Hundreds gather to honor Mia Love during viewing at the Capitol
Love died on March 23 at 49 after fighting glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer she had battled for three years. She spent her last moments surrounded by family and friends at her home.
Her public memorial service will be held Monday, April 7, at 10 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute of Religion on the University of Utah campus, 1780 S. Campus Dr., in Salt Lake City.
Her viewing Sunday night demonstrated just how impactful Love was in her private life and as a civil servant. She held many titles, including wife, mother, mayor, member of Congress and media commentator. Her former campaign manager, Dave Hansen, said she was the best convention speaker he had ever seen, emphasizing that her efforts to memorize lines and inflections were unmatched.
'She moved people, and it was her words, and it was the way she delivered herself,' he told the Deseret News. Love entered the national political scene in 2012 with her speech at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.
Her longtime friend Sarah Haley Nitta, Director of Education and Development at Prevent Child Abuse Utah, traveled to Tampa with Love back in 2012. She told the Deseret News that Love had 'democracy in her bones.'
'She really cared about responsible policy because she wanted to build a country that would last for generations,' Nitta said, emphasizing that Love wanted her children to experience the American Dream.
'Mia was always willing to fight for the things that she believed in, and she did that. Could do that in a very assertive way, but also in a very witty way. And I think she was just such a beautiful beacon of hope for democracy,' Nitta added. 'The legacy, principles and values of the Republican Party that voted for suffrage and that voted for civil rights. She was the product of that and she represented that party in such a powerful way, that's her legacy.'
In her last open letter, she spoke about the need to give back.
'The America I know gives back. Americans, regardless of financial status, are the most giving people on the planet,' she wrote. 'On their own, without government requirement, our people give their money, their time and their attention to causes, communities and people in need whether it is across the street or around the world. I've experienced this generosity throughout my life and during my battle with cancer. I am so grateful.'
Her friend of 15 years, DeLaina Tonks, Executive Director, Mountain Heights Academy, said giving back is an attribute Love exemplified.
'What her dad told her when she was growing up is 'you will give back,' and that is the same thing she taught her children. It's what she's taught my children. It's what she's taught her friends,' Tonks told the Deseret News. 'That we're here to make a difference in the world, to make the world better, to leave it better than we found it. And she has done that, and my expectation is that we will all follow in her footsteps and leave the world a little bit better than we found it based on her example of giving back.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
23 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Construction Warning Issued After Foreign-Born Population Plummets
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. The immigrant population across the U.S. has dropped by more than 2 million since the start of the year, triggering warnings that construction and other labor-intensive industries could face worker shortages. According to analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data by the right-leaning Center for Immigration Studies, from January to July, the total foreign-born population in the U.S. dropped by 2.2 million, the largest six-month decline ever. This decrease was entirely among noncitizens, while naturalized citizens slightly increased. Estimates suggest the illegal immigrant population fell by 1.6 million (10 percent) to 14.2 million, down from 15.8 million in January. Supporting this, there was a 10 percent decline in noncitizens from Latin America who arrived in 1980 or later, a group closely associated with illegal immigrants, the center said. However, the report caveats that the decline, which is collected from the monthly Current Population Survey of about 60,000 U.S. households, could partially be due to a "greater reluctance by immigrants to participate in the survey or to identify as foreign-born" due to strict immigration policies and enforcement put in place by the Trump administration. The analysis was released shortly before Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem announced that 1.6 million illegal immigrants have left the country since the Trump administration began in January. "In less than 200 days, 1.6 MILLION illegal immigrants have left the United States population," said Noem. "This is massive. This means safer streets, taxpayer savings, pressure off schools and hospital services and better job opportunities for Americans. Thank you, President Trump!" The DHS has said the "rapid decline in the illegal immigrant population is already being felt nationwide, from reduced strain on public services to a resurgence in local job markets." An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branded GMC SUV and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branded Ford pickup truck are parked at the U.S. Capitol on August 13, 2025 in Washington, . An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branded GMC SUV and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) branded Ford pickup truck are parked at the U.S. Capitol on August 13, 2025 in Washington, . Andrew Leyden/GETTY Potential Economic Risks In 2022, more than 30 million immigrants were part of the U.S. workforce, according to the Pew Research Center. Of these, 22.2 million were lawful immigrants, while 8.3 million were unauthorized workers. And in several industries, immigrants make up a considerable portion of workers. According to the National Association of Housebuilders, immigrants make up one in four workers in the construction industry. Noncitizens comprise 41 percent of the construction workforce in California, the highest in the nation, while in Florida and Texas 38 percent of the construction labor force is foreign-born. In New York, 37 percent of construction industry workers come from outside the U.S. While some view the immigrant decline as a boon to U.S-born workers, experts caution that a rapid reduction in labor carries some economic risks. The report notes that a tighter labor market could help less-educated U.S.-born and legal-immigrant workers, earn higher wages, as well as drawing more working-age men without a college degree back into the labor force. However, Erika Dagestan, CEO of VISIONS, an equity and inclusion nonprofit, said that declining immigration numbers could "create immediate gaps in industries that rely heavily on immigrant labor" like construction, agriculture, health care, hospitality, and service sectors. "In the long term, we'll see effects in highly skilled fields as well: immigrants play an outsize role in research, technology, and higher education," she told Newsweek. "Reduced inflows mean fewer workers in essential roles, AND also fewer innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs." Nicole Gunara, principal immigration lawyer at Manifest Law, warned that employers could "generally see productivity disruptions." "Take for example in the sector of construction, where a lack of workers can turn into significant construction delays," she told Newsweek. "These delays can have domino effects on other industries and businesses that rely on such projects being completed on time." Javier Palomarez, founder and CEO of the United States Hispanic Business Council, echoed these concerns. "The short term impacts of such a rapid decrease in the immigrant population can be catastrophic. These immigrants, aside from contributing hundreds of billions of dollars in taxes, fill critical jobs in cornerstone industries. Reduced immigrant labor in agriculture, construction, and logistics raises costs across the supply chain, driving up food, housing, and consumer prices for every American." Palomarez also pointed out that many Americans are unwilling or underqualified to fill the roles traditionally held by immigrants. "You can raise wages to remain competitive, but that money will either come out of your pocket, or the customers. You can automate, but that often requires a significant investment. Relying on domestic workers to fill those jobs is simply unrealistic, especially for industries like agriculture." Dagestan agreed, saying that U.S. born workers cannot realistically fill the gap that could be left by growing numbers of departures. "Many of these roles are ones U.S-born workers have historically been unwilling to take on due to low wages, harsh conditions, or geographic mismatch," she told Newsweek. "Even in high-skill industries, the training pipeline for U.S.-born workers is too slow to fill gaps left by reduced immigration." The American View On Immigration Reducing immigration, particularly illegal immigration, has been a long-term priority of President Donald Trump. Since his second administration began in January, border crossings have dropped significantly and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests increased by more than 200 percent in the year to June 2025. "President Trump has created the most secure border in the history of the nation and the data proves it," Trump's border czar Thomas D. Homan wrote on X in July. "We have never seen numbers this low. Never." But public opinion on immigration is shifting. Only 43 percent of U.S. adults said they approved of Trump's handling of immigration as of July, according to an AP-NORC poll of 1,437 adults. A Gallup survey conducted the same month found that Americans have grown markedly more positive toward immigration over the past year: the share wanting immigration reduced has fallen from 55 percent in 2024 to 30 percent, while a record-high 79 percent now say immigration is a good thing for the country. With illegal border crossings down sharply this year, fewer Americans support hard-line enforcement measures, and more favor offering pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S, Gallup found.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Democrats need to start using AI to help save democracy
As American democracy unravels at the hands of President Trump and his enabling congressional and Supreme Court majorities, millions of Americans are desperate to identify whatever possible countermeasures remain to slow the country's descent into fascism. The outcome of the 2026 midterms is unlikely to produce meaningful change, even if the Democrats take control of the House. Without a cooperative Senate, it will be impossible either to pass legislation or secure a conviction on impeachment charges. Oversight hearings can bring public attention to things like rampant corruption, but the threats Trump poses to the rule of law and democracy are already well-known. The courts can only do so much. There's another emerging tool, however: artificial intelligence. Trump seems to understands the transformative power of AI. Last month, the administration announced an ' AI Action Plan ' for 'winning the AI race.' Among other measures, it promises to remove 'onerous Federal regulations that hinder AI development and deployment, and seek private sector input on rules to remove.' As part of this initiative, the General Services Administration and OpenAI announced earlier this month that the company will be 'providing ChatGPT to the entire U.S. federal workforce' under a 'first-of-its-kind partnership.' Participating agencies will pay a nominal cost of $1 each for the first year to enable federal employees to 'explore and leverage AI.' The company is also 'teaming up with experienced partners Slalom and Boston Consulting Group to support secure, responsible deployment and trainings.' Last week, the AI company Anthropic likewise announced it had struck the same deal with GSA to enable federal agencies' access to its Claude model. The Trump administration's effort to streamline the federal government with AI models makes some sense. Research has shown that generative AI — particularly large language models, which consume vast amounts of data to understand and generate natural language content — can enhance government efficiency in data processing, analysis and drafting, among other potential advantages. But AI systems also increase the risk of widespread government surveillance, personalized misinformation and disinformation, systematic discrimination, lack of accountability and inaccuracy. According to a recent academic paper, 'although many studies have explored the ethical implications of AI, fewer have fully examined its democratic implications.' Trump's alliance with OpenAI head Sam Altman goes back to start of his second term, when he announced a $500 billion joint venture with OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank to build up to 20 large AI data centers. Trump called the venture 'Stargate.' The deal's details are murky, including who will have access to Stargate and how it will possibly benefit taxpayers. Although a spokesman for OpenAI told Fox News Digital that 'Sam Altman sort of planted a flag on democratic AI versus autocratic AI,' let's not forget that Altman is not a government official or employee. As a legal matter, it is unclear whether these ' fast-tracked ' deals will fully comply with traditional oversight and procurement laws and procedures. No major AI company is currently approved under the Federal Risk And Authorization Management Program, for example, which is the process for authorizing the use of cloud technologies by federal agencies. According the GSA website, the program aims to ensure 'security and protection of federal information' by imposing strict cybersecurity controls to protect against data breaches, hacking and unauthorized access, and requiring ongoing monitoring and reporting. Given that the GSA is reportedly working on 'developing a separate authorization' for generative AI systems like ChatGPT and Claude, the potential threats to national security and private citizens' personal information are significant. The Trump administration's lack of transparency also risks creating a black-box government run by proprietary algorithms that the public cannot inspect — centralizing control over federal AI in two companies whose interests clearly lie in market dominance, not the public good. This is why these kinds of decisions are best made through established legal procedures — including the Federal Competition in Contracting Act (requiring fair and open competition), the Privacy Act of 1974 (limiting how agencies can collect and disclose personal data), the Federal Records Act (requiring the proper retention and archiving of public records) and the Administrative Procedure Act (requiring public comment and input into major policy decisions). For now, OpenAI has promised that its 'goal is to ensure agencies can use AI securely and responsibly. ChatGPT Enterprise already does not use business data, including inputs or outputs, to train or improve OpenAI models. The same safeguards will apply to federal use.' This promise from Altman's company is no substitute for actual legal standards enforced by the federal government. Whether AI tools embedded in federal government systems could one day be used to sway elections to favor Trump and his cronies is a vital question. For now, what's clear is that Democrats need to get into the AI game, and fast. A Democratic political action committee called the National Democratic Training Committee recently unveiled on online course entitled 'AI For Progressive Campaigns,' which is designed to teach candidates how to use AI to help create social media content, draft speeches, craft voter outreach messaging and phone-banking scripts, conduct research into their constituencies and opponents, and develop internal training materials. The founder and CEO of the group, Kelly Dietrich, stated that 'thousands of Democratic campaigns can now leverage AI to compete at any scale.' This effort, although laudable, does not go far enough to capitalize on AI's potential to help outmaneuver authoritarianism in the U.S. There's much more that might be done, including using AI to educate citizens on the benefits of democracy, how institutions work and the facts underlying important issues; to create large-scale, moderated public deliberation and consensus around divisive issues; to detect and alert the public to manipulated media, thus combatting misinformation and disinformation and fostering public trust in an alternative to Trump; and to create and implement effective messaging strategies for alternative visions for the future of the country. AI could be American voters' best friend, not their enemy. It just needs to be asked.
Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
ACLU likens Trump's Fort Bliss migrant facility to WWII internment camps: ‘Deranged and lazy'
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) invoked President Franklin Roosevelt's internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as the Trump administration was set to open a massive detention center at Fort Bliss in Texas on Monday. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) torched the comparison, with a top official left wondering why an organization with such a name "care[s] more about illegal aliens than U.S. citizens," in comments to Fox News Digital. "Comparisons of illegal alien detention centers to internment camps used during World War II are deranged and lazy. The ACLU's smears against our brave ICE law enforcement are no doubt contributing to the more than 1,000% increase in assaults against them," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. "[The ACLU] should change their name. The facts are ICE is targeting the worst of the worst—including murderers, MS-13 gang members, pedophiles, and rapists. 70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges in the U.S. — that doesn't even include known or suspected terrorists, foreign gang members, convictions for violent crimes in foreign countries, or INTERPOL notices." On Sunday, before Fort Bliss' "Camp East Montana" center was to open at the historically pivotal military base near the U.S.–Mexico and New Mexico borders, the ACLU's regional affiliates released a joint statement calling the move "another shameful chapter" in the base's history. "The renewed use of this base to detain immigrants and stage deportations comes as the Trump administration continues to misuse military resources to deport long-standing residents and other immigrants," the release read, calling the president's mass-deportation agenda "dystopian." "President Trump's use of Fort Bliss for the nation's largest immigrant detention site is cruel and a reminder of a shameful detention legacy," added Sarah Mehta, a top official in the ACLU's Equality Division – who also called on Congress to stop DHS' agenda. "Thousands of people, including our neighbors and loved ones, will be torn from their communities while this administration enlists the military to rubberstamp its abusive agenda." Fort Bliss — named after the son-in-law of Mexican-American War hero and later President Zachary Taylor — also held a small number of German and Italian immigrants during World War II. In 1942, Roosevelt initiated an executive order targeting Americans descended from countries representing the Axis powers. The Democrat ushered in the incarceration of about 120,000 Japanese-Americans and smaller numbers of Italian and German descendants. While Fort Bliss was not a main "internment camp," it did hold small numbers of interred U.S. citizens, including as many as 70 "Issei," or first-generation Japanese-Americans living along the Pacific Coast. After the war, German scientist Wernher von Braun – a former Untersturmführer in the S.S. -- and other former Axis power-players worked there with the Americans to develop what eventually became the U.S. Space Program, now run by NASA. Considered a 38,000-soldier "megabase," it has also been a crucial staging ground for the War on Terror. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, toured Fort Bliss' new detention facility last week and told El Paso's NBC affiliate that the people who will be held there are already on their way out of the U.S. "These are people under final orders of deportation ... They have no legal right to be here," Cornyn said. El Paso's member of Congress, Democrat Veronica Escobar, disagreed. Escobar argued the $1 billion price tag would "enrich" private contractors and siphon funds from other needs in her district. As many as 5,000 detainees will be held at Fort Bliss, according to reports.
