DHS — Blog — Healy Chen

That's crazy

Masked federal agents of the State essentially executed a person in broad daylight. All caught in 4K. And the executive in power is suffering zero consequences from it. That is some crazy shit! The party of anti governmental boot-licking is surely doing a ton of that right now. Don’t tread on me, but other people, that’s cool.

Why has Minneapolis become such a flash point? I didn’t realize it was a bastion of illegal immigration that the feds have to mobilize with such ferocity. Or perhaps it’s one of the few where the local populace is fighting back. Border States with more favorable views towards the current administration might be more cooperative when fresh Homeland Security goons roll into town.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, I think the tech ruling class made a faustian bargain with the current President to leave our cities alone. Thank you, Zuck?

This seemingly overwhelming show of force against foreigners in this country can’t be a good thing for the upcoming World Cup this year and Summer Olympics in 2028. I would absolutely think twice about visiting America for the games. If ICE agents are checking papers in and around the upcoming Super Bowl - the biggest sporting party for our country, why wouldn’t the same happen for the two biggest events in the world?

Unless something drastically changes, Foreigners should treat this current American administration as hostile.

The most depressing place

One of the most joyless place in the world has to be your local DMV office. That’s why we avoid going there as much as possible. My California driver license is due for renewal this year. Normally I would choose the renew-by-mail option. However, I’ve been procrastinating on getting the REAL ID, a Department of Homeland Security identification requirement to board a U.S. domestic flight. This will be fully enforced May of next year, so I had to bite the bullet and visit the DMV.

Even with an appointment, I was not checked into the building until 10 minutes after my scheduled time. The line outside was that long. Coincidentally, the card payment devices at that DMV office were out of a commission, a fact that wasn’t relayed to those of us in line. It would be cash only, a huge bummer for me because I hardly ever carry cash. Luckily my housemate was home and just 10 minutes away. He came through with the cash minutes before my number was called. Clutch!

The paperwork to attain a REAL ID is relatively draconian. Firstly you need another form of identification (can’t be your driver license), which for most of us is our passport. Secondly you need two pieces of official paperwork that has your name and current address. I used a bank statement and the declarations page of my automobile insurance. The second part seems to be tripping some people up. I heard no less than two people while I was at the DMB not having the necessary identifying papers.

Of course, they didn’t get much sympathy from the DMV clerks. No need to be joyous and courteous toward customers when job security is already baked in. Though honestly there’s really not much for the clerk to do if the customer did not come prepared. On the other hand, the customer likely wasted two hours waiting and will now have to do it all over again on another day. I would be frustrated too.

Save for the snafu with needing cash, I had everything in order. The REAL ID diver license will come in the mail soon enough. And hopefully I won’t have to step foot inside that DMV for at least a few years.