You’ve heard the headlines: record border crossings, talk of an “invasion,” and political promises of mass deportation. But what do the numbers actually say?

In this episode, we cut through the chaos to look at what’s really happening at the border. Spoiler: while border encounters are at historic highs, the undocumented population in the U.S. has barely changed in over a decade. We dive into why that matters, what Title 42 did, how the U.S. is spending billions on enforcement while underfunding immigration courts, and whether undocumented immigrants are truly fueling crime, or just filling jobs no one else will.

Topics covered:

• Why “border encounters” don’t mean more people are staying
• How Title 42 created a revolving-door effect
• Where the immigration budget really goes
• The truth about undocumented labor and crime
• Why the system is broken — not open

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This week was packed with fireworks — and not just the kind Trump wanted at his birthday parade. From dramatic legal battles in California to global tensions in the Middle East, here’s what went down:

• Trump says he’d support arresting Gov. Gavin Newsom
• More Marines deployed to California as protests intensify
• Newsom and California’s AG sue Trump over National Guard takeover
• Trump’s military birthday parade faces high costs and low attendance
• “No Kings” protests erupt in all 50 states
• Two Democratic state lawmakers shot in Minnesota — one fatally

  • We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Rep. Melissa Hortman, whose life was tragically taken in this political attack. Her service and leadership will not be forgotten.

• Israel bombs Iran; U.S.–Iran nuclear talks are paused
• RFK Jr. removes all 17 members of CDC vaccine advisory committee
• 75 Democrats face backlash for voting to thank ICE in a GOP-sponsored resolution
• Andrew Cuomo is running for NYC mayor
• Trump issues an executive order for flying cars
• Marco Rubio congratulates Russia on “Russia Day”
• Craigslist ad recruits fake crowd for Trump’s military parade — White House calls it fake
• Michelle Obama says Bruce Springsteen is her and Barack’s personal mentor

Email us at thelonelyliberalpodcast@gmail.com

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Is the Republican Party still the party of small government, personal responsibility, and traditional values? In this episode, we look at how far the GOP has drifted from its conservative roots—and how much of that shift is intentional.

We compare Reagan and Bush-era policies with Trump’s modern-day agenda, break down the authoritarian pivot of the party, and expose just how deeply Trump’s second term aligns with the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint. From mass purges of federal workers to the military enforcement of immigration policy, this isn’t the party of your parents—it’s something entirely new.

We ask: Is Trump the cause of the GOP’s transformation, or is he just the vessel for a deeper ideological takeover? And what does that mean for the future of American democracy?

Email us at thelonelyliberalpodcast@gmail.com

Follow us @thelonelyliberal