đĄď¸ RollingBoil Daily - November 13, 2025
You might think there's a floor to how far right the Republican Party can go before it collapses under the weight of its own extremism. Today's newsletter suggests otherwise. We're watching a GOP that's openly wrestling with whether antisemitism is a dealbreakerâwith Tucker Carlson platforming Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes while other right-wing figures scramble to distance themselves from the Nazi-adjacent Groyper movement. This isn't a fringe debate happening in dark corners of the internet anymore. It's playing out in mainstream conservative media, and the fact that it's even a "debate" tells you everything about how normalized extremism has become.
Meanwhile, the authoritarian playbook continues on multiple fronts: Trump loyalists are being installed to prosecute his enemies, a Trump-appointed FCC chair is being accused of weaponizing "news distortion" policies against dissent, and California has revoked 17,000 commercial driver's licenses from immigrants in what advocates are calling a prelude to mass deportations. Even the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishopsâhardly a progressive vanguardâfelt compelled to issue a rare statement opposing "indiscriminate" deportations. When you've lost the bishops on cruelty, you've gone too far.
These stories aren't isolated incidents. They're symptoms of a right-wing movement eating itself while simultaneously tightening its grip on power. Let's dig in.
⥠Quick Hits
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'We need to get out of here': Trump's immigration crackdown is quietly reshaping where immigrants live in America
This article directly covers Trump administration immigration enforcement actions and their measurable demographic effects on US communities. The reported 1.6 million self-deportations and internal migration patterns represent significant policy outcomes relevant to tracking Republican immigration agenda implementation and its real-world consequences on population distribution across American states and cities. -
'We need to get out of here': Trump's immigration crackdown is quietly reshaping where immigrants live in America
This article directly covers Trump administration immigration enforcement actions and their measurable demographic effects on immigrant populations across the US. The reported 1.6 million self-deportations and internal migration patterns represent significant policy outcomes relevant to tracking Republican immigration agenda implementation and its real-world consequences on American communities. -
Pardon Me. I Am Not Done Committing Crimes.
This article appears to address concerns about presidential pardon authority, likely referencing Trump's use of pardons and the constitutional implications of granting clemency to individuals who may continue illegal activities. The headline suggests criticism of how pardon power has been wielded, touching on a major point of contention in right-wing political discourse regarding executive authority and accountability. -
Longest government shutdown in U.S. history ends after 43 days
President Trump's resolution of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history represents a significant moment in Trump administration policy-making and executive decision-making. The shutdown, which lasted 43 days, was a major political event that directly involved the Trump administration's negotiating position with Congress. This event is relevant to understanding Trump-era governance, Republican legislative strategy, and executive-legislative branch dynamics during the Trump presidency. -
Dominion still has pending lawsuits against election deniers such as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell
Dominion Voting Systems maintains active lawsuits against prominent Trump allies and election deniers, including former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani and lawyer Sidney Powell. This ongoing litigation directly tracks the legal consequences faced by key right-wing figures who promoted false claims about the 2020 election. The case remains significant for understanding accountability measures against election denial narratives within Republican circles. -
California plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses given to immigrants
California's decision to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to undocumented immigrants represents a direct response to Trump administration criticism and reflects ongoing tensions between Democratic-led states and Republican federal pressure on immigration enforcement. This action demonstrates how right-wing political pressure on immigration issues is influencing state-level policy decisions, even in traditionally progressive jurisdictions. -
California plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses given to immigrants
California's decision to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to undocumented immigrants represents a direct policy reversal following Trump administration criticism. This reflects ongoing tensions between Republican federal pressure and Democratic-led state policies on immigration enforcement. The action demonstrates the Trump administration's continued influence on state-level immigration enforcement despite being out of office. -
California plans to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses given to immigrants
California's decision to revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to undocumented immigrants represents a direct response to Trump administration pressure on sanctuary state policies. This action reflects intensifying federal-state conflict over immigration enforcement and demonstrates how right-wing criticism is influencing state-level policy decisions on immigration-related matters.
đ By The Numbers
- 17,000 - Commercial driver's licenses California plans to revoke for immigrants
- 1.6 million - Immigrants Trump administration says have self-deported
- 43 days - Length of longest government shutdown in U.S. history
đ° Today's Big Stories
1. The Right Canât Decide If Itâs Okay to Hate Jews
The Right Can't Decide If It's Okay to Hate Jews
Tucker Carlson has ignited a civil war within conservative circles after platforming Nick Fuentes, a white nationalist "groyper" leader who has praised Hitler as "really fucking cool" and openly espouses antisemitic views. The interview, now more than a week old, continues to generate fierce backlash even from right-wing figures who typically align with Carlson's anti-establishment positioning. The controversy has exposed deep fissures about how far the conservative movement is willing to go in its embrace of extremist voices.
The response has split predictably along factional lines. The Daily Wire's Ben Shapiro, one of the right's most prominent Jewish voices, accused Carlson of "normalizing Nazism," while Senator Ted Cruz condemned Fuentes for spreading hate. Yet the pushback has been far from universalâmany in the MAGA movement and alternative right media have either defended Carlson's decision or remained conspicuously silent, suggesting that overt antisemitism may no longer be the clear red line it once was, even among mainstream conservatives.
This matters because it represents a mainstreaming moment for explicitly Nazi-adjacent ideology. Carlson isn't a fringe podcaster; he's one of the most influential voices in conservative media with direct access to millions of viewers and, reportedly, to President-elect Trump's inner circle. When figures of his stature platform Holocaust deniers and Hitler apologists without meaningful professional consequences, it signals to extremists that the door is opening wider. It also puts Jewish Americansâand all marginalized communities targeted by white nationalist movementsâat greater risk as this rhetoric gains legitimacy.
Watch whether major conservative institutions and Republican officials continue their criticism or let this fade into the news cycle. Pay attention to whether Carlson faces any real consequences from platforms, advertisers, or political allies. Most importantly, monitor whether other right-wing figures follow Carlson's lead in openly courting the groyper movement, testing whether today's "unacceptable" becomes tomorrow's normalized discourse.
2. Comey and James Challenge Appointment of Lindsey Halligan, Trump Loyalist Prosecuting Them
Trump Loyalist's Appointment as Prosecutor Draws Legal Challenge from Comey and James
In a striking turn of events that underscores concerns about political retribution, former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James are challenging the appointment of Lindsey Halliganâa Trump loyalistâto prosecute cases against them. Halligan's selection to lead these high-profile prosecutions has raised immediate red flags about judicial independence and the potential weaponization of the justice system against Trump's perceived political enemies.
The political context here is impossible to ignore. Both Comey and James have been prominent thorns in Trump's side: Comey's firing in 2017 and subsequent testimony became central to obstruction of justice concerns, while James has aggressively pursued civil fraud cases against the Trump Organization in New York. Halligan, meanwhile, has demonstrated clear loyalty to Trump, making her appointment to prosecute his critics a textbook example of what critics warned about during Trump's campaign promises of "retribution." This represents a fundamental test of whether prosecutorial independence can survive in an administration that has openly pledged to pursue its opponents.
The stakes couldn't be higher. If Halligan's appointment stands, it sets a precedent that prosecutors with obvious political alignments can be installed to target an administration's criticsâa hallmark of authoritarian governance. These cases could result in serious legal jeopardy for two figures who took official actions against Trump, potentially chilling future accountability efforts by government officials and state attorneys general. The message to other potential Trump critics in government is unmistakable: cross this administration and face prosecution by handpicked loyalists.
What to watch: The legal challenges will likely focus on conflicts of interest and due process violations. Court decisions on whether Halligan can continue could come within weeks, and any rulings will have immediate implications for other politically charged prosecutions this administration may pursue. Meanwhile, watch for whether other Trump critics in government or law enforcement face similar targetingâand whether traditional checks on prosecutorial abuse hold firm.
3. Former FCC chairs: Carr improperly wielding 'news distortion policy'
Former FCC Leaders Sound Alarm on Carr's Weaponization of Obscure Media Rule
A bipartisan group of former Federal Communications Commission officials is calling for the immediate repeal of an obscure "news distortion policy" after current FCC Chair Brendan Carr invoked it to threaten mainstream media outlets critical of President Trump. The petition, filed Thursday, marks an extraordinary rebuke from agency veterans who warn that Carr is twisting a dormant policy into a tool for political intimidationâtransforming a regulatory agency into an enforcer of the administration's media grievances.
The controversy centers on Carr, a Trump appointee who has increasingly aligned himself with the president's attacks on the press. By citing the rarely-used news distortion policy, Carr has suggested the FCC could take action against broadcasters whose coverage he deems unfavorable to Trump. This represents a dramatic departure from decades of FCC restraint on editorial matters, with former chairsâregardless of party affiliationârecognizing the dangerous precedent of a government agency policing news content. The move fits a broader pattern of Trump-era attacks on press freedom, but with the added threat of federal regulatory power behind it.
For readers, the stakes couldn't be higher: this is about whether a federal agency can be used to punish journalists and news organizations for critical coverage of those in power. If Carr succeeds in establishing this precedent, it would fundamentally undermine the First Amendment and create a chilling effect across American newsrooms. Broadcasters could face license challenges or other regulatory threats simply for reporting unfavorable facts about the administrationâa hallmark of authoritarian governance, not democratic society.
Watch for whether the FCC acts on this petition, and whether Congress intervenes to check Carr's authority. Also monitor which news organizations Carr targets and whether legal challenges emerge. This fight will likely define the boundaries of press freedom for years to come.
4. US bishops issue rare statement opposing âindiscriminateâ mass deportations
US Catholic Bishops Break Silence on Trump's Mass Deportation Campaign
In a rare public rebuke of the Trump administration, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement Wednesday condemning the "indiscriminate" nature of the administration's mass deportation agenda. The bishops cited a "climate of fear and anxiety" gripping communities nationwide as immigration enforcement intensifies, marking an unusual intervention by the typically cautious religious body into direct political confrontation with federal policy.
The statement comes as the Trump administration accelerates its immigration crackdown, with ICE raids expanding beyond targeting individuals with criminal records to sweeping up undocumented immigrants regardless of their community ties or length of residence in the US. The bishops' intervention is particularly significant given the Catholic Church's substantial institutional presence in immigrant communities and its historical reluctance to directly challenge Republican administrations. This public stance suggests the human toll of current enforcement policies has become too severe for church leadership to ignore, even as many conservative Catholics remain part of Trump's political base.
For progressive activists and immigrant rights advocates, the bishops' statement provides crucial moral authority in the fight against mass deportations. It validates concerns about racial profiling and family separation while potentially swaying moderate Catholics who might otherwise support hardline immigration policies. The real-world impact is already visible: families afraid to send children to school, workers skipping jobs, and people avoiding hospitalsâcreating humanitarian crises that extend far beyond immigration status.
Watch for whether this statement translates into concrete action from Catholic institutions, including sanctuary policies in churches or legal resources for affected families. Also monitor how the Trump administration respondsâany retaliation or dismissal could further galvanize religious opposition. Most critically, track whether other faith leaders follow suit, potentially building a broader interfaith coalition that could shift public opinion on mass deportations in contested congressional districts ahead of the midterms.
5. California revokes 17,000 commercial driverâs licenses for immigrants
Trump Administration Forces California to Revoke 17,000 Immigrant Truckers' Licenses
California announced Wednesday it will revoke 17,000 commercial driver's licenses issued to immigrants after the Trump administration accused the state of allowing licenses to extend beyond drivers' legal authorization to remain in the U.S. The move comes amid an aggressive federal campaign led by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy targeting states that issue CDLs to undocumented immigrants, following several fatal crashes this year involving drivers without legal status. Notably, all 17,000 affected drivers had valid federal work authorizations when their licenses were issued, and the revocations stem from a technical violation: the licenses' expiration dates extended past the drivers' documented legal status end dates.
The clash represents a high-profile confrontation between the Trump administration and California Governor Gavin Newsom, with Duffy claiming the state has been "caught red-handed" issuing illegal licenses and threatening to withhold $200 million in federal transportation funding. Newsom's office fired back, accusing Duffy of spreading "easily disproven falsehoods" and noting the state followed federal Homeland Security guidance when issuing the licenses. Duffy has already revoked $40 million over alleged failures to enforce English language requirements and imposed sweeping new restrictions in September that would make only three specific visa categories eligible for commercial licensesâreducing qualified noncitizen drivers from 200,000 to just 10,000 nationwide.
The revocations will have immediate economic consequences, removing thousands of authorized workers from an industry already facing severe driver shortages. While the Trump administration frames this as a public safety issue, pointing to several fatal crashes involving undocumented drivers, critics note that all affected California drivers had legal work authorization and passed the same safety tests as other commercial drivers. The 60-day notice period before license expiration will likely disrupt supply chains and leave trucking companies scrambling to fill positions, particularly in California's massive freight industry.
Watch for whether other states targeted in Duffy's auditsâcurrently delayed by the government shutdownâwill face similar federal pressure to revoke licenses. The funding threats against California could set a precedent for how the administration uses federal dollars to force state compliance on immigration enforcement. Also monitor whether legal challenges emerge over the retroactive application of standards that weren't in effect when licenses were issued, and whether the dramatic reduction in eligible immigrant drivers exacerbates the ongoing national trucker shortage.
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