Jacobin Radio Behind the News: Israel’s Assault on Lebanon w/ Aurélie Daher
Jan 29, 2026
Aurélie Daher, political scientist who studies Hezbollah and Lebanese politics, explains Israel’s ongoing strikes on Lebanon, civilian tolls, and limits of airpower against guerrilla tactics. David Bier, immigration policy analyst, digs into ICE data, expanded arrests, low violent-conviction rates among detainees, and how enforcement shifted toward broad sweeps and politicized nativism.
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Rhetoric Vs. Reality In Deportations
- The Trump administration's rhetoric about deporting violent criminals doesn't match ICE data showing only ~5% had violent convictions.
- David Bier says policy shifted from targeted arrests to mass, convenience-driven detentions that profile Hispanic communities.
Targeting For Numbers Not Crimes
- Stephen Miller pushed to massively expand arrests, ordering raids in workplaces and public sites frequented by Hispanic people.
- That shift caused a 500% rise in arrests and a 1,300% spike in arrests of people with no criminal records.
Most Undocumented Presence Is Civil, Not Criminal
- Being unlawfully present is a civil matter; illegal border crossing is a crime with a five-year statute of limitations.
- Over 75% of undocumented people have been here longer than five years, so criminal prosecution is unavailable for most.
