News
Trump Officials Move to Quickly Expel Migrants Biden Allowed In Temporarily
The Trump administration is giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials the power to quickly deport migrants who were allowed into the country temporarily under Biden-era programs, according to an internal government memo obtained by The New York Times.
The memo, signed Thursday night by the acting head of the Homeland Security Department, offers ICE officials a road map on how to use expansive powers that were long reserved only for encounters at the southern border to quickly remove migrants. It also appears to give the officials the ability to expel migrants in two major Biden-era programs that have allowed more than a million people to enter the country temporarily.
Those programs — an app called CBP One that migrants could use to try to schedule appointments to enter the United States, and an initiative that let in certain migrants fleeing Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela and Haiti — were key pillars of the Biden administration’s efforts to discourage illegal entries by allowing certain legal pathways. Immigrant advocates also worried that the memo could apply to Afghan and Ukrainian immigrants brought to the United States under separate programs.
The decision indicates that President Trump will try to use every facet of the immigration enforcement apparatus to crack down on a system he has long said has been abused, and that he intends to target not just those who sneaked across the border but even those who followed previously authorized pathways to enter.
It is also sure to raise fears among a large class of immigrants, many of whom had fled desperate conditions, believed that they were in the country legally and might be afraid to return to their often-dangerous home countries.
Both of former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s signature programs had faced heavy criticism from Republicans, including Trump administration officials, as a way to facilitate illegal immigration through the guise of a government program. The migrants were given a grant to stay in the country for up to two years under a temporary legal status known as “parole.” The memo appears to allow for their deportation, regardless of whether they have reached the end of that legal status or still have time remaining.
In total, around 1.4 million migrants entered the country through the two programs since the beginning of 2023.
A senior Homeland Security official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the effort rested on Mr. Trump’s belief that Mr. Biden’s immigration programs were never lawful and that migrants in the country unlawfully should be removed quickly.
Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff and the architect of Mr. Trump’s hard-line immigration policies, has made clear that he opposed both programs.
“Here’s an idea: Don’t fly millions of illegals aliens from failed states thousands of miles away into small towns across the American Heartland,” Mr. Miller said on social media in September.
News of the memo was met with immediate criticism from immigrant advocates and former Biden officials.
“In addition to raising serious legal concerns, subjecting people who played by the rules to a summary deportation process is an outrageous and unprecedented betrayal,” said Tom Jawetz, a senior lawyer in the Homeland Security Department in the Biden administration.
Karen Tumlin, the director of the Justice Action Center, an immigrant advocacy group, said the decision was a mistake. She said she believed the memo could also allow ICE officials to try to deport migrants from Afghanistan and Ukraine.
“American communities have opened their hearts and homes for people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Afghanistan and Ukraine,” she said. “Punishing people who did everything the government asked, and many of whom had U.S.-based sponsors, to this summary deportation procedure is appalling.”
Mr. Trump ordered the agency to shut down the Biden-era programs on Monday. That same day, Benjamine C. Huffman, the acting homeland security secretary, issued a separate memo ordering the phaseout of all such programs. On Tuesday, the administration widened the deportation powers.
On Thursday, Mr. Huffman provided additional guidance to the agency on the two key decisions and how they interact with each other.
In the memo, he directed ICE officials to analyze immigrants the agency is “aware of” who can be deported under the new fast deportations, which sidestep immigration courts, and consider whether they should be removed from the country. The memo suggests that officials prioritize immigrants who have been in the country longer than a year but who have not applied for asylum.
As part of that, the memo says that officials can, if necessary, decide to move to strip parole, a form of temporary legal status. Migrants brought under the two Biden-era programs — as well as other initiatives involving Afghans and Ukrainians — are in the country under that specific form of temporary status.
If migrants are already in the formal deportation process — which can take years — ICE officials can move to terminate their case and place them into the sped-up deportation program.
The memo also provides ICE officials the ability to target those who have been in the country under a temporary program but have remained more than two years for formal deportation proceedings.
The fast-track deportation powers have already been challenged in federal court in Washington by the American Civil Liberties Union. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, argues that the decision violated federal law.
“The Trump administration wants to use this illegal policy to fuel its mass deportation agenda and rip communities apart,” Anand Balakrishnan, an A.C.L.U. lawyer, said in a statement. “Expanding expedited removal would give Trump a cheat code to circumvent due process and the Constitution, and we are again here to fight it.”
Law enforcement agencies respond to a shooting near the White House on November 26, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Two West Virginia National Guard members were shot and injured near the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday in what the city’s mayor described as a “targeted” attack. The shooter, who was also shot, is in custody, according to authorities.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday evening, Jeffrey Carroll, the executive assistant chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, said the shooting occurred around 2:15 p.m.
Carroll said a gunman came around a corner and opened fire at the Guard members who were on patrol.
Two members of the West Virginia National Guard were shot near the White House on Wednesday, local authorities said. A suspect is being detained at a local hospital.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Executive Assistant Chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department Jeffery Carroll stands near FBI Director Kash Patel as he speaks to the media following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers on November 26, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
Nearby Guard members quickly intervened and subdued the shooter, he said. The two injured Guard members and the shooter were later transported to a hospital. Carroll said it was unclear who shot the gunman.
A motive had not yet been determined. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said on X that the person responsible would “be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was aware that two Guard members were “critically wounded.”
He announced plans to send 500 more Guard troops to D.C. at the request of President Trump.
“This will only stiffen our resolve to ensure we make Washington, D.C. safe and beautiful,” he added.
Members of the U.S. Secret Service and other law enforcement officers stage at the Farragut West Metro station as they respond to a shooting on November 26, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
A view of the scene after two members of the National Guard were shot and wounded near the White House on November 26, 2025. A suspect has been taken into custody.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey had earlier said the Guard members were killed, but reversed himself less than half an hour later.
“We are now receiving conflicting reports about the condition of our two Guard members,” he wrote on X.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was aware of the incident. The president was in Florida at the time of the shooting.
“The animal that shot the two National Guardsmen … is also severely wounded, but regardless, will pay a very steep price,” he added.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said on X that federal agents were on the scene of the shooting. FBI Director Kash Patel also said on X that the bureau “is engaged and assisting with the investigation.”
Over the past few months, more than 2,000 National Guard personnel have been sent to D.C. to assist with patrols and beautification efforts.
Law enforcement officers secure the scene after a shooting in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025.
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
hide caption
toggle caption
Tyrone Turner/WAMU
More than half of the Guard members were brought in from other states, including about 179 Guard members from West Virginia, according to the military’s Joint Task Force in D.C.
Trump began deploying troops to the nation’s capital in early August over concerns about the city’s crime rate. Last week, a federal judge ruled that the use of troops in D.C. was unlawful and ordered an end to the deployment. The judge’s preliminary injunction has not yet taken effect to give the Trump administration time to appeal.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Tourists flock to Mather Point at Grand Canyon National Park, Oct. 1, 2025, in Grand Canyon, Ariz.
Ross D. Franklin/AP
hide caption
toggle caption
Ross D. Franklin/AP
WASHINGTON — The National Park Service said Tuesday it is going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, while leaving them out of fee-free days that will be reserved for American residents.
The announcement declaring “America-first entry fee policies” comes as national parks deal with the strain of a major staff reduction and severe budget cuts, along with recovering from damage during the recent government shutdown and significant lost revenue due to fees not being collected during that time.
The fee change will impact 11 national parks, including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and Yosemite, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
As part of the changes, which are set to take effect Jan. 1, foreign tourists will also see their annual parks pass price jump to $250, while U.S. residents will continue to be charged $80, according to the department’s statement.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a post on the social platform X that the changes make sure U.S. taxpayers who support the park service “continue to enjoy affordable access, while international visitors contribute their fair share to maintaining and improving our parks for future generations!”
A White House post on X laying out the increased fees ended with the phrase, “AMERICANS FIRST.”
The announcement follows a July executive order in which President Donald Trump directed the parks to increase entry fees for foreign tourists.
“There’s a lot to unpack in this announcement, including many questions on its implementation – all which NPCA will raise with the Department of Interior,” Kati Schmidt, a spokesperson for National Parks Conservation Association, said in an email.
The U.S. Travel Association estimated that in 2018, national parks and monuments saw more than 14 million international visitors. Yellowstone reported that in 2024, nearly 15% of its visitors were from outside the country, which was down from 30% in 2018.
The money made off the new fees will help support the national parks, including with upgrading facilities for visitors and maintenance, according to the statement.
The “resident-only patriotic fee-free days” next year include Veterans Day, which was one of the parks’ eight free days open to everyone in 2025. The Department of the Interior had announced those days by saying they wanted to ensure that “everyone, no matter their zip code, can access and enjoy the benefits of green spaces and our public lands.”
Good morning. You’re reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today’s top stories
A federal judge yesterday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both were indicted by a lawyer who was willing to follow President Trump’s demand to pursue criminal charges after other prosecutors found no reason for a case. The judge found that Lindsey Halligan, the top prosecutor, was unlawfully appointed, marking a significant setback to the president’s efforts to go after his perceived political enemies.
James Comey speaks onstage during Former FBI Director James Comey In Conversation With MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace at 92NY on May 30, 2023, in New York City.
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
- 🎧 Judge Cameron Currie wrote that the actions that came from Halligan’s defective appointment are unlawful exercises of executive power and should be set aside, NPR’s Carrie Johnson tells Up First. The judge dismissed Comey and James’ cases because Halligan was the only prosecutor in the grand jury room for the indictments and the only one who signed them. The Justice Department retains the right to appeal the judge’s decision. Comey says he believes Trump could target him again, but he has faith in the federal court system. Johnson says four times this year, different courts have ruled that U.S. attorneys have not been appointed legally, highlighting that the president’s power to appoint prosecutors has some limits.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is planning for the military to cut all ties with Scouting America, formerly known as the Boy Scouts. According to documents reviewed by NPR, Hegseth claims the organization is no longer a meritocracy and has become an organization designed to “attack boy-friendly spaces.” In a draft memo to Congress, he criticizes Scouting for being “genderless” and for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. The military has supported the Scouts for over 100 years, and formalized their relationship in 1937.
The 28-point peace plan that the U.S. proposed to help end Russia’s war in Ukraine appears to be off the table. Ukraine and Europeans say the plan was a wish list for the Kremlin. Now, European leaders have put their own proposal forth for consideration.
- 🎧 The European proposal closely resembles the one presented in April 2022, NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley says. Though the plan didn’t work out then, Beardsley says the key difference now is the exhaustion and heavy losses felt after four years of conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the European plan is a constructive one that could actually end the war. An adviser to the Kremlin has already rejected the plan, saying it wouldn’t work. Throughout negotiations, Russia has not abandoned any of its maximalist goals.
The Trump administration has designated the Cartel de los Soles, which Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro leads, a foreign terrorist organization. This is the latest move in a pressure campaign to prevent drug traffickers from entering the U.S. The Federal Register published the designation yesterday, after months of deadly strikes on boats leaving Venezuela and as Trump weighs whether to take military action against the country.
- 🎧 NPR’s Franco Ordoñez says an increasing number of foreign officials and international experts he speaks with can see the administration potentially gearing up for some type of military strike in Venezuela. There are political implications that Trump must weigh when it comes to military actions against the country, including whether the decision aligns with his America First agenda. The White House says stopping drug boats and saving American lives fits its campaign. However, Ordoñez points out that these actions carry a risk of longer-term responsibilities.
Deep dive
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang delivers a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January.
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
hide caption
toggle caption
PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images/AFP
Tech companies are investing billions of dollars in the artificial intelligence industry, as business executives and investors proclaim that an AI boom is underway. To avoid depleting cash reserves too quickly, large Silicon Valley companies such as Meta are tapping into private equity and debt to finance a data center building spree. But financial analysts are concerned that instead of an AI boom, there may be an AI bubble — and it could burst soon.
- ➡️ A growing body of research suggests that AI chatbots are not impacting most tech firms’ bottom lines. Only 3% of people pay for AI, yet companies are heavily investing in it.
- ➡️ Morgan Stanley analysts predict that Big Tech will invest around $3 trillion in AI infrastructure by 2028, with only half of the funding coming from their own cash flows. If AI market growth stabilizes, oversupply could lead to worthless debt and financial losses for institutions.
- ➡️ Some analysts argue that the circular nature of investments, such as when chip giant Nvidia subsidizes one of its largest customers, artificially inflates the actual demand for AI technology.
Picture show
Four African American women seated on steps of building at Atlanta University, Georgia in the 1890s taken by the photographer Thomas E. Askew is one of the hundreds of photos that comprise the book ‘Reflections in Black’, written and edited by scholar and New York University professor Deborah Willis.
Library of Congress
hide caption
toggle caption
Library of Congress
Deborah Willis, the author of Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers, 1840 to the Present, has devoted her career to uncovering, cataloging, and showcasing the work of Black photographers and photographs of Black people. Now, 25 years after its publication, a new edition of Reflections in Black is out, with 130 new images and an accompanying gallery show inspired by the book. In this expanded edition, Willis examines the impact of migration and highlights the importance of images for those who have been forced to leave their homes. Take a look at some photos from the book.
3 things to know before you go
A new study finds that the bowhead whales produce loads of a protein that repairs the DNA in cells before they can become precancerous.
Danny Lawson/PA Images/Getty Images
hide caption
toggle caption
Danny Lawson/PA Images/Getty Images
- Scientists exploring innovative ways to fight cancer have discovered a promising new lead in bowhead whale DNA, according to findings published in the journal Nature.
- In 2007, an expensive divorce left Jolena Rothwell short on cash. When she asked her coworker Steven Green if she could borrow $20, he surprised her the next day with $200 and a note saying that she didn’t have to pay it back. Instead, he asked her to pay it forward. Her unsung hero’s action created a chain of kindness.
- Jimmy Cliff, the Jamaican musician and actor who helped bring reggae into the international spotlight, has died at 81. He was known for hits such as “Many Rivers to Cross.”
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
‘Stranger Things’ is back. Does everything old still feel new?
Stranger Things 5 begins with a frantic race to the finish line
Fire tears through Hong Kong housing complex, killing at least 36 with hundreds missing
Alleged DC shooter entered US under Afghan resettlement push Mayorkas vowed would be done ‘swiftly and safely’
Judge rules West Virginia parents can use religious beliefs to opt out of school vaccine requirements
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Video: ‘It Didn’t Have to Happen This Way:’ U.Va. Faculty Call for Review of Police Response to Protests
Alleged DC shooter entered US under Afghan resettlement push Mayorkas vowed would be done ‘swiftly and safely’
Trump yanks G20 invitation from South Africa over false genocide claims
2 National Guard members wounded in ‘targeted’ attack in D.C., authorities say
LIVE: Guardsmen shot in DC
Muslim groups, other leaders demand Abbott rescind CAIR’s ‘terrorist’ designation: ‘Defamatory’
-
World1 week agoFrance and Germany support simplification push for digital rules
-
Business1 week agoFire survivors can use this new portal to rebuild faster and save money
-
News1 week agoCourt documents shed light on Indiana shooting that sparked stand-your-ground debate
-
World1 week agoSinclair Snaps Up 8% Stake in Scripps in Advance of Potential Merger
-
Science5 days agoWashington state resident dies of new H5N5 form of bird flu
-
World1 week agoCalls for answers grow over Canada’s interrogation of Israel critic
-
Politics1 week agoDuckworth fires staffer who claimed to be attorney for detained illegal immigrant with criminal history
-
Technology1 week agoFake flight cancellation texts target travelers