President Donald Trump is exploring the legality of whether he can deport U.S. citizens to prisons in Central American countries, the White House said Tuesday during the press briefing.
“It’s another question that the president has raised,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked if Trump currently has the authority or would need to amend the law to do so.
“It’s a legal question that the president is looking into,” Leavitt added.
She said that Trump “would only consider this, if legal, for Americans who are the most violent, egregious, repeat offenders of crime who nobody in this room wants living in their communities.”
Meanwhile, former president Barack Obama has condemned the Trump administration’s freezing of $2.3 billion in funding to Harvard University as “unlawful” and “ham-handed.”
The White House has frozen more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts for Harvard University after the school refused to comply with a long list of demands.
The university said it would not “surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights” after the administration demanded it make sweeping changes to its leadership, governance, and admissions.
Key Points
- Trump exploring legality of deporting U.S. citizens to Central American prisons
- Trump suggests Harvard should lose tax exempt status
- Obama condemns Trump's 'ham-handed' Harvard funding freeze
- Vance says 'good chance' of UK trade deal
- Judge rules Trump officials must testify after doing ‘nothing’ to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia
- Harvard draws a line against Donald Trump while Democrats figure out Resistance 2.0
ANALYSIS: Harvard draws a line against Donald Trump while Democrats figure out Resistance 2.0
22:58
,
Oliver O'Connell
John Bowden writes:
This week, the oldest (and richest) American educational institution did what one of its peers could not: it defied the Trump administration.
Harvard’s president Alan Garber issued a defiant statement on Monday stating that the university wouldn’t accept a list of demands from the Trump administration he said amounted to a federal takeover of the institution.
Just as with other universities, the Trump administration demanded the university cooperate with federal agencies engaged in prosecuting and, in the case of foreign-born students, targeting for deportation, college students who engaged in a broad range of activities in opposition to the Israeli government’s siege of Gaza. It also would have forced Harvard to end diversity-based hiring policies.
A letter sent to the government in response was itself filled with subtle jabs. It was signed by two familiar faces: Robert Hur, the former Justice Department attorney who oversaw the probe of Joe Biden’s handling of classified materials, and William Burck, outside ethics counsel for the Trump Organization.
Continue reading...
Fox News anchor insists she’s ‘just asking the question’ if Obama is ‘antisemitic’ for defending Harvard
22:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner literally employed the Just Asking Questions trope on Tuesday to openly speculate whether Barack Obama is “antisemitic” because the former president praised Harvard for rejecting the Trump administration’s “ham-handed” effort to regulate the university.
Justin Baragona has the story.
Mike Johnson opens the door to Medicaid cuts inviting political backlash
22:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Republicans are eyeing cuts to Medicaid that could kick young Americans off of the program — though many still insist the program won’t be touched.
Despite assurances from a wide range of party figures, including President Donald Trump, it appears as if the upcoming GOP budget proposal will take one big swing at the expansion of Medicaid to cover lower-income Americans.
Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday, when he spoke to Sunday Morning Futures host Maria Bartiromo.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
Judge rules Trump officials must testify after doing ‘nothing’ to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia
22:22
,
Oliver O'Connell
Lawyers for a wrongfully deported Maryland man will be allowed to depose Trump administration officials to determine whether they complied with a Supreme Court ruling to “facilitate” his return from a brutal El Salvador prison.
“Cancel vacations, cancel other appointments,” Maryland District Judge Paula Xinis told lawyers for the government on Tuesday.
Alex Woodward has the latest.
Lawyer: Detained Palestinian activist relieved he hasn't been moved from Vermont
22:10
,
AP
A Palestinian man arrested at a Vermont immigration office during an interview about finalizing his U.S. citizenship is relieved that he hasn't been moved out of state and thankful for those supporting him, his attorney said Tuesday.
Mohsen Mahdawi, a legal permanent resident who led protests against the war in Gaza at Columbia University, was arrested Monday in Colchester, Vermont. A judge later issued an order barring the government from removing him from the state or country, and one of Mahdawi's attorneys confirmed Tuesday afternoon that he remains in Vermont.
Read on...
Trump presented with football by Navy Midshipmen as AP makes a return
21:58
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump participated in a Commander-in-Chief Trophy Presentation to the Navy Midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy this afternoon at which he was gifted a football and appeared to reveal his aide Walt Nauta’s apparent ambition to be governor of Guam.
Navy Midshipmen present @POTUS with a personalized football:
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 15, 2025
"I'll carry this with me, and I'll pretend I'm a great football player." pic.twitter.com/hkwM0085Kv
The event in the East Room of the White House also marked the apparent return of an Associated Press reporter to official events at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, having been banned for a refusal to use the term “Gulf of America.”
A reporter from The AP was allowed into this afternoon's East Room ceremony — the first time the news outlet has been allowed into one of these events since the Trump White House put its ban into place in February.
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 15, 2025
Navarro denies spat with Musk despite public feuding on tariffs: 'Elon and I are great'
21:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
One of Donald Trump’s top trade officials, Peter Navarro, denied a blow-up in his relationship with Elon Musk on Sunday after the Twitter and DOGE baron insulted him in several tweets.
Navarro appeared Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press as he and other administration officials discussed the ongoing rollout of the president’s chaotic tariff strategy and the frequent walk-backs of trade policy from the White House.
John Bowden reports from Washington, D.C.
Watch: DHS official confirms clerical error led to Abrego Garcia deportation
21:43
,
Oliver O'Connell
DHS official @TriciaOhio tells me on @ABCNewsLive that Kilmer Abrego Garcia was deported due to a “clerical error.”
— Jay O'Brien (@jayobtv) April 15, 2025
WH Advisor Stephen Miller told Fox News yesterday “nobody was mistakenly deported anywhere." pic.twitter.com/NVS9loMsgY
After Bukele visit and prison transfer, El Salvador welcomed into Global Entry partnership
21:39
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Oliver O'Connell
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has announced a new Global Entry partnership with El Salvador, making it one of our 20 partner countries whose citizens can apply for Global Entry membership.
She wrote on X: “This partnership will enhance the speed and accuracy of the arrival process, while protecting national security at the same time. A great step in our partnership with El Salvador!”
.@CBP is announcing a Global Entry partnership with El Salvador, making El Salvador one of our 20 partner countries whose citizens can apply for Global Entry membership. This partnership will enhance the speed and accuracy of the arrival process, while protecting national…
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) April 15, 2025
U.S. transfers land on southern border to Army to combat illegal crossings
21:35
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Oliver O'Connell
The Trump administration announced an emergency transfer of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border to the Army to combat illegal immigration, the Interior Department stated on Tuesday.
The land will be transferred to the Department of the Army for a duration of three years, the agency said.
“Securing our border and protecting our nation's resources go hand in hand,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again. This transfer reflects Interior's commitment to public safety, national security and responsible stewardship of our public lands.”
New Hampshire lawyer ‘treated like a criminal’ by border patrol after returning from Canada
21:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
Madeline Sherratt reports:
A New Hampshire real estate attorney and an American citizen have claimed they were detained at the U.S. border without explanation.
Bachir Atallah and his wife, Jessica Fakhri, were returning from a family vacation in Canada Sunday when officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped them as they were re-entering the country in Vermont.
“They held us in two separate cells, and neither of us had shoes or a jacket. It was freezing,” Atallah told The Independent Tuesday.
Read on...
Wall Street closes down slightly as tariff uncertainty keeps investors on edge
21:20
,
Oliver O'Connell
U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Tuesday as tariff uncertainty remained high and shares of consumer and healthcare companies eased, while upbeat results from banks offered some support.
Quarterly results from companies including Bank of America and Citigroup boosted financials, which led S&P 500 sector gainers.
Still, bank executives cautioned that U.S. consumer spending faces significant risks if the disruption caused by President Donald Trump's trade policy continues.
Federal Register filings on Monday revealed that the Trump administration was also moving forward with investigations into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors, as part of an effort to impose tariffs on these sectors.
Trump announced sweeping tariffs on April 2, triggering turmoil in the market and raising concerns about a global trade war and a potential recession. Investors have struggled to focus on much else since then.
Trump has suggested possible exemptions for the 25% tariffs imposed on imports of autos and auto parts, while Canada on Tuesday announced it would permit some relief to domestically based automakers and manufacturers in specific sectors from counter-tariffs, provided they meet certain conditions.
Barclays on Tuesday downgraded the U.S. autos and mobility sector, stating that Trump's tariffs could pressure automakers' earnings. Shares of Ford closed lower.
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 9.38 points, or 0.17%, ending at 5,396.59 points, while the Nasdaq Composite fell by 10.30 points, or 0.06%, to 16,821.18. The Dow Jones Industrial Average decreased by 155.21 points, or 0.38%, to 40,369.58.
With reporting from Reuters
DOJ lawyer who admitted Abrego Garcia mistakenly deported is fired
21:17
,
Oliver O'Connell
Erez Reuveni, the second most senior lawyer in the Justice Department’s Office of Immigration Litigation, has been fired after having been placed on administrative leave.
Reuveni admitted in court that the Kilmar Abrego Garcia had been mistakenly deported.
UK PM told to adopt Trump agenda to win trade deal
21:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
Keir Starmer will have to embrace Donald Trump’s agenda on “free speech” to get a trade deal over the line, sources close to vice president JD Vance have told The Independent.
The warning came after the vice president gave an interview suggesting that a UK-US trade deal may be close with Mr Trump’s administration “working very hard” on it.
He told UnHerd: “I think there’s a good chance that, yes, we’ll come to a great agreement that’s in the best interest of both countries.”
David Maddox reports from London.
Abrego Garcia's wife says she will not stop fighting for his release
21:07
,
Oliver O'Connell
Jennifer Vasquez, the wife of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador, held a press conference outside the court where a status hearing on the case was held today.
“I find myself pleading with the Trump administration and the Bukele administration to stop playing political games with the life of Kilmar. Our family is torn apart during this scary time. Our children miss their dad so much,” she said.
“Enough is enough. My family can’t be robbed from another day without seeing Kilmar. This administration has already taken so much from my children, from Kilmar’s mother, brother, sisters, and me.”
Footage shows chaotic deportation arrest of migrant at federal courthouse
20:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
Chaotic surveillance footage from inside a federal courthouse showed the moment two ICE agents knocked down an elderly man with a cane as they attempted to arrest a Venezuelan migrant.
Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez, 33, is currently in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody in Texas, ICE records show, following the incident at the courthouse in Nashua, New Hampshire, in February.
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Trump exploring legality of deporting U.S. citizens to Central American prisons
20:49
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump is exploring the legality of whether he can deport U.S. citizens to prisons in Central American countries, the White House said Tuesday during the press briefing.
“It’s another question that the president has raised,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said when asked if Trump currently has the authority to send Americans to foreign prisons or would need to amend the law to do so.
“It’s a legal question that the president is looking into,” Leavitt added.
She said that Trump “would only consider this, if legal, for Americans who are the most violent, egregious, repeat offenders of crime who nobody in this room wants living in their communities.”
When asked to elaborate on the administration’s view of the law, Leavitt said, “We’re looking at it, and when I have more to share, I certainly will.”
DOOCY: Deporting American citizens to Central American prisons -- is it legal?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
LEAVITT: Well, it's another question that the president has raised. It's a legal question that the president is looking into. pic.twitter.com/nvMPBVeGW6
Watch: Border czar says sanctuary state leaders should be prosecuted, imprisoned
20:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
Judge blocks most of Trump executive order against law firm Susman Godfrey
20:36
,
Reuters
A judge in Washington on Tuesday blocked most of President Donald Trump's executive order targeting law firm Susman Godfrey, dealing the White House a new legal setback in its campaign against firms that Trump disfavors.
U.S. District Judge Loren AliKhan issued a temporary restraining order halting provisions of Trump's directive that threatened to cancel federal contracts held by Susman Godfrey's clients and restricted its lawyers' access to government buildings and officials.
Here’s Justin Baragona with the background as to why Trump is targeting the firm.
Full story: Trump threatens Harvard’s tax-exempt status
20:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
President Donald Trump threatened to revoke Harvard University’s tax-exempt status after the school refused to comply with a list of demands that would align itself more with Trump’s agenda.
In a Truth Social post on Tuesday, Trump continued to intimidate the Ivy League university for rejecting the government’s list of requests – just hours after the administration slashed $2.2 billion in federal funding for the school.
Ariana Baio reports.
Hegseth adviser escorted from Pentagon in leake probe
20:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
Reuters reports:
One of U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's top advisors, Dan Caldwell, was escorted out of the Pentagon on Tuesday after being identified during an investigation into leaks at the Department of Defense, a U.S. official told Reuters.
Caldwell, a senior advisor to Pete Hegseth, was placed on administrative leave for "an unauthorized disclosure," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The decision has not been previously reported.
"The investigation remains ongoing," the official said.
ANALYSIS: Who will benefit most from a new UK-US trade deal?
20:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
The UK may be on the brink of agreeing a new trade deal with the US, after nearly five years of negotiations.
The previous government began discussions for a free trade agreement in May 2020, with then-President Joe Biden’s administration.
Now vice president JD Vance has said that there is a “good chance” a deal could be reached between the two countries, as the world reels from the global trade war prompted by Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Alicja Hagopian and David Maddox take a look at what such a deal might mean in practice.
20:03
,
Oliver O'Connell
How DOGE is combing through housing and other data to find migrants
19:50
,
Oliver O'Connell
Department of Government Efficiency staffers have been given access to government databases containing private information about where people work or live - all with the intention of identifying undocumented immigrants and assisting in President Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Those databases - at agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Social Security Administration and IRS - contain private information that immigrants of all statuses have submitted about themselves, believing the information would not be used against them.
Ariana Baio has the details.
Watch: White House denies Trump's position on Canada has shifted
19:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
CANADIAN REPORTER: President Trump's tone on Canada has shifted. He stopped talking about Canada becoming the 51st state, at least publicly.
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
LEAVITT: I would reject that the president's position on Canada has shifted. Perhaps he just hasn't been asked about Canada. He believes… pic.twitter.com/ZCcZi01ow0
Cory Booker calls for insider trading hearings after Trump’s tariff backtrack
19:30
,
Oliver O'Connell
New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker is calling for congressional hearings into allegations of insider trading after President Donald Trump urged people to buy stocks before he backtracked on his tariff policy.
“There is enough of an offense here, there’s enough smoke here that should demand congressional hearings,” Booker NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
Gustaf Kilander reports.
Report: China orders its airlines to stop accepting deliveries of Boeing jets
19:21
,
Oliver O'Connell
According to a report by Bloomberg News, the Chinese government has instructed the country's domestic airlines to stop acceptance of Boeing jet deliveries as the trade war between the world's two largest economies escalates.
China is also directing its carriers to stop purchasing airline parts and other components from U.S. companies, the outlet reported, citing sources familiar with the situation.
The order to stop accepting Boeing jets follows China's increase of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%. This matches the tariff level imposed by President Donald Trump on Chinese imports, although those taxes can rise as high as 145% for certain products.
China's tariffs would more than double the price of U.S.-made aircraft and parts, rendering the cost unaffordable, Bloomberg noted.
Watch: White House believes not an abuse of power for Trump to target political enemies
19:15
,
Oliver O'Connell
Reporter: The president has said it would be an abuse of power for the president to direct prosecutors to investigate him. He directed the DOJ to scrutinize Chris Krebs.. How is that not an abuse of power?
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 15, 2025
Leavitt: It’s the position of the president that it’s well within his… pic.twitter.com/B9iRLKsqlu
Piers Morgan confronts WaPo columnist on why he won’t call out Jeff Bezos over Trump
19:10
,
Oliver O'Connell
Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin confessed to Piers Morgan this week that he can’t call out his paper’s owner in the same manner he recently did to Bill Maher for “falling into the trap” of being used by Donald Trump, noting that Jeff Bezos could potentially fire him for his criticism.
The admission by Rogin comes days after a fiery exchange on Maher’s HBO show Real Time, which also incidentally featured Morgan. During a panel discussion, Rogin challenged Maher for breaking bread with Trump after being an outspoken critic of the president for years, suggesting the comic had become a pawn in the president’s latest “PR stunt.”
Justin Baragona reports.
Watch: White House repeats accusations of human trafficking against Abrego Garcia — with no evidence
18:53
,
Oliver O'Connell
Leavitt: "Abrego Garcia was a foreign terrorist. He is an MS-13 gang member. He was engaged in human trafficking." (The White House hasn't provided evidence for any of these claims ... ) pic.twitter.com/Lt250kEI8b
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
White House asked about legality of deporting American citizens to Central American prisons
18:50
,
Alex Woodward
DOOCY: Deporting American citizens to Central American prisons -- is it legal?
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
LEAVITT: Well, it's another question that the president has raised. It's a legal question that the president is looking into. pic.twitter.com/nvMPBVeGW6
It’s not legal.
Read more...
Trump administration adds to 'national defense area' at southern border
18:45
,
Oliver O'Connell
The Trump administration is expanding military control of federal lands at the southern border.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters: “This new national defense area spans 170 miles across the border into Mexico that in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles from the state of Texas.”
Leavitt: This new national defense area spans 170 miles across the border into Mexico that in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles from the state of Texas pic.twitter.com/Z3YeQ0qcFS
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 15, 2025
18:39
,
Oliver O'Connell
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt describes Kilmar Abrego Garcia as “hiding in Maryland” and says: “Based on the sensationalism of many of the people in this room, you would think we deported a candidate for father of the year.”
Leavitt describes Abrego Garcia as "hiding in Maryland" and says, "based on the sensationalism of many of the people in this room, you would think we deported a candidate for father of the year" pic.twitter.com/3Fx5HK9ZfB
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 15, 2025
18:34
,
Oliver O'Connell
The White House will hold an Easter worship service for staff on Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announces.
This is part of a weeklong celebration organized by the White House Faith Office ongoing ahead of Easter Sunday, concluding with the Easter Egg roll on Monday.
