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Migrants from Afghanistan, Russia, Iran, and China, deported from the United States and left in limbo in Panama, have been moving from one embassy and consulate to another this week, desperately trying to secure asylum in any country willing to take them. Once the focus of international humanitarian attention just weeks ago, the deportees now fear that, with minimal legal and humanitarian aid and no clear path forward from authorities, they may soon be forgotten. Asian shares mixed as Wall St dips on US uncertainty “After this, we have no idea what we will do,” said 29-year-old Hayatullah Omagh, who fled Afghanistan in 2022 following the Taliban’s takeover. In February, the United States deported nearly 300 people from predominantly Asian nations to Panama. The Central American country was intended as a transit point for migrants from countries that were difficult for the U.S. to deport to, as the Trump administration sought to expedite removals. While some agreed to return to their home countries voluntarily, others, fearing persecution, refused and were sent to a remote camp in the Darién jungle for several weeks. Earlier this month, Panama released the remaining migrants from the camp, giving them one month to leave the country. The government stated that they had declined assistance from international organisations, opting instead to make their own arrangements. However, with limited financial resources, no familiarity with Panama, and little to no knowledge of Spanish, the migrants have struggled. Seeking asylum from one embassy to another On Tuesday, around a dozen migrants visited foreign diplomatic missions in Panama’s capital, including the Canadian and British embassies as well as the Swiss and Australian consulates, hoping to initiate the asylum process. However, they were either turned away or advised to contact the embassies via phone or email. Their messages often received no response or a standard reply stating that the embassies could not assist them. In one email, Omagh explained the reasons for his escape, pleading, “Please don’t let me be sent back to Afghanistan, where survival is impossible for me.” The response from the Canadian Embassy in Panama stated, “The Embassy of Canada in Panama does not offer visa or immigration services, nor services for refugees. We are also not permitted to answer any questions regarding visas or immigration.” At the British Embassy, a security guard handed the asylum-seekers a leaflet titled “Emergency Help for British People.” Meanwhile, at the Swiss consulate, the group was directed to contact the embassy in Costa Rica and given a printed sheet with general phone numbers and email addresses from the embassy’s website. Canadian, British, and Australian diplomats in Panama did not respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press. The Swiss consulate denied claims that they had turned away the asylum-seekers. Heathrow Airport to shut down Friday after rire causes power outage in London Stuck in limbo in Panama The migrants had travelled halfway across the world, reached the U.S. border to seek asylum, and instead found themselves stranded in Panama—a country some had already passed through months earlier on their journey north. Many of the deportees expressed willingness to seek asylum in Panama but were informed by both international aid groups and Panamanian authorities that obtaining refuge in the country would be difficult, if not impossible. Álvaro Botero, who advocates for the migrants at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, said he was not surprised that embassies refused assistance, as such aid is typically reserved for extreme cases of political persecution. He also suggested that other governments may be reluctant to intervene due to potential diplomatic tensions with the Trump administration. “It’s critical that these individuals are not forgotten,” Botero said. “They never chose to be sent to Panama, and now they are stranded with no idea of what to do, uncertain about their future, and unable to return home.” Simultaneously, the Trump administration has restricted legal pathways at the U.S. southern border, intensified deportations, and suspended both its refugee resettlement programme and funding for organisations that could have supported the migrants now trapped in Panama. Over the weekend, the Trump administration deported more than 200 Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador, detaining them in a maximum-security gang prison. Officials alleged—without providing evidence—that the individuals were members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. Few options left On Thursday, the migrants visited the Panama offices of the U.N. refugee agency. Omagh reported that officials there informed them they could not assist with asylum in other countries due to restrictions imposed by the Panamanian government. A U.N. official told them they could begin the asylum process in Panama but warned that it was highly unlikely their claims would be accepted. The U.N.'s International Organization for Migration and the refugee agency did not immediately respond to the AP’s request for comment. That same day, Filippo Grandi, head of the U.N. refugee agency, cautioned that U.S. government aid cuts would have a detrimental effect on refugee services worldwide. “We urge member states to fulfil their commitments to displaced people. This is a time for solidarity, not retreat,” Grandi stated. Deportees, including Omagh, fear that foreign governments and aid organisations are turning their backs on them. Omagh, who is both an atheist and a member of Afghanistan’s Hazara ethnic minority, believes returning home under Taliban rule would mean certain death. Before attempting to reach the U.S., he had spent years trying to settle in Pakistan, Iran, and other countries, only to be denied visas. Russian migrant Aleksandr Surgin, also part of the group seeking help at embassies, fled his country after openly criticising the war in Ukraine on social media. He was warned by government officials that he would either be imprisoned or forced to fight in Ukraine. When asked on Thursday what he planned to do next, he simply replied, “I no longer have any hope.”

A Florida man convicted of killing an 8-year-old girl and her grandmother during a night of heavy drinking and drug use is set to be executed on Thursday. Edward James, 63, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection at 8 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke, under a death warrant signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in February. Unless a last-minute reprieve is granted, this will be Florida’s second execution of the year, with a third planned for April. Trump plans to sign executive order for shutdown of US Education Department This week, three other executions have been scheduled across the United States. Louisiana executed a man on Tuesday using nitrogen gas for the first time in its history, marking a return to executions after a 15-year hiatus. In Arizona, a man who kidnapped and murdered his girlfriend’s ex-husband was executed by lethal injection on Wednesday. Another lethal injection is scheduled in Oklahoma on Thursday. James was sentenced to death for the murders of 8-year-old Toni Neuner and her grandmother, 58-year-old Betty Dick, on September 19, 1993. At the time, James was renting a room in Dick’s home in Casselberry, where Toni and three other children were also staying that night. Court records indicate that James consumed up to 24 beers at a party, drank gin, and took LSD before returning to his room. The girl was raped and strangled to death, while the other children remained unharmed. James, who pleaded guilty, was also convicted of raping Toni and stealing Dick’s jewelry and car after stabbing her 21 times. He then drove across the country, periodically selling pieces of the stolen jewelry, before being arrested on October 6, 1993, in Bakersfield, California. Police obtained a videotaped confession from James, and despite his guilty plea, a jury recommended the death penalty by an 11-1 vote. James’ attorneys filed multiple appeals in state and federal courts, all of which were denied. Most recently, the Florida Supreme Court rejected claims that his long-term substance abuse, multiple head injuries, and a heart attack in 2023 led to mental decline that would make his execution cruel and unusual punishment. The justices upheld a lower court’s ruling that “James’s cognitive issues do not shield him from execution.” The court also dismissed his attorneys’ argument that the oxygen deprivation caused by his heart attack should be considered new evidence to halt the execution. Trump plans to shut down US Education Department Even if this evidence were new, the court determined that it would not likely lead to a less severe sentence in a new penalty phase. According to the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center, Florida administers lethal injections using a three-drug protocol: a sedative, a paralytic, and a drug that stops the heart. Earlier this year, Florida executed James Ford for the 1997 murders of a couple in Charlotte County, which was witnessed by their surviving toddler daughter. Additionally, Gov. DeSantis has signed a death warrant for the April 8 execution of Michael Tanzi, convicted of killing a woman in the Florida Keys in 2000.

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Thursday aimed at dissolving the U.S. Education Department, fulfilling a long-standing conservative goal to eliminate the agency. This announcement was made by a White House official, who requested anonymity prior to the public disclosure. Trump has consistently criticized the Education Department, calling it wasteful and dominated by liberal ideology. However, dismantling the agency may require congressional approval, as it was established by law in 1979. The executive order would instruct Secretary Linda McMahon to take the necessary steps to close the Education Department and return education authority to individual states, while ensuring the continuation of key services and benefits. Under the Trump administration, the Education Department has already undergone significant reductions, including workforce cuts and deep cuts to its civil rights and research divisions. Public school advocates have raised concerns that eliminating the department would worsen the inequalities in the American education system. The National Parents Union warned that the move would harm millions of children and prevent them from receiving a fair education. While the White House has not yet outlined specific functions to be shifted to other departments or discontinued, McMahon has previously stated that core programs such as Title I funding for low-income schools and Pell grants for college students would be preserved. The administration aims to create a "better functioning" Education Department. The agency manages billions of dollars in aid, including a $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, and oversees numerous programs supporting public schools and higher education. Federal funding represents a small portion of public school budgets, yet it plays a key role in supporting vulnerable students and institutions. Republicans have long sought to eliminate the Education Department, arguing that it wastes taxpayer money and infringes on state and local control. This idea has gained momentum amid growing demands from conservative groups for more control over education. Trump’s campaign promise to close the department and return control to states has been a central part of his platform, criticizing the agency as a haven for "radicals, zealots, and Marxists." Despite this, Trump has also used the department’s powers to enforce his policies on issues like transgender athletes in women’s sports and diversity programs. Some of Trump’s allies have raised concerns about whether he can shut down the department without congressional approval, and its popularity remains uncertain. In 2023, an amendment to close the department failed to gain sufficient support, with 60 Republicans joining Democrats to oppose it. During Trump’s first term, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos proposed deep cuts to the department’s budget and suggested bundling K-12 funding into block grants to give states more control over how they use federal education funds, but this proposal faced opposition, even from some Republicans.

President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the US Education Department, according to a White House official, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that's been a longtime target of conservatives. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement. Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, finalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon “to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress. Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal. Trump, Putin to seek limited ceasefire on energy, infrastructure in Ukraine war “This isn’t fixing education. It’s making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And we’re not about to let that happen without a fight,” the National Parents Union said in a statement. The White House has not spelled out formally which department functions could be handed off to other departments, or eliminated altogether. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said she would preserve core initiatives, including Title I money for low-income schools and Pell grants for low-income college students. The goal of the administration, she said, would be "a better functioning Department of Education.” The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. Currently, much of the agency’s work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, from school meals to support for homeless students. The agency also plays a significant role in overseeing civil rights enforcement. Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools. Colleges and universities are more reliant on money from Washington, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.

President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed during their call on Tuesday to seek a limited ceasefire against energy and infrastructure targets in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to the White House. The White House described it as the first step in a “movement to peace” it hopes will eventually include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full and lasting end to the fighting. The White House said negotiations would “begin immediately” on those steps. It was not immediately clear whether Ukraine is on board with the phased ceasefire plan. Trump to meet Putin for talks on U.S. ceasefire proposal Putin also called on Trump to end foreign military and intelligence assistance to Ukraine as the U.S. looks to bring an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Kremlin. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a lengthy phone conversation on Tuesday as the White House pushes for Russia to sign off on its 30-day ceasefire proposal aimed at ending the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

One hundred years ago, an 11-year-old girl, Othella Silvey, stood on the top floor of Logan School, looking for her home just two blocks away. But after a powerful tornado tore through Murphysboro, Illinois, on March 18, 1925, she saw nothing but destruction. “She couldn’t even tell which direction home was,” recalled her daughter, 81-year-old Sylvia Carvell. The Deadliest Tornado in U.S. HistoryThe devastating tornado—the deadliest in U.S. history—touched down in southeastern Missouri before cutting a 219-mile (352-kilometer) path of destruction through southern Illinois and into Indiana. Over nearly four hours, it killed 695 people and injured more than 2,000. In addition, at least seven other twisters spun off from the main storm, causing further devastation in Kentucky and Alabama. By modern classifications, the so-called Tri-State Tornado would be rated an F5, with a mile-wide funnel and wind speeds exceeding 260 mph (418 kph). One of the most striking examples of its immense force was found at Logan School: a wooden board, four feet (1.22 meters) long and eight inches (20.32 centimeters) wide, embedded so deeply into a maple tree that it could support a man's weight. This artifact is now on display as part of the Jackson County Historical Society’s centennial commemoration of the disaster. “You hear the statistics—200 mph winds, a mile-wide tornado—but seeing that wooden board driven into a tree makes it real,” said Mary Riseling, who is coordinating the six-day remembrance event. “That piece of wood tells a story on its own.” A Perfect Storm of ConditionsMeteorologists say a rare combination of atmospheric conditions fueled the tornado’s destructive power. A low-pressure system over the Arkansas-Missouri border merged with a warm front moving north, creating an environment ripe for violent, long-lasting tornadoes, explained Christine Wielgos, warning coordination meteorologist for the National Weather Service. “That mix provided the warmth, instability, and moisture that, when aligned just right, resulted in one of the most extreme tornadoes in history,” she said. 39 dead as tornadoes, wildfires, dust storms devastate US Making the disaster even more terrifying was the lack of an early warning system. In 1925, there were no reliable storm forecasts, let alone tornado warnings. “All people had was a glance at the darkening sky. They didn’t even know what was coming until it was right on top of them, and by then, they were scrambling for shelter,” Wielgos said. Entire Towns ObliteratedMurphysboro, located 97 miles (156 kilometers) southeast of St. Louis, bore the brunt of the storm. The tornado destroyed 40% of the city and claimed 234 lives—the highest toll in any single municipality. Other towns, including Annapolis, Missouri; Gorham, Illinois; and Griffith, Indiana, were nearly wiped off the map. The Mobile & Ohio Railroad yards, which employed about 1,100 people, were demolished. In nearby DeSoto, Illinois, the tornado tore through an elementary school, killing 38 children. The devastation was so profound that it inspired a local song, After the Tornado is Over, which captured the grief and loss: "I once had a ‘Home Sweet Home’ here,With families so kind and dear,The Red Cross tells me they are dead,Among the debris straight ahead..." In Murphysboro, Pullman rail cars were repurposed to house visiting medical workers and emergency crews. Meanwhile, the Red Cross set up tents for displaced residents. Survivors Rebuild Against the Odds Powerful March storm sparks wildfires, causes fatalities, raises Tornado concernsIn the aftermath of the storm, many assumed the Silvey family had perished, as their home was completely destroyed. Othella and her younger sister, 7-year-old Helen, were sent to Carbondale as orphans. However, it was later discovered that their parents had survived—only their grandparents, who lived nearby, had been killed. The sisters were eventually reunited with their family. Despite the destruction, Murphysboro and other communities rebuilt. Othella’s family constructed a new home identical to the one they lost. First, they built a small chicken coop, which not only provided shelter but also a crucial food source for months. To this day, Murphysboro’s west side is dotted with backyard structures—remnants of the temporary shelters families used while rebuilding. Many of the families who endured the disaster still live in Murphysboro, Riseling noted. Jackson County Historical Society President Laura Cates Duncan said the centennial commemoration not only honors those who died but also celebrates the resilience of the survivors. “They could have left, but they chose to stay,” Duncan said. “Their roots were here.” Source: With input from agency 

The Trump administration deported hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador, even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily blocking their removal under a rarely invoked wartime law, officials confirmed Sunday. The deportation flights were already in the air when the ruling was issued. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order on Saturday to pause the deportations. However, lawyers informed him that two planes carrying immigrants had already departed—one bound for El Salvador and another for Honduras. Though Boasberg verbally instructed authorities to turn the flights around, the directive was not included in his written order, and the deportations proceeded. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed allegations that the administration had ignored the court order. "The administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with the ruling," she stated, arguing that the decision had no legal basis and that those deported were “terrorist TdA aliens” who had already left U.S. soil before the order took effect. The acronym TdA refers to the Tren de Aragua gang, which was the focus of Trump’s presidential proclamation issued on Saturday. In a court filing on Sunday, the Department of Justice, which is appealing the ruling, assured that it would not use Trump’s proclamation for additional deportations unless the court’s decision was overturned. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump avoided directly addressing whether his administration had defied the judge’s order. "I don’t know. You’d have to ask the lawyers," he said. However, he defended the removals, calling the deported individuals "bad people." He also justified invoking presidential wartime powers, claiming the country faced an "invasion" of criminal migrants. Trump allies welcomed the move. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, who agreed to house 300 deportees for a year at a cost of $6 million in his country’s prisons, mockingly commented on social media: "Oopsie… Too late." His post was shared by White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had previously negotiated an agreement with Bukele, stated that over 250 suspected Tren de Aragua members were transferred to El Salvador, where they would be detained in high-security prisons. He noted that this arrangement would also reduce U.S. taxpayer expenses. Trump administration creates registry for immigrants who are in the US illegally Legal experts, however, questioned the administration’s actions. Steve Vladeck, a professor at Georgetown University Law Center, argued that while Boasberg’s verbal order to halt the flights was not formally included in his written ruling, the administration had violated the "spirit" of the decision. He warned that such actions could prompt future judges to issue more explicit directives. The deportations followed Trump’s invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, a law historically used only during wartime. This legislation, previously enforced during the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II, grants the president extraordinary powers to detain or expel foreign nationals. The law was last used to justify the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Venezuela’s government condemned Trump’s use of the act, likening it to some of history’s darkest moments, including slavery and Nazi concentration camps. Tren de Aragua, a violent gang originating from a notorious Venezuelan prison, emerged as a key focus of Trump’s rhetoric during his campaign. However, critics argue that he exaggerated their influence to depict immigrant communities as overrun by criminals. Despite the administration’s claims, it has not provided evidence that those deported were members of Tren de Aragua or had committed crimes in the U.S. Additionally, two leaders of El Salvador’s MS-13 gang were among those deported. Footage released by El Salvador’s government on Sunday showed shackled men disembarking from planes under heavy security. They were later transported in a military-escorted convoy to the CECOT prison, a high-security facility central to Bukele’s crackdown on crime. In the video, the men were seen kneeling as their heads were shaved before being given prison uniforms. Immigration lawyers argue that Trump’s proclamation could allow the deportation of any Venezuelan immigrant under the mere suspicion of gang affiliation, without due process. Adam Isacson, from the Washington Office on Latin America, warned that any Venezuelan in the U.S. could now face removal based on unproven claims. The legal battle began when five Venezuelan detainees in Texas challenged their deportations, fearing wrongful association with Tren de Aragua. Boasberg initially blocked their removal but later expanded the ruling to include all detainees who might be targeted under the act. He emphasized that the law had never been applied outside of a formal congressional war declaration and questioned whether Trump had overstepped his authority. 85 Bangladeshis among 598 immigrants detained in Myanmar The judge’s temporary restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days, keeping the affected immigrants in federal custody while the case is reviewed. A hearing is scheduled for Friday to further examine the legality of Trump’s order. Boasberg justified his decision by asserting that those at risk of unconstitutional deportation deserved the opportunity to challenge their removal in court. "Once they’re out of the country," he said, "there’s little I could do." Source: With input from agency 

At least 39 people have died after severe weather, including tornadoes, dust storms, and wildfires, ravaged several U.S. states over the weekend. According to the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, more than 400 homes were damaged by wildfires that swept across the state on Friday. In Stillwater, at least 74 homes were destroyed by the flames. Mayor Will Joyce confirmed these details on Sunday night via Facebook. The Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed that four fatalities were linked to the fires or strong winds. 32 dead in massive US storm Though tornado watches had mostly expired by Sunday, the National Weather Service warned that hazardous winds might still affect the Carolinas, eastern Georgia, and northern Florida. In Tylertown, Mississippi, Hailey Hart and her fiancé Steve Romero sought shelter in their 1994 Toyota Celica as a tornado destroyed their home. The car was flipped onto its side during the storm, and when it landed on its wheels again, they could hear nearby cries for help. Hart's grandparents, who had taken refuge in their bathroom, also narrowly escaped death when trees collapsed their roof. They only sustained minor injuries. The family, friends, and volunteers spent Sunday salvaging what they could from the wreckage. Forecasters had issued a rare "high risk" warning for the dynamic storm system that began on Friday. Although unusual, severe weather events like this can occur in March. President Donald Trump expressed support for the affected communities, offering federal assistance. In Alabama, three people, including an 82-year-old woman, were killed by tornadoes. In Troy, the local recreation center, which had served as a shelter, was damaged by overnight storms, although no one was injured. Monster storm across US kills at least five In Missouri, scattered twisters killed at least 12 people. Dakota Henderson described the devastating scene as rescue teams discovered five bodies near his aunt's house. One home in Butler County was described as a "debris field" by the local coroner. Mississippi's Governor Tate Reeves confirmed that six people died and more than 200 were displaced by tornadoes. Some areas in the northern part of the state were flooded, leaving many stranded. In Covington County, Seminary resident Traci Ladner witnessed a tornado demolish homes and trees as she drove through the area. Three people were also reported dead in Arkansas. In Texas and Oklahoma, wildfires and dust storms exacerbated the death toll. More than 130 fires were reported across Oklahoma. With winds reaching 70 mph, fire crews struggled to contain the flames. Wildfires and extreme weather conditions claimed two more lives in Oklahoma. High winds led to deadly dust storms, causing a pileup on a Kansas highway that resulted in eight fatalities. Additionally, three people were killed in a dust storm in Amarillo, Texas.

The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador even as a federal judge issued an order temporarily barring the deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, officials said Sunday. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling. U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday blocking the deportations but lawyers told him there were already two planes with immigrants in the air — one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order. “Oopsie…Too late,” Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, a Trump ally who agreed to house about 300 immigrants for a year at a cost of $6 million in his country’s prisons, wrote on the social media site X above an article about Boasberg’s ruling. That post was recirculated by White House communications director Steven Cheung. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who negotiated an earlier deal with Bukele to house immigrants, posted on the site: “We sent over 250 alien enemy members of Tren de Aragua which El Salvador has agreed to hold in their very good jails at a fair price that will also save our taxpayer dollars.” Steve Vladeck, a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center, said that Boasberg's verbal directive to turn around the planes was not technically part of his final order but that the Trump administration clearly violated the “spirit” of it. “This just incentivizes future courts to be hyper specific in their orders and not give the government any wiggle room,” Vladeck said. The immigrants were deported after Trump’s declaration of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which has been used only three times in U.S. history. The law, invoked during World Wars I and II and the War of 1812, requires a president to declare the United States is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. It was last used to justify the detention of Japanese-American civilians during World War II. The ACLU, which filed the lawsuit that led to Boasberg's temporary restraining order on deportations, said it was asking the government whether the removals to El Salvador were in defiance of the court. "This morning, we asked the government to assure the Court that its order was not violated and are waiting to hear, as well as trying to do our own investigation,” ACLU’s lead lawyer, Lee Gelernt, said in a statement Sunday. A Justice Department spokesperson on Sunday referred back to an earlier statement from Attorney General Pam Bondi blasting Boasberg’s ruling and didn’t immediately answer questions about whether the administration ignored the court’s order. Venezuela’s government in a statement Sunday rejected the use of Trump’s declaration of the law, characterizing it as evocative of “the darkest episodes in human history, from slavery to the horror of the Nazi concentration camps.” Trump signs order to slash staff at VoA, other US-funded media outlets Tren de Aragua originated in an infamously lawless prison in the central state of Aragua and accompanied an exodus of millions of Venezuelans, the overwhelming majority of whom were seeking better living conditions after their nation’s economy came undone last decade. Trump seized on the gang during his campaign to paint misleading pictures of communities that he contended were “taken over” by what were actually a handful of lawbreakers. The Trump administration has not identified the immigrants deported, provided any evidence they are in fact members of Tren de Aragua or that they committed any crimes in the U.S,. It did also send two top members of the Salvadoran MS-13 gang to El Salvador who had been arrested in the United States. Video released by El Salvador’s government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes into an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had with their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend down at the waist. The video also showed the men being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prison’s all-white uniform – knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs – and placed in cells. The immigrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility, the centerpiece of Bukele's push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights The Trump administration said the president actually signed the proclamation contending Tren de Aragua was invading the United States Friday night but didn't announce it until Saturday afternoon. Immigration lawyers said that, late Friday, they noticed Venezuelans who otherwise couldn't be deported under immigration law being moved to Texas for deportation flights. They began to file lawsuits to halt the transfers. “Basically any Venezuelan citizen in the US may be removed on pretext of belonging to Tren de Aragua, with no chance at defense,” Adam Isacson of the Washington Office for Latin America, a human rights group, warned on X. The litigation that led to the hold on deportations was filed on behalf of five Venezuelans held in Texas who lawyers said were concerned they'd be falsely accused of being members of the gang. Once the act is invoked, they warned, Trump could simply declare anyone a Tren de Aragua member and remove them from the country. Boasberg barred those Venezuelans' deportations Saturday morning when the suit was filed, but only broadened it to all people in federal custody who could be targeted by the act after his afternoon hearing. He noted that the law has never before been used outside of a congressionally-declared war and that plaintiffs may successfully argue Trump exceeded his legal authority in invoking it. The bar on deportations stands for up to 14 days and the immigrants will remain in federal custody during that time. Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Friday to hear additional arguments in the case. He said he had to act because the immigrants whose deportations may actually violate the constitution deserved a chance to have their pleas heard in court. “Once they’re out of the country," Boasberg said, "there’s little I could do."

The Trump administration initiated significant reductions at Voice of America (VOA) and other government-funded pro-democracy media on Saturday, with the agency’s director confirming that all VOA employees have been placed on leave. On Friday night, shortly after Congress approved its latest funding bill, President Donald Trump instructed his administration to scale back operations of multiple agencies to the minimum required by law. Among them was the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which oversees Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Marti, the Spanish-language broadcaster targeting Cuba. Early Saturday, Kari Lake, a former Arizona gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidate recently appointed by Trump as a senior adviser to the agency, posted on X, urging employees to check their emails. This coincided with official notices informing VOA staff of their placement on paid administrative leave. “For the first time in 83 years, the storied Voice of America is being silenced,” said Michael Abramowitz, VOA’s director, in a statement. He noted that nearly all of the 1,300 employees were affected. “VOA promotes freedom and democracy around the world by telling America’s story and by providing objective and balanced news and information, especially for those living under tyranny,” Abramowitz added. One journalist, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, commented, “We expected something like this to happen, and it just happened to be today.” Press freedom organization Reporters Without Borders denounced the move, stating it “condemns this decision as a departure from the U.S.’s historic role as a defender of free information and calls on the U.S. government to restore VOA and urges Congress and the international community to take action against this unprecedented move.” The U.S. Agency for Global Media also sent termination notices for grants funding Radio Free Asia and other affiliated programs. These networks provide U.S. domestic news to international audiences, often in local languages. Outlets like Radio Free Asia, Radio Free Europe, and Radio Marti focus on countries with authoritarian governments, including China, North Korea, and Russia. “The cancellation of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s grant agreement would be a massive gift to America’s enemies,” said Stephen Capus, the network’s President and CEO, in a statement. Tens of thousands rally in Rome in support of Europe amid defense spending debate Collectively, these networks reach an estimated 427 million people worldwide. Established during the Cold War, they have long played a role in promoting U.S. influence and countering authoritarianism, alongside agencies like USAID, which Trump has also targeted for reductions. The cuts mark a major shift away from a post-Cold War tradition that has historically received bipartisan support. VOA’s leadership in the past has included figures like Dick Carlson, father of conservative commentator Tucker Carlson. Thomas Kent, a former president and CEO of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, said Trump’s broader plans for these agencies remain unclear but warned of the consequences. “Without the international broadcasting, the image of the United States and the Trump administration will be in the hands of others, including the administration’s opponents, (and) countries and people who consider the United States an enemy,” said Kent, who now works as an international media ethics consultant. Meanwhile, Lake posted a video on X discussing cost-cutting efforts without addressing VOA’s employees or mission. Filmed inside a VOA-leased building, she described the facility as a financial burden and expressed her intention to break the agency’s 15-year lease. “We’re doing everything we can to cancel contracts that can be cancelled, save more, downsize and make sure there’s no misuse of your dollars,” she said. The official notice to employees placed them on administrative leave while assuring continued salary and benefits “until otherwise notified.” It also directed them to refrain from using agency facilities and to return government-issued equipment, such as phones and computers. The Trump administration has already taken steps to exert control over VOA, including terminating contracts that allowed it to use content from independent news sources like The Associated Press. Additionally, it has barred AP from participating in presidential press pools and taken measures to regulate which media outlets are included in these pools. Trump’s directive also mandates cuts at several lesser-known federal institutions, including the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund.