About What’s Happening the US… (Jan. ‘26)

I tend not to address politics as an author, particularly hot-button topics. I want my stories to be a way to escape the real world, even as they may shape your thoughts upon your return to it, and not to embroil you in things that may distress you, as they do me.

But the current state of my home country compels me to speak out.

As a white American male, the political trends for my demographics are bleak. To avoid being lumped in with views I find largely detestable, I’d like it known I strive to be egalitarian in every respect—including as an LGBTQ+ ally, feminist, anti-racist, and anti-imperialist—and lean liberal in my politics.

If you’ve read my books, I’m guessing none of this comes as a surprise. My values are instilled in my stories through the inclusion of people from across all spectrums and the introduction of important topics and injustices—though I aim to avoid any pedantic conclusions, as I believe all good fiction should.

But political stances are beside the point when condemning the brutality of ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as is presently seen in January 2026. This is a matter of basic decency.

Among their verifiable crimes are unjustified murder—famously of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis, among others that did not pick up the same media buzz—unlawful harassment and violence against bystanders and protestors, and the deportation of US citizens. In addition to the suffering of adults, children and pets are being subjected to abandonment at gut-churning rates as well as worse things like being gassed by ICE agents.

Rumors fueled by local witnesses tell of further depravity: sexual assault, physical abuse, and “starlight tours,” where victims are abandoned in remote areas, often after suffering abuse—a deadly combination in winter, particularly in Minnesota.

There have also been many more deaths in detention centers than during comparable time frames for previous administrations. Among these deaths is one where a man was strangulated, and a witness reported that the guards at the detention center were responsible for it.

Even if you dismiss the rumors, the reality remains bleak as to how ICE is operating. And I find across every dimension—morally, legally, practically, fiscally—I must condemn both the organization and its actions.

ICE is not making the US safer. Its disgusting actions must stop.

We’ll return to bookish topics moving forward, but some things need to be said.