Trump Asks Supreme Court To Let Federal Layoffs Move Forward
Amanda M. Castro is a Newsweek Live Blog Editor based in New York. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, breaking news, consumer topics, and entertainment. She specializes in delivering in-depth news and live blog reporting and has experience covering U.S. presidential debates, awards shows, and more. Amanda joined Newsweek in 2024 from the The U.S. Sun and is a graduate of the University of New Haven.
You can get in touch with Amanda by emailing a.castro@newsweek.com.
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Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Multiple immigration sweeps reported across L.A., with a tense standoff downtown
In a show of force in the heart of Los Angeles, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on Friday carried out a series of immigration sweeps, including two downtown that sparked a tense standoff. Videos showed federal agents running after people in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Westlake, not far from downtown Los Angeles. A man recording the video can be heard warning people in Spanish that immigration officials were at the location and to stay away. Another raid occurred at a business in the Garment District near 9th and Towne streets, with agents in riot gear detaining workers at a clothing store as dozens of people began to gather outside. As workers were hauled off in cuffs, throngs of people yelled at the agents and held up cellphones to record them, according to videos of the showdown. One person threw eggs at one of the vehicles as agents pushed members of the public back, the videos showed. In the street, immigrant-rights advocates stood on a bed of a truck, using megaphones to speak to the workers inside the store, reminding them of their constitutional rights and instructing them not to sign anything or say anything to federal agents. They also told the agents that lawyers wanted access to the workers, and sometimes called out specific names. 'I want to talk to my clients Luis Lopez and Michel Garcia. We are here," one person could be heard saying. "The community is here with you. Your family is here with you." Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of ICE, said federal agents in downtown Los Angeles were executing search warrants related to the harboring of people illegally in the country. At least 44 people were arrested and one for obstructing No other details were provided. The raids are the latest in a string of high-profile immigration enforcement actions over the last week, part of President Trump's promised deportation crackdown. A few days ago, immigration agents raided a popular San Diego restaurant and made arrests, sparking a standoff with outraged residents. Agents also arrested Chinese and Taiwanese nationals at an underground nightclub in the Los Angeles area. Officials from the Service Employees International Union said in a statement that its California president, David Huerta, was detained and injured during a downtown raid "while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity." An SEIU spokesperson said Huerta was taken to LA County General Hospital for his injuries and later released into federal custody. In a post on X, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant at a LA worksite "when David Huerta deliberately obstructed their access by blocking their vehicle." he wrote. "He was arrested for interfering with federal officers and will face arraignment in federal court on Monday." Friday's actions were met with criticism from L.A. leaders, who oppose the immigration crackdown. "These actions are escalating: agents arrive without warning and leave quickly, aware that our communities mobilize fast," Los Angeles Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said in a statement. "I urge Angelenos to stay alert." Mayor Karen Bass said that such raids "sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city... We will not stand for this.' Among the names immigration advocates called out Friday during the downtown L.A. raid was that of Marco Garcia, 37. Outside, his daughter, 18-year-old Katia Garcia, peered into the store as federal agents swept through the location. "I'm in disbelief," she said. "I can't believe this is happening." Katia Garcia, a U.S. citizen, said she was notified about her father's situation by phone, left school and headed to the clothing store. She said her father is undocumented and has been in the U.S. for 20 years. "We never thought this would happen to us," she said. The crowd remained mostly peaceful, but photos and videos of the scene showed some unmarked vehicles used by ICE had been vandalized with graffiti. As agents whisked away workers in white SUVs, members of the crowd walked and ran alongside the vehicles, videos from the scene showed. At one point, a man backpedaling in front of a departing SUV was nearly run over when he tripped and fell in front of the vehicle. The SUV reversed and sped around him, the videos showed. Two miles away, near the intersection of 15th Street and Santa Fe Avenue, FBI agents were spotted at a warehouse associated with the raid at 9th and Towne streets. A crowd had gathered outside the gates of the business, where agents arrested Huerta. Ilse Escobar, a United Teachers Los Angeles political organizer, told The Times she saw a scuffle take place before seeing Huerta being thrown to the ground by a federal agent. "I told him, you just arrested a labor union president," Escobar said. The Los Angeles Fire Department said at least one person was transported to a local hospital from that location. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a written statement that his department was aware that ICE was conducting operations in the city. 'I'm aware that these actions cause anxiety for many Angelenos, so I want to make it clear: the LAPD is not involved in civil immigration enforcement," he said. "While the [department] will continue to have a visible presence in all our communities to ensure public safety, we will not assist or participate in any sort of mass deportations nor will the LAPD try to determine an individual's immigration status." McDonnell said since 1979, the department's policy has barred officers from initiating police action solely to determine a person's immigration status, and it will continue to focus on reducing crime and enhancing public safety. "I want everyone, including our immigrant community, to feel safe calling the police in their time of need and know that the LAPD will be there for you without regard to one's immigration status," he said. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has pushed ICE to start making at least 3,000 arrests a day, an effort that is reflected in the rising detention numbers by ICE, which have topped more than 50,000 for the first time since Trump's first presidency, according to Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a nonprofit that tracks the federal government's enforcement activities. This week, CBS reported that ICE had recorded 2,000 arrests each day, a dramatic increase from the daily average of 660 arrests reported by the agency during Trump's first 100 days back at the White House. Ron Gochez, a member of Unión del Barrio, an independent political organization advocating for immigrant rights and social justice, said his group has been "flooded" with calls about immigration sweeps taking place. "There were ICE agents at a Home Depot in Cypress Park, there's ICE agents at Wilshire Boulevard and Union Avenue, a construction site in North Hollywood and in South L.A.," he said in a phone interview. "They're everywhere." Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
The Surprising Impact of Trump's Tariffs On American Farmers
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. American farmers are once again caught in the crossfire of Trump's trade wars. Despite a 90-day tariff truce with China, they continue to face rising export costs for soybeans, corn and pork, along with effects from earlier retaliatory tariffs and export restrictions. The numbers tell a stark story. U.S. soybean exports to China experienced a significant decline during the height of trade tensions. According to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), from mid-2018 to the end of 2019, retaliatory tariffs imposed by six major trading partners—Canada, China, Turkey, Mexico, the EU, and India—resulted in estimated losses of over $27 billion in U.S. agricultural exports. Soybeans alone accounted for more than 70 percent of those losses. The financial strain has left many farmers relying on taxpayer-funded bailouts. "Input costs for farmers remain a challenging factor, further compounded by ongoing uncertainty in markets," Evan Hultine, Vice President of Illinois Farm Bureau (IFB), told Newsweek. "It's hard enough to market in the weather, let alone add the volatility within the markets." Despite the economic toll, political loyalty to Trump among many farmers has remained strong. However, analysts warn the cycle of trade disruption and federal compensation is not only unsustainable but damaging to the long-term health of American agriculture. "I don't think farmers support protectionist trade policies—they support Trump for other reasons—mainly social or cultural issues—even though trade wars are bad for their bottom lines," Tad DeHaven, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute and former Senate policy adviser told Newsweek. DeHaven's analysis highlights a paradox. While Trump's trade wars have hurt farmers financially, the Trump administration sought to "buy off" the agricultural sector with billions in subsidies. "Farmers were bailed out by taxpayers in the first Trump administration," he said. "Knowing that they would likely be bailed out again, farmers were more willing to accept the economic pain." That pain, however, was significant. During Trump's first term, China—previously the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans—retaliated against U.S. tariffs with tariffs of their own. Even after a 2020 trade agreement partially restored soybean exports, the damage had been done. According to DeHaven, China, along with other trading partners, began shifting to more reliable suppliers, like Brazil and Argentina. "Rather than stabilize agricultural production, [Trump's] tariff-driven bailouts deepened dependency and inefficiency," he noted. "They introduced uncertainty and compelled importers in countries like China to source more of their ag imports from other countries." Illinois Farm Bureau/Catrina Rawson Analysts observe that Chinese importers are now turning to South America for poultry and pork and eyeing Australia for wheat, sorghum and barley. Canada and Mexico, also targeted by Trump's trade barbs, have begun diversifying their import portfolios away from the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. farmers are being squeezed on the cost side. Tariffs on steel and aluminum have driven up the cost of farm equipment, while trade restrictions have made key inputs like fertilizer more expensive. Canada, the largest supplier of potash—a vital fertilizer ingredient—has faced barriers under Trump-era trade policies, contributing to higher input prices at home. "Increased tariffs mean reduced market access and higher costs," DeHaven said. "Trump effectively treats all imports as bad, but U.S. agriculture depends on open markets both to sell goods and buy inputs affordably." To offset the fallout from these policies, Trump's first term saw $23 billion in direct payments to farmers. And the cycle is poised to repeat. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has already announced a new $10 billion round of taxpayer-funded farm bailouts authorized in late 2024. But experts warn this model is unsustainable. "If history repeats itself, American farmers—caught once again in the crossfire of economic nationalism—will be left with fewer markets, more expensive supplies and increased reliance on federal aid," DeHaven said. "For taxpayers, the bill will be high. And for U.S. trade credibility, the cost may be even greater." Illinois Farm Bureau/Catrina Rawson On May 15, Sec. Rollins visited the UK to strengthen ties and champion U.S. farmers and ranchers. Over the next five months, she'll tour Japan, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Italy and India to open new markets and boost exports. USDA spokesperson Seth W. Christensen told Newsweek that Sec. Rollins top priorities are increasing access for American products in existing markets, opening new markets with strong demand for our products and making sure trading partners are treating American farmers, ranchers and producers fairly. Meanwhile, Hultine said the IFB continues to push for a five-year Farm Bill, emphasizing the need for consistent support and strategic market development both domestically and globally. DeHaven believes that the key lies in shifting away from reactionary financial relief and toward trade liberalization. He argues that rather than insulating farmers with bailouts, the government should support policies that expand trade, giving farmers greater access to global markets and reducing the cost of essential inputs like machinery, fertilizer, and herbicides. Instead, the administration's trade policies have limited market access for U.S. goods, creating challenges for the agricultural sector that it publicly champions.
7 hours ago
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, newly returned to US, appears in court on charges of trafficking migrants
Mistakenly deported Salvadoran native Kilmar Abrego Garcia appeared in a Tennessee courtroom Friday, hours after he was brought back to the United States to face criminal charges for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the U.S. More than two months after the Trump administration admitted it mistakenly deported Abrego Garcia from Maryland to his native El Salvador, a federal grand jury has indicted him for allegedly transporting undocumented migrants within the United States. A two-count indictment, which was filed under seal in federal court in Tennessee last month and unsealed Friday, alleges Abrego Garcia, 29, participated in a yearslong conspiracy to haul undocumented migrants from Texas to the interior of the country. The return of Abrego Garcia from his native El Salvador follows a series of court battles in which the Trump administration repeatedly said it was unable to bring him back, drawing the country toward the brink of a constitutional crisis when the administration failed to heed the Supreme Court's order to facilitate his return. He made his initial court appearance Friday evening in the Middle District of Tennessee, answering "Yes, I understand" in Spanish when U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Holmes asked him if he understood the charges against him. Judge Homes set a hearing for June 13, where Abrego Garcia will be arraigned on charges and the judge will take up the government's motion to hold him in pre-trial detention on the grounds that he "poses a danger to the community and a serious risk of flight" He will remain in federal custody in Tennessee pending next week's hearing. "If convicted at trial, the defendant faces a maximum punishment of 10 years' imprisonment for 'each alien' he transported," said the government's motion for detention, which also contained an allegation -- not included in the indictment -- that one of Abrego Garcia's co-conspirators told authorities that Abrego Garcia participated in the murder of a rival gang member's mother in El Salvador. Abrego Garcia's attorney, in an online press briefing, called the charges against his client "an abuse of power." "They'll stop at nothing at all -- even some of the most preposterous charges imaginable -- just to avoid admitting that they made a mistake, which is what everyone knows happened in this case," said attorney Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg. "Mr. Garcia is going to be vigorously defending the charges against him," the attorney said. The decision to pursue the indictment against Abrego Garcia led to the abrupt departure of Ben Schrader, a high-ranking federal prosecutor in Tennessee, sources briefed on Schrader's decision told ABC News. Schrader's resignation was prompted by concerns that the case was being pursued for political reasons, the sources said. Schrader, who spent 15 years in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Nashville and was most recently the chief of the criminal division, declined to comment when contacted by ABC News. The alleged conspiracy spanned nearly a decade and involved the domestic transport of thousands of noncitizens from Mexico and Central America, including some children, in exchange for thousands of dollars, according to the indictment. Abrego Garcia is alleged to have participated in more than 100 such trips, according to the indictment. Among those allegedly transported were members of the Salvadoran gang MS-13, sources familiar with the investigation said. Abrego Garcia is the only member of the alleged conspiracy charged in the indictment. Attorney General Pam Bondi, at a Friday afternoon press conference, thanked Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for "agreeing to return Abrego Garcia to the United States." "Our government presented El Salvador with an arrest warrant and they agreed to return him to our country," Bondi said. Bondi said that if Abrego Garcia is convicted of the charges, upon the completion of his sentence he will be deported back to his home country of El Salvador. "The grand jury found that over the past nine years, Abrego Garcia has played a significant role in an alien smuggling ring," Bondi said. "They found this was his full time job, not a contractor. He was a smuggler of humans and children and women. He made over 100 trips, the grand jury found, smuggling people throughout our country." In a statement to ABC News, Abrego Garcia's attorney said that he's going to keep fighting to ensure Abrego Garcia receives a fair trial. "From the beginning, this case has made one thing painfully clear: The government had the power to bring him back at any time. Instead, they chose to play games with the court and with a man's life," Sandoval-Moshenberg said. "We're not just fighting for Kilmar -- we're fighting to ensure due process rights are protected for everyone. Because tomorrow, this could be any one of us -- if we let power go unchecked, if we ignore our Constitution." Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran native who had been living with his wife and children in Maryland, was deported in March to El Salvador's CECOT mega-prison -- despite a 2019 court order barring his deportation to that country due to fear of persecution -- after the Trump administration claimed he was a member of the criminal gang MS-13. His wife and attorneys deny that he is an MS-13 member. The Trump administration has acknowledged in court filings that Abrego Garcia's removal to El Salvador in March was in error, because it violated a U.S. immigration court order in 2019 that shielded Abrego Garcia from deportation to his native country, according to immigration court records. An immigration judge had determined that Abrego Garcia would likely face persecution there by local gangs that had allegedly terrorized him and his family. The administration argued, however, that Abrego Garcia should not be returned to the U.S. because he is a member of the transnational Salvadoran gang MS-13, a claim his family and attorneys have denied. In recent weeks, Trump administration officials have been publicizing Abrego Garcia's interactions with police over the years, despite a lack of corresponding criminal charges. After Abrego Garcia's family filed a lawsuit over his deportation, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the United States. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that ruling on April 10. Abrego Garcia was initially sent to El Salvador's notorious CECOT prison but was believed to have later been transferred to a different facility in the country. The criminal investigation that led to the charges was launched in April as federal authorities began scrutinizing the circumstances of a 2022 traffic stop of Abrego Garcia by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, according to the sources. Abrego Garcia was pulled over for speeding in a vehicle with eight passengers and told police they had been working construction in Missouri. According to body camera footage of the 2022 traffic stop, the Tennessee troopers -- after questioning Abrego Garcia -- discussed among themselves their suspicions that Abrego Garcia might be transporting people for money because nine people were traveling without luggage, but Abrego Garcia was not ticketed or charged. The officers ultimately allowed Abrego Garcia to drive on with just a warning about an expired driver's license, according to a report about the stop released last month by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Asked what circumstances have changed since Abrego Garcia was not taken in custody during that traffic stop in Tennessee, Bondi replied, "What has changed is Donald Trump is now president of the United States, and our borders are again secure, and thanks to the bright light that has been shined on Abrego Garcia -- this investigation continued with actually amazing police work, and we were able to track this case and stop this international smuggling ring from continuing." Asked by ABC News' Pierre Thomas asked whether this should be seen as resolving the separate civil case in Maryland in which a federal judge ordered the government to facilitate Abrego Garcia's return, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "There's a big difference between what the state of play was before the indictment and after the indictment. And so the reason why he is back and was returned was because an arrest warrant which was presented to the government and in El Salvador. So there's, there's a big difference there as far as whether it makes the ongoing litigation in Maryland moot. I would think so, but we don't know about this. He just landed today." As ABC News first reported last month, the Justice Department had been quietly investigating the Tenessee traffic stop. As part of the probe, federal agents in late April visited a federal prison in Talladega, Alabama to question Jose Ramon Hernandez-Reyes, a convicted felon who was the registered owner of the vehicle Abrego Garcia was driving when stopped on Interstate 40 east of Nashville, sources previously told ABC News. Hernandez-Reyes was not present at the traffic stop. Hernandez-Reyes, 38, is currently serving a 30-month sentence for illegally re-entering the U.S. after a prior felony conviction for illegal transportation of aliens. After being granted limited immunity, Hernandez-Reyes allegedly told investigators that he previously operated a "taxi service" based in Baltimore. He claimed to have met Abrego Garcia around 2015 and claimed to have hired him on multiple occasions to transport undocumented migrants from Texas to various locations in the United States, sources told ABC News. When details of the Tennessee traffic stop were first publicized, Abrego Garcia's wife said her husband sometimes transported groups of fellow construction workers between job sites. "Unfortunately, Kilmar is currently imprisoned without contact with the outside world, which means he cannot respond to the claims," Jennifer Vasquez Sura said in mid-April. Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who flew to El Salvador and met with Abrego Garcia shortly after his deportation, said Friday that the Trump administration had "relented" regarding his return. "After months of ignoring our Constitution, it seems the Trump Admin has relented to our demands for compliance with court orders and due process for Kilmar Abrego Garcia," Van Hollen posted on X. "This has never been about the man -- it's about his constitutional rights & the rights of all." Abrego Garcia entered the U.S. illegally as a teenager in 2012, according to court records. He had been living in Maryland for the past 13 years, and married Vasquez Sura, a U.S. citizen, in 2019. The couple has one child together.
