Jacobin Radio Behind the News: Israel’s Assault on Lebanon w/ Aurélie Daher
Jan 29, 2026
Aurélie Daher, political scientist who studies Hezbollah and Lebanese politics, explains Israel’s ongoing strikes on Lebanon, civilian tolls, and limits of airpower against guerrilla tactics. David Bier, immigration policy analyst, digs into ICE data, expanded arrests, low violent-conviction rates among detainees, and how enforcement shifted toward broad sweeps and politicized nativism.
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Most Undocumented Presence Is Civil, Not Criminal
- Being unlawfully present is a civil matter; illegal border crossing is a crime with a five-year statute of limitations.
- Over 75% of undocumented people have been here longer than five years, so criminal prosecution is unavailable for most.
Reinstate Oversight For Immigration Enforcement
- Restore judicial oversight and Article III adjudication to immigration cases to protect due process.
- Revoke doctrines that shield Border Patrol from civil suits and enable accountability for constitutional violations.
Rapid Hiring Spurs Corruption Risks
- ICE and Border Patrol recruiting surges lowered hiring standards and concealed applicants' flaws to staff up quickly.
- David Bier warns this produces poorly qualified, sometimes criminal, officers and predictable corruption.
