Mayorkas defends U.S. border strategy as migrant apprehensions reach 21-year high
CBSN
Brownsville, Texas — Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday strongly defended the Biden administration's strategy for dealing with migration to the U.S.-Mexico border, where inderdictions of migrants and asylum-seekers have reached levels not seen in over two decades.
Standing in front of Border Patrol vehicles in south Texas, Mayorkas said the administration is expanding enforcement efforts to deter economic migrants from attempting to enter the U.S. without permission, while gradually expanding access to the U.S. asylum system for those fleeing violence. "It is critical that intending migrants understand clearly that they will be turned back if they enter the United States illegally and do not have a basis for relief under our laws," Mayorkas told reporters, acknowledging that the "unprecedented number" of border crossings poses a "serious challenge."
Former heart surgeon and television host Dr. Mehmet Oz is set to face questions Friday from the Senate's finance committee over his nomination to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under President Trump.
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A judge in Maryland has blocked for now the mass firings of probationary federal workers and ordered thousands of fired probationary workers to be reinstated, marking the second decision of its kind in a day.
In the past year, over 135 million passengers traveled to the U.S. from other countries. To infectious disease experts, that represents 135 million chances for an outbreak to begin. To identify and stop the next potential pandemic, government disease detectives have been discreetly searching for viral pathogens in wastewater from airplanes. Experts are worried that these efforts may not be enough.
Washington — Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he hopes dialogue can resolve the trade war between the U.S. and the European Union after President Trump Thursday threatened to impose 200% retaliatory tariffs on European wines and alcohols.
A former local mafia boss died Wednesday after he was shot in his car in the middle of a busy highway near the French city of Grenoble, local authorities and sources close to the case told French news agency AFP.
The Social Security Administration could soon lose as many as 10,000 workers, according to former agency leaders who expect a large portion of federal workers to accept a buyout offer from the agency.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a review of military standards, including physical fitness, body composition and grooming. It's a review Hegseth promised during his confirmation hearing when questioned about his statements he's made that military standards have eroded.
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President Trump has made a number of inaccurate claims about Canada in the past week as he imposed new tariff hikes on the country and touted his plans for more.
Those who glance up at the sky tonight will have an opportunity to catch the March 2025 "Blood Moon," a phenomenon that colors the full moon in shades of red, orange and yellow during a total lunar eclipse.
A 37-year-old man died after falling from a chairlift that was having a mechanical problem at a Montana ski area, according to local authorities and a spokesperson for Red Lodge Mountain.