Radio Atlantic

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Do ICE Officers Have 'Immunity'? Jan 15, 2026

Show notes

Tensions are high in Minneapolis this week. The Trump administration is sending more federal agents. Protesters are calling for justice for the killing of an unarmed citizen. But what could actually happen legally? Especially when the Department of Justice seems more interested in trying to open a criminal investigation into the victim’s wife than the ICE officer who pulled the trigger?

We talk to the legal researcher Bryna Godar about the history of prosecutions against federal agents and why they’re not often successful. And we speak with the Atlantic staff writer Nick Miroff, who covers immigration, about what members of ICE are saying internally—and why they now feel more emboldened than ever.

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'Aren't We Supposed to Be the Good Guys Here?' Jan 08, 2026

Show notes

President Donald Trump likely won’t listen to this podcast, but Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona has a warning for him: Any attempt to take Greenland using military force will probably go down as the biggest mistake made by a president in all of U.S. history.

In this conversation with Kelly, we discuss the impact of the censure letter against him sent by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the legality of U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean, the future of the Democratic Party, and his family’s response to political violence.

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Is the U.S. Running Venezuela or Not? Jan 05, 2026

Show notes

After the Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured by U.S. forces over the weekend, President Donald Trump announced that America would now “run” Venezuela. Staff writers Vivian Salama and Michael Scherer break down what might happen next—and what Trump told The Atlantic the day after the capture.

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No Easy Fix | An Update on Evan Jan 01, 2026

Show notes

In July, we published a series of stories about San Francisco’s attempt to address a crisis unfolding on the city’s streets. We followed Evan, who had been homeless for years, as he sought an escape from the addiction that was threatening his life. Four months later, we check in on how he’s doing.

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Netflix vs. Paramount Dec 25, 2025

Show notes

It was a great year for Warner Bros. Discovery: Two of its movies (One Battle After Another and Sinners) are front-runners for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and it had a string of critical hits and box-office successes with Superman, Weapons,and A Minecraft Movie. But despite those wins, the media conglomerate—which also owns HBO and CNN—found itself up for auction with two aggressive bidders: Paramount and Netflix.

The Atlantic movie critic David Sims explains why this deal could be bad for the movies. And our staff writer Frank Foer lays out why this deal could be bad for democracy—especially if President Donald Trump gets involved.

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ISIS Never Really Went Away Dec 18, 2025

Show notes

More than a decade after its peak, the Islamic State has changed, but it isn’t defeated. This past weekend, the jihadist group reemerged in connection with two disparate acts of violence thousands of miles apart.

Two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria by a man the Pentagon says is affiliated with ISIS. A day later, at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, two men opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 and wounding dozens. The men had homemade ISIS flags in their car, and had recently traveled to an area in the Philippines where ISIS-affiliated groups are known to still be active. Are these incidents connected? And do they point to a group that’s evolving?

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He's Undocumented. She's Not. Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

A young Chicago couple—one is an undocumented immigrant from Poland, and the other is a U.S. citizen—face a choice: stay in the place they’ve called home—or give up on the place that doesn’t seem to want them anymore.

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Is This the End of Kids on Social Media? Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

Australia is about to become the first country in the world to ban kids under 16 from having social-media accounts. Other countries have attempted partial restrictions, but Australia’s Online Safety Amendment is the first real ban, and it comes with heavy fines for social-media companies that fail to comply. In this episode, we hear from the woman in charge of enforcing the policy, the teens who will be affected by it starting next week, and a researcher who doesn’t think Australia’s plan is the right answer.

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How Alison Roman Does Thanksgiving Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

In Alison Roman’s newest cookbook, “Something From Nothing,” her pantry is her primary inspiration. In this live conversation, we talk with Roman about her family Thanksgiving, why she makes her own baby food, and why simple really is better. We also discuss food trends, and what life is like for her as a solo creator. Then, we put the cookbook’s philosophy of simplicity to the test with an onstage game in which Alison must choose three pantry ingredients from a bag and come up with a delicious dinner.

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When Border Patrol Comes to Town Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

When the Trump administration promised a mass deportation campaign they initially relied on Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Disappointed with ICE’s pace and tactics, the White House turned to the Border Patrol for more sweeping, military-style enforcement. Commander-at-large Gregory Bovino has brought his green-uniformed agents (and his film crew) to Los Angeles, Chicago, now North Carolina, and perhaps soon New York City.

Staff writer Nick Miroff on what happens when an agency trained for dangerous desert borders operates in crowded American cities.

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