Donald Trump announced a ban on nationals from 12 countries from entering the United States. An impending pause to the Jobs Corps program puts thousands of students in limbo. And current and former teammates weigh in on what makes the OKC Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander a true MVP.
Here’s what to know today.
Trump announces travel ban on 12 countries and partial restrictions for 7 others
Nationals from a dozen countries will be barred from entering the U.S. from Monday under a proclamation signed yesterday by President Donald Trump, who framed the decision as necessary to bolster national security and combat terrorism. Seven more countries will face partial travel restrictions.
The 12 countries targeted in the ban are primarily in Africa or Asia. They are: Afghanistan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Republic of Congo, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
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Several of the countries regularly declined to accept the return of their nationals or had visa overstay rates the Trump administration deemed “unacceptable,” according to the proclamation. Others on the list, including Sudan, Yemen and Somalia, were included for inadequate screening and vetting measures.
In addition, seven countries will be under partial travel restrictions, in which entrance into the U.S. under several visa programs was suspended but an outright ban was not implemented. Those countries are: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.
There are some exemptions, including for any lawful permanent resident of the U.S., as well as diplomatic visas and immediate family immigrant visas, among others. There are also exemptions for adoptions, dual nationals with passports from unrestricted countries and athletes or teams traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup or the Olympics.
In a White House video, Trump cited the recent attack in Boulder, Colorado, as justification for a renewed travel ban. But the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, is from Egypt, and he entered the country on a tourist visa before he applied for asylum.
During his first term, Trump similarly banned foreigners from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S., a move that the Supreme Court ultimately upheld in a split decision. Already in his second term, Trump has limited refugee admissions from almost all countries.
More immigration news:
- A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to provide hundreds of migrants sent to a maximum security prison in El Salvador with opportunities to challenge their detentions and removals under the Alien Enemies Act.
- ICE made the most immigration arrests in a single day in its history on Tuesday, detaining more than 2,200 people, as the agency responds to pressure to rapidly and dramatically increase arrests.
Trump ramps up battles with Harvard and Columbia
Trump escalated his attack on Harvard University last night with a proclamation declaring he will deny visas for foreign students trying to come to the country to attend the school. The proclamation also noted that the State Department would review the status of existing foreign students under certain visas to see whether they should be revoked.
The announcement came a week after a federal judge blocked his administration’s attempt to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll foreign students. The president has attacked the Ivy League school, claiming it has not done enough to combat antisemitism on campus during Israel-Hamas war demonstrations. Read more about Trump’s proclamation targeting Harvard.
Earlier Wednesday, the Trump administration ramped up its battle with another Ivy League school — Columbia University — by threatening its accreditation. The Education Department said in a statement that it has notified the accreditor for Columbia that the school violated anti-discrimination laws, alleging Columbia “acted with deliberate indifference towards the harassment of Jewish students” in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Columbia said that it has addressed the Trump administration’s concerns directly with the accreditor, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The loss of accreditation would lead to Columbia losing access to student aid funds. But even if that happened, it most likely wouldn’t happen immediately. Read more about the Trump administration’s threat against Columbia.
More politics news:
- Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin told him that Moscow is planning to retaliate against Ukraine’s major drone attack, casting doubt that a peace deal to end the war could come soon.
- Trump is weighing when and how to respond after he was “caught off guard” — but “not entirely surprised” — by Elon Musk’s pressure campaign to sink the tax and spending package, a White House official said.
- Former Biden White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is leaving the Democratic Party and registering as an independent.
- Trump is signaling a new approach to building the judiciary in his second term, leaning toward unapologetically combative, MAGA-friendly nominees and slamming the Federalist Society, the group he once relied on heavily.
- Trump ordered a wide-ranging investigation into Joe Biden and officials in his administration, particularly Biden aides’ alleged use of “autopen” signatures to cover up his “cognitive decline.”
- New York City Democrats’ first primary debate in the mayoral race saw frontrunner and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo on the receiving end of repeated attacks from all eight of his opponents.
Job Corps cuts to leave thousands of students in limbo
Job Corps faculty and alumni are scrambling to provide assistance to students who rely on the program for free housing and food after the Labor Department announced last week that it would pause operations at 99 contract-operated centers by the end of the month. The closures are part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping attempt to reduce the federal workforce, but critics have argued the cuts are jeopardizing Americans’ safety and health. Job Corps targets low-income students and gives them access to free career training and education, housing, meals, basic medical care and a living allowance.
A Labor Department spokesperson said a “comprehensive review” of the program revealed systemic issues, including “serious incidents, poor student outcomes and unsustainable costs.”
But those who have benefitted from the program said the Job Corps has afforded them life-changing opportunities. Read the full story here.
Read All About It
- A Washington state man was charged with providing large amounts of chemicals used in a car bomb outside a Palm Springs, California, fertility clinic last month.
- A father and daughter who vanished during a hike in Maine were found dead after an extensive search.
- Coca-Cola has recalled Topo Chico Mineral Water sold at Costco stores in five states over a possible bacteria contamination.
- “Dance Moms” star Abby Lee Miller sued a prominent Los Angeles hospital, accusing doctors of leaving a catheter inside of her abdomen after spinal surgery.
Staff Pick: An MVP hiding in plain sight
Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s rise to league MVP has been unexpected. He was traded after his rookie season, and the Thunder missed the playoffs multiple times even as he took his game to another level. So how did SGA become one of the league’s best? I spoke to a few of Gilgeous-Alexander’s former and current teammates, who explained how his unique traits on and off the floor have earned him the game’s highest individual recognition and has helped lead Oklahoma City to the NBA Finals, which begin tonight. — Rohan Nadkarni, sports reporter
NBCU Academy: The home that gives runaway teens much-needed support
Tatiyana Rich was 7 years old when her father was murdered. After her mother remarried, Rich said there was a lot of fighting and instability in the home. At age 16, she was kicked out. “I wasn’t officially homeless, but I was getting there,” Rich said. “That was my next step.”
A Tampa-based nonprofit called Starting Right, Now took in Rich and offered her the support she needed, providing unaccompanied homeless youth with safe housing, academic help and mental health support.
See how Starting Right, Now’s 65-bed home is offering runaway teens like Rich stability and healing.
NBCU Academy is a free, award-winning education program for developing new skills and advancing careers in journalism, media and tech.
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Dermatologists helped the NBC Select team find the best anti-chafing products for the summer. That way you can enjoy a run or workout without worrying about any inner-thigh friction. Plus, we asked dentists about the best flosses based on users’ teeth-cleaning habits.
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