🌡️ RollingBoil Daily - November 18, 2025
If you've been wondering how the Trump administration plans to reshape America's social contract, today brings a stark answer. The White House is moving forward with an expanded "public charge" rule that would deny green cards to immigrants who use programs like SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance—essentially creating a wealth test for permanent residency. This isn't just immigration policy; it's an attack on the entire safety net, sending a chilling message that asking for help when you need it could cost you your future in this country. Meanwhile, DHS is ramping up enforcement operations in cities like Charlotte, where 81 people were detained in a single sweep, turning communities into hunting grounds.
But today's newsletter isn't just about what they're doing—it's about how they're doing it. We're tracking the language games that turn an insurrection into a "lovefest," the manufactured panic around "gender ideology" that scapegoats trans people for society's problems, and the coordinated attacks on public servants like Fed Governor Lisa Cook and New York AG Letitia James. These stories are connected by a common thread: the systematic dismantling of protections for vulnerable people while rewriting reality itself. Stay informed, stay angry, and let's get into it.
⚡ Quick Hits
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Judge pauses release of grand jury material to Comey after magistrate hints at dismissal
The article reports on Trump's alleged direction to Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue criminal charges against former FBI Director James Comey, resulting in an indictment in Virginia. This reflects ongoing Trump administration efforts to investigate and prosecute perceived political adversaries from the previous administration. The story illustrates the intersection of executive power, judicial proceedings, and Republican-led accountability efforts against former Obama-era officials. -
Judge dismisses Trump suit against NY law blocking courthouse immigration arrests
A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration's legal challenge to New York's sanctuary courthouse law, representing a significant setback for the administration's immigration enforcement agenda. The ruling upholds state-level restrictions on ICE arrests at courthouses, reflecting ongoing tensions between Republican federal immigration priorities and Democratic-controlled state policies. This decision impacts the broader right-wing debate over federal versus state authority on immigration matters. -
Senators push for probe into Trump-linked crypto firm over token sales tied to North Korea and Russia
U.S. Senators are calling for an investigation into a cryptocurrency firm with Trump family connections over alleged business dealings with sanctioned entities including North Korea and Russia. This represents significant scrutiny of Trump-linked business activities and potential violations of U.S. sanctions policy, with implications for the Trump family's business empire and Republican party positioning on foreign policy enforcement. -
Social Security Data Is Openly Being Shared With DHS to Target Immigrants
This article documents the Social Security Administration's data sharing with Department of Homeland Security to identify and target immigrants, representing a significant Trump-era policy implementation. The story reflects core right-wing immigration enforcement priorities and demonstrates the operational mechanisms through which restrictive immigration policies are executed. This aligns with Republican administration goals of enhanced immigration enforcement and border security measures. -
7 signs Trump is losing his groove
This article analyzes perceived weaknesses in Trump's political position and influence, examining setbacks that may undermine his perceived invincibility. The piece is directly relevant to understanding Trump's current standing within the Republican party and potential shifts in right-wing political dynamics. Analysis of Trump's political momentum is central to tracking contemporary US right-wing politics. -
Trump leaves military option open while hinting at talks with Venezuela
Trump administration signals willingness to pursue military intervention in Venezuela while simultaneously keeping diplomatic channels open, reflecting a characteristic Trump approach of maintaining multiple negotiating positions. The increased U.S. military posture in the Caribbean and ambiguous messaging on potential troop deployment represent significant foreign policy positioning relevant to Trump's broader geopolitical strategy and executive decision-making style. -
How 'defund Planned Parenthood' came to threaten primary care in rural Maine
The Trump administration implemented policies to defund Planned Parenthood and exclude it from Medicaid in Maine, a key right-wing political objective. This action demonstrates the administration's prioritization of abortion restrictions over rural primary care access, despite local support for abortion services. The policy reflects broader Republican efforts to restrict abortion access and defund Planned Parenthood at the federal level. -
The Epstein files are just the latest fracture hitting Trump's MAGA coalition
The article examines fractures within Trump's MAGA coalition, specifically highlighting a disagreement between Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene over the Epstein files. It indicates broader Republican questioning of Trump's interpretation of 'America First' policy, suggesting internal ideological divisions within the right-wing political movement.
đź“Š By The Numbers
- 81 - People detained in DHS Operation Charlotte's Web immigration raid
- 3 out of 4 - Mainers who support abortion access
- 2 - Biological sexes recognized by Trump executive order
đź“° Today's Big Stories
1. Trump administration moves to deny green cards for those who use safety net programs
Trump Administration Targets Immigrants Who Use Public Benefits
The Trump administration's Department of Homeland Security quietly moved Monday night to resurrect one of its most controversial first-term policies: denying green cards to immigrants who use—or might use—public benefits like Medicaid, food stamps, or housing assistance. The new "public charge" rule would make it significantly easier for immigration officers to reject permanent residency applications based on an applicant's use of safety net programs that millions of Americans rely on.
This marks a sharp reversal from the Biden administration, which had returned to the longstanding interpretation that only those primarily dependent on cash assistance could be denied green cards on public charge grounds. Trump's first attempt at this policy in 2019 created widespread fear in immigrant communities, leading many to disenroll from benefits they were legally entitled to use—even for their U.S. citizen children—out of concern it would jeopardize their immigration status. Courts eventually blocked that version, but the administration is betting on a more favorable judicial landscape this time around.
The impact extends far beyond immigration policy. Public health experts warn this will discourage legal immigrants from seeking necessary medical care and nutrition assistance, creating public health risks for entire communities. Children who are U.S. citizens may go without food or healthcare because their parents fear immigration consequences. The policy also serves as a wealth test for immigration, effectively favoring affluent applicants while penalizing working-class families who contribute to their communities but occasionally need temporary assistance.
Watch for legal challenges from immigrant rights organizations and Democratic state attorneys general, which are virtually certain. Also monitor whether the chilling effect on benefits enrollment reappears—advocates documented significant drops in program participation during Trump's first term, even among those who weren't subject to the rule. Congressional Democrats may attempt legislative fixes, though those face long odds in the current political environment.
2. DHS launches Charlotte immigration operation, detains 81 people
Federal Agents Deploy Paramilitary-Style Immigration Sweep in Charlotte, Sparking Confrontations
The Department of Homeland Security launched "Operation Charlotte's Web" over the weekend, deploying Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection teams into Charlotte's immigrant neighborhoods in what officials described as a targeted enforcement effort. The operation resulted in 81 detentions and brought tactical-gear-clad federal agents into residential areas, churches, and business districts. Videos from the scene captured intense confrontations between protesters and agents, with residents shouting "Get the f--- out of my city!" as federal teams pushed through wooded areas. In one particularly disturbing incident, masked agents detained someone at a church, sending congregants—including teenagers—fleeing into nearby woods. "We thought church was safe and nothing gonna happen," one young witness said.
The operation has become an immediate political flashpoint in North Carolina, a critical battleground state. Democratic Governor Josh Stein accused federal agents of racial profiling, warning that agents in paramilitary gear were "targeting citizens by skin color and picking people up off sidewalks." The operation's tone-deaf naming drew unexpected criticism from Martha White, granddaughter of beloved children's author E.B. White, who blasted DHS for appropriating her grandfather's classic title. She emphasized that White "believed in rule of law and due process," not "raids by masked men and unmarked cars"—a rebuke that underscores how the administration's aggressive tactics are alienating even unexpected voices.
This enforcement surge represents a troubling escalation in immigration tactics, bringing military-style operations into American communities and normalizing the presence of heavily armed federal agents in civilian spaces. The disruption to Charlotte's immigrant neighborhoods—where businesses shuttered and daily life ground to a halt—demonstrates how these operations terrorize entire communities, not just their stated targets. The willingness to conduct raids at churches, traditionally considered sanctuary spaces, signals an abandonment of previous enforcement norms and raises serious civil liberties concerns about racial profiling and due process violations.
Watch for: Whether North Carolina officials will take concrete action to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, how this operation affects organizing and turnout in a swing state ahead of future elections, and whether similar "operations" expand to other cities. The community response and sustained protests could provide a template for resistance in other targeted areas, while legal challenges over tactics and civil rights violations may emerge in coming weeks.
3. How the Right Uses “Gender Ideology” to Blame Trans People for Everything
How Trump's "Gender Ideology" Order Weaponizes Trans Rights
Within hours of his second inauguration, President Trump signed an executive order mandating that his administration recognize only two "immutable, biological sexes" determined at conception—a sweeping directive that redefines federal policy on gender identity under the guise of "defending women." The order represents the administration's opening salvo in what promises to be an aggressive campaign against transgender rights, framing basic recognition of trans people as a dangerous "gender ideology" that threatens society.
This move fits into a broader right-wing strategy that's been years in the making. Conservative activists and Republican politicians have increasingly used "gender ideology" as an all-purpose boogeyman—blaming trans people and their allies for everything from women's sports outcomes to parental rights disputes to broader cultural anxieties. By elevating this rhetoric to official policy on day one, Trump signals that attacking trans Americans will be central to his second term, likely emboldening state-level Republicans to push even more restrictive legislation.
The real-world impact could be devastating. Federal agencies may now be directed to deny recognition of trans people in healthcare programs, employment protections, education policies, and identification documents. This affects everything from passport applications to Medicare coverage to workplace discrimination cases. Beyond direct policy harm, the order legitimizes discrimination and sends a message that trans people's identities are inherently fraudulent—rhetoric that historically correlates with increased violence and harassment against trans communities.
Watch for: Implementation details from federal agencies, particularly HHS, Education, and State; legal challenges from civil rights organizations; whether Republican governors use this as cover for more aggressive state-level restrictions; and how this affects ongoing litigation around Title IX and healthcare access. This executive order is a blueprint, not an endpoint.
4. Lisa Cook, Letitia James rebuke mortgage fraud allegations
Trump Administration Targets Federal Reserve Governor and NY AG Over Personal Mortgages
The Trump administration is pursuing what appears to be a politically motivated investigation into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook and New York Attorney General Letitia James over their personal mortgage applications. Defense attorney Abbe Lowell delivered a blistering response Monday, characterizing the cases as transparent retaliation and pointing fingers at both a housing official who initiated the allegations and President Trump's well-documented vendetta against his perceived enemies.
The political context here is impossible to ignore. Letitia James has been a primary legal nemesis of Trump, successfully prosecuting his civil fraud case that resulted in hundreds of millions in penalties and leading investigations into his business practices. Lisa Cook, meanwhile, is one of the first Black women to serve on the Federal Reserve Board—an institution Trump has repeatedly attacked when it doesn't bend to his economic preferences. Both women now find themselves in the crosshairs of an administration that has openly promised retribution against those who have opposed or investigated the president.
This matters because it represents a dangerous escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies for personal and political revenge. Using housing regulators to investigate mortgage applications—routine financial transactions that millions of Americans complete—sets a chilling precedent for how this administration might target anyone in its path. If a sitting Federal Reserve governor and a state attorney general can be subjected to federal investigations over personal real estate dealings, it signals that no one who has crossed Trump is safe from retaliatory prosecution. This threatens both the independence of crucial institutions like the Fed and the ability of state officials to hold federal power accountable.
Watch for whether these cases gain any legitimate legal traction or quietly disappear once they've served their intimidation purpose. Also monitor whether other Trump critics in positions of power face similar scrutiny over routine personal matters, and how institutions like the Federal Reserve respond to this threat to their independence.
5. Trump’s 'Newspeak' makes Jan. 6 a lovefest and prosecutors enemies
Trump's Orwellian Rewrite: When Insurrection Becomes "Lovefest"
Donald Trump is systematically rewriting the history of January 6th, transforming a violent assault on American democracy into what he calls a "lovefest" while casting prosecutors and investigators as enemies of the state. This linguistic manipulation—reminiscent of Orwell's "Newspeak"—represents more than rhetorical excess; it's a coordinated effort to rehabilitate the insurrection and intimidate those who would hold participants accountable. Anyone who challenges this narrative, from career prosecutors to political opponents, finds themselves targeted for retribution in Trump's expanding enemies list.
The stakes extend far beyond semantics. By recasting rioters as patriots and law enforcement officials as persecutors, Trump is laying groundwork for potential pardons, undermining ongoing prosecutions, and delegitimizing the entire justice system's response to January 6th. This narrative shift has already influenced Republican voters, with polling showing increasing numbers viewing the attack as justified or overblown. Meanwhile, prosecutors who investigated Trump face threats, harassment, and promises of future investigations should he return to power—a chilling preview of how dissent might be treated in a second Trump administration.
For progressives and democracy advocates, this represents a five-alarm fire. When political violence gets rebranded as patriotic expression and accountability becomes persecution, the foundation of democratic governance crumbles. The normalization of January 6th makes future political violence more likely while creating a permission structure for authoritarian governance.
Watch for: Trump's potential pardons if re-elected, continued harassment of prosecutors and investigators, and whether Republican officials push back against this historical revisionism or remain complicit. The 2024 election may hinge partly on whether voters accept Trump's alternate reality or demand accountability for the actual violence that occurred.
RollingBoil • Tracking right-wing actions and accountability
Stay informed. Stay vigilant.