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Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP
WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators who were smiling and applauding him […]
Immigrant advocates, congressional Dems press Biden for permanent protections
WASHINGTON — Ashly Trejo Mejia is eager to attend medical school, but she’s not sure she can pursue that dream because of an upcoming court decision that could end the Obama-era program meant to temporarily protect immigrants like her who were brought into the country illegally as children. “You’re frozen in time,” she said. The […]
Biden touts gun safety record to advocates, as son found guilty on felony charges
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday touted his administration’s efforts to reduce gun violence as the second anniversary of bipartisan gun safety legislation he signed into law approaches. “Never give up on hope,” Biden said during an annual conference hosted by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. The speech came hours after the […]
U.S. Senate Republicans outline their farm bill framework
WASHINGTON — Republicans on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry on Tuesday released their framework for a new five-year farm bill that will set the policy and funding levels for key food, agriculture and conservation programs. The top Republican on the committee, Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, laid out GOP priorities with reporters […]
On the U.S.-Mexico border, hopes and fears after Biden’s order limiting asylum
EL PASO, Texas — Seventeen-year-old Karina Parababire gently rocked her three-month-old daughter as they waited in a migrant shelter before a Friday night bus ride to Chicago. “I want my daughter to have everything that I didn’t have,” Parababire, who traveled up the extremely dangerous route of the Darien Gap while pregnant, said in Spanish. The Venezuelan, […]
Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to be signed by Biden
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Tuesday that will allow him to partly suspend asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border when daily unauthorized crossings reach a threshold of 2,500 migrants. “We do expect the authority would be in effect immediately,” a senior administration official said on a Tuesday call with reporters […]
An angry Trump pledges to appeal ‘this scam’ conviction as Republicans vow resistance
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump, now a convicted felon, vowed to launch an appeal based “on many things” he considered unfair during his New York trial, he said Friday in the lobby of Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan. Meanwhile Friday, legal and political analysts predicted he will spend little if any time in jail […]
Bipartisan border bill loses support, fails procedural vote in U.S. Senate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate failed Thursday to advance a border security bill as both parties seek to hone their messages on immigration policy in the runup to November’s elections. The Senate bill failed to advance on a 43-50 procedural vote. The chamber already rejected the measure as part of a broader foreign aid package […]
U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund $300 million in grants to boost exports
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday $300 million in funding for more than 60 groups seeking to diversify American agricultural exports. “USDA is pleased to be able to provide the startup capital to tap into these opportunities,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said on a call with reporters Monday night previewing the announcement. […]
Farm bill text released in U.S. House, setting up fight with Senate
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House Agriculture Committee Friday released the draft bill text of the long-awaited $1.5 trillion farm bill, which is likely to face opposition in the Senate from Democrats because of disagreements over federal anti-hunger programs and climate change requirements. The chair of the committee, GOP Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson of Pennsylvania, said […]
Biden administration seeks to speed some asylum cases with new immigration docket
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration will start a new system Friday to hasten asylum claims for single adults, administration officials said Thursday. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of Justice will launch a new expedited docket for migrants who arrive alone at ports of entry and turn themselves in to border authorities, […]
CNN sets first Biden-Trump presidential debate for June 27 in Atlanta
WASHINGTON — CNN announced on Wednesday morning that it will host a debate between President Joe Biden and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump at the network’s Atlanta studios on June 27. CNN said there would be no audience present for the debate and moderators will be announced later. A second debate will be hosted by ABC […]