Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden To Keep Trump's Covid Measure Limiting Entry To Migrants
The New York Times: Biden Administration Will Keep Using Covid Rule To Limit Border Immigration
With the number of migrants crossing the southern border surging and the pandemic proving to be far from over, the Biden administration has decided to leave in place for now the public health rule that has allowed it to turn away hundreds of thousands of migrants, officials said. The decision, confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday, amounted to a shift by the administration, which had been working on plans to begin lifting the rule this summer, more than a year after it was imposed by the Trump administration. The C.D.C. said allowing noncitizens to come over the border from either Mexico or Canada “creates a serious danger” of further spread of the coronavirus. (Sullivan and Kanno-Youngs, 8/2)
NPR: Title 42 Foes Go Back To Court To Try To End COVID Measure Blocking Asylum-Seekers
Immigration advocates who had been negotiating with the Biden administration to end a Trump-era rule that blocks most migrants from entering the United States have given up waiting. The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups are going back to court. They plan to file a preliminary injunction to stop the continued use of the Title 42 public health law that has allowed border agents to swiftly remove tens of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers arriving at the southern border. (Ordoñez, 8/2)
The Hill: Biden Administration To Keep Trump-Era Rule Of Turning Away Migrants During Pandemic
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Monday announced it would be moving forward with a lawsuit to force the administration to lift the policy. "It is now clear that there is no immediate plan to do that," ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said in a statement. "The administration made repeated public statements that it just needed some time to build back the asylum system the Trump administration depleted. We gave them seven months. Time is up." (Choi, 8/2)
And in news about "Havana Syndrome" —
CNN: Havana Syndrome Stokes Fear And Frustration Among Diplomats Over Response From State Department
As reports continue to rise of US diplomats and intelligence officials being sickened by the mysterious Havana Syndrome, inside the State Department frustration is rising among rank-and-file staffers and diplomats over what multiple officials say has been a tepid response by the department. Of particular concern is a lack of information from leadership, including what some say has been a hands-off approach from Secretary of State Tony Blinken who has yet to meet with any of the State Department victims despite saying he would prioritize the incidents. (Atwood, Bertrand and Williams, 8/2)
Politico: Senators Introduce Bill To Push White House On 'Havana Syndrome' Investigation
A bipartisan group of senators unveiled legislation on Tuesday aimed at improving the U.S. government’s sprawling investigations of and response to the mysterious brain injuries affecting hundreds of American officials and personnel around the world. The bill, introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), represents Congress’s latest bid to boost the Biden administration's efforts to get to the bottom of what has been dubbed “Havana syndrome” — so named after dozens of U.S. officials there were afflicted with suspicious ailments. The bill comes after POLITICO first reported earlier this year that U.S. officials were sounding the alarm to Congress about Americans’ increasing vulnerability to these incidents, which officials have struggled to understand. (Desiderio, 8/3)
