Good morning everyone. There wasn’t too much news this morning or overnight that you missed, so I threw in some extra good news stories at the bottom!
But, even on a Sunday morning, I want to make sure you have the news.
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That’s why I’m asking you — if you value independent reporting, if you believe that truth-telling still matters — please consider becoming a subscriber.
With that, here’s the news:
Trump dismissed demands for more transparency in the Epstein case, calling critics “radical left lunatics” and saying “nothing will be good enough” even if grand jury testimony is released. His remarks follow rare pushback from his own base and a DOJ request to unseal Epstein-related documents, which now awaits a judge’s approval.
Trump accuses Obama and “the thugs” of committing “the highest level election fraud.”
Trump claimed his popularity surged among Republicans and MAGA supporters—reaching up to 95% in some polls—after what he called the “Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” was pushed by “Radical Left Democrats,” asserting that his general election numbers are at an all-time high and crediting support for his policies like strong borders.
ICE acting director Todd Lyons confirmed agents can wear masks during arrests to protect their safety, despite concerns it could enable impersonation; he acknowledged increased public visibility and tensions as deportation operations expand under Trump.
Lyons also revealed ICE is using Medicaid and other federal data to locate undocumented immigrants, including those released from sanctuary jurisdictions—sparking alarm over privacy and civil rights implications.
The Trump administration, bolstered by a $45 billion GOP-funded budget increase for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is rapidly constructing temporary migrant detention camps to expand capacity from 40,000 to 100,000 beds by year’s end, despite safety concerns—part of a broader effort to accelerate deportations.
According to a ProPublica investigation, during Trump’s second term, over 230 Venezuelan asylum seekers—including José Manuel Ramos Bastidas, who followed legal immigration procedures—were wrongfully deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador based on flimsy or unproven accusations of gang affiliation, despite many having no criminal records; the deportations, later deemed unconstitutional by a federal judge, were carried out under an obscure wartime law and led to human rights concerns and legal challenges.
A ProPublica and Bangor Daily News investigation found that the USDA has resumed foreclosure actions—primarily in Maine—on rural development loans long after homeowners defaulted, in some cases a decade later, leading to ballooning debts and devastating financial consequences for low-income borrowers, including a disabled woman whose $144,000 mortgage grew to $393,000 due to accumulated interest and fees while her abandoned home deteriorated; critics say the agency’s delays and lack of local oversight have turned a homeownership program into a cycle of unpayable debt.
The Trump administration is preparing to close seven major HUD investigations into housing discrimination—including cases where civil rights violations were already found—shifting away from enforcement and dropping allegations against cities like Chicago, Memphis, Flint, and Corpus Christi for placing industrial plants and low-income housing disproportionately in poor, minority neighborhoods, a move critics say could embolden segregation and weaken federal civil rights protections.
Journalist Mario Guevara was arrested while livestreaming a protest and remains in ICE detention, despite all charges being dropped. Advocates say his case highlights political targeting of the press and immigrants under Trump. Guevara, in the U.S. for over 20 years, has no criminal record and is known for reporting on ICE raids in Latino communities.
Supporters believe law enforcement coordinated to keep Guevara jailed and push for deportation. Dropped traffic charges and ICE’s refusal to release him suggest a broader effort to punish dissent. His case raises alarms about press freedom and abuse of power.
Trump officials are growing alarmed over Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s escalating military strikes in Syria, with several calling him “out of control” and warning his actions could destabilize U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region. The surprise bombings, including near the Syrian presidential palace, sparked rare internal White House criticism, though Trump himself has not publicly rebuked Netanyahu.
Trump’s EPA is eliminating its research and development office and laying off over 3,700 staff, a move experts say will devastate public health and cripple the agency’s ability to protect the environment. Critics call it a politically driven attack on science, replacing expert staff with loyalists while slashing critical research infrastructure.
Trump’s fossil-fuel push, justified by his energy emergency declaration, has slashed green energy support, cut climate science funding, and reversed decades of progress—despite worsening climate disasters, experts warn.
The family of Cornelius Taylor, a man crushed to death by a bulldozer during an Atlanta homeless encampment sweep, is suing the city, calling the tragedy preventable and inhumane; activists say the city prioritized appearances over human dignity ahead of MLK weekend.
Good news:
After 12-year-old Romir Parker heroically rescued his baby siblings and grandmother from a house fire in Petersburg, Virginia, he was honored by the city and named an honorary firefighter—impressing the fire chief so much that he was promised a future job at the department.
At just 12 years old, Prasiddhi Singh of Tamil Nadu, India, has planted over 150,000 trees, founded the Prasiddhi Forest Foundation, and become a national reforestation leader—earning awards, speaking at UN climate summits, and inspiring a movement focused on environmental restoration and community resilience.
After a bull shark severely injured 57-year-old Mangyon Zhang off a deserted Australian beach, bystander Blake Donaldson leapt into the ocean to rescue her—ultimately saving her life and leg, earning praise as a reluctant hero during a heartfelt reunion aired by 60 Minutes Australia.
The Grey Muzzle Organization awarded a record $1.57 million in grants to 119 U.S. animal welfare groups, funding medical care, adoptions, and hospice programs for senior dogs like Maya—helping older pups find loving homes and live out their golden years with dignity and care.
See you this evening.
— Aaron
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