Introducing Runaway Country: Justice Has Left the Building

Strict Scrutiny

News, Philosophy, Society & Culture, Government

4.6 • 5.7K Ratings

🗓️ 29 December 2025

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Alex digs into the destruction of due process and rule of law under the Trump administration. First, she hears from Judge Anam Petit, a recently fired immigration judge who explains how the legal system is being quietly dismantled to prioritize deportations. Then, Alex speaks to Andrew Weissmann, former lead prosecutor in Robert Mueller’s Special Counsel’s Office, about whether our system is forever changed, and what it’s like to be in President Trump’s crosshairs.

For a transcript of this episode, click here.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it is Leah, Kate, and Melissa here. Each week on strict scrutiny, we cover the legal cases and questions shaping all of our lives. But rarely do we get to hear directly from those experiencing the news firsthand.
0:11.9	We're taking a break today, but we wanted to bring you something a little different. We're excited to share a recent episode of Runaway Country with Alex Wagner that sheds light on a conversation
0:21.7	that feels especially relevant in today's chaotic political climate. In this episode,
0:27.0	Alex digs into the destruction of due process and the rule of law under the Trump administration
0:31.2	and speaks with Judge Anam Petit, a recently fired immigration judge about her personal
0:36.1	experiences with ICE and ongoing deportations.
0:39.2	It is a great episode, and you definitely don't want to miss it. We love Alex Wagner. She's one of
0:43.4	the most talented journalists working in the business. And this episode really brings you up to
0:47.9	speed firsthand on how the immigration legal system is being dismantled. So we sort of know on the streets the outrageous over enforcement of the immigration laws that we are witnessing,
0:57.5	but I don't think people really appreciate what is happening inside immigration justice,
1:01.9	as this administration also takes aim at that aspect of our immigration system.
1:06.0	So this is a harrowing listen just to hear Judge Pettett's experience with masked men showing up in her very courtroom.
1:13.4	You can feel the direct impact and fear that people face.
1:16.2	So it is a must listen.
1:18.0	And if you enjoy this episode and want story-driven expert-led reporting that goes beyond the headlines,
1:22.3	make sure to check out Runaway Country every Thursday on your favorite podcast app or YouTube.
1:27.9	Hi, everyone. Welcome to my new show, Runaway Country every Thursday on your favorite podcast app or YouTube. Hi, everyone. Welcome to my new show, Runaway Country. We are less than a year into the Trump
1:34.9	administration, and I don't know about you, but I barely recognize this place. National Guard
1:40.6	troops are invading blue cities. Citizens are being snatched off the street.
1:45.1	And the east wing of the White House is being ripped off and turned into apparently a corporate
1:49.7	event space. What the hell is happening here? Everything is unfolding at such a rapid clip that it all
1:56.4	just bleeds in together into one extended chaotic moment and one that you might actually become
	...

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