Kimberly started learning Spanish and would translate for Primrose. She also strongly opposed her mother signing deportation papers, reminding her of the danger awaiting them back home.
Detention Officers’ Cruelty
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(01:52:24)
  • Key Takeaway: ICE officers actively encouraged self-deportation by placing forms in rooms and responding rudely to inquiries about asylum cases.
  • Summary: An ICE officer told Primrose he didn’t care if she was killed upon return and aggressively pushed her to sign a voluntary departure form.
Community Support Secures Release
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(01:55:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Legal efforts, bolstered by community fundraising, forced ICE to adhere to the Flores settlement and release Primrose and Kimberly.
  • Summary: Kirsten fought for their rights under the settlement. Listeners donated to the legal aid fund, which helped secure their release after weeks of delay.
Work Permit Delays
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(01:57:02)
  • Key Takeaway: Even after release, migrants face long waits (150 days minimum) for work permits, and the clock can be stopped by judicial action.
  • Summary: Primrose’s work permit clock was stopped by a judge’s action, meaning she could not legally work months after her case was supposed to be cleared.
Community Welcoming vs. State Hostility
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(01:59:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The host emphasizes that welcoming migrants is a community responsibility, not one left to the government.
  • Summary: The host describes taking Primrose and Kimberly for a manicure and Disneyland, offering small moments of care to counteract the state’s cruelty and show them they are welcome.
Matt’s Realization and Action
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(02:11:08)
  • Key Takeaway: Hearing about the border’s lethal deterrence policies motivated a listener to travel and actively help migrants.
  • Summary: Matt, a podcast listener, realized that border deterrence was intentional killing. He took vacation time to join volunteers in the desert carrying water and seeing the wall’s damage firsthand.
Caring as Antidote to Despair
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(02:14:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Engaging in direct action and solidarity with others helps combat feelings of hopelessness about fascism and state violence.
  • Summary: Matt found that doing useful work with other people made him feel less despair about the state of the world and the rise of fascism.
Community Care During Open-Air Detention
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(02:09:24)
  • Key Takeaway: Everyday people, not elected officials, provided food, shelter, and care to thousands detained outdoors under Biden’s policies.
  • Summary: The host notes that churches, anarchists, and desert dwellers provided essential aid to migrants detained in open-air camps, highlighting community solidarity over government action.
Fascism and Historical Parallelism
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(02:15:06)
  • Key Takeaway: The speaker is shocked to witness state violence resembling fascism in the US, contrasting it with historical events they studied.
  • Summary: The speaker expresses being at a loss for words over current events, labeling them as ‘straight up, like, fascism.’ They reflect on how they always thought such state violence was confined to other countries and times, but now they are living through it.
Matt’s Personal Aid to Migrants
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(02:15:59)
  • Key Takeaway: An individual named Matt took significant personal risk to help Primrose and Kimberly relocate from LA to the East Coast to avoid ICE detention.
  • Summary: The narrative details Matt’s efforts to help Primrose navigate ICE appointments and eventually offering them a place to stay on the East Coast, acknowledging the risk this placed on his own family.
The Absurdity of Asylum System
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(02:21:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The legal asylum process is shown to be contradictory and punitive, leaving applicants homeless and unable to work legally.
  • Summary: Matt discusses the difficulties of navigating the asylum system, including the work permit clock and long travel times, questioning the purpose of asylum if the system itself sets people up to suffer.
Systemic Failures in Healthcare Access
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(02:23:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The US system makes accessing basic medical care impractical for those without insurance or transportation, forcing reliance on personal connections.
  • Summary: Primrose did not receive follow-up care for her leg injury. Accessing approved medical providers required impractical travel, forcing Matt and his wife to pay out-of-pocket, highlighting the broken nature of US healthcare for the uninsured.
Community Action Over Politics
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(02:28:37)
  • Key Takeaway: The failure of government necessitates mutual aid; ordinary people taking action provides strength and optimism.
  • Summary: The host argues that anger alone is insufficient and emphasizes that Matt’s remarkable actions were possible because he was just a person with spare time. They highlight that hundreds of people helped Primrose across her journey, showing the power of community solidarity.
Matt’s Advice on Helping Migrants
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(02:30:41)
  • Key Takeaway: Helping migrants is less complicated and risky than people assume, and small acts of support are crucial.
  • Summary: Matt encourages listeners by saying helping is not insurmountable. He lists numerous ways people can help locally without hosting, such as providing food, driving, or fixing cars.
Primrose’s Gratitude and Hope for Kim
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(02:34:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Primrose is deeply thankful for the support received, which has fundamentally changed her life and given her daughter educational opportunities.
  • Summary: Primrose expresses overwhelming gratitude, stating she never received such help even in her home country. She is happy because her daughter Kim now has a chance to go to school and write her life story.
Capitol Pipe Bomb Suspect Arrested
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(02:44:42)
  • Key Takeaway: A suspect, Brian Cole Jr., was arrested in connection with the pipe bombs placed near the Capitol in January 2021.
  • Summary: The arrest occurred nearly five years later. Sources suggest the suspect may have had ‘anarchist leanings,’ though details are scarce. This arrest partially discredits a previous false report by The Blaze.
Texas Men’s Disturbing Invasion Plot
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(02:46:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Two Texas men were indicted for planning to invade a Haitian island to kill men and enslave women and children.
  • Summary: The indictment details a plan to recruit homeless individuals as mercenaries for a coup d’état on Gonave Island, motivated by ‘rape fantasies.’ One suspect was in the Air Force and had previously been court-martialed for producing child sexual abuse material.
Supreme Court Tariff Ruling Awaited
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(02:49:50)
  • Key Takeaway: The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the legality of Trump’s broad tariffs, while companies like Costco sue to recoup money paid.
  • Summary: Mia Wong discusses the pending Supreme Court decision and the strategy of Trump officials to impose similar tariffs using different legal authority. Costco joining lawsuits to recoup tariff payments is highlighted.
US Signals Land Strikes in Venezuela
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(03:14:02)
  • Key Takeaway: The US is signaling intent to conduct land strikes in Venezuela, raising fears of a disastrous conflict for the Venezuelan people.
  • Summary: The host expresses worry over potential US land war in Venezuela, contrasting this with Trump’s self-proclaimed status as a peace president. They note that Pete Hagseth is unlikely to face international law consequences for ordering the second drone strike on boat survivors.
Clarifying NYC Sanctuary Law Details
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(03:16:13)
  • Key Takeaway: The ‘170 serious crimes’ number referenced by Zoran relates to a specific 2014 NYC local law defining when ICE detainers must be honored.
  • Summary: The segment clarifies that Local Law 58/Administrative Code 9-131 requires ICE detainers to be based on a judicial warrant for individuals convicted of one of approximately 170 listed violent or serious crimes within a five-year limit.
Sanctuary Laws and Deportation Criteria
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(03:18:15)
  • Key Takeaway: Local sanctuary laws vary, and the criteria for when a person must be turned over (conviction vs. accusation) are complex.
  • Summary: The speakers discuss changes in local law regarding when a person must be handed over—moving from mere accusation to conviction or inclusion in a terrorist database. They note that sanctuary laws differ by state and city, and the speaker plans to create a print piece detailing the specific crimes listed in New York law.
Federal Deportation Crimes and Moral Turpitude
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(03:19:01)
  • Key Takeaway: Federal deportation can cover a vast range of crimes, including minor offenses categorized as ‘crimes involving moral turpitude.’
  • Summary: The discussion shifts to federal deportation criteria, which include violent crime, theft over $10,000, and ‘crimes involving moral turpitude,’ which can be as minor as turnstile hopping. They note the difficulty in mapping federal regulations onto 50 different state laws.
ICE Detainers and Local Cooperation
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(03:20:41)
  • Key Takeaway: An ICE detainer is a request for a 48-hour hold, and local jurisdictions are sometimes legally bound to honor them, though this practice is expensive and often criticized.
  • Summary: The speakers explain what an ICE detainer is (a 48-hour hold request) and discuss pushback against honoring them due to detention costs. They also mention that ICE does not always abide by local sanctuary laws, and if police mistakenly hand someone over, they cannot be taken back.
Zoran’s Sanctuary Protection Policies
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(03:21:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Zoran’s campaign included plans to strengthen sanctuary protections in NYC, such as ending illegal ICE cooperation at Rikers Island and increasing funding for immigration legal defense.
  • Summary: The discussion covers Zoran’s proposals to ‘Trump-proof’ New York City, including ending illegal ICE cooperation at Rikers Island and providing significant funding increases for immigration legal defense services.
Limiting Police Interaction and Fare Evasion
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(03:22:19)
  • Key Takeaway: Reducing police interaction by decriminalizing issues like homelessness and fare evasion is seen as a key way to limit accidental deportation risks for undocumented people.
  • Summary: They discuss limiting police interactions by addressing economic conditions and creating a Department of Community Safety. They focus on fare evasion (turnstile hopping) in New York, which can be a misdemeanor or civil infraction depending on the officer, creating confusion about deportation risks.
Zoran’s Governing Challenges and DSA Politics
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(03:24:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Zoran’s tenure will test how a DSA-aligned mayor governs, balancing progressive ideals (like opposing ICE raids) with the practical limitations of local office.
  • Summary: They cover a recent incident where protesters blocked an ICE raid attempt on Canal Street and quote a spokesperson for the mayor-elect emphasizing commitment to sanctuary laws and de-escalation. They note that Zoran is the first high-profile DSA figure to become mayor, focusing on delivering tangible results rather than just chasing electoral goals.
Abolishing ICE vs. Local Governance
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(03:26:32)
  • Key Takeaway: A mayor cannot abolish ICE; the politics of completely stopping deportations requires federal action, which is currently lacking thoughtful policy proposals on the American left.
  • Summary: The speakers differentiate between what a mayor can do (like Zoran) and what is required to abolish ICE (federal action). They suggest that Zoran’s success in NYC could serve as a model for the political movement to the left of the DNC.
Negotiations and ICE Raids
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(03:28:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Zoran’s strategy involves negotiating with Trump to focus ICE action only on serious crimes (detainers) to limit broader, general raids.
  • Summary: The discussion returns to Zoran’s negotiations, aiming to redirect Trump’s focus away from general raids toward legally required detainers for serious crimes. A small positive movement noted is Trump pulling out of plans to deploy the National Guard to assist ICE.
Campus Free Speech and Religious Beliefs
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(03:33:19)
  • Key Takeaway: A trans graduate instructor was suspended after failing a student whose assignment response relied solely on personal religious ideology rather than empirical evidence required by the science course.
  • Summary: The topic shifts to a controversy at the University of Oklahoma where a trans graduate instructor was suspended after giving a failing grade to a junior psychology major’s essay that argued against gender diversity based on biblical interpretations, failing to engage with the assigned academic study.
Grading Rubric and TPUSA Involvement
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(03:38:08)
  • Key Takeaway: The assignment required thoughtful engagement with the article, which the student failed to provide, instead offering poorly written personal ideology, leading to the low grade.
  • Summary: The speakers review the assignment rubric, noting it required thoughtful reaction tied to the article, not just personal opinion. They confirm the instructor’s feedback cited failure to answer the assignment questions and using personal ideology over empirical evidence. TPUSA then launched a media blitz against the instructor, who is vulnerable as a non-tenured grad student.
Chilling Effect on Academia
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(03:44:31)
  • Key Takeaway: The right-wing media campaign against the instructor is an attempt to chill speech in universities, especially for queer and trans faculty, by weaponizing claims of religious discrimination.
  • Summary: The segment concludes that this incident is part of a broader TPUSA model to attack academics. The First Amendment does not guarantee a good grade, but the resulting backlash chills speech by making instructors fear teaching sensitive topics.
News Media Using Gambling Odds
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(03:45:30)
  • Key Takeaway: News platforms like CNN are partnering with gambling/prediction market platforms (Kalshi) to use real-time betting odds as ‘data’ to inform news segments, treating them like polling data.
  • Summary: The final topic introduces a new development where the online gambling platform Kalshi partnered with CNN and CNBC to integrate prediction market data into news reporting. The speakers express alarm, noting that pundits have already been using these odds in place of polling data, which they deem manipulative and dangerous to democracy.