DHS Remembers Victims of Serious Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants
'For too long, politicians turned a blind eye to the suffering of American citizens while protecting criminal illegal aliens. That ended on January 20,' the department's Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an Aug. 6 statement.
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San Francisco Chronicle
26 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
What to know about how Trump's judicial picks could reshape abortion rights for decades
CHICAGO (AP) — A review by The Associated Press shows that several of President Donald Trump's nominees to the federal courts have revealed anti-abortion views, been associated with anti-abortion groups or defended abortion restrictions. Several have helped defend their state's abortion restrictions in court and some have been involved in cases with national impact, including on access to medication abortion. While Trump has said issues related to abortion should be left to the states, the nominees, with lifetime appointments, would be in position to roll back abortion rights long after Trump leaves the White House. Trump has been inconsistent on abortion Trump has repeatedly shifted his messaging on abortion, often giving contradictory or vague answers. In the years before his most recent presidential campaign, Trump had voiced support for a federal ban on abortion on or after 20 weeks in pregnancy and said he might support a national ban around 15 weeks. He later settled on messaging that decisions about abortion access should be left to the states. Throughout his campaign, Trump has alternated between taking credit for appointing the Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade and striking a more neutral tone. That's been an effort to navigate the political divide between his base of anti-abortion supporters and the broader public, which largely supports access to abortion. Many nominees have anti-abortion backgrounds One Trump nominee called abortion a 'barbaric practice" while another referred to himself as a 'zealot' for the anti-abortion movement. A nominee from Tennessee said abortion deserves special scrutiny because 'this is the only medical procedure that terminates a life.' One from Missouri spread misinformation about medication abortion, including that it 'starves the baby to death in the womb' in a lawsuit aiming to challenge the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. Legal experts and abortion rights advocates warn of a methodical remaking of the federal courts in a way that could pose enduring threats to abortion access nationwide. Bernadette Meyler, a professor of constitutional law at Stanford University, said judicial appointments 'are a way of federally shaping the abortion question without going through Congress or making a big, explicit statement.' 'It's a way to cover up a little bit what is happening in the abortion sphere compared to legislation or executive orders that may be more visible, dramatic and spark more backlash,' she said. The nominees represent Trump's 'promises' to Americans, White House says Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, said 'every nominee of the President represents his promises to the American people and aligns with the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling.' 'The Democrats' extreme position on abortion was rejected in November in favor of President Trump's commonsense approach, which allows states to decide, supports the sanctity of human life, and prevents taxpayer funding of abortion,' Fields said in a statement to the AP. Trump focused primarily on the economy and immigration during his 2024 campaign, the issues that surveys showed were the most important topics for voters. Anti-abortion groups, abortion rights advocates respond Anti-abortion advocates say it's premature to determine whether the nominees will support their objectives but that they're hopeful based on the names put forth so far. Abortion rights advocates said Trump is embedding abortion opponents into the judiciary one judge at a time 'This just feeds into this larger strategy where Trump has gotten away with distancing himself from abortion, saying he's going to leave it to the states, while simultaneously appointing anti-abortion extremists at all levels of government,' said Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Bald eagles hatched in Piedmont. It turned into a neighborhood reckoning with patriotism
Lo Bloustein was looking through the viewfinder of her camera to a bald eagle nest in the distance when she noticed tears rolling down the face of the woman next to her. Bloustein pulled the stranger into her arms, Bloustein's own eyes now shimmering with tears. The two women had never met before that moment but were brought together by the arrival of two bald eagle fledglings in a massive nest visible from Moraga Avenue in Piedmont. Tomiko Eya, a resident of the neighborhood, wasn't crying because she was moved by the birds nested in a eucalyptus tree, but because she was concerned about the state of the country. American iconography like the American flag and the bald eagle have long been fraught symbols for some. And as President Donald Trump continues to dismantle the rights of marginalized communities like transgender people and immigrants, long-held symbols of the federal government and freedom feel especially loaded for some Americans. 'I can't believe we're going backwards,' Eya said, looking out toward the baby birds that will grow to resemble the iconic visage of the national bird. Put on the endangered species list in 1967, bald eagles have made a modest comeback in the Bay Area. But, observers say, this is the first time in recent memory that a bald eagle pair in the area has successfully hatched their eggs. In 2023, a mating pair attempted to nest in Alameda but never produced offspring. On a sunny day in late July, there were almost 30 people standing on the sidewalk next to Eya and Bloustein. Cars slowed in front of the crowd, their drivers befuddled by the streetside gathering. Bloustein beckoned for them to pull over and come take a look through her cameras, which had been focused toward the nest in a eucalyptus tree for hours. Since early April, when a neighbor spotted the twin silhouettes of the hatchlings, the neighborhood has been captivated by the family of four. Now, a fledgling covered in brown feathers — their renowned white feathers won't come in for a few years — stood at the edge of the nest, stretching its wings. For some onlookers like Eya and Bloustein, the birds — and their place in American iconography — bring up difficult feelings as a political divide deepens between citizens. The last few years have seen a flood of protests for racial justice, immigrant rights and trans rights. And while some protesters want to reclaim the American flag for the left, white supremacists and conservatives have also raised the American flag as a symbol of nationalism. 'It's the same with the flag — how do you feel looking at the flag right now?' Bloustein said to herself. 'Rage and fear. I have such a hard time right now with America in general.' The bald eagle has been a symbol of America since 1782, when it was first featured on the Great Seal of the United States. Over the years, the eagle has come to adorn federal and state buildings, money and military uniforms. But it didn't become the national bird until 2024, when former President Joe Biden gave it that official designation. As a youth, Eya attended schools in Chicago and Los Angeles, where she said the bald eagle seemed exclusively symbolic of the federal government. But her family history has complicated her view of American iconography. Eya's father was incarcerated alongside other Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II at Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas — another state where bald eagles are known to hatch and raise their young. Her father's incarceration and the racial discrimination he faced after the war made him lean into patriotism, she said. 'It was such a horrible experience for him,' she said. 'And it made him more conservative, if you can believe it. He wanted to be as American as he could be.' That trauma trickled down to Eya, too, but transformed her into a self-identified radical from a young age. 'My parents wanted me to be as white as I could be, to shut my mouth, which was very hard for me,' she said. 'I've never been that quiet.' Before her father passed, Eya gave him an American flag for his birthday. But she'd never have one at her own home because she associates it with Japanese incarceration, slavery and other acts of state-sanctioned violence. Still, she doesn't want to put blame on a wild animal for something humans have projected onto it. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she looked out at the tree, where one of the fledglings was spreading its wings. 'I sort of separate it out because I don't want to put any negativity on the eagles,' Eya said. Bloustein, who lives in San Francisco, agreed. 'When Trump was elected, I started going out to Holly Park at dawn because I needed to see the sunrise and the birds — things that the government couldn't f— up,' she said.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Trump Envoy Slammed for 'Damaging Incompetence' Over Putin Talks
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. President Donald Trump's U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff has been slammed for "damaging incompetence" over his talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Posting on X, formerly Twitter, Michael McFaul, who served in the Barack Obama administration, including as U.S. ambassador to the Russian Federation, reacted to reports that Witkoff presented conflicting narratives about Putin's intentions in several calls with European leaders last week, creating confusion. Newsweek was unable to verify these reports and contacted Witkoff and the White House outside of normal business hours for comment. Why It Matters One of Trump's pledges during the 2024 presidential campaign was to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office, but he has thus far failed to do so. In a renewed attempt to broker a peace deal between the warring countries, Witkoff met Putin on Wednesday for three hours of talks in what was his fifth trip to Moscow in his capacity as Trump's envoy. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting in Moscow on August 6, 2025. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting in Moscow on August 6, 2025. Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP What To Know According to The Wall Street Journal, Witkoff presented Putin's ceasefire plan to European officials after he met with the Russian leader. Citing anonymous sources, the publication said Moscow was prepared to withdraw from the southern regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in exchange for full control of Donetsk Oblast. The publication said that the next day, he presented a different claim—that Putin would withdraw and freeze the front line, and that during a third call, he said the Russian leader wanted Ukraine to withdraw from Donetsk in an exchange for a ceasefire. McFaul, now a Stanford University academic said: "This is deeply damaging incompetence. Witkoff should finally start taking a note taker from the U.S. embassy for future meetings. That's how professional diplomacy works." Meanwhile, other figures also criticized Witkoff. Journalist Michael Weiss wrote: "The U.S. envoy is grossly incompetent and his confusion is causing diplomatic crises." Garry Kasparov, a Russian chess grandmaster and political activist wrote: "Like so most of Trump's appointees, Witkoff's only qualification is that Trump is sure he will put Trump's personal interests and desires over American national interests without a second thought. Of course he's incompetent." What People Are Saying Writing on Truth Social about the meeting, President Donald Trump said: "My special envoy, Steve Witkoff, just had a highly productive meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin. Great progress was made! Afterwards, I updated some of our European allies. Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come." What Happens Next Trump is scheduled to meet Putin in Alaska on August 15 as part of his efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine.
