Immigration authorities from Myanmar and Vietnam to despite a court order on removals to third countries, attorneys for the migrants said Tuesday.
Up to a dozen people from several countries may have been deported to Africa, immigration rights lawyers told a judge. The Department of Homeland Security and the White House did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Also Tuesday, announced concepts for a that he said would cost $175 billion to complete over the course of three years. The concept is inspired by .
And the president tried to seal the deal on his 鈥渂ig, beautiful bill鈥� by using the power of political persuasion in a closed-door meeting to unify divided House Republicans. The has been ahead of planned votes this week.
Here's the latest:
Justice Department investigates Chicago鈥檚 hiring practices after mayor touts Black hires
The announcement of the civil rights probe came a day after Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson made a speech at a church in which he praised the number of Black people in top positions in his administration. It garnered attention on social media including calls from conservatives and others to investigate.
The DOJ鈥檚 Civil Rights Division its investigation notice Monday, citing Johnson鈥檚 comments as the trigger for a pattern or practice investigation into whether the city has habitually violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race.
鈥淐onsidering these remarks, I have authorized an investigation to determine whether the City of Chicago is engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination as set forth above,鈥� said the letter, signed by Assistant Attorney General for Harmeet K. Dhillon.
The investigation fits with the Trump administration鈥檚 larger realignment of how federal agencies view and fight discrimination. It鈥檚 also part of a larger remaking of the department鈥檚 civil rights division, which saw a wave of departures as the administration outlined its priorities.
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The revival of an old program delegates Trump immigration enforcement to local police
As part of the Trump administration鈥檚 push to carry out mass deportations, the agency responsible for immigration enforcement has aggressively revived and expanded a decades-old program that delegates immigration enforcement powers to state and local law enforcement agencies.
Under the 287(g) program led by , police officers can interrogate immigrants in their custody and detain them for .
Since President took office in January, ICE has rapidly expanded the number of signed agreements it has with law enforcement agencies across the country.
The reason is clear. Those agreements vastly beef up the number of immigration enforcement staff available to ICE, which has about 6,000 deportation officers, as they aim to meet Trump鈥檚 goal of deporting as many of the roughly 11 million people in the country illegally as they can.
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Trump, after blaming Biden for the border, now blames former president鈥檚 aides
The president said in a post on his Truth Social media network that 鈥淏iden was not for Open Borders,鈥� and 鈥渋t wasn鈥檛 his idea.鈥� Instead he blamed the influx of people crossing the U.S-Mexico border on 鈥渢he people that knew he was cognitively impaired.鈥�
Trump has long attacked Biden鈥檚 mental sharpness while castigating his policies. His new post appearing to shift blame to Biden鈥檚 former aides comes after Tuesday鈥檚 release of the book 鈥淥riginal Sin,鈥� by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, which reports that aides shielded the public from the extent of Biden鈥檚 decline.
Trump called it 鈥淭REASON at the Highest Level鈥� and said 鈥渟omething very severe should happen鈥� to the unnamed people.
Senate will try to block California vehicle standards that would phase out gas-powered cars
Lawmakers will try to bar the state from from enforcing a series of vehicle emissions standards that are tougher than the federal government鈥檚, including first-in-the-nation rules phasing out the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035.
Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Tuesday that the Senate will begin to consider three that would roll back the standards. Final votes could come as soon as this week.
His announcement came despite significant pushback from Democrats, questions from some Republicans and the advice of the Senate Parliamentarian, who has sided with the U.S. Government Accountability Office in saying California鈥檚 policies are not subject to the review mechanism used by the House.
California for decades has been given the authority to adopt vehicle emissions standards that are stricter than the federal government鈥檚. Gov. Gavin 劲爆大瓜om, a Democrat, announced plans in 2020 to ban the sale of all new gas-powered vehicles within 15 years.
Republicans have argued that the state鈥檚 rules effectively dictate standards for the whole country. Around a dozen states have followed California鈥檚 lead.
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As many as a dozen migrants may have been deported to Africa, according to lawyers
The immigration rights attorneys told a judge that the deportations involve people from several countries.
An immigration official in Texas confirmed via email that at least one man from Myanmar had been flown to South Sudan Tuesday morning, according to court documents.
A woman also reported to attorneys that her husband from Vietnam and up to 10 other people were flown to Africa.
Those removals would violate a court order from a judge in Massachusetts requiring that people have a chance to challenge removals to countries other than their homelands, attorneys from the National Immigration Litigation Alliance wrote.
They asked Judge Brian E. Murphy for an emergency order to prevent such removals. He deportations to Libya would violate his ruling.
Hegseth orders new review of Afghanistan withdrawal
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered another review of the military鈥檚 chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and the suicide bombing at the Kabul airport that killed American troops and Afghans.
President Trump and Hegseth have repeatedly criticized the Biden administration over the withdrawal. Hegseth said Tuesday that it was 鈥渄isastrous and embarrassing鈥� and the new review will interview witnesses, analyze decision-making and 鈥済et the truth.鈥�
There have already been by the Pentagon, U.S. Central Command, the State Department and Congress, involving hundreds of interviews and studies of videos, photographs and other data. It鈥檚 unclear what specific new information the review is seeking.
The Abbey Gate bombing during the final days of the killed 13 U.S. service members and 170 Afghans and wounded scores more. It triggered widespread debate and congressional criticism.
US immigration authorities appear to have begun deporting migrants to South Sudan, attorneys say
Immigration authorities appear to have begun from Myanmar and Vietnam to , attorneys for the migrants said in court documents filed Tuesday.
Those removals would violate a court order against deporting people to countries other than their homelands without an opportunity to file court challenges, they argued.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Rubio says US is encouraging but not threatening Israel over humanitarian aid to Gaza
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that the administration is not following the lead of European countries that have imposed sanctions against Israel for the dearth of assistance reaching needy and vulnerable Palestinians.
However, he said, U.S. officials have stressed in discussions with Israeli officials that aid is urgently needed for civilians in Gaza who are suffering from the ongoing military operation against Hamas.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not prepared to respond the way these countries have, but we are prepared to say, as we have and I think the Israelis in their statements today acknowledged, have engaged with our Israeli partners over the weekend in the last few days about the need to resume humanitarian aid,鈥� Rubio said. 鈥淲e anticipate that those flows will increase over the next few days and weeks, it鈥檚 important that that be achieved.鈥�
The U.S. is backing a private foundation to take over aid distribution, but it is not yet operating. So in the meantime, Rubio said, it would be best for U.N. agencies and existing operations to deliver the aid.
Trump says he鈥檒l talk to Putin 鈥榓t the right time鈥� about space-based nukes
The president said that at some point he will discuss with Russian leader Vladimir Putin the issue of Moscow developing a space-based nuclear weapon.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 discussed it, but at the right time, we will,鈥� Trump said in the Oval Office.
Trump announces 鈥楪olden Dome鈥� architecture
The president announced the concept he wants for his missile defense program, inspired by Israel鈥檚 Iron Dome. He said it is expected to be built over three years at a cost $175 billion.
Trump, seated with a poster next to him showing the continental U.S. painted gold and with artistic depictions of missile interceptions, said, 鈥淚t is a great day for America.鈥�
He said the system will be entirely made in the U.S.
Trump also announced that Gen. Michael Guetlein, who currently serves as the vice chief of space operations, will be responsible for overseeing the program鈥檚 progress.
Trump says military commanders told him they 鈥榣ove the idea鈥� of the 鈥楪olden Dome鈥� program
The president was asked whether military commanders asked for the system, and he replied, 鈥淚 suggested it, and they all said, 鈥榃e love the idea, sir.鈥欌��
Warnings from some Republicans on foreign aid cuts
Some Republican lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee are raising concerns to Rubio about the Trump administration鈥檚 cuts. That includes Sen. Mitchell McConnell, the former Senate leader.
The U.S. is being outmaneuvered by its rivals internationally, in the wake of the elimination of thousands of aid programs, McConnell said.
鈥淭he basic functions that soft power provides are extremely important,鈥� McConnell told Rubio. 鈥淵ou get a whole lot of friends for not much money.鈥�
Rubio says he shut down USAID programs, not Musk
The secretary of state's comments came after Democratic lawmakers pressed him on a February tweet by Elon Musk, who bragged he had spent the past weekend 鈥渇eeding USAID into a wood chipper.鈥�
Musk鈥檚 Department of Government Efficiency played a central role in gutting USAID programs, often leaving USAID staffers and others uncertain who it was ordering program terminations as Musk and the administration disabled the agency.
鈥淚 did,鈥� Rubio told lawmakers on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Researchers sue over federal government cutting off research funding for LGBTQ+ health
A group of health researchers and organizations that represent them are suing the National Institutes of Health over cutting off federal research funding aimed at LGBTQ+ health.
Tuesday鈥檚 filing in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt, Maryland, is one of more than 30 so far challenging the Trump administration on funding decisions. It鈥檚 also one of more than a dozen that deal with LGBTQ+ issues.
The groups say the grants have helped address a history of hostility and bigotry in health research. They contend that more than $800 million worth of LGBTQ+-related research grants were terminated because the NIH took the research off its list of priorities.
How much money is the Middle East investing in the US? Trump鈥檚 estimates keep going up by trillions of dollars
It鈥檚 hard to know just how much money Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates plan to invest in the United States after President Donald Trump went to those countries last week. The figure has gone from $2 trillion last week to potentially $7 trillion as of Tuesday, but now new details have been provided on the math.
THURSDAY: With his Mideast trip still under way, Trump told reporters on Air Force One: 鈥淲e just took in $4 trillion.鈥�
FRIDAY: A White House statement said Trump鈥檚 鈥渇irst official trip was a huge success, locking in over $2 trillion in great deals.鈥�
MONDAY: 鈥淲e brought back about $5.1 trillion,鈥� Trump said in remarks to the Kennedy Center鈥檚 leadership. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not bad. And, it鈥檚 being credited as one of the, maybe, the most successful visit that anybody鈥檚 ever made to any place. There鈥檚 never been anything like this.鈥�
TUESDAY: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e spending $5.1 trillion, probably it鈥檚 going to be $7 trillion by the time we stop,鈥� Trump said before a U.S. Capitol meeting with Republican House members.
The White House did not respond to a request to explain the sources of Trump鈥檚 escalating claims.
After Trump鈥檚 visit to the Capitol, some Republicans still oppose big bill
Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump鈥檚 鈥渙ne, big, beautiful, bill will require one, big, beautiful vote鈥�, but holdouts remain.
The chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland, said they鈥檙e still 鈥渁 long ways away鈥� from agreement. And other key Republicans said they were still a no vote.
Johnson headed to the Senate to update Republicans there on the path ahead.
Trump has a sweet tooth: His favorite candies are pink Starbursts and Tootsie Rolls
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared that detail about the president under questioning from a group of children whose parents are journalists who report on the White House.
Leavitt held a mock briefing for the youngsters as part of the White House鈥檚 observance of Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day.
Asked how much candy Trump eats every day, Leavitt said, 鈥渁 good amount.鈥�
She said he likes pink Starbursts and Tootsie Rolls.
Hegseth directs Air Force to plan to modify jet from Qatar
Newly confirmed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink told senators at a hearing about the defense secretary鈥檚 directive to develop the plans for the $400 million Boeing 747 Qatar has gifted to the U.S.
The service will consider the security upgrades that will be required for the jet, which is currently in San Antonio, to operate as the president鈥檚 plane. Meink said 鈥渟ignificant modifications鈥� would be necessary to overhaul it.
Illinois Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked the service to ensure this latest replacement jet would not further delay the overhaul of two other 747s that Boeing is converting to replace the current aging Air Force One.
Rubio says US pursuing 鈥榲oluntary鈥� resettlement of Gaza civilians in other countries
The secretary of state acknowledged Tuesday that the Trump administration was approaching foreign governments about taking mass numbers of civilians from Gaza, but said any such displacement of Gaza鈥檚 people would be 鈥渧oluntary.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 no deportation,鈥� Rubio told lawmakers of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
鈥淲e鈥檝e asked countries preliminarily whether they will be open to accepting people not as a permanent solution, but as a bridge to reconstruction鈥� in Gaza, Rubio said, adding he was not aware of Libya being among the countries approached by the U.S.
Democrat Sen. Jeff Merkley sharply disagreed, calling it a 鈥渟trategy of forced migration.鈥�
Trump 鈥楪olden Dome鈥� missile defense announcement expected
President Trump is expected to announce the concept he wants for his future Golden Dome missile defense program.
It would cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars and take years to make a reality.
Golden Dome for the first time will put U.S. weapons in space, which could be fired to destroy an incoming missile during flight.
Pentagon planners have been developing options for the system, which a U.S. official described as medium, high and extra high choices based on their cost.
The administration picked the high version, with an initial cost ranging between $30 billion and $100 billion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail plans that have not been made public.
The White House and the Pentagon didn鈥檛 immediately respond to requests for comment.
Melania Trump decorates a wooden American flag during kids鈥� day at the White House
The first lady joined a few dozen children whose parents work in the Executive Office of the President in decorating wooden American flags.
She used a glue stick to attach two silver glittery stars to her red, white and blue flag after she sat down at one of two tables in the Jaqueline Kennedy Garden on the South Lawn.
She admired their work and was heard telling several children their creations were 鈥渂eautiful.鈥�
The event is part of the White House鈥檚 observance of Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day.
President Donald Trump is having his own event later Tuesday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt will also answer questions at a mock press briefing for children whose parents are White House journalists.
Rubio denies knowing anything about Trump family deals with foreigners
Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy grilled Rubio on the point Tuesday, asking if he worried that Trump鈥檚 upcoming dinner with buyers of a Trump meme coin would be 鈥渃ontravening national security interests鈥� by giving foreign buyers direct access to him.
Rubio denied any knowledge of any profiting by Trump from the deals he and his family have made with foreign officials and others abroad.
And he claimed not to know about the widely reported dinner, which Trump interests have promoted on social media.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 keep the president鈥檚 social schedule,鈥� Rubio said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not on my phone. It鈥檚 not in my pocket.鈥�
IRS Commissioner nominee grilled about Trump鈥檚 comments on Harvard鈥檚 tax-exempt status
鈥淭his is about more than Harvard, it鈥檚 a threat to anyone who poses a threat to the president,鈥� Sen. Elizabeth Warren asked Billy Long. 鈥淐an the president of the United States legally tell the IRS to revoke a taxpayers鈥� tax exempt status?鈥�
Trump has said and to lose their tax-exempt status.
鈥淚鈥檓 gonna follow the law,鈥� the former Missouri congressman said. 鈥淚鈥檇 have to go to the lawyers.鈥�
鈥淲hat do you understand this law to be saying?鈥� the Massachusetts Democrat asked.
Long responded that he would not be able to answer.
After the back and forth, Warren said 鈥測ou shouldn鈥檛 be within a thousand miles of the directorship of the IRS.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 new prosecutor drops case against Newark mayor, charges NJ congresswoman instead
Federal officers while attempting to block outside an immigration detention facility on May 9.
announced on social media that she and is charging the congresswoman instead.
The complaint unsealed Tuesday charges McIver with two counts of assaulting, resisting and impeding agents for Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
McIver accused the agents of escalating the situation and denounced the charge as a 鈥減urely political鈥� effort to deter legislative oversight.
Said Trump Tuesday: 鈥淪he was shoving federal agents. She was out of control. The days of that crap are over in this country. We鈥檙e going to have law and order.鈥�
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Annual COVID-19 shots for healthy younger adults and children will no longer be routinely approved
Top officials for the Food and Drug Administration laid out the major new policy shift on Tuesday.
They say yearly updates to COVID shots will remain available to adults 65 and older as well as children and younger adults with at least one health problem that puts them at higher risk. They say this could include between 100 million and 200 million adults.
But the FDA framework published Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine urges companies conduct large, lengthy studies before tweaked vaccines can be approved for healthier people.
The change raises questions about people who may still want the shots but don鈥檛 clearly fall into one of the categories.
鈥淚s the pharmacist going to determine if you鈥檙e in a high-risk group?鈥� asked Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children鈥檚 Hospital of Philadelphia. 鈥淭he only thing that can come of this will make vaccines less insurable and less available.鈥�
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Qatari leader defends 747 gift
The country鈥檚 prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, said the potential donation of a new Air Force One plane is 鈥渁 normal thing that happens between allies.鈥�
He made the remarks at a Bloomberg conference in Doha, rejecting allegations that providing the jet would function as a bribe.
The prime minister said it鈥檚 being done 鈥渋n full transparency, and very legally, and it鈥檚 part of the cooperation that we鈥檝e always been doing together for decades.鈥�
Trump has been eager to replace the current Air Force One planes, which are nearly 40 years old, and he鈥檚 been frustrated that it鈥檚 taken Boeing too long to build new ones.
鈥淲hy wouldn鈥檛 I accept a gift?鈥� Trump recently told Sean Hannity on Fox 劲爆大瓜. 鈥淲e鈥檙e giving to everyone else.鈥�
Secretary of State says Syria鈥檚 interim government could be 鈥榳eeks鈥� from collapse
Rubio stressed the importance of U.S. engagement with Syria, saying Tuesday that otherwise, he fears the interim government there could be weeks or months 鈥渁way from a potential collapse and a full-scale civil war of epic proportions.鈥�
In this photo released by the Saudi Royal Palace, President Donald Trump, centre, looks to Saudi鈥檚 Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, right, shake hands with Syria鈥檚 interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Bandar Aljaloud/Saudi Royal Palace via AP)
Rubio鈥檚 comments addressed Trump鈥檚 pledge to lift sanctions on Syria鈥檚 new transitional government, which is led by a former militant chief who led the overthrow of the country鈥檚 longtime oppressive leader late last year.
Lawmakers scrutinize Trump administration鈥檚 massive foreign policy changes
Senate Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Jim Risch opened Tuesday鈥檚 hearing with praise for the Trump changes and spending cuts. He welcomed what he called the administration鈥檚 promising nuclear talks with Iran.
Risch also noted what he jokingly called 鈥渕odest disagreement鈥� with Democratic lawmakers, who are using Tuesday鈥檚 hearing to confront Rubio about Trump administration moves they say are weakening U.S. influence globally.
Elon Musk says he鈥檒l reduce political donations
The richest person in the world said Tuesday that he鈥檒l be spending less on political campaigns.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to do a lot less in the future,鈥� Musk said via videoconference during a Bloomberg forum in Doha.
Asked why, he responded, 鈥淚 think I鈥檝e done enough.鈥�
Musk鈥檚 decision could be a challenge for Republicans ahead of next year鈥檚 midterm elections. He spent supporting Trump in the presidential campaign.
IRS nominee gets confirmation hearing amid agency upheaval
Former Rep. Billy Long, who that called to abolish the Internal Revenue Service, gets his confirmation hearing to lead the agency before the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday. The IRS has been churning through acting commissioners as it awaits the installation of a permanent leader. Expected questions include:
1. the hemorrhaging of tax-collecting employees due to cuts led by the Department of Government Efficiency
2. whether he supports removing the of Harvard University and other non-profit organizations
3. his lack of background in tax administration
4. his promotion of questionable tax credits
鈥淏ottom line, the American people have the right to know whether the future IRS commissioner is a crook,鈥� Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden said in his opening statement.
Authors condemn Trump鈥檚 firing of the Librarian of Congress
Seven former National Ambassadors of Young People鈥檚 Literature, including such prize-winning authors as Jacqueline Woodson, Kate DiCamillo and Jason Reynolds, are condemning the Trump administration鈥檚 firing of Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.
The librarian鈥檚 responsibilities include appointing the ambassador, a position the Library of Congress established in 2008 鈥渢o raise national awareness of the importance of young people鈥檚 literature.鈥�
鈥淗er wisdom and vision, along with her unfailing ability to work impartially with all constituents, are unparalleled,鈥� reads Tuesday鈥檚 statement, with endorsers also including Jon Scieszka, Katherine Paterson, Gene Luen Yang and Meg Medina. 鈥淒r. Hayden鈥檚 dismissal is deeply disturbing and should alarm all Americans.鈥�
Trump promised last September: I鈥檒l take care of SALT
The president鈥檚 pessimistic tone Tuesday toward raising the deduction on state and local taxes is at odds with what he promised as he campaigned for another term last year.
鈥淚 will cut taxes for families, small businesses and workers, including restoring the SALT deduction, saving thousands of dollars for residents of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and other high-cost states,鈥� Trump said last September during a campaign rally.
Trump had made this pledge while campaigning on Long Island, which is represented by Rep. Nick LaLota, one of the loudest proponents among House Republicans of increasing the SALT deduction.
Trump said as he walked into the House Republican conference meeting on Tuesday morning that increasing the deduction only helps Democratic governors.
Trump attacks Thomas Massie again: 鈥業 think he should be voted out of office鈥�
The president took a swing at the Kentucky congressman, who has criticized how the GOP鈥檚 massive reconciliation bill will balloon the national debt.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think Thomas Massie understands government,鈥� Trump said when asked about Massie on Tuesday morning. 鈥淚 think he is a grandstander, frankly.鈥�
Massie hasn鈥檛 made his plans explicit but is assumed to be a 鈥渘o鈥� on the bill, which raises the nation鈥檚 debt limit in addition to extending current tax rates and making significant investments in border security and defense.
Massie, a known maverick in the House Republican conference, has been targeted by Trump before 鈥� when the lawmaker was set to oppose a stopgap funding bill in March to keep the government running, Trump called for a primary challenger.
The Associated Press
