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REUTERS/Jordan VonderhaarWASHINGTON/CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico, Dec 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said COVID-era restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border that have prevented hundreds of thousands of migrants from seeking asylum should be kept in place for now, siding with Republicans who brought a legal challenge. U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, had campaigned on overturning Trump's hardline immigration measures before taking office in 2021 but kept Title 42 in place for more than a year. A federal judge last month ruled Title 42 was unlawful in response to a lawsuit originally by asylum-seeking migrants represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Hours later, Chief Justice John Roberts in a brief order issued a stay that will leave Title 42 in place until further notice from the court. In El Paso, shelters have struggled to house newcomers even as many ultimately are headed to join relatives in other parts of the United States.

The temporary order from the nation's highest court means Title 42 will stay in place until further notice from the court. Title 42, aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19, was issued in March 2020 under Republican former President Donald Trump, an immigration restrictionist. Jean-Pierre stressed that migrants entering illegally could still be removed via other means even if eventually Title 42 goes away. "Truly, I am asking from my heart for the opportunity to enter" the United States. In El Paso, shelters have struggled to house newcomers even as many ultimately are headed to join relatives in other parts of the United States.

☆ Appeals court declines to block end of Trump-era rule known as Title 42 that expelled migrants at U.S. border
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Julia-Ainsley-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Julia Ainsley | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday declined to block a lower court order lifting Covid restrictions for asylum seekers at the southern border by Wednesday. Attorneys general from 19 Republican-led states had asked the appeals court to temporarily prevent the end of restrictions known as Title 42. Since Title 42 was enacted in March 2020 by the Trump administration, migrants have been sent back to Mexico 2.4 million times. “Title 42 must end because it it is a public health law, not a border management tool,” said Lee Gelernt, the lead attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union suing to lift Title 42, in a statement. “The states seeking to keep Title 42 are acting hypocritically, to say the least, since they have opposed every COVID restriction except the one targeting vulnerable asylum seekers.”

☆ Elon Musk offers journalists he banned from Twitter ability to return under certain condition
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —New Twitter owner Elon Musk offered several of the journalists he banned from the social media website earlier this week the ability to return to the platform if they deleted the tweets he falsely claimed shared his “exact real-time” location. The move from Musk came after he posted an unscientific poll on his personal Twitter account that concluded Friday night with 59% of participants voting in favor of immediately restoring the accounts. Musk had on Thursday banned CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, The New York Times’ Ryan Mac, and The Washington Post’s Drew Harwell. But while the accounts were made publicly viewable on Saturday, the journalists were restricted from posting until they removed the tweets Musk had claimed violated Twitter’s rules. In the past, Twitter had required the removal of violative tweets for users to regain access to their accounts, but the journalists in this case strongly dispute that their posts violated Twitter rules.

☆ Feds settle with California city and sheriff's department over discriminatory rental housing program
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Deon J. Hampton | Deon J. Hampton Is A National Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a first-of-its-kind agreement with a California city and sheriff's department over a "crime-free" rental housing program that led to Black people and Latinos being evicted from their homes based on allegations they had committed crimes. The consent decree announced this week requires Hesperia, California, and the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department to end the program. The sheriff's department released a statement saying it could not comment because the case has not been formally dismissed by a federal judge. In one instance, the Justice Department said, a Black woman called police repeatedly because she did not feel safe with her boyfriend at her home. The sheriff’s department then notified her landlord about the domestic disturbances and threatened the landlord with a misdemeanor for violating the crime-free ordinance.

☆ Fact Check-Inaccuracies in claims Florida, Kentucky and Missouri all require drug testing for welfare recipients
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Users on social media have claimed that welfare applicants in Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri require drug testing, which is partly false. A 2011 Florida law that was passed to drug test all welfare recipients was struck down as unconstitutional in 2014. Thank you Florida, Kentucky, and Missouri, which are the first states that will require drug testing when applying for welfare.” (here). FLORIDAIn 2011, Florida passed a law that would drug test all welfare recipients of the federal program known as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (here). A Missouri bill was passed in 2011 to allow for applicants for welfare benefits to be drug tested.

☆ What to know about a judicial privacy bill Congress is passing with a major defense package
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

But the legislation is also rankling court watchdogs who contend the bill could complicate efforts to scrutinize the judicial branch for ethics issues. The bill does not displace the ethical disclosure requirements judges already face, the congressional aide noted to CNN. And it extends the threat-monitoring programs that are being offered to Article III judges to administrative judges as well. Now that the bill has been added to the National Defense Authorization Act, a massive defense package that Congress passes annually, Paul’s options for scuttling it are limited. “Because, if I am sued, someone is going to be bringing it to a federal judge.

☆ Stephen Miller led-group emerges as top legal foe of Biden initiatives
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Chandelis Duster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A conservative legal group led by former top Trump aide Stephen Miller has emerged as a frequent opponent to several Biden administration initiatives by mounting court challenges, succeeding in blocking policies they say are examples of reverse discrimination. Miller touts America First Legal as “the long-awaited answer to the (American Civil Liberties Union),” and his group has garnered several legal victories against the Biden administration in the past few weeks and months, most notably on issues of racial discrimination. The lawsuits led to an injunction that blocked the debt relief payments. Several Black farmers and social justice advocates have said Miller’s actions are harmful. “I want to set the record straight – no one is against White farmers in this country,” John Boyd Jr., 57, a fourth-generation farmer who is founder and president of the National Black Farmers Association, told CNN.

☆ Newly freed Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout said he 'wholeheartedly' supports Russia's war in Ukraine and would 'certainly' volunteer: report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-11 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout said he would "certainly" volunteer to fight in Russia's war against Ukraine. Bout is newly free after being swapped for Brittney Griner, who was detained in Moscow for nine months. Bout was imprisoned in the US on a 25-year sentence for conspiring with a terrorist organization. "If I could, I would share the skills I have and I would readily volunteer," Bout said on the Russian state television network RT, formerly known as Russia Today. While he was in prison, he said he had a portrait of Russian President Putin displayed in his cell, according to CNN.

☆ The Biden administration still hasn't found parents of 120 children separated from their families under Trump
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

120 children separated from their families under Trump are still without their parents. At least 5,000 children were separated from their families under the Trump administration in 2017 and 2018, and the precise number remains in flux as families continue to apply for help from the Department of Homeland Security. Some of the parents of separated children have been removed from the United States and cannot be contacted, they said. "We continue to try to reach the parents of the remaining 120 children. The Biden administration has also entered into settlement discussions that remain ongoing four years later with families affected by the Trump administration policy, according to the status report.

☆ Meta avoids showdown over news content in US after journalism bargaining bill shelved
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a key architect of the news media bill, has argued that the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA) is necessary to help small, local journalism outlets survive in the face of Google and Facebook’s advertising dominance. The News Media Alliance, a supporter of the JCPA, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Among those that signed the letter were the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Wikimedia Foundation and Public Knowledge. The tech industry launched its own offensive to keep the JCPA out of the defense bill, with groups including NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association announcing ad campaigns targeting the measure. Meta, meanwhile, turned to a familiar playbook in threatening to remove from the platform.

☆ Colorado grandmother sues police detective following SWAT raid based on false 'Find my iPhone' ping
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The complaint specifies Johnson is suing Staab “in his individual capacity.” Johnson is seeking a jury trial and unspecified damages, according to the filing. The complaint contends that Staab's affidavit violated Johnson's right, afforded by the state constitution, to "be free of unreasonable searches and seizures." Staab then used that claim as the basis for the raid, according to a copy of the affidavit obtained by NBC affiliate KUSA of Denver. The filing claims that Staab "acknowledged to Ms. Johnson’s children the harm his DPD officers caused to Ms. Johnson’s well-being, home, and personal property," but that he told them the police department wouldn't pay for repairs from the search. Neither Staab nor the police department apologized for the raid, according to the complaint.

☆ Facebook owner Meta may remove news from platform if U.S. Congress passes media bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) on Monday threatened to remove news from its platform if the U.S. Congress passes a proposal aimed at making it easier for news organizations to negotiate collectively with companies like Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google and Facebook. Sources briefed on the matter said lawmakers are considering adding the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act to a must-pass annual defense bill as way to help the struggling local news industry. loadingHe added the proposal fails to recognize that publishers and broadcasters put content on the platform because "it benefits their bottom line - not the other way around." If Congress does not act soon, we risk allowing social media to become America’s de facto local newspaper." Since the News Media Bargaining Code took effect, various tech firms including Meta and Alphabet have signed more than 30 deals with media outlets, compensating them for content that generated clicks and advertising dollars, the report added.

☆ Meta threatens to remove news content over US journalism bargaining bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN Business —Facebook owner Meta threatened to remove news content from its platforms on Monday following reports that US lawmakers have added controversial legislation favoring news media to the annual defense authorization bill. The warning highlights the danger that Meta perceives to its business model in the face of the proposed bill, known as the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA). CNN has not independently confirmed the change to the defense bill. Among those that signed the letter were the American Civil Liberties Union, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, The Wikimedia Foundation and Public Knowledge. Digital Content Next, a trade association representing digital media companies, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

It’s a provision that voting rights experts say continues to confuse voters — especially college students or others who already face barriers — and results in many of them voting elsewhere or not at all. Nicks could have brought in another form of identification to vote; under Georgia law, her passport or her New York state identification card would have sufficed, for example. “Students in general often have a more difficult time accessing the ballot box because of all sorts of things. There are at least 10,000 students enrolled at private HBCUs in Georgia. Voting rights experts acknowledge that number of voters in Georgia affected by the provision ultimately represents a narrow slice of the state’s electorate.

Lower courts ruled against Smith, prompting her to appeal to the Supreme Court. The remaining 21 states do not have laws explicitly protecting LGBTQ rights in public accommodations, although some local municipalities do. Alliance Defending Freedom, which also represented Phillips, has had success arguing religious rights cases at the Supreme Court in recent years. The court ruled on the baker case before the retirement of Justice Anthony Kennedy, who voted in favor of LGBTQ rights in key cases. In another major victory for LGBTQ rights, the Supreme Court in 2020, to the surprise of many court-watchers, ruled that a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in employment protects LGBTQ employees.

[1/2] Activists protest in the Indiana Statehouse during a special session debating on banning abortion in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S. July 25, 2022. REUTERS/Cheney OrrDec 2 (Reuters) - A second Indiana judge on Friday blocked the state from enforcing its law banning most abortions after Jewish, Muslim and other non-Christian women challenged it in a lawsuit. The plaintiffs have argued that the measure infringes on religious freedom protected by another state law. The law had already been on hold, as another judge in September blocked Indiana from enforcing it while Planned Parenthood and other healthcare providers challenge it in court. The ACLU said the plaintiffs represented religions including Judaism and Islam as well as "independent spiritual belief systems."

Khorry Ramey entered the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, on Tuesday morning to visit her father, Kevin Johnson, for a final time. Khorry Ramey with her father, Kevin Johnson, and her son, Kiaus. While she could not be inside the prison, Johnson's witnesses included his spiritual adviser, the Rev. Khorry Ramey and her father, Kevin Johnson. Kevin Johnson at the courthouse in Clayton, Mo., in 2007.

☆ Minneapolis reaches $600,000 settlement with 12 hurt in George Floyd protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis has reached a $600,000 settlement with 12 protesters who were injured during demonstrations after the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd, the American Civil Liberties Union announced Wednesday. The agreement, which also includes numerous reforms, was accepted the same day by a federal judge, making it official after the city approved it in October. And it requires that officers have their body cameras recording and unobstructed while at protests, according to the ACLU. Two lawsuits filed in 2020 and later consolidated accused Minneapolis police of using unnecessary and excessive force against protesters. Anderson said her office filed necessary documents and an order reflecting portions of the settlement was made public Wednesday.

☆ Minneapolis to pay $50,000 each to 12 injured by police during Floyd protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Brendan O'Brien | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Dec 1 (Reuters) - The city of Minneapolis will pay $50,000 each to 12 people injured by police during demonstrations that erupted after a white officer killed George Floyd by pinning the 46-year-old Black man's neck to the ground with a knee, court records show. The settlement requires body cameras worn by Minneapolis police to be recording and unobstructed when they engage with protesters, court records showed. "This agreement is a big step towards keeping peaceful protesters safe from police violence. The 12 plaintiffs suffered injuries including bruising from less-lethal munitions, lingering respiratory issues from tear gas and psychological trauma, the ACLU said. The Minneapolis City Council approved the settlement on Oct. 20 and Mayor Jacob Frey signed it six days later, local media reported.

A Missouri inmate convicted of ambushing and killing a St. Louis area police officer he blamed for the death of his younger brother was executed Tuesday, officials said. Kevin Johnson, 37, was put to death by lethal injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. The execution began at 7:29 p.m., and Johnson was pronounced dead at 7:40 p.m., said Karen Pojmann, spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Corrections. “We miss Bill every day of our lives.”Khorry Ramey with her father, Kevin Johnson, and her son, Kiaus. via ACLUOn July 5, 2005, police were searching for Johnson, who was on probation for assaulting his girlfriend.

☆ Kids Online Safety Act may harm minors, civil society groups warn lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Ranking Member Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) speaks during a Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Data Security hearing on Protecting Kids Online: Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube on October 26, 2021 in Washington, DC. Dozens of civil society groups urged lawmakers in a letter on Monday against passing a bill that aims to protect children from online harm, warning the bill itself could actually inflict further danger on kids and teens. The American Civil Liberties Union, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Fight for the Future and Wikimedia Foundation were among the groups that wrote to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Ranking Member Roger Wicker, R-Miss., opposing the Kids Online Safety Act. Sites would have to let their young users know when parental tools are in effect. The KOSA opponents warned that prescriptive parental controls could be harmful to kids in abusive situations.

☆ Florida's attorney general says Americans from blue states are moving to the Sunshine State because it's tough on crime: 'It's not rocket science'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Florida AG Ashley Moody says Americans are moving to Florida because it's a law and order state. Americans have flocked to the Sunshine State largely due to its low taxes, and business-friendly policies, according to the state's CFO, Jimmy Patronis. Using data from the FBI's 2018 Uniform Crime Reporting Program, USA Today ranked states from lowest violent crime rate to highest. Florida ranked 21st with a violent crime rate of 384.9 per 100,000 people, while California — the most populous state — ranked 14th with a violent crime rate of 447.4 per 100,000 people, according to the news outlet. New York was 25th on the list with a violent crime rate of 350.5 per 100,000 people.

A 19-year-old Missouri woman can't be a witness to her father's execution after a judge ruled Friday that a state law barring her from being present because of her age is constitutional. Kevin Johnson, 37, has been in prison since Ramey was 2 for the 2005 killing of William McEntee, a police officer in Kirkwood, Missouri. But Missouri law says that no person younger than 21 can witness an execution. Johnson's fate remains unclear after a motion asking for his execution to be halted was filed by a special prosecutor, Edward Keenan. The Missouri Attorney General's Office, however, believes Johnson's execution should go on and that "the surviving victims of Johnson's crimes have waited long enough for justice."

Black voters in Louisiana are confused. Louisiana House of RepresentativesIn an unusual twist, Jordan initiated a campaign last summer for an amendment he authored to fail. Jordan was fine with the amendment not passing, even though many Black voters disagreed. The Louisiana State Penitentiary, nicknamed Angola. “I have to believe that every person of color in Louisiana would vote to have that removed from Louisiana’s Constitution.

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