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Today in History: Palmer Leads Nationwide Raids Against Radical Leftists

1/2/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On January 2, 1920, U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer directed the Palmer Raids, targeting suspected socialists, anarchists, and communists across 36 cities. The operation aimed to arrest and deport individuals, particularly among Italian and Eastern European Jewish immigrants. Despite 6,000 arrests, many deportations were blocked by the Department of Labor.

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Story summary

On January 2, 1920, U.S. Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer directed the Palmer Raids, targeting suspected socialists, anarchists, and communists across 36 cities. The operation aimed to arrest and deport individuals, particularly among Italian and Eastern European Jewish immigrants. Despite 6,000 arrests, many deportations were blocked by the Department of Labor.