What Next

How DHS Got This Way

The agency’s tactics have traveled from the border to the streets of American cities.

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Episode Notes

The Department of Homeland Security was built to protect the country from terrorists. But its mission was always expansive. After the bizarre detainments in Portland, we’re seeing a reckoning with what this super-agency does.

Guest: Jonathan Blitzer, staff writer for the New Yorker.

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Podcast production by Mary Wilson, Jayson De Leon, and Danielle Hewitt.

About the Show

The problem with the news right now? It’s everywhere. And each day, it can feel like we’re all just mindlessly scrolling. It’s why we created What Next. This short daily show is here to help you make sense of things. When the news feels overwhelming, we’re here to help you answer: What next? Look for new episodes every weekday morning.

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  • Mary Harris is the host and managing editor of What Next, Slate's new daily news podcast. She has reported throughout the public radio system, for NPR, Marketplace, and WNYC.

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