The Latest: Supreme Court lets Trump restart deporting migrants away from their home countries
The Latest: Supreme Court lets Trump restart deporting migrants away from their home countries
A divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to restart swift removals of migrants to countries other than their homelands, as President Donald Trump continues his sweeping immigration crackdown that has sparked widespread protests, high-profile detentions and various court challenges.
The Supreme Court’s action lifts for now a court order requiring migrants get a chance to challenge the deportations.
All three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing that the court’s action exposes “ thousands to the risk of torture or death.”
Here’s the Latest:
What cases are left on the Supreme Court’s emergency docket?
Trump administration lawyers have filed emergency appeals with the nation’s highest court a little less than once a week on average since the president began his second term, though the pace of new filings has slowed recently.
The court is not being asked to render a final decision but rather to set the rules of the road while the case makes its way through the courts.
The justices have issued orders in 14 cases so far. The Trump administration has won more than it has lost, including on Monday when the high court allowed the resumption of swift removals of migrants to countries other than their homelands.
▶ Read more about the cases left on the Supreme Court’s docket
US Secret Service is maintaining a greater presence near White House
The Secret Service said it has taken an enhanced security posture on 17th Street near the White House following the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
The roving patrols that were already in effect now have a more visible presence with vehicles being kept in place, said a Secret Service spokesperson who insisted on anonymity to discuss the decision.
The greater public visibility on the streets surrounding the White House began Monday before Iran retaliated for the strikes by attacking a U.S. base in Qatar.
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Associated Press reporter Joshua Boak contributed to this report.
US may be less ready for possible nonmilitary retaliation from Iran, foreign policy experts say
The Trump administration’s focus on immigration may have left the U.S. less ready to handle any possible nonmilitary retaliation from Iran, some foreign policy experts said Monday.
The analysts spoke on a Council for Foreign Relations panel on possible fallout from the U.S. military strikes on Iran.
“There’s a history of Iranians doing these kinds of things outside the Middle East,” in either armed attacks or cyberattacks, said Steven Cook, a Middle East expert for the foreign policy think tank.
“And it seems to me … that we are less prepared than we were as a result of the focus on immigration enforcement,” Cook said.
The Trump administration has beefed up funding and staffing to detain and deport asylum-seekers and other immigrants to the U.S.
Meanwhile, Trump administration cuts have scaled some counter-terror work at the Department of Homeland Security and put a key counter-terror program at the agency under a new director in their early 20s, said former diplomat Farah Pandith.
Supreme Court allows Trump to restart swift deportation of migrants away from their home countries
The Supreme Court is allowing the Trump administration to restart swift removals of migrants to countries other than their homelands, lifting for now a court order requiring they get a chance to challenge the deportations.
The high court’s action came after District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston found the administration had violated his order by sending eight people to South Sudan in May.
The migrants had been convicted of serious crimes in the U.S. and immigration officials have said they were unable to return them quickly to their home countries. Authorities instead landed the plane at a U.S. naval base in Djibouti.
▶ Read more about the Supreme Court’s decision
Jeffries says Trump ‘lied to the American people’ about military involvement in Middle East
“He lied to the American people, turned around and, without Congressional authorization, launched an attack that does risk the possibility of further United States entanglement that will cost us trillions of dollars and thousands of lives if it goes the way of the failed war in Iraq and the challenges that we had over a twenty year period of time in Afghanistan,” Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said of President Trump’s broadcasting that he wanted to negotiate with Iran over its nuclear program and to stay out of foreign wars on the campaign trail.
Jeffries said the administration needed a war powers resolution from Congress to carry out orders like last weekend’s attacks. While Jeffries counterparts in GOP leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, had been briefed on the attacks beforehand, Jeffries said he had not. No such meeting has yet been scheduled.
“What is your plan to avoid another foreign war, a promise you made, a promise that Donald Trump made to the American people,” Jeffries said, arguing that Trump had “failed” at his other campaign promises.
“We’ve seen no evidence to date that an offensive strike of this nature was justified under the War Powers Act or the Constitution,” said Jeffries. “Not a scintilla of evidence to date has been presented to that I have seen to justify the notion that there was an imminent threat to the United States of America.”
Trump calls Iran’s retaliation ‘very weak’ and thanks the country for an advance warning of their plans
Trump said Iran had “a very weak response” to the U.S. bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites and thanked the country’s leadership for providing “early notice” of the retaliatory attack.
Of the 14 missiles fired at a U.S. base in Qatar, Trump said in a social media post that “13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction.”
“I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system,’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured.”
Trump said that Iran might be able to “now proceed to Peace and Harmony” and he said would encourage Israel to do the same.
Bondi clashes with Democrats at budget hearing
The attorney traded barbs with Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee as she was pressed on proposed funding cuts to law enforcement agencies, Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons and other matters.
During one heated exchange, Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean said the “three hallmarks of this administration are incompetence, corruption and cruelty.”
Bondi fired back: “You want to talk about in incompetence? You’re the one that said Joe Biden on PBS was competent. You had to retract those words. So don’t talk to me, don’t insult me publicly.”
Ratcliffe, Gabbard to brief members of Congress on Iran
CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard will brief members of Congress on Tuesday on U.S. military action in Iran.
Gen. Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Deputy Secretaries of State Christopher Landau and Steve Feinberg will also attend. Both the House and Senate will receive classified briefings.
The briefings will come as many lawmakers have demanded answers about the intelligence ahead of President Donald Trump’s decision over the weekend to strike Iranian sites.
House Speaker Mike Johnson voices opposition to Congress weighing in on the use of military force against Iran
Johnson said he is opposed to debate and a vote on a use-of-force resolution.
“I don’t think this is an appropriate time for a War Powers resolution. And I don’t think it’s necessary,” Johnson told reporters Monday.
He said Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama exercised their authority as commander-in-chief in ordering operations in the Middle East. He said Democratic lawmakers didn’t object then.
“Suddenly, now, they are just up in arms,” Johnson said. “It’s all politics. This is not a time for politics.”
Johnson said Trump has used his constitutional authority “judiciously.”
Johnson said he had a classified briefing Monday morning about Iran. He spoke to reporters soon after Iran had launched a missile attack on a U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq.
“This is the retaliation that was expected,” Johnson said. “So far, so good. No casualties so far as we know.”
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said there would be a classified briefing for House members Tuesday afternoon.
US confirms strikes from Iran targeting base in Qatar
A Defense Department official is confirming a missile attack from Iran on a U.S. military base in Qatar but says no casualties have been reported.
The official said Monday that Al Udeid Air Base was attacked by short-range and medium-range ballistic missiles. The U.S. is continuing to monitor the situation, said the official.
The confirmation came soon after Iran acknowledged the missile attacks, saying the attack in Qatar matched the number of bombs dropped by the United States on its nuclear sites over the weekend, signaling its likely desire to de-escalate.
Iran launched attacks Monday, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region.
Trump Media to buy $400 million of its own slumping shares
Trump’s media company plans to buy back up to $400 million of its stock, which have tumbled 46% this year.
Trump Media and Technology Group, which operates the Truth Social media platform, says that the acquisition will improve its financial flexibility.
Companies can drive their stock higher by acquiring or removing the number of company shares outstanding. Trump is the largest stakeholder in Trump Media, with about 114 million shares.
Shares of Trump Media rose just over 1%. But the shares appeared to peak about a month after the company went public in late March. Shares have been on a steady, downward trajectory since.
Qatar said there’s no casualties after Iran’s attack on the Al Udeid Air Base
The quick statement from Qatar Foreign Minister spokesman Majed al-Ansari said that the energy-rich nation “condemns the attack that targeted Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.”
“We reassure that Qatar’s air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles,” it added.
Qatar said it would push for diplomatic efforts for “a serious return to the negotiating table and dialogue.”
Al Udeid is also home to the Combined Air Operations Center, which provides command and control of airpower across the region as well as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, the largest expeditionary wing in the world.
Iran launches missile attacks in Qatar
Iran launched missile attacks Monday on a U.S. military bases in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites and escalating tensions in the volatile region.
People in Doha, Qatar’s capital, stopped and looked up as missiles flew and interceptors fired and struck at least one missile in the night sky.
Iran announced on state television that it attacked American forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
Qatar issued a statement condemning the Iranian attack and said no casualties were reported.
Trump visited the Qatari base Iran is attacking just last month
Iran said Monday night that it attacked American forces stationed at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base.
Trump visited the base and addressed US and Qatari troops there in May during a trip to the region.
Speaking to U.S. troops at the base in May, the president said “my priority is to end conflicts, not start them.”
“But I will never hesitate to wield American power, if it’s necessary, to defend the United States of America or our partners. And this is one of our great partners right here,” referring to Qatar. “When we’re threatened, America’s military will answer our enemies without even thinking about it. We have overwhelming strength and devastating force.”
White House monitoring reported Iranian strikes on US base in Qatar
The White House and Pentagon are aware of, and closely monitoring, the potential threats to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, according to a senior administration official.
The official was not authorized to comment publicly.
Trump questions ex-Russian president suggesting some countries could give nuclear warheads to Iran
Trump is casting doubt on former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s suggestions that “a number” of countries were considering supplying Iran with nuclear warheads.
“Did he really say that or is it just a figment of my imagination? If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump posted on his social media site.
The president also questioned Medvedev’s authority compared to Russia President Vladimir Putin, writing, that the threat of nuclear attack “should not be treated so casually. I guess that’s why Putin’s ‘THE BOSS.’”
Trump ended his message with an implicit threat. He said U.S. bombing might displayed in Iran over the weekend could pale in comparison to the lethal force of “our nuclear submarines.”
Democratic lawmakers demand halt to Medicaid data transfer to immigration officials
A group of Democratic House members demanded Trump administration officials on Monday to stop sharing data of Medicaid enrollees – including their immigration status – with the Department of Homeland Security.
The request came in a letter sent by 31 lawmakers to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The letter was sent in response to an Associated Press report this month that detailed how deportation officials had obtained the sensitive data over the objections of career health officials. The data could assist federal agents in finding migrants.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Adriano Espaillat, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, were among those who signed the letter. It follows a letter sent last week by Democratic senators to Kennedy and other Trump appointees.
Trump targets Massie
The president is unloading on Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who has criticized his attack on Iran.
“GET THIS ‘BUM’ OUT OF OFFICE, ASAP!!!” Trump wrote on social media.
He posted a lengthy message on Sunday describing Massie as “a negative force” who is “not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is.”
He promised that there would be a “wonderful American Patriot running against him in the Republican Primary, and I’ll be out in Kentucky campaigning really hard.”
Trump will soon face a congressional vote over his military powers
While the president has authority as the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces to order specific military actions, any prolonged war-time footing would traditionally need authorization from Congress.
The House and Senate authorized actions in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond after the Sept. 11, 2001, attack.
Trump faces a vote in Congress as soon as this week on a war powers resolution from Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., that would “direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.”
Another resolution has been introduced by lawmakers from both parties in the U.S. House.
At least one Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, said Trump’s actions are “clearly grounds for impeachment.”
Trump urges oil producers to pump more oil
With oil prices surging after U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump on Monday called on oil producers to step it up.
“DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!” Trump posted on social media. He added, “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY. DON’T DO IT!”
Iran’s parliament has approved cutting off the Strait of Hormuz, about 20% of global oil and gas flows through the narrow shipping lane in the Persian Gulf. It’s now up to Iran’s national security council whether to move forward with the move that could lead to a spike in the cost of goods and services worldwide.
Trump just ‘raising a question’ about regime change
Leavitt said U.S. operations in the Middle East haven’t changed despite Trump raising the possibility of toppling Iran’s theocratic leaderships.
“The president was just simply raising a question that I think many people around the world are asking,” she told reporters on Monday morning.
She added, “if they refuse to engage in diplomacy moving forward, why shouldn’t the Iranian people rise up against this brutal terrorist regime?”
On Sunday, Trump called into question the future of Iran’s ruling theocracy after a surprise attack on three of the country’s nuclear sites, seemingly contradicting his administration’s earlier calls to resume negotiations and avoid an escalation in fighting.
“It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???” Trump posted on social media. “MIGA!!!”
Leavitt says Democrats were notified about U.S. attack on Iran
Trump’s bombardment of three sites in Iran quickly sparked debate in Congress over his authority to launch the strikes, with Republicans praising Trump for decisive action even as many Democrats warned he should have sought congressional approval.
Leavitt rejected accusations that Democrats were not given a heads up about the U.S. attack on Iran.
“We did make bipartisan calls,” Leavitt told Fox News. She said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries “couldn’t be reached.”
Traditionally, there are bipartisan briefings for congressional leaders, even for classified missions.
Leavitt insisted the White House was “not obligated to tell anybody” about the plans but “we gave these calls as a courtesy.”
Pakistan condemns Trump shortly after nominating him for Nobel
Pakistan condemned U.S. President Donald Trump for bombing Iran, less than 24 hours after saying he deserved a Nobel Peace Prize for defusing a recent crisis with India.
Relations between the two South Asian countries plummeted after a massacre of tourists in Indian-controlled Kashmir in April. The nuclear-armed rivals stepped closer to war in the weeks that followed, attacking each other until intense diplomatic efforts, led by the U.S., resulted in a truce for which Trump took credit.
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This story has been corrected to show that Iran launched missile strikes on bases in both Iran and Iraq. Iran did not claim credit for Iraq attack, which could have been carried out by militias.
By The Associated Press
