| | | | | | | Presented By Facebook | | | | Axios Sneak Peek | | By Alayna Treene and Hans Nichols ·Jun 23, 2021 | | Welcome back to Sneak. A D.C. bridge collapse added fresh context to the infrastructure debate across town. 🚨 Breaking: The White House and a bipartisan group of senators agreed tonight on the framework for a roughly $1.2 trillion infrastructure package; President Biden will be briefed tomorrow, sources tell Axios' Alayna Treene. - She also reports Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) told reporters today he doesn't think there are any outstanding issues on police reform legislation ahead of tomorrow's deadline.
Smart Brevity™ count: 1,477 words ... 5.5 minutes. Edited by Glen Johnson. | | | | | | 1 big thing: Scoop — Border Democrats want migrants vaccinated |  | | | Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas). Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | | | | Some Democrats representing border districts want President Biden to vaccinate migrants crossing into the U.S. — especially if he lifts public health restrictions that have prevented them from claiming asylum on American soil, Axios' Hans Nichols reports. Why it matters: Inoculating migrants treads a fine line of protecting the U.S. population while possibly incentivizing more migration with the offer of free COVID-19 vaccines. Republicans are likely to pounce on that. - "It would be silly not to give the migrants access to the vaccines," said Rep. Filemon Vela (D-Texas), who represents the Brownsville, Texas, area. "It would protect the migrants, and our communities, against the virus."
- "I have been pushing to vaccinate kids, older kids, who have the ability to give consent, on the American side of the border," said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas), who represents the El Paso, Texas, area. "It's in our interest."
- "The answer is not, as Biden and (Vice President Kamala) Harris want, to let everybody in and then let everybody go," said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas). "The answer is not open borders; the answer is to secure the border and enforce our laws."
- Decisions about how to distribute the vaccines have largely been left to the states, an administration official noted.
The big picture: Biden retained a policy enacted by President Trump that prevented migrant adults and families from seeking asylum in the United States under a so-called Title 42 public health restriction aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus. - From Oct. 1 to the end of May, Border Patrol agents used that rule to expel about 650,000 migrant families, children and adults.
- The president is looking at ending the use of Title 42 as soon as mid-July, Axios has reported.
- That would allow migrants to seek asylum after crossing into the United States — rather than being immediately expelled to Mexico when reaching the border. Many would be released into the U.S. while awaiting hearings.
Driving the news: Vice President Harris plans to visit the El Paso region Friday. - Border Patrol chief Rodney Scott also told colleagues Wednesday he'll step aside in about 60 days, so the administration "can place the person they want in the position."
- Scott was a Trump administration holdover.
Keep reading. 📅 Join Axios Latino co-author Russell Contreras at 12:30pm ET tomorrow for a virtual event about Latino LGBTQ issues, from policymaking to the impact of the pandemic. - Guests include Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Latino Equality Alliance executive director Eddie Martinez. Register here.
|     | | | | | | 2. State Dept. fears Chinese threats to labor auditors |  | | | A space for media is designated by Chinese authorities near a mosque in the Xinjiang region of China. Photo: Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images | | | | The State Department is concerned organizations performing supply-chain audits in China are coming under pressure from Chinese authorities, Axios China author Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian reports. Why it matters: U.S. law prohibits importing products made through forced labor, but it's becoming increasingly difficult to verify if products from China are tainted. - In April, at least seven people in China who work in partnership with Verité were interrogated by Chinese authorities for several days, several people familiar with the matter told Axios.
- Verité is a U.S.-based company that performs supply-chain audits around the world to ensure production is free of forced labor and other violations.
- It declined to comment. Verité does not have operations in Xinjiang.
A similar organization has expressed concern for the safety of its Chinese employees, according to one person familiar with the matter. Between the lines: As part of a sweeping campaign of forced assimilation and genocide, the Chinese government has forced Muslim ethnic minorities to work in factories in Xinjiang and other parts of the country. - This potentially taints a large number of supply chains throughout China.
- Last week, the U.S. and G7 economic powers issued a joint statement condemning forced labor in global supply chains — specifically naming the Chinese government's use of forced labor in Xinjiang as a top concern.
What they're saying: "We are deeply concerned by reports that supply-chain auditors have been detained, threatened, harassed and subjected to constant surveillance while conducting their vital work in China," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement to Axios. - "We continue to caution businesses about the reputational, economic and legal risks of supply-chain links to entities that engage in human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Companies must ensure their activities comply with U.S. law."
- "We will continue to consider all available tools to promote accountability for the PRC government's atrocities in Xinjiang," the State spokesperson said.
The Chinese government has denied accusations of genocide and forced labor, saying instead that Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities are benefiting from vocational education and poverty alleviation programs. - The Chinese government also has levied sanctions on foreign researchers, organizations and even members of the European Parliament who have raised awareness about human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
- Authorities in Xinjiang have denied or limited access to the region to journalists, researchers and human rights investigators, complicating independent assessments of working conditions in the region.
Be smart: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will hold a news conference tomorrow "to discuss efforts to eradicate forced labor from U.S. supply chains." | | | | | | | | 3. By the numbers: States with most new guns |  Data: USA Facts, U.S. Census Bureau; Chart: Sara Wise/Axios The president unveiled his anti-crime plan today following a surge in violent crime across the country — particularly in big cities. Why it matters: Part of the administration's plan involves cracking down on gun dealers. The U.S. has witnessed mass shootings on a weekly basis this year, according to Gun Violence Archive data reviewed by Axios' Stef Kight. By the numbers: Kentucky and Illinois were the top two for most firearm background checks in 2020, both numerically and per capita. Those checks are one of the best metrics for measuring gun buying in the U.S. - A record number of people were blocked from buying guns because of the background check system last year, at more than 300,000, the AP reported.
- The number of background checks conducted each month has risen over the years, and March set a new record at nearly 4.7 million.
| | | | | | | | A message from Facebook | | The internet has changed a lot since 1996 - internet regulations should too | | |  | | | | It's been 25 years since comprehensive internet regulations passed. See why we support updated regulations on key issues, including: - Protecting people's privacy.
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| | | | | | 4. Stealthy pro-Greitens PAC back for Senate bid |  | | | Eric Greitens. Photo: Michael Thomas/ Getty Images | | | | A super PAC that funneled millions in untraceable cash to Eric Greitens' 2016 Missouri gubernatorial campaign has resurfaced as he mounts a bid for U.S. Senate, records reviewed by Axios' Lachlan Markay show. Why it matters: "SEALs for Truth PAC" provides a means to funnel huge financial support to Greitens as he seeks the Republican nomination. And its revival has the potential to renew scrutiny of the dodgy tactics that helped elect him governor. - They also contributed to the legal and ethical travails that forced his resignation.
What's new: In late May, two days after Greitens officially entered the Senate race, SEALs for Truth filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission signaling it was kicking back into gear. - The super PAC had been largely inactive since Greitens' election in 2016. It tried four times last year to terminate its FEC registration but the commission rejected each effort.
- A source familiar with the situation told Axios the termination was denied because of an ongoing FEC review of allegations it illegally hid the sources of $2 million in contributions to Greitens' gubernatorial campaign.
The backstory: The $2 million that SEALs for Truth donated to Greitens' 2016 campaign came entirely from a nonprofit that, in turn, had links to Greitens' staffers and consultants. - The donation was the largest political contribution in Missouri history, and ethics groups have since alleged it was designed to hide the sources of funds for Greitens' campaign.
- It followed discussions among the Greitens team — later unearthed by the Missouri Ethics Commission — about using nonprofit "dark money" groups to keep the identities of large campaign donors secret.
- Missouri officials determined that Greitens' campaign had illegally used nonprofits to boost his gubernatorial campaign. Greitens himself was cleared of wrongdoing.
- Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a left-leaning nonprofit group, filed a complaint with the FEC alleging the SEALs for Truth scheme violated federal election laws. It later sued the FEC to compel an investigation. The case is ongoing.
Between the lines: SEALs for Truth hasn't reported any expenditures in the Missouri Senate race. And it hasn't reported any significant income since the $2 million donation it immediately funneled to Greitens in 2016. - Emails to and phone messages left with the contact information on file with the FEC were not returned.
- A Greitens campaign spokesperson told Axios, "We have no knowledge of any updates involving this group or their plans, nor have we had any contact with this group."
Keep reading. | | | | | | | | 5. Pic du jour |  | | | Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images | | | | A Marine places a flag next to the cremated remains of former Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) during his funeral service at the National Cathedral. | | | | | | | | A message from Facebook | | Why Facebook supports updated internet regulations | | |  | | | | 2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the last major update to internet regulation. It's time for an update to set clear rules for addressing today's toughest challenges. See how we're taking action on key issues and why we support updated internet regulations. | | | | 🐫 We've made it through another Hump Day! Our daily reminder that you can sign up for email delivery of this or any of Axios' other free newsletters right here. |  | | The tool and templates you need for more engaging team updates. | | | | | | Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
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