thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--GOP State Lawmaker: 'I Want To See More People' Get Coronavirus

A GOP lawmaker in Alabama said he ’ s “ not concerned ” about the current spike in cases of the coronavirus in the state .
“ In fact , quite honestly , I want to see more people , because we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it , ” Alabama state Sen. Del Marsh told reporters Thursday .
“ I don ’ t want any deaths — as few as possible , ” he continued .
“ So those people who are susceptible to the disease , especially those with preexisting conditions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to do all we can to protect them .
But I ’ m not concerned .
I want to make sure that everybody can receive care .
And right now we have , to my knowledge as of today , we still have ample beds.
” Sen. Del Marsh says he is not concerned about reaching more than 2,000 cases in one day .
Marsh says he wants to see more people with COVID-19 because `` we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ LydiaNusbaum ) July 9 , 2020 In his comments , Marsh ― who sits on the state ’ s coronavirus task force ― appeared to be referring to the controversial idea of herd immunity , which contends that a virus will not spread as easily once a certain high percentage of the population has contracted it or been vaccinated , and therefore developed the necessary antibodies .
It ’ s probably much easier to be “ not concerned ” when you don ’ t actually understand science .
Those of us with advanced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
# stayinyourlane # alpolitics # aldems # al01 https : //t.co/ELqy4FzFbR — Kiani for Congress ( @ KianiGardner ) July 10 , 2020 Umm @ SenatorDelMarsh are you aware that dying from COVID isn ’ t the only metric ?
That it is chronic and can affect your health the rest of your life ?
Additionally Spain discovered thru study that herd immunity isn ’ t an option without a vaccine .
Antibodies don ’ t stick around .
— HRCSuperVol1 ( @ hrcsupervol01 ) July 10 , 2020 We don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happens with this disease , it ’ s novel .
I honestly am so weary of these people talking about life and death as if it means nothing .
— christina louisa 🥂🍑 Χριστίνα ( @ WatersOfMarch11 ) July 10 , 2020 Alabama on Wednesday recorded its highest-ever tally of new cases ― more than 1,800 , according to the state ’ s Department of Public Health : Alabama , we had our highest number of # COVID19 cases yesterday with over 1800 cases .
We urge you to wash your hands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distancing , and stay home when possible .
This graph is Tab 7 on our Dashboard : https : //t.co/GTqQp3nNQU .
pic.twitter.com/TWLoczonay — Alabama Public Health ( @ ALPublicHealth ) July 9 , 2020 Dr. Don Williamson , the president of the Alabama Hospital Association , warned on Thursday that the state ’ s daily infection count will likely spiral in the coming weeks because “ none of these numbers reflect the effect of the Fourth of July.
” “ We are looking at an incubation period here of minimum days , up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a lag of about a week from infection to being hospitalized — or a week to two weeks — and so we are probably not going to see the real impact on the health care system until next week and the week after , ” Williamson told WBRC .
“ There is major movement in the wrong direction , and really these movements have accelerated and that ’ s the most concerning part of this , ” he added .
“ It ’ s the trajectory of the curve .
”

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A GOP lawmaker in Alabama said he’s “not concerned” about the current spike in cases of the coronavirus in the state.
“In fact, quite honestly, I want to see more people, because we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it,” Alabama state Sen. Del Marsh told reporters Thursday.
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“I don’t want any deaths — as few as possible,” he continued. “So those people who are susceptible to the disease, especially those with preexisting conditions, elderly population, those folks, we need to do all we can to protect them. But I’m not concerned. I want to make sure that everybody can receive care. And right now we have, to my knowledge as of today, we still have ample beds.”
Check out Marsh’s comments here:
Sen. Del Marsh says he is not concerned about reaching more than 2,000 cases in one day.
Marsh says he wants to see more people with COVID-19 because "we start reaching an immunity as more people have it and get through it." pic.twitter.com/JH43IJCdUw — Lydia Nusbaum (@LydiaNusbaum) July 9, 2020
In his comments, Marsh ― who sits on the state’s coronavirus task force ― appeared to be referring to the idea of herd immunity, which contends that a virus will not spread as easily once a certain high percentage of the population has contracted it or been vaccinated, and therefore developed the necessary antibodies.
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Marsh’s comments drew scorn on Twitter:
It’s probably much easier to be “not concerned” when you don’t actually understand science.
Those of us with advanced degrees in science are actually pretty concerned. #stayinyourlane #alpolitics #aldems #al01 https://t.co/ELqy4FzFbR — Kiani for Congress (@KianiGardner) July 10, 2020
Umm @SenatorDelMarsh are you aware that dying from COVID isn’t the only metric? That it is chronic and can affect your health the rest of your life? Additionally Spain discovered thru study that herd immunity isn’t an option without a vaccine. Antibodies don’t stick around. — HRCSuperVol1 (@hrcsupervol01) July 10, 2020
Welp, this is disturbing as hell, but it's been that kind of day. https://t.co/m7QUm7DB7R — Joseph Goodman (@JoeGoodmanJr) July 9, 2020
@SenatorDelMarsh Not only is this line of thinking dumb, but it is also dangerous. https://t.co/ZyjD4U9ETA — Alabama Democrats (@aldemocrats) July 10, 2020
We don’t even know if herd immunity response happens with this disease, it’s novel.
I honestly am so weary of these people talking about life and death as if it means nothing. — christina louisa 🥂🍑 Χριστίνα (@WatersOfMarch11) July 10, 2020
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Why America can't solve its coronavirus problem, exhibit 7500 https://t.co/k3R1NCkT5G — Garance Franke-Ruta (@thegarance) July 10, 2020
Alabama on Wednesday recorded its highest-ever tally of new cases ― more than 1,800, according to the state’s Department of Public Health:
Alabama, we had our highest number of #COVID19 cases yesterday with over 1800 cases. We urge you to wash your hands, wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and stay home when possible. This graph is Tab 7 on our Dashboard: https://t.co/GTqQp3nNQU. pic.twitter.com/TWLoczonay — Alabama Public Health (@ALPublicHealth) July 9, 2020
Dr. Don Williamson, the president of the Alabama Hospital Association, warned on Thursday that the state’s daily infection count will likely spiral in the coming weeks because “none of these numbers reflect the effect of the Fourth of July.”
“We are looking at an incubation period here of minimum days, up to two weeks, and usually there’s a lag of about a week from infection to being hospitalized — or a week to two weeks — and so we are probably not going to see the real impact on the health care system until next week and the week after,” Williamson told WBRC.
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“There is major movement in the wrong direction, and really these movements have accelerated and that’s the most concerning part of this,” he added. “It’s the trajectory of the curve.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Donald Trump Gets 'An F' For Fractions In Coronavirus Testing Tweet

For the 1/100th time , the reason we show so many Cases , compared to other countries that haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ as we have , is that our TESTING is much bigger and better .
We @ @ @ @ @ If we did 20,000,000 instead , Cases would be half , etc .
NOT REPORTED @

For the 1/100th time, the reason we show so many Cases, compared to other countries that haven’t done nearly as well as we have, is that our TESTING is much bigger and better. We have tested 40,000,000 people. If we did 20,000,000 instead, Cases would be half, etc. NOT REPORTED!


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Under Trump, Federal Watchdogs Get Muzzled

In early April , Trump fired Michael Atkinson , the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community who notified Congress of the whistleblower complaint that ultimately led to Trump ’ s impeachment .
In May , Trump fired Steve Linick , the State Department IG who was actively investigating allegations that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife inappropriately used government resources .
That same month , Trump announced a nominee for permanent watchdog at the Department of Health and Human Services , weeks after acting IG Christi Grimm released a survey that found widespread shortages of masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
Trump dismissed that report as “ just wrong ” and tweeted to attack Grimm : “ Did she Report on the failed H1N1 Swine Flu debacle where 17,000 people died ?
” Critics contend that the firings and sidelining of IGs send a clear warning to anyone in those roles about the consequences of holding the administration accountable ― one of the main purposes of their job .
It is hard to see the crackdown on IGs , they say , as anything other than an effort to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election .
In a memo to Ross on July 1 , Gustafson accused the agency of blocking the release of the full report .
The department ’ s refusal to identify privileged information that would allow for the report to be published “ appears to be directly linked to the content of our report and the findings of responsibility of the high-level individuals involved , ” Gustafson wrote .
“ I am concerned that the substance of our report and findings has resulted in this retaliatory posturing.
” The remaining IGs are on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careers and livelihoods if they pursue sensitive investigations of the administration .
Kedric Payne , senior director for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center Interior Inspector General Mark Greenblatt inherited a stack of investigations from his predecessor , Mary Kendall , who stepped down from the post suddenly in May 2019 .
They include a probe launched last year into alleged violations of federal ethics rules by six current and former officials who maintained unseemly ties with former clients or employers while in office .
The Campaign Legal Center filed the complaint that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HuffPost reporting and alleging a “ disturbing pattern of misconduct ” across the agency .
A report from December 2019 found that Domenech had violated federal ethics rules when he used his office to arrange and attend two meetings with his former employer , the Koch-funded think tank the Texas Public Policy Foundation .
The meetings were convened to introduce foundation staff to numerous Interior Department officials and to discuss a pair of anti-conservation lawsuits that the think tank was pursuing against DOI , according to documents first obtained by Pacific Standard and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released in May , the IG found that Domenech had also violated federal ethics rules when he used his office to try to get a family member a job at the Environmental Protection Agency .
The two investigations prompted numerous members of Congress to call for Domenech to be removed from his position .
But Bernhardt , who considers Domenech his “ closest friend ” and personally recommended him for a job in the administration , has thus far refused to take any significant action against Domenech — a sign of how little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the findings or integrity of IGs .

Ethics investigations have hounded the Trump administration since the beginning, with several department heads forced to step down amid mounting scandals. Along the way, President Donald Trump and his Cabinet, which is stacked with dozens of former lobbyists, have worked to thwart and demoralize government watchdogs.
What was previously a slow strangling has turned into a brazen attack this year: Trump has ousted or moved to replace five inspectors general in the last few months.
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In early April, Trump fired Michael Atkinson, the inspector general for the U.S. intelligence community who notified Congress of the whistleblower complaint that ultimately led to Trump’s impeachment. In May, Trump fired Steve Linick, the State Department IG who was actively investigating allegations that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife inappropriately used government resources. That same month, Trump announced a nominee for permanent watchdog at the Department of Health and Human Services, weeks after acting IG Christi Grimm released a survey that found widespread shortages of masks, personal protective equipment and testing kits amid the coronavirus pandemic. Trump dismissed that report as “just wrong” and tweeted to attack Grimm: “Did she Report on the failed H1N1 Swine Flu debacle where 17,000 people died?”
Asked in mid-May about the pattern of dismissing and sidelining IGs, Trump said it was his prerogative.
“I have the right to terminate the inspectors general,” he said, adding that he suggests Obama-era IGs be terminated “in pretty much all cases.”
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“I think every president has gotten rid of probably more than I have,” he said.
A president does have the right to dismiss an inspector general. But Trump stands out as the first president since Ronald Reagan to oust multiple federal agency watchdogs within such a short timeframe.
Trump says he "never heard of" the State Department inspector general he fired last week, and that department leadership asked for the firing:
"I said, 'Who appointed him?' and they said, 'President Obama.' I said, 'Look, I'll terminate him.'" https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/hfcZMR6ntB — CBS News (@CBSNews) May 18, 2020
Critics contend that the firings and sidelining of IGs send a clear warning to anyone in those roles about the consequences of holding the administration accountable ― one of the main purposes of their job. It is hard to see the crackdown on IGs, they say, as anything other than an effort to avoid scrutiny and oversight ahead of the 2020 election.
“The systematic removal of the inspectors general is a disturbing attack on one of the only surviving mechanisms for executive branch accountability,” said Kedric Payne, general counsel and senior director for ethics at the D.C.-based nonprofit Campaign Legal Center.
“The damage is already done; the remaining IGs are on full notice that they will lose their careers and livelihoods if they pursue sensitive investigations of the administration,” Payne added. “The importance of IGs who exist to protect taxpayer money from waste, fraud, and abuse cannot be overstated and public outrage is justified.”
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If the last few months are any indication, other IGs could soon find themselves on Trump’s chopping block.
Peggy Gustafson, the inspector general of the Commerce Department, released a scathing report on Wednesday that found the White House was behind the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s unsigned statement in September denouncing a tweet from the National Weather Service’s Birmingham station. That tweet corrected Trump’s false claim that Hurricane Dorian could strike Alabama ― part of the so-called “Sharpiegate” fiasco.
“It appears as if the NWS intentionally contradicted the president. And we need to know why. He wants either a correction or an explanation or both,” then-acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney demanded in an email to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, according to Gustafson’s report.
The 107-page report concludes that NOAA’s unsigned statement “undercut the NWS’s forecasts and potentially undercut public trust in NOAA’s and the NWS’s science and the apolitical nature of that science.”
“The broader, longer-term consequence is that NOAA’s rebuke of the NWS Birmingham office could have a chilling effect on NWS forecasters’ future public safety messages,” the report states.
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Its release follows a standoff between the department and the IG office.
President Donald Trump references an altered map of Hurricane Dorian's forecast during a briefing in September 2019. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
In a memo to Ross on July 1, Gustafson accused the agency of blocking the release of the full report. The department’s refusal to identify privileged information that would allow for the report to be published “appears to be directly linked to the content of our report and the findings of responsibility of the high-level individuals involved,” Gustafson wrote. “I am concerned that the substance of our report and findings has resulted in this retaliatory posturing.”
In a joint letter this week, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) railed against “a pattern of obfuscation” by the department and called on Ross to stop impeding the report’s release.
With an administration that has proven — time and again — a willingness to push ethics rules to the limit, the need for strong, independent IGs has never been greater.
“The firings of multiple Inspectors General is unprecedented; doing so without good cause chills the independence essential to their purpose,” Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) tweeted in mid-May. “It is a threat to accountable democracy and a fissure in the constitutional balance of power.”
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“The remaining IGs are on full notice that they will lose their careers and livelihoods if they pursue sensitive investigations of the administration.” - Kedric Payne, senior director for ethics at the Campaign Legal Center
The Interior Department, which oversees 75% of all federal land and has been racked by scandal during Trump’s first term, is a clear example of the critical importance these watchdogs play in the Trump era. Former department chief Ryan Zinke resigned in January 2019 after less than two years on the job, having tallied more than a dozen federal ethics probes.
Interior Inspector General Mark Greenblatt inherited a stack of investigations from his predecessor, Mary Kendall, who stepped down from the post suddenly in May 2019. They include a probe launched last year into alleged violations of federal ethics rules by six current and former officials who maintained unseemly ties with former clients or employers while in office. The Campaign Legal Center filed the complaint that prompted the IG investigation, citing previous HuffPost reporting and alleging a “disturbing pattern of misconduct” across the agency.
Greenblatt, a Trump administration pick, told lawmakers during his confirmation hearing last year that he had a long track record of “fair, objective, independent oversight” in his role as the assistant inspector general for investigations at the Department of Commerce and had no intention of shutting down ongoing probes.
“I’ve gone toe-to-toe with the biggest lawyers in town,” Greenblatt, who previously worked at the Department of Justice and U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee at the time. “I didn’t back down then, I’m not going to back down now.”
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As has been the case cross administration, however, the Interior Department’s IG has faced adversarial behavior from key administration officials. In an interview last month with the Washington Examiner, Zinke said he’d been “targeted” and accused watchdogs of working “in coordination with the opposition.” He provided no evidence to back up his conspiratorial claim.
Daniel Jorjani, the Interior Department’s top lawyer who oversees the agency’s embattled ethics office, told colleagues in a March 2017 email that “our job is to protect the Secretary” from ethics probes and bad press, as HuffPost first reported. IGs, he warned, “love travel investigations” because they’re easy to “spin in a negative way” ― a comment that would suggest he views the internal watchdog as an adversary.
Despite his own ethical woes and numerous potential conflicts of interest stemming from his days as a lobbyist, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt (right) prioritized repairing the scandal-plagued agency’s image. Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Current Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, meanwhile, has been intransigent when it comes to imposing substantial consequences on high-level officials that have been caught violating ethics rules.
Since Greenblatt took over in August, the Interior IG has so far issued at least three reports documenting how key political appointees violated federal ethics rules — including two scathing reports on the ethical misdeeds of Assistant Interior Secretary Douglas Domenech.
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A report from December 2019 found that Domenech had violated federal ethics rules when he used his office to arrange and attend two meetings with his former employer, the Koch-funded think tank the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The meetings were convened to introduce foundation staff to numerous Interior Department officials and to discuss a pair of anti-conservation lawsuits that the think tank was pursuing against DOI, according to documents first obtained by Pacific Standard and The Guardian. And in a report released in May, the IG found that Domenech had also violated federal ethics rules when he used his office to try to get a family member a job at the Environmental Protection Agency.
The two investigations prompted numerous members of Congress to call for Domenech to be removed from his position. But Bernhardt, who considers Domenech his “closest friend” and personally recommended him for a job in the administration, has thus far refused to take any significant action against Domenech — a sign of how little Trump and his political appointees care for the findings or integrity of IGs.
The White House did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment about its treatment of IGs, and Interior ignored specific questions for this story. The department instead sent out a recycled statement from May about how Domenech’s violations occurred before Interior “initiated an unprecedented effort to invest in building a culture of ethical compliance.”
Assistant Interior Secretary Douglas Domenech (left) is a close friend of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, and has violated ethics rules at least twice. Department of the Interior
Bernhardt’s unwillingness to hold his underlings accountable is not the IG’s fault, but it does highlight the limited authority of internal agency watchdogs in an era where political officials have repeatedly flouted ethics laws and regulations.
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“Ethics laws are meant to protect the American people from corrupt government officials, like Bernhardt, who are willing to put private interests ahead of the public good,” said Jayson O’Neill of the Western Values Project, a government watchdog group. “But without any enforcement or accountability, they have acted with impunity to the detriment of our environment and the public.”
As the 2020 election cycle picks up — and as the surviving independent watchdogs in the Trump administration continue to probe the misdeeds of top political officials — there is a sense among many observers that the IG community’s troubles will only continue.
Virginia Canter, chief ethics counsel at the Washington-based government watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, said there is no precedent for Trump’s “aggressive and repeated attacks” on government watchdogs.
The string of removals, she said, “reek of retaliation” and “appear to be nothing more than blatant attempts to interfere with ongoing investigations.”
“By using bullying tactics, the Trump administration is sending inspectors general the worst possible message,” she said. “Instead of promoting independence, accountability and integrity, the Trump administration is advancing loyalty, corruption and cronyism.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Julián And Joaquin Castro's Stepmother Dies From COVID-19

So so sorry for your loss .
A terrible virus that is taking too many of our loved ones .
@ @ @ @ @ photo of your daughter with her .
My prayers to you and your family .

So so sorry for your loss. A terrible virus that is taking too many of our loved ones. Thanks for sharing the lovely photo of your daughter with her. My prayers to you and your family.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Twitter Explodes With Calls To Boycott Goya Foods After CEO Heaps Praise On Trump

Goya Foods , the Latino food giant , soared to the top of Twitter ’ s trending topics Thursday after its CEO heaped praise on President Donald Trump , prompting many of its customers to say they would boycott the business in light of the president ’ s history of vilifying Hispanics .
In remarks at the Rose Garden , Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue said that the country is “ truly blessed ” to be under Trump ’ s leadership , and he compared the president to his Spanish immigrant grandfather .
“ We ’ re all truly blessed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader like President Trump , who is a builder , ” said Unanue , who has led the family-owned food company since 2004 .
“ And that ’ s what my grandfather did .
He came to this country to build , to grow and to prosper .
And we have an incredible builder and we pray , we pray for our leadership , our president and for our country , that we continue to prosper and to grow.
” The remarks came following a roundtable discussion between Trump and Hispanic leaders before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative .
The CEO of @ GoyaFoods is at a White House event saying we're '' blessed to have a leader '' like Trump .
Make your shopping decisions accordingly .
pic.twitter.com/lLHSz4mEUV — igorvolsky ( @ igorvolsky ) July 9 , 2020 Twitter exploded with comments pointing out Trump ’ s persistent history of racist rhetoric toward America ’ s Hispanic community .
Among those to voice their intention to boycott the business were Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-N.Y. ) and former Housing Secretary Julián Castro .
Goya @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trending topics on Twitter on Thursday night .
# BoycottGoya and Unanue ’ s name and title were on the list , too .
.
@ GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations .
Now their CEO , Bob Unanue , is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain .
Americans should think twice before buying their products .
# Goyaway https : //t.co/lZDQlK6TcU — Julián Castro ( @ JulianCastro ) July 9 , 2020 No apology from @ GoyaFoods will be sufficient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If GOYA cares about the Hispanic/Latinx community ( AND REALLY WANTS TO APOLOGIZE ) then they better start by sending food to asylum seekers at the border and feed EVERY SINGLE immigrant Trump has detained .
— Juan Escalante ( @ JuanSaaa ) July 9 , 2020 The CEO of @ GoyaFoods thinks we ’ re `` blessed to have a leader '' who 's letting this pandemic kill us , cage our children , and constantly dehumanizes us .
Yo Goya , tell your man to stop praising a racist .
Latinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying Goya products for decades .
https : //t.co/KZzUAE3UfE — Voto Latino ( @ votolatino ) July 9 , 2020 Please don ’ t throw away food .
Many hungry people in our country .
Donate unwanted @ GoyaFoods products to a food bank .
There are many alternative Latin products in the market .
The CEO of Goya has every right to his opinion .
Consumers have every right to theirs .
It ’ s called freedom .
https : //t.co/0HVfHT980o pic.twitter.com/W56fyxfT0T — Ana Navarro-Cárdenas ( @ ananavarro ) July 10 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my seasoning !
And it 's sad because I really like Goya 's Adobo .
But I wo n't be giving my money to this Trump supporting enterprise .
Absolutely not .
Basura .
https : //t.co/cBTSdPE0Ba — 😷Derrick Clifton ( @ DerrickClifton ) July 9 , 2020 I wo n't buy their products .
I guess Bob Unanue does n't consider himself Hispanic .
Or hates people from Latin America .
My mother 's parents both trace their lineage back to Spain .
Their families have been in Colombia for several generations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pic.twitter.com/buvPa1QmQ5 — Leia🇨🇴 ( @ TheSWPrincess ) July 10 , 2020

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Goya Foods, the Latino food giant, soared to the top of Twitter’s trending topics Thursday after its CEO heaped praise on President Donald Trump, prompting many of its customers to say they would boycott the business in light of the president’s history of vilifying Hispanics.
In remarks at the Rose Garden, Goya Foods CEO Robert Unanue said that the country is “truly blessed” to be under Trump’s leadership, and he compared the president to his Spanish immigrant grandfather.
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“We’re all truly blessed at the same time to have a leader like President Trump, who is a builder,” said Unanue, who has led the family-owned food company since 2004. “And that’s what my grandfather did. He came to this country to build, to grow and to prosper. And we have an incredible builder and we pray, we pray for our leadership, our president and for our country, that we continue to prosper and to grow.”
The remarks came following a roundtable discussion between Trump and Hispanic leaders before the president signed an executive order called the White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative.
The CEO of @GoyaFoods is at a White House event saying we're
"blessed to have a leader" like Trump.
Make your shopping decisions accordingly. pic.twitter.com/lLHSz4mEUV — igorvolsky (@igorvolsky) July 9, 2020
Twitter exploded with comments pointing out Trump’s persistent history of racist rhetoric toward America’s Hispanic community. Among those to voice their intention to boycott the business were Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and former Housing Secretary Julián Castro.
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Goya and #Goyaway were the top two trending topics on Twitter on Thursday night. #BoycottGoya and Unanue’s name and title were on the list, too.
Goya Foods did not immediately return HuffPost’s request for comment.
Oh look, it’s the sound of me Googling “how to make your own Adobo” https://t.co/YOScAcyAnC — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 10, 2020
.@GoyaFoods has been a staple of so many Latino households for generations.
Now their CEO, Bob Unanue, is praising a president who villainizes and maliciously attacks Latinos for political gain. Americans should think twice before buying their products. #Goyaway https://t.co/lZDQlK6TcU — Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) July 9, 2020
No apology from @GoyaFoods will be sufficient to erase today’s comments.
If GOYA cares about the Hispanic/Latinx community (AND REALLY WANTS TO APOLOGIZE) then they better start by sending food to asylum seekers at the border and feed EVERY SINGLE immigrant Trump has detained. — Juan Escalante (@JuanSaaa) July 9, 2020
The CEO of @GoyaFoods thinks we’re "blessed to have a leader" who's letting this pandemic kill us, cage our children, and constantly dehumanizes us.
Yo Goya, tell your man to stop praising a racist. Latinos made him and his family rich by buying Goya products for decades. https://t.co/KZzUAE3UfE — Voto Latino (@votolatino) July 9, 2020
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Please don’t throw away food. Many hungry people in our country. Donate unwanted @GoyaFoods products to a food bank. There are many alternative Latin products in the market. The CEO of Goya has every right to his opinion. Consumers have every right to theirs. It’s called freedom. https://t.co/0HVfHT980o pic.twitter.com/W56fyxfT0T — Ana Navarro-Cárdenas (@ananavarro) July 10, 2020
Time to find another brand for my seasoning! And it's sad because I really like Goya's Adobo.
But I won't be giving my money to this Trump supporting enterprise. Absolutely not. Basura. https://t.co/cBTSdPE0Ba — 😷Derrick Clifton (@DerrickClifton) July 9, 2020
I won't buy their products.
I guess Bob Unanue doesn't consider himself Hispanic. Or hates people from Latin America.
My mother's parents both trace their lineage back to Spain. Their families have been in Colombia for several generations.
His hypocrisy disgusts me.#Goyaway pic.twitter.com/buvPa1QmQ5 — Leia🇨🇴 (@TheSWPrincess) July 10, 2020
Please list your alternatives to @GoyaFoods here, we'll start: La Fe, Badia Spices, Conchita, y Iberia Foods #BoycottGoya — BFPeroLike (@BFPeroLike) July 9, 2020


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--TikTok Teens Mobilizing Against Trump Over Threatened Ban Of Their Social Network

Angry users of the popular TikTok video social network are hitting back at the Trump administration over a threatened ban of the digital operation by whacking Donald Trump ’ s own campaign app with savage reviews .
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was considering prohibiting TikTok , which is owned by China ’ s Bytedance Ltd. , to punish China for its role in the spread of COVID-19 , which the president has referred to as the “ Wuhan flu ” and even the racist “ kung flu.
” “ Look , what happened with China with this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful , ” he told Greta Van Susteren in an interview Tuesday .
Trump ’ s threat followed by just weeks TikTok users ’ mobilization against his poorly attended campaign rally in Tulsa , Oklahoma .
Users boasted they were in part responsible for a largely empty arena because they flooded Trump ’ s campaign site with fake requests for tickets to the event .
The retaliation against Trump got a boost Wednesday when popular TikTok user DeJuan Booker ( @ unusualbeing ) called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the first to report .
He explained how to ding the Trump campaign app with a single-star rating .
The app had a feeble 1.2 rating average from 227,000 reviews on the Apple store as of Thursday night .
“ Horrible president , horrible app , ” noted one review among a sea of one-star ratings .
Another read : “ OMG PLZ DON ’ T DOWNLOAD.
” Another bashed the app , adding : “ I promise this isn ’ t another one of those ‘ tik tok ’ reviews.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ persuade Apple to remove the campaign app , but unpopularity isn ’ t enough to delete an app , according to Bloomberg .
Still , the scathing reviews make for interesting reading .
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the Trump administration was considering a ban on Chinese social media apps , especially TikTok , because of concerns about privacy and security .
He told Americans not to download the TikTok app unless they want their private information to fall into “ the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment about punishing China over COVID-19 .
“ I don ’ t believe Trump is trying to take TikTok away because of national security , but more to retaliate against activism on the app and all the videos about him that drag him through the mud , ” Darius Jackson , an 18-year-old TikTok user in Illinois , told Bloomberg .
He also asked his followers to give the app a one-star rating .
Meanwhile , a popular comedian who lip-syncs Trump comments will be able to post her sketches on her go-to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sarah Cooper ’ s latest jab against the president is called “ How to Mask .
”

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Angry users of the popular TikTok video social network are hitting back at the Trump administration over a threatened ban of the digital operation by whacking Donald Trump’s own campaign app with savage reviews.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was considering prohibiting TikTok, which is owned by China’s Bytedance Ltd., to punish China for its role in the spread of COVID-19, which the president has referred to as the “Wuhan flu” and even the racist “kung flu.” “Look, what happened with China with this virus, what they’ve done to this country and to the entire world is disgraceful,” he told Greta Van Susteren in an interview Tuesday.
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Trump’s threat followed by just weeks TikTok users’ mobilization against his poorly attended campaign rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Users boasted they were in part responsible for a largely empty arena because they flooded Trump’s campaign site with fake requests for tickets to the event.
The retaliation against Trump got a boost Wednesday when popular TikTok user DeJuan Booker (@unusualbeing) called his 750,000 followers to action, Bloomberg was the first to report. He explained how to ding the Trump campaign app with a single-star rating.
“Gen Z don’t go down without a fight,” he told his followers. “Let’s go to war.“
The app had a feeble 1.2 rating average from 227,000 reviews on the Apple store as of Thursday night. “Horrible president, horrible app,” noted one review among a sea of one-star ratings.
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Another read: “OMG PLZ DON’T DOWNLOAD.” Another bashed the app, adding: “I promise this isn’t another one of those ‘tik tok’ reviews.”
The TikTokkers hope the bad reviews will persuade Apple to remove the campaign app, but unpopularity isn’t enough to delete an app, according to Bloomberg. Still, the scathing reviews make for interesting reading.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that the Trump administration was considering a ban on Chinese social media apps, especially TikTok, because of concerns about privacy and security. He told Americans not to download the TikTok app unless they want their private information to fall into “the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.” Trump contradicted him the following day with his comment about punishing China over COVID-19.
The zoomer generation was suspicious about the threatened action.
“I don’t believe Trump is trying to take TikTok away because of national security, but more to retaliate against activism on the app and all the videos about him that drag him through the mud,” Darius Jackson, an 18-year-old TikTok user in Illinois, told Bloomberg. He also asked his followers to give the app a one-star rating.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-09--Dr. Fauci Says U.S. Isn't Doing Well In The Coronavirus Fight: ‘We’re Just Not’

Dr. Anthony Fauci , the nation ’ s top infectious disease expert , said Thursday that the country was not doing well as cases of the coronavirus continue to surge nationwide , and he placed some of the blame on a divisive culture that has politicized efforts to fight the pandemic .
Fauci made the comments on FiveThirtyEight ’ s “ Podcast-19 ” as a surge in cases has spread across many states , some of which are setting daily records for new infections and warning of rapidly filling hospital beds .
At the same time , calls for Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowds have remained highly controversial in some places , setting off heated confrontations even as some leaders have conceded they may have reopened their states too soon .
“ You have to be having blindfolders on and covering your ears to think that we don ’ t live in a very divisive society now , from a political standpoint , ” Fauci said .
“ I mean , it ’ s just unfortunate , but it is what it is .
… So I think you ’ d have to make the assumption @ @ @ @ @ @ @ divisiveness , that we would have a more coordinated approach.
” Fauci has regularly pushed back against President Donald Trump ’ s statements minimizing the effects of the pandemic .
On Thursday , the doctor told The Hill that states seeing a resurgence in cases should pause their reopening plans .
“ Let me say there are parts of the United States … that are doing really well , that you ’ ve been through something really bad and you have things under control , ” Fauci said on the podcast .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compare us to other countries , I don ’ t think you can say we ’ re doing great .
I mean , we ’ re just not.
” Trump , however , has regularly claimed that the U.S. has more cases only because of increased testing ( which is not true ) and said this week that the country was in a “ good place.
” “ I disagree with him , ” Trump said Tuesday in a Gray Television interview with Greta Van Susteren .
“ You know , Dr. Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks , ’ and now he says wear them .
And you know , he ’ s said numerous things , ‘ Don ’ t close off China .
Don ’ t ban China.
’ And I did it anyway .
I sort of didn ’ t listen to my experts , and I banned China.
” He later told Van Susteren that in a few weeks , “ I think we ’ re going to be in very good shape.
” Cases across the country continue to rise .
More than 3.1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus and at least 133,000 have died .
The U.S. has also hit single-day records for new cases six times in the last 10 days .
On Thursday , more than 59,460 people tested positive for COVID-19 .
Fauci told FiveThirtyEight on Thursday that he was skeptical of claims the virus would simply go away on its own — a line Trump has repeated without evidence — noting society would likely not get back to normal without an effective vaccine .
“ This virus , to our dismay , is spectacularly efficient in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fauci said .
“ So that makes me skeptical whether we would get permanent , sustained control of this without having a vaccine .
”

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, said Thursday that the country was not doing well as cases of the coronavirus continue to surge nationwide, and he placed some of the blame on a divisive culture that has politicized efforts to fight the pandemic.
Fauci made the comments on FiveThirtyEight’s “Podcast-19” as a surge in cases has spread across many states, some of which are setting daily records for new infections and warning of rapidly filling hospital beds. At the same time, calls for Americans to wear face masks and avoid large crowds have remained highly controversial in some places, setting off heated confrontations even as some leaders have conceded they may have reopened their states too soon.
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“You have to be having blindfolders on and covering your ears to think that we don’t live in a very divisive society now, from a political standpoint,” Fauci said. “I mean, it’s just unfortunate, but it is what it is. … So I think you’d have to make the assumption that if there wasn’t such divisiveness, that we would have a more coordinated approach.”
Fauci: "I don’t think you can say we’re doing great. I mean, we’re just not." https://t.co/r1Cc3gSwnU — FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) July 9, 2020
Fauci has regularly pushed back against President Donald Trump’s statements minimizing the effects of the pandemic. On Thursday, the doctor told The Hill that states seeing a resurgence in cases should pause their reopening plans.
“Let me say there are parts of the United States … that are doing really well, that you’ve been through something really bad and you have things under control,” Fauci said on the podcast. “But as a country, when you compare us to other countries, I don’t think you can say we’re doing great. I mean, we’re just not.”
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Trump, however, has regularly claimed that the U.S. has more cases only because of increased testing (which is not true) and said this week that the country was in a “good place.”
“I disagree with him,” Trump said Tuesday in a Gray Television interview with Greta Van Susteren. “You know, Dr. Fauci said, ‘Don’t wear masks,’ and now he says wear them. And you know, he’s said numerous things, ‘Don’t close off China. Don’t ban China.’ And I did it anyway. I sort of didn’t listen to my experts, and I banned China.”
He later told Van Susteren that in a few weeks, “I think we’re going to be in very good shape.”
Cases across the country continue to rise. More than 3.1 million people have tested positive for the virus and at least 133,000 have died. The U.S. has also hit single-day records for new cases six times in the last 10 days. On Thursday, more than 59,460 people tested positive for COVID-19.
Fauci told FiveThirtyEight on Thursday that he was skeptical of claims the virus would simply go away on its own — a line Trump has repeated without evidence — noting society would likely not get back to normal without an effective vaccine.
“This virus, to our dismay, is spectacularly efficient in transmitting from person to person,” Fauci said. “So that makes me skeptical whether we would get permanent, sustained control of this without having a vaccine.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Chris Hayes Names ‘Canary In Coal Mine' That Foretold Trump's Callous Pandemic Response

President Donald Trump ’ s widely criticized handling of the relief effort after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 was “ the canary in the coal mine ” foretelling how he would respond to the coronavirus pandemic , Chris Hayes said Thursday .
“ Even before the pandemic , there were moments in the presidency of Trump where all of it — the self-serving incompetence , the utter lack of empathy , the disregard of human life , all of it — was laid bare , ” noted the host of MSNBC ’ s “ All In.
” Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ because the disaster made him look bad ” and relentlessly downplayed the death toll , Hayes pointed out .
The president has used similar tactics during the coronavirus crisis , which has killed more than 130,000 people in the United States .
“ That was the canary in the coal mine , a wake-up call that showed the true nature of this man , of this administration , what would happen if another natural disaster were to strike , ” said Hayes .
It foreshadowed Trump ’ s “ callous and incompetent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added .

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President Donald Trump’s widely criticized handling of the relief effort after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017 was “the canary in the coal mine” foretelling how he would respond to the coronavirus pandemic, Chris Hayes said Thursday.
“Even before the pandemic, there were moments in the presidency of Trump where all of it — the self-serving incompetence, the utter lack of empathy, the disregard of human life, all of it — was laid bare,” noted the host of MSNBC’s “All In.”
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Trump lashed out at the Puerto Rican people “because the disaster made him look bad” and relentlessly downplayed the death toll, Hayes pointed out.
The president has used similar tactics during the coronavirus crisis, which has killed more than 130,000 people in the United States.
“That was the canary in the coal mine, a wake-up call that showed the true nature of this man, of this administration, what would happen if another natural disaster were to strike,” said Hayes.
It foreshadowed Trump’s “callous and incompetent response to the coronavirus crisis,” he added.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Top U.S. General: Military Must Take 'Hard Look' At Bases Named For Confederate Leaders

The military ’ s top general condemned Confederate officers as having committed an act of treason and voiced his intention to take a hard look at military bases honoring them , putting him at odds with President Donald Trump , who has adamantly opposed any changes .
“ The Confederacy , the American Civil War was fought , and it was an act of rebellion , ” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley told the House Armed Service Committee on Thursday .
“ It was an act of treason at the time against the Union , against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution and those officers turned their back on their oath.
” Milley said he had recommended that a commission “ take a hard look at the bases , the statues , the names , all of this stuff , to see if we can have a rational , mature discussion.
” He also noted that an estimated 20 % of soldiers in the Army are Black .
“ For those young soldiers that go on to a base ― Fort Hood or Fort Bragg or wherever ― named after a Confederate general , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors , ” he said .
Activists have long fought to change the names of 10 military bases in the U.S. named during the Jim Crow era after Confederate generals .
The Army has faced increasing pressure to rename them after weeks of protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd .
Despite Army officials ― including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ― signaling that they were open to discussing the changes , Trump said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases , such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina , Fort Hood in Texas , Fort Benning in Georgia , etc .
These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage , and a ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 10 , 2020 ... history of Winning , Victory , and Freedom .
The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Therefore , my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations ... — Donald J. Trump ( @ realDonaldTrump ) June 10 , 2020 Trump also threatened to veto the annual defense spending bill if it includes a mandate to rename military bases named for Confederate leaders .
The amendment , sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass . )
, would require the Pentagon to remove the names of Confederate leaders from all military bases and assets .

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The military’s top general condemned Confederate officers as having committed an act of treason and voiced his intention to take a hard look at military bases honoring them, putting him at odds with President Donald Trump, who has adamantly opposed any changes.
“The Confederacy, the American Civil War was fought, and it was an act of rebellion,” Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley told the House Armed Service Committee on Thursday. “It was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the stars and stripes, against the U.S. Constitution and those officers turned their back on their oath.”
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Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley testifies during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday. ASSOCIATED PRESS
Milley said he had recommended that a commission “take a hard look at the bases, the statues, the names, all of this stuff, to see if we can have a rational, mature discussion.”
He also noted that an estimated 20% of soldiers in the Army are Black.
“For those young soldiers that go on to a base ― Fort Hood or Fort Bragg or wherever ― named after a Confederate general, they can be reminded that that general fought for an institution of slavery that may have enslaved one of their ancestors,” he said.
Activists have long fought to change the names of 10 military bases in the U.S. named during the Jim Crow era after Confederate generals. The Army has faced increasing pressure to rename them after weeks of protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
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Despite Army officials ― including Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy ― signaling that they were open to discussing the changes, Trump said he would not even consider the matter:
It has been suggested that we should rename as many as 10 of our Legendary Military Bases, such as Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort Hood in Texas, Fort Benning in Georgia, etc. These Monumental and very Powerful Bases have become part of a Great American Heritage, and a... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
...history of Winning, Victory, and Freedom. The United States of America trained and deployed our HEROES on these Hallowed Grounds, and won two World Wars. Therefore, my Administration will not even consider the renaming of these Magnificent and Fabled Military Installations... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
...Our history as the Greatest Nation in the World will not be tampered with. Respect our Military! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 10, 2020
Trump also threatened to veto the annual defense spending bill if it includes a mandate to rename military bases named for Confederate leaders. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), would require the Pentagon to remove the names of Confederate leaders from all military bases and assets.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Hawkish Rep. Eliot Engel May Be Out, But Dems Aren't Planning A Foreign Policy Revolution

While the result in Engel ’ s primary is not yet finalized , challenger Jamaal Bowman is expected to prevail in New York ’ s 16th Congressional District after the final vote-counting , which began Wednesday , concludes .
If , as currently seems likely , Democrats keep their House majority , that would leave Engel ’ s chairmanship ― a powerful position on a powerful committee ― up for grabs in next year ’ s Congress .
And congressional Democrats would have a key chance to grapple with their foreign policy record ― including how past mistakes enabled the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism of Engel ’ s hawkish record featured heavily in the primary campaign that ’ s all-but-certain to unseat him .
Despite that , with either Meeks or Sherman presumably set to take the committee helm , neither is seen as likely to use the post to push for the transformation of the U.S. role in the world that some progressives want the Democratic Party to spearhead .
Progressives working against Engel used his overall foreign policy choices ― particularly voting for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and opposing President Barack Obama @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2015 ― to characterize him as out-of-touch with the party and its voters .
That talk of global affairs did not solely determine the course of the primary race , but it did contribute to Bowman ’ s broader narrative that Engel was indifferent to his constituents .
The next chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee will need to address U.S. relations with Israel , a focus of intra-Democratic debate as many experts say it ’ s important to update America ’ s approach .
The new chair will also confront questions over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East , dealing with authoritarians in U.S.-friendly countries like Saudi Arabia , India and Brazil , and how much to compete with China , Russia and other nations .
But both are wary of the increasingly assertive left wing of the party ― and there ’ s little reason to think that would change if they were in the chairmanship .
Though Meeks has a more dovish record , he has criticized progressive activists , as well as Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren ( D-Mass .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats seen as pro-establishment .
In short , both Meeks and Sherman have largely stuck to the Democratic mainstream on foreign policy , in keeping with their profiles as relative moderates and long-time party figures ( with the notable exception of Sherman veering to the right of Obama on some issues ) .
Should Biden win the presidency , both would likely use the chairmanship largely to support his administration ; Meeks backers , for instance , say his top international concerns are Trump ’ s departure from the Iran deal and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pledged to strengthen and rejoin .

Top Democrats are discussing who will replace Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and their choice could have profound impacts on how the U.S. uses its power abroad ― particularly if Democrats retain control of the chamber and win the White House in November’s elections.
While the result in Engel’s primary is not yet finalized, challenger Jamaal Bowman is expected to prevail in New York’s 16th Congressional District after the final vote-counting, which began Wednesday, concludes. If, as currently seems likely, Democrats keep their House majority, that would leave Engel’s chairmanship ― a powerful position on a powerful committee ― up for grabs in next year’s Congress. And congressional Democrats would have a key chance to grapple with their foreign policy record ― including how past mistakes enabled the rise of President Donald Trump.
They could squander it.
The chairmanship contest has narrowed down to two contenders, congressional sources say: Reps. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) and Brad Sherman (D-Calif.). Both told HuffPost they are not running for anything until all the votes in Engel’s race are counted.
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Sharp criticism of Engel’s hawkish record featured heavily in the primary campaign that’s all-but-certain to unseat him. Despite that, with either Meeks or Sherman presumably set to take the committee helm, neither is seen as likely to use the post to push for the transformation of the U.S. role in the world that some progressives want the Democratic Party to spearhead.
At the same time, allies of both lawmakers suggest they see some lessons in Engel’s sudden fall and the rise of new voices in the party who question how America often violently maintains its global dominance.
The Power Of The Gavel
The Foreign Affairs Committee considers most legislation affecting international relations, oversees the State Department and the U.S Agency for International Development, hosts hearings where top officials are grilled on their national security choices, receives advance notice on plans to export American weapons and helps decide when Congress will exert its authority over war and peace.
The support of the panel’s chairman is crucial for Democrats pushing foreign policy changes, particularly because Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) often defer to them, a House aide told HuffPost.
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The aide cited the years-long fight to end U.S. support for a Saudi-led intervention in Yemen, one of the most consequential congressional campaigns on international relations in recent memory. Engel eventually backed that effort and helped it gain traction, along with Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), chair of the House Armed Services Committee.
“When we have gotten things done, it’s because [those two chairs] are lined up,” said the aide, who requested anonymity to discuss maneuverings on Capitol Hill.
Congressional Democrats waged a successful multi-year campaign against the U.S. intervention in the war in Yemen. The expected vacancy as chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee would open the door to more policy changes. But whether they take those steps initially seems doubtful. SAUL LOEB via Getty Images
Conversely, a lack of support from the chair because of disinterest or active opposition can be fatal. In recent weeks, Engel’s focus on his primary made it harder for staffers and activists to lobby for tweaks to an annual defense bill because he was slow to give the effort his stamp of approval, the aide said.
Criticism of Engel from Bowman ― and fellow primary challenger Andom Ghebreghiorgis, who dropped out weeks before the vote ― started last summer and likely guided some of Engel’s more dovish recent decisions, according to a lawmaker who asked to speak on background to comment on fellow members of Congress.
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“The first lesson is why we need competitive primaries,” the lawmaker said. “Bowman’s outspoken advocacy on Yemen and Iran helped us pass amendments and resolutions to prevent a war in Iran and stop the war in Yemen.”
A spokesman for Engel declined to comment.
Progressives working against Engel used his overall foreign policy choices ― particularly voting for the invasion of Iraq in 2003 and opposing President Barack Obama’s nuclear agreement with Iran in 2015 ― to characterize him as out-of-touch with the party and its voters. That talk of global affairs did not solely determine the course of the primary race, but it did contribute to Bowman’s broader narrative that Engel was indifferent to his constituents.
Poll after poll has shown an appetite among Democrats for a less interventionist approach, and some Obama-era officials ― including advisers to Joe Biden, this year’s presumed Democratic presidential nominee ― are urging reforms to make U.S. foreign policy more reflective of America’s stated values and to dovetail with the party’s fight against inequality at home.
The next chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee will need to address U.S. relations with Israel, a focus of intra-Democratic debate as many experts say it’s important to update America’s approach. The new chair will also confront questions over renewing diplomacy with Iran, winding down American deployments in Afghanistan and the Middle East, dealing with authoritarians in U.S.-friendly countries like Saudi Arabia, India and Brazil, and how much to compete with China, Russia and other nations.
Every faction of the Democratic Party has a stake in the way that colleague handles the role.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), a central player in the campaign against the Yemen war and an ally of progressive leader Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), summarized the hopes on the left: “We need the chair to be progressive on foreign policy specifically, not just generally progressive on other issues. This is a meaningful distinction.”
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Different Choices, Similar Styles
Sherman, 65, and Meeks, 66, have each served in Congress for over 20 years and are the two most senior Democrats on the committee after Engel. Neither is a firebrand or a household name, and both are close to important supporters of traditional U.S. foreign policy, like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC.
The two endorsed Engel, 73, in his primary fight and are institutionalists who are deploying classic Capitol Hill arguments in rallying support for their chairmanship bids, citing their experiences on various subcommittees.
There are some key differences between the two lawmakers on global affairs.
Meeks voted against the Iraq war. He also opposed the prospect of other interventions, spoke up for diplomacy with Iran when it was especially controversial and built a dialogue with the U.S.-bashing Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, ultimately representing the country at Chavez’s funeral on Obama’s behalf.
Sherman is more hawkish on Middle East policy. He supported President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq, opposed the Obama administration’s deal with Iran and challenged Obama over allowing a United Nations resolution critical of Israel. (Meeks voted against condemning the move). His supporters, however, say it’s important to look beyond that region; Sherman has condemned India’s crackdown on Muslim communities and aggressively used the foreign affairs committee to scrutinize Trump.
But both are wary of the increasingly assertive left wing of the party ― and there’s little reason to think that would change if they were in the chairmanship. Though Meeks has a more dovish record, he has criticized progressive activists, as well as Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), for supporting primary challenges to Democrats seen as pro-establishment.
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In short, both Meeks and Sherman have largely stuck to the Democratic mainstream on foreign policy, in keeping with their profiles as relative moderates and long-time party figures (with the notable exception of Sherman veering to the right of Obama on some issues). Should Biden win the presidency, both would likely use the chairmanship largely to support his administration; Meeks backers, for instance, say his top international concerns are Trump’s departure from the Iran deal and the Paris climate accord ― agreements Biden has pledged to strengthen and rejoin.
That makes it hard to imagine either pursuing the scrutiny left-wing activists would seek ― should Biden reinstitute controversial Obama-era policies and personnel while shying away from broad change ― or charting paths more progressive than that of a Biden White House.
If Trump remains in office, the committee under Democratic control would be expected to continue almost entirely as it has under Engel: focused on oversight like investigations into Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and speaking up for aspects of conventional foreign policy that the president attacks, as well as condemning his blunders.
The Horse Race
Meeks is ahead in the contest to replace Engels, according to congressional staffers. Three other lawmakers once seen as contenders, Reps. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), are now almost certainly out of the running; some believe Reps. Albio Sires (D-N.J.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) could still jump in.
Meeks has won endorsements from the Congressional Black Caucus, whose members cite the value of appointing a Black man to lead a crucial panel. Appointing him would also be a nod to New York’s influential delegation, which is losing two heads of committees, Engel and Rep. Nita Lowey (D), who is retiring from office.
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And though Sherman has more seniority on the committee ― traditionally a key factor in leadership battles ― his reputation works against him, a senior congressional aide told HuffPost. The lawmaker “has no real friends (in Congress) and people think he’s an oddball,” according to the aide.
Sherman declined to respond.
Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York (center), has less seniority on the House Foreign Affairs Committee than his rival, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), in the brewing fight for the panel's chairmanship. But Meeks is more popular among colleagues and is seen as the favorite in the faceoff. Tom Williams via Getty Images
Meeks, however, also has image issues. He has repeatedly appeared on lists of ethically challenged lawmakers compiled by the watchdog group CREW.
Meeks noted that the House Ethics Committee cleared him of questions raised about a loan and a trip to Azerbaijan, and added that he first faced accusations of corruption when right-wing groups were pushing similar charges against fellow Black lawmakers Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and former Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.).
“I hope that people don’t continue to keep bringing this up because I happen to be a Black man,” Meeks told HuffPost.
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Sherman’s allies note that he has greater experience across the committee, has emphasized his opposition to a war with Iran and has introduced more bills in his latest term than Meeks, who recently has been focusing on his work on the Financial Services Committee.
Meeks rejected any contention that he has been distracted from his role on the foreign policy panel, telling HuffPost, “Anybody that knows me will tell you that while I am focused on financial services, my passion has always been ― and that’s why I do it ― in foreign affairs.”


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Iran Rocked By Major Explosion For 3rd Time In Recent Weeks

An explosion was heard in western Tehran on Friday , the official IRIB news agency reported , citing online reports .
There have been multiple explosions around military , nuclear and industrial facilities in the past week .
IRIB did not provide any additional information about the cause of the blast or possible casualties .
Electricity has been cut in the area of the explosion in suburbs west of Tehran , IRIB reported .
Two people were killed in an explosion at a factory in the south of Tehran , state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday .
Last Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground level building at Iran ’ s underground Natanz facility , the centrepiece of the country ’ s uranium enrichment programme , which authorities said had caused significant damage .
Also last week , 19 people were killed in an explosion at a medical clinic in the north of Tehran , which an official said was caused by a gas leak .
On June 26 , an explosion occurred east of Tehran near the Parchin military and weapons development base that authorities said was caused by a leak at a gas storage facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @

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An explosion was heard in western Tehran on Friday, the official IRIB news agency reported, citing online reports.
There have been multiple explosions around military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past week. IRIB did not provide any additional information about the cause of the blast or possible casualties.
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Electricity has been cut in the area of the explosion in suburbs west of Tehran, IRIB reported.
Two people were killed in an explosion at a factory in the south of Tehran, state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, a fire broke out at a ground level building at Iran’s underground Natanz facility, the centrepiece of the country’s uranium enrichment programme, which authorities said had caused significant damage.
Also last week, 19 people were killed in an explosion at a medical clinic in the north of Tehran, which an official said was caused by a gas leak.
On June 26, an explosion occurred east of Tehran near the Parchin military and weapons development base that authorities said was caused by a leak at a gas storage facility in an area outside the base.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Johns Hopkins Launches New Tracker For School Reopening Plans

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is monitoring which states have addressed 12 criteria , including safety and academic measures , in their school reopening plans .
So far , 43 states and the District of Columbia have released reopening plans , though they don ’ t necessarily involve in-person instruction until some level of safety is assured .
The criteria include safety protocols , such as mask and social distance requirements , as well as “ ethics and equity ” plans , including special help for disadvantaged children .
Schools will not only have to address the health and safety @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ make up for the losses in learning , health and support systems ” caused by school shutdowns , according to a JHU statement .
The tracker was unveiled as President Donald Trump presses his controversial demand that all schools open for in-person instruction this fall , threatening to cut federal funds to those that don ’ t .
His top economic adviser , Larry Kudlow , insisted Friday to reporters that going back to school is “ not that hard.
” But the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that it might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are at hitting record levels , until health experts approve .
“ We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings , and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it , ” said a statement Friday by the AAP , American Federation of Teachers , the National Education Association and AASA , the School Superintendents Association .
The intent of the JHU tracker is to give parents , policymakers , school employees and others easy access to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shape the safest plan .
“ At the end of the day , it ’ s about trying to make sure that when we reopen , that the reopening benefits all , ” Annette Anderson , deputy director of JHU ’ s Center for Safe and Healthy Schools , told Politico .
Most states have addressed at least 8 to 10 of the 12 criteria in their reopening plans .
Arkansas , South Dakota , Connecticut , New Hampshire and West Virginia have so far addressed the fewest .
The tracker also lists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and health organizations , such as the AAP and the American Teachers Association .
Florida ’ s education commissioner signed an emergency order Monday requiring all public and charter schools to open in August for in-person instruction five full days a week — even though the number of COVID-19 cases is at record levels .

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Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore is monitoring which states have addressed 12 criteria, including safety and academic measures, in their school reopening plans. So far, 43 states and the District of Columbia have released reopening plans, though they don’t necessarily involve in-person instruction until some level of safety is assured.
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The criteria include safety protocols, such as mask and social distance requirements, as well as “ethics and equity” plans, including special help for disadvantaged children. Schools will not only have to address the health and safety of students and staff but also how to “make up for the losses in learning, health and support systems” caused by school shutdowns, according to a JHU statement.
The tracker was unveiled as President Donald Trump presses his controversial demand that all schools open for in-person instruction this fall, threatening to cut federal funds to those that don’t.
SCHOOLS MUST OPEN IN THE FALL!!! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 6, 2020
His top economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, insisted Friday to reporters that going back to school is “not that hard.” But the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested that it might not be safe, particularly while coronavirus cases are at hitting record levels, until health experts approve.
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“We should leave it to health experts to tell us when the time is best to open up school buildings, and listen to educators and administrators to shape how we do it,” said a statement Friday by the AAP, American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and AASA, the School Superintendents Association.
The intent of the JHU tracker is to give parents, policymakers, school employees and others easy access to information that can be used to help shape the safest plan.
“At the end of the day, it’s about trying to make sure that when we reopen, that the reopening benefits all,” Annette Anderson, deputy director of JHU’s Center for Safe and Healthy Schools, told Politico.
Most states have addressed at least 8 to 10 of the 12 criteria in their reopening plans. Arkansas, South Dakota, Connecticut, New Hampshire and West Virginia have so far addressed the fewest.
The tracker also lists safety and academic recommendations by several educational and health organizations, such as the AAP and the American Teachers Association.
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Some schools are just weeks away from reopening.
Florida’s education commissioner signed an emergency order Monday requiring all public and charter schools to open in August for in-person instruction five full days a week — even though the number of COVID-19 cases is at record levels.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Mexico City Lawmakers Vote To Ban 'Gay Conversion' Therapy

MEXICO CITY , July 10 ( Thomson Reuters Foundation ) - Lawmakers in Mexico City on Friday voted to ban conversion therapy , part of a small but growing movement to end the practice of trying to change a person ’ s sexual orientation or gender identity .
Under Mexico City ’ s proposal , which needs further approval before taking effect , anyone who forces someone to undergo the practice can be punished with up to five years in prison .
Widely condemned by medical groups , conversion therapy can range from psychological counseling to religious practices and even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ someone from gay to straight .
When a practice like conversion therapy is banned , young LGBT+ people will benefit from wider acceptance , said Temistocles Villanueva , a local deputy with the ruling Morena party who spearheaded the proposal “ You ’ re going to suffer less violence , or if you are going to suffer violence , you will have the accompaniment of the authorities , ” he said .
The proposal to amend the city ’ s penal code was approved by a committee of deputies and now goes before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is expected to be approved in the next two weeks .
Its approval would make the Mexican capital - a city of 8.9 million people - the first jurisdiction in the country to ban conversion therapy .
Germany prohibited conversion therapy on children in May , but worldwide , only a handful of countries - Brazil , Ecuador and Malta - have nationwide bans .
On Wednesday , however , the United Nations ’ expert on sexual orientation and gender identity , Victor Madrigal-Borloz , called for a global ban on the practice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Geneva .
“ They are inherently degrading and discriminatory and rooted in the belief that LGBT persons are somehow inferior.
” A recent U.N. survey of more than 8,000 people from 100countries found that 98 % of those who had undergone conversion therapy reported suffering psychological damage , including suicidal thoughts and depression .
A study from U.S. advocacy group The Trevor Project announced this week found LGBT+ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to report attempting suicide in the past year versus those who had not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youth suicide prevention group ItGets Better Mexico , tweeted that it was “ a great advance in the defense of the mental health and dignity of LGBTQ+ people.
” Federal lawmakers in Mexico also are considering outlawing the practice nationwide , and Villanueva said he hopes the MexicoCity ban will speed up the process and encourage other states to pass similar initiatives .

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MEXICO CITY, July 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Lawmakers in Mexico City on Friday voted to ban conversion therapy, part of a small but growing movement to end the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Under Mexico City’s proposal, which needs further approval before taking effect, anyone who forces someone to undergo the practice can be punished with up to five years in prison.
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Widely condemned by medical groups, conversion therapy can range from psychological counseling to religious practices and even electroshock therapy in an effort to change someone from gay to straight.
When a practice like conversion therapy is banned, young LGBT+ people will benefit from wider acceptance, said Temistocles Villanueva, a local deputy with the ruling Morena party who spearheaded the proposal
“You have greater security,” Villanueva told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“You’re going to suffer less violence, or if you are going to suffer violence, you will have the accompaniment of the authorities,” he said.
The proposal to amend the city’s penal code was approved by a committee of deputies and now goes before the full Chamber ofDeputies, where it is expected to be approved in the next two weeks.
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Its approval would make the Mexican capital - a city of 8.9 million people - the first jurisdiction in the country to ban conversion therapy.
Germany prohibited conversion therapy on children in May, but worldwide, only a handful of countries - Brazil, Ecuador and Malta - have nationwide bans.
On Wednesday, however, the United Nations’ expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, called for a global ban on the practice during a meeting of the HumanRights Council in Geneva.
“These interventions exclusively target LGBT persons with the specific aim of interfering in their personal integrity,”Madrigal-Borloz said in a statement.
“They are inherently degrading and discriminatory and rooted in the belief that LGBT persons are somehow inferior.”
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A recent U.N. survey of more than 8,000 people from 100countries found that 98% of those who had undergone conversion therapy reported suffering psychological damage, including suicidal thoughts and depression.
A study from U.S. advocacy group The Trevor Project announced this week found LGBT+ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to report attempting suicide in the past year versus those who had not.
Local rights groups in Mexico welcomed the move as an important step in the socially conservative, majority Catholic country.
Alex Orue, director of the youth suicide prevention group ItGets Better Mexico, tweeted that it was “a great advance in the defense of the mental health and dignity of LGBTQ+ people.”
Federal lawmakers in Mexico also are considering outlawing the practice nationwide, and Villanueva said he hopes the MexicoCity ban will speed up the process and encourage other states to pass similar initiatives.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--Trump Says Areas With Surging Coronavirus Cases Are 'Going To Be Fine'

In another unfounded bout of wishful thinking about the coronavirus , President Donald Trump said Friday that areas where coronavirus cases have surged are “ going to be fine.
” In an interview with Noticias Telemundo , reporter José Díaz-Balart noted the recent increases in COVID-19 infections in the U.S. and asked Trump if the country was “ losing the war ” against the virus .
“ We are winning the war .
We have areas that flamed up and they ’ re going to be fine over a period of time , ” the president responded , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flared up in areas where they thought it was ending , and that would be Florida , Texas , a couple of other places , ” Trump later added of the virus .
“ They ’ re going to have it under control very quickly.
” Meanwhile , the U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths , with more than 3.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 133,000 dead from the virus in the country so far .
Recently , the U.S. has repeatedly set new global records @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases per day , hitting over 59,800 daily cases on Thursday .
Trump ’ s statements on Friday are part of a pattern of the president making baseless claims about the virus simply going away .
In May , Trump said in an interview that the virus “ will pass , with or without a vaccine.
” In February , he said the virus might “ miraculously ” be gone by April , and in March and April , he asserted without evidence that COVID-19 is “ going to go away .
”

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In another unfounded bout of wishful thinking about the coronavirus, President Donald Trump said Friday that areas where coronavirus cases have surged are “going to be fine.”
In an interview with Noticias Telemundo, reporter José Díaz-Balart noted the recent increases in COVID-19 infections in the U.S. and asked Trump if the country was “losing the war” against the virus.
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“We are winning the war. We have areas that flamed up and they’re going to be fine over a period of time,” the president responded, according to a transcript from Telemundo.
“It flared up in areas where they thought it was ending, and that would be Florida, Texas, a couple of other places,” Trump later added of the virus. “They’re going to have it under control very quickly.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. continues to lead the world in coronavirus cases and deaths, with more than 3.1 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and over 133,000 dead from the virus in the country so far. Recently, the U.S. has repeatedly set new global records for the highest number of reported coronavirus cases per day, hitting over 59,800 daily cases on Thursday.
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thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--ACLU Orders Full-Page Newspaper Ads Pressing Joe Biden On Abortion Rights

The American Civil Liberties Union has paid for full-page newspaper ads to run on Sunday that call on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to prioritize protecting abortion rights should he be elected .
The ACLU will also send a letter to Biden ’ s campaign calling on him to follow through with his commitment to end the Hyde Amendment , which blocks federal money from being used to fund abortions .
That makes the procedure inaccessible to many people who rely on federally funded health care .
The ACLU called for Biden to act quickly to end the Hyde @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports the right to abortion , but his record on the matter is mixed .
Decades ago , Biden said the Supreme Court went “ too far ” in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights ; he now says he would enshrine those rights into law .
He supported the Hyde Amendment until last year , when he switched his position under heavy pressure from other Democratic presidential candidates and rights groups .
In May 2019 , the ACLU captured Biden on video committing to end the Hyde Amendment .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ drawn attention to abortion access through its “ Rights for All ” campaign — intends to hold Biden to his promise .
The ACLU also called on Biden to end the Weldon Amendment , which bars governments and groups from denying funds to organizations on the basis that they do not pay for or provide abortions .
“ After decades of attacks on reproductive freedom , which have accelerated during the Trump Administration , we demand leadership from the next president , ” the letter said .
“ In the first 100 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your priorities clear by striking the Hyde and Weldon amendments , and all abortion coverage restrictions , from your first budget and telling Congress that you won ’ t sign bills with abortion coverage restrictions.
” President Donald Trump , meanwhile , is aligned with anti-abortion groups and has taken steps to restrict funding for the procedure , among other efforts .
“ Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House , ” Trump said at a March for Life rally in January in Washington .
Some Democrats have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress without success .
A bill called the EACH Woman Act that would have repealed the amendment had 24 co-sponsors in the Senate and 181 co-sponsors in the House as of March 2019 , when it was introduced .

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The American Civil Liberties Union has paid for full-page newspaper ads to run on Sunday that call on presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden to prioritize protecting abortion rights should he be elected.
The ads in the Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer ask, “Vice President Biden, will you lead on reproductive rights?”
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The ACLU will also send a letter to Biden’s campaign calling on him to follow through with his commitment to end the Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal money from being used to fund abortions. That makes the procedure inaccessible to many people who rely on federally funded health care. The ACLU called for Biden to act quickly to end the Hyde Amendment and other abortion restrictions.
Biden supports the right to abortion, but his record on the matter is mixed. Decades ago, Biden said the Supreme Court went “too far” in the landmark Roe v. Wade decision on abortion rights; he now says he would enshrine those rights into law. He supported the Hyde Amendment until last year, when he switched his position under heavy pressure from other Democratic presidential candidates and rights groups.
In May 2019, the ACLU captured Biden on video committing to end the Hyde Amendment. Now, the ACLU — which has drawn attention to abortion access through its “Rights for All” campaign — intends to hold Biden to his promise.
The Hyde Amendment disproportionately targets people of low income, banning constitutionally protected health and medical services to individuals in that group, the ACLU said.
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The ACLU also called on Biden to end the Weldon Amendment, which bars governments and groups from denying funds to organizations on the basis that they do not pay for or provide abortions.
“After decades of attacks on reproductive freedom, which have accelerated during the Trump Administration, we demand leadership from the next president,” the letter said. “In the first 100 days of your presidency, you can make your priorities clear by striking the Hyde and Weldon amendments, and all abortion coverage restrictions, from your first budget and telling Congress that you won’t sign bills with abortion coverage restrictions.”
“The Time is NOW,” the group added.
The Biden campaign did not respond to HuffPost’s request for comment.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, is aligned with anti-abortion groups and has taken steps to restrict funding for the procedure, among other efforts. “Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House,” Trump said at a March for Life rally in January in Washington.


thehuffingtonpost--2020-07-10--I'm An International Student In The U.S. I'm Devastated By ICE's New Guidelines

Photo Courtesy of Jimin Kang The author last year at Princeton University , when she declared her major in Spanish and Portuguese .
Sitting in the folds of my South Korean passport , my visa promises me that , for a set length of time , I will be granted a second home .
In this second home , I will meet people who will change me .
I will learn things I would not be able to learn elsewhere , explore new places , find new families , maybe even fall in love .
Ever since U.S. colleges and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic , we international students have faced heartbreak after heartbreak : Visa programs have been suspended , many consulates are closed , and President Donald Trump declared in April — through Twitter , no less — that our presence was harming the economy of a country many of us consider a second home .
When the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on July 6 that international students could be deported or barred from entering the country if they do not meet a strict set of conditions for the fall semester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before , questions abounded but remained unanswered : Why would the government mandate in-person classes during a pandemic ?
What about the students in time zones that differ drastically from where they study ?
How would transfers work when details for the fall semester are so unclear , consulates remain shuttered , and there is simply no time ?
Like many international students who have been granted a brief spell in this country , I ’ ve been exhausted since the spring .
Back then , many of us were unable to return @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fears of spreading COVID-19 .
Every day , alone in my dorm room , I wondered what I was missing by having sacrificed my family life for an education in the U.S .
Even in Korea I am yearning for a lost home , my mind wandering in the empty space between two distant time zones .
I am up in the summer evenings , attempting to meet my friends halfway as they wake up on the East Coast ; I ’ ve followed each protest demanding justice for Black lives closely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face I can see my roommates and my classmates .
And now I have been hit with a double trauma : First unable to go to my home of origin in the spring , now I may be unable to go to my second home in the fall .
The dissonance this displacement causes is draining .
And although holding an academic visa is a privilege that I will always be grateful for , it is exhausting to uphold the weight of two distant lives at once .
Princeton University — which announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same day as the ICE announcement — is still figuring out details for the fall .
If I am barred from traveling to the U.S. in August , I wonder how I will continue to live my double life for a semester .
I simply can not imagine doing it for a year .
Add in the 13 hours that separate Seoul and New Jersey , and my education , my aspirations , and my sense of self will not be the same .
Yet it is easy to forget that the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once you pass immigration to enter a familiar Arrivals Hall ; when you ’ re washing dishes in the dining hall listening to “ High School Musical ” and messing around with your fellow student co-workers ; when you ’ re at a birthday party , a dance show , an a cappella performance , and you can ’ t tell who had to fly there and whose home is just a drive away .
That , in my opinion , has always been the beauty of the U.S. education system : its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things that you can learn when your classmates are from incredibly diverse places and walks of life .
These days , I wonder what campuses will look like without their international students .
I think about my friend Ysa from the Philippines , and the Filipino potluck she helped organize our sophomore year .
I think about my friends Arjun and Mahishan , from Singapore and New Jersey respectively , and how they shared their chai recipes at my co-op just weeks before the coronavirus hit .
I think about my friend Conor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rooney ’ s “ Normal People ” was released on Hulu , explained how it perfectly captured his experiences in high school .
I think of these events and conversations gone .
And without them , the Princeton I know — and have grown to love — will not be the same .
As schools roll out their plans for the fall semester , I know that administrators across the nation are fighting to avoid this alternate future .
To those thinking about international students , thank you .
My hope is that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that this alternate future is one less favorable to us all .

The author last year at Princeton University, when she declared her major in Spanish and Portuguese. Photo Courtesy of Jimin Kang
Over the past three years that I’ve spent as an international student at Princeton University, I’ve found that having an F-1 visa is like holding onto a promise.
Sitting in the folds of my South Korean passport, my visa promises me that, for a set length of time, I will be granted a second home. In this second home, I will meet people who will change me. I will learn things I would not be able to learn elsewhere, explore new places, find new families, maybe even fall in love.
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On the morning of July 7, I woke up in Seoul to discover that this promise had been broken as I slept.
Ever since U.S. colleges and universities shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, we international students have faced heartbreak after heartbreak: Visa programs have been suspended, many consulates are closed, and President Donald Trump declared in April — through Twitter, no less — that our presence was harming the economy of a country many of us consider a second home.
When the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced on July 6 that international students could be deported or barred from entering the country if they do not meet a strict set of conditions for the fall semester, the outrage felt familiar.
Like before, questions abounded but remained unanswered: Why would the government mandate in-person classes during a pandemic? What about the students in time zones that differ drastically from where they study? How would transfers work when details for the fall semester are so unclear, consulates remain shuttered, and there is simply no time?
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Petitions were shared, students created class-swap initiatives to allow their international friends to take their in-person classes, and messages of support flooded into my inbox from all over the world.
Throughout it all, I’ve been exhausted.
Like many international students who have been granted a brief spell in this country, I’ve been exhausted since the spring. Back then, many of us were unable to return home when our schools closed down due to fears of spreading COVID-19. Every day, alone in my dorm room, I wondered what I was missing by having sacrificed my family life for an education in the U.S.
But contrary to what I believed, returning home, which I eventually did in early May, was no easier.
Even in Korea I am yearning for a lost home, my mind wandering in the empty space between two distant time zones. I am up in the summer evenings, attempting to meet my friends halfway as they wake up on the East Coast; I’ve followed each protest demanding justice for Black lives closely, my heart clenching because in each face I can see my roommates and my classmates.
And now I have been hit with a double trauma: First unable to go to my home of origin in the spring, now I may be unable to go to my second home in the fall.
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The dissonance this displacement causes is draining. And although holding an academic visa is a privilege that I will always be grateful for, it is exhausting to uphold the weight of two distant lives at once.
Princeton University — which announced its decision to partially re-open on the same day as the ICE announcement — is still figuring out details for the fall. If I am barred from traveling to the U.S. in August, I wonder how I will continue to live my double life for a semester. I simply cannot imagine doing it for a year. Add in the 13 hours that separate Seoul and New Jersey, and my education, my aspirations, and my sense of self will not be the same.
Institutionally speaking, there have always been rules and markers that have distinguished international students from their domestic peers: the long immigration lines at the airport, I-20 forms stashed into passports, tax season, finding on-campus and post-graduation jobs within strict visa restrictions.
Yet it is easy to forget that the country considers you a “non-immigrant alien” once you pass immigration to enter a familiar Arrivals Hall; when you’re washing dishes in the dining hall listening to “High School Musical” and messing around with your fellow student co-workers; when you’re at a birthday party, a dance show, an a cappella performance, and you can’t tell who had to fly there and whose home is just a drive away.
The only thing that matters then is that everyone is together and in a place where they feel they belong.
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That, in my opinion, has always been the beauty of the U.S. education system: its openness to difference, and all the things that you can learn when your classmates are from incredibly diverse places and walks of life.
That is why I went to the United States to begin with.
These days, I wonder what campuses will look like without their international students. I think about my friend Ysa from the Philippines, and the Filipino potluck she helped organize our sophomore year. I think about my friends Arjun and Mahishan, from Singapore and New Jersey respectively, and how they shared their chai recipes at my co-op just weeks before the coronavirus hit. I think about my friend Conor from Ireland, who, when Sally Rooney’s “Normal People” was released on Hulu, explained how it perfectly captured his experiences in high school. I think of these events and conversations gone. And without them, the Princeton I know — and have grown to love — will not be the same.
As schools roll out their plans for the fall semester, I know that administrators across the nation are fighting to avoid this alternate future. To those thinking about international students, thank you. My hope is that the government will soon realize, too, that this alternate future is one less favorable to us all.
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