The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell S2 Ep140: Trump’s Government is Treating Courts Like a Joke (w/ Andrew Weissmann)
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Jan 9, 2026 
In this lively discussion, Andrew Weissmann, a former senior federal prosecutor and FBI general counsel, breaks down a tragic ICE shooting in Minnesota and the shocking conditions within ICE detention facilities. He highlights the failures in training and accountability, and expresses concern about the FBI's handling of the situation. Weissmann also critiques the government's pattern of misleading courts and defying judicial orders, urging judges to take action against these abuses. The conversation emphasizes the urgent need for systemic reform and public awareness.
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Inhumane Detention Conditions Exposed
- Judge Gary Brown found detained immigrants held in a six-by-six cell with an open toilet and no bedding, heat, or hygiene items.
- Andrew Weissmann warns these conditions reflect a systemic failure as ICE rapidly expanded without proper facilities or protocols.
Lack Of Training Fuels Deadly Encounters
- Weissmann says the administration ramped up ICE hires without adequate training, increasing avoidable deadly encounters.
- He links poor training and oversight directly to tragedies like the Minnesota shooting of Renee Nicole Good.
FBI Shunning Local Investigations Raises Alarms
- Weissmann sees the FBI's refusal to collaborate with local investigators as highly abnormal and suggestive of a whitewash.
- He stresses that thorough, cooperative investigations protect both the public and law enforcement's legitimacy.