The expiration of Title 42 brings forth new legal and political discourse over the new regulations that aim to take the pandemic-era immigration policy’s place. And a Marine veteran involved in a chokehold incident on a New York City subway, which led to the death of street performer Jordan Neely, is expected to turn himself in to authorities on Friday morning. These stories and more highlight the rundown for Friday, May 12, 2023.
Title 42 expires, triggering legal challenges to new regulations
Just hours ago, Title 42 officially expired, but not without sparking a wave of legal and political discussions regarding new asylum restrictions. The replacement asylum rules include revived pre-pandemic penalties for illegal border crossings and the introduction of an online system for asylum appointment scheduling.
The implementation of these new rules has already faced legal challenges. A Florida judge recently dealt a potentially significant legal setback by temporarily blocking the Biden administration’s attempt to expedite the release of migrants when Border Patrol holding stations reach capacity. In California, the ACLU has filed a legal challenge against the new rules, arguing that they violate U.S. law and international agreements.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the House of Representatives voted along party lines to pass a bill that aims to construct additional border walls and impose further restrictions on asylum-seekers. H.R. 2, known as the “Secure the Border Act,” has limited chances of passing in the Senate, but Republicans utilized the moment to criticize President Joe Biden for his approach to the border situation.
“By passing H.R. 2, House Republicans have shown we’re focused on addressing our nation’s biggest challenges,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said. “By contrast, the White House has two years to plan for the end of Title 42. We all knew the deadline, but the White House produced no plan, missed the deadline, and bumbled into another crisis.”
Democrats have criticized the contents of this new bill, with the White House saying it does not address “the root causes of migration” and “does very little to actually increase border security while doing a great deal to trample on the nation’s core values and international obligations, it should be rejected.”
“This extreme MAGA Republican piece of legislation will throw out your children who are fleeing, in many cases, extreme violence and persecution,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said. “They will build a medieval border wall… The child deportation act is not a serious effort to deal with the issue related to our broken immigration system.”
Marine veteran to turn himself in over NYC subway choking death
Daniel Penny, a Marine veteran, is expected to surrender to authorities on Friday morning in relation to the death of Jordan Neely on a New York City subway, which occurred after Penny placed him in a chokehold.
Video capturing the incident has gone viral, sparking widespread conversations about crime, vigilantism and mental illness. Penny is facing a charge of second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of Neely.
“We cannot provide any additional information until he has been arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court, which we expect to take place [Friday],” a spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said.
According to attorneys representing Penny, they have argued that the chokehold employed by their client was an act of self-defense. They contend that Neely, a former subway performer who had been experiencing homelessness and grappling with mental illness in recent years, had been verbally harassing passengers in an attempt to solicit money.
“When Mr. Penny, a decorated Marine veteran, stepped in to protect himself and his fellow New Yorkers, his well-being was not assured,” the law firm of Raiser and Kenniff, P.C., said in a statement. “He risked his own life and safety, for the good of his fellow passengers. The unfortunate result was the unintended and unforeseen death of Mr. Neely.”
If convicted, Penny could face up to 15 years in prison. Meanwhile, Neely’s family has criticized Penny’s “indifference” and called for his incarceration, saying “[Penny] knew nothing about Jordan’s history when he intentionally wrapped his arms around Jordan’s neck, and squeezed and kept squeezing.”
Debt ceiling crisis leaves real estate industry at risk
President Biden’s scheduled meeting with top congressional leaders on Friday to address the debt ceiling crisis has been postponed, leaving the country without a resolution as the weekend approaches.
One of the top concerns arising from the possibility of the U.S. government from defaulting on its debt is the potential damage it could cause to the already troubled real estate industry. According to Zillow, home sales could plummet by up to 23%, with rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages projected to increase by more than 8% by this fall.
“The cost of borrowing would go up for all your customers,” Dana Peterson, chief economist of The Conference Board, said last weekend at the National Association of Realtors’ mid-year conference. “My concern is also about consumer confidence. When consumers don’t feel good about what’s going on in government, they’re not likely to spend. We at the Conference Board are forecasting a mild but short recession.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has proposed a plan to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion while making cuts to certain domestic programs. However, President Biden has emphasized that there are certain red lines that will not be crossed, including the Inflation Reduction Act.
“I have not seen from there, a seriousness of the White House, that they want a deal,” McCarthy said. “It seems like they want a default more than they want a deal … I don’t think there’s enough progress for the leaders to get back together.”
“I’ve been involved in negotiations my whole career,” Biden said. “Some negotiations happen at the last second, some negotiations happen way ahead of time. So, we’ll see.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has issued warnings that the United States could face default on its obligations as early as June 1 if Congress fails to find a solution to the debt ceiling issue.
“The notion of defaulting on our debt is something that would so badly undermine the U.S. and global economy that I think it should be regarded by everyone as unthinkable,” Yellen said. “America should never default.”
George Santos strikes deal in Brazil after not guilty plea in U.S. case
Just a day after pleading not guilty to U.S. charges, Rep. George Santos has reached an agreement with prosecutors in Brazil to avoid prosecution for allegedly forging two stolen checks back in 2008.
“What would have been the start of a case was ended today,” Santos’ lawyer in Brazil, Jonymar Vasconcelos, told The Associated Press. “As such, my client is no longer the subject of any case in Brazil.”
According to documents obtained by CNN, Santos allegedly confessed to defrauding a Rio de Janeiro area clerk of $1,300 over clothes and shoes in 2008. The congressman will pay a total of approximately $4,878.45. Of this amount, about $2,000 will be paid to the government as a fine and $2,800 will go to the victim, Bruno Simões, who told reporters that Santos has 30 days to make the payment via bank transfer.
“It’s ridiculous. It’s a bargain,” Simões told CNN. “Honestly, he must have laughed. Because 14,000 Brazilian Reais is $2,000 – that’s one suit that he wears. But despite it all, I am happy that this chapter is closed.”
With this resolution in Brazil, Santos now shifts his focus back to combating a 13-count U.S. federal indictment. The indictment accuses him of deceiving donors, embezzling funds from his campaign, and providing false information to Congress.
Santos, a freshman congressman, has faced scrutiny for embellishing aspects of his background, including his heritage, family history, and educational and employment records. Despite the mounting controversies, earlier this week, Santos made it clear that he does not intend to resign from his position.
“I will not resign,” Santos said. “I believe I’m innocent. I’m gonna fight my battle, I’m gonna deliver, I’m gonna fight the witch hunt, I’m gonna take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that.”
Oregon State Legislature faces day 10 of GOP walkout
Friday will mark the 10th day of a walkout in the Oregon State Legislature, with Republican state senators boycotting proceedings and effectively delaying action on numerous bills put forth by the Democratic majority. The bills encompass a range of contentious issues, including gun control, gender-affirming care and abortion.
“The Republican independent caucus meets on a daily basis to determine whether [the walkout] will continue or not,” Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp said. “And at this point, it will continue, quite frankly. Unless discussions and negotiations take place, I don’t see a quick end to it.”
In an attempt to resolve the deadlock, Democratic and Republican leaders held closed-door meetings for the second consecutive day on Thursday, May 11, seeking to reach an agreement that would put an end to the boycott. There is a deadline in place, adding urgency to the negotiations.
“What I keep asking for is: Don’t give us a kill list, give us a wishlist,” Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber said. “What do you want for the people of your districts? What do they need? …We’re not interested in entertaining a kill list, but a wish list — things that actually advance the priorities in your districts — that’s great.”
According to a constitutional amendment approved by voters last November, state lawmakers who have 10 unexcused absences are prohibited from seeking reelection. This provision adds further pressure to find a resolution and avoid potential consequences for the absent Republican senators.
“I am watching and hopefully things will improve,” Gov. Tina Kotek said. “They’re adults. They have to figure out how to get together and get back to work.”
To allow both sides more time to negotiate a deal, planned Senate sessions scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday have been canceled.
“It is my hope that this will give us time to work out a legitimate agreement that will benefit all Oregonians,” Knopp said. “I have communicated that I will be available over the weekend to have these critical discussions.”
Elon Musk announces new potential CEO for Twitter
Twitter owner and current CEO Elon Musk has reportedly identified a new potential head for the social media platform, according to sources cited by The Washington Post, among other outlets.
These sources indicate that the selected candidate is Linda Yaccarino, currently the Head of Advertising at NBC Universal (NBCU).
In the past, Yaccarino’s team has forged partnerships with entities such as Apple News, BuzzFeed, Snapchat and Twitter. Currently, she is engaged in preparations for NBCU’s upfronts, an annual event where pitches are made to advertisers, making it one of the company’s most significant gatherings. Yaccarino is expected to play a prominent role in the event scheduled for Monday, May 15.
Musk confirmed his decision to hire a new CEO for Twitter in a tweet on Thursday, May 11. Although he did not reveal the individual’s identity, he mentioned that she would assume the role in approximately six weeks. Musk had said back in December that he would “resign as CEO as soon as I find someone foolish enough to take the job.”
“Excited to announce that I’ve hired a new CEO for X/Twitter. She will be starting in 6 weeks,” Musk tweeted. “My role will transition to being exec chair & CTO, overseeing product, software [and] sysops.”
