This text was initially revealed by the Texas Observer, a nonprofit investigative information outlet and journal. Join their weekly publication, or comply with them on Fb, X, and Bluesky.
As a brand new Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) funding invoice works its approach by way of Congress, U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey, a Democrat who represents a part of Dallas, launched an modification in committee Wednesday aimed to cut back the wage of James Rodden, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) assistant chief counsel who acts as a prosecutor for ICE in immigration court docket in Dallas, to $1.
In February of final 12 months, the Texas Observer reported that Rodden operates a white supremacist X account named GlomarResponder, primarily based on an awesome variety of biographical particulars that the Observer matched by way of publicly obtainable paperwork, different social media exercise, and courtroom remark. Three members of the U.S. Home of Representatives, together with Veasey, wrote letters to ICE and DHS demanding info and investigation. In response, ICE despatched a letter to Veasey stating it could deal with the matter and that such inner investigations can take as much as 120 days, nevertheless it has in any other case not supplied any info.
Veasey’s modification got here every week after the Observer reported that Rodden, who was apparently pulled from federal immigration court docket schedules following the Observer’s reporting final February, had returned to immigration court docket in Dallas.
“[Rodden’s] statements are disgusting, and they’re harmful, and no matter if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, they need to be disqualifying for anybody entrusted with energy in the US authorities,” Veasey mentioned throughout Wednesday’s Home Guidelines Committee listening to. “If Congress does nothing, if the committee does nothing, then we’re sending the message that one of these conduct is tolerable, that accountability is optionally available, and that white supremacy can proceed to be backed with taxpayer {dollars}.”
The GlomarResponder account has over 17,000 followers and has routinely posted hateful statements. Along with posting that “America is a White nation,” that “‘Migrants’ are all criminals,” and that “All blacks are overseas to my folks,” plus obvious reward of Adolf Hitler, the account has additionally made posts that evoke anti-immigrant violence: “No one is proposing feeding migrants into tree shredders,” the account posted in March 2024. “But. Give it just a few extra weeks at this degree of invasion, and that would be the average place.”
Veasey’s modification searching for to cut back Rodden’s wage relied upon the Holman Rule, which permits members of the U.S. Home to amend appropriations laws to chop particular packages or cut back the wage of particular federal staff. Named for Democratic politician William S. Holman, the rule has been instated and rescinded over the a long time. It was most lately reinstated in 2023 when Republicans retook the bulk. That very same 12 months, some Republicans thought-about utilizing the rule to derail a now-abandoned particular counsel investigation into Donald Trump, although the maneuver was by no means deployed.
“The modification earlier than you is easy, and it’s slim,” Veasey mentioned on the listening to. “It sends a transparent message that we’re not going to fund this man’s wage, and that Congress is not going to fund hate. We will stand by Nazi sympathizers and Hitler supporters, or we are able to do the proper factor and honor the sacrifices of the women and men who died to cease the hateful unfold of Nazism.”
The modification didn’t obtain a committee vote.
Editor’s Observe: This story has been up to date.
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Associated Tales
James Rodden, recognized by the Observer final 12 months because the operator of an account that routinely posted hateful statements, gave the impression to be again at work Tuesday.
The Observer recognized the operator of ‘GlomarResponder,’ an overtly racist social media account, as ICE Assistant Chief Counsel James Rodden, primarily based on biographical particulars, different social media exercise and courtroom remark.
