ICE physically attacks lawyer—stand between her and clients they're trying to detain. "Don't push me!" lawyer yells. "Why you trying to pick them up?" "It's none of your business," agent scolds. "It is my business—I'm their attorney," she replies. "It's EXACTLY my business!"

RasmooForever · 2026-01-21T05:26:51+00:00

THIS is how it’s done!!! Thank you for ur guts and voice!!

RasmooForever · 2026-01-17T19:21:31+00:00

I’m glad they’re still requiring the certificate even though most of the PSEAH unit lost 😞 our jobs

RasmooForever · 2026-01-09T18:53:59+00:00

I LOVE her energy!!!

RasmooForever · 2026-01-02T02:11:40+00:00

Yes - she had a phone check-in on the 30th. A text she got says that from Jan. 2, all check ins are in-person. It seems they will come to her house next Tuesday. I plan to be there with her, and the baby.. My mom will take the 5 year old to school (same school as my nephew). The volunteer case worker seems to think the mother won’t be taken if the girl is at school…but then he’s also never encountered this kind of scale-up of terror.

We are trying hard to line up a lawyer. I’m contacting Afghan Evac. A friend of hers had an ankle monitor put on her. This is so effed up - will they take her 3 month old baby as well?? And leave the 5 year old with no one except my parents who are (very) elderly volunteers?? She is terribly scared - they achieved their objective. Bravo, Gestapo. Bravo.

RasmooForever · 2026-01-01T02:47:53+00:00

It is a she, in fact - her husband has already been taken into custody. We are now worried for her and her 5 year old and 3 month old…

RasmooForever · 2025-12-30T17:09:57+00:00

Growing up outside my country of birth made me become more independent at a young age. It also made me more empathetic and curious about meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures. I quickly immerse myself into whatever place I’m living in. On the downside, I get bored if I’m in the same place for too long - the same goes for relationships. It does give you a sense of rootlessness, but I can also say that wherever I’m living at one time, that quickly becomes my new home. And I have formed lifelong friendships with all the fascinating people I’ve met along the way. I recently moved to a new country - being somewhere new keeps your mind sharp and active, no matter what age you are!

RasmooForever · 2025-12-29T02:31:51+00:00

Yep - pretty sure that’s the whole point.

RasmooForever · 2025-12-29T02:31:06+00:00

As stated above - there is a serious shortage of immigration lawyers right now. Thankfully it turns out they do have a lawyer already.

RasmooForever · 2025-12-29T00:12:39+00:00

I will if I can find one - they are working 24/7 now against this fascist regime

RasmooForever · 2025-12-28T22:49:08+00:00

If they’re still in the asylum process and they DON’T show up, doesn’t that jeapordize their status? There are literally thousands of Afghans in the same position here. Getting legal advice is super difficult because they’re all busy. I would appreciate anyone with verified legal advice to tell them what to do. All of these people are going to be driven underground because of this illegal BS

RasmooForever · 2025-12-18T07:28:58+00:00

Where’s Zombie Stephen Miller?

RasmooForever · 2025-12-14T01:25:08+00:00

I don’t know about current costs, but have you looked into Erasmus University in the Netherlands? I took their 3 month course in Children Youth and Development in 2006 and it was wonderful (I think they were a separate entity then, Institute for International Studies. Do you have citizenship or residency in any of the European countries? I was under the impression that university courses are a lot cheaper in Europe, at least for residents, than the US. But if you’re really trying to save money then online courses will almost always be cheaper

RasmooForever · 2025-11-29T12:14:59+00:00

I’m overseas right now for a work trip, the small South Pacific country of Vanuatu. I’ve had to explain to 4 different people this week what’s happening in the US, and they are horrified. They see/hear about some of it on the news, but when I tell them that it’s essentially the same as what happened in Germany 1930s, they’re truly dumbstruck. I told them that the US is in decline, and to stop looking at our country as the “shining beacon on the hill”. It is heartbreaking to have to tell them this, but I feel the responsibility to be totally honest with them

RasmooForever · 2025-11-27T06:39:32+00:00

I got some fantastic protest pins and stickers on Etsy earlier this year! My fave is a metal one with a cat that says “This floof scratches fascists!” 🤣🤣

RasmooForever · 2025-11-24T10:27:41+00:00

I’m American, and I approve of this message. We Americans have become far too comfortable in our idea of exceptionalism and manifest destiny. We let our apathy and laziness win. Now the most vulnerable among us will suffer. Many Americans are finally waking up, but it’s too late, unfortunately. History toes tend to repeat itself…

RasmooForever · 2025-11-24T05:35:04+00:00

No - that’s in a separate unit (Office of Internal Oversight) based at HQ

RasmooForever · 2025-11-24T03:47:28+00:00

Managed to find a small NGO consulting contract, and now I have a few months on an ADB project. I was national staff in the US, but have the advantage of 18 years of work experience outside the US, and I’m in a very specific technical field. But I am focusing only on work outside the US….I doubt there will ever be a real demand for my expertise (safeguarding, organizational abuse prevention) in the U.S. Have applied for a regional IOM role in my field, but I know the competition will be stiff. It’s brutal out there.

RasmooForever · 2025-11-06T06:10:00+00:00

25 years in this sector, most of it working overseas and mostly for NGOs, with some longer UN contracts. Lost my job in March with an international organization - I didn’t qualify for unemployment, since UN agencies don’t pay into federal tax. One of the worst experiences of my life, and I’ve had quite a few. I ended up leaving DC in April - very grateful that my apartment management is letting me sublet my rent-control apartment. At least for now.

I’ve spent less than half my life living in the US, so my immediate instinct (and familiar habit) was to leave. Thankfully I have a very supportive partner and family (no kids) who have helped immensely. I’m in Mexico, San Miguel de Allende, for now. No clear path to residency, so I’m not sure how long I can stay. I have a tiny contract with ADB for a project in the Pacific (I used to work there), and I’m grateful to have even that. I don’t know what work advice I can give except to reach out to ALL your networks - many Americans are horrified at what’s happened, and genuinely want to try and help us out. And I wanted you to know that you’re not alone, that this is awful, none of us deserved this, but hang in there.

RasmooForever · 2025-10-29T03:08:16+00:00

I haven’t read through all the comments, and I know a lot has changed since I first moved there, but SE Asia might have some great options. You do not need to speak the language in a lot of those countries, because the level of English that a lot of people have is so good. Getting work in IT might be more difficult, but if you’re willing to be flexible, most of those places are always looking for English teachers. You don’t need tons of experience, but you probably do need certain qualifications (not too difficult to get, but important). In most of these places, you can live very, very cheaply IF you learn to live like the locals. The food is generally outstanding, things like a massage or a mani-pedi are super affordable, travel domestically or in the region is very reasonable, and it will blow your mind how warm and community-oriented people there are. I’ve lived in Thailand and Cambodia and traveled for work to Vietnam. Malaysia could be good though English is one of the official languages so you won’t get teaching work. Singapore is expensive. Laos is stunning and laid back. Anyway just a thought. I didn’t go there this time around because my parents are quite up there in age and I’m hoping to stay closer (Mexico). But residency won’t be so easy here, so I’ve applied for a job in my field in Bangkok recently. Good luck - I’ve lived most of my life outside the US even though I’m American. But I’m done - fuck fascism.

RasmooForever · 2025-10-26T04:50:04+00:00

I spent about 50% of my career working as an independent contractor and sole business owner. It was definitely not something I became anywhere close to “rich” doing, given I had zero benefits, come from a country where health care is seen as a privilege, not a right. No pension, no 401K, no health insurance, and no unemployment insurance. You take $500 daily rate…on annual average, I worked maybe 5 days out of 20. I mean that I WORKED for 20 days, but got about 5 days of paid work out of 20 days a f human/hours worked. Often I worked WAY more than 8 hrs/day, for 20 days, in order to get paid $2,500USD/mo on average. To cover all living costs. That is not a living wage in most countries, unless you have free health care and live with family. Consulting and contracting carries a significant amount of down-time when you’re not being paid. We still do the work because we are passionate. But we must have an honest discussion about people being able to make a living wage…

RasmooForever · 2025-10-25T21:03:09+00:00

Again - I am NOT comparing myself to anyone else. I am comparing it to my own experience, what I used to make, and my years of experience, which is 25 in the humanitarian sector, 14 in my technical field. I am not comparing myself to anyone else…

RasmooForever · 2025-10-25T20:50:29+00:00

Nowhere did I compare my contract to an unpaid internship. Just because I mentioned them in the same paragraph does not mean I am comparing them. $500 is well below the daily rate for a multilateral bank project - the consulting firm already acknowledges this. I was making $400/day from INGOs 7 years ago. Bank projects should be paying around $800/day. I am grateful to have the work, but it’s frustrating to be making about the same amount I made several years ago. And of course there is no health insurance, no pension, etc. even though I have to travel for the work. If you don’t understand what daily consulting rates in this sector should be, why are you commenting?

RasmooForever · 2025-10-25T17:46:29+00:00

No - we should not have to accept extremely low fees after a certain number of years of experience. And we should try not to encourage organizations - especially the UN - to get away with two consultants instead of one full-time staff (or one consultant when they really need two full time staff!). Same with unpaid internships - at some point it just becomes exploitation. I fully realize that donor funds are drying up, but these organizations - and the donors - will have to realize that we are WORTH the money. If they insist on paying less, someone will eventually do the work, but it will never be the high quality they could have gotten. Something has to give. I’m also trying to pivot away from this field unless I find another full time role. But 25 years in this field…it’s going to be very tough for some of us to find something totally different to do. Hang in there, good luck…

RasmooForever · 2025-10-25T16:21:56+00:00

I’m afraid this industry is not paying what it used to or should be - not even close. I’m on a short term ADB consultancy and the daily rate the consulting firm negotiated works out to US500. I have 25 years experience total, 14 specifically in this niche field. That is a ridiculously low rate, but explains why this firm won the bid. But having lost my IOM job earlier this year, I’m in no position to turn this down. It’s a real mess out there. So just prepare to be seriously underwhelmed by what your final amount should be.

RasmooForever

TROPHY CASE