Thoughts for the Day, January 22, 2026: Is it too much to ask? I guess it is.
Is protection from unreasonable searches and seizures being threatened by ICE?
Is it too much to ask? I guess it is.
On Tuesday, I asked the following question. Is it asking too much for ICE to do their homework and confirm facts before breaking down doors and removing U.S. citizens from their homes?
On Wednesday I got the answer and I don’t like it.
Per the AP and multiple media sources: For years, immigrant advocates, legal aid groups and local governments have urged people not to open their doors to immigration agents unless they are shown a warrant signed by a judge. That guidance is rooted in Supreme Court rulings that generally prohibit law enforcement from entering a home without judicial approval.
Federal immigration officers are asserting sweeping power to forcibly enter people’s homes without a judge’s warrant, according to an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press, marking a sharp reversal of longstanding guidance meant to respect constitutional limits on government searches.
The memo authorizes ICE officers to use force to enter a residence based solely on a more narrow administrative warrant to arrest someone with a final order of removal, a move that advocates say collides with Fourth Amendment protections and upends years of advice given to immigrant communities.
The shift comes as the Trump administration dramatically expands immigration arrests nationwide, deploying thousands of officers under a mass deportation campaign that is already reshaping ICE enforcement tactics in cities…
I am confident that the use of an administrative warrant to justify search and seizure will be challenged in court, since protection from unreasonable search and seizure is a pillar on which our Democracy was built and specifically protected under the constitution
In the meantime, if you are non-white, always have your passport and official identification with you, even when you are sitting in your living room watching television. You never know when an ICE agent may come knocking down your door.
I never thought I would ever see this in my lifetime. It is sad, so sad.
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What am I missing?
First, we had an attempt to forge a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine, that included negotiations between representatives of the U.S and Russia but not Ukraine. We got pissed when Ukraine didn’t accept the negotiated settlement.
Second, we had a negotiated cease fire between Israel and Hamas that included the U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia, but did not include Hamas. Today we are wondering why the cease fire isn’t holding.
And then yesterday, Trump announced a framework on Greenland, that Trump negotiated with NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte. Representatives from Denmark, which Greenland is a territory of Denmark were not part of the negotiations.
Today, I read that, a Greenlandic member of the Danish parliament, said the idea that NATO should have any control over Greenland’s sovereignty or minerals was “completely out of the question”.
I am not a person who has made a career out of “making deals” so I might not understand how this works on a world stage, but it doesn’t feel right to me. It feels wrong and it goes against everything I have ever learned about negotiations.
Can you imagine a prospective home buyer talking to your neighbor, who is your friend, and telling your neighbor he wants to buy your house for $750,000 and your neighbor says that it is too high, but that a price of $700,000 is reasonable. The buyer and your neighbor agree on a price of $700,000. They then tell you that they agreed on a price of $700,000 and the closing date for finalizing the sale is on the 15th of next month. It was important I be there to sign all the closing documents that they negotiated on my behalf.
This wouldn’t work for me. I am sure it won’t work for anyone else. Yet this is how I feel these negotiations on a world stage are being handled. What am I missing?
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Quote and Video of the Day: Tom Izzo was caught on tape during a timeout in MSU’s Tuesday night game against Oregon, telling MSU’s guard Kur Teng, that he couldn’t guard his 99-year-old mother who lives in a nursing home.
After the game Izzo was questioned by a reporter about his comment to Teng. His answer was classic Izzo: “Were all flying back to East Lansing, but Kur is flying to Appleton. Check USA Today tomorrow. He and my mom will be going at it in a nursing home gym.”
Below is the video of the postgame interview when the reporter asks Izzo about his comments on Teng not being able to guard is 99-year-old mother. It is classic Izzo. Tough love at its finest and he does it with a straight face.
Click on the below box to open the video.
/video/1
I could watch this 20 times and not get tired of it.
By the numbers
It has been 15 months since I switched from Blue Host to Substack for posting my blog.
The number of subscribers has climbed from less than 50 to 197 as of today.
The average number of views per blog has climbed from less than 40 to 355 for the first six blogs of 2026. The open rate per blog is over 60%, which is above average.
Substack was relatively new when I first started. I knew I had to make a change, so I went all in on Substack and I am glad I did.
Thank you to the subscribers. Thank you for sharing my blog with others. Thank you for inviting others to subscribe. Your effort is greatly appreciated.
The next milestone of two hundred subscribers is in sight. I hope to get 300 subscribers by the end of the year and reach a milestone of 500 views for a single day’s blog. Thoughts for the Day of January 15, 2026, has 422 views and is still growing.
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Quote of the Day: MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo. See above story.
Orchid of the Day: Alaina Krieg, my 13-year-old granddaughter, for making her holy confirmation this evening at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Brighton. Thanks to technology, Leah and I were able to watch the entire mass from Gulf Shores.
Onion of the Day: The weather in Michigan. I am sure glad I am in Gulf Shores.
Question of the Day: What am I missing? See above.
Lyrics of the Day: How do you think I’m going to get along? Without you, when you’re gone. You took me for everything that I had And kicked me out on my own
Are you happy, are you satisfied? How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip To the sound of the beat, look out
Hint: It was Lions’ theme song in the early 80’s when they started 4-0 one season. Unfortunately, the Lions record went downhill from there, but the song has remained a classic for 40 years.
Lyrics of the Day for January 20, 2026. America by Neil Diamond
Video of the Day: See above with Tom Izzo.
Trust is gone. Vigilance is a necessity. My family and I have developed plans and a system that should help us if needed. God help us all.
I know ACLU lawyers are already drafting their legal briefs to file with the Supreme Court.
That is the one political organization that I donate to, monthly.