Ryan Farrick is a freelance writer and small business advertising consultant based out of mid-Michigan. Passionate about international politics and world affairs, he’s an avid traveler with a keen interest in the connections between South Asia and the United States. Ryan studied neuroscience and has spent the last several years working as an operations manager in transportation logistics.


International Student Enrollments Continue Drop Under Trump

International student enrollments are dropping at college campuses across the United States, with some critics placing the blame on President Donald Trump. According to POLITICO, the U.S. remains the top destination in the world for international students. But enrollments have dropped across the board, cementing a trend that began in 2016. An Open Doors report


Trump’s Asylum Order Challenged by ACLU and Other Immigration Advocates

On Friday, President Donald Trump issued an order to deny asylum applications lodged by migrants who enter the United States illegally. The order, which goes into effect tomorrow, ‘suspends the entry of migrants through the US southern border between ports of entry for 90 days.’ Many of the measures, created by the Department of Homeland


Jeff Sessions Out as Attorney General

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned from his post late Wednesday, purportedly under pressure from President Donald Trump. Session’s departure, writes USA Today, was expected for weeks. Trump attacked the former attorney general time and time again over Twitter and on television. The pair’s contentious relationship stems from Sessions’ decision to recuse himself from an


Women Sue Riot Games for Gender Discrimination

Two women affiliated with Riot Games have sued the studio for alleged violations of California equal pay, sexual harassment and discrimination statutes. According to Ars Technica, revelations of possible sexism at Riot Games went public in August. A Kotaku article outlined a “culture of sexism” within the company, which is the creator of popular MMORPG


Appeals Court Blocks Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Rescission

On Thursday, a U.S. appeals court blocked President Trump from ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The decision said the White House’s arguments for discarding DACA were based on flawed legal theory. ABC News reports that the three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals was unanimous in its decision to keep


Tennessee Death Row Inmates Ask to Die by Firing Squad

Four death row inmates in Tennessee are suing the state in an attempt to choose their own method of execution. Attorneys say the cohort of condemned would rather be put to death by firing squad than lethal injection or electric chair, the only two options available in Tennessee. The Tennessean reports that one of the


Michigan Passes Proposal 1 to Legalize Marijuana

Michigan voters approved Proposal 1 on Tuesday, becoming the latest state to legalize marijuana. Passed by a 56-44 percent margin, Michigan is the first state in the Midwest to let residents grow, buy and consume marijuana for recreational reasons. Prior to Proposal 1’s passage, the state allowed for the purchase of medical pot with a


Oregon Voters Shoot Down Measure 105, Keep Sanctuary State Status

On Tuesday, Oregon voters shot down Measure 105, designed to repeal the state’s 31-year old sanctuary status. The Statesman Journal reports that about 63 percent of 1.4 million votes were cast to keep the existing statute. Under its current law, Oregon prohibits local police from enforcing immigration law or passing on certain types of information


Capsized Duck Boat Was Missing Powerful Water Pump

Newly-revealed records show that a powerful water pump was removed from a duck boat that sank near Branson, MO in July. The Higgins bilge pump, reports the Kansas City Star, was once considered a remedy to long-time concerns over the safety of duck boats. Able to pump out some 250 gallons of water per minute,


Supreme Court Won’t Review Net Neutrality Decision

On Monday, the Supreme Court announced it’d opt not to take up a case on net neutrality. According to The Washington Post, the decision didn’t come as the result of outright rejection. Three of the high court’s justices—Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil M. Gorsuch—were in favor of accepting a review. If they don’t so,