U.S.
33 Arrested in Fourth of July Anti-ICE Protest in Philadelphia
Published
4 years agoon

- 33 people were arrested during an anti-ICE protest that interrupted Philadelphia’s Fourth of July parade.
- The protest was led by an organization called Never Again is Now, which is a group of Jewish-American citizens devoted to fighting for justice in American immigration.
- No injuries were reported as a result of the protest.
- Protesters were fighting to close an ICE office in Philadelphia and a detention center in a nearby county.
What Happened at the Protests?
Over 30 people were arrested for protesting ICE and President Donald Trump’s immigration policy during a Fourth of July parade in Philadelphia.
The protest was organized by Never Again is Now, a group of Jewish-American citizens fighting against injustices in the United States’ immigration system. According to organizers, 500 people attended yesterday’s protest. Attendees were specifically fighting to shut down the Immigration and Customs Enforcement center in Philadelphia, as well as a detention center in a nearby county, as well as larger issues concerning immigration, like conditions at the border.
“Now, as we see widespread separation of families, detention of children in horrific conditions, and adults and children dying at the border as they attempt to leave violence and instability created largely by our own country’s foreign policies, we refuse to wait to see what happens next,” the Facebook event page for the protest said.
BREAKING: 500+ #JewsAgainstICE, immigrants and allies are on the march in Philly! When immigrants are under attack, we STAND UP FIGHT BACK!
— ✡️ Never Again Action ✡️ (@NeverAgainActn) July 4, 2019
WATCH LIVE: https://t.co/98VzlfRQY9 pic.twitter.com/VNf8oTvKfV
Their march began at Philadelphia’s ICE office and worked its way to the city’s Fourth of July parade. According to the organization, by the time marchers reached the parade they were met by a line of officers.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsWe’ve reached the Philadelphia 4th of July parade, where we’re met with a 3-deep line of police blocking our progress. We’re here to say that we cannot ignore reality and pretend like we’re all free in America, when we know that’s not true.
— ✡️ Never Again Action ✡️ (@NeverAgainActn) July 4, 2019
WATCH & SHARE: https://t.co/98VzlfRQY9 pic.twitter.com/gMHZDjNDuy
Some of the attendees sat in the street locking arms to block the parade’s route. Police removed these individuals from the parade. According to reports from local media, 33 arrests were made. Reports also say that police claimed that protesters were interrupting the parade. No one was injured.
Pele IrgangLaden, one of the protest’s organizers told The Philadelphia Inquirer that this holiday was an important one for people to speak up.
“We believe this action was necessary because on a day like today, on the Fourth of July — the celebration of freedom and justice in our country — we found it ironic and believe it is abundantly clear that in America right now there are people who are not free, who are not receiving justice, who are not receiving independence,” he said.
What is Never Again is Now?
Never Again is Now says they are fighting to make sure actions taken at the border and throughout the country are not furthered. The organization often links events today to those that led to the Holocaust.
“We refuse to wait and see — we know from our own history what happens next,” their website says. “Many of our ancestors narrowly escaped from conditions like what we are seeing today in concentration camps at the border and detention centers around the country.”
Never Again is Now holds events all around the country. Throughout the holiday week, marches have taken place in cities like New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Providence, and San Francisco. Philadelphia’s protest was not the first to generate headlines for arrests. On June 30, 36 arrests were made at a similar protest in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) tweeted thanking the protestors for their courage.
Direct actions of profound solidarity, just like these, hold enormous power to change our country.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 1, 2019
Thank you @NeverAgainActn, for your courage, compassion, and selflessness in pursuit of justice. https://t.co/Bl0B6ZFcAZ
See what others are saying: (WHYY) (The Philadelphia Inquirer) (CBS Philly)
U.S.
Survey and Census Data Shows Record Number of Americans are Struggling Financially
Published
3 weeks agoon
May 23, 2023By
Star Pralle
Americans are choosing not to pursue medical treatment more and more frequently as they encounter money troubles.
A recent federal survey shows that a record number of Americans were worse off financially in 2022 than a year prior.
Coupled with recent census data showing pervasive poverty across much of the country, Americans are forced to make difficult decisions, like foregoing expensive healthcare.
According to a recent Federal Reserve Bureau survey, 35% of adults say they were worse off in 2022 than 2021, which is the highest share ever recorded since the question was raised in 2014.
Additionally, half of adults reported their budget was majorly affected by rising prices across the country, and that number is even higher among minority communities and parents living with their children.
According to recent census data, more than 10% of the counties in the U.S. are experiencing persistent poverty, meaning the area has had a poverty rate of 20% or higher between 1989 and 2019.
16 states report at least 10% of their population living in persistent poverty. But most of the suffering counties were found in the South — which accounts for over half the people living in persistent poverty, despite making up less than 40% of the population.
These financial realities have placed many Americans in the unfortunate situation of choosing between medical treatment and survival. The Federal Reserve study found that the share of Americans who skipped medical treatment because of the cost has drastically increased since 2020.
The reflection of this can be found in the overall health of households in different income brackets. 75% of households with an income of $25,000 or less report being in good health – compared to the 91% of households with $100,000 or more income.
See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (Federal Reserve)

The ban will likely face legal challenges before it is officially enacted next year.
First Statewide Ban of TikTok
Montana became the first state to ban TikTok on Wednesday after Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed legislation aimed at protecting “Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party.”
The ban will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2024, though the law will likely face a handful of legal challenges before that date.
To protect Montanans’ personal and private data from the Chinese Communist Party, I have banned TikTok in Montana.
— Governor Greg Gianforte (@GovGianforte) May 17, 2023
Under the law, citizens of the state will not be held liable for using the app, but companies that offer the app on their platforms, like Apple and Google, will face a $10,000 fine per day of violations. TikTok would also be subject to the hefty daily fine.
Questions remain about how tech companies will practically enforce this law. During a hearing earlier this year, a representative from TechNet said that these platforms don’t have the ability to “geofence” apps by state.
Roger Entner, an analyst at Recon Analytics, told the Associated Press that app stores could have the capability to enforce the restriction, but it would be difficult to carry out and there would be a variety of loopholes by tools like VPNs.
Montana’s law comes as U.S. politicians have taken aim at TikTok over its alleged ties to the CCP. Earlier this year, the White House directed federal agencies to remove TikTok from government devices. Conservatives, in particular, have been increasingly working to restrict the app.
“The Chinese Communist Party using TikTok to spy on Americans, violate their privacy, and collect their personal, private, and sensitive information is well-documented,” Gov. Gianforte said in a Wednesday statement.
Criticism of Montana Law
TikTok, however, has repeatedly denied that it gives user data to the government. The company released a statement claiming Montana’s law “infringes on the First Amendment rights of the people” in the state.
“We want to reassure Montanans that they can continue using TikTok to express themselves, earn a living, and find community as we continue working to defend the rights of our users inside and outside of Montana,” the company said.
The American Civil Liberties Union condemned Montana’s law for similar reasons.
This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet.
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 17, 2023
Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.
“This law tramples on our free speech rights under the guise of national security and lays the groundwork for excessive government control over the internet,” the ACLU tweeted. “Elected officials do not have the right to selectively censor entire social media apps based on their country of origin.”
Per the AP, there are 200,000 TikTok users in Montana, and another 6,000 businesses use the platform as well. Lawsuits are expected to be filed against the law in the near future.
See what others are saying: (Associated Press) (Fast Company) (CBS News)
U.S.
How a Disney-Loving Former Youth Pastor Landed on The FBI’s “Most Wanted” List
Published
2 months agoon
April 24, 2023By
Star Pralle
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Chris Burns’ 19-year-old son pleaded to his father via The Daily Beast.
Multi-Million Dollar Scheme
Former youth pastor turned financial advisor Chris Burns remains at large since going on the run in September of 2020 to avoid a Securities Exchange Commission investigation into his businesses.
Despite his fugitive status, the Justice Department recently indicted Burns with several more charges on top of the $12 million default judgment he received from the SEC.
Burns allegedly sold false promissory notes to investors across Georgia, North Carolina, and Florida. The SEC claims he told the investors they were participating in a “peer to peer” lending program where businesses that needed capital would borrow money and then repay it with interest as high as 20%. Burns allegedly also reassured investors that the businesses had collateral so the investment was low-risk.
The SEC says that Burns instead took that money for personal use.
Burns’ History
Burns began his adult life as a youth pastor back in 2007 before transitioning into financial planning a few years later. By 2017, he launched his own radio show, The Chris Burns Show, which was funded by one of his companies, Dynamic Money – where every week Burns would “unpack how this week’s headlines practically impact your life, wallet, and future,” according to the description. He also frequently appeared on television and online, talking about finances and politics.
The SEC alleges that he used his public appearances to elevate his status as a financial advisor and maximize his reach to investors.
His family told The Daily Beast that he became obsessed with success and he reportedly bought hand-made clothes, a million-dollar lakehouse, a boat, several cars, and took his family on several trips to Disney World. His eldest son and wife said that Burns was paying thousands of dollars a day for VIP tours and once paid for the neighbors to come along.
Then in September 2020, he reportedly told his wife that he was being investigated by the Securities Exchange Commission but he told her not to worry.
The day that he was supposed to turn over his business documents to the SEC, he disappeared, telling his wife he was just going to take a trip to North Carolina to tell his parents about the investigation. Then, the car was found abandoned in a parking lot with several cashier’s checks totaling $78,000
FBI’s Most Wanted
The default judgment in the SEC complaint orders Burns, if he’s ever found, to pay $12 million to his victims, as well as over $650,000 in a civil penalty. Additionally, a federal criminal complaint charged him with mail fraud. Burns is currently on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.
Last week, the Justice Department indicted him on several other charges including 10 counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud.
“Burns is charged for allegedly stealing millions of dollars from clients in an illegal investment fraud scheme,” Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Financial crimes of this nature can cause significant disruptions to the lives of those who are victimized, and the FBI is dedicated to holding these criminals accountable.”
His family maintains that they knew nothing of Burns’ schemes. His wife reportedly returned over $300,000 that he had given to her.
She and their eldest son, who is now 19, told The Daily Beast they just want Burns to turn himself in, take responsibility for his actions, and try to help the people he hurt.
“Do what is best, not for yourself, for once. Think about everyone else,” Burns’ son said in a message to his father via The Daily Beast.
See what others are saying: (The Daily Beast) (Fox 5) (Wealth Management)

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