0. Impact of Biden as the President of the US on India and how the game is being played to weaken Modi ji. The crux of my long discussion with a Doctoral student of American studies: The thread
More from Biden
1. Ben Rhodes’s comment dismissing the concerns of former political prisoners and US hostages in Iran regarding Rob Malley’s potential appointment as Iran envoy is deeply unprofessional and offensive. As my own story illustrates, not everything is about partisan DC politics.
2. In 2016 I was a Princeton graduate student who excitedly supported the JCPOA and the new era of Iran-US diplomacy it was meant to usher. Such was my optimism that I actually went to Iran for dissertation research. That’s when my nightmare began.
3. I was arrested by Iranian security forces and held hostage in Evin prison-away from my wife and infant son-for more than 3 years. The regime knew I was innocent and told me so. It took me 40 months in Evin to comprehend what had happened to me.
4. As a political prisoner I’ve likely had more intensive contact with Iranian hardliners than most Iran watchers in the US, especially US govt officials like Mr. Rhodes and Malley. I believe the insights derived from that experience have a unique value.
5. I support strengthening the nuclear deal, but am convinced the JCPOA of 2015 is well-intended yet inadequate. Simply lifting pressure against Iran and allowing it to benefit from economic integration produced NO further incentive for the regime to change its behavior.
I think Joe Biden should pick his Iran envoy, not Tom Cotton and a bunch of cheerleaders for MBS and American authoritarianism. Elections have consequences.
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) January 22, 2021
2. In 2016 I was a Princeton graduate student who excitedly supported the JCPOA and the new era of Iran-US diplomacy it was meant to usher. Such was my optimism that I actually went to Iran for dissertation research. That’s when my nightmare began.
3. I was arrested by Iranian security forces and held hostage in Evin prison-away from my wife and infant son-for more than 3 years. The regime knew I was innocent and told me so. It took me 40 months in Evin to comprehend what had happened to me.
4. As a political prisoner I’ve likely had more intensive contact with Iranian hardliners than most Iran watchers in the US, especially US govt officials like Mr. Rhodes and Malley. I believe the insights derived from that experience have a unique value.
5. I support strengthening the nuclear deal, but am convinced the JCPOA of 2015 is well-intended yet inadequate. Simply lifting pressure against Iran and allowing it to benefit from economic integration produced NO further incentive for the regime to change its behavior.
Sitting down to work for the first day of the Biden presidency is a surreal feeling.
So much happened yesterday. I'm going to collect my threads here on yesterday's big immigration news.
First, we got key details of Biden's big immigration
Once Biden had officially taken office, we got the first major action. As part of a standard transition process, the Biden White House froze all regulations which Trump had been trying to finalize at the last hour. I did a thread on what we
Last night we started getting more changes. One of the first was an order telling CBP to stop putting people into the so-called "Migrant Protection Protocols," a cruel program that's left thousands in a dangerous limbo. But there's still more to do!
After that, we began getting the text of immigration executive orders. The first one put onto the White House's website was the order ending the Muslim Ban/Africa Ban and ordering the State Department to come up with a plan for reconsidering
The next immigration executive order put on the White House's website revoked a Trump executive order from January 26, 2017 which made all undocumented immigrants a priority for deportation and directed a DHS-wide review of immigration
So much happened yesterday. I'm going to collect my threads here on yesterday's big immigration news.
First, we got key details of Biden's big immigration
There is a LOT to like about this bill. I want to highlight some of the proposed changes beyond just legalization, including:
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) January 20, 2021
- Ending the 3 & 10 year bars
- Curbing the "Muslim ban" authority
- Preventing "aging out" of children on nonimmigrant visas.https://t.co/jkFBIcNJEb
Once Biden had officially taken office, we got the first major action. As part of a standard transition process, the Biden White House froze all regulations which Trump had been trying to finalize at the last hour. I did a thread on what we
This is a standard order issued following every transition, but today it feels so important because of how many horrific things were in the pipeline.
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) January 20, 2021
Here's a brief thread about some of the terrible anti-immigration regulations that didn't make it across the finish line.
1/ https://t.co/q0QpfVxPXm
Last night we started getting more changes. One of the first was an order telling CBP to stop putting people into the so-called "Migrant Protection Protocols," a cruel program that's left thousands in a dangerous limbo. But there's still more to do!
Incredible.\U0001f38a I am overwhelmed with joy that we are finally seeing the end to one of the most cruel and heartless policies of the last four years\u2014one that caused horrific damage to peoples' lives.
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) January 21, 2021
The first part of the promise was kept. Now #LetThemIn!https://t.co/PZGrbvagaa https://t.co/PMeOxrKJvm
After that, we began getting the text of immigration executive orders. The first one put onto the White House's website was the order ending the Muslim Ban/Africa Ban and ordering the State Department to come up with a plan for reconsidering
\U0001f38aWe have our first immigration EO and it's the order ending the Muslim Ban/Africa Ban!
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) January 21, 2021
The Bans "are a stain on our national conscience and are inconsistent with our long history of welcoming people of all faiths and no faith at all."https://t.co/4lh20OCCAY pic.twitter.com/8mW9wuPyzc
The next immigration executive order put on the White House's website revoked a Trump executive order from January 26, 2017 which made all undocumented immigrants a priority for deportation and directed a DHS-wide review of immigration
\U0001f38aSecond immigration EO! It is short. It establishes that Biden believes that immigration enforcement "requires setting priorities to best serve the national interest."
— Aaron Reichlin-Melnick (@ReichlinMelnick) January 21, 2021
It then revokes Trump's original EO that made all undocumented immigrants a priority.https://t.co/MvaeqPbiyK pic.twitter.com/dpkVZAKOT2
U.S. president-elect Joe Biden has indicated plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit via executive action on his first day in office, sources tell CBC News.
This weekend stakeholders have seen a longer list of Biden’s planned executive actions than what was publicly reported in a memo from incoming chief of staff Ron Klain.
That purported list includes a reference to cancelling Keystone XL on Day 1 — Wednesday.
Here is what the Biden transition team has publicly reported so far. From a memo by his Chief of Staff Ron Klain — that dozens of executive orders are planned in the first few days. https://t.co/gEi3qHJnD1
The Biden team has publicly /
/ publicly announced its intention to sign climate orders on Day 1 including rejoining the Paris accord
What hasn’t been publicly reported, and it’s apparently something the transition team has indicated in stakeholder briefings, is that an order to kill KXL is coming on Day 1
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney raises the prospect of legal action if Biden cancels KXL.
This weekend stakeholders have seen a longer list of Biden’s planned executive actions than what was publicly reported in a memo from incoming chief of staff Ron Klain.
That purported list includes a reference to cancelling Keystone XL on Day 1 — Wednesday.
Here is what the Biden transition team has publicly reported so far. From a memo by his Chief of Staff Ron Klain — that dozens of executive orders are planned in the first few days. https://t.co/gEi3qHJnD1
The Biden team has publicly /
/ publicly announced its intention to sign climate orders on Day 1 including rejoining the Paris accord
What hasn’t been publicly reported, and it’s apparently something the transition team has indicated in stakeholder briefings, is that an order to kill KXL is coming on Day 1
Alberta Premier Jason Kenney raises the prospect of legal action if Biden cancels KXL.
I am deeply concerned by reports that the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden may repeal the Presidential permit for the Keystone XL border crossing next week.
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) January 18, 2021
My full statement: pic.twitter.com/vZjun1IdMH
