All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.

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

There’s a reason the History Channel has produced hundreds of documentaries about Hitler but only a few about Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bad guys (and gals) are eternally fascinating. Behind the Bastards dives in past the Cliffs Notes of the worst humans in history and exposes the bizarre realities of their lives. Listeners will learn about the young adult novels that helped Hitler form his monstrous ideology, the founder of Blackwater’s insane quest to build his own Air Force, the bizarre lives of the sons and daughters of dictators and Saddam Hussein’s side career as a trashy romance novelist.

Everything you don't know about History's greatest monsters

Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 75

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/915cb507-f4fa-41f6-a5f7-afc80175dd38/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

It Could Happen Here Weekly 75

In 2 playlist(s)

It Could Happen Here

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips