Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
ICE Surge To End In Minn., But Partial Federal Shutdown May Be Unavoidable
NBC News: Trump Administration Says It Is Ending Its Immigration Surge In Minnesota
The Trump administration said Thursday it is ending its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The announcement comes weeks after federal authorities shot and killed two U.S. citizens, sparking outrage around the nation and the world. Border czar Tom Homan said "a significant drawdown" will begin this week and will continue into next week. He said he will remain on the ground "for a little longer" to ensure a successful end to the operation. (Lavietes, 2/12)
The Washington Post: National Guard Troops Withdrawn From L.A., Chicago, Portland
The Trump administration has withdrawn all federalized National Guard troops from U.S. cities, after its repeated attempts to surge forces into Democratic-run states encountered judicial roadblocks. The pullout was completed last month with no public acknowledgment from the White House or the Pentagon other than a social media post weeks earlier in which President Donald Trump announced the troops’ removal. The deployments — including more than 5,000 troops to Los Angeles, about 500 into Chicago and 200 to Portland, Oregon — were ordered despite the vehement opposition from state and local leaders who labeled the administration’s actions an unlawful abuse of presidential authority. (Copp and Horton, 2/11)
The 19th: Pregnant Patients In Minnesota Postponed Abortion Visits To Avoid ICE
Pregnant immigrants in Minnesota have been postponing their abortions, skipping aftercare, and delaying birth control visits and urgent cancer screening follow-ups to avoid coming in contact with federal immigration agents. (Luthra, 2/12)
A federal government shutdown looms amid disagreement over ICE —
The Washington Post: Partial Government Shutdown Looms As Congress Leaves Town Without A Deal
Large swaths of the Department of Homeland Security are set to shut down Saturday after Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked two funding bills because the legislation did not include new restrictions on federal immigration agents. Democrats demanded a long list of changes to DHS after federal immigration agents killed Alex Pretti last month in Minneapolis, including tighter rules on warrants and a ban on agents wearing face masks. President Donald Trump appeared open to some of them, but Democrats rejected a proposal the White House made Wednesday night, all but ensuring a partial government shutdown. (Meyer and Beggin, 2/12)
Verite News New Orleans: Top FEMA Official Warns Of ‘Seriously Strained’ Disaster Response If DHS Shutdown Occurs
A top official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) warned lawmakers Wednesday that the agency’s ability to respond to disasters would be strained if a shutdown occurred as Congress continues to debate Department of Homeland Security funding. “FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has sufficient balances to continue emergency response activities for the foreseeable future,” Gregg Phillips, the associate administrator of FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, said at a House Appropriations hearing. “That said, if a catastrophic disaster occurred, the DRF will be seriously strained.” (Banks, 2/12)
