Anti-ICE Protests in LA
Civics 101: The Law Passed ā So Why Is Nothing Changing?
This is part of our Civics 101 series ā breaking down the structures behind the headlines.
What happens after a bill becomes law, and why most people still wait.
You did it. The bill passed. The president signed it. You throw some confetti and wait for the change to kick in.
But here’s the part they left out of Schoolhouse Rock:
Just because a law passes doesnāt mean itās enforced, or that it helps the people who need it most.
Letās break down what really happens after a bill becomes law, especially in the criminal legal system.
1. Implementation Isnāt Instant
Passing a law is just step one. Now agencies have to write the rules to carry it out.
- That means departments like the DOJ (or state equivalents) have to interpret the law.
- They create new policies, update procedures, and train staff.
- That process takes time. Sometimes months or even years.
Worse, if a department doesn’t want to implement the law?
They can drag their feet, āinterpretā it narrowly, or underfund enforcement.
2. Most Reforms Arenāt Retroactive
This is the heartbreak of justice reform.
Most new laws donāt apply to people already convicted under the old law.
- Lawmakers often write reforms to avoid āletting people out.ā
- Retroactive application requires separate legislation ā and political courage.
- So the very people who fought hardest for reform… get nothing.
š Example: California changed its Three Strikes law in 2012. But it took another separate campaign (Prop 36) to allow people already sentenced to apply for release.
3. Courts Can Still Gut It
Any new law can be challenged in court ā and many are.
- Judges can strike down all or part of it.
- Opponents often sue to block reforms, especially those reducing prison time or expanding rights.
Even if the law survives, court decisions can weaken its impact.
4. The Law Exists, But So Do Barriers
- Prosecutors may not use new resentencing tools.
- Prison officials may āloseā applications or stall reviews.
- People inside often donāt even know theyāre eligible.
Without advocates and watchdogs, new laws can sit on the books collecting dust.
Why It Matters
People say ājust change the lawā like thatās the end of the story.
But the people most harmed by bad laws are often excluded from the reforms that follow.
And when a new law takes effect, it still needs funding, enforcement, outreach, and oversight.
š£ļø Have a civic question you want us to cover? Want to break down a specific law or policy?
Comment below, or share your idea with us here.
See all Civics 101 posts here.
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š Missed Part I? Start here ā How a BillĀ Becomes a Law.
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Why We Use the Typewriter Font
At first glance, our website font might look like a throwback, but itās much more than a design choice.
At our core, we celebrateĀ the enduring spirit of communication within the prison system. In an era dominated by digital interactions, prison remains a stronghold for the art of letter-writing, both handwritten and typewritten. This tradition is not just a means of keeping in touch; it is a lifeline for many inmates.
Typewriters hold a special place in this environment. They are a rare and valuable asset, often out of reach for prisoners who earn a few cents per hour, if they get paid at all. All electronics available for purchase in prisons are clear so that no contraband can be hidden inside. Where available, a typewriter like this will cost someone in prison about $250. Itās how people inside file grievances, fight wrongful convictions, write poetry, or send love. And itās how many have kept their spirits alive in a system that dehumanizes and isolates. Those who do manage to obtain one often become pivotal figures within their communities, much like the first telephone owners, and serve as hubs of information, assisting others inside with legal documentation, correspondence, and maintaining connections with the outside world.
Our use of the typewriter font pays homage to these resilient communicators. It symbolizes the importance of every letter written and every word typed within the confines of prison walls. It is a nod to the struggle and the perseverance of those who continue to reach out and connect, despite the barriers they face.
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Fact Check Friday: āThey get three meals a day ā how bad can it be?ā
MYTH:Ā
People in prison are well-fed.
š FACT CHECK:
Many are forced to eat food thatās spoiled, nutritionally hollow, or barely edible.
šØ What Weāre Seeing:
Heavily armed, masked agents:
- No identification
- No warrants
- No probable cause
- No Miranda rights
- Shooting rubber bullets and chemical agents at peaceful protesters and journalists
In America:
- You have a RIGHT to protest.
- You have a RIGHT to know who is detaining you.
- Agents need a WARRANT or PROBABLE CAUSE.
- Masked paramilitary forces dragging people into unmarked vehicles is ILLEGAL.
What weāre witnessing in cities like Los Angeles and Nashville isnāt āimmigration enforcementā - itās extrajudicial abduction. It's kidnapping and human trafficking.
š§Ø Being undocumented is not a crime.
Itās a civil offense,Ā not grounds for violent raids.
Yet workers - cooks, janitors, dishwashers, farmhands - are being hunted like fugitives, while real threats walk free in positions of power.
š¬ Quote of the Week:
Iāve never in my life feared an immigrant or a trans person. Iāve feared the men in my church, the white men in office, and now the armed men hiding behind masks, badges, weapons, and lies.
[...] and i hope they remember the Nuremberg trials, because this fever is going to break, and you will be held accountable for your crimes.
Monte Mader
š£ļø We Need to Say It Plain:
This is not about safety.
Itās not about law and order.
Itās about control and power, and using fear, and cruelty to get it.
That's called fascism.
š£ Your Rights (Even Now):
ā
You do not have to open the door to ICE without a signed judicial warrant.
ā
You have the right to remain silent.
ā
You have the right to record in public.
ā
You have the right to protest.
ā
You have the right to legal representation.
Know them. Use them. Defend them.
ā¤ļø Call to Action
š§µ Share this post.
š¬ CALL AND WRITE your lawmakers.
š¤ Speak out.Ā
š° Support local immigrant aid organizations.
Because when they come for them, theyāre coming for us all.
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Challenge the Myth
Share this post with someone who needs to see it
Think you know how the justice system works?
āļø Take the Quiz
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Hug Your Adoptee this Month: June Edition
š Note: To all of our new adopters – welcome!
Youāre bringing hope and human connection to people who need it most. Whether you’re already in contact, or are still waiting for your match, weāre grateful youāre here.
Each month, weāll send a short note like this one, just a gentle nudge to check in with your adoptee, along with a few ideas of what you might write, send, or say. We know life gets busy, and sometimes the hardest part is knowing where to start. We’re here to help you keep that connection strong.
Itās the start of a new month and a good time to drop a quick note, card, or poem in the mail. For folks inside, time stretches differently. Hearing from someone on the outside can change the whole rhythm of their week.
June brings Fatherās Day, graduation season, and longer days – any of which might stir up hard feelings. If youāre not sure what to write, a simple āthinking of youā goes further than you think.
āļø Need inspiration?
- Whatās one thing that brought you joy this week?
- Have you tried something new recently – food, show, hobby?
- If you could teleport anywhere this summer, where would you go?
š Friendly Reminder:
Make sure you’re adhering to mail policies for your adoptee’s institution – let us know if you’re unsure.
š Book Pick (optional):
The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton
A powerful reminder of hope, connection, and the long reach of injustice, and how love, humor, and letters sustained him through nearly 30 years on death row.
š Extra This Month:
Is your adoptee a veteran? Check out our veteran series from Memorial Week on the blog.
Have a question? Email info@adoptaninmate.org
Letās make someoneās June a little brighter.
Go hug your adoptee.
With appreciation,
š Melissa Bee
Adopt an Inmate
āļø PS: Weād love to hear how your connection is going – good, bad, or in between. Use this form to share a little about your experience. You can stay anonymous if you prefer.
š Policy vs. People: āGood Timeā That Doesnāt Count
This is part of our Policy vs. People series, where we unpack how prison policies affect real people, and what youāre not hearing in the headlines.
Policy says: If you follow the rules, take classes, and work hard, youāll earn time off your sentence.
Reality: Many never see the time they earned, and some never knew it was taken away until it was too late.
What Are āGood Timeā Credits?
Many state prison systems offer earned time or good conduct credits meant to reward people for:
- Completing education programs
- Holding prison jobs
- Staying out of trouble
In theory, it encourages rehabilitation. In practice? Itās a bait-and-switch.
The People Impacted
- Weāve heard from countless incarcerated people who:
- Finish a GED or reentry class only to learn it doesnāt qualify anymore.
- Lose time credits because a program was reclassified after they completed it.
- Follow all the rules for years, only to be told the policy changed, and their credits donāt count.
- Never received clear notice in the first place.
One man wrote:
āI earned my time. I have the certificates. But they told me the rule changed last year, and no one said anything. Now Iām still sitting here.ā
š Whatās Really Going On?
This isnāt just clerical error. Itās systemic.
Some corrections departments quietly reclassify programs, others fail to track credits at all. And many donāt have a transparent way to appeal.
The result? People serve more time than they should, at taxpayersā expense, while states brag about āreform.ā
āļø Take the Quiz
How much do you really know about mass incarceration?
š£ļø Tell Your Story
Have you or someone you know earned time off that was never honored? We want to hear how these policies are playing out in real life.
ā¤ļø Give
Support our work to expose injustice and fight for fair representation.
Civics 101: When Obscure Laws Are Used to Silence Dissent
This post is part of our Civics 101 series, plain-language breakdowns of how power really works in the U.S. legal system.
Before we dive into today’s post about the case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian rights advocate detained under a vague and rarely used immigration statute, letās pause with this quote.
āWhat would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?ā
āYes, Iād cut down every law in England to do that!ā
āOh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you – where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This countryās planted thick with laws… and if you cut them down… do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, Iād give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safetyās sake.āā Sir Thomas More, A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt
Thomas More isnāt praising the Devil. Heās warning us. Even the worst among us deserves the protection of law, because once we start ignoring laws for people we dislike, the ground beneath all of us gets dangerously shaky. What protects one of us must protect all of us, or it protects no one at all.
This weekās Civics 101 is about exactly that: how obscure laws, vague language, and unchecked power can be used to silence people, and how the courts are sometimes the only line of defense.
What do you get when the government uses an immigration law from the Cold War era to punish someone for speaking out?
A legal mess. And a civics lesson.
Last week, a federal court ruled that the Trump administrationās use of a little-known immigration provision (Section 1227) to detain Mahmoud Khalil was likely unconstitutional. Khalil, a Palestinian rights advocate and father, was ripped from his family in New Jersey and transferred 1,400 miles away to a detention facility in Louisiana.
Why? For foreign policy reasons, they said.
What is Section 1227?
Itās part of the Immigration and Nationality Act. In rare cases, it lets the Secretary of State remove a non-citizen if theyāre deemed a foreign policy āthreat.ā
But hereās the problem: the law is so vague that it opens the door to abuse. In this case, the government used it not because Mahmoud committed a crime, but because he spoke out in support of Palestinian rights.
The ruling made it clear: this kind of power grab is not okay.
āļø What Did the Court Say?
Judge Michael Farbiarz called the government’s argument āunprecedentedā and said Khalilās detention under this law is likely unconstitutional. He warned that using vague laws like this could eventually be applied far beyond immigration cases, including against U.S. citizens in criminal contexts.
The implications are chilling.
Why This Matters
Immigration law isnāt just about who gets to stay. Itās about how power is used, and misused.
When the government uses obscure laws to target people for their speech or identity, it threatens all of us. If itās possible for one man to be imprisoned for speaking out, it becomes possible for anyone to be next.
This is exactly why civics matters: so we know when our laws are being bent into weapons.
š¬ From the Judge:
āIf Section 1227 can apply, here, to the Petitioner, then other, similar statutes can also one day be made to apply. Not just in the removal context, as to foreign nationals. But also in the criminal context, as to everyone.ā
What You Can Do
āļø Learn more about the case from the Center for Constitutional Rights.
š£ļø Speak out about unjust detention. It happens more than you think, both inside and outside prison walls.
ā¤ļø Support organizations fighting detention and deportation abuses.
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Bee š Sides: Shelf Life (Part I)
Welcome to Bee Sides
short reflections on justice, hope, and the human spirit
This series is a corner of our blog where I gather books, stories, and unexpected moments that linger long after the first glance.
Most will tie back to incarceration, justice, and the quiet fight for dignity. But sometimes? Itāll simply be whatever refuses to let go. The echoes that stay with me. Because thatās what Bee Sides are for.
Let me know what youāre reading, watching, or wondering about. Maybe itāll make the next issue.
This oneās aboutĀ holes in the wall, agile mindsets, and not knowing what youāre doing until you do.
Thereās a shelf Iāve been meaning to hang for weeks.
Okay months.
Hanging a shelf is like building a support system, it takes planning, the right anchors, and the patience to start over when it all crumbles.
The instructions were simple, and Iām reasonably handy. But somehow, despite good intentions, careful planning, and a decent drill and level… I still got it wrong.
More than once.
What started as a small project turned into a full-blown architectural battle with my wall. I patched holes. I repainted. I watched youtube videos. I made peace with the mess and tried again.
While prepping for another go at it, I went to buy a new can of wall texture spray because the one I found in the garage had lost its will to live and just spit out clumps like a grumpy llama.
My local Ace only had giant cans, enough to texture the Taj Mahal. I asked if they had smaller ones.
The clerk said no, then offered this:
āUse the whole can. It wonāt last anyway. Spray it in the corners. Baseboards. Gaps. Anywhere. Keep critters out. Just use it upā
Um ….
What?
I nodded. I smiled. I did not ask follow-up questions.
Iām still not sure what she thought was in the can.
Foam? Spackle?Ā
Rat poison?
I walked out thinking: this is how most advice works.
Part experience, part imagination, and just enough misplaced confidence to keep you from trying it.
Eventually, I got it done.Ā
And even better: itās level. Perfectly level.
But let’s zoom in a little. There she is. That one recalcitrant screw. That’s as far as I can get her. Sheās giving āI tried my best with what I hadā energy.
And that uncommitted wall anchor in the background? A ghost of methods past.
And yet, the shelf? She’s solid.
And ... isnāt that just life? If thatās not a metaphor for advocacy and DIY perseverance, I donāt know what is.
It reminded me of something Rick said years ago, back when he was still inside and coaching me through the early days of Adopt an Inmate. I had to redo something Iād built that wasnāt working.
āThat’s called agile methodology,ā he said.
It’s a good thing, he told me.
(My) translation:
āThat was a shitty way to do it. Letās try something else.ā
Weāre taught to equate mistakes with failure.
But growth? Growth is drywall dust and painter’s tape and trying again with better anchors.
Eventually, I finished the job. Here’s the āafterā photo that hides the errant screw completely.
And hereās the thing: behind every picture-perfect space, thereās always a recalcitrant screw.
Something unsightly but functional, and only you know the backstory.
And thatās okay. Maybe itās even the point.
Behind the shelf, there are holes I patched.
Behind the polish, there’s a mess I worked through.
And behind the level bubbleā¦ there’s a lesson.
Success isnāt about doing something perfectly.
Itās about making just enough wrong decisions to land in the right place.
Coming Soon Sometime: Shelf Life, Part II
Now that the wall is patched and the shelf is steady, what deserves to live there?
(An essay on curation, memory, and the weight of beautiful things.)
š§° Got a recalcitrant screw of your own?
Tell us your DIY tales or agile life lessons.
And hey, if you need a little something for your baseboards, Iāve got 98% of a can of wall texture spray with your name on it.
If it doesn’t work, just try something else.
Ā
šĀ Get InvolvedĀ ā Help behind the scenes
āļøĀ Take the QuizĀ ā How much do you know about U.S. prisons?
ā¤ Give ā Fuel the mission
Memorial Week: āItās large-scale business built on the bodies of those in its grasp.ā
šŗšø Each day this Memorial Week, weāre sharing the words of a living veteran. Someone who served their country and is now incarcerated, waiting to be seen, heard, and remembered. These are real voices from our waiting list. Real people. Still here. Still hoping.
Some veterans keep serving, even from prison.
Steven spent eight years in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Now, heās serving a 30-year sentence, which, at his age, likely means life.
But he hasnāt stopped showing up.
Prison is a rough place, but what Iāve learned most is that prison is not only intended as punishment, but even more for the purpose of exploitation and abuse. Itās large-scale business built on the bodies of those in its grasp.
I have therefore dedicated my life now to being a writer and a prison reform advocate. Iāve written more than 200 reform-related essays.
I would love to be adopted by someone as a pen pal. My family does not stay in touch, and Iāve had only one visitor in the past 8 years.
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This is what service looks like when no oneās watching.
This is what resilience looks like in the absence of recognition.
Todayās Fact:
**Many incarcerated veterans become writers, educators, and advocates,** but rarely receive outside recognition or support.
They fight for justice from within a system built to silence them.
Want to do something about it?
The veteran who shared these words is on our waiting list and could really use a friend.
If you’d like to get connected, or even just send a note of encouragement, contact us and mention his name. Weāll take care of the rest.
Memorial Week: āI need to find friends who are gonna have my back.ā
šŗšø Each day this Memorial Week, weāre sharing the words of a living veteran. Someone who served their country and is now incarcerated, waiting to be seen, heard, and remembered. These are real voices from our waiting list. Real people. Still here. Still hoping.
Richard was injured by an IED while serving in Iraq.
He suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Now, heās in prison, looking for connection.
I want to find good friends. I am a disabled Veteran, while serving in Iraq I as hit by an IED. I suffered traumatic brain injury. The VA has rated me as permanently disabled.
I have seen all the destruction and greed that the human race can create. I have come through struggles with addiction. I need to find friends who are gonna have my back. People who lift each other up, people like I had when I was in the Army.
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This is what community sounds like.
This is what loss feels like.
And this is what hope still looks like.
Want to do something about it?
The veteran who shared these words is on our waiting list and could really use a friend.
If you’d like to get connected, or even just send a note of encouragement, contact us and mention his name. Weāll take care of the rest.