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You're hired! Here's who passed Congress' Trump cabinet test and how stormy their hearings were

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You're hired! Here's who passed Congress' Trump cabinet test and how stormy their hearings were

As of Wednesday, 11 of President Donald Trump’s cabinet nominees have been successfully confirmed to their posts.

While some, like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, sailed through, others, like Attorney General Pam Bondi, saw their confirmation process marred with pointed confrontations and deep dives into their personal lives, as was the case for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., (durbin.senate.gov)

MARCO RUBIO: STATE

Rubio, a longtime Florida senator from Miami, and the son of Cuban immigrants, enjoyed a relatively calm confirmation hearing when it came to interactions with lawmakers.

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However, several Code Pink protesters, angry over what their shirts denoted as the “killing of children in Gaza,” had to be removed from the room due to outbursts.

The final protester shouted at Rubio in Spanish, to which the now-secretary remarked that his protesters are at-times bilingual.

KASH PATEL ENRAGES ADAM SCHIFF IN CLINTONIAN BATTLE OVER WORD ‘WE’; JAN 6 SONG

Rubio was confirmed unanimously 99-0. At the time, Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, was still lieutenant governor and had not been seated in Vice President JD Vance’s place.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

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PETE HEGSETH: DEFENSE

A veteran and former Fox News host, Hegseth laid a more contentious path through the confirmation process.

Hegseth earned two Bronze Stars and several other medals while serving in the Army National Guard. He joined Fox News Channel in 2014 and resigned upon his Pentagon nomination.

The nomination became in embroiled in controversy after several stories surfaced taking aim at Hegseth’s character. Hegseth’s former sister-in-law filed an affidavit alleging that he had an alcohol abuse problem and had made his ex-wife fear for her safety.

While Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., offered praise for Hegseth’s confirmation – later telling reporters he clearly answered every question put to him – other lawmakers did not view the nominee the same way.

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When protesters disrupted the hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said they appeared to be from the “Chinese Communist [Party] front-group” Code Pink and were upset about Hegseth’s support for Israel.

“I support Israel’s existential war in Gaza. I assume, like me and President Trump, you support that war as well,” Cotton said.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., also grilled Hegseth about his qualifications to lead America’s troops.

ZELDIN GRILLED IN CONFIRMATION HEARING

“I do not believe that you can tell this committee or the people of America that you are qualified to lead them. I would support you as a spokesperson for the Pentagon,” he said.

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Critics, including Fox News contributor Joe Concha, claimed irony in the lawmaker’s grilling – as Trump previously dubbed Blumenthal “Da Nang Dick” after claims surfaced that Blumenthal had misrepresented his own military service during the Vietnam War.

In the end, a 50-50 split, brought on by GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska joining all Democrats in opposition, led to Vance having to cast his first tie-breaking vote of the congressional session to confirm Hegseth.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. (Getty)

DOUG BURGUM: INTERIOR

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum received substantive Democratic support in his final confirmation vote of 80-17 last week. Three Democrats did not vote.

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His confirmation hearing’s tenor was also mixed, with fellow North Dakotan, Sen. John Hoeven, calling him the right man for the job.

Some Democrats, including Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto and Mazie Hirono, however, offered pointed questions about environmental issues and other concerns during the hearing.

When Cortez-Masto asked about the Trump administration repealing electric vehicle credits, Burgum said he “support[s] economics and markets” and highlighted the comparatively high costs of electric vehicles.

Burgum grew up in eastern North Dakota, near a grain elevator his grandfather operated. He reportedly met future Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in college and later “bet the farm” to invest a quarter million dollars in 1983 in a tech startup called Great Plains Software.

He eventually became president of the company, which was purchased by Microsoft around the turn of the century.

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He served as North Dakota’s governor in recent years, briefly mounting a 2024 presidential bid before dropping out to endorse Trump.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. (Getty)

SCOTT BESSENT: TREASURY

South Carolina billionaire Scott Bessent was confirmed as Trump’s second-term Treasury secretary on Jan. 28.

With the confirmation, Bessent became the highest ranking openly gay cabinet official in U.S. history.

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Bessent was born in Conway, South Carolina, just inland from the famous “Calabash” seafood area in North Carolina and the resort city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

He previously worked for several global investment management companies for decades, notably including a stint as chief investment officer for Soros Fund Management, led by left-wing Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros.

His politics, however, appear to greatly differ from those of Soros himself – as Bessent once called Trump’s 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act “‘single most important economic issue of the day.”

During his confirmation process, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., was a noted foil. 

Warren reportedly sent Bessent more than 100 written questions on subjects spanning from housing to financial oversight ahead of his testimony, according to PBS.

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He was confirmed by a relatively bipartisan 68-29, with one Republican and two Democrats not voting.

SEAN DUFFY: TRANSPORTATION

Former Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis., was confirmed in a comparatively more peaceful process than other nominees. Duffy enjoyed a relatively cordial hearing before Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and the Senate Commerce Committee.

However, 22 Democrats still voted against his confirmation, with Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., not voting.

Within a day of his confirmation, Duffy was faced with a catastrophic midair collision over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., involving a military helicopter and an American Airlines-sanctioned passenger flight from Kansas to Reagan National Airport.

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All of those aboard both aircraft died as the fuselage crashed into the shallow but frigid Potomac, just yards shy of the Arlington, Virginia, airport’s runway.

Soon after, Duffy had to simultaneously handle the fallout from a medical plane crashing near the junction of US-1 and PA-73 in northeast Philadelphia. 

The doomed plane spewed jet fuel as it crashed, setting a row of homes on Cottman Avenue ablaze. Six Mexican nationals on board and one Pennsylvanian on the ground was killed, according to news reports.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright. (Al Drago)

CHRIS WRIGHT: ENERGY

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Energy Secretary Chris Wright was confirmed Sunday in a 59-38 vote, with one Democrat and two Republicans not voting.

The energy company CEO from Colorado told lawmakers he would unleash U.S. energy potential as secretary.

He has been a critic of climate change regulations and was endorsed by American Energy Alliance chief Tom Pyle, as well as Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo. – the former chairman of the natural resources committee.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collings.

DOUG COLLINS: VETERANS AFFAIRS

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Former Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., was recently confirmed as Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Collins saw wide bipartisan support in his 77-23 vote. In the Veterans Affairs Committee that heard his nomination, only Hirono voted against him.

Collins is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force Reserve and will now lead the agency meant to care for veterans after their service.

“I do not come into this with rose-colored glasses. This is a large undertaking that I feel called to be at,” Collins said. “When a veteran has to call a congressman or senator’s office to get the care they have already earned, it’s a mark of failure.”

Collins notably garnered a pro-life streak in Congress, vociferously opposing the Affordable Care Act and remarking upon the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, “RIP to the more than 30 million innocent babies that have been murdered during the decades that Ruth Bader Ginsburg defended pro-abortion laws.” 

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. (AP)

KRISTI NOEM: HOMELAND SECURITY

Now-former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem successfully made it through her confirmation hearing to become the nation’s homeland security chief.

As governor, Noem provided South Dakotan resources to Texas and Gov. Greg Abbott to help assuage the Biden border crisis.

As secretary, she has been on hand for immigration enforcement operations undertaken by Border Czar Thomas Homan, including one in the Bronx, New York.

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Noem saw a relatively peaceful confirmation process, though only a handful of Democrats ultimately supported her.

“We must be vigilant and proactive and innovative to protect the homeland,” she said at her hearing.

“The challenges in front of us are extremely significant, and we must secure our borders against illegal trafficking and immigration. We must safeguard our critical infrastructure to make sure that we’re protected against cyberattacks, respond to natural disasters and also terrorism.”

Noem was raised on a ranch near Hayti, South Dakota, before venturing into politics.

In 2012, Noem won South Dakota’s at-large U.S. House seat – a GOP flip from its previous officeholder, Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin, D-S.D.

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From there, she moved on to the governor’s office in 2018.

Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Lee Zeldin. (AP)

LEE ZELDIN: EPA

Former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin sat for his confirmation hearing to lead the Environmental Protection Agency two weeks ago and was grilled by Democrats on his views of climate change.

Senate EPW Committee ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island questioned Zeldin on the effects of carbon dioxide and pollutants on the atmosphere.

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“Is carbon dioxide a pollutant?” the Rhode Island Democrat asked, leading to a short back-and-forth.

Later, after Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., questioned Zeldin about climate change and other concerns, a cellphone that appeared to be Zeldin’s rang loudly.

“That was the fossil fuel industry,” Sanders quipped.

Later, Green New Deal co-sponsor Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts questioned Zeldin on comments from a 2016 congressional debate where he said it is the U.S.’ job to “reduce reliance on fossil fuels.”

“I support all of the above energy,” Zeldin replied before Markey cut in.

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In the final vote, three Democrats joined Republicans to confirm him – Pennsylvania Sen. Fetterman and both Arizona senators – while three other Democrats did not vote.

CIA Director John Ratcliffe. (Getty Images)

JOHN RATCLIFFE: CIA

CIA Director John Ratcliffe was confirmed by a 74-25 margin on Jan. 23, with Fetterman not voting.

Ratcliffe previously served as Trump’s director of national intelligence from May 2020 until January 2021, during Trump’s first term in office. 

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While in Congress representing North Texas, Ratcliffe sat on the House Intelligence Committee and notably garnered support in his confirmation from Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate’s partner panel.

An Illinois native, Ratcliffe later became an attorney in Texas, was elected mayor of Heath and later named by former President George W. Bush to lead counterterrorism efforts in the state’s Texarkana-based eastern district.

President Donald Trump’s attorney general pick, Pam Bondi, right, went back and forth with Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono in her confirmation hearing. (Getty Images)

PAM BONDI: JUSTICE

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi was confirmed to the federal version of her erstwhile role by a vote of 54-46 – with Fetterman being the lone Democrat in support.

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Bondi’s hearing was one of those that was marred by tense moments, including an exchange with Rhode Island’s Whitehouse.

Whitehouse grilled Bondi whether her Justice Department would seek to target individuals on a political basis and “look for a crime.”

“It’s a prosecutor’s job to start with a crime and look for a name. Correct?” he asked.

“Senator, I think that is the whole problem with the weaponization that we have seen the last four years and what’s been happening to Donald Trump,” Bondi replied. 

“They targeted Donald Trump. They went after him, actually starting back in 2016. They targeted his campaign. They have launched countless investigations against him. That will not be the case. If I am attorney general, I will not politicize that office.”

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As her exchanges with Whitehouse continued, she pointed to Kevin Clinesmith – an ex-FBI lawyer sentenced to probation after he illegally altered a FISA document during a federal probe through which Trump’s 2016 campaign had been accused of colluding with Russia.

There have been several other confirmation hearings for other potential cabinet members.

Notably, FBI nominee Kash Patel’s clash with Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., made waves last week.

Patel enraged Schiff over his reported support for January 6 inmates and his reported work in concert with the production of a song sung by the inmates that featured an a capella Pledge of Allegiance from Trump.

The tit-for-tat devolved into a Clintonian spat when Patel riffed to Schiff that his response to the lawmaker hinged on his definition of the word “we” – as Clinton had told prosecutors in 1998 that a response to part of his Monica Lewinsky testimony centered on the independent counsel’s definition of “is.”

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Fox News’ Adam Shaw, Caitlin McFall, Diana Stancy and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs

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Detroit Pistons’ loss to Cavs shows weaknesses before playoffs


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CLEVELAND – In just five days, the Detroit Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers twice.

They split the games to finish their season series against the Central Division rivals, but with a potential reunion looming in the second round of the NBA playoffs, the Pistons came away from both games unsatisfied.

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On Friday, it was the Pistons needing overtime to overcome a Cavaliers team missing James Harden and Donovan Mitchell at Little Caesars Arena. On Tuesday, March 3, in Cleveland, however – with Harden back in the lineup – the Pistons struggled in the areas they usually thrive, for a 113-109 loss.

The Pistons’ first loss on the road since Jan. 29 didn’t feature their usual fire for much of the night.

“I’m frustrated with the effort level, the attention to detail that we played on that end of the floor,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The times and opportunities where we did do the right thing, did get stops, we let people outwork us to come up with offensive rebounds. We can’t afford to not play at maximum effort. That’s been our superpower all year long and, tonight, I felt like there were times where we were outworked. If we’re outworked, this isn’t going to be the results that we want.”

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The Pistons work at being the league’s most disruptive team via turnovers has given them a top-three defensive rating. They force turnovers on 17.2% of possessions – best in the NBA –and only trail the Houston Rockets in offensive rebounding percentage. They also lead the league in steals and blocks per game. Getting out in transition and capitalizing on second-chance opportunities has created an above-average offense despite struggles on 3-point shooting.

For three quarters against the Cavaliers, little of that materialized – as least until the Pistons grabbed seven steals in the final period (after just two in the first three). Overall, the Pistons were beat on the offensive glass (11-10), mustered just 10 fastbreak points (their lowest total since Jan. 27) and picked up 11 second-chance points (their least since Feb. 6).

It was, in all, a lackadaisical defensive performance, with the Pistons repeatedly losing shooters behind the arc as the Cavs knocked down 17 3-pointers – eight more than the Pistons.

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“Obviously they’re a good team, but we haven’t been playing to our standard on that side of the ball,” Pistons wing Javonte Green said. “Coach talked about the effort we need to bring every game. We just need to play harder. We can’t get outworked on offensive rebounds and 50-50 balls, that’s our identity. I feel like we needed to pick up that slack.”

The Pistons also were hurt by a poor shooting performance by Cade Cunningham; he finished with 10 points and 14 assists but shot 4-for-16. Cleveland threw multiple defenders at him all night, and he obliged by passing the ball and setting up his teammates. It led to a big second half for Tobias Harris, who scored all 19 of his points in the last two quarters.

But it wasn’t enough.

“On the defensive end we just couldn’t put up a wall, couldn’t get a stand going,” Cunningham said. “Personally, I had a lot of bad closeouts; just off the ball, I didn’t feel sharp. Just gotta clean all that stuff up.”

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With 22 games remaining, the Pistons are focused on cleaning up the margins so they’ll be ready for postseason play. These two games against the Cavaliers have given them a list of areas to clean up.

Friday, they needed an extra period to win after rallying from a late nine-point deficit despite losing Cunningham late after he fouled out with just under two minutes left in the fourth quarter. Jalen Duren and Daniss Jenkins stepped up in overtime after Duncan Robinson also fouled out.

Mostly, the Cavaliers have proven they can pounce during soft stretches on defense. Thursday brings another rematch with a contender, as the Pistons wrap up a three-game road trip against the San Antonio Spurs (another opponent from last week).

“We didn’t play our best basketball the other night,” Bickerstaff said of the Cavaliers’ game on Feb. 27. “Give our guys credit because we played 53 minutes and were able to pull it out in some adverse conditions. Cade fouls out, Duncan fouls out, our guys still figure out a way to get it done.

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“We need to be better. We need to be better defensively, we need to impose ourselves on the game a little bit more than we did last game. I thought the last two quarters of the Orlando game [on Sunday] were the best quarters we’ve played defensively since New York [on Feb. 19]. I hope, and told our guys, that we can continue to build off that, because that’s where it always starts for us. You can tell the tone by how we are defensively and how we’re getting after it.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky and/or X @omarisankofa.

[ MUST WATCH: Make “The Pistons Pulse” your go-to Pistons podcast, listen available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) or watch live on YouTube. ]

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Milwaukee, WI

Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?

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Why are Milwaukee-area students protesting ICE actions?


Ever since the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both by federal agents in Minneapolis in January, there have been numerous student protests by high school students across the country – including several in Wisconsin and the Milwaukee area.

Students at Milwaukee Public Schools’ high schools including Milwaukee King, Ronald Reagan, and others; Wauwatosa East High School, Shorewood High School, Menomonee Falls High School, Nicolet High School, Whitefish Bay High School – even one student at Marquette University High School – have all walked out of school to protest Immigrations and Customs’ Enforcement actions in Minneapolis and nationwide.

What is it about ICE’s actions that have students walking out? How are school districts handling it, and what do students and parents think?

UW-Madison political science professor shares thoughts on what’s behind student walkouts

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Political science professor emeritus Howard Schweber of the University of Wisconsin-Madison said several factors play into why students are protesting.

One of those factors is that ICE raids have taken place near schools. In some school districts, teachers have been arrested and students have disappeared. In some areas of Minneapolis, schools have had to switch to remote learning because students feared ICE raids, Schweber said.

Second, Schweber said the walkouts tie in to past student protests over guns in schools; high school students are feeling unsafe in their schools.

“They’re feeling threatened by forces, you know, far beyond their control, and feeling like first, it was their government wouldn’t protect them. This time it’s their government that’s doing it to them. Of course I’m only speaking from the perspective of the students who are protesting. I don’t mean to suggest that all students feel this way, but the ones who are protesting, this is, I think, what is driving them,” he said.

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“Unlike some other issues, I think this one – like the guns in schools issues – hits very close to home, and makes them feel personally involved and threatened by the situation,” he said.

Schweber also talked about where the First Amendment applies during these situations.

He said students, particularly high school students, do have First Amendment rights. He said that schools may not punish students for expressing one viewpoint as opposed to another, and that any policy must be neutral. However, he said, students who walk out, and especially students who engage in conduct that disrupts school activities, can be disciplined.

“The legal background to this is students have a right to express themselves, but while they’re in school or while they’re supposed to be in school, that right is quite curtailed,” he said. “I noticed that in Madison, for example, there were some protests that were held after school ended in order to avoid this problem, which is certainly one way to avoid the issue, but then it’s not a walkout.”

How school districts deal with the walkouts

When it comes to walkouts, school districts typically approach them from several perspectives: attendance, neutrality, recognizing freedom of speech and safety.

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In general, school districts will mark students who participate in walkouts as absent and unexcused unless their parents call in to excuse them. Most districts surveyed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also stressed that walkouts are student-sponsored and not organized or sanctioned by the districts.

For example, Pewaukee High School principal Brian Sniff said in a letter to parents that a Feb. 4 walkout at that school was student-initiated and student-led. He said that while students planning the walkout consulted with administration for clarity on the school’s expectations and potential consequences so they could make an informed decision about their plans, the district did not endorse or encourage the activity.

At the same time, some districts have acknowledged that students have free speech rights, as guaranteed by the First Amendment.

While reiterating that students who walk out are unexcused unless a parent excuses them, the Wauwatosa School District said in a letter to parents in advance of a Jan. 12 walkout that it values and encourages student self-expression and recognizes the “importance of civic engagement as part of a well-rounded education.”

“We view moments like this as opportunities for young people to explore their voices, deepen their understanding of social issues, and learn about the power of collective action in a safe and constructive way,” the letter said.

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Safety is also another factor that districts consider.

South Milwaukee School District Superintendent Deidre Roemer, Shorewood High School principal Tim Kenney and Franklin High School principal Michael Vuolo said in their letters to parents before planned walkouts that staff would not supervise students who left school grounds.

Sniff said that if students walked out, administrators and security would monitor the situation, ensure they remained in designated safe areas on campus and prevent conflict. But he added that supervision means ensuring safety, and does not equal support.

Parent, student perspective

Jamie Esser, a parent of a child attending Pewaukee High School, said she supported the walkout there. She said teens getting involved with politics and social issues was “heartwarming” to her.

“I think our children, ever since lockdown, have been isolated and stuck in their cell phones and stuck on social media and not really interacting with each other or looking at the world at large. So I think – especially with all the controversy around ICE and around the treatment of their fellow Americans or even fellow human beings – I think it’s great that kids are taking up concerns, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s very promising for the future that today’s generation sees the injustice and just wants to be heard that they don’t agree with it,” Esser said.

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Conversely, Joe Rivera, a parent and school board candidate for the Wisconsin Hudson School District in northwestern Wisconsin, said he was concerned about inconsistencies in how that district told parents it would handle a walkout v. what actually happened.

The walkout took place, even though the district told parents that students would not be allowed to leave campus and that classes would continue as scheduled, a Feb. 14 post on his campaign Facebook page said.

“Allowing a large, pre-planned demonstration during the school day – after communicating it would not be allowed – created confusion, undermined trust, and placed students in unnecessary danger, the post said. “We do not have to look far to see how similar situations, even nearby, have escalated quickly and turned tragic.”

“As a parent in this district, I find it unacceptable that families were told one thing and experienced another – especially when it involves student supervision and safety during the school day,” the post said.

Thomas Stilp, a Marquette University High School student, said he was among several students who were organizing a walkout at his school in February. Things looked ready to go until the night before the walkout. That’s when organizers heard concerns that the walkout might draw unwanted attention from ICE; those concerns led them to cancel the event.

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Stilp said he thinks students fear that what’s happening in Minnesota will eventually happen in Milwaukee.

“What we really want is the whole country to be doing this, and if people are leaving schools and people are shutting down their offices and are not showing up to work, like businesses are closed; if you can’t get your coffee in the morning because of these ICE raids that are happening and businesses are calling for that to be stopped, that’s when you’re going to notice,” he said.

However, not all students support the walkouts.

One of those students is Turner Dittrich, a senior at Arrowhead High School and a founder, former president and current member of the school’s chapter of the conservative organization Turning Point. He is also the son of Terry Dittrich, the Waukesha County Republican Party chairman.

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Turner Dittrich said that while people have the right to protest, they should not interfere with ICE, which is investigating criminal behavior.

“My whole take on it is, is why should undocumented illegal citizens get the same immunity as the ones who sacrifice to follow the law? We are America. We are a country of laws,” he said.

Dittrich said anti-ICE protests have been boosted by students who simply do not want to be in school. He also said he does not think it’s right for students to miss school for protests, out of respect for teachers.

“At Arrowhead especially, I’ve met some phenomenal teachers, some phenomenal individuals. They wake up tired and they’re really pouring out their energy into what they’re teaching students. For the ICE protests to not be done at 3:30 or 4 [after school] is just shocking to me because it’s like, what are these teachers possibly doing? Now, I understand freedom of speech. They can’t control kids necessarily, but at the end of the day, when teachers are getting paid to show up and work hard, it just unfortunately saddens me.

“It’s the same thing if there was a pro-ICE protest. I would think that during school hours, it’d be wrong, right? So I think on both sides of the aisle, the fact that we’re doing this during school hours, is wrong. It can’t be done that way,” Dittrich said.

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Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com. Follow him on X (Twitter) at @AlecJohnson12.





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Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis Ranked Among U.S. Cities With The Most People In Financial Distress

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Minneapolis Ranked Among U.S. Cities With The Most People In Financial Distress


MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis is ranked among the American cities with the most people in financial distress nationwide, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub.

The personal finance website, which defines financial distress as having a credit account in forbearance or with deferred payments, looked at the country’s 100 largest cities without data limitations across nine metrics, including average credit score, change in bankruptcy filings year-over-year, and share of people with accounts in distress.

Minneapolis came in 44th on the list, between Stockton, California, at 43rd and Fresno, California, at 45th, according to the ranking.

Nationwide, the cities with the most people in financial distress were Chicago at No. 1, Houston at No. 2 and Las Vegas at No. 3, the ranking said.

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“Getting out of the downward spiral of financial distress is no easy feat,” according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

“You may get temporary relief from your lenders by not having to make payments, but all the while interest will keep building up, making the debt even harder to pay off. People who find themselves in financial distress should budget carefully, cut non-essential expenses, and pursue strategies like debt consolidation or debt management to get their situation under control.”

Read more from WalletHub.





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