Lawyers tasked with trying to identify migrant families separated at the United States' southern border due to the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy said in a court filing on Tuesday they have yet to track down the parents of 545 children, and about two-thirds of those parents have been deported to Central America without their kids, NBC News reports.
The policy of separating migrant children from their parents went into effect in 2018, but under a pilot program that launched in 2017, more than 1,000 families were separated. A federal judge in California set up a "steering committee" of advocacy groups and law firms and told them to find the parents who were separated from their children in 2017. They have been able to contact the parents of more than 550 children, NBC News reports, and believe 25 more parents may be able to come back to the United States for reunification.
Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project, told NBC News that some parents have been contacted, but they are worried for their child's safety in their home countries, and want them to remain in the United States. "People ask when we will find all of these families and, sadly, I can't give an answer," Gelernt said. "I just don't know. But we will not stop looking until we have found every one of the families, no matter how long it takes. The tragic reality is that hundreds of parents were deported to Central America without their children, who remain here with foster families or distant relatives."
The group Justice in Motion is on the ground in Mexico and Central America, trying to reach the affected families. "It's an arduous and time-consuming process on a good day," the organization said in a statement. "During the pandemic, our team of human rights defenders is taking special measures to protect their own security and safety, as well as that of the parents and their communities." Catherine Garcia
About 45 minutes into an interview with 60 Minutes host Lesley Stahl Tuesday at the White House, President Trump abruptly got up and left, telling Stahl the network had enough material to use, several people familiar with the matter told CNN.
Trump was also supposed to sit for a joint interview with Vice President Mike Pence, but didn't come back to participate, the sources said. CNN reached out to the White House, and they did not dispute the reporting.
On Tuesday afternoon, Trump — who has mocked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden for wearing masks and doesn't make face coverings required at his rallies — tweeted a brief clip showing Stahl talking to two people. "Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes not wearing a mask in the White House after her interview with me," Trump said. "Much more to come." A person familiar with the matter told CNN the video was filmed immediately after Trump left the room, and Stahl wore a mask until right before the interview started.
In a follow-up tweet, Trump said that for "the sake of accuracy in reporting," he is "considering posting my interview with Lesley Stahl of 60 Minutes, PRIOR TO AIRTIME! This will be done so that everybody can get a glimpse of what a FAKE and BIASED interview is all about..." The interview — whatever can be cobbled together — is set to air on CBS Sunday night. Catherine Garcia
At least two protesters in Nigeria were shot on Tuesday night when soldiers opened fire on anti-police brutality demonstrators in the Lekki neighborhood in Lagos, several witnesses told Reuters.
The protests began nearly two weeks ago, after video circulated that allegedly showed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) officers shooting a man in Delta state. Thousands of people have been demonstrating nationwide every night since, despite a curfew in Lagos and other cities. For years, human rights groups accused SARS of committing murder, torture, extortion, and harassment, and while the unit was disbanded on Oct. 11, the protests continued.
Witness Inyene Akpan told Reuters that on Tuesday night, more than 20 soldiers showed up at the Lekki toll gate and began shooting at the crowd. A second witness, Akinbosola Ogunsanya, told Reuters he saw 10 or so people get shot, and then watched as soldiers removed bodies.
The condition of the people shot on Tuesday is unknown, and the Lagos state government said it is investigating the incident. Amnesty International says at least 15 demonstrators have been killed since the protests began. Catherine Garcia
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has reportedly shut down all hope of passing a COVID-19 stimulus bill in the next two weeks.
Discussions regarding the next relief bill have gone on for months with no actual results after the last package — and the boosted unemployment insurance that came with it — expired after July. But despite Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) continuing discussions Tuesday, people familiar with the discussions say McConnell has called the whole thing off, The New York Times reports.
Mnuchin and Pelosi have been in talks for weeks, with Pelosi setting Tuesday as a deadline for both sides getting their "terms on the table." Yet negotiations didn't end as Democrats try to work at least $2 trillion in funding from the White House; Mnuchin offered up a $1.8 trillion package on Monday. McConnell meanwhile said Tuesday "if a presidentially supported bill clears the House at some point we'll bring it to the floor." But behind closed doors in a lunch with Senate Republicans, McConnell reportedly said he told the White House not to accept anything until after the election. He's looking to avoid making Republicans up for re-election avoid the "difficult choice of defying the president" by voting against the bill or "alienating their fiscally conservative base" by approving it, the Times reports.
President Trump had previously said he was ending the stimulus talks until after the election, only to change his mind just a few days later. McConnell has been pessimistic about negotiations for weeks. Kathryn Krawczyk