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.


President Trump Offers Support for FIRST STEP Act for Prison Reform

President Trump has thrown his support behind the FIRST STEP Act, a controversial bill intended to reform America’s broken criminal justice system. Early in August, Trump spoke to a group of ‘inner-city pastors’ at the White House. Explaining the moves he’s made to lower unemployment and offer fresh opportunities for former prisoners, the president elaborated


Georgia Nurse Sues Over Medical Staff Safety in State Prisons

A lawsuit filed by a George nurse questions just how safe medical staff working in the state’s prisons really are. The Associated Press and Atlanta Journal-Constitution report that 42-year old Alicia Butler is suing the Department of Corrections over a 2016 attack. Butler says officials failed to properly supervise inmate Carlos Johnson, Jr., incarcerated at


Under Trump, Arrests of Undocumented Migrants With No Criminal Record Triples

Under the purview of President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, arrests of undocumented migrants with no criminal record have more than tripled. The trend—scarcely surprising with its figures and estimates—was quantified by NBC News, which analyzed publicly available data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The surge, writes, NBC, appears to be caused by


Medpro Sues Foreign Nurse for Trying to Find Paid Work, Settles for Nothing

A foreign nurse working in the United States has settled with MedPro, a healthcare staffing agency that Eden Selispara says treated her like an ‘indentured servant.’ The 33-year old Philippines national had been working overseas in Abu Dhabi when she was picked up by MedPro. Each year, staffing agencies provide visas to thousands of foreign


Chicago Alderman Accuses Police of Violating Sanctuary Ordinance in Counterfeit Clothing Raid

A Chicago city alderman questioned whether local law enforcement violated its own sanctuary ordinance after a police raid targeting counterfeit clothing took an illegal immigrant into custody. The Chicago Tribune reports that Alderman Danny Solis, who represents the city’s predominately Hispanic Pilsen neighborhood, said on August 1st that police violated Chicago’s Welcoming City Ordinance. Chicago,



Homeland Security to Investigate Immigrants Who Overstay Legally-Issued Visas

The Department of Homeland Security is poised to begin investigating immigrants who arrived to the United States on valid visas but stayed past their authorization’s expiry. A report compiled by the Department shows that over 600,000 visitors overstayed tourist, work, business and student visas in 2017. These violations, writes the Miami Herald, represent but a


White Supremacist Rally in Washington, D.C. Falls Flat Sunday, Raises Questions

A white supremacist rally in Washington, D.C. fell flat on Sunday, with only several dozen racists in attendance. Intended to celebrate the first anniversary of last year’s violent march in Charlottesville, VA., far-right demonstrators found themselves far outnumbered by counter-protesters. Police formed a tight cordon around the smaller group, separating the two sides and preventing


DeVos Ends Obama-Era Protections on Predatory For-Profit Colleges

On Friday, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos formally moved to end protections that shield vulnerable students from the unscrupulous tactics of for-profit colleges. In a written statement posted on the department’s website and partially reprinted by The New York Times, the agency shared its plan to eliminate the ‘gainful employment’ rule. Created under the Obama administration,