KQED's Forum What's the Endgame in DHS Brutality?
Jan 28, 2026
Claudia Grisales, NPR congressional correspondent covering lawmaker reactions and funding fights. Zack Beauchamp, Vox senior correspondent and author on right-wing populism. They discuss recent federal killings in Minneapolis, political fallout and rare GOP pushback. They analyze how footage shifted public opinion, DHS messaging, funding leverage in the Senate, and whether raids aim to intimidate cities.
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Video Undermined Official Narrative
- The Alex Preddy footage made the administration's narrative collapse because the visual record contradicted official claims.
- Zack Beauchamp says clear video evidence shifted public opinion and exposed blatant governmental dissembling.
Erosion Of Legal Guardrails
- The administration is attempting to act above legal constraints, eroding democratic guardrails.
- Zack Beauchamp warns this represents a systematic effort to ignore rules governing law enforcement.
Argue Through Shared American Values
- Frame protests as protection of shared American constitutional values when persuading others.
- Zack Beauchamp recommends specific reforms like no masks, no roving enforcement, warrants for raids, and independent inquiries.
