Trump Admin Moves to Terminate Deportation Protections for 348K Venezuelans

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-biden-deportation/2025/02/03/id/1197623/

Monday, 03 February 2025 01:30 PM EST

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday moved to terminate deportation relief for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the U.S., part of President Donald Trump's expanding immigration crackdown.

The decision means about 348,000 Venezuelans with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will lose deportation relief and access to work permits by April, according to a related government notice, which said conditions in Venezuela no longer warranted the protections and that they were contrary to U.S. interests.

Trump took office on Jan. 20 vowing to crack down on illegal immigration and humanitarian programs he says go beyond the intent of U.S. law. Trump's efforts to end most TPS enrollment during his first term was hindered by federal courts.

TPS is available to people whose home country has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict, or other extraordinary event.

Former President Joe Biden greatly expanded the program, and it now covers more than 1 million people from 17 nations. Many of those migrants — including some in the U.S. for decades — could face immediate deportation if they lose the status.

Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans arrived in the U.S. during Biden's presidency, many via legal humanitarian pathways, and deporting them has been challenging due to frosty U.S.-Venezuela relations. On Saturday, Trump said Venezuela had agreed to accept all deportees but provided few details.

Last week, Noem rolled back an 18-month extension of TPS for Venezuelans by her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas, saying the Trump administration did not want to be bound by the Biden-era determination.

About 300,000 additional Venezuelans have TPS protections that expire in September and were not affected by Monday's decision.

DHS said in the termination notice that while some challenging conditions remain in Venezuela, "there are notable improvements in several areas such as the economy, public health, and crime that allow for these nationals to be safely returned to their home country."

The termination will be effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, the notice said.

>>22499112

Now go do the Somalian refugees Obutma brought over.

Attorney to Musk: Threats Against DOGE Unacceptable

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/attorney-doge-threats/2025/02/03/id/1197613/

Monday, 03 February 2025 12:57 PM EST

A U.S. attorney in President Donald Trump's Justice Department issued a letter to Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency to assure Musk's staff will be defended against threats.

"Dear @elon, Please see this important letter," Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Ed Martin posted Monday on X. "We will not tolerate threats against DOGE workers or law-breaking by the disgruntled."

Martin's letter came amid controversy surrounding Musk's DOGE staffers having faced resistance from career government staffers. Musk led a DOGE chat on X on Sunday, urging Americans and "the judiciary" to support his group's work with the Trump administration.

"Let me assure you this: We will pursue any and all legal action against anyone who impedes your work or threatens your people," Martin's letter to Musk read. "We will not act like the previous administration who looked the other way as the Antifa and BLM rioters as well as thugs with guns trashed our capital city.

"We will protect DOGE and other workers no matter what."

Martin's letter opened with a vow to assist Musk from the Justice Department.

"It was good to work with the DOGE team this weekend," Martin wrote. "We must keep all our American government employees safe and we must protect the American peoples property. Anyone imperiling others violating our laws.

"I recognize that some of the staff at DOGE has been targeted publicly. At this time, ask that you utilize me and my staff to assist in protecting the DOGE work and the DOGE workers. Any threats, confrontations, or other actions in any way that impact their work may break numerous laws."

Martin also noted in the letter an indictment against a spy for China.

"One last warning for you: late last week, we indicted an economist who worked at the Fed for economic espionage for the Communist Chinese," the letter concluded. "Please be very aware that there are those who are acting against our American people in every way. Refer to us any questionable conduct or details that you find or notice."

>>22499156

Time to deport Somali refugees.

>>22499209

>no one knows who oprah is

Tell that to the people in Hawaii.

Judge Considers Injunction for Trump Funding Freeze

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/judge-donald-trump-funding/2025/02/03/id/1197624/

Monday, 03 February 2025 01:15 PM EST

The federal judge who blocked President Donald Trump's freeze on government aid programs expressed concern Monday that the administration is going ahead with its plan.

U.S. District Judge Loren L. AliKhan blocked the action Tuesday, minutes before it was set to go into effect. The administrative stay paused the freeze until Monday.

A White House spokesperson on Wednesday said the federal funding freeze remained in effect despite media reports that it had been rescinded. A memo outlining the federal funding pause was rescinded.

A second judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary order on Friday blocking the administration from halting any federal funding. That order came in a separate lawsuit filed by nearly two dozen Democrat-led states.

AliKhan on Monday was expected to consider extending her temporary block on Trump's plan to halt federal grants and loans, which originally targeted a wide range of funding totaling potentially trillions of dollars.

"JUST IN: A federal judge in Washington says she's concerned that the White House is still implementing the spending freeze that she and a Rhode Island judge have ordered temporarily halted," Politico's Kyle Cheney posted on X. "Judge AliKhan is inclined to issue a restraining order."

Trump administration officials have said federal assistance to individuals would not be affected by the freeze. That includes recipients for Social Security, Medicare, food stamps, student loans, and scholarships.

AliKhan was appointed to the district court and court of appeals by then-President Joe Biden, Newsweek reported.

Recess Appointments coming soon?

Sen. Schatz to Stall Trump's State Dept Noms Until USAID Back

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-nominees-usaid/2025/02/03/id/1197629/

Monday, 03 February 2025 02:13 PM EST

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, on Monday said he would stall President Donald Trump's State Department nominees until USAID, the U.S. agency charged with delivering humanitarian assistance overseas, is back, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"I will oppose unanimous consent," he told the Journal. "I will vote no. I will do maximal delays until this is resolved."

The report was published Sunday night, hours before USAID staffers were instructed to stay out of the agency's Washington headquarters after billionaire Elon Musk announced Trump had agreed with him to shut the agency.

The fast-moving developments come after thousands of USAID employees already have been laid off and programs shut down in the two weeks since Trump took office. And they show the extraordinary power of Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, in the Trump administration. Musk announced closing of the agency early Monday, as Trump's secretary of state, Marco Rubio, was out of the country on a trip to Central America.

Schatz told the Journal that he expects the judicial system to stop Musk's attempt to close down USAID.

"You cannot wave a wand and eliminate a department established by federal law, so it will be reversed by a court," he said.

Trump's Newly Created Sovereign Wealth Fund Could Buy TikTok

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/trump-treasury-tiktok/2025/02/03/id/1197615/

Monday, 03 February 2025 01:42 PM EST

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday ordering the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments to create a sovereign wealth fund and said it may purchase TikTok.

TikTok, which has about 170 million American users, was briefly taken offline just before a law requiring its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it on national security grounds or face a ban took effect on Jan. 19.

Trump, after taking office on Jan. 20, signed an executive order seeking to delay by 75 days the enforcement of the law.

Trump has said that he was in talks with multiple people over TikTok's purchase and would likely have a decision on the popular app's future in February.

>>22499369

>Would

…about 30 or 40 years ago.

>>22499388

DEPORT! DEPORT! DEPORT!!

>>22499424

They 'bout to get bit in the azz.

Rep. Comer to Newsmax: Stop Giving Govt Orgs Blank Checks

https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/jamescomer-ngo-elonmusk/2025/02/03/id/1197600/

Monday, 03 February 2025 11:52 AM EST

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax Monday he applauds President Donald Trump's decision to shut down the USAID.

Staffers of the U.S. Agency for International Development were instructed to stay out of the agency's Washington headquarters on Monday, according to a notice distributed to them, after billionaire Elon Musk announced the president agreed with him to close the agency in accordance with the Department of Government Efficiency, which Musk runs.

USAID staffers said they tracked 600 employees who reported being locked out of the agency's computer systems overnight. Those still in the system received emails in the agency system saying that "at the direction of Agency leadership" the headquarters building "will be closed to Agency personnel on Monday, Feb. 3."

"I support what Elon Musk is trying to do," Comer said on "National Report." "There are going to be worthy government programs, and I think we're going to find there are a lot of government programs that are obsolete and a lot of government programs that are downright waste, fraud, and abuse."

He said he believes most Americans are overwhelmingly against foreign aid.

"With respect to me, other than the country of Israel, I don't see any need right now to continue foreign aid until some of these countries meet with Donald Trump and give us assurances that it's a good deal for the American taxpayers," Comer said. "I don't think it's a good deal in the overwhelming majority of these countries."

The Kentucky congressman said much of the aid money gets transferred to nongovernmental organizations and is used to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary cities in America.

"There's a lot of investigating that needs to take place, Comer said. "We've got to stop doing this blank check to every government organization and assuming that the money is being spent the way they've told us. I appreciate that Donald Trump and Elon Musk are trying to get a handle on wasteful government spending."