Texas Seeks Arrest of Fleeing Democrats Amid Redistricting Showdown
More than 50 Democrats left the state in protest on Aug. 3, mostly to Illinois, New York, and Massachusetts, over plans to pass a redistricting vote that would favor Republicans.
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USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
President, mayor, police chief, social worker. Trump is a man of many hats
Alongside his Washington, D.C. takeover of local law enforcement, President Trump also vows to clear away the homeless and pave the potholes. Donald Trump's expansive view of his powers is no longer limited to those traditionally exercised by a president. With his decision to take control of D.C. police and deploy national guardsmen and FBI agents on the city's streets − citing a spree of lawlessness that isn't supported by federal crime data − the president took charge of tasks typically in the domain of the mayor and the police chief. There was more. He also vowed to clear out the homeless from encampments (though short on details about where they would go, exactly) as well as pave the streets and fill the potholes. He is a hands-on leader, he boasted, even when it comes to White House decor and his plans to build a huge ballroom and install new marble floors. "I'm announcing a historic action to rescue our nation's capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor and worse," he said at the beginning of a freewheeling news conference that stretched for more than an hour. "This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we're going to take our capital back." Why now? That wasn't entirely clear, especially at a time crime in Washington is on a significant slide. In January, The U.S. attorney's office announced that violent crime in Washington in 2024 was at a 30-year low, down 35% from 2023. So far this year, DC's Metropolitan Police Department said that as of Aug. 10, violent crime has dropped another 26%. Except for a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022 and 2023, violent crime in the District of Columbia has been steadily declining since 2012. Trump was clearly unconvinced, depicting a dystopian landscape outside the White House gates. "Our capital city has been overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals, roving mobs of wild youth, drugged out maniacs and homeless people," he said. He mentioned in particular the beating of a former staffer from the Department on Governmental Efficiency during an attempted carjacking. He suggested the reporters in the room, many of whom live in Washington, should be grateful that he was moving to protect them. Can Trump do that? Yes. Should he? Trump declared a public safety emergency in Washington − seizing control of the police department and sending 800 national guardsmen on the streets and another 120 FBI agents on night patrols. While critics argued that it wasn't necessary or wise to take these steps, they generally didn't argue that he lacked the power to do them. "He's doing this because he can," city councilman Charles Allen said. To be clear, standing on the side of law-and-order doesn't usually require a profile in courage. It has been a Republican trope since Richard Nixon and before. In recent years, it has been stoked by demands by Democrats and others for social-justice reforms in the wake of notorious cases of police brutality. Trump depicted crime as a failure of Democratic leaders and a consequence of their policies. He warned other Democratic enclaves − New York, Chicago, Los Angeles − that he just might consider taking similar steps to impose order on their streets. What particularly irked his fiercest critics was the contrast with Trump's action, or his lack of it, during what was undeniably a law-enforcement crisis in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Thousands of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, disrupting the ceremonial count of Electoral College ballots in an election he had lost and sending senators and representatives scrambling for safety. Then, Trump didn't deploy the National Guard. Afterwards, more than 1,575 people were charged with crimes. At least 600 were charged with the felony of assaulting or impeding law enforcement. Trump himself was also indicted on criminal charges for trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election that he lost – a prosecution he managed to avoid facing trial on by winning the presidency again. On the first day of his second term, Trump granted a blanket clemency to the Jan. 6 defendants. Durban: 'Political theater' to draw attention from Jeffrey Epstein This time, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin called Trump's actions "political theater" and "a typical move by this president to create chaos and uncertainty, and to draw the attention from other issues like Jeffrey Epstein." Trump was "trying to change the subject," said Durbin, one of the top Democrats who oversees the Justice Department. Trump did answer questions from reporters about the traditional business of the presidency. He discussed his vision of a "land swap" he might negotiate with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their scheduled meeting on Aug. 15 in Alaska to end the war in Ukraine. He said he would soon decide whether to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug, and he teased the ongoing trade negotiations with China. Then, yes, there was Epstein, whose case had broken back into the headlines just before Trump walked out into the White House briefing room. A federal judge denied the Trump administration's request to release testimony in the grand jury that indicted Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein's former partner who is serving her own 20-year prison sentence on sex trafficking charges. The request was part of the tamp down swirling controversy among Trump's MAGA base about whether powerful people were being protected from disclosure. As he left the briefing room, the president ignored shouted questions about the case − though like the new crackdown on crime, that topic isn't likely to go away anytime soon.
USA Today
41 minutes ago
- USA Today
'This is an emergency': 5 takeaways after Trump deploys troops in DC, takes over police
President Donald Trump laid out an aggressive plan for the federal government to take over law enforcement in Washington and teased that the same force might be coming to other cities across the country. Joined by top administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the president announced the National Guard will be deployed in the nation's capital and that the local police will be placed under federal control. "This is an emergency," Trump said. "This is a tragic emergency." The president laid out a dark portrait of the city throughout an Aug. 11 press conference, describing it as overrun by homeless people, drug addicts and other "bloodthirsty criminals" that his administration will no longer tolerate. Many residents and activists have long resisted those characterizations as false and racially motivated attacks against the city, which has lobbied for statehood in recent years. Mayor Muriel Bowser, for instance, pushed back at the president's claims of rising crime over the weekend, saying residents "are not experiencing a crime spike." But Trump and his allies have been keen on spotlighting individual violent crimes against reporters, White House aides and congressional staffers that often seize headlines and startle tourists. Democrats and other critics pointed out that Washington's homicide rate is down 32% year-to-date, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. They called Trump's move another abuse of his executive authority. Here are key takeaways from Trump's press conference. Trump administration taking over DC police Trump signed two executive orders, the first invoking the 1973 Home Rule Act, which allows the president to assume control of Washington police for 48 hours if they determine "that special conditions of an emergency nature exist..." Such a takeover can be extended with congressional approval but any request of more than 30 days must be passed into law. In a separate order, Trump ordered Hegseth to deploy National Guard troops in Washington, which also authorized him to work with governors of other states to utilize their guard as well. Key officials within the administration are now being tasked with overseeing DC's law enforcement agencies, including Bondi, who will take command of the local Metropolitan Police Department. Drug Enforcement Agency Administrator Terry Cole, who was sworn in last month, will serve as interim federal commissioner of the police department. White House spotlights DOGE staffer and other crime victims During the press conference, Trump sprinkled in many individual cases of violent crime that he argued justified his takeover, such as the May 21 fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside a downtown museum. One at the top of mind was the assault of Edward Coristine, who worked as a staffer with the Department of Government Efficiency. An Aug. 3 police report, obtained by USA TODAY, said officers observed a group of about 10 juveniles surrounding Coristine's car and assaulting him around 3 a.m. "He was left dripping in blood," Trump said. "He thought he was dead, with a broken nose and concussion. Can't believe that he's alive. He can't believe it." The president also evoked Phillip Todd, a former aide to Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, who was stabbed in 2023. Trump described the attacker, identified by police as Glynn Neal, as a "demented lunatic." In an August profile by The Washington Post, Todd, a son of Christian missionaries, said that he had forgiven Neal and was rethinking his views on crime and punishment. Chicago, other cities could see federal oversight, Trump warns While ticking off individual cases, Trump noted that his Washington takeover might be brought to cities including Chicago; Baltimore; Los Angeles and Oakland, California. Those Democratic-controlled cities and states, Trump said, have adopted left-leaning policies, such "no cash bail" rules, that he blamed for violent crime. "This issue directly impacts the functioning of the federal government, and is a threat to America, really," he said. "It's a threat to our country. We have other cities also that are bad, very bad." Chicago was in the news earlier this summer for a historic drop in crime that Mayor Brandon Johnson, who Trump called out during the press conference, has touted. "This reduction in hate crimes and of violence generally is a testament to what's possible when we invest in people and community safety in a holistic way," Johnson said in a July 18 statement that credited "strategic, constitutional policing" and "jobs for young people, access to mental health care, and housing people can afford." Similar trends have occurred in Baltimore, which has seen a 24% decrease in homicides and an 18% decline in nonfatal shootings, according to Mayor Brandon Scott. In a statement to USA TODAY, the Democratic Mayor's Association said federal intervention isn't needed and argued the president is looking to create a "political charade" to distract voters. "Let's be clear: Crime is down in most major cities − including Washington, DC − in spite of Donald Trump, not because of him," the group said. "If Trump actually cared about reducing crime, he wouldn't have made unprecedented cuts to public safety programs that actually work." Congress' takeover of Washington could come next Trump's crackdown in Washington could be followed by further changes, specifically to its home rule status, which is often a favorite punching bag for congressional Republicans. Ahead of the president's press conference, Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, declared that now is the time for lawmakers to take control of the city. "We should pass the BOWSER Act in September and return full control of Washington to Congress,' Lee said in an Aug. 11 post on X. The bill, dubbed 'Bringing Oversight to Washington and Safety to Every Resident' was introduced earlier this year, and was named after Bowser as a criticism of crime and alleged corruption in the city. Lee co-sponsored the measure with Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tennessee, and cited an ongoing scandal involving a Washington police commander who in July was suspended for allegedly changing crime stats. He also noted how in some news reports local residents said they were afraid to speak out about crime. Trump appeared to allude to the Ogles-Lee proposal to rescind home rule. "We're going to change the statue, and I'm going to have to get the Republicans to vote, because the Democrats are weak on crime," he said. Democrat point fingers on DC statehood while others focus on Trump National Democrats took a few swings at Trump's declaration, casting it as a political ploy more than a fight to improve public safety. "The most violent cities are in Republican states − and there's no takeover happening there," Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Connecticut, a rumored 2028 presidential contender, said in a post on X. "This is just another attempt to distract from Trump's corruption and suppress dissent." Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a former Democratic vice presidential nominee, described Trump's announcement in stark terms, saying on X: "The road to authoritarianism is littered with people telling you you're overreacting." But some Democrats said the party failed to protect Washington when it had the chance four years ago when Joe Biden was still president and they ran Congress. "Trump is going to federalize D.C.," Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-California, said in an Aug. 11 post on X. "Senate Dems could have stopped this when we had power," he added "In 2021, the House voted to make D.C. a state, but a few Senate Dems flinched and genuflected to the filibuster. Now, DC will be under an aspiring dictator's control."
Chicago Tribune
41 minutes ago
- Chicago Tribune
President Donald Trump's big bill is powering his mass deportations. Congress is starting to ask questions.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan visited Capitol Hill just weeks after Inauguration Day, with other administration officials and a singular message: They needed money for the White House's border security and mass deportation agenda. By summer, Congress delivered. The Republican Party's big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts that Trump signed into law July 4 included what's arguably the biggest boost of funds yet to the Department of Homeland Security — nearly $170 billion, almost double its annual budget. The staggering sum is powering the nation's sweeping new Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, delivering gripping scenes of people being pulled off city streets and from job sites across the nation — the cornerstone of Trump's promise for the largest domestic deportation operation in American history. Homeland Security confirmed over the weekend ICE is working to set up detention sites at certain military bases. 'We're getting them out at record numbers,' Trump said at the White House bill signing ceremony. 'We have an obligation to, and we're doing it.' The crush of new money is setting off alarms in Congress and beyond, raising questions from lawmakers in both major political parties who are expected to provide oversight. The bill text provided general funding categories — almost $30 billion for ICE officers, $45 billion for detention facilities, $10 billion for the office of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — but few policy details or directives. Homeland Security recently announced $50,000 ICE hiring bonuses. And it's not just the big bill's fresh infusion of funds fueling the president's agenda of 1 million deportations a year. In the months since Trump took office, his administration has been shifting as much as $1 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other accounts to pay for immigration enforcement and deportation operations, lawmakers said. 'Your agency is out of control,' Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told Noem during a Senate committee hearing in the spring. The senator warned that Homeland Security would 'go broke' by July. Noem quickly responded that she always lives within her budget. But Murphy said later in a letter to Homeland Security, objecting to its repurposing funds, that ICE was being directed to spend at an 'indefensible and unsustainable rate to build a mass deportation army,' often without approval from Congress. This past week, the new Republican chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York, along with a subcommittee chairman, Rep. Michael Guest of Mississippi, requested a briefing from Noem on the border security components of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, or OBBBA, which included $46 billion over the next four years for Trump's long-sought U.S.-Mexico border wall. 'We write today to understand how the Department plans to outlay this funding to deliver a strong and secure homeland for years to come,' the GOP lawmakers said in a letter to the homeland security secretary, noting border apprehensions are at record lows. 'We respectfully request that you provide Committee staff with a briefing on the Department's plan to disburse OBBBA funding,' they wrote, seeking a response by Aug. 22. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Associated Press the department is in daily discussions with the committee 'to honor all briefing requests including the spend plan for the funds allocated' through the new law. 'ICE is indeed pursuing all available options to expand bedspace capacity,' she said. 'This process does include housing detainees at certain military bases, including Fort Bliss.' All together, it's what observers on and off Capitol Hill see as a fundamental shift in immigration policy — enabling DHS to reach far beyond the U.S. southern border and deep into communities to conduct raids and stand up detention facilities as holding camps for immigrants. The Defense Department, the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies are being enlisted in what Kathleen Bush-Joseph, an analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, calls a 'whole of government' approach. 'They're orienting this huge shift,' Bush-Joseph said, as deportation enforcement moves 'inward.' The flood of cash comes when Americans' views on immigration are shifting. Polling showed 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a 'good thing' for the country, having jumped substantially from 64% a year ago, according to Gallup. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults say immigration is a bad thing right now. At the same time, Trump's approval rating on immigration has slipped. According to a July AP-NORC poll, 43% of U.S. adults said they approved of his handling of immigration, down slightly from 49% in March. Americans are watching images of often masked officers arresting college students, people at Home Depot lots, parents, workers and a Tunisian musician. Stories abound of people being whisked off to detention facilities, often without allegations of wrongdoing beyond being unauthorized to remain in the U.S. Detention centers are being stood up, from 'Alligator Alcatraz' in Florida to the repurposed federal prison at Leavenworth, Kansas, and the proposed new 'Speedway Slammer' in Indiana. Flights are ferrying migrants not just home or to El Salvador's notorious mega-prison but far away to Africa and beyond. Homan has insisted in recent interviews those being detained and deported are the 'worst of the worst,' and he dismissed as 'garbage' the reports showing many of those being removed have not committed violations beyond their irregular immigration status. 'There's no safe haven here,' Homan said recently outside the White House. 'We're going to do exactly what President Trump has promised the American people he'd do.' Back in February, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, the Republican chairman of the Budget Committee, emerged from their private meeting saying Trump administration officials were 'begging for money.' As Graham got to work, Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, the chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and a leading deficit hawk, proposed an alternative border package, at $39 billion, a fraction of the size. But Paul's proposal was quickly dismissed. He was among a handful of GOP lawmakers who joined all Democrats in voting against the final tax and spending cuts bill.
