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Brooks and Capehart on the overwhelmed immigration system

Brooks and Capehart on the political pressure of the overwhelmed immigration system

Mideast experts on Trump’s push to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Middle East experts discuss Trump’s pressure on NATO to reopen Strait of Hormuz

Retired Immigration Judge weighs in on the challenges facing the U.S. immigration court system

According to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, as of late 2023, the U.S. immigration court system faced a backlog of more than 3 million pending cases. This number has more than doubled since 2019 and continues to grow, placing immense pressure on the system. Immigration judges are currently being asked to handle an average of 4,500 cases each and so struggle to manage their caseloads effectively. This backlog includes a mix of individuals seeking asylum, appealing deportation orders, or addressing other immigration-related issues. To get some insight into the challenges the system faces we talk with a retired Immigration Judge who spent 24 years hearing cases.

Immigrants seeking asylum hold hands last year at the ICE South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas. Independent inspectors told a judge that tests for the coronavirus at such centers and the infection rates in the counties where the Texas facilities are located are cause for concern.

Judge Orders ICE To Free Detained Immigrant Children Because Of COVID-19

The scathing order issued Friday said the Trump administration had failed to provide even the most basic health protections for children and their families.

Prosecutors say the USNS Mercy, seen last week entering the Port of Los Angeles, was the target of a train engineer's unsuccessful attack on Tuesday. The derailed train slid to a halt more than 250 yards from the hospital ship. The Mercy was unharmed, and no one was injured.

Train Engineer Says He Crashed In Attempt To Attack Navy Hospital Ship In L.A.

"People don't know what's going on here. Now they will," the engineer allegedly told a California Highway Patrol officer who apprehended him immediately after the incident.

President Trump speaks while Dr. Anthony Fauci listens during Tuesday's briefing on the coronavirus pandemic.

Trump Sets Easter Goal For Reopening American Economy

The president's informal target to curtail mitigation measures like social distancing comes as the total number of confirmed cases nationwide tops 50,000.

Fallujah Braces for U.S. Assault

The Iraqi interim government is divided over whether to approve a massive assault on Fallujah and other insurgent strongholds in Iraq. Iraq's interim prime minister, Iyad Allawi, is under pressure to find a negotiated solution. Patience, however, is wearing thin among American forces. Hear NPR's Anne Garrels.

Musharraf Announces Elections for February

Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf, under intense domestic and international pressure, announced a mid-February date for parliamentary elections and pledged to remove his uniform. Ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto called on Musharraf to step down as Army chief within a week.

States Announce New Mandates As COVID-19 Cases Rise Sharply In The U.S.

A rapid, frightening spread of the coronavirus across the U.S. leads to a fresh round of stay-at-home guidance and mask mandates. Health officials are urging families not to gather for the holidays.

A bald eagle perches on a tree at Sunset Park in Rock Island, Ill., in March. A new study says that many species of birds increasingly moved in to urban areas as human activity waned during the pandemic.

Birds Thrived Where Humans Feared To Tread During The Pandemic, Scientists Say

A new study shows that as people mostly remained indoors during lockdowns last year, many bird species found less noisy and polluted cities more inviting.

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