Wednesday, June 22, 2022

πŸ›️ Biden's border moment

Plus: DeSantis surges in betting markets | Wednesday, June 22, 2022
 
Axios Open in app View in browser
 
Presented By Meta
 
Axios Sneak Peek
By Alayna Treene, Hans Nichols and Zachary Basu · Jun 22, 2022

Welcome back to Sneak. Smart Brevity™ count: 842 words ... 3 minutes.

 
 
1 big thing: Biden's border moment
Protester in front of the Supreme Court

A demonstrator protests against the Remain in Mexico policy outside the Supreme Court on Tuesday. Photo: Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty Images

 

A migrant woman tried to take her own life this month while waiting in a shelter in Mexico for a U.S. asylum decision — the first known suicide attempt of Joe Biden's presidency under the Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" program he was forced to restart, Axios' Stef Kight has learned.

What we're watching: Biden officials are awaiting a U.S. Supreme Court decision they hope will allow them to end a program that advocates say places migrants at risk. The ruling could come as soon as tomorrow.

The big picture: "[S]ituations like this highlight the endemic flaws" of the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told Axios.

  • While the administration has said it would improve protections for enrollees in MPP, this incident reflects the stresses migrants still endure while waiting — and holes in a system intended to catch red-flag cases.

Between the lines: MPP is one of several Trump-era immigration policies that Biden had tried to disband — such as the Title 42 public health order — but kept in place due to court intervention or potential backlash from within his party.

Zoom in: MPP has been lambasted by Democrats, international organizations such as the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) and immigration advocates for putting migrants at risk.

  • As it continues efforts to end MPP, the Biden administration has promised to make the program safer. It has used MPP less aggressively than the previous administration, offered vaccines and exempted some vulnerable migrants.
  • Still, some migrants placed in the program continue to face physical and psychological danger.

Details: The woman who attempted suicide has since been treated in a hospital and brought into the U.S. under medical parole, according to an internal U.S. document viewed by Axios.

  • The woman had a history of mental health issues, including previously attempting suicide, Jeremy MacGillivray, deputy chief at IOM Mexico, told Axios.
  • MacGillivray said screening protocols in the U.S. should be strengthened to prevent people with similar mental health situations from being forced into the program.

What they're saying: "DHS is aware of this incident and acted quickly to remove the individual from MPP once notified of the situation," a DHS spokesperson told Axios.

  • "The department is hopeful that the Supreme Court will overturn the lower courts' rulings and allow DHS the discretion to end MPP."

Keep reading.

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (En EspaΓ±ol: 1-888-628-9454; Deaf and Hard of Hearing: dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255) or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 
2. πŸ‘€ DOJ widens Jan. 6 probe
Merrick Garland

Attorney General Merrick Garland. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

 

The Justice Department has expanded its criminal inquiry into the Trump-backed plan to organize fake slates of electors in states that the former president lost to Joe Biden, the Washington Post first reported.

  • At least three people connected to the scheme — which was the focus of the House Jan. 6 committee's fourth hearing yesterday — received grand jury subpoenas today.

Among them were Brad Carver, a Republican official who claimed to be a Trump elector in Georgia, and Thomas Lane, who worked on behalf of the Trump campaign in Arizona and Nevada.

  • Sean Flynn, a Trump campaign aide in Michigan, was also subpoenaed, according to the New York Times.

Between the lines: Until now, the DOJ's investigation "seemed to primarily involve talking to people in Republican circles who knew of the scheme and objected," the Post writes.

  • "[T]he subpoenas issued Wednesday suggest the Justice Department is now moving to question at least some of those who allegedly agreed to pursue the effort."

πŸ‘€ What to watch: The Jan. 6 committee's fifth hearing tomorrow will focus on Trump's efforts to pressure the Justice Department to investigate his false claims of voter fraud.

  • It will be the last hearing until July, with the committee planning to regroup to discuss how to incorporate the deluge of new evidence it's received since the hearings began.
Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 
3. ⛽ Dems pan Biden's gas tax holiday
Data: National Conference of State Legislatures. Cartogram: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

Democrats in Congress balked today at President Biden's proposal to suspend the federal gas tax, with House Transportation Chair Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) warning it would "achieve only minuscule relief" while undermining the bipartisan infrastructure law.

  • "We will see where the consensus lies on a path forward for the president's proposal," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in her own lukewarm statement.

Flashback: Former President Obama boasted in his 2020 memoir about opposing a gas tax holiday during his 2008 primary against Hillary Clinton, calling it a "gimmick" with only "superficial appeal."

Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 

A message from Meta

Doctors can practice high-risk situations risk-free in the metaverse
 
 

In the metaverse, future surgeons will be able to practice advanced procedures hundreds of times before seeing real patients – helping them gain experience and master their skills.

The metaverse may be virtual, but the impact will be real.

Learn how Meta is helping build the metaverse.

 
 
4. 🐘 '24 watch: DeSantis surges in betting markets
Screenshot via PredictIt, as of 3:45pm ET on June 22.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis surpassed former President Trump as political gamblers' favorite to win the 2024 GOP nomination for the first time earlier this month, according to the betting site PredictIt.

Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 
5. 🏈 Parting shot
Roger Goodell testifying before Congress

Photo: Jacquelyn Martin/AP

 

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league's handling of workplace misconduct allegations against the Washington Commanders during virtual testimony today before the House Oversight Committee.

  • The committee announced it would subpoena Commanders owner Dan Snyder after he declined to testify voluntarily.
Share on Facebook Tweet this Story Post to LinkedIn Email this Story
 
 

A message from Meta

The metaverse may be virtual, but the impact will be real
 
 

Meta is helping build the metaverse so aviation mechanics will be able to practice servicing different jet engines – preparing them for any complex job.

The result: A more skilled workforce.

Learn how Meta is helping build the metaverse.

 

πŸ“¬ Thanks for reading! Send us feedback by replying to this newsletter or emailing us at sneak@axios.com

HQ
Like this email style and format?
It's called Smart Brevity®. Over 200 orgs use it — in a tool called Axios HQ — to drive productivity with clearer workplace communications.
 

Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here.
Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content.

Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201
 
You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios.
Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.
 
Was this email forwarded to you?
Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.
 

Follow Axios on social media:

Axios on Facebook Axios on Twitter Axios on Instagram
 
 
                                             

No comments:

Post a Comment

Trump's Secret Manhattan Project

                                                                                                          JANUARY 20: Trump To Launch New...