Garlin Gilchrist announces Democratic bid to become Michigan's first Black governor
LANSING, Mich. — Garlin Gilchrist II, a Democrat from Detroit who is Michigan's first Black lieutenant governor, announced he's jumping into the crowded 2026 race for governor on Tuesday.
A software engineer by trade, Gilchrist vaulted from relative political obscurity in 2018 to run alongside Gov. Gretchen Whitmer , and his profile has been bolstered over the past six years by working closely with one of the nation's most high-profile Democrats.
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Sending money to family in foreign countries may be taxed more
Jun. 9—Families hoping to send money to loved ones in other countries may be hit with additional fees from a tax and spending bill proposed by the Trump administration that would slap a 3.5% tax on remittances sent by anyone who is not a U.S. citizen. The "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" passed through the House in May and is now being debated by the Senate. The budget bill has several proposed tax changes, which include taxing money sent from an estimated 40 million non-US citizens — including green card holders, temporary workers and undocumented immigrants — to family and friends in other countries. The bill had a 5% tax but was reduced to 3.5%. The bill is another way the Trump administration is hoping to dissuade immigrants, both documented and undocumented, from coming into the country and moving money out of the U.S. economy. Republicans believe the bill would increase the average take-home pay of U.S. citizens, while Democrats believe the bill and increased taxes are "a transfer of wealth from the working class to the rich," said Daniel Garcia, spokesperson for the Democratic Party of New Mexico. What is a remittance? Remittances refer to sending money from one person to another and is typically done between family members from one country to another. A person living and working in the U.S. would send money to family members typically living in a developing country, where this money is a source of income that contributes to the country's gross domestic product (GDP). Payments are typically sent using an electronic payment service or a money transfer app. Banks, credit unions and money transfer services charge a fee for processing remittances, and fees average 10%, according to the International Monetary Fund. Cryptocurrency exchanges are not as heavily regulated and can be a way to avoid additional taxes and surcharges. "Taxing remittances would amount to a form of double taxation, since migrants already pay taxes in the country where they work," Esteban Moctezuma Barragán, Mexican Ambassador, wrote in a statement. "Imposing a tax on these transfers would disproportionately affect those with the least, without accounting for their ability to pay," Barragán added. However, some believe the 3.5% tax fee would give financial support to public services and is the most "pro-worker, pro-family and pro-American legislation we've seen in decades," said Amy Barela, chairwoman of the Republican Party of New Mexico. "Let's be clear, this measure is not about targeting individuals," she wrote in a statement to the Journal. "It's about ensuring the 3.5% fee, although modest, would also have a very meaningful impact in helping offset costs associated with public services, border security, and community infrastructure — relieving some of the financial pressure on hardworking New Mexicans who continue to bear the burden of an imbalanced system." Crucial source of revenue Mexico is the second-largest receiver of personally wired money behind India, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. In 2024, Latin America received $160.9 billion, with the U.S. accounting for 96.6% of all remittances to Mexico. They also make up 20-30% of GDP in countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras. "Remittance is a very important source of revenue in our government," said Patricia Pinzón, consul of Mexico. "This would affect Mexican families and the economy in general, but I would say the basic needs of Mexican families is the most worrying thing." However, "whatever happens in one economy will affect the other," said Pinzón. "Our economies are so interrelated that everything that happens here has a consequence in Mexico," she said. "Mexicans will not stop sending money; they'll just look for alternative ways to send it." Mexican migrant workers sent 16.7% of their labor income back to their families, and more than 80% of the income remains in the U.S. economy. The average amount of remittance sent to Mexico is roughly $350 every one to two months, which "could seem like nothing for the U.S., but it's money that a whole family lives on and covers their basics in Mexico," Pinzón said.
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Smithsonian rejects Trump's attempt to fire National Portrait Gallery director
The Smithsonian Institution asserted its independence Monday evening in a statement that could be read as a rejection of President Trump's late-May firing of National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet. The Smithsonian's statement said the organization's secretary, Lonnie G. Bunch, "has the support of the Board of Regents in his authority and management of the Smithsonian." The statement suggested that all personnel decisions will be made by Bunch, not Trump. The announcement came after a much-anticipated Board of Regents meeting to discuss the fate of Sajet. The Washington Post had reported that Sajet quietly continued to show up for work each day after Trump's social media post, which said he was firing Sajet for being 'a highly partisan person, and a strong supporter of DEI.' The Smithsonian's statement Monday did not explicitly state that Sajet would remain in her position, and the institution did not respond to a Times question on that subject. But the text of the statement is clear in its intent, beginning: "In 1846, the Smithsonian was established by Congress as an independent entity." It continues: "Throughout its history, the Smithsonian has been governed and administered by a Board of Regents and a Secretary. The board is entrusted with the governance and independence of the Institution, and the board appoints a Secretary to manage the Institution." The Smithsonian's move comes shortly after the White House proposed a 12% reduction in funding to the Smithsonian in the 2026 budget — including the elimination of funding for the National Museum of the American Latino, which is in the development stages and aims to open on or near the National Mall; and the Anacostia Community Museum, which opened in 1967 and honors Black culture. The Smithsonian became a target for Trump beginning March 27, when he issued an executive order titled "Restoring truth and sanity to American history." That order demanded an end to federal funding for exhibitions and programs based on racial themes that 'divide Americans.' "Once widely respected as a symbol of American excellence and a global icon of cultural achievement, the Smithsonian Institution has, in recent years, come under the influence of a divisive, race-centered ideology," the order read. It also instructed Vice President JD Vance to remove 'improper ideology' from the Smithsonian's 21 museums and the National Zoo in Washington. The order followed Trump's ongoing attempts to reshape federal cultural institutions, including his February takeover of the Kennedy Center. One major difference between the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian: The Kennedy Center's board is appointed by the president, but the Smithsonian's board consists of officials representing all three branches of government. Vance is on the Smithsonian's Board of Regents, as is Chief Justice John G. Roberts. "Since its inception, the Smithsonian has set out to be a nonpartisan institution," the statement Monday read. "As the nation's museum, the Smithsonian must be a welcoming place of knowledge and discovery for all Americans. The Board of Regents is committed to ensuring that the Smithsonian is a beacon of scholarship free from political or partisan influence, and we recognize that our institution can and must do more to further these foundational values. "To reinforce our nonpartisan stature, the Board of Regents has directed the Secretary to articulate specific expectations to museum directors and staff regarding content in Smithsonian museums, give directors reasonable time to make any needed changes to ensure unbiased content, and to report back to the Board on progress and any needed personnel changes based on success or lack thereof in making the needed changes." Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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Trump says more troops will be deployed. Where do things stand with California protests?
Protests in Los Angeles continued to escalate late Monday, after the first contingent of National Guard troops, deployed by President Donald Trump, arrived to the city on Sunday. Late Monday news broke that Trump planned to deploy additional National Guard members to quell violent protests. Images out of L.A. showed scenes of chaos — Waymo self-driving cars lit on fire as masked protesters waved Mexican flags. At least five cars were set ablaze, according to a CBS News report. The Google-owned taxi service said they don't believe protesters intentionally targeted their vehicles but paused its service in the areas where it faced disruption. The LAPD announced they made 50 arrests during the demonstrations over the weekend. As Fox News' Bill Melugin reported, the charges included attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail, and assault with a deadly weapon on an officer. 'Five officers and five LAPD horses have sustained minor injuries, and crowds were using hand held radios to communicate law enforcement movements to each other,' Melugin reported. There was a brief reprieve in the violence early Monday, although city residents continued navigating street and freeway closures amid protests. Among the demonstrators was an interfaith group that sung hymns in front of the police, as CNN showed Monday morning. ICE agents stood behind LAPD officers. Trump announced Saturday night he would deploy 2,000 National Guardsmen to Southern California to protect federal buildings and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who were carrying out raids on migrants in the country illegally. On Monday, the Trump administration moved to also send 700 Marines to quell the protests. The troops were scheduled to arrive over the next 24 hours. 'You watch the same clips I did: cars burning, people rioting, we stopped it,' Trump said, speaking at the White House. 'If we didn't do the job, that place would be burning down just like the houses,' he added, referring to the wildfires in Los Angeles in January. 'I feel we had no choice ... We did the right thing.' While Trump says he felt his administration didn't have a choice and 'did the right thing,' California Democrats argue the president escalated the situation. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who opposed the deployment of National Guard troops, criticized Trump for sending soldiers to California in a post on X. 'U.S. Marines have served honorably across multiple wars in defense of democracy,' Newsom said. 'They shouldn't be deployed on American soil facing their own countrymen to fulfill the deranged fantasy of a dictatorial President,' he said. 'This is un-American.' Hours later, in a separate post, Newsom said he 'was just informed Trump is deploying another 2,000 Guard troops to L.A.' He claimed the first set of National Guard members Trump sent to California didn't receive food or water and only roughly 300 of them are actively deployed while the rest await their next orders in federal buildings. 'This is Reckless. Pointless. And Disrespectful to our troops,' Newsom added. Newsom urged the Trump White House to rescind the National Guard deployment on Sunday. By Monday, his administration had filed a lawsuit against the federal government. Newsom and California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced they sued the Trump administration for sending the National Guard without the governor's authorization or request during a press conference Monday. 'Donald Trump is creating fear and terror by failing to adhere to the U.S. Constitution and overstepping his authority. This is a manufactured crisis to allow him to take over a state militia, damaging the very foundation of our republic,' said Newsom. 'Every governor, red or blue, should reject this outrageous overreach,' the governor added. According to Bonta, this marks California's 24th lawsuit against the Trump White House over the past four months. Newsom urged Californians to protest peacefully. During Monday's press conference, Bonta also cautioned violent demonstrators against breaking the law to avoid arrests. L.A. Mayor Karen Bass claimed the ICE raids last week and the military presence in the city sparked increased violence over the weekend. 'If you dial back time and go to Friday, if immigration raids had not happened here, we would not have had the disorder that went on last night,' Bass said on CNN's 'The Situation Room.' 'If they see ICE, they go out, and they protest, and so it's just a recipe for pandemonium that is completely unnecessary. Nothing was happening here. Los Angeles was peaceful before Friday.' Vice President J.D. Vance told the governor to do his job. 'That's all we're asking,' he added. Trump patted himself on the back for deploying the National Guard in a post on Truth Social. 'We made a great decision in sending the National Guard to deal with the violent, instigated riots in California,' he said. 'If we had not done so, Los Angeles would have been completely obliterated.' He criticized Newsom and Bass for not accepting the federal government's help nor expressing any gratitude for it. 'Instead, they choose to lie to the People of California and America by saying that we weren't needed, and that these are 'peaceful protests,'' he wrote.
