A hurricane's historic destruction hasn't stopped North Carolina election workers and voters
Read full article: A hurricane's historic destruction hasn't stopped North Carolina election workers and votersElections officials, poll workers and voters in western North Carolina have been adapting in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene's destruction.
51 migrants die after trailer abandoned in San Antonio heat
Read full article: 51 migrants die after trailer abandoned in San Antonio heatDesperate families of migrants from Mexico and Central America are seeking word of their loved ones as authorities begin identifying 51 people who died after being abandoned in a tractor-trailer without air conditioning in the sweltering Texas heat.
Jan. 6 panel's 1,000 witnesses: From Trump aides to rioters
Read full article: Jan. 6 panel's 1,000 witnesses: From Trump aides to riotersThe House Jan. 6 panel has interviewed more than 1,000 people who were directly or indirectly involved in the U.S. Capitol insurrection as it's probed the violent attack and former President Donald Trump’s unprecedented efforts to overturn his election defeat.
Trump adviser Miller grilled about Trump's speech on Jan. 6
Read full article: Trump adviser Miller grilled about Trump's speech on Jan. 6Lawmakers pressed Stephen Miller during a daylong closed-door interview about Donald Trump’s speech at a rally that preceded the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
AP sources: Trump aide Stephen Miller speaks to 1/6 panel
Read full article: AP sources: Trump aide Stephen Miller speaks to 1/6 panelStephen Miller, who served as a top aide to President Donald Trump, has been questioned for hours by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
US pulls out of settlement talks in family separation suits
Read full article: US pulls out of settlement talks in family separation suitsThe U.S. government has withdrawn from settlement negotiations to end lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who were forcibly separated under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance border policy.
Rep. Liz Cheney says Trump is at war 'with the rule of law'
Read full article: Rep. Liz Cheney says Trump is at war 'with the rule of law'Republican Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming says former President Donald Trump is at war “with the rule of law and the Constitution” and that GOP lawmakers who sit by silently are aiding his efforts.
GOP rift widens amid growing hostility to Afghan refugees
Read full article: GOP rift widens amid growing hostility to Afghan refugeesAs the U.S. rushes to evacuate Americans and allies from Afghanistan, a growing number of Republicans are questioning why the U.S. should take in Afghan citizens who worked side by side with Americans.
GOP firebrand US Rep. Mo Brooks enters Alabama Senate race
Read full article: GOP firebrand US Rep. Mo Brooks enters Alabama Senate raceThe north Alabama Republican announced his entry into the race at an event with former Trump adviser Stephen Miller. And as President Trump can vouch, I don't cut and run. “Nobody has had President Trump’s back more over the last four years than Mo Brooks. Your vote for Mo Brooks will allow him to carry on the America First agenda," Miller said as he gave his support to Brooks. Some carried signs reading “Traitor Mo has got to go” and that “Mo Brooks words incited violence."
Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surge
Read full article: Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surgeTeam Brownsville, a humanitarian group, is helping the migrants reach their final destination in the U.S. A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families remain lower than at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019. They deride the policies Trump implemented to deter asylum as cruel and inhumane and an abdication of the country’s humanitarian responsibilities. "The Trump administration did everything in their power for four years to make the already broken immigration system as cumbersome and ineffective as possible. ... You leave yourself nowhere to go.”Ad“They’re kind of stuck in a corner,” agreed Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank, which advocates on behalf of more restrictive immigration policies.
Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surge
Read full article: Republicans seize on immigration as border crossings surgeTeam Brownsville, a humanitarian group, is helping the migrants reach their final destination in the U.S. A surge of migrants on the Southwest border has the Biden administration on the defensive. Still, the encounters of both unaccompanied minors and families remain lower than at various points during the Trump administration, including in spring 2019. They deride the policies Trump implemented to deter asylum as cruel and inhumane and an abdication of the country’s humanitarian responsibilities. "The Trump administration did everything in their power for four years to make the already broken immigration system as cumbersome and ineffective as possible. ... You leave yourself nowhere to go.”Ad“They’re kind of stuck in a corner,” agreed Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies think tank, which advocates on behalf of more restrictive immigration policies.
GOP struggles to define Biden, turns to culture wars instead
Read full article: GOP struggles to define Biden, turns to culture wars insteadPresident Joe Biden speaks with Mary Anna Ackley, Owner of Little Wild Things Farm, left, and Michael Siegel, Co-owner of W.S. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and the Democrats were on the brink of pushing through sprawling legislation with an eyepopping, $1.9 trillion price tag. Other GOP efforts to define Biden as a radical or to attack his mental acuity also didn't resonate. Some Republicans argue it will simply take time for the GOP to organize against Biden, given the honeymoon period most new presidents enjoy. All the while, the Biden White House is underscoring its attempts at bipartisanship, putting the Republicans on the defensive for not signing onto the broadly popular COVID relief bill.
GOP struggles to define Biden, turns to culture wars instead
Read full article: GOP struggles to define Biden, turns to culture wars insteadPresident Joe Biden speaks with Mary Anna Ackley, Owner of Little Wild Things Farm, left, and Michael Siegel, Co-owner of W.S. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden and the Democrats were on the brink of pushing through sprawling legislation with an eyepopping, $1.9 trillion price tag. Other GOP efforts to define Biden as a radical or to attack his mental acuity also didn't resonate. Some Republicans argue it will simply take time for the GOP to organize against Biden, given the honeymoon period most new presidents enjoy. All the while, the Biden White House is underscoring its attempts at bipartisanship, putting the Republicans on the defensive for not signing onto the broadly popular COVID relief bill.
Trump appoints flurry of allies as presidency winds down
Read full article: Trump appoints flurry of allies as presidency winds downFILE - In this Dec. 12, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington before boarding Marine One. As he prepares to exit the White House, President Donald Trump is rewarding some supporters and like-minded allies with the perks and prestige that come with serving on federal advisory boards and commissions. “But nobody does these things with more politicization than Trump,” Light said. The positions have what Light describes as “gorgeous resume value.”The number of advisory board positions has ballooned over the years. Among the most consequential of the wave of appointments has been with advisory boards at the Pentagon.
Trump books will continue after Trump leaves office
Read full article: Trump books will continue after Trump leaves officeNEW YORK – One of publishing's most thriving genres of the past four years, books about President Donald Trump, is not going to end when he leaves office. In 2021 and beyond, look for waves of releases about the Trump administration and about the president's loss to Democratic candidate Joe Biden. “But there are tens of millions of Americans who look to the Trump presidency as an important time and are fans of his administration. Center Street, a Hachette Book Group imprint, has published Donald Trump Jr., Newt Gingrich and Judge Jeanine Pirro among others. Any publisher signing with Trump or a top administration official might face the anger not just of Trump critics among the general public, but from within the industry.
Migrants quickly expelled by Trump try repeatedly to cross
Read full article: Migrants quickly expelled by Trump try repeatedly to crossA rescue helicopter couldn't land in the steep terrain, but authorities dropped water before border agents arrived and whisked them back to Tijuana, Mexico. Lopez quickly recovered and began planning another attempt to reach San Diego, where he hopes to earn a more steady living. The annual figure hasn't topped 14% since the Border Patrol began keeping track seven years ago. “It’s a little bit more of the revolving door than it used to be,” said Scott, the Border Patrol chief. Border Patrol agents may refer people for screening under the U.N. Convention Against Torture, but the bar is extremely high.
Under Trump, US no longer leads world on refugee protections
Read full article: Under Trump, US no longer leads world on refugee protectionsDemocrat Joe Biden promises to raise the annual refugee cap to 125,000 if he wins Nov. 3. As many as 1,000 refugees who were ready to travel now may not be eligible because they don't fit into one of the categories, said Mark Hetfield, president of HIAS, a refugee resettlement group. For example, many Syrians may no longer qualify because no category is for those fleeing war, he said. The Trump administration also has rolled back other humanitarian protections, like Temporary Protected Status for 400,000 immigrants fleeing natural disasters or violence. Across the globe, an Iraqi woman whose father helped the U.S. military does not know why her case stalled.
Foreign students show less zeal for US since Trump took over
Read full article: Foreign students show less zeal for US since Trump took overBefore the election, The Associated Press is examining some of his immigration policies, including restrictions on international students. Roughly 5.3 million students study outside their home countries, a number that’s more than doubled since 2001. The pandemic has only exacerbated things, including a short-lived Trump administration rule requiring international students to leave if their schools held online-only classes. The Trump administration has floated curtailing Optional Practical Training, a popular program allowing international students to work. NAFSA estimated that since 2016, the decline of new international students cost the U.S. nearly $12 billion and at least 65,000 jobs.
Top Trump adviser wants more nations to field asylum claims
Read full article: Top Trump adviser wants more nations to field asylum claimsCritics note asylum-seekers are sent to countries with high levels of violence and poverty and little infrastructure to handle asylum claims. The coronavirus struck before flights began to Honduras and El Salvador, putting those launches on hold. Biden has pledged to undo many, but not all, of Trump’s policies. With the pandemic and other issues, it is unclear how much appetite Biden would have to tackle all that Trump has done. Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were under heavy U.S. pressure to acquiesce last year, with Trump threatening at times to cut off international aid.
President Trump hails experimental antibody cocktail for his virus recovery
Read full article: President Trump hails experimental antibody cocktail for his virus recoveryA group protests the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus in the White House, Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, outside the White House in Washington. The White House, meanwhile, continued to decline to share when Trump last tested negative for the virus — which would help pinpoint when he was infected. Aides were discussing a potential photo opportunity with the president at the White House either Thursday or Friday but plans had not been finalized, according to two White House officials not authorized to publicly discuss internal deliberations. On Thursday, Trump continued to credit an experimental drug for the seemingly quick pace of his recovery. Trump received an experimental antibody drug made by Regeneron through a “compassionate use” exemption, a recognition of the above-and-beyond standard of care he receives as president.
Trump hails experimental treatment for his virus recovery
Read full article: Trump hails experimental treatment for his virus recovery(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Wednesday credited an experimental drug treatment with helping his recovery from COVID-19 and suggested his diagnosis could be a “blessing in disguise" in the nation's battle against the pandemic. In a new White House video posted Wednesday evening, Trump said his illness had shed light on an experimental antibody cocktail that he tied to his improved condition. The White House has released only limited details about his condition and treatment, leading to questions about what lies ahead for Trump. Access to Trump for White House aides has been extremely limited since his discharge. He also thanked a supporter who tweeted she “would wade though a sea of COVID infested water to vote for President Trump on November 3rd."
Trump reports 'no symptoms,' returns to downplaying virus
Read full article: Trump reports 'no symptoms,' returns to downplaying virusTrump again publicly played down the virus on Twitter after his return from a three-day hospitalization, though even more aides tested positive, including one of his closest advisers, Stephen Miller. Stocks fell on the White House news. It was not known how Ray contracted the virus, but he attended an event for military families at the White House on Sept. 27. Miller’s wife, Katie Miller, who serves as communications director to Vice President Mike Pence, had the virus earlier this year. First lady Melania Trump was isolating upstairs in the White House.