buzzfeednews--2020-03-12--Bernie Sanders Pitched Medicare For All As The Way To Fight The Coronavirus

Bernie Sanders turned a press statement on the coronavirus on Thursday into a concerted pitch for Medicare for All .
“ In the last few days , we have seen the crisis of the coronavirus continue to grow exponentially here in the United States and around the world , and we have witnessed a global economic meltdown which will impact millions of workers in our own country , ” Sanders said during remarks in Burlington , Vermont .
“ In terms of potential deaths and in terms of the economic impact on our economy , the crisis we face from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major war and we must act accordingly.
” Sanders spent the majority of his speech calling on Americans to unite with their neighbors and for the government to protect people from price-gouging for medical treatment .
And he pushed further for Medicare for All , the signature issue that has propelled his presidential campaigns , saying that the United States is at a “ severe disadvantage ” when it comes to treating people for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , because the country doesn ’ t provide health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are uninsured or under-insured , you hesitate about getting the medical care you need because you can not afford to get that medical care , ” Sanders said .
“ The result is that millions of our people can not afford to go to a doctor let alone pay for a coronavirus test .
While we work to pass a Medicare for All single-payer system , the United States government today must make it clear that in the midst of this emergency , everyone in our country , regardless of income or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get all of the health care they need without cost.
” Sanders ’ comments in Vermont followed a speech on the coronavirus from Joe Biden , who is leading Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination .
Biden ’ s remarks marked the beginnings of a shift in focus to a general election race against Trump , with the release of a lengthy plan to combat the virus .
Biden ’ s plan , while not Medicare for All , is still extensive , including calling for free coronavirus tests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Sanders made similar proposals , saying that vaccinations for coronavirus should be provided free of charge once they are developed .
“ We can not live in a nation where , if you have the money , you get the treatment you need to survive , but if you 're working-class or poor , you get to the end of the line .
That would be morally unacceptable.
” Sanders also called for a national moratorium on evictions , home foreclosures , and utility shutoffs while people who have contracted the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been fired from companies during the economic downturn .
That position has gained steam among progressive activists in the weeks since the virus has spread across the country .
The Miami-Dade County Police Department issued a notice that it would not be assisting homeowners in evictions until further notice , and the city of San Jose , California approved a 30-day moratorium on evictions for residents who can document that they ’ ve faced significant financial hardship because of the coronavirus .
In New York City , City Council Speaker Corey Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to halt evictions during the pandemic .

Bernie Sanders turned a press statement on the coronavirus on Thursday into a concerted pitch for Medicare for All.
“In the last few days, we have seen the crisis of the coronavirus continue to grow exponentially here in the United States and around the world, and we have witnessed a global economic meltdown which will impact millions of workers in our own country,” Sanders said during remarks in Burlington, Vermont. “In terms of potential deaths and in terms of the economic impact on our economy, the crisis we face from the coronavirus is on the scale of a major war and we must act accordingly.”
Sanders spent the majority of his speech calling on Americans to unite with their neighbors and for the government to protect people from price-gouging for medical treatment. And he pushed further for Medicare for All, the signature issue that has propelled his presidential campaigns, saying that the United States is at a “severe disadvantage” when it comes to treating people for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, because the country doesn’t provide health care to all citizens.
“When you are uninsured or under-insured, you hesitate about getting the medical care you need because you cannot afford to get that medical care,” Sanders said. “The result is that millions of our people cannot afford to go to a doctor let alone pay for a coronavirus test. While we work to pass a Medicare for All single-payer system, the United States government today must make it clear that in the midst of this emergency, everyone in our country, regardless of income or where they live, must be able to get all of the health care they need without cost.”
Sanders’ comments in Vermont followed a speech on the coronavirus from Joe Biden, who is leading Sanders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden’s remarks marked the beginnings of a shift in focus to a general election race against Trump, with the release of a lengthy plan to combat the virus. Biden’s plan, while not Medicare for All, is still extensive, including calling for free coronavirus tests and no out-of-pocket expenses for related care.
Sanders made similar proposals, saying that vaccinations for coronavirus should be provided free of charge once they are developed. “We cannot live in a nation where, if you have the money, you get the treatment you need to survive, but if you're working-class or poor, you get to the end of the line. That would be morally unacceptable.”
Sanders also called for a national moratorium on evictions, home foreclosures, and utility shutoffs while people who have contracted the coronavirus take time away from work or who have been fired from companies during the economic downturn. That position has gained steam among progressive activists in the weeks since the virus has spread across the country.
The Miami-Dade County Police Department issued a notice that it would not be assisting homeowners in evictions until further notice, and the city of San Jose, California approved a 30-day moratorium on evictions for residents who can document that they’ve faced significant financial hardship because of the coronavirus. In New York City, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson tweeted that he agreed with a call to halt evictions during the pandemic.


buzzfeednews--2020-06-24--The Black Lives Matter Protests Have Taught Us More About The Coronavirus

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What ’ s more , a new analysis based on cellphone tracking data suggests a surprising reason for the lack of protest-related spikes in COVID-19 : In the cities with large protests , the wider population actually spent more time at home during the demonstrations — suggesting that any surge caused by virus transmission at the protests themselves would have been countered by an increase in social distancing among the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some experts say that leaping to this conclusion could be a serious mistake .
“ I do think it ’ s good news that we haven ’ t seen enormous outbreaks at this time , ” Kate Grabowski , an epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University , told BuzzFeed News .
“ But everything that we ’ ve learned from the epidemiology of this virus tells us that people who are in close proximity with people who are infected are at risk.
” Some commentators are already speculating that the lack of protest-related spikes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules are not so important if people are outside and wear masks — as many protesters did .
Slate went so far as to suggest that “ a much wider range of outdoor activities — sports events , beaches , swimming pools , playgrounds , and so forth — could be safely permitted much sooner than currently scheduled.
” More than three weeks after hundreds of thousands of Americans started taking to the streets to protest the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer , anticipated surges in COVID-19 cases have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest protests .
Numbers plotted for any day reflect the average for the preceding seven days .
Protests began on May 26 in Minneapolis and spread to other cities over the next few days .
While experts consulted by BuzzFeed News agreed that wearing masks and being outside may have reduced the risk of viral transmission at the protests , they pointed to other possible factors as well .
Many of the protesters were young , for example , meaning that new infections that occurred while they were demonstrating would be less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in official case counts .
And even though hundreds of thousands participated in the protests , that ’ s still a relatively small number compared to the total population of the cities involved — so it might be hard to notice transmission of the coronavirus at the protests .
“ The fact is that we will just never know for sure , because there ’ s too many moving parts , ” Andrew Noymer , an epidemiologist at the University of California , Irvine , told BuzzFeed News .
The surprising finding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in social distancing in the cities in which they occurred comes from an analysis released by the company Safegraph , conducted by researchers at San Diego State University , the University of Colorado , Denver , and Bentley University in Waltham , Massachusetts .
Although Safegraph ’ s aggregated phone-tracking data didn ’ t allow the researchers to follow individuals , they were able to relate the timing of the protests to the extent to which the population of cities as a whole stayed at home .
“ You need to understand what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the population , ” Andrew Friedson , a health economist at the University of Colorado , Denver , and one of the researchers behind the study , told BuzzFeed News .
“ Many of these cities have populations in the millions.
” Friedson and his colleagues found that people in large cities that didn ’ t have protests , such as Aurora , Colorado , and Irving , Texas , moved around more during the unrest than people in cities that did .
And in cities with protests , stay-at-home behavior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ orders couldn ’ t fully account for this change , the researchers found , suggesting that many people made a choice to stay at home to avoid getting caught up in clashes between police and protesters .
Some cities set up “ pop up ” COVID-19 testing stations for protesters as the unrest took off .
The initial results from this testing support the idea that relatively little transmission of the coronavirus happened at Black Lives Matter protests .
In Seattle , less than 1 % of those tested were positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mayor ’ s office released on June 12 .
In Boston , about 2.5 % of protesters who were tested came back positive for the coronavirus — roughly in line with numbers for the city as a whole .
And in Minneapolis the figure was 1.8 % , Wired reported last week .
Still , experts warn that large gatherings of people pose a risk of a “ superspreader ” event , where a single individual infects a large number of others — such as those that happened at a church in South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , and at a funeral in Albany , Georgia , on Feb. 29 .
“ There still could be a superspreader event from protests we haven ’ t seen yet , given other cases , ” Gerardo Chowell , an epidemiologist at Georgia State University in Atlanta , told BuzzFeed News .
But he noted that most of the known superspreader events have taken place at indoor gatherings .
Even though the Black Lives Matter protests don ’ t seem to have triggered a spike in coronavirus transmission , new cases are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and West of the country .
For the most part , these increases started before the protests began , and seem to have been driven by efforts to reopen states ’ economies and public gatherings that happened around Memorial Day weekend in late May .
“ Most of the timing for these spikes , like in Arizona , fits the timeline of relaxation of restrictions and reduction in social distancing efforts , ” Saskia Popescu , an epidemiologist at George Mason University in Fairfax , Virginia , and a member of the Federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told BuzzFeed News by email .

While experts consulted by BuzzFeed News agreed that wearing masks and being outside may have reduced the risk of viral transmission at the protests, they pointed to other possible factors as well. Many of the protesters were young, for example, meaning that new infections that occurred while they were demonstrating would be less likely to cause severe disease and show up in official case counts. And even though hundreds of thousands participated in the protests, that’s still a relatively small number compared to the total population of the cities involved — so it might be hard to notice transmission of the coronavirus at the protests.
“The fact is that we will just never know for sure, because there’s too many moving parts,” Andrew Noymer, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Irvine, told BuzzFeed News.
The surprising finding that the protests caused an overall increase in social distancing in the cities in which they occurred comes from an analysis of data released by the company Safegraph, conducted by researchers at San Diego State University, the University of Colorado, Denver, and Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Although Safegraph’s aggregated phone-tracking data didn’t allow the researchers to follow individuals, they were able to relate the timing of the protests to the extent to which the population of cities as a whole stayed at home.
“You need to understand what’s going on with all different parts of the population,” Andrew Friedson, a health economist at the University of Colorado, Denver, and one of the researchers behind the study, told BuzzFeed News. “Many of these cities have populations in the millions.”
Friedson and his colleagues found that people in large cities that didn’t have protests, such as Aurora, Colorado, and Irving, Texas, moved around more during the unrest than people in cities that did. And in cities with protests, stay-at-home behavior increased after the unrest started. Curfew orders couldn’t fully account for this change, the researchers found, suggesting that many people made a choice to stay at home to avoid getting caught up in clashes between police and protesters.
Some cities set up “pop up” COVID-19 testing stations for protesters as the unrest took off. The initial results from this testing support the idea that relatively little transmission of the coronavirus happened at Black Lives Matter protests. In Seattle, less than 1% of those tested were positive for COVID-19, according to a statement from the mayor’s office released on June 12. In Boston, about 2.5% of protesters who were tested came back positive for the coronavirus — roughly in line with numbers for the city as a whole. And in Minneapolis the figure was 1.8%, Wired reported last week.
Still, experts warn that large gatherings of people pose a risk of a “superspreader” event, where a single individual infects a large number of others — such as those that happened at a church in South Korea in the early stages of its outbreak, and at a funeral in Albany, Georgia, on Feb. 29.
“There still could be a superspreader event from protests we haven’t seen yet, given other cases,” Gerardo Chowell, an epidemiologist at Georgia State University in Atlanta, told BuzzFeed News. But he noted that most of the known superspreader events have taken place at indoor gatherings.
Even though the Black Lives Matter protests don’t seem to have triggered a spike in coronavirus transmission, new cases are now surging in states across the South and West of the country. For the most part, these increases started before the protests began, and seem to have been driven by efforts to reopen states’ economies and public gatherings that happened around Memorial Day weekend in late May.
“Most of the timing for these spikes, like in Arizona, fits the timeline of relaxation of restrictions and reduction in social distancing efforts,” Saskia Popescu, an epidemiologist at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and a member of the Federation of American Scientists’ Coronavirus Task Force, told BuzzFeed News by email.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--California Plans To Release 3,500 Prisoners Because Of The Coronavirus Pandemic

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California plans to release 3,500 nonviolent inmates in the next 60 days , a move to try to reduce its prison population and reduce the risk to inmates and staff of being infected with the novel coronavirus .
The decision comes as inmate advocates across the country have been pushing for the release of inmates in federal , state , and local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kegs '' in the pandemic .
Facilities across the country — including in New York City , Los Angeles , and Cuyahoga County in Ohio — have opted to reduce the number of inmates to ease space restrictions in jails .
US Attorney General William Barr has also asked the Bureau of Prisons to increase the use of home confinement with older inmates to decrease the risk of coronavirus spreading in federal prisons .
Although the decision to release 3,500 male and female inmates on parole would make only a small dent in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners , it would be one of the largest releases since the viral outbreak .
According to court documents , the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation ( CDCR ) has also stopped taking in inmates from county jails .
Inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes , and who are scheduled to be released within the next 60 days , would be eligible for the release .
As of Tuesday , 22 employees and four inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , according to CDCR .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the agency has halted volunteer programs at its prisons , stopped visitations , and instituted mandatory temperature readings of corrections staff before they report to work .
Attorneys who have sued the state for civil rights violations recently asked a federal judge panel for a broader order to release inmates who are older or at increased risk of COVID-19 .
State attorneys have opposed that motion , arguing they have already put in place other measures to reduce the risk of spread in the prison system .

California plans to release 3,500 nonviolent inmates in the next 60 days, a move to try to reduce its prison population and reduce the risk to inmates and staff of being infected with the novel coronavirus.
The decision comes as inmate advocates across the country have been pushing for the release of inmates in federal, state, and local lockups, arguing jails are "powder kegs" in the pandemic.
Facilities across the country — including in New York City, Los Angeles, and Cuyahoga County in Ohio — have opted to reduce the number of inmates to ease space restrictions in jails.
US Attorney General William Barr has also asked the Bureau of Prisons to increase the use of home confinement with older inmates to decrease the risk of coronavirus spreading in federal prisons.
Although the decision to release 3,500 male and female inmates on parole would make only a small dent in California's prison population of about 122,000 prisoners, it would be one of the largest releases since the viral outbreak.
According to court documents, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has also stopped taking in inmates from county jails.
Inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes, and who are scheduled to be released within the next 60 days, would be eligible for the release.
As of Tuesday, 22 employees and four inmates have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to CDCR.
To stop the spread of the virus, the agency has halted volunteer programs at its prisons, stopped visitations, and instituted mandatory temperature readings of corrections staff before they report to work.
Attorneys who have sued the state for civil rights violations recently asked a federal judge panel for a broader order to release inmates who are older or at increased risk of COVID-19.
State attorneys have opposed that motion, arguing they have already put in place other measures to reduce the risk of spread in the prison system.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--"Can’t Breathe. I Love You." — The Last Words Of A Nurse Dying From The Coronavirus To His Sister

Kious Kelly was a nurse at New York City 's Mount Sinai West hospital , where he worked treating other victims of the coronavirus .
Now , his sister is speaking out for other frontline workers .
It was n't until Kious Kelly was intubated in the ICU that his sister found out he had the COVID-19 .
Marya Patrice Sherron , Kelly 's only sibling , told BuzzFeed News she received a text from him on March 18 saying that he was `` sick in the ICU , but OK. '' He told her not to tell their parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry .
Their parents knew that Kelly , a 48-year-old nurse at New York City 's Mount Sinai West hospital , tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus , days ago .
But they were n't aware that his condition had deteriorated ; Kelly , who had asthma , told them it was mild and that he was doing fine .
`` He ’ s always been protective of me [ and ] my parents .
I knew he didn ’ t want them to worry , '' Sherron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couple more questions , and he said he can ’ t talk . '
I choke if I try .
Can ’ t breathe .
I love you , ' '' Sherron recalled him saying .
`` And he said he was tired and he would lay down and wanted to go to sleep . ''
Six days later , on Tuesday evening , the hospital informed her family that Kelly had died .
In the week following her brother 's death , Sherron said she 's received a mountain of supportive messages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strangers from around the world .
A GoFundMe campaign raising money for his funeral expenses was filled with tributes to Kelly .
`` I was waiting for you to come to work at 11AM .
An hour had passed still no Kious .
It ’ s getting real you ’ re not coming back , '' one coworker was quoted as saying .
`` This did not need to happen , you did not have to die , '' another coworker said on the GoFundMe page .
`` This is a life lost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the poor management of this COVID-19 crisis .
This has to stop .
Lives over profits .
Humanity over politics . ''
Sherron said the outpouring of love and support from people has meant a lot to her .
But there was one hateful remark that threw her off .
`` It was a very , very , very hateful and insensitive comment suggesting that [ Kelly 's death ] didn ’ t matter because he was a gay male , '' she said .
`` My husband had to remind me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ] of the abundance of love from around the world .
And I just decided to try more to see that and receive it , '' Sherron added .
`` It ’ s humbling .
It ’ s unreal , really .
You feel like you ’ re not alone going through this . ''
Along with messages of support , Sherron has been receiving firsthand accounts from doctors and nurses who are treating coronavirus patients without adequate protective gear .
Reports about exhausted health care workers being forced to reuse N95 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have led to widespread concern for frontline medical workers .
At Mount Sinai West , Kelly 's coworkers were pictured wearing trash bags to protect themselves from the virus .
There are issues beyond the lack of personal protective equipment ( PPE ) , Sherron said , but to her , it 's the most urgent problem to address right now .
With proper protection , she believes Kelly would have been less likely to contract the coronavirus in the first place .
With more confirmed cases than any other nation in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in testing per capita .
American health care workers tell horror stories of the lack of basic protective equipment and bodies of patients they could not save — including their own colleagues — piling up in freezer trucks .
In some places , nurses and doctors were among the first people to die of the coronavirus in their communities : Nurse Judy Wilson-Griffin was the first in the St. Louis , Missouri , region to die of COVID-19 , and Dr. Alex Hsu was the first medical provider to die in Broward County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in the US , 67,384 people have tested positive for COVID-19 so far , and 1,342 of them have died .
And with testing remaining severely inadequate , those numbers are far from accurate .
Dr. Anthony Fauci , the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , has said it 's likely that 100,000 to 200,000 people in the US will die of COVID-19 .
In the wake of her brother 's death , Sherron has been unrelentingly vocal on social media about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including those in Kelly 's unit at Mount Sinai West , are facing .
`` At this point , they ’ re extended family , '' Sherron said of Kelly 's coworkers .
`` They 've been very supportive . ''

It wasn't until Kious Kelly was intubated in the ICU that his sister found out he had the COVID-19.
Marya Patrice Sherron, Kelly's only sibling, told BuzzFeed News she received a text from him on March 18 saying that he was "sick in the ICU, but OK."
He told her not to tell their parents because he didn't want them to worry.
Their parents knew that Kelly, a 48-year-old nurse at New York City's Mount Sinai West hospital, tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, days ago. But they weren't aware that his condition had deteriorated; Kelly, who had asthma, told them it was mild and that he was doing fine.
"He’s always been protective of me [and] my parents. I knew he didn’t want them to worry," Sherron said.
"I asked him a couple more questions, and he said he can’t talk. 'I choke if I try. Can’t breathe. I love you,'" Sherron recalled him saying. "And he said he was tired and he would lay down and wanted to go to sleep."
Six days later, on Tuesday evening, the hospital informed her family that Kelly had died.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-26--Immigrants Afraid Of The Coronavirus Outbreak Are Protesting Inside ICE Facilities

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More than 70 immigrants were pepper-sprayed at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on Wednesday , according to a government document obtained by BuzzFeed News — the fourth known use-of-force incident this week at ICE facilities as fear and anxiety spreads among detainees over COVID-19 .
Since Monday , guards at three ICE detention facilities in Louisiana and Texas — LaSalle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Processing Center , and South Texas ICE Processing Center — have used force to quell inmate protests .
Advocates and attorneys have reported that ICE detainees have had limited access to soap and are worried that the coronavirus , which causes COVID-19 , could spread undetected , leaving those with underlying medical conditions and the elderly at risk .
ICE officials have said they are constantly monitoring detainees and staying in close touch with medical experts on the potential spread of the disease in detention facilities .
ICE has so far confirmed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ custody has tested positive for the coronavirus in New Jersey .
“ They are freaking out about it , ” said Alexandra Seo , whose mother is at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center in Jena , Louisiana .
“ She is saying ‘ help her ’ she is begging for help.
” On Wednesday , ICE medical officials , along with members from the private prison company running the facility , GeoGroup , held a meeting about COVID-19 at LaSalle , according to the government document obtained by BuzzFeed News .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protesting and ignored the guards ’ orders .
Soon after , four detainees rushed an exit door .
The guards decided to use pepper spray to keep the other 75 detainees in the area , according to the document .
ICE spokesperson Bryan Cox confirmed the incident , saying detainees “ refused to comply with directives from facility staff and four attempted to force their way out of the housing area.
” On Monday , officials used “ pepper balls ” on 23 detainees at the LaSalle facility following a protest , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prairie , ICE said a group of detainees were pepper-sprayed on Tuesday after becoming “ physically combative ” in the recreation area .
At the South Texas ICE Processing Center , 60 detainees started a demonstration as they demanded to be released from the jail and refused to comply with orders , according to ICE .
“ The detainees told facility staff they would continue their protest until they were released from custody ; however , those actions compromised security protocols at the facility , ” said Adelina Pruneda , an agency spokesperson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with numerous commands given by contract staff , the contract staff initiated an immediate ‘ use of force ’ by disbursing oleoresin capsicum , commonly referred to as OC Spray .
”

More than 70 immigrants were pepper-sprayed at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center on Wednesday, according to a government document obtained by BuzzFeed News — the fourth known use-of-force incident this week at ICE facilities as fear and anxiety spreads among detainees over COVID-19.
Since Monday, guards at three ICE detention facilities in Louisiana and Texas — LaSalle ICE Processing Center, Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center, and South Texas ICE Processing Center — have used force to quell inmate protests.
Advocates and attorneys have reported that ICE detainees have had limited access to soap and are worried that the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, could spread undetected, leaving those with underlying medical conditions and the elderly at risk. ICE officials have said they are constantly monitoring detainees and staying in close touch with medical experts on the potential spread of the disease in detention facilities. ICE has so far confirmed that one of the 38,000 detainees in its custody has tested positive for the coronavirus in New Jersey.
“They are freaking out about it,” said Alexandra Seo, whose mother is at the LaSalle ICE Processing Center in Jena, Louisiana. “She is saying ‘help her’ she is begging for help.”
On Wednesday, ICE medical officials, along with members from the private prison company running the facility, GeoGroup, held a meeting about COVID-19 at LaSalle, according to the government document obtained by BuzzFeed News. It was then that a group of detainees began protesting and ignored the guards’ orders. Soon after, four detainees rushed an exit door. The guards decided to use pepper spray to keep the other 75 detainees in the area, according to the document.
ICE spokesperson Bryan Cox confirmed the incident, saying detainees “refused to comply with directives from facility staff and four attempted to force their way out of the housing area.”
On Monday, officials used “pepper balls” on 23 detainees at the LaSalle facility following a protest, according to a separate document. At Pine Prairie, ICE said a group of detainees were pepper-sprayed on Tuesday after becoming “physically combative” in the recreation area. At the South Texas ICE Processing Center, 60 detainees started a demonstration as they demanded to be released from the jail and refused to comply with orders, according to ICE.
“The detainees told facility staff they would continue their protest until they were released from custody; however, those actions compromised security protocols at the facility,” said Adelina Pruneda, an agency spokesperson. “After detainees refused to comply with numerous commands given by contract staff, the contract staff initiated an immediate ‘use of force’ by disbursing oleoresin capsicum, commonly referred to as OC Spray.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--A Judge Ordered ICE To Release More Immigrants From Custody To Protect Them From The Coronavirus Out

A Judge Ordered ICE To Release More Immigrants From Custody To Protect Them From The Coronavirus Outbreak

Detainees wait for their turn at the medical clinic at the Winn Correctional Center in Louisiana , Sept. 26 , 2019 .
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A federal judge ordered the immediate release of 10 immigrants in government custody on Tuesday , saying it would be “ unconscionable and possibly barbaric ” to keep the chronically ill detainees in jails where they could be exposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US District Judge John E. Jones III mandates the immediate release of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees from three county facilities in Pennsylvania — York , Clinton , and Pike — and comes as advocates continue to argue that immigration officials should cut the detention population .
“ Should we fail to afford relief to Petitioners we will be a party to an unconscionable and possibly barbaric result , ” Jones wrote in his order .
“ Our Constitution and laws apply equally to the most vulnerable among us , particularly when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is true even for those who have lost a measure of their freedom .
If we are to remain the civilized society we hold ourselves out to be , it would be heartless and inhumane not to recognize Petitioners ’ plight.
” The ruling comes just days after a federal judge in New York City also ordered the release of a group of ICE detainees .
For weeks , immigrant advocates have pushed ICE to release certain immigrants with underlying medical issues from the facilities and to scale back arrests , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infections and casualties .
There are currently more than 38,000 immigrants in ICE custody within private and local jails .
So far , the agency has not changed its detention practices in response to the pandemic .
“ We are thrilled that the court agreed that our clients must be released immediately , ” said Reggie Shuford , executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania , which represented the detainees .
Jones echoed the concerns from advocates saying that the immigrant detainees “ are unable to keep socially distant while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the detention facilities sufficiently clean to combat the spread of the virus.
” He added that , based on the nature of the virus and alleged situation within the jails , the detainees “ face a very real risk of serious , lasting illness or death.
” The detainees who will be released have various medical complications , including diabetes , high blood pressure , blood clots , nerve pain , and leukemia .
ICE has already reported that four immigrants in its custody in New Jersey jails have tested positive for COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
“ This virus spares no demographic or race and is ruthless in its assault .
The precautions being adopted to stop it should apply equally , if not more so , to the most vulnerable among us , ” Jones wrote .
“ Petitioners have shown that adequate measures are not in place and can not be taken to protect them from COVID-19 in the detention facilities , and that catastrophic results may ensue , both to Petitioners and to the communities surrounding the Facilities .
”

A federal judge ordered the immediate release of 10 immigrants in government custody on Tuesday, saying it would be “unconscionable and possibly barbaric” to keep the chronically ill detainees in jails where they could be exposed to the coronavirus.
The order issued by US District Judge John E. Jones III mandates the immediate release of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainees from three county facilities in Pennsylvania — York, Clinton, and Pike — and comes as advocates continue to argue that immigration officials should cut the detention population.
“Should we fail to afford relief to Petitioners we will be a party to an unconscionable and possibly barbaric result,” Jones wrote in his order. “Our Constitution and laws apply equally to the most vulnerable among us, particularly when matters of public health are at issue. This is true even for those who have lost a measure of their freedom. If we are to remain the civilized society we hold ourselves out to be, it would be heartless and inhumane not to recognize Petitioners’ plight.”
The ruling comes just days after a federal judge in New York City also ordered the release of a group of ICE detainees.
For weeks, immigrant advocates have pushed ICE to release certain immigrants with underlying medical issues from the facilities and to scale back arrests, saying detention facilities were ripe for mass infections and casualties. There are currently more than 38,000 immigrants in ICE custody within private and local jails.
So far, the agency has not changed its detention practices in response to the pandemic.
“We are thrilled that the court agreed that our clients must be released immediately,” said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, which represented the detainees.
Jones echoed the concerns from advocates saying that the immigrant detainees “are unable to keep socially distant while detained by ICE and cannot keep the detention facilities sufficiently clean to combat the spread of the virus.” He added that, based on the nature of the virus and alleged situation within the jails, the detainees “face a very real risk of serious, lasting illness or death.”
The detainees who will be released have various medical complications, including diabetes, high blood pressure, blood clots, nerve pain, and leukemia.
ICE has already reported that four immigrants in its custody in New Jersey jails have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
“This virus spares no demographic or race and is ruthless in its assault. The precautions being adopted to stop it should apply equally, if not more so, to the most vulnerable among us,” Jones wrote. “Petitioners have shown that adequate measures are not in place and cannot be taken to protect them from COVID-19 in the detention facilities, and that catastrophic results may ensue, both to Petitioners and to the communities surrounding the Facilities.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-31--Members Of Congress Got Tested For The Coronavirus Despite Not Showing Symptoms, And Now We Know How

WASHINGTON — As sick people across the country struggle to get tested for the new coronavirus , asymptomatic members of Congress have been able to access tests despite guidance from the federal government urging doctors to save tests for people who are ill .
Lawmakers have access to a top-notch medical clinic in the Capitol building , the Office of the Attending Physician , which is staffed by Navy doctors and was once described as `` the best health care on the planet.
” But that ’ s not where members of Congress who haven ’ t exhibited symptoms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ novel coronavirus , are getting tested .
BuzzFeed News contacted the Office of the Attending Physician and more than a dozen congressional offices and found that those lawmakers who had been tested without showing symptoms did so outside the Capitol , often in their own districts .
Meanwhile , the attending physician has turned away asymptomatic lawmakers seeking tests .
“ The Office of Attending Physician ( OAP ) follows prevailing medical practice guidelines for testing individuals who may have the coronavirus infection , ” the office said on an internal website .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for testing must exhibit symptoms .
They must have no alternative explanation for illness ( such as influenza A ) , and they must have a nexus to risk.
” Sick people across the US are struggling to get tested amid a shortage of both tests and protective equipment for medical staff .
Even some health care workers have reportedly not been able to get tested , while nurses on the front lines have faced long waits to get their results .
That asymptomatic lawmakers got tested underscores a growing trend of powerful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to critical health care during the outbreak , and it highlights the confusing messaging around testing , especially that of earlier in the month as the coronavirus began to spread rapidly .
President Donald Trump has wrongly stated that everyone who wanted a test could get one , and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continued to evolve as the crisis deepens .
At least four members of Congress — Sens .
Rand Paul and Mitt Romney and Reps. John Yarmuth and Matt Gaetz — have been able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Only Paul has tested positive .
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has been tested too , but he told Fox News he had experienced allergy symptoms that he wanted to make sure were n't from COVID-19 after attending a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with people who later tested positive .
Because of the nationwide test shortages , the CDC has issued guidelines to medical staff , instructing them to focus testing on those who are showing symptoms , which include fever , cough , and difficulty breathing .
Even Vice President Mike Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after a staffer in his office tested positive — has urged Americans not to get tested unless they ’ re feeling sick .
`` If you do n't have symptoms , do n't do a test , '' Pence said this month .
`` It is another way that the American people can make sure that we are preserving the resources that our health care workers need . ''
Pence was asymptomatic but said because of his “ unique position as vice president , ” he wanted to get tested .
The Attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an extra $ 400,000 in Congress ’ s latest stimulus package to help deal with the coronavirus outbreak , has followed that advice .
The office has told lawmakers — who pay just over $ 600 per year to receive its services — to quarantine themselves if they ’ ve been in contact with someone confirmed to have the virus even if they do not show symptoms .
Such was the case for Utah Sen. Mike Lee , according to his office .
“ Sen .
Lee visited the Attending Physician of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul had tested positive for Coronavirus , ” spokesperson Conn Carroll wrote in an email .
“ After taking Sen. Lee ’ s information the doctor advised him he did not need a test.
” The same went for Florida Sen. Rick Scott .
“ Senator Scott consulted with both the Senate physician and his personal physician when he was informed that he had potentially been exposed to someone who tested positive , ” spokesperson Chris Hartline wrote in an email .
“ Both said he was low risk and should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scott did a self quarantine out of an abundance of caution .
He hasn ’ t had any symptoms and hasn ’ t been tested.
” Virginia Rep. Don Beyer also inquired with the Attending Physician ’ s Office about a test after having dinner with someone who later tested positive for the coronavirus .
Beyer had been around House leadership and many others and wanted to make sure he hadn ’ t infected them , according to his spokesperson , Aaron Fritschner .
After 90 minutes and phone conversations with three doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that because he didn ’ t have any symptoms , he didn ’ t meet the threshold for testing , Fritschner said .
At least one lawmaker — Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart — has been tested by the Attending Physician ’ s Office but was exhibiting symptoms .
Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus , followed by Utah Rep. Ben McAdams , who was tested by his local doctor after getting sick .
But as the CDC notes , its guidelines are just that — guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as individual doctors , ultimately make their own decisions about who gets tested .
Some doctors have even charged patients hundreds of dollars to be administered unapproved tests ; last week , rapper Cardi B called out fellow celebrities for paying thousands to get tested despite not showing symptoms .
The members of Congress who have been tested without showing symptoms have offered varying explanations as to why they were able to get access .
Paul , the first senator to test positive for the coronavirus , is keeping quiet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He ’ s said only that he took the test upon arriving in DC two weeks ago due to concerns about his extensive travel and higher risk for complications .
Last year , Paul had part of his lung removed after an altercation with a neighbor .
He didn ’ t self-quarantine after he learned he had been at the same event in early March as two people who had tested positive ( Paul ’ s office said he had no interaction with either person ) nor after he took the test @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colleagues and used the Senate gym while waiting for his test results , prompting criticism from fellow senators .
Paul — who held up a coronavirus bill earlier this month — did admit he didn ’ t fit the testing guidelines , though .
“ For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine , realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee , I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol .
The current guidelines would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested nor quarantined .
It was my extra precaution , out of concern for my damaged lung , that led me to get tested , ” he said in a statement .
Paul ’ s office did not respond to questions about who tested him or how he got tested in light of the guidelines .
Like Lee , Romney — the other senator from Utah — had been in contact with Paul before his test results came back positive , but he wasn ’ t symptomatic either .
Nevertheless , the former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Healthcare in Utah last Monday , his office said .
“ Based on Senator Romney ’ s age ( 73 ) and the duration and proximity of his exposure to Senator Paul , his physician recommended he get tested , ” spokesperson Liz Johnson said in an email .
A day later , Romney tweeted that he had tested negative .
Many of those in Utah with symptoms have struggled to get tested due to shortages and the state ’ s strict guidelines .
Since then , testing capabilities in Utah have expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tested , the state relaxed its guidelines .
Still , the guidance tells medical staff to prioritize those with symptoms combined with other risk factors .
Asked how Romney got tested , considering the guidelines , Johnson said , “ Senator Romney ’ s physician recommended he be tested and he received testing at Intermountain Healthcare .
You ’ d have to ask Intermountain directly about specifics regarding their testing questionnaire/criteria.
” Intermountain said that due to federal privacy laws , it couldn ’ t confirm whether someone was a patient or provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health acknowledged “ a couple caveats ” to its guidelines .
“ [ T ] his guidance is for testing at the Public Health Lab , but many commercial labs and health care facilities have adopted it , ” spokesperson Tom Hudachko wrote in an email to BuzzFeed News .
“ The guidance is simply that , guidance — and when we are not experiencing a shortage of materials ( which we currently are not ) , providers are advised to exercise clinical judgement in determining who should be tested.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose state has also experienced test shortages and backlogs , was tested back home as well .
Yarmuth , who chairs the House Budget Committee , “ was tested in Louisville , KY after being informed that he came into close contact with a person who had since tested positive , ” his office said .
“ The test consisted of a nasal swab and an oral swab .
He received his results about 24 hours later , ” spokesperson Christopher Schuler said by email .
Schuler said Yarmuth “ was directed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Public Health and Wellness to get tested because of his direct exposure to an individual who had tested positive.
” Yarmuth ’ s exposure was at the same event in Kentucky that Paul had attended .
“ [ A ] t the time the Congressman was exposed , it was CDC ’ s guideline that those in direct contact be tested , ” Schuler said .
“ He was seated next to and interacted with an individual who was then known to be positive throughout the charity event , ” Schuler said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his doctor and was then tested by a local provider .
This wasn ’ t anything done through the Attending Physicians office or some sort of special avenue of access provided to House members.
” Jean Porter , a spokesperson for the Louisville mayor , confirmed that the local health department had informed Yarmuth “ he ’ d been in close contact with someone who has tested positive ” and that the head of the department “ recommended , per CDC guidelines , that he consult with his health care provider about testing.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that those with symptoms should be prioritized , but it ’ s ultimately up to a doctor ’ s discretion .
The day before Yarmuth was tested , only 153 Kentuckians had been tested , according to a local news report .
“ We ’ re only testing the ones that are the sickest , '' Dr. Sarah Moyer , Louisville 's chief health strategist , reportedly said at the time .
Less than a week later , another news report said testing was still being reserved for the sickest patients due to @ @ @ @

At least one lawmaker — Florida Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart — has been tested by the Attending Physician’s Office but was exhibiting symptoms. Diaz-Balart became the first member of Congress to test positive for the coronavirus, followed by Utah Rep. Ben McAdams, who was tested by his local doctor after getting sick.
But as the CDC notes, its guidelines are just that — guidelines — so local and state health authorities, as well as individual doctors, ultimately make their own decisions about who gets tested. Some doctors have even charged patients hundreds of dollars to be administered unapproved tests; last week, rapper Cardi B called out fellow celebrities for paying thousands to get tested despite not showing symptoms.
The members of Congress who have been tested without showing symptoms have offered varying explanations as to why they were able to get access.
Paul, the first senator to test positive for the coronavirus, is keeping quiet about where and how he got tested. He’s said only that he took the test upon arriving in DC two weeks ago due to concerns about his extensive travel and higher risk for complications. Last year, Paul had part of his lung removed after an altercation with a neighbor. He didn’t self-quarantine after he learned he had been at the same event in early March as two people who had tested positive (Paul’s office said he had no interaction with either person) nor after he took the test. In Washington, he mingled with colleagues and used the Senate gym while waiting for his test results, prompting criticism from fellow senators.
Paul — who held up a coronavirus bill earlier this month — did admit he didn’t fit the testing guidelines, though.
“For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine, realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol. The current guidelines would not have called for me to get tested nor quarantined. It was my extra precaution, out of concern for my damaged lung, that led me to get tested,” he said in a statement.
Paul’s office did not respond to questions about who tested him or how he got tested in light of the guidelines.
Like Lee, Romney — the other senator from Utah — had been in contact with Paul before his test results came back positive, but he wasn’t symptomatic either. Nevertheless, the former Republican presidential candidate got tested at Intermountain Healthcare in Utah last Monday, his office said. “Based on Senator Romney’s age (73) and the duration and proximity of his exposure to Senator Paul, his physician recommended he get tested,” spokesperson Liz Johnson said in an email. A day later, Romney tweeted that he had tested negative.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-18--Here’s How US Coronavirus Testing Has Failed Every Step Of The Way

A vital month of testing time was lost in the US because of a bad strategy and an unreliable CDC test .
Over the past six weeks , coronavirus testing in the United States has been dogged by both bureaucratic bungling and technical errors , leaving public health authorities largely ignorant of the true extent of the outbreak .
While US confirmed cases just crossed the 5,000 mark , some experts estimate the real count is closer to 50,000 , with most undetected as states scramble to get wide-scale testing underway .
The government ’ s failures affected every step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial throat swab to the genetic sequencing .
Here ’ s how .
Patient is swabbed in the nose and throat .
Until the end of February , the CDC guidelines only allowed testing of people who had traveled to China or who had had contact with those travelers , missing lots of people who had worrying symptoms but did not know of any such contacts .
Even now , state and local health departments have a confusing patchwork of requirements for testing .
Unlike South Korea , which planned for drive-through swab @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has largely relied on in-office swabbing , wasting time and equipment .
Chemicals break apart the virus and stabilize its genetic material , called RNA .
The CDC test required proprietary kits for isolating the virus ’ s RNA from swab and spit samples .
These kits promptly ran out , slowing testing .
South Korea invested in equipment and staff to automate these tests in large batches .
The CDC test , in contrast , is slow and labor-intensive .
The virus ’ s RNA is put in a test tube .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that genetic material is heated to split it in half .
A that is specific to the virus then attaches to the DNA , and then doubles the amount of this genetic material .
With each doubling , a is fired by the chemical reaction .
The CDC supplied three of these primers with each test .
One primer proved unreliable for nearly every lab that tried it , as did a second one in some big state public health labs , notably New York ’ s .
Despite these failures , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other labs permission to make their own tests until the end of February , losing a month of testing time .
By watching whether the grows with each cycle , scientists can tell if a patient ’ s sample had the virus in it .
When done correctly , each test should take only about a few hours to complete .
In the US , results are often taking four or more days if they are available at all .
Federal officials waited until early March to invite large private labs , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to begin coronavirus testing , leaving the US with a backlog of swab samples even as case numbers double every two days .
Until the end of February , the CDC guidelines only allowed testing of people who had traveled to China or who had had contact with those travelers , missing lots of people who had worrying symptoms but did not know of any such contacts .
Even now , state and local health departments have a confusing patchwork of requirements for testing .
In early February , the FDA had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , barring the use of similar tests from other laboratories and the very effective test from the World Health Organization .
Unlike South Korea , which planned for drive-thru swab collection to accelerate testing , the US has largely relied on in-office swabbing , wasting time and equipment .
Chemicals break apart the virus and stabilize its genetic material , called RNA .
The CDC test required proprietary kits for isolating the virus ’ s RNA from swab and spit samples .
These kits promptly ran out , slowing testing .
South Korea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these tests in large batches .
The CDC test , in contrast , is slow and labor-intensive .
The virus ’ s RNA is put in a test tube .
The RNA is transformed into DNA , and that genetic material is heated to split it in half .
A “ primer ” that is specific to the virus then attaches to the DNA , and another chemical then doubles the amount of this genetic material .
With each doubling , a fluorescent signal is fired by the chemical reaction .
The CDC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ test .
One primer proved unreliable for nearly every lab that tried it , as did a second one in some big public health labs , notably New York ’ s .
Despite these failures , the CDC and FDA did not give other labs permission to make their own tests until the end of February , losing a month of testing time .
By watching whether the fluorescent signal grows with each cycle , scientists can tell if a patient 's sample had the virus in it .
When done correctly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few hours to complete .

Over the past six weeks, coronavirus testing in the United States has been dogged by both bureaucratic bungling and technical errors, leaving public health authorities largely ignorant of the true extent of the outbreak. While US confirmed cases just crossed the 5,000 mark, some experts estimate the real count is closer to 50,000, with most undetected as states scramble to get wide-scale testing underway.
The government’s failures affected every step of the testing process, from the initial throat swab to the genetic sequencing. Here’s how.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-18--Immigration Judges Across The US Are Staying Home After The Coronavirus Hit Courtrooms

A Honduran migrant wears a sanitary mask while waiting in line to plead for asylum at the El Chaparral border crossing in Tijuana , Mexico , March 2 .
In immigration courtrooms in New York and San Francisco Tuesday , large numbers of judges stayed home from work as their union announced that a judge in Denver had symptoms of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus , and in Atlanta an attorney tested positive for the virus — just one day after he appeared in a crowded courtroom .
The move comes as many parties on opposite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration court system have come together to demand that the Department of Justice temporarily halt court proceedings amidst the global pandemic — something the agency has thus far refused to do .
The agency has said that it is closely reviewing the situation and it has postponed preliminary immigration court hearings across the country .
On Tuesday , officials temporarily shut immigration offices around the country because of the virus .
But officials have resisted calls to shut the courts as a whole .
Such a closure could further exacerbate a booming backlog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number that has grown during the Trump administration .
Late Tuesday , the Department of Justice announced it would shut down several courts , including those in New York , Memphis , and Los Angeles .
The agency also announced that it would only hold hearings for those currently detained by ICE officials , a significant drawback in caseload .
Courtrooms are not good places to practice social distancing .
They are often cramped , with judges , attorneys , family members , experts , and others gathering in close proximity for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has made it clear in recent days that they do not value the health and safety of their own employees , much less the health and safety of DHS counsel , respondents , and respondents attorneys , ” said one ICE prosecutor , who spoke on condition of anonymity because they could not comment publicly .
“ It ’ s pretty shocking to see .
I hope they do the right thing and shut down the courts immediately for the welfare of all involved.
” Another immigration court official added that it feels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration judges , law clerks , security staff , and most importantly , respondents , is far less of a priority than enforcing the nation ’ s immigration policies.
” Meanwhile , people within the system are starting to get infected .
On Tuesday , judges took matters into their own hands .
Nine out of 37 judges in one New York courtroom failed to appear Tuesday , while in San Francisco , where authorities yesterday issued a shelter in place order for residents , 15 out of 22 judges were no-shows , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statistics .
Figures were unavailable for other courts across the country .
The mass absenteeism meant some cases had to be delayed even as the courts grappled with an already enormous backlog .
Dana Marks , a 65-year-old judge in San Francisco and former president of the union , said she stayed out Tuesday after California Gov .
Gavin Newsom ordered that those 65 and older should stay in their homes .
She said she and everyone else in the court system had “ been unnecessarily placed in a quandary : do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she asked , “ or do we follow the local guidance from health department officials ?
” She added : “ We are very much between a rock and a hard place because DOJ has not closed the courts as we have repeatedly demanded.
” Despite an advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against gatherings of more than 10 people , immigration court waiting rooms overflow with attorneys and migrants awaiting their still-scheduled hearings .
Even this week , attorneys have been posting to social media documenting standing-room-only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hundreds of migrants being held along the border under the Remain in Mexico program are still being shepherded across the border for court hearings .
An immigration attorney in Denver said she ’ s been suffering from coronavirus symptoms — although she has not been able to get a test — and nevertheless remains torn about whether to come to court .
Asking for a delay would mean her clients had to remain in detention , but showing up would endanger those around her .
“ We should n't have to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to protect our clients , ” said the attorney , Christina Brown .
“ That 's really freaking unfair to put anyone in that position .
”

In immigration courtrooms in New York and San Francisco Tuesday, large numbers of judges stayed home from work as their union announced that a judge in Denver had symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and in Atlanta an attorney tested positive for the virus — just one day after he appeared in a crowded courtroom.
The move comes as many parties on opposite sides in the nation’s sprawling immigration court system have come together to demand that the Department of Justice temporarily halt court proceedings amidst the global pandemic — something the agency has thus far refused to do.
The agency has said that it is closely reviewing the situation and it has postponed preliminary immigration court hearings across the country. On Tuesday, officials temporarily shut immigration offices around the country because of the virus. But officials have resisted calls to shut the courts as a whole. Such a closure could further exacerbate a booming backlog of more than a million cases — a number that has grown during the Trump administration.
Late Tuesday, the Department of Justice announced it would shut down several courts, including those in New York, Memphis, and Los Angeles. The agency also announced that it would only hold hearings for those currently detained by ICE officials, a significant drawback in caseload.
Courtrooms are not good places to practice social distancing. They are often cramped, with judges, attorneys, family members, experts, and others gathering in close proximity for hearings.
The Department of Justice “has made it clear in recent days that they do not value the health and safety of their own employees, much less the health and safety of DHS counsel, respondents, and respondents attorneys,” said one ICE prosecutor, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they could not comment publicly. “It’s pretty shocking to see. I hope they do the right thing and shut down the courts immediately for the welfare of all involved.”
Another immigration court official added that it feels like “the health and safety of immigration judges, law clerks, security staff, and most importantly, respondents, is far less of a priority than enforcing the nation’s immigration policies.”
Meanwhile, people within the system are starting to get infected.
On Tuesday, judges took matters into their own hands. Nine out of 37 judges in one New York courtroom failed to appear Tuesday, while in San Francisco, where authorities yesterday issued a shelter in place order for residents, 15 out of 22 judges were no-shows, according to an official with knowledge of the statistics. Figures were unavailable for other courts across the country.
The mass absenteeism meant some cases had to be delayed even as the courts grappled with an already enormous backlog.
Dana Marks, a 65-year-old judge in San Francisco and former president of the union, said she stayed out Tuesday after California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered that those 65 and older should stay in their homes.
She said she and everyone else in the court system had “been unnecessarily placed in a quandary: do we come to work as is expected,” she asked, “or do we follow the local guidance from health department officials?” She added: “We are very much between a rock and a hard place because DOJ has not closed the courts as we have repeatedly demanded.”
Despite an advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against gatherings of more than 10 people, immigration court waiting rooms overflow with attorneys and migrants awaiting their still-scheduled hearings. Even this week, attorneys have been posting to social media documenting standing-room-only courtrooms and crowded waiting rooms.
Meanwhile, hundreds of migrants being held along the border under the Remain in Mexico program are still being shepherded across the border for court hearings.
An immigration attorney in Denver said she’s been suffering from coronavirus symptoms — although she has not been able to get a test — and nevertheless remains torn about whether to come to court. Asking for a delay would mean her clients had to remain in detention, but showing up would endanger those around her.
“We shouldn't have to make these decisions to either protect our families or to protect our clients,” said the attorney, Christina Brown. “That's really freaking unfair to put anyone in that position.”


buzzfeednews--2020-03-18--Joe Biden Is Winning Tuesday's Primaries. It Feels Completely Beside The Point.

Joe Biden is blowing out Bernie Sanders in Florida , Illinois , and Arizona on Tuesday night .
Also , over 6,000 people in the country have tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , and it 's difficult to think about anything else .
Even in a normally functioning world , this primary night would have lacked drama ( Ohio 's primary was ordered shuttered amid coronavirus fears ) .
Biden , in the last two weeks , has built up a lead in delegates and polling support that looks basically impossible for Sanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already lost most of its suspense .
And this is not a normally functioning world .
When the federal government strongly recommends not being in a group of more than 10 people , voting and campaigning take on a very different mood .
What ’ s the greater civic responsibility right now : voting in our democracy or slowing the spread of the coronavirus by avoiding the crowds many polling centers bring out ?
Outcomes of individual state primaries , where turnout is significantly different than what it would have been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Do you remember anything that happened in the presidential debate Sunday night ?
Aside from the brief terror I felt when Biden coughed twice at its start , I do not .
I get paid to remember these things .
The primary isn ’ t exactly over : Sanders is , for now , still in it .
Tulsi Gabbard is still out there , presumably surfing .
It just feels beside the point when most of us are sitting in our homes waiting for something catastrophic to happen .
At this moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for sure when the next primary votes will be .
This is not to pretend the differences in policy and approach between Sanders and Biden aren ’ t meaningful , that democracy should be disregarded in a crisis , or that the candidates don ’ t represent very different ideas for what the future of this country could look like .
It ’ s just hard to think about January 2021 when there ’ s so much uncertainty about next Monday .
The whole of this primary campaign has been bizarre .
Twenty-eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their candidacies , including a scammy small-city Florida mayor and a surprisingly successful small-city Indiana mayor , two Johns , two Joes , a mass of men with last names beginning with the letter B , and Marianne Williamson .
When the primaries were beginning , many candidates were unable to campaign because they were in the middle of trying to remove the current president from office .
Now with the primaries winding down , the remaining candidates are unable to campaign because they ’ re in the middle of a pandemic .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those of us who have been covering this election and for the people working within it .
It ’ s a feeling of running in sleet as fast as you possibly can while your family is shouting at you for your attention , and then suddenly hitting a wall and everything going silent .
The Iowa caucus disaster was six weeks ago .
Biden ’ s collapse in New Hampshire , what I and many others thought could ’ ve been the end of his campaign , was five .
Just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nevada looking like the likely nominee .
It ’ s barely been two weeks since Biden came back in South Carolina and rallied the establishment , two weeks since Super Tuesday when he swept up .
I was in Iowa for a little over a week leading up to the caucuses there , starting to read stories in the hotel lobby with other campaign reporters about the virus going around China .
International businesses had started canceling travel .
We were able to get an extra few days at our nice hotel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the not-so-nice hotel , and it seemed like a pretty good deal .
I went to Las Vegas for the first time in my life in the days before the Nevada caucuses and got absolutely lost trying to figure out how to find the street from inside the sprawling neon .
I spent about 15 minutes watching a dozen men play craps shoulder to shoulder , completely unable to figure out what the rules were .
When I landed back at JFK in New York after , I first noticed how many people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feel like artifacts of another world .
Joe Biden is winning the primary , Joe Biden seems likely to keep winning the primary , and I have no idea when any of us will next be in a place like a casino .

Joe Biden is blowing out Bernie Sanders in Florida, Illinois, and Arizona on Tuesday night. Also, over 6,000 people in the country have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and it's difficult to think about anything else.
Even in a normally functioning world, this primary night would have lacked drama (Ohio's primary was ordered shuttered amid coronavirus fears). Biden, in the last two weeks, has built up a lead in delegates and polling support that looks basically impossible for Sanders to overcome. The Democratic presidential primary had already lost most of its suspense.
And this is not a normally functioning world.
When the federal government strongly recommends not being in a group of more than 10 people, voting and campaigning take on a very different mood. What’s the greater civic responsibility right now: voting in our democracy or slowing the spread of the coronavirus by avoiding the crowds many polling centers bring out? Outcomes of individual state primaries, where turnout is significantly different than what it would have been in a normal environment, feel unremarkable.
Do you remember anything that happened in the presidential debate Sunday night? Aside from the brief terror I felt when Biden coughed twice at its start, I do not. I get paid to remember these things.
The primary isn’t exactly over: Sanders is, for now, still in it. Tulsi Gabbard is still out there, presumably surfing. It just feels beside the point when most of us are sitting in our homes waiting for something catastrophic to happen. At this moment, we can’t even say for sure when the next primary votes will be.
This is not to pretend the differences in policy and approach between Sanders and Biden aren’t meaningful, that democracy should be disregarded in a crisis, or that the candidates don’t represent very different ideas for what the future of this country could look like. It’s just hard to think about January 2021 when there’s so much uncertainty about next Monday.
The whole of this primary campaign has been bizarre. Twenty-eight Democrats at one point or another declared their candidacies, including a scammy small-city Florida mayor and a surprisingly successful small-city Indiana mayor, two Johns, two Joes, a mass of men with last names beginning with the letter B, and Marianne Williamson. When the primaries were beginning, many candidates were unable to campaign because they were in the middle of trying to remove the current president from office. Now with the primaries winding down, the remaining candidates are unable to campaign because they’re in the middle of a pandemic.
It’s a particularly unsettling sensation for those of us who have been covering this election and for the people working within it. It’s a feeling of running in sleet as fast as you possibly can while your family is shouting at you for your attention, and then suddenly hitting a wall and everything going silent. The Iowa caucus disaster was six weeks ago. Biden’s collapse in New Hampshire, what I and many others thought could’ve been the end of his campaign, was five. Just about four weeks ago, Sanders came out of Nevada looking like the likely nominee. It’s barely been two weeks since Biden came back in South Carolina and rallied the establishment, two weeks since Super Tuesday when he swept up.
I was in Iowa for a little over a week leading up to the caucuses there, starting to read stories in the hotel lobby with other campaign reporters about the virus going around China. International businesses had started canceling travel. We were able to get an extra few days at our nice hotel in Des Moines before getting bumped to the not-so-nice hotel, and it seemed like a pretty good deal. I went to Las Vegas for the first time in my life in the days before the Nevada caucuses and got absolutely lost trying to figure out how to find the street from inside the sprawling neon. I spent about 15 minutes watching a dozen men play craps shoulder to shoulder, completely unable to figure out what the rules were. When I landed back at JFK in New York after, I first noticed how many people were wearing masks.
These moments now feel like artifacts of another world. Joe Biden is winning the primary, Joe Biden seems likely to keep winning the primary, and I have no idea when any of us will next be in a place like a casino.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-18--Congress Passed A Major Coronavirus Aid Bill And Is Already Working On Another

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( third from left ) walks from his office to the Senate floor at the Capitol , March 18 .
The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter Outbreak Today .
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a multibillion-dollar coronavirus aid package Wednesday .
It is expected to be quickly signed into law by President Donald Trump .
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by a vote of 90–8 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , orders free coronavirus testing , and mandates paid sick leave and childcare leave — but only for certain employees .
Many Senate Republicans criticized the package .
But most held their noses and voted for it after the White House lobbied to pass the bill immediately rather than get bogged down with amendments .
“ I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers , ” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell before the bill passed on Wednesday .
The bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100 billion worth of aid .
The Senate will now turn to negotiating a much larger aid bill — potentially worth up to $ 1 trillion — to save the economy , primarily focused on keeping small businesses and the airline industry afloat .
An $ 8.3 billion spending package to fight and treat the virus passed in early March .
The House first passed the Families First Act early Saturday morning .
In response to Republican objections , significant amendments were passed Monday , including limiting who will qualify for paid sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of paid sick leave to employees who have COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
They will be paid their entire salary , up to $ 511 per day ( which works out to about $ 130,000 per year ) .
However , the bill contains many loopholes that allow employers not to offer sick leave .
Large companies with over 500 employees are exempt , and businesses with under 50 employees can be exempted as well .
Health providers such as hospitals and nursing homes are also exempt .

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus. To help keep this news free, become a member and sign up for our newsletter Outbreak Today.
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a multibillion-dollar coronavirus aid package Wednesday. It is expected to be quickly signed into law by President Donald Trump.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act passed by a vote of 90–8. It expands Medicaid and unemployment benefits, orders free coronavirus testing, and mandates paid sick leave and childcare leave — but only for certain employees.
Many Senate Republicans criticized the package. But most held their noses and voted for it after the White House lobbied to pass the bill immediately rather than get bogged down with amendments.
“I do not believe we should let perfection be the enemy of something that will help even a subset of workers,” said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell before the bill passed on Wednesday.
The bill is projected to authorize well over $100 billion worth of aid. The Senate will now turn to negotiating a much larger aid bill — potentially worth up to $1 trillion — to save the economy, primarily focused on keeping small businesses and the airline industry afloat. An $8.3 billion spending package to fight and treat the virus passed in early March.
The House first passed the Families First Act early Saturday morning. In response to Republican objections, significant amendments were passed Monday, including limiting who will qualify for paid sick leave. The bill offers two weeks of paid sick leave to employees who have COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. They will be paid their entire salary, up to $511 per day (which works out to about $130,000 per year).
However, the bill contains many loopholes that allow employers not to offer sick leave. Large companies with over 500 employees are exempt, and businesses with under 50 employees can be exempted as well. Health providers such as hospitals and nursing homes are also exempt.


buzzfeednews--2020-03-18--The First Member Of Congress Has Tested Positive For The Coronavirus

The journalists at BuzzFeed News are proud to bring you trustworthy and relevant reporting about the coronavirus .
To help keep this news free , become a member and sign up for our newsletter , Outbreak Today .
`` I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better , ” the lawmaker said in the statement .
“ However , it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus .
We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a 58-year-old Republican from Florida , said he began experiencing symptoms on Saturday “ including a fever and headache , ” according to a statement from his office .
He was informed that he tested positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , on Wednesday .
WASHINGTON — Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ben McAdams announced Wednesday that they have tested positive for the coronavirus , becoming the first members of Congress to do so since the pandemic was declared .
He added that he continued to work from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday , McAdams announced his diagnosis on Twitter , saying he got tested after developing `` a fever , a dry cough and labored breathing . ''
Please read my statement on contracting # COVID19 .
I have self-quarantined since first having symptoms and consulted with my doctor .
# utpol At the start of the 116th Congress , the average age of House representatives was 57.6 years , and the average age among senators was 62.9 years , according to the Congressional Research Service .
Many members are in their seventies and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk for the disease .
While the House is currently out on recess with members back home in their districts , the Senate has continued to work in spite of the national recommendation that people not gather in groups of more than 10 people .
The House is expected to return as well ; both chambers are working on legislation to address the coronavirus .
Although Diaz-Balart and McAdams are the first members of Congress to be diagnosed with the disease , several others have self-quarantined in recent days after contact with someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes Sen. Ted Cruz and Reps. Matt Gaetz and Doug Collins , all of whom did so after coming into contact with a person last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference who was diagnosed with the disease .
Gaetz and Collins each also met with President Donald Trump following the conference .
Cruz extended his original self-quarantine after learning he had interacted with a second person who tested positive .
He concluded his quarantine Tuesday .
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham , a top ally of Trump 's , also self-quarantined on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with at least two individuals who tested positive for the disease .
He announced on Twitter on Sunday night that his test came back negative .
Graham had been at Trump ’ s Mar-a-Lago property the weekend of March 7 with the president as well as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro , whose press secretary recently tested positive .
Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley was the first member of Congress to self-quarantine after coming into contact with a person who tested positive who was not at CPAC .
Sen. Rick Scott announced last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after being in contact with a member of the Brazilian delegation who tested positive .
“ My office was alerted today by the Brazilian Embassy that a member of President Bolsanaro ’ s delegation tested positive for Coronavirus .
On Monday , I met with [ Bolsanaro ] in Miami , and while I do not believe I interacted with the infected person , that individual was in the same room as me , ” Scott said in a statement .
Scott said he had no symptoms and was quarantining out of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who served as one of the Democratic impeachment managers , announced Tuesday that he was self-quarantining as well after interacting with a constituent who tested positive .
Diaz-Balart is not the first major Florida politician to test positive for the disease — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said last week that he had contracted COVID-19 after meeting with Bolsonaro .

At the start of the 116th Congress, the average age of House representatives was 57.6 years, and the average age among senators was 62.9 years, according to the Congressional Research Service. Many members are in their seventies and eighties, putting them at the highest risk for the disease.
While the House is currently out on recess with members back home in their districts, the Senate has continued to work in spite of the national recommendation that people not gather in groups of more than 10 people. The House is expected to return as well; both chambers are working on legislation to address the coronavirus.
Although Diaz-Balart and McAdams are the first members of Congress to be diagnosed with the disease, several others have self-quarantined in recent days after contact with someone who has been tested positive. This includes Sen. Ted Cruz and Reps. Matt Gaetz and Doug Collins, all of whom did so after coming into contact with a person last month at the Conservative Political Action Conference who was diagnosed with the disease. Gaetz and Collins each also met with President Donald Trump following the conference.
Cruz extended his original self-quarantine after learning he had interacted with a second person who tested positive. He concluded his quarantine Tuesday.
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, a top ally of Trump's, also self-quarantined on Thursday, March 12, after coming into contact with at least two individuals who tested positive for the disease. He announced on Twitter on Sunday night that his test came back negative.
Graham had been at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property the weekend of March 7 with the president as well as Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, whose press secretary recently tested positive.
Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley was the first member of Congress to self-quarantine after coming into contact with a person who tested positive who was not at CPAC. Sen. Rick Scott announced last week that he, too, was self-quarantining after being in contact with a member of the Brazilian delegation who tested positive.
“My office was alerted today by the Brazilian Embassy that a member of President Bolsanaro’s delegation tested positive for Coronavirus. On Monday, I met with [Bolsanaro] in Miami, and while I do not believe I interacted with the infected person, that individual was in the same room as me,” Scott said in a statement.
Scott said he had no symptoms and was quarantining out of an abundance of caution.
Rep. Jason Crow, who served as one of the Democratic impeachment managers, announced Tuesday that he was self-quarantining as well after interacting with a constituent who tested positive.
Diaz-Balart is not the first major Florida politician to test positive for the disease — Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said last week that he had contracted COVID-19 after meeting with Bolsonaro.