Susan J. Demas spoke with journalist Christopher Mathias, author of To Catch a Fascist, about his recent reporting on ICE, Greg Bovino, and the MAGA influencer ecosystem enabling it all.
Christopher argues that the tactics anti-fascists once used against neo-Nazis at Charlottesville — monitoring, identifying, applying social pressure — are now being used against Trump’s armed federal agents. Bovino attended a European “remigration” summit alongside straight-up white nationalists two months after running ICE operations in Minneapolis and Chicago. However farcical his presidential ambitions seem, Christopher says the lesson of the last decade is we have to take these figures seriously.
Just look at who’s president right now.
From Viral Video to Federal Occupation: How Nick Shirley Ignited the Minneapolis ICE Surge
Jennifer Schulze is a longtime Chicago journalist. She’s on Bluesky @newsjennifer.bsky.social. Subscribe to her Substack, Indistinct Chatter.
Christopher has done investigative reporting for MSNOW and other outlets on ICE’s propaganda partnerships with influencers like Ben Burquam. Christopher says they’re not journalists; they’re an extension of the administration — selectively publishing footage, dehumanizing protesters, and providing the pretext for the next crackdown. (Susan called them “third-rate Leni Riefenstahls.”)
Watch the latest episode of First Draft with Susan J. Demas and Christopher Mathias.
