James talks to Mia about a reporting trip to the Emberá community of Bajo Chiquito in the Darién Gap, and his experience interviewing migrants making the most dangerous part of their journey to the USA.

Sources:

Jesuit Shelter: https://www.feyalegria.org/panama/

https://elpitazo.net/migracion/muere-venezolana-mientras-cruzaba-la-selva-de-darien-junto-a-su-familia/

James talks to Mia about a reporting trip to the Emberá community of Bajo Chiquito in the Darién Gap, and his experience interviewing migrants making the most dangerous part of their journey to the USA.
Sources:
Jesuit Shelter: <a href="https://www.feyalegria.org/panama/" data-ogsc="" data-outlook-id="17cec51d-b4cb-495e-a7bb-8742e8e2abff">https://www.feyalegria.org/panama/</a>
<a href="https://elpitazo.net/migracion/muere-venezolana-mientras-cruzaba-la-selva-de-darien-junto-a-su-familia/" data-ogsc="" data-outlook-id="9272bc2c-9f75-450d-a71f-d28b155d53d5">https://elpitazo.net/migracion/muere-venezolana-mientras-cruzaba-la-selva-de-darien-junto-a-su-familia/</a>

It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future. Every day Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, and James Stout take you on a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world and towards a better one that lays just on the horizon.

It Could Happen Here started as an exploration of the possibility of a new civil war. Now a daily show, it's evolved into a chronicle of collapse as it happens, and an exploration of how we might build a better future. Every day Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, and James Stout take you on a jaunty walk through the burning ruins of the old world and towards a better one that lays just on the horizon.

It Could Happen Here

James' Trip To The Darién Gap

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/65484fca-1cd3-4abd-96e5-b1fe0132247a/transcript

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster discusses the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and how it could widen ICE’s surveillance dragnet. 

Sources:
https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ATRI-The-Fight-Against-Cargo-Theft-Exec-Summ-12-2025.pdf
https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-theft-trends/
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-cargo-theft-costing-60-billion-annually-what-that-number-actually-represents
https://www.levernews.com/the-real-story-behind-the-highway-robbery-panic/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853/text
https://www.newstore.com/articles/unified-customer-profile/
https://law.vanderbilt.edu/eyes-everywhere-ices-expanded-use-of-surveillance-technologies/
https://www.aclu-wi.org/news/mobile-fortify-ices-dystopic-facial-recognition-app/
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/06/oregon-state-police-violated-sanctuary-law-sharing-data-ice-lawsuit-claims/
https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/retailers-secretively-using-face-recognition
https://vera-action.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Oppose+CORCA+Organizational+Sign-on.pdf
https://davisvanguard.org/2026/07/orgs-oppose-retail-crime-act/
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-advance-bipartisan-packages-in-national-defense-authorization-act-to-crack-down-on-crime-and-protect-kids-online
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/24/underground-mutual-aid-hillsboro-immigrant-families-ice/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5
https://www.tucsonspotlight.org/ice-detention-bars-tucson-mom-from-her-own-trial/
https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2026/6/11/230128-a-tucson-resident-was-arrested-for-shoplifting-now-shes-in-ice-custody/
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU01/20250122/117827/HHRG-119-JU01-20250122-SD004.pdf
https://revealnews.org/article/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/
https://innovationlawlab.org/news-and-analysis/video-evidence-surveillance-tech-used-op-black-rose
https://www.404media.co/ices-facial-recognition-app-misidentified-a-woman-twice/

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster discusses the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and how it could widen ICE&rsquo;s surveillance dragnet.&nbsp;
Sources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ATRI-The-Fight-Against-Cargo-Theft-Exec-Summ-12-2025.pdf">https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ATRI-The-Fight-Against-Cargo-Theft-Exec-Summ-12-2025.pdf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-theft-trends/">https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-theft-trends/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-cargo-theft-costing-60-billion-annually-what-that-number-actually-represents">https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-cargo-theft-costing-60-billion-annually-what-that-number-actually-represents</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.levernews.com/the-real-story-behind-the-highway-robbery-panic/">https://www.levernews.com/the-real-story-behind-the-highway-robbery-panic/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853/text">https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853/text</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.newstore.com/articles/unified-customer-profile/">https://www.newstore.com/articles/unified-customer-profile/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://law.vanderbilt.edu/eyes-everywhere-ices-expanded-use-of-surveillance-technologies/">https://law.vanderbilt.edu/eyes-everywhere-ices-expanded-use-of-surveillance-technologies/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.aclu-wi.org/news/mobile-fortify-ices-dystopic-facial-recognition-app/">https://www.aclu-wi.org/news/mobile-fortify-ices-dystopic-facial-recognition-app/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/06/oregon-state-police-violated-sanctuary-law-sharing-data-ice-lawsuit-claims/">https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/06/oregon-state-police-violated-sanctuary-law-sharing-data-ice-lawsuit-claims/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/retailers-secretively-using-face-recognition">https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/retailers-secretively-using-face-recognition</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://vera-action.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Oppose+CORCA+Organizational+Sign-on.pdf?ref=levernews.com">https://vera-action.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Oppose+CORCA+Organizational+Sign-on.pdf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://davisvanguard.org/2026/07/orgs-oppose-retail-crime-act/">https://davisvanguard.org/2026/07/orgs-oppose-retail-crime-act/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-advance-bipartisan-packages-in-national-defense-authorization-act-to-crack-down-on-crime-and-protect-kids-online">https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-advance-bipartisan-packages-in-national-defense-authorization-act-to-crack-down-on-crime-and-protect-kids-online</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/24/underground-mutual-aid-hillsboro-immigrant-families-ice/">https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/24/underground-mutual-aid-hillsboro-immigrant-families-ice/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5">https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.tucsonspotlight.org/ice-detention-bars-tucson-mom-from-her-own-trial/">https://www.tucsonspotlight.org/ice-detention-bars-tucson-mom-from-her-own-trial/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2026/6/11/230128-a-tucson-resident-was-arrested-for-shoplifting-now-shes-in-ice-custody/">https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2026/6/11/230128-a-tucson-resident-was-arrested-for-shoplifting-now-shes-in-ice-custody/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU01/20250122/117827/HHRG-119-JU01-20250122-SD004.pdf">https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU01/20250122/117827/HHRG-119-JU01-20250122-SD004.pdf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://revealnews.org/article/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/">https://revealnews.org/article/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://innovationlawlab.org/news-and-analysis/video-evidence-surveillance-tech-used-op-black-rose">https://innovationlawlab.org/news-and-analysis/video-evidence-surveillance-tech-used-op-black-rose</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.404media.co/ices-facial-recognition-app-misidentified-a-woman-twice/">https://www.404media.co/ices-facial-recognition-app-misidentified-a-woman-twice/</a></li>
</ul>

How Congress Could Bring ICE to a Store Near You

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8f0d5b74-2189-404c-ab86-b49c0159f501/transcript

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster outlines the rise of organized retail crime propaganda and the ensuing legislative crackdown.

Sources:
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/
https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap
https://radsecurity.com/roameo
https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/
https://www.facefirst.com
https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/
https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&geo=US
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/
https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523
https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&id=D000000741
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853
https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php
https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10
https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&t=1768
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&year=2024
https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped
https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&t=2327
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html
https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost
https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster outlines the rise of organized retail crime propaganda and the ensuing legislative crackdown.
Sources:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/">https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap">https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://radsecurity.com/roameo">https://radsecurity.com/roameo</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/">https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.facefirst.com">https://www.facefirst.com</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/">https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&amp;date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&amp;geo=US">https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&amp;date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&amp;geo=US</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft">https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/">https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523">https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&amp;id=D000000741">https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&amp;id=D000000741</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853">https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/">https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft">https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf">https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php">https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10">https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&amp;t=1768">https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&amp;t=1768</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47">https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/">https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&amp;year=2024">https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&amp;year=2024</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime">https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped">https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&amp;t=2327">https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&amp;t=2327</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows">https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html">https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost">https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf">https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting">https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video">https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton">https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo</a></li>
</ul>

The Rise of Organized Retail Crime Propaganda

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b62a6bac-30f4-4e6c-9b84-b49c01428aba/transcript

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks with Mohamedsalem Werad, co-founder of Saharawi Voice. Saharawi Voice is a collective of citizen journalists and filmmakers based in the Western Sahara refugee camps in south-west Algeria that provides a platform for Saharawis to share their challenges, experiences, perspectives, and hopes with an international audience. Mohamedsalem is also the co-director of the documentary Haiyu. They discuss recent events related to Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, and how the US is implicated.

Sources:

Saharawi Voices youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks with Mohamedsalem Werad, co-founder of Saharawi Voice. Saharawi Voice is a collective of citizen journalists and filmmakers based in the Western Sahara refugee camps in south-west Algeria that provides a platform for Saharawis to share their challenges, experiences, perspectives, and hopes with an international audience. Mohamedsalem is also the co-director of the documentary Haiyu. They discuss recent events related to Morocco&rsquo;s occupation of Western Sahara, and how the US is implicated.
Sources:
Saharawi Voices youtube channel:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE">https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE</a>

Morocco’s US-Backed Occupation of Western Sahara 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/05e3ebd9-d078-4f20-82e8-b49b01898681/transcript

James' Trip To The Darién Gap

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