Texas Weekly Online

Texas-trans-white
Menu
Menu

Author: shailender

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s lawyers ask for more Trump admin officials to testify, possibly from White House

Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s lawyers ask for more Trump admin officials to testify, possibly from White House

The lawyers representing Kilmar Abrego Garcia have asked a federal judge for permission to take three additional depositions – from representatives of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the State Department and the Department of Justice (DOJ) – regarding what steps, if any, the Trump administration has taken to facilitate the illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member’s release from custody in El Salvador.  In a motion filed Wednesday, Abrego Garcia’s lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland to order the government to designate individuals from DHS, the State Department and the DOJ “who can testify about information known or reasonably available to each Department.” They cited a federal rule to prevent “bandying” of organizations, saying this way would be “the most efficient and least intrusive approach to obtain the necessary discovery.”  “By allowing the Government to identify its own Rule 30(b)(6) representatives, Plaintiffs hope to avoid imposing the burden on the heads of the Departments to testify, while properly putting the onus on the Government to prepare their chosen representatives with the Departments’ complete knowledge of the narrow issues at stake in this case,” they wrote.  They noted the court has already approved four depositions, three of which have already taken place, yet “plaintiffs are still in the dark about the government’s efforts to facilitate Abrego Garcia’s release from custody and return to the United States.” DEPORTATION FLIGHTS TO LIBYA WOULD VIOLATE COURT ORDER WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE, FEDERAL JUDGE SAYS Abrego Garcia’s lawyers said they also might request that someone from the White House testify.  “In fact, as seems apparent from its public statements, this case also involves decisionmaking at the White House in addition to the three Departments,” they wrote. “Accordingly, depending on the testimony obtained in any authorized Department depositions, Plaintiffs may need to seek additional testimony from an appropriately knowledgeable representative of the White House.”  Fox News Digital reached out to DHS, the State Department, the DOJ, and the White House for comment, but none immediately responded. The motion is redacted in portions with excerpts of depositions that have already taken place regarding Abrego Garcia’s location and custodial status.  FEDERAL JUDGE OPENS DOOR TO ALIEN ENEMIES ACT TARGETS SUING TRUMP ADMINISTRATION In a two-page order Wednesday, Xinis – who was appointed by former President Barack Obama – said the Trump administration was invoking the “state secrets privilege” to avoid answering a judge’s questions about Abrego Garcia’s deportation.  The judge set a May 12 deadline for both parties to submit briefs “addressing the legal and factual bases for the invocation of those privileges,” and set a May 16 court hearing on the matter in Greenbelt, Maryland.  Testifying before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said that Abrego Garcia “is a citizen of El Salvador and should never have been in this country, and will not be coming back to this country.”  “There is no scenario where Abrego Garcia will be in the United States again,” Noem said. “If he were to come back, we would immediately deport him again, because he is a terrorist. He’s a human smuggler, and he is a wife beater. ”  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP The secretary added that Abrego Garcia “is not a citizen of this country and is a dangerous individual who does not belong.”  The Trump administration initially admitted that Abrego Garcia had been deported to El Salvador in error, but has since doubled down on his alleged MS-13 membership and documented abuse of his wife while living illegally in Maryland. 

Will Trump trade deal with UK ease economic jitters and boost president’s poll numbers?

Will Trump trade deal with UK ease economic jitters and boost president’s poll numbers?

President Donald Trump is touting that Thursday’s announcement of a trade deal with the United Kingdom – which is the first since the president a month ago announced massive tariffs on nations across the globe – will be “the first of many.” Pushing back against descriptions that the agreement hammered out between the two historic allies was just an initial deal with much more to be negotiated, Trump argued “this is a very big deal…this is a maxed-out deal that we’re going to make bigger.” The financial sector appeared to embrace the deal, with the stock markets rising on news of the agreement. However, for a president aiming to pass a sweeping agenda through Congress, it is the political reaction that may be of upmost importance. Trump’s approval ratings have been sliding since he returned to power in the White House three and a half months ago and are now underwater in most national polling. HEAD HERE FOR THE LATEST FOX NEWS COVERAGE OF DONALD TRUMP’S PRESIDENCY Fueling the drop in Trump’s poll numbers are increased concerns by Americans over the economy and inflation, which were pressing issues that kept former President Joe Biden‘s approval ratings well below water for most of his presidency.   Front and center is Trump’s blockbuster tariff announcement a month ago, which sparked a trade war with some of the nation’s top trading partners and triggered a massive sell-off in the financial markets and increased concerns about a recession. Most, but not all, of the most recent national public opinion surveys indicate Trump’s approval ratings in negative territory, which is a slide from the president’s poll position when he started his second tour of duty in the White House. An average of the latest national surveys puts the president’s approval rating underwater by around six points. WHERE TRUMP STANDS IN THE LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL Trump stood at 44% approval and 55% disapproval in the most recent Fox News national poll, which was conducted April 18-21. Additionally, the president’s approval registered at 38% on the economy and just 33% on inflation and tariffs. However, veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams, when asked about the political impact of Thursday’s trade deal, described it as a “positive first step.” Williams also noted that Trump’s approval ratings are “tied directly to the performance of the economy.” POLL POSITION: WHERE TRUMP STANDS 15 WEEKS INTO HIS SECOND PRESIDENCY In discussing his tariffs soon after he announced them on what he called “Liberation Day,” the president touted that “these countries are calling us up, kissing my a–.” “They are dying to make a deal. ‘Please, please, sir, make a deal. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything, sir!’” Trump highlighted. A month later, Trump finally got a chance to showcase a trade agreement. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “President Trump has argued that his agenda requires time for an adjustment and deal making. He’ll be given a period of time to execute deals to prove that his plans are working and the first major trade deal with a nation like the UK is at least a sign that some of the work has been going on behind the scenes thus and is starting to bear fruit,” Williams said. He added that the president will “have to back it up with more, but it is a positive first step for him in securing other deals.”