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Despite being the somewhat crispied face of (extremely limited) unrest in Los Angeles in response to ICE activity, Waymo hasn’t suddenly decided it’s time to get snitchin’.
In fact, it’s chosen to go the other direction, as Riley McDermid reports for Gizmodo:
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana recently emphasized that the company will challenge, limit, or reject robotaxi footage requests from law enforcement that are not backed by a valid legal process, such as a warrant or court order.
She stressed that while the company “follows the legal process to receive footage,” it reserves the right to push back on overly broad or undefined demands—a move aimed at preserving rider trust.
This is pretty remarkable for at least a couple of reasons. First, as noted above, Waymo’s cars got set on fire pretty frequently in Los Angeles, prompting the company to shut down service until the violence (most of it provoked by police) in downtown LA subsided a bit.
Second, the average Waymo car is a surveillance conveyance:
Each Waymo vehicle is outfitted with 29 external cameras, offering a comprehensive 360-degree view, and potentially additional internal sensors.
That definitely makes these vehicles tasty targets for law enforcement. And when cops start pounding on the virtual doors virtually non-stop in search of all this stuff, the most common response from tech companies is to simply open up, rather than demand to see some paperwork.
Caveat, the third: Waymo says warrants or “court orders.” There are plenty of court orders that don’t contain the protections of a warrant. A subpoena, for example, doesn’t need probable cause to be established. Things not considered covered by the Fourth Amendment (but rather the Third Party Doctrine) can be obtained without a judicially authorized warrant: things like route and passenger data that may not specifically identify passengers, but give the government enough other data (including payment info) that could identify passengers in Waymo cars.
That being said, it’s nice to see a tech company that had every reason to make cops its best friends (see also: the burning cars referenced above) decide it cares more about the privacy of its passengers than the well-being of its automated automobiles.
HOWEVER:
By making this demand of law enforcement, Waymo may be setting up the entire nation for another limitation of Fourth Amendment rights. Between the Third Party Doctrine and the automobile exception, cops may decide to press the issue in court after their warrantless demands for data are rebuffed, citing both of the above doctrines in support of their claims.
The automobile exception tends to lower the standard for searches from “probable cause” to “reasonable suspicion” under the assumption that vehicles traveling on public roads are not generally afforded an “expectation of privacy.” That’s why cops can look in windows and run drug dogs around cars and perform inventory searches of any vehicles they choose to tow.
The Third Party Doctrine says information voluntarily given to other people (including companies like Waymo) also isn’t covered by an expectation of privacy. Even if there’s no other option but to give Waymo your address, payment information, personal identification, phone number, etc. just to be able to hitch a ride, most courts consider this to be a “voluntary” relinquishment of otherwise private information. After all, you can always just walk.
Given all of this, we’ll have to see where this goes from here. It’s unclear at this point whether Waymo data/recordings are useful enough to law enforcement to make this something worth fighting in court. But no matter how things play out going forward, it’s nice to know a company has decided to put its foot down before its customers have asked it to. Too many companies only decide to do this after weeks or months of negative press, if they bother to do it at all. Waymo’s warrant demands may ultimately prove to be short-lived, but the fact that it’s pushing back means this company is similarly as sick of this administration and its bullshit, and won’t allow its vehicles to become nothing more than proxy snoops for cops.
2025-09-12 02:50:58 UTC
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 Denver Post:
‘Radicalized’ Evergreen High School shooter appeared to hold antisemitic, violent views in online accounts — Officials say suspect, who fatally shot himself, was Desmond Holly. Two students remain in critical condition. — sbradbury@denverpost.com | The Denver Post, SETH KLAMANN |
2025-09-12 02:35:02 UTC
Denver Post
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Joan Walsh / The Nation:
Let's Not Forget Who Charlie Kirk Really Was — The right-wing influencer did not deserve to die, and we shouldn't forget the many despicable things he said and did. — Pocket — The murder of right-wing provocateur Charlie Kirk is a tragedy. But the response augurs even bigger tragedies for American politics.
2025-09-12 02:00:01 UTC
The Nation
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Axios:
Grocery inflation highest since 2022 as Trump tariffs pile up — President Trump spent his 2024 campaign promising Americans he'd lower grocery prices. — Virtually all major grocery categories are now more expensive than they were a year ago, some substantially so.
2025-09-12 01:40:00 UTC
Axios
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New York Times:
Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Plotting Coup in Brazil — Brazil's Supreme Court convicted the former president of trying to cling to power after losing the 2022 election, including a plan to assassinate his opponent. — Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday convicted former …
2025-09-12 01:05:00 UTC
New York Times
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This piece was first published by writer Jack Crosbie on Discourse Blog Substack. Zeteo is republishing it with its permission and a new headline. Trump speaks as conservative activist Charlie Kirk listens at a forum dubbed the Generation Next Summit at the White House on March 22, 2018, in Washington, DC. Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images Yesterday, conservative activist and provocateur Charlie Kirk was shot and killed during a rally at Utah Valley University. There are pictures and videos and rampant speculation all over the internet. You will not find them here. The shooter’s name and motivation are still unknown as of this writing. In the next few hours and days, we will likely have definitive answers to these questions, but we do not have them now. What does seem clear is that the American ‘Years of Lead’ are here. The term refers to a period of Italian history roughly between 1960 and 1980 that was defined by widespread political violence and domestic terrorism, perpetrated by both right and left-wing groups. The scale of the violence in Italy — hundreds dead in massacres, bombings, and assassinations — makes applying the term to the United States seem hyperbolic at first. But consider: Italy had a deeply divided political system, a repressive government, and widespread economic woes. It was filled with motivated and organized radical political groups on both the left and the right. It was quite a bit like our country today. Subscribe now And now we see the results. We are in a different era: the weapons are different, the tactics are different, the groups are different. The American Years of Lead will not look like Italy’s, but they are here all the same. In this country, any person can pick up a gun and find someone to shoot for ideological reasons. As we have seen time and time again, it is so very easy to do. But access to firearms in this country is not new. You have been able to get a gun and shoot a lot of people for years. What’s different now is that, in the past half-decade, the contours of this violence have shifted. The motivations of mass shooters are still a difficult trend to map, but more and more people appear to be carrying out assassinations for very specific reasons, targeting very specific people. Put another way, Luigi Mangione was not an anomaly, and nor is the person who killed Charlie Kirk. In the next few years, I suspect they will become known simply as the start of a trend. The structure of American society has deteriorated to the point where a growing number of people see violence as the only way they can change their world. In some ways, this has always been the case – as I’ve written before, basically all human governance comes down to the use of force at some point or another – but society is supposed to be structured to insulate everyday people from that truth. The kind of violence that killed Kirk is supposed to be carried out by people who are so deranged, or crazy, or sick, or in pain, that they take an extreme action that is outside the bounds of what our society should permit. But look at where we’re at. Our society is increasing the number of people who are sick or in pain every day. It has broken down and squeezed so hard that ordinary people may feel deranged on a bad day. But most of all, for those who were already harboring thoughts of violence or hate – like so many on the far right – the chaos is an easy excuse. That the president looks fondly on their views or, at the very least, shows little interest in prosecuting them only adds to the opportunity. The country is full of loaded guns in shaky hands, swinging back and forth, from target to target. Subscribe now What this looks like, on a practical level, might be a bit different than what most people think. There will not be another American “civil war.” The country is too geographically and economically and socially enmeshed for that. But the lone wolves, the fringe groups, and the homicidally desperate will strike, again and again, killing both the innocent and guilty alike. A few months ago, a man drove a truck bomb into a fertility clinic in Palm Springs. The bomber was the only one who died, but the intent was there. His successors will not be as sloppy. The story didn’t get much traction when it happened, but it has stuck in my mind ever since. I do not believe we will get large armed groups fighting each other in the streets. What we will get is more incidents like the Palm Springs one – single shots ringing out in public spaces, or a brief hail of gunfire. Schools and churches will continue to come under attack. People will weaponize their vehicles – the second-deadliest machines in the country – and turn them into battering rams and bombs to slam into buildings and crowds. The state will denounce the attacks it deems to be perpetrated by its enemies and use them to justify expanding its use of force in the streets. Nonlethal rounds shot at protesters will, perhaps, become live ammunition. There is nothing now that we can do to stop this: ending it will take years of reform and an ease to the material hardships of this country to make it abate. If that sounds hopeless, I’m sorry. I don’t want people to live their lives in a state of constant fear. It is extremely unlikely that any one person will be affected by this trend, statistically speaking – though marginalized groups are far more at risk. But however insulated we may personally be from some of this violence, what people must do is understand and recognize that it exists. This won’t go away if we do not first recognize that our society is broken and seek to fix it. That means we can’t trust people who want us to “return to normalcy,” or who offer hollow promises of stability without changing the rotten foundations that our violent country rests upon. A more peaceful world is possible. It will take new leadership and new ideas. We do not have those yet. We may not get them anytime soon. Until then, we live in the years of lead. Share Jack Crosbie is a writer who covers conflict, politics, labor, and the media for Discourse Blog. He was previously a contributing writer at Splinter and has written for Rolling Stone and The Atlantic. Subscribe to Discourse Blog for more of Jack’s writing.
Check out more from Zeteo:
2025-09-12 01:00:42 UTC
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Joseph Gedeon / The Guardian:
MSNBC fires analyst Matthew Dowd over Charlie Kirk shooting remarks — Dowd said the slain activist's words may have fueled the violence that claimed his life, sparking backlash — MSNBC fired its senior political analyst Matthew Dowd after he suggested on air that the slain conservative …
2025-09-12 00:55:01 UTC
The Guardian
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Eboni Boykin-Patterson / The Daily Beast:
Megyn Kelly Unveils Furious New ‘Mission’ After Kirk Killing — ‘WILL NOT BE SILENCED’ — The conservative firebrand honored Kirk's “legacy” on Thursday by unleashing a torrent of anti-trans hate. — MAGA commentator Megyn Kelly declared she would make it her “mission” …
2025-09-12 00:50:00 UTC
The Daily Beast
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Jake Shindel / WBAL:
No credible threat at US Naval Academy, governor's office says; Here's what happened — There is no credible threat to the U.S. Naval Academy, Gov. Wes Moore's office told 11 News. — In a statement, the governor's office said: “In working with local, state, and federal law enforcement authorities …
2025-09-12 00:25:02 UTC
WBAL
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Ben Johansen / Politico:
Trump says ‘we have to beat the hell’ out of ‘radical left lunatics’ after Kirk killing … The president added in a separate answer that he would urge his supporters to follow a nonviolent path in response to the shooting. “He [Kirk] was an advocate of nonviolence,” Trump said.
2025-09-12 00:25:02 UTC
Politico
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Susan B. Glasser / New Yorker:
Did Trump Just Declare War on the American Left? — After Charlie Kirk's tragic killing, the President speaks not of ending political violence but of seeking political vengeance. — In the hours immediately after the conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in front …
2025-09-12 00:20:01 UTC
New Yorker
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David Ibave / KFOX-TV:
El Paso family claims Border Patrol killed their dog during search, CBP reviewing incident — EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection says they are reviewing a “use of force incident” in El Paso, after a family says a Border Patrol agent unjustifiably shot and killed their dog.
2025-09-12 00:15:02 UTC
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New York Times:
$10 Million in Contraceptives Have Been Destroyed on Orders From Trump Officials — The birth control pills, IUDs and hormonal implants were purchased by U.S.A.I.D. for women in low-income countries. They had been in limbo in a Belgian warehouse after the U.S. cut much of its foreign aid.
2025-09-12 00:10:01 UTC
New York Times
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New York Times:
How Trump's Crime Crackdown Muted Other Parts of D.C. Life — If the aggressive show of force had a deterrent effect on crime, it appears to have deterred some entirely normal aspects of city life, too. — In the weeks after President Trump declared a crime emergency in Washington, D.C. …
2025-09-12 00:10:01 UTC
New York Times
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ABC News:
‘Chilling reminder’: Multiple historically Black universities under lockdown after receiving threats — At least six historically Black colleges halted activities and issued alerts. — The Alabama State University campus in Montgomery, Ala., Feb. 9, 2022. Bamastate01
2025-09-11 23:10:01 UTC
ABC News
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Axios:
Congress' civility crisis erupts over Charlie Kirk shooting — The shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk threatens to bring the already hostile relationship between Democrats and Republicans in Congress to a breaking point. … - Some of the most combative, conflict-prone members …
2025-09-11 23:10:01 UTC
Axios
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Bloomberg:
Trump Says He Will Attend Funeral for Slain Ally Charlie Kirk — President Donald Trump said he intends to attend the funeral for conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed at an event on a college campus in Utah. — “I will be,” Trump told reporters Thursday at the White House as he departed for a trip to New York.
2025-09-11 23:00:37 UTC
Bloomberg
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Jasper Ward / Reuters:
Rubio vows US response following conviction of Brazil's Bolsonaro — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday said the United States would “respond accordingly to this witch hunt” after former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election.
2025-09-11 22:55:01 UTC
Reuters
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Alisha Ebrahimji / CNN:
Potential threats trigger lockdowns at several HBCUs across the South — Multiple historically Black colleges and universities in the South were on lockdown or canceled classes on Thursday over potential threats. — Hampton University, Virginia State University, Bethune-Cookman University …
2025-09-11 22:40:00 UTC
CNN
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Kanishka Singh / Reuters:
US Black colleges and universities say they restricted campus activity after threats — Some U.S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) went into lockdown on Thursday after they received reports of threats against them that were probed by authorities, the educational institutions said.
2025-09-11 22:35:01 UTC
Reuters
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Laura Esposito / The Daily Beast:
Trump, 79, Called Out for ‘Droopy’ Face at 9/11 Memorial — BAD LOOK — The right side of the president's face sparked a wave of online speculation on Thursday. — President Donald Trump was sporting a doozy of a droopy face as he ventured outside the White House Thursday amid mounting questions about his health.
2025-09-11 22:30:01 UTC
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Ben Berkowitz / Axios:
Exclusive: Hyundai should have called me for visas, Lutnick says — The workers at a Hyundai-linked plant in Georgia raided by ICE last week had the wrong visas — and the company should have asked for help getting the right ones, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick tells Mike Allen in the premiere episode of “The Axios Show.”
2025-09-11 21:50:02 UTC
Axios
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Andrew Atterbury / Politico:
Florida officials watching for ‘vile, sanctionable’ behavior from teachers after Kirk killing … Kirk, an influential figure in conservative politics known for mobilizing young voters, was shot to death Wednesday while speaking at a college campus in Utah in an apparent act of political violence.
2025-09-11 21:45:00 UTC
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Mehdi made his first-ever appearance on the popular radio show ‘The Breakfast Club’ on Thursday in a wide-ranging 45-minute conversation with host Charlamagne Tha Great on everything from Israel bombing Qatar and the genocide in Gaza, to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral campaign and the dire state of the Democratic Party. During the conversation, Mehdi also destroys conservative pundit Ben Shapiro’s claim on a recent episode of ‘The Breakfast Club’ that Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza. “He gave you bullshit on the whole topic,” Mehdi tells Charlamagne, before explaining the definition of genocide per the 1948 Genocide Convention and how Israel meets it, as well as bringing receipts on Shapiro’s own previous claims about genocide in Syria and Xinjiang, China. Mehdi and Charlamagne also talk about whether progressives should ever go on Fox, his recent “debate” on Jubilee, the lessons from his book, Win Every Argument, and the awful state of mainstream journalism in the US. “The media landscape is heading in a very right-wing direction which makes independent media so important,” Mehdi says. “That is the only option now because the corporations are not coming to save us.” Subscribe now Enjoy Mehdi’s full interview on ‘The Breakfast Club’ above, and do consider making a donation to Zeteo to support independent journalism. Catch up on some of Zeteo’s latest stories:
2025-09-11 21:38:47 UTC
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NBC News:
Senate Republicans trigger ‘nuclear option,’ changing rules to speed up Trump nominees — The new rule, established by the GOP on party lines, will enable them to confirm Trump nominees in groups, rather than individually. It's the latest move to erode minority powers.
2025-09-11 21:30:01 UTC
NBC News
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Zach Montague / New York Times:
Appeals Court Lets Government Cut Off Medicaid Funds to Planned Parenthood — Where Things Stand — Confirmation rules changes: Republicans have used a procedural measure to change the Senate rules to allow them to more easily confirm groups of low-level executive nominees.
2025-09-11 21:05:00 UTC
New York Times
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New York Times:
Trump Asks Appeals Court to Allow Firing of Lisa Cook Ahead of Key Fed Meeting — Where Things Stand — Federal Reserve: The Trump administration asked a federal appeals court to let it move ahead with firing Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors in an attempt to stop …
2025-09-11 21:05:00 UTC
New York Times
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Washington Post:
Kennedy Center fires head of jazz programming, adding to string of exits — The center terminated Kevin Struthers, who worked at the arts institution for 30 years, and Malka Lasky, the last member of its social impact team. — The Kennedy Center has fired the administrator overseeing its jazz offerings …
2025-09-11 20:45:01 UTC
Washington Post
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Politico:
Appeals court judges publicly admonish Supreme Court justices: 'We're out here flailing' … “They cannot get amnesia in the future because they didn't write an opinion on it. Write an opinion,” Wynn said. “We need to understand why you did it. We judges would just love to hear your reasoning as to why you rule that way.
2025-09-11 20:30:00 UTC
Politico
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Marina Dias / Washington Post:
Bolsonaro found guilty in attempted coup, assassination plot — Brazil's Supreme Court ruled the former president tried to reverse his 2022 election loss with a plot that included plans to assassinate President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. — Just now
2025-09-11 20:20:01 UTC
Washington Post
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David Gilbert / Wired:
Right-Wing Activists Are Targeting People for Allegedly Celebrating Charlie Kirk's Death — Extremists and an anonymously run website are posting identifying details about people accused of celebrating Charlie Kirk's murder online. Some of those targeted are now getting death threats.
2025-09-11 20:15:01 UTC
Wired
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Tim Molloy / MovieMaker Magazine:
Comedy Central Pulls Charlie Kirk South Park Episode After His Murder — Comedy Central has pulled an episode satirizing Charlie Kirk after the conservative activist was fatally shot during an event at a Utah university. — The second epispde of the current South Park season — Season 27 …
2025-09-11 20:15:01 UTC
MovieMaker Magazine
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Jason Koebler / 404 Media:
Charlie Kirk Was Not Practicing Politics the Right Way — Thursday morning, Ezra Klein at the New York Times published a column titled “Charlie Kirk Was Practicing Politics the Right Way.” Klein's general thesis is that Kirk was willing to talk to anyone, regardless of their beliefs …
2025-09-11 19:25:00 UTC
404 Media
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Meredith Lee Hill / Politico:
Charlie Kirk's killing could send Congress into a tailspin. Mike Johnson is trying to avoid that. … “What I'm going to do is what I've always done,” Johnson told reporters later Thursday. “I'm always about turning down the temperature and encouraging members to walk in the dignity …
2025-09-11 19:20:02 UTC
Politico
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Tom Phillips / The Guardian:
Brazil's supreme court finds Bolsonaro guilty of plotting military coup — Former president faces decades-long jail sentence for seeking to forcibly cling to power after losing 2022 election — A majority of Brazil's supreme court judges have voted to convict the country's former president Jair Bolsonaro …
2025-09-11 19:20:02 UTC
The Guardian
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Ramon Antonio Vargas / The Guardian:
Utah Republican senator faces backlash over post condemning Kirk's killing — Only months ago, Mike Lee had posted disparaging tweets after Democrat Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot — The official X account of Mike Lee, a Republican US senator, drew backlash …
2025-09-11 19:05:01 UTC
The Guardian
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Democratic Congresswoman and ‘Squad’ member Ilhan Omar joins Mehdi in a Zeteo livestream on YouTube and Substack to discuss her latest War Powers resolution seeking to block US President Donald Trump from conducting future military strikes without congressional approval. The resolution comes one week after the US struck a boat leaving Venezuela under the pretense that it was carrying drugs. “It is Congress that declares war, and we have not been given that authority by this president,” Omar tells Mehdi and Zeteo subscribers watching the stream, “It's important for the people to recognize that we cannot just go out and terminate people. This is not something that is allowed under international law and is certainly not allowed under US law.” Subscribe now The two also discussed the other big story in the news, the killing of controversial right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk, who was gunned down at a Utah University campus on Wednesday. “It was really mortifying to hear the news, to see the video. All I could think about was his wife, his children. That image is going to live forever,” Omar says. She also talks to Mehdi about how Kirk’s death is being weaponized by conservatives to attack the Left, by pretending he wasn’t the divisive figure he was. “There are a lot of people who are out there talking about him [Kirk] just wanting to have a civil debate,” says Omar. “These people are full of shit, and it's important for us to call them out while we feel anger and sadness.” Watch the full discussion above to hear more about the Congresswoman’s War Powers resolution, the concern for her own safety in the wake of Kirk’s killing, and the violent path the US is heading down under a Trump presidency. This video is being shared without a paywall. If you believe in the work we do and want to see more of it, do consider becoming a paid subscriber. And if you’re not ready for the commitment, then a donation would still go a long way.
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2025-09-11 18:51:16 UTC
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Wall Street Journal:
Authorities Examine Rifle and Ammo as Manhunt for Kirk Shooter Stretches On — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk died after being shot while on stage at Utah Valley University. — Political Activist Charlie Kirk Dead After Shooting at Utah Event — Conservative political activist …
2025-09-11 18:25:02 UTC
Wall Street Journal
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Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery — The majority of the planned bid for Warner will be made up of cash — Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery that is backed by the Ellison family, according to people familiar with the situation.
2025-09-11 18:20:01 UTC
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James Curtis / WBBH:
Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn arrested in Cape Coral for failure to appear in court — CAPE CORAL, Fla. — Former Republican North Carolina Congressman Madison Cawthorn was arrested Wednesday on an out-of-county warrant for failing to show up in court.
2025-09-11 18:05:00 UTC
WBBH
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NBC News:
U.S. diplomats say they are reluctant to share inconvenient truths with the Trump administration — “What we're seeing in the diplomatic corps right now is fear,” John Dinkelman, president of the American Foreign Service Association, told NBC News. — Late last month, an alarming email landed …
2025-09-11 17:55:09 UTC
NBC News
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Athens, Greece — Amidst strong reactions, Greece’s Parliament voted on Wednesday, September 3 in favor of a new migration bill, which introduces prison sentences of two to five years for those who remain in the country after their asylum applications have been rejected, among other provisions.
The new law comes as part of a broader anti-immigrant policy recently adopted by the conservative New Democracy government. In July, increased refugee and migrant arrivals on the southern island of Crete prompted an emergency measure suspending asylum applications from people arriving to Crete from North Africa for three months. The measure remains in force.
Greece recorded 6,724 arrivals of refugees and migrants in July 2025, 3,534 of which were on Crete, According to data from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. In August, UNHCR figures show that the total arrivals reached 3,555, bringing the total for 2025 to 29,425. Greek media reported that arrivals on Crete in August dropped to just 689.
The Greek government says the aim of its policy is to deter and counter irregular migration. However, domestic and international organizations as well as opposition parties have criticized the new law on human rights and racial justice grounds.
 Protesters holding banners with statements such as “Open borders, refugees welcome” during a demonstration against the new immigration bill currently being discussed at the Greek Parliament, Athens, Greece, September 2, 2025. Photo contributed by Romanos Lioutas.
‘You are not welcome’
Under the bill’s provisions, asylum seekers whose applications are rejected are given a 14-day deadline to leave the country voluntarily; otherwise, they face a prison sentence of two to five years. The law also allows for electronic monitoring with ankle bracelets, and imposes a fine of at least € 5,000 (about $5,800) for those entering the country irregularly, rising to at least €10,000 (around $11,700) for repeat offenses.
Closing the parliamentary debate, Minister of Migration Thanos Plevris, referring to migrants who might defy the new law, declared: “The Greek State does not accept you, you are not tolerated. Once you have entered illegally, you have one choice: to go back. You are not welcome.” He nevertheless assured that those entitled to international protection will be granted asylum. “If your asylum claim is rejected, you have two options: either go to prison or return to your country of origin,” he added.
The law also increases the maximum period of administrative detention from 18 to 24 months for those entering without valid documents, and abolishes the possibility of legalizing one’s status after seven years of residence in Greece.
Meanwhile, the emergency suspension of asylum applications announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July remains in force. According to the government, the measure aimed to send a “clear message” to smuggling networks that Greece’s borders are closed.
The new law bears the imprint of Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, who describes himself as a “hardliner” and comes from the nationalist and far-right party LAOS (Popular Orthodox Rally). His father, Konstantinos Plevris, was active in far-right circles for decades and acted as legal counsel for members of the Greek neo-Nazi criminal organization Golden Dawn.
 Greek police walking next to to protesters holding a banner with the face of the Minister of Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris crossed captioning “Plevri fascist stay away from the immigration bill,” during a demonstration against the new immigration bill currently being discussed at the Greek Parliament, Athens, Greece, September 2, 2025. Photo contributed by Romanos Lioutas.
Reactions to the ‘Trumpian turn’
The bill did not pass without backlash. Opposition parties labeled it “racist” and “inhumane,” referring to a “Trumpian turn,” citing a recent Washington Post story highlighting Greece’s migration policy.
International and domestic organizations also voiced strong criticism, arguing that the new law violates international conventions and introduces unworkable measures. The Union of Administrative Judges of Greece stressed that “the migration–refugee issue cannot be addressed through repression and the tightening of procedures for granting residence permits or asylum.” In a statement, UNHCR warned: “These measures risk penalizing persons in need of international protection or whose international protection needs have not yet been assessed.”
The Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) also weighed in, stressing that several provisions of the new law contradict articles of the 1951 Geneva Convention and are inconsistent with EU legislation. In its statement, GCR described the law as an “extreme case of instrumentalization of criminal law.”
Regarding the suspension of asylum applications still in place since July, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued two interim measures. The first concerned eight Sudanese nationals and the second four Eritreans, instructing the Greek government not to proceed with deportations before their asylum requests are examined.
Beyond institutional actors, civil society also showed its opposition. On the day of the vote, extra-parliamentary leftist parties, pro-refugee and migrant groups, and solidarity networks gathered outside Parliament and marched through central Athens.
The new legislative framework is considered one of the harshest in the European Union. At the same time, other countries also appear to be moving in a similar direction, with anti-immigration sentiment on the rise across Europe — a trend that carries the risk of further empowering the far right.
Cover image contributed by Romanos Lioutas.
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 The post Greek Parliament Approves Harsh Migration Bill: Prison Sentences, Fines and Ankle-Monitors appeared first on UNICORN RIOT.
2025-09-11 17:50:22 UTC
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Andrew Childers / Axios:
State Department warns immigrants not to mock Kirk's death … - “I have been disgusted to see some on social media praising, rationalizing, or making light of the event, and have directed our consular officials to undertake appropriate action.” … - Kirk was killed Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University.
2025-09-11 17:25:00 UTC
Axios
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New York Times:
Live Updates: Manhunt Underway After Charlie Kirk, Charismatic Right-Wing Activist, Is Fatally Shot — Videos from the university event where Mr. Kirk was killed show a person on a nearby rooftop at the time of the shooting. — Here's the latest. — An intense manhunt was underway Thursday …
2025-09-11 16:55:00 UTC
New York Times
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Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Frees Hundreds of South Koreans Without Handcuffs After Immigration Raid — Personnel at Hyundai construction site leave detention center and prepare to fly home — SEOUL—A week after arresting more than 300 South Koreans in Georgia and alleging immigration violations …
2025-09-11 16:35:00 UTC
Wall Street Journal
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Wall Street Journal:
U.S. Frees Hundreds of South Koreans Without Handcuffs After Immigration Raid — Personnel at Hyundai construction site leave detention center and prepare to fly home — SEOUL—A week after arresting more than 300 South Koreans in Georgia and alleging immigration violations …
2025-09-11 16:35:00 UTC
Wall Street Journal
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Associated Press:
A student is dead after shooting 2 teens at his Colorado high school and then himself — A student shot two of his peers Wednesday at a suburban Denver high school before shooting himself and later dying, authorities said. The handgun shooting was reported around 12:30 p.m. at Evergreen High School …
2025-09-11 15:50:01 UTC
Associated Press
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Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Trump's Dangerous Response to the Kirk Assassination — It is possible that, in the history of America's radicalization spiral, the horrifying, cold-blooded assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk will be recorded as only the second-most-dangerous event of September 10, 2025.
2025-09-11 15:50:01 UTC
The Atlantic
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Jonathan Chait / The Atlantic:
Trump's Dangerous Response to the Kirk Assassination — It is possible that, in the history of America's radicalization spiral, the horrifying, cold-blooded assassination of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk will be recorded as only the second-most-dangerous event of September 10, 2025.
2025-09-11 15:50:01 UTC
The Atlantic
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BBC:
Trump ally Charlie Kirk shot dead at campus event in Utah — Summary — Conservative activist Charlie Kirk has died after being shot at a campus event in Utah — Kirk - an influential ally of President Trump - was known for holding outdoor debates on campuses across the US
2025-09-11 15:35:01 UTC
BBC
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