Category: Government
Border policy Is getting more and more convoluted. That’s creating false hope for migrants.
The Biden administration and the Mexican government have made the situation at the border so confusing that even seasoned experts can’t always determine who is allowed in and who isn’t. That may be contributing to the…
Documents Show Trump Officials Used Secret Terrorism Unit to Question Lawyers at the Border
In newly disclosed records, Trump officials cited conspiracies about Antifa to justify interrogating immigration lawyers with a special terrorism unit. The documents also show that more lawyers were targeted than previously known. by Dara Lind …
‘Direct attack on the First Amendment’: Trump DOJ secretly obtained Washington Post journalists’ phone records
“When the government spies on journalists and their sources, it jeopardizes freedom of the press,” said the ACLU. by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Advocates for press freedom responded with outrage after the Washington Post reported…
Biden cancels Trump border wall projects using diverted funds
“Now they must commit to restoring protected public lands and sacred sites, and tearing down sections of wall.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer May 1, 2021 Advocacy groups and politicians on Friday welcomed the Pentagon’s…
Biden gives Congress his vision to ‘win the 21st century’ – scholars react
President Joe Biden spoke to Congress on April 28, 2021, with a historic duo flanking him: two women, one of them African American. Vice President Kamala Harris called the proceedings to order; Speaker of the House Nancy…
‘Watershed moment’ as Haaland revokes Trump-era orders, creates climate task force
“Today’s orders make certain that the Interior Department is no longer going to serve as a rubber-stamp for the coal and oil and gas industries.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Friday, April 16, 2021…
“No good choices”: HHS Is cutting safety corners to move migrant kids out of overcrowded facilities
After ignoring signs that shelters were filling quickly, agencies are scrambling to get thousands of kids out of Border Patrol jails. But new “emergency” facilities skirt safety standards, while facilities accused of abuse are still getting…
Biden’s embrace of Trump-era fentanyl ban ‘threatens to repeat past missteps,’ critics warn
One expert urged policymakers to “rethink these efforts to double down on fear-based, enforcement-first approaches, and instead invest in public health alternatives.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer April 14, 2021 After the Biden administration this…
6 Questions officials still haven’t answered after weeks of hearings on the Capitol attack
More than 15 hours of testimony failed to answer fundamental questions about the Capitol attack. Among them: Why national security officials responded differently to BLM protesters than to Trump supporters. by Joaquin Sapien and Joshua…
Schumer vows to push through ‘Republican obstruction’ and confirm Deb Haaland as Interior Secretary
The Senate majority leader said he “just filed cloture to move ahead” with the New Mexico congresswoman’s nomination. by Brett Wilkins, staff writer Tuesday, March 9, 2021 As Republican U.S. senators continued attempts to obstruct Rep….
Peace advocates welcome Biden move to limit war powers
‘We Need to Make Sure It’s Done Right’ The president and Congress, said one leading anti-war campaigner, “must work together to actually end the decades long fighting, killing, dying, and spending that is on automatic pilot.”…
Politicians face off over ESG investing
by Wade Rathke Friday, March 5, 2021 New Orleans Free marketeers are caught in a crisis of contradictions. They want to pretend that market forces exist independent of any interference from government or other factors,…
After a wave of violent threats against election workers, Georgia sees few arrests
For nearly a year, election administrators across the country weathered the pandemic while facing attacks and threats — leading many officials to resign or retire. In Georgia, little was done to prevent it from happening again….
FCC approves program to help poor families overcome digital divide during pandemic
‘Life-Changer for Millions’ “As the pandemic nears its one-year mark, it’s only gotten harder for many people to afford essential internet connections to the remote learning, work, and healthcare services they need.” by Jessica Corbett, staff…
From ‘aliens’ to ‘noncitizens’ – the Biden administration is proposing to change a legal term to recognize the humanity of non-Americans
by Kevin Johnson, University of California, Davis Wednesday, February 24, 2021 If a proposed law passes, this group of immigrants apprehended at the U.S. border near Mission, Texas, would be called ‘noncitizens,’ not ‘aliens.’ Sergio Flores…
After Trump was allowed to let lobbyist run Interior Dept., Manchin called to ‘Do what’s right’ and confirm Haaland
“The opposition to Congresswoman Haaland’s confirmation is narrow and guided by money, not the qualifications or historic importance of what the nomination of Deb Haaland will do for this country.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Tuesday,…
“Power companies get exactly what they want”: How Texas repeatedly failed to protect its power grid against extreme weather
Texas regulators and lawmakers knew about the grid’s vulnerabilities for years, but time and again they furthered the interests of large electricity providers. by Jeremy Schwartz, Kiah Collier and Vianna Davila, ProPublica/Tx Tribune Tuesday, February 23,…
‘Indian Country’ is excited about the first Native American secretary of the interior – and the promise she has for addressing issues of importance to all Americans
by Traci Morris, Arizona State University Tuesday, February 16, 2021 U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland speaks in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Oct. 1, 2018. Mark Ralston/AFP via Getty Images President Biden’s nomination of U.S. Rep. Deb Haaland of…
The IRS cashed her check. Then the late notices started coming.
A mountainous backlog of paperwork at the IRS continues to wreak havoc on America’s tax collection system — which especially hurts lower-income filers. by Lydia DePillis, ProPublica Kathy Brenneman hears plenty of taxpayer horror stories in…
Deb Haaland faces GOP backlash over role in pipeline protests
Opposition to fracking and fossil fuel pipelines “are the exact reasons Deb Haaland is the right pick for Interior secretary,” said one advocacy group. by Jake Johnson, staff writer Tuesday, February 16, 2021 Republican Sen. John…
“I don’t trust the people above me”: Riot squad cops open up about disastrous response to Capitol insurrection
Interviews with 19 current and former officers show how failures of leadership and communication put hundreds of Capitol cops at risk and allowed rioters to get dangerously close to members of Congress. by Joaquin Sapien and…
The return of the Regulators
Like them or revile them, federal agencies seem poised to regain some of their traditional powers under the new administration. But it’s not clear how far President Biden wants them to go. by Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica…
Auditor says DHS knew ‘zero-tolerance’ would split families at border
Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz told the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Thursday that the 2018 policy followed a test program in west Texas in which officials were not immediately able to reunite separated…
Congressional report reveals manufacturers ‘knowingly’ sold toxin-tainted baby food
“This is what happens when you let the food and chemical companies, not the FDA, decide whether our food is safe to eat.” by Kenny Stancil, staff writer Friday, February 5, 2021 Leading baby food manufacturers…
