Republicans want Biden to deny entry to leaders of Iran, Cuba, Venezuela
Five Republican senators are calling on President Joe Biden to deny visas to the leaders of Iran, Cuba and Venezuela for September’s U.N. General Assembly. The senators called the presidents of those countries a threat to U.S. national security.
“The United States must prevent the U.N. General Assembly from becoming a stage for the most evil leaders on Earth to gain credibility and promote their dangerous views,” Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., and Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told President Biden in a letter.
The U.N. General Assembly is a gathering of all 193 member countries. Every nation has an equal vote as they set the U.N.’s budget, appoint the secretary-general and select non-permanent members of the Security Council. The heads of each country are also given time to address the body and the world.
The senators said the U.S. has historically taken “principled stands” against welcoming foreign leaders who “threaten our values and interests.” They gave the examples of President Ronald Reagan denying a visa to Yasser Arafat in 1988 due to his support for state-sponsored terrorism and President Donald Trump’s denial of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in 2020.
The senators said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel is continuing the Castro dictatorship with brutal oppression, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has vowed to continue targeting the U.S. and Israel, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has committed human rights abuses and caused millions to flee the nation, many to America.
“Denying entry to the dictators and madmen would reaffirm our commitment to upholding the principles of freedom and democracy while sending a clear message that we stand firmly against oppressive regimes,” the senators wrote.
Maduro has not attended the General Assembly in a number of years, instead, the country has been represented by a minister. Maduro addressed the body remotely in 2021. Díaz-Canel attended and made an address in 2023. Pezeshkian was just sworn in in July. His predecessor Ebrahim Raisi addressed the assembly in 2023.
Panama deports migrants on US-funded flights, sends 29 Colombians home
Panama’s government announced on Tuesday, Aug. 20, that it deported 29 Colombians on the first deportation flight funded by the United States government. The move is part of an agreement made in July between Panama and the U.S.
The deportation flight falls in line with Panama’s new president, Jose Raul Mulino, who vowed during his campaign to stop migrants from passing through the dangerous Darien Gap, a deadly jungle corridor linking South and Central America.
In July, Mulino’s government installed barbed wire along the route that has become a key passageway for hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers heading to the United States. It is also the path the now-deported Colombians used.
However, the vast majority of migrants coming through the region are from Venezuela. Panama is not currently able to deport Venezuelans because it has suspended diplomatic relations with Venezuela while President Nicolas Maduro clings to power following a controversial election.
The Biden administration believes Panama’s efforts will slow illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border and human smuggling operations.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro previously criticized the measures Panama is taking to curb illegal immigration, arguing the measures do not address the root cause of forced migration, like economic challenges. He contends the real solution is to remove economic blockades and improve the economies of countries in the region.
House Republicans investigating fraud in migrant parole program
The House Homeland Security Committee sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas seeking answers about reports of fraud in a migrant parole program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) paused President Joe Biden’s migrant flights because sponsors were being improperly vetted.
The program allowed 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to come into the United States with the support of a financial sponsor. Those allowed in could live and work in the states for two years.
The organization Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR, obtained an internal investigation that found U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services identified thousands of applications with fraudulent information.
The investigation found false Social Security numbers, phone numbers and addresses on the I-34A forms filled out by sponsors. Investigators found that sponsors used 100 addresses on 19,000 applications. Those addresses included warehouses and storage units.
DHS said there were no problems vetting migrants, just sponsors.
DHS told The Associated Press in a statement that the beneficiaries “are thoroughly screened and vetted prior to their arrival to the United States.” The department also said it would “restart application processing as quickly as possible, with appropriate safeguards.”
The Homeland Security Committee is continuing its inquiry into the matter and wants Mayorkas to hand over documents that could shed light on what went wrong.
The committee requested an unredacted copy of the Department of Homeland Security’s internal report that identifies patterns, trends and potential fraud indicators within the program. Additionally, members requested the associated data used to inform the report.
Committee members also said they want all documents and communications within the department and with external contractors regarding the report and the decision to pause the program.
Members want the information by Aug. 27. Since the program was fully introduced in January 2023, approximately 494,000 people have been let into the country.
Biden administration denies report it offered Maduro amnesty to step down
The Biden administration denied a Wall Street Journal report on Monday, Aug. 12, claiming that the United States had offered Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amnesty for U.S. drug trafficking charges in exchange for his resignation. The outlet reported that it was part of a larger effort to push Maduro to leave office before his term ends in January.
Allegedly, the deal would give members of the Maduro regime the ability to avoid extradition for the same drug trafficking charges Maduro faces. The Wall Street Journal report comes as Venezuela’s opposition party shows mounting evidence that Maduro lost the presidential election overwhelmingly in July.
Maduro has called the opposition’s declaration of victory a coup and launched a crackdown on political opponents, reportedly pledging to investigate them. Meanwhile, thousands of dissidents and protesters have been jailed by the Maduro regime, and national guard troops and state-funded gangs have attacked protesters.
Maduro ordered Elon Musk’s company X, formerly Twitter, to be blocked for 10 days. He also demanded that Venezuelans get rid of WhatsApp to limit information about election results and violence against protesters.
Millions have fled the country out of fear of persecution and human rights groups said that 24 people have died. Maduro has warned adversaries that “there will be no forgiveness” and announced two prisons will be built for new political prisoners.
The United States became swayed to engage in talks after extensive documentation of vote tallies by Maduro’s opposition showed that Edmundo Gonzalez beat Maduro in a landslide. Gonzalez got 7.3 million votes compared to Maduro’s 3.3. million votes.
Maduro has shown a willingness to engage in talks in the past with Washington. However, on Friday, Aug. 9, Maduro told the United States to stay out of Venezuela’s internal affairs.
Maduro blocks Venezuela’s access to X after heated exchange with Musk
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has issued a decree, blocking the country’s access to the social media platform X for 10 days. The move comes after Maduro and X owner Elon Musk exchanged words after Maduro was declared the winner of Venezuela’s controversial election in July.
Maduro’s opposition, Edmundo Gonzalez’s team, said it has evidence that Gonzalez won the election and by a wide margin. According to representatives for Gonzalez, they have copies of voting tallies showing Gonzalez’s victory with more than 7 million votes compared to Maduro’s 3.3 million.
However, the country’s electoral body declared Maduro the winner with approximately 51% of the vote. The electoral body did not provide proof of voting tallies.
On X, Musk called Maduro a “dictator,” a “clown” and a “donkey,” and then said the donkey didn’t deserve to be compared to Maduro.
“The people of Venezuela have had enough of this clown,” Musk wrote in response to a video of Venezuelans taking down billboards of Maduro. “It is time for the people of Venezuela to have the chance for a better future,”
Musk also alleged there must’ve been “major election fraud by Maduro.”
Maduro accused Musk of spreading “hate” on X and staging a “cyber coup” against his reelection campaign. Maduro said Musk was to blame for protests and unrest that flared up in Venezuela after the contested election, with Venezuelans demanding Maduro step down.
On Thursday night, Maduro spoke to Venezuelans on state television, saying X would be “withdrawn from circulation” because “Elon Musk is the owner of X and has violated all the rules.”
As the election results are questioned, the international community is becoming increasingly vocal in demanding transparency and accountability from Maduro’s government.
Countries including the United States, Argentina and Chile have refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of the election.
Violent Venezuelan gang is here, now US law enforcement says it’s spreading
United States law enforcement is becoming increasingly concerned about the violent Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TDA). Members of TDA have established operations in major cities across the United States as reported on Sunday, Aug. 4.
Federal authorities believe that members of the gang are hiding among thousands of Venezuelans fleeing the regime of Nicolas Maduro amid ongoing unrest in the country.
Federal law enforcement warned the Denver Police Department about an enhanced threat from the criminal organization. The warning from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security came after the agency was tipped off that Tren de Aragua had given the “green light” for its members to attack Denver Police officers. The Denver Police Department said it is taking the warning seriously in regard to any interactions its members’ may have with the gang.
In July, the U.S. government designated Tren de Aragua as a “transnational criminal organization.” The designation frees up resources for law enforcement to stop the spread of the gang in the U.S. This makes it easier to freeze assets and restrict travel for suspected gang members.
The U.S. State and Justice Departments are also offering millions of dollars in combined rewards for information leading to the arrest of top TDA leaders.
As federal authorities look to take down the gang, the TDA’s threat appears to be growing. The Daily Mail exclusively reported that the gang has moved its headquarters from South America to the Mexican side of the U.S. southern border, which is near the outskirts of El Paso.
El Paso officials told the Daily Mail that they fear gang violence will spillover into the city as a result. Meanwhile, Rep. Tony Gonzalez, R-Texas, who represents El Paso, called Tren de Aragua the “epitome of evil.” According to the Daily Mail, border agents are on high alert and have been warned to check migrants for tattoos associated with TDA.
Tren de Aragua became infamous after taking over and then operating out of a South American prison. The criminal organization is linked to murders, sex trafficking, kidnappings and extortion.
After the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets in protest, which turned deadly. At least 11 people have reportedly been killed.
Hundreds of protesters have also been arrested since then in what has become a volatile week in the nation — with still many questions left unanswered about the future of Venezuela’s ruling party.
Gershkovich, Whelan return to US in 24-person prisoner swap with Russia
It was an emotional reunion as Americans Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan returned home after the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the U.S. since the Cold War. And former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, visits the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, August 2, 2024.
Gershkovich, Whelan return to US in 24-person prisoner swap with Russia
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan and several other Americans who were wrongfully being detained by Russia are back on American soil. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris joined loved ones in greeting them off the plane at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland late Thursday night, Aug. 1.
It was an emotional reunion as these high-profile American prisoners returned home as part of a major prisoner exchange between the U.S. and Russia. President Biden said negotiations had been going on for months and involved seven countries and two dozen prisoners.
This handout image was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy. In this handout photo provided by the U.S. government, Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich, Radio Free Europe journalist Alsu Kurmasheva and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan pose with an American flag in the airport lounge on Aug. 1, 2024 in Ankara, Turkey. Gershkovich, Kurmasheva, Whelan and others were involved in a multinational prisoner swap with Russia. Source: Getty Images
Paul Whelan served five years in captivity and Evan Gershkovich had been detained for 491 days. In exchange for their freedom, Russia is getting back eight of its own, including two spies being released by Slovenia and a convicted murderer held in Germany.
Some foreign policy experts say prisoner swaps could give U.S. adversaries incentive to take more Americans on false pretenses and treat them as bargaining chips. The president responded to reporters questions, saying, “My job is to make sure, number one, they don’t get them and if they do, we get them back.”
After the National Electoral Council declared Maduro the winner, thousands of opposition supporters took to the streets in protest, which turned deadly. At least 11 people have reportedly been killed. Hundreds of protesters have also been arrested since then in what has become a volatile week in the nation — with still many questions left unanswered about the future of Venezuela’s ruling party.
JD Vance tours southern border in Arizona
Former President Donald Trump’s running mate Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, toured the border in Arizona on Thursday, Aug. 1, and met with border patrol, who say southern Arizona is at the “epicenter of smuggling fentanyl.” While there, Vance laid out what would be some of the border security measures the Trump administration would put in place immediately should Trump win the 2024 election.
Those measures include reimplementing deportations and other Trump-era immigration polices such as “Remain in Mexico” and continuing construction on the border wall.
Vance now heads to Atlanta where he and Trump will share the stage at a rally on Saturday, Aug. 3.
As for likely Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, she has started to secure delegates to officially become the Party’s nominee.
Her campaign has a busy week ahead, expecting to secure her spot at the top of the Democratic ticket as early as Monday, Aug. 5. Soon after, she’s expected to announce who her running mate will be before holding a joint rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Intel cutting 15% of workforce
Chip maker Intel is cutting 15% of its workforce, which is at least 15,000 jobs, in an effort to compete with its more successful rivals. In a memo to staff Thursday, Aug. 1, Intel’s CEO said the company plans to save $10 billion in 2025 alone.
Intel is also suspending its stock dividend as part of its cost-cutting plan.
The company reported a loss of $1.6 billion from April through June of 2024 (Q2), and it forecast third-quarter (Q3) revenues will be well below expectations. That news sent company shares tumbling, setting the chipmaker up to lose more than $24 billion in market value.
Judge overturns $4.7B NFL Sunday Ticket verdict
A federal judge has overturned a nearly $5 billion verdict in an NFL “Sunday Ticket” case. The class-action lawsuit was brought by subscribers who alleged the NFL violated anti-trust laws by overcharging to watch out-of-market games on its paid subscription service.
Upon appeal, a U.S. district judge ruled two witnesses’ testimonies should have been left out and said the jury’s verdict was “clearly not supported by evidence and must be vacated.”
Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky win more medals to make Olympics history
Team USA picked up more Olympic gold Thursday, Aug. 1, bringing its total to nine so far at the Paris games. Thursday marked historic wins in fencing and rowing, as well as swimmer Kate Douglass earning her first gold medal.
Even more history was made by two of the biggest stars on Team USA: Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky.
Biles won her sixth gold medal — and ninth medal overall — in the individual all-around competition for a second time, reclaiming her 2016 title. Biles, who is already the most decorated American gymnast in Olympics history, is the first American to win the event more than once and the first gymnast to win it non-consecutively.
Biles wasn’t alone in representing the U.S on the medal stand. Her teammate Suni Lee took home the bronze.
U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky’s team earned the silver in the 4×200 meter freestyle, giving Ledecky her 13th medal. That’s the most by any female U.S. Olympian in the history of the games.
And they’re not done yet. Both Biles and Ledecky still have chances to add more medals to their historic totals in the days ahead.
Venezuela’s violent Tren de Aragua gang approves attacks on Denver PD
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reportedly released a memo on Tuesday, July 30, that members of the Venezuelan gang known as Tren de Aragua (TDA) were given the “green light” to open fire on and attack Denver Police Department officers. The agency said it was tipped off to the threat by Albuquerque, New Mexico, law enforcement.
The gang is allegedly linked to hundreds of crimes, including the shootings of two New York Police Department officers who were attempting to arrest one of its members in June. Reports have also tied the gang to the brother of the suspect in the murder of Georgia student Laken Riley. Both men are undocumented immigrants from Venezuela.
U.S. border officials said that members of TDA have been sneaking over the southern border disguised as asylum-seekers.
According to U.S. government officials, the gang is linked to human smuggling and sex trafficking in the United States, as well as involved in murder, kidnapping, gun smuggling and a number of prison riots in Venezuela. Authorities warn that TDA has infiltrated cities like Denver, Chicago, Miami and New York City.
U.S. Border Patrol has been tracking the criminal organization and since last year has captured 70 of its members.
The Denver Police Department said it is taking the warning from federal authorities seriously and is making sure officers are aware of the safety concerns raised.
Authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro accused opposition leader María Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo González of “criminal violence.”
🚨#Venezuela: The statue of Hugo Chávez in Falcón state is being toppled amid growing protests against electoral fraud by Maduro's tyrannical regime.
Protesters are demanding Maduro make voting data from Sunday’s, July 28, election public. Venezuela’s opposition and multiple Latin American leaders are refusing to recognize Maduro’s victory.
Machado said on Monday, July 29, the country’s opposition had about 73% of the voting tallies from Sunday’s election, proving Maduro did not win.
The national electoral authority has proclaimed Maduro the winner, giving him a third term in office and extending 25 years of socialist party rule.
