npr--2020-09-14--Biden Pledges To Dismantle Trump's Sweeping Immigration Changes — But Can He Do That?

Biden Pledges To Dismantle Trump 's Sweeping Immigration Changes — But Can He Do That ?
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is pledging to dismantle the sweeping changes President Trump has made to the American immigration system , if he wins the White House in November .
But that 's easier said than done .
`` I do n't think it 's realistic that Biden in four years could unroll everything that Trump did , '' says Sarah Pierce , a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute , a nonpartisan think tank in Washington , D.C. '' Because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Trump administration enacted while in office , even if we have a new administration , Trump will continue to have had an impact on immigration for years to come , '' Pierce says .
The Trump administration has undertaken more than 400 executive actions on immigration , according to the Migration Policy Institute .
Those include tougher border and interior enforcement , restricting asylum , rolling back Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals ( DACA ) , slashing refugee visas , streamlining immigration courts , and creating Remain in Mexico .
`` What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to simply turn off immigration and to do it unilaterally by presidential edict , without the approval of Congress or the consent of the American people , '' says Omar Jadwat , director of the ACLU 's Immigrants ' Rights Project .
`` That project should be reversed . ''
That 's exactly what Biden pledges to do .
His position paper on immigration — 51 bullet points that fill 22 pages — seeks to roll back Trump 's accomplishments , and re-enact Obama-era policies .
`` If I 'm elected president , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's assault on the dignity of immigrant communities .
We 're going to restore our moral standing in the world and our historic role as a safe haven for refugees and asylum seekers , '' Biden said in his acceptance speech at the virtual Democratic National Convention .
The former vice president has an exhaustive to-do list .
Within his first 100 days , Biden says he would implement a wide range of policies : not another mile of border wall , no more separating families , no more prolonged detentions or deportations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also says he would restore the asylum system and support alternatives to immigrant detention , such as case management , that allow an applicant to live and work in the community while their case works its way through the hearing process .
Trump has derisively called this `` catch and release . ''
And Biden would fully reinstate DACA , which allows migrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children to live and work without fear of deportation .
But if he 's elected , Biden would face a host of obstacles that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , there 's the specter of renewed chaos at the Southern border .
Last year , groups as large as 1,000 Central Americans at a time waded across the Rio Grande into El Paso , Texas , to request asylum .
The Border Patrol was overwhelmed , and ended up detaining families in primitive , unsanitary conditions .
Immigration hawks are wary that Biden would throw open the gates again .
`` They do n't want to create such a chaotic situation at the border by welcoming or incentivizing another massive influx from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who is affiliated with the Center for Immigration Studies , which favors restrictions on immigration .
Federal border officials are worried what would happen if Biden cancels bilateral agreements with Mexico that have dramatically slowed the migrant flow .
`` If Mexico right now decided they were n't going to continue to help us , people would start coming through like we saw in the caravans two springs ago .
There 's no reason that it would n't come back as bad as it was , '' says Ron Vitiello , former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection .
NPR asked a senior adviser to the Biden campaign what would happen if a new president gave migrants a green light .
The advisor said they are cognizant of that `` pull factor . ''
In fact , the people most closely watching to see if Biden defeats Trump and reverses his immigration crackdown may be beyond U.S. borders .
Some 700 migrants languish in filthy tents pitched in a public park amid mud , rats and clouds of mosquitoes .
The encampment is in Matamoros , just across the Rio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're seeking asylum in the U.S. , but stuck there under a Trump initiative known as Remain in Mexico .
`` We place our hope in Joe Biden , who is the Democratic nominee , because he would treat the immigrants very differently than Trump has , '' says Carla Garcia , speaking at her cluttered campsite .
She and her 7-year-old son are seeking protection in the United States after fleeing criminal gangs in Honduras .
`` We hope he wins and changes all of this that Trump has created , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp .
`` This is discrimination and racism . ''
For his part , the president is touting the success of Remain in Mexico , which the administration calls the Migrant Protection Protocols .
`` We do n't want 'em here .
We want 'em outside , '' Trump told cheering supporters in Yuma , Ariz. , last month .
`` We got sued all over the place , and we won .
So now they do n't come into the United States .
They can wait outside . ''
While the president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration system , human rights advocates are appalled at what they call the cruelty of his policies .
And immigrant advocates say they have high hopes that a new administration would rebuild the immigration system based on `` American values . ''
`` There 's no doubt about it , this is a monumental challenge , '' says Heidi Altman , director of policy for the National Immigrant Justice Center .
`` That means a complete and utter reorientation of the culture of the agencies that administer immigration law and policy in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tall order — and another obstacle Biden would face .
Immigration agents have enjoyed extraordinary support from the White House over the past 45 months .
The Trump administration has bragged about `` unshackling '' them to let them do their jobs more aggressively .
`` That is n't something that 's a light switch .
You ca n't change culture within an organization that vast overnight , '' says Angela Kelley , senior adviser to the American Immigration Lawyers Association .
`` So I agree that it 's going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For an example of how the Border Patrol is marching lockstep with the White House , look to a video titled `` The Gotaway , '' posted earlier this month .
CBP produced an ominous , fictionalized video on the Border Patrol 's YouTube channel that depicts a Latino migrant who had just escaped from agents , attacking and knifing a man in a dark alley .
The video was released at a time when Trump has been stoking fears about violent immigrants at his campaign rallies .
NPR inquired why the video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a week later before being re-posted .
Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott said in a statement that the video was produced `` to enhance awareness that effective border security helps keep all Americans safe , '' and it was briefly pulled because they misused copyrighted materials .
A Biden presidency also would likely find itself skirmishing with conservative lawyers the way the Trump administration has been tied up in federal courts fighting immigrant advocates .
`` If Biden is elected and his administration starts rescinding executive actions that Trump had firm legal authority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sue .
That is a fact , '' says R.J. Hauman , head of government relations at the Federation for American Immigration Reform .
`` We did so under President Obama , and we 'll do so again . ''
Finally , there 's the pandemic .
An NPR/Ipsos poll shows that a majority of Americans support Trump 's decision to shut the nation 's borders to all types of immigrants to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
Biden has not said if he would reverse that order to reopen the borders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been suspended .
So it 's anybody 's guess when the virus will subside and the nation can welcome immigrants again .

Biden Pledges To Dismantle Trump's Sweeping Immigration Changes — But Can He Do That?
Enlarge this image toggle caption Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden is pledging to dismantle the sweeping changes President Trump has made to the American immigration system, if he wins the White House in November.
But that's easier said than done.
"I don't think it's realistic that Biden in four years could unroll everything that Trump did," says Sarah Pierce, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C.
"Because of the intense volume and pace of changes the Trump administration enacted while in office, even if we have a new administration, Trump will continue to have had an impact on immigration for years to come," Pierce says.
The Trump administration has undertaken more than 400 executive actions on immigration, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Those include tougher border and interior enforcement, restricting asylum, rolling back Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), slashing refugee visas, streamlining immigration courts and creating Remain in Mexico.
"What the administration has sought to do is to simply turn off immigration and to do it unilaterally by presidential edict, without the approval of Congress or the consent of the American people," says Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU's Immigrants' Rights Project. "That project should be reversed."
That's exactly what Biden pledges to do. His position paper on immigration — 51 bullet points that fill 22 pages — seeks to roll back Trump's accomplishments and reenact Obama-era policies.
"If I'm elected president, we're going to immediately end Trump's assault on the dignity of immigrant communities. We're going to restore our moral standing in the world and our historic role as a safe haven for refugees and asylum-seekers," Biden said in his acceptance speech at the virtual Democratic National Convention.
The former vice president has an exhaustive to-do list. Within his first 100 days, Biden says he would implement a wide range of policies: not another mile of border wall, no more separating families, no more prolonged detentions or deportations of peaceable, hardworking migrants.
Biden also says he would restore the asylum system and support alternatives to immigrant detention, such as case management, that allow an applicant to live and work in the community while their case works its way through the hearing process. Trump has derisively called this "catch and release."
And Biden would fully reinstate DACA, which allows migrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children to live and work without fear of deportation.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images
But if he's elected, Biden would face a host of obstacles that could slow his immigration counter-revolution.
First, there's the specter of renewed chaos at the Southern border. Last year, groups as large as 1,000 Central Americans at a time waded across the Rio Grande into El Paso, Texas, to request asylum. The Border Patrol was overwhelmed and ended up detaining families in primitive, unsanitary conditions. Immigration hawks are wary that Biden would throw open the gates again.
"They don't want to create such a chaotic situation at the border by welcoming or incentivizing another massive influx from Central America," says Jerry Kammer, who is affiliated with the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors restrictions on immigration.
Federal border officials are worried what would happen if Biden cancels bilateral agreements with Mexico that have dramatically slowed the migrant flow.
"If Mexico right now decided they weren't going to continue to help us, people would start coming through like we saw in the caravans two springs ago. There's no reason that it wouldn't come back as bad as it was," says Ron Vitiello, former deputy commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
NPR asked a senior adviser to the Biden campaign what would happen if a new president gave migrants a green light. The adviser said they are cognizant of that "pull factor."
In fact, the people most closely watching to see if Biden defeats Trump and reverses his immigration crackdown may be beyond U.S. borders.
Some 700 migrants languish in filthy tents pitched in a public park amid mud, rats and clouds of mosquitoes. The encampment is in Matamoros, just across the Rio Grande from Brownsville, Texas. They're seeking asylum in the U.S. but are stuck there under a Trump initiative known as Remain in Mexico.
"We place our hope in Joe Biden, who is the Democratic nominee, because he would treat the immigrants very differently than Trump has," says Carla Garcia, speaking at her cluttered campsite. She and her 7-year-old son are seeking protection in the United States after fleeing criminal gangs in Honduras.
"We hope he wins and changes all of this that Trump has created," Garcia says, motioning to the bedraggled camp. "This is discrimination and racism."
toggle caption Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
For his part, the president is touting the success of Remain in Mexico, which the administration calls the Migrant Protection Protocols.
"We don't want 'em here. We want 'em outside," Trump told cheering supporters in Yuma, Ariz., last month. "We got sued all over the place, and we won. So now they don't come into the United States. They can wait outside."
While the president says he has single-handedly restored a broken immigration system, human rights advocates are appalled at what they call the cruelty of his policies. And immigrant advocates say they have high hopes that a new administration would rebuild the immigration system based on "American values."
"There's no doubt about it, this is a monumental challenge," says Heidi Altman, director of policy for the National Immigrant Justice Center. "That means a complete and utter reorientation of the culture of the agencies that administer immigration law and policy in the United States."
But that's a tall order — and another obstacle Biden would face. Immigration agents have enjoyed extraordinary support from the White House over the past 45 months. The Trump administration has bragged about "unshackling" them to let them do their jobs more aggressively.
"That isn't something that's a light switch. You can't change culture within an organization that vast overnight," says Angela Kelley, senior adviser to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. "So I agree that it's going to be a long, long road."
For an example of how the Border Patrol is marching lockstep with the White House, look to a video titled "The Gotaway," posted earlier this month.
CBP produced an ominous, fictionalized video on the Border Patrol's YouTube channel that depicts a Latino migrant who had just escaped from agents, attacking and knifing a man in a dark alley. The video was released at a time when Trump has been stoking fears about violent immigrants at his campaign rallies.
NPR inquired why the video was made and why it was removed a week later before being re-posted. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott said in a statement that the video was produced "to enhance awareness that effective border security helps keep all Americans safe," and it was briefly pulled because they misused copyrighted materials.
A Biden presidency also would likely find itself skirmishing with conservative lawyers the way the Trump administration has been tied up in federal courts fighting immigrant advocates.
"If Biden is elected and his administration starts rescinding executive actions that Trump had firm legal authority to do, groups like us will sue. That is a fact," says R.J. Hauman, head of government relations at the Federation for American Immigration Reform. "We did so under President Obama, and we'll do so again."
Finally, there's the pandemic. An NPR/Ipsos poll shows that a majority of Americans support Trump's decision to shut the nation's borders to all types of immigrants to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Biden has not said if he would reverse that order to reopen the borders and jump-start the asylum process, which has been suspended. So it's anybody's guess when the virus will subside and the nation can welcome immigrants again.


npr--2020-09-14--Despite A New Federal Ban, Many Renters Are Still Getting Evicted

Despite A New Federal Ban , Many Renters Are Still Getting Evicted Before a new federal eviction ban went into effect recently , Alice and Jeremy Bumpus were on the verge of getting evicted .
They live in a house outside Houston with their three kids .
And they both lost their jobs after the pandemic hit .
Alice worked at an airport fast food restaurant ; Jeremy at a warehouse .
`` We explained to the judge that due to everything that was going on , we just fell behind on just our one month 's rent , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missing one month 's rent gives the landlord the right to evict you .
So the judge ruled against them .
Evictions have been back underway in Houston , even though the state remains a hot spot for COVID-19 — with around 4,000 new cases every day .
It appears they should have qualified for unemployment , but the state office told them they did n't .
Jeremy 's mother also lives with them .
`` My mom is 68 , '' he says .
`` And that 's what we worry about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` You know how much more we 're going to be at risk when we have to move up out of our home .
My mother-in-law is very sickly . ''
Their landlord did n't respond to NPR 's repeated requests for an interview .
At this point they had to get out of the house in a matter of days and they did n't have enough money to rent another place .
`` The kids are a little a little worried , '' Alice Bumpus says .
`` They know at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're going to do whatever that it takes to protect them .
But you know it was hard talking to them . ''
But then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new eviction moratorium .
The ban is nationwide — but it 's not automatic .
And many renters facing eviction still do n't know about the ban or understand the rules or their rights .
`` In order for tenants to be covered , they have to send a written declaration to the landlord , '' says Velimir Rasic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aid who is representing the Bumpus family .
Tenants have to swear that , among other things , they have no options besides being homeless or moving in with other people in close quarters .
Rasic `` called us and had us sign a paper , '' Jeremy Bumpus says .
Rasic advises renters to email it to the landlord , or to send it certified mail with a return receipt requested so they can prove they sent it .
And now it looks like the CDC eviction ban is going to protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
The court told law enforcement not to evict them .
But the Bumpus family was lucky that they managed to get a legal aid lawyer to help them .
By one count , just in the Houston area , more than 9,000 eviction cases have been filed during the pandemic .
Houston is one of the ground zero cities when it comes to evictions .
And less than 4 % of those renters facing eviction have a lawyer .
Houston Public Media sent a reporter to four different courthouses last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and found that only one renter was able to use the CDC order to block their eviction .
So in 99 % of those cases the order was having no effect at all .
Legal aid attorneys in Houston also say it 's still too often business as usual at eviction hearings .
The judges are n't asking landlords if tenants sent them CDC declarations .
Many tenants do n't show up .
And among those that do , most do n't appear to even know about their rights under the CDC order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that .
And in the vast majority of cases , the landlord is given the right to evict them .
That 's despite the CDC order , in the middle of a pandemic .
`` This is a emergency order from the Center for Disease Control to prevent people from dying , '' says John Henneberger , co-director of Texas Housers , a prominent housing policy nonprofit .
He 's watching this play out in courts across the state and the country .
And he sees lots of confusion .
`` We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ between [ when ] the order hits and the courts and the govt bureaucracy figures out how to actually implement it , '' he says .
Henneberger says the state judicial systems need to quickly offer more guidance to lower court judges on how to do that .
`` There 's a lot of people already falling through the cracks , '' he says .
`` And every day that goes on people 's lives are being put at risk by being evicted .
And he fears things are likely to get worse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Census Pulse Survey , aimed at assessing the effects of the pandemic , which finds that both in Texas and nationally about a quarter of renters have low confidence in meeting their next rent payment .
Meanwhile , landlords say the CDC eviction ban is n't fair to them because there 's no money in it for the unpaid rent .
Paula Cino is with the National Multifamily Housing Council , which represents landlords .
She says with tens of millions of Americans out of work , Congress needs to pass another stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans still are n't working , they have depleted their savings , '' Cino says .
`` When a renter does n't pay , then we ca n't make our mortgage payments , pay our payroll .
And that really creates the opportunity for a systemic failure in the housing market . ''
For their part , Jeremy and Alice Bumpus are glad they 're not getting evicted for now .
`` It gives us time to actually figure out what we can do , '' Jeremy Bumpus says .
Alice Bumpus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unemployment benefits , though the money has n't started coming yet .
`` This situation could happen to anyone , '' she says .
`` Sometimes life throws you curve balls and it just depends on how you handle that curve ball .
So right now , we 're hitting the best we could and just keep moving forward . ''
Jeremy Bumpus has signed up with three different food delivery services and he and his wife are trying to start a business doing delivery , car detailing and all kinds of odd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ piece together enough income to afford a place to live .

Despite A New Federal Ban, Many Renters Are Still Getting Evicted
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeremy Bumpus Jeremy Bumpus
Before a new federal eviction ban went into effect recently, Alice and Jeremy Bumpus were on the verge of getting evicted. They live in a house outside Houston with their three kids, and they both lost their jobs after the pandemic hit. Alice worked at an airport fast food restaurant; Jeremy worked at a warehouse.
"We explained to the judge that due to everything that was going on, we just fell behind on just our one month's rent," Alice says.
But in Texas, missing one month's rent gives the landlord the right to evict you. The judge ruled against them. Evictions have been back underway in Houston, even though the state remains a hot spot for COVID-19 — with about 4,000 new cases every day.
It appears they should have qualified for unemployment, but the state office told them they didn't.
Jeremy's mother also lives with them. "My mom is 68," he says.
"And that's what we worry about the most," Alice Bumpus adds. "You know how much more we're going to be at risk when we have to move up out of our home. My mother-in-law is very sickly."
Their landlord didn't respond to NPR's repeated requests for an interview. At this point they had to get out of the house in a matter of days and they didn't have enough money to rent another place.
"The kids are a little worried," Alice Bumpus says. "They know at the end of the day that we're going to do whatever that it takes to protect them. But you know it was hard talking to them."
But then the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new eviction moratorium. The ban is nationwide — but it's not automatic. And many renters facing eviction still don't know about the ban or understand the rules or their rights.
"In order for tenants to be covered, they have to send a written declaration to the landlord," says Velimir Rasic, an attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid who is representing the Bumpus family.
Tenants have to swear that, among other things, they have no options besides being homeless or moving in with other people in close quarters.
Rasic "called us and had us sign a paper," Jeremy Bumpus says. Rasic advises renters to email it to the landlord, or to send it certified mail with a return receipt requested so they can prove they sent it.
And now it looks like the CDC eviction ban is going to protect the family until the end of the year. The court told law enforcement not to evict them.
But the Bumpus family was lucky that they managed to get a legal aid lawyer to help them. By one count, just in the Houston area, more than 9,000 eviction cases have been filed during the pandemic. Houston is one of the ground zero cities when it comes to evictions. And less than 4% of those renters facing eviction have a lawyer.
Houston Public Media sent a reporter to four different courthouses last week to observe about 100 eviction cases and found that only one renter was able to use the CDC order to block eviction. So in 99% of those cases the order was having no effect at all.
Legal aid attorneys in Houston also say it's still too often business as usual at eviction hearings. The judges aren't asking landlords if tenants sent them CDC declarations. Many tenants don't show up. And among those that do, most don't appear to even know about their rights under the CDC order. The judges don't ask them about that. And in the vast majority of cases, the landlord is given the right to evict them. That's despite the CDC order, in the middle of a pandemic.
"This is a emergency order from the Center for Disease Control to prevent people from dying," says John Henneberger, co-director of Texas Housers, a prominent housing policy nonprofit. He's watching this play out in courts across the state and the country. And he sees lots of confusion.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jen Rice/Houston Public Media Jen Rice/Houston Public Media
"We're still working in that murky period between [when] the order hits and the courts and the government bureaucracy figures out how to actually implement it," he says. Henneberger says the state judicial systems need to quickly offer more guidance to lower court judges on how to do that.
"There's a lot of people already falling through the cracks," he says. "And every day that goes on people's lives are being put at risk by being evicted.
And he fears things are likely to get worse. Henneberger points to an ongoing U.S. Census Pulse Survey, aimed at assessing the effects of the pandemic, which finds that both in Texas and nationally about a quarter of renters have low confidence in meeting their next rent payment.
Meanwhile, landlords say the CDC eviction ban isn't fair to them because there's no money in it for the unpaid rent. Paula Cino is with the National Multifamily Housing Council, which represents landlords. She says with tens of millions of Americans out of work, Congress needs to pass another stimulus bill with help for renters.
"Americans still aren't working, they have depleted their savings," Cino says. "When a renter doesn't pay, then we can't make our mortgage payments, pay our payroll. And that really creates the opportunity for a systemic failure in the housing market."
For their part, Jeremy and Alice Bumpus are glad they're not getting evicted for now. "It gives us time to actually figure out what we can do," Jeremy Bumpus says. Alice Bumpus has been told she's been approved for unemployment benefits, though the money hasn't started coming yet.
"This situation could happen to anyone," she says. "Sometimes life throws you curveballs, and it just depends on how you handle that curveball. So right now, we're hitting the best we could and just keep moving forward."
Jeremy Bumpus has signed up with three different food delivery services and he and his wife are trying to start a business doing delivery, car detailing and all kinds of odd jobs. They're hoping they can piece together enough income to afford a place to live.
Houston Public Media's Jen Rice contributed reporting to this story.


npr--2020-09-14--Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State

Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State

In response to the coronavirus pandemic , dozens of states have modified their rules for absentee voting in November 's elections .
Some of those changes are more substantial than others .
California , Nevada , New Jersey and Vermont , along with Washington , D.C. , are sending mail-in ballots to all voters , joining the handful of states that conduct all-mail elections .
In Montana , individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots .
And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications .
There 's also been a big expansion in who can vote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire and New York , have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot , or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse .
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot .
In Virginia , for instance , an absentee ballot wo n't need a witness signature .
The map above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state .
We 'll update the map with any further changes , but be sure to check with your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting information .

Map: Mail-In Voting Rules By State — And The Deadlines You Need
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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, dozens of states have modified their rules for mail-in voting in November's elections.
Some of those changes are more substantial than others.
California, Nevada, New Jersey and Vermont, along with Washington, D.C., are sending mail-in ballots to all voters, joining the handful of states that conduct all-mail elections. In Montana, individual counties are now authorized to send voters ballots. And many more states are mailing voters absentee ballot applications.
There's also been a big expansion in who can vote absentee. Many states, including New Hampshire and New York, have suspended the need for an excuse to obtain an absentee ballot, or said fear of contracting COVID-19 while voting is a valid excuse.
Other states have altered deadlines and/or loosened rules for submitting an absentee ballot. Some states — often as the result of litigation — have said mail-in ballots only need to be postmarked by Election Day, rather than received by then. And in Virginia, for instance, an absentee ballot won't need a witness signature.
The graphic above gives a broad overview of mail-in voting procedures for each state and some basic deadlines voters should know.
Here are a few caveats as you look up your state's information:
Many states have options for voter registration, perhaps at specific locations, even after the statewide deadline.
In states that have early voting, the dates often vary by county, or can be on weekdays and not weekends.
If your state has no true early voting period, you can likely still drop-off an absentee ballot early.
In short, the voting rules and procedures vary widely, so be sure to check with your state for the most detailed and up-to-date information.
With (lots of) research help by Washington Desk editorial assistant Elena Moore. This map was originally published on Sept. 14.


npr--2020-09-14--Woodward Addresses Criticism That He Should've Detailed Trump Interviews Earlier

Famed journalist Bob Woodward is addressing criticism he 's received for not promptly sharing with the public what the president told him about the coronavirus and the government 's response in a series of interviews earlier this year .
Woodward 's new book , Rage , which details the interviews , is set for release Tuesday .
During one phone interview on Feb. 7 , President Trump shared with Woodward that the virus is airborne and is `` more deadly than even your strenuous flus . ''
And yet the next month , Trump publicly compared COVID-19 to the seasonal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly in an interview that in February , he thought Trump was referring to the virus in China .
`` I ... believed he was talking about the virus in China , because he had talked to Chinese President Xi [ Jinping ] the night before , '' he said .
Woodward said he unsuccessfully tried to gain access to the transcript of the call between the two world leaders to confirm that it was Xi who gave that information about the virus to Trump .
By March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was clearly an `` American problem '' too .
`` And so I 'm asking the question , what did the president know , when did he know it , and how did he know it ?
And I worked for two and a half months to find out and it was finally in May when I discovered that there was this meeting , Jan. 28 , in the Oval Office . ''
That January meeting is the opening scene of Rage , in which Woodward says national security adviser Robert O'Brien tells @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` biggest national security threat you face in your presidency . ''
`` I wish I knew what I learned in May earlier .
Unfortunately , I did not , '' Woodward said .
He added : `` I 've done this almost for 50 years , and I think I have a public health responsibility , like any citizen does — or maybe a journalist has more of a responsibility .
If at any point I had thought there 's something to tell the American people that they do n't know , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a March interview , Trump admitted to Woodward that he had been playing down the virus 's severity .
`` I wanted to always play it down , '' Trump told Woodward on March 19 .
`` I still like playing it down , because I do n't want to create a panic . ''
Trump has since defended his decision to mislead the public about the severity of the coronavirus , saying he wanted to project `` strength . ''
`` What I went out and said is very simple : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I want to show strength as a leader , and I want to show our country is going to be fine one way or another , '' Trump said at a news conference on Thursday .
More than 190,000 Americans have now died from the coronavirus .
Said Woodward to Kelly : `` If there 's a tragedy in all of this and I think there is , it 's that Trump who said , ' I wanted to play it down , because I did n't want to create a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine presidents , 20 % of the presidents we 've had , and the history before that is when the country is told the truth , they do n't panic . ''
Woodward reflected on another call from Trump , in early April , in which he hung up `` feeling worried for the country . ''
`` I said [ to Trump ] ... 'This is a moment of crisis and necessity , you have a leadership responsibility ... you 're gon na be judged by the virus , ' `` Woodward @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with it , quite frankly ... and at the end of the book , I say in totality : Trump is the wrong man for the job . ''
Joe Biden , the Democratic nominee for president , called the president 's actions a `` betrayal of the American people . ''
`` He had the information .
He knew how dangerous it was .
And while the deadly disease ripped through our nation , he failed to do his job on purpose , '' he said during a campaign stop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , Woodward conducted 17 on-the-record interviews with Trump , spanning from December to late July , on the economy , race relations and the foreign policy .
Woodward told NPR 's Kelly that war between the United States and North Korea got far closer than many realized in 2017 .
`` It reached the point ... that then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis would go to the National Cathedral to pray and reflect on what his responsibility would be if there was some sort of nuclear exchange with North Korea .
It got @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Woodward Addresses Criticism That He Should've Detailed Trump Interviews Earlier
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images
Famed journalist Bob Woodward is addressing criticism he has received for not promptly sharing with the public what the president told him about the coronavirus and the government's response in a series of interviews earlier this year.
Woodward's new book, Rage, which details the interviews, is set for release Tuesday.
During one phone interview on Feb. 7, President Trump shared with Woodward that the virus is airborne and is "more deadly than even your strenuous flus."
And yet the next month, Trump publicly compared COVID-19 to the seasonal flu.
But Woodward told NPR's All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly in an interview that in February, he thought Trump was referring to the virus in China.
"I ... believed he was talking about the virus in China, because he had talked to Chinese President Xi [Jinping] the night before," he said.
Woodward said he unsuccessfully tried to gain access to the transcript of the call between the two world leaders to confirm that it was Xi who gave that information about the virus to Trump.
By March, Woodward told NPR, the virus was clearly an "American problem" too.
"And so I'm asking the question, what did the president know, when did he know it, and how did he know it? And I worked for 2 1/2 months to find out and it was finally in May when I discovered that there was this meeting, Jan. 28, in the Oval Office."
That January meeting is the opening scene of Rage, in which Woodward says national security adviser Robert O'Brien tells Trump that the coronavirus would be the "biggest national security threat you face in your presidency."
"I wish I knew what I learned in May earlier. Unfortunately, I did not," Woodward said.
He added: "I've done this almost for 50 years, and I think I have a public health responsibility, like any citizen does — or maybe a journalist has more of a responsibility. If at any point I had thought there's something to tell the American people that they don't know, I would do it."
In a March interview, Trump admitted to Woodward that he had been playing down the virus's severity.
"I wanted to always play it down," Trump told Woodward on March 19. "I still like playing it down, because I don't want to create a panic."
Trump has since defended his decision to mislead the public about the severity of the coronavirus, saying he wanted to project "strength."
"What I went out and said is very simple: I want to show a level of confidence, and I want to show strength as a leader, and I want to show our country is going to be fine one way or another," Trump said at a news conference on Thursday.
More than 190,000 Americans have now died from the coronavirus.
Woodward told Kelly: "If there's a tragedy in all of this, and I think there is, it's that Trump, who said, 'I wanted to play it down, because I didn't want to create a panic.' And my study of nine presidents — 20% of the presidents we've had, and the history before that — is when the country is told the truth, they don't panic."
Woodward reflected on another call from Trump, in early April, in which he hung up "feeling worried for the country."
"I said [to Trump] ... 'This is a moment of crisis and necessity, you have a leadership responsibility ... you're gonna be judged by the virus,' " Woodward remembered.
"I was pushing him to deal with it, quite frankly ... and at the end of the book, I say in totality: Trump is the wrong man for the job."
Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee for president, called the president's actions a "betrayal of the American people."
"He had the information. He knew how dangerous it was. And while the deadly disease ripped through our nation, he failed to do his job on purpose," he said during a campaign stop in Michigan on Thursday.
For the book, Woodward conducted 17 on-the-record interviews with Trump. They span from December to late July on the economy, race relations and foreign policy.
Woodward told NPR's Kelly that war between the United States and North Korea got far closer than many realized in 2017.
"It reached the point ... that then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis would go to the National Cathedral to pray and reflect on what his responsibility would be if there was some sort of nuclear exchange with North Korea. It got very dicey," he said.


npr--2020-09-14--Court Rules Government Can End Humanitarian Protections For Some 300,000 Immigrants

Court Rules Government Can End Humanitarian Protections For Some 300,000 Immigrants A federal appeals court panel ruled on Monday that the Trump administration can end humanitarian protections for some 300,000 immigrants living in the United States , clearing the way for their potential deportation starting next year .
The 9th Circuit Appeals Court 's decision affects citizens from El Salvador , Haiti , Nicaragua and Sudan , many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades , have U.S.-born children and are considered essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic .
At issue is the termination of Temporary Protected Status @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Congress and administered by the Department of Homeland Security .
TPS provides a work permit and stay of deportation to foreign nationals living in the U.S. whose countries of origin are facing natural disaster , armed conflict or other `` extraordinary and temporary conditions '' that make it unsafe for them to return .
The Trump administration terminated TPS designations of El Salvador , Haiti , Nicaragua and Sudan in 2017 and 2018 .
( It later ended TPS for Honduras and Nepal , and a separate case brought last year by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Several TPS beneficiaries from the four countries and their children filed a lawsuit challenging the terminations , both for procedural reasons and on the grounds that the rule was motivated by animus toward `` non-white , non-European immigrants '' that they said was evidenced by comments made by Trump and other administrative officials .
A district court previously issued a preliminary injunction .
Monday 's decision by a three-judge panel of the appeals court lifts the injunction , meaning immigrants from the affected countries could be subject to removal starting in January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monday that they are preparing to appeal the decision in the entire 9th Circuit .
The National TPS Alliance , a grassroots advocacy group , said the ruling clears the way for the administration to `` de-document and tear apart '' some 400,000 families .
The group explains that TPS provides protection for short periods of up to 18 months , but the federal government has continuously extended it for the countries mentioned in the lawsuit `` based on repeated findings that it remains unsafe to return . ''
As a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been living in the U.S. for more than a decade , contributing to their communities and raising their families .
Many of the more than 200,000 U.S.-citizen children of TPS holders have never been to the country their parents are from , and would have to choose between their families and their homes .
`` This government has failed me and the other 250,000 US citizen children of TPS holders , '' said Crista Ramos , lead plaintiff in the case .
Two out of the three panel judges ruled that the plaintiffs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a factor when the administration canceled TPS .
According to a summary of the decision issued by the court : Beth Werlin , the executive director of the American Immigration Council , expressed disappointment with the court 's refusal to acknowledge a connection between Trump 's remarks and the administration 's decision to end TPS .
`` The racial animus that led to these decisions is real and can not be ignored , '' Werlin said .
Immigration advocacy groups are slamming the court 's ruling , noting it will impact hundreds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their families and communities .
In a statement , Werlin said the decision will `` plunge their lives into further turmoil at a time when we all need greater certainty . ''
As the global pandemic stretches on , immigrants with protected status make up a large portion of the country 's frontline workers .
More than 130,000 TPS recipients are essential workers , according to the Center for American Progress .
`` TPS recipients have deep economic and social roots in communities across the nation , '' said Ali Noorani , president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` And , as the U.S. responds to the COVID-19 pandemic , TPS recipients are standing shoulder to shoulder with Americans and doing essential work . ''
Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union , the largest property services union in the country , noted that thousands of such immigrants own homes and businesses , and clean and protect major properties as longstanding union members .
`` It is deeply disturbing , and frankly enraging , that the Ninth Circuit is allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sudan , opening the prospect of deportation for hundreds of thousands of people who have made the United States their legal home for decades , '' said President Kyle Bragg .
The Federation for American Immigration Reform , which advocates for lower levels of immigration , welcomed the ruling as `` a victory for the American people and an unmistakable rebuke to activist judges who seek to make immigration policy from the bench . ''
`` This ruling represents a win for the idea that the American people should be able to provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the full expectation that their generosity will not be taken advantage of when the emergency is over , '' FAIR president Dan Stein said in a statement .
TPS holders from El Salvador , one of the affected countries , already have a slightly longer window to stay in the U.S .
The Trump administration announced last fall it would extend the validity of work permits for El Salvadorans with TPS through Jan. 4 2021 .
It is also giving El Savadorans with protected status one extra year after the conclusion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has the highest number of TPS recipients in the U.S. , while their home country has the world 's highest murder rate per capita , according to the National Immigration Forum .
The group says Monday 's ruling will impact an estimated 300,000 Salvadorans , more than half of whom have lived in the U.S. for at least 20 years .

Court Rules Government Can End Humanitarian Protections For Some 300,000 Immigrants
Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Chiu/AP Jeff Chiu/AP
A federal appeals court panel ruled on Monday that the Trump administration can end humanitarian protections for some 300,000 immigrants living in the United States, clearing the way for their potential deportation starting next year.
The 9th Circuit Appeals Court's decision affects citizens from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan, many of whom have lived in the U.S. for decades, have U.S.-born children and have been considered essential workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
At issue is the termination of temporary protected status, a form of humanitarian relief created by Congress and administered by the Department of Homeland Security.
TPS provides a work permit and stay of deportation to foreign nationals living in the U.S. whose countries of origin are facing natural disaster, armed conflict or other "extraordinary and temporary conditions" that make it unsafe for them to return.
The Trump administration terminated TPS designations of El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan in 2017 and 2018. (It later ended TPS for Honduras and Nepal, and a separate case brought last year by citizens of those countries is ongoing.)
Several TPS beneficiaries from the four countries and their children filed a lawsuit challenging the terminations, both for procedural reasons and on the grounds that the rule was motivated by animus toward "non-white, non-European immigrants" that they said was evidenced by comments made by President Trump and other administration officials.
A district court previously issued a preliminary injunction. Monday's decision by a three-judge panel of the appeals court lifts the injunction, meaning immigrants from the affected countries could be subject to removal starting in January.
Plaintiffs and their lawyers said on Monday that they are preparing to appeal the decision in the entire 9th Circuit.
Defining "temporary"
The National TPS Alliance, a grassroots advocacy group, said the ruling clears the way for the administration to "de-document and tear apart" some 400,000 families.
The group explains that TPS provides protection for short periods of up to 18 months, but the federal government has continuously extended it for the countries mentioned in the lawsuit "based on repeated findings that it remains unsafe to return."
As a result, it said, most TPS holders have been living in the U.S. for more than a decade, contributing to their communities and raising their families.
Many of the more than 200,000 U.S.-citizen children of TPS holders have never been to the country their parents are from and would have to choose between their families and their homes.
"This government has failed me and the other 250,000 US citizen children of TPS holders," said Crista Ramos, lead plaintiff in the case.
The role of race
Two out of the three panel judges ruled that the plaintiffs failed to prove that racial animus was a factor when the administration canceled TPS.
According to a summary of the decision issued by the court:
The [judges] explained that, while the district court's findings that President Trump expressed racial animus against "nonwhite, non-European" immigrants, and that the White House influenced the TPS termination decisions, were supported by record evidence, the district court cited no evidence linking the President's animus to the TPS terminations—such as evidence that the President personally sought to influence the TPS terminations, or that any administration officials involved in the TPS decision-making process were themselves motivated by animus.
Beth Werlin, the executive director of the American Immigration Council, expressed disappointment with the court's refusal to acknowledge a connection between Trump's remarks and the administration's decision to end TPS.
"The racial animus that led to these decisions is real and cannot be ignored," Werlin said.
Impact on families and communities
Immigration advocacy groups are slamming the court's ruling, noting it will impact hundreds of thousands of TPS holders as well as their families and communities.
In a statement, Werlin said the decision will "plunge their lives into further turmoil at a time when we all need greater certainty."
As the global pandemic stretches on, immigrants with protected status make up a large portion of the country's front-line workers. More than 130,000 TPS recipients are essential workers, according to the Center for American Progress.
"TPS recipients have deep economic and social roots in communities across the nation," said Ali Noorani, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum. "And, as the U.S. responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, TPS recipients are standing shoulder to shoulder with Americans and doing essential work."
Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, the largest property services union in the country, noted that thousands of such immigrants own homes and businesses, and clean and protect major properties as longstanding union members.
"It is deeply disturbing, and frankly enraging, that the Ninth Circuit is allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan, opening the prospect of deportation for hundreds of thousands of people who have made the United States their legal home for decades," said 32BJ President Kyle Bragg.
Support for ending temporary status
The Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for lower levels of immigration, welcomed the ruling as "a victory for the American people and an unmistakable rebuke to activist judges who seek to make immigration policy from the bench."
"This ruling represents a win for the idea that the American people should be able to provide needed and appropriate temporary humanitarian relief, with the full expectation that their generosity will not be taken advantage of when the emergency is over," FAIR President Dan Stein said in a statement.
El Salvador extension
TPS holders from El Salvador, one of the affected countries, already have a slightly longer window to stay in the U.S.
The Trump administration announced last fall it would extend the validity of work permits for El Salvadorans with TPS through Jan. 4, 2021. It is also giving El Savadorans with protected status one extra year after the conclusion of TPS-related lawsuits to repatriate.
El Salvador has the highest number of TPS recipients in the U.S., while their home country has the world's highest murder rate per capita, according to the National Immigration Forum. The group says Monday's ruling will impact an estimated 300,000 Salvadorans, more than half of whom have lived in the U.S. for at least 20 years.


npr--2020-09-14--Amid Democratic Street Uprising, Belarusian Strongman Gets Support From Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin provided a limited lifeline to Alexander Lukashenko as the Belarusian strongman paid a visit to the Russian city of Sochi on Monday amid the biggest crisis of his 26-year rule .
For the past four weeks , Belarusians have repeatedly taken to the streets demanding Lukashenko 's resignation following an August presidential election that demonstrators say was rigged to keep Lukashenko in power .
On Sunday , a crowd of more than 100,000 again swamped downtown Minsk , the capital , for the fourth weekend in a row .
A repeated show of force by Lukashenko @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of arrests — and credible allegations of widespread torture — but has failed to stem voters ' ire .
Lukashenko 's nickname in protest circles is simply `` the rat . ''
A standard chant at rallies has become a basic demand : `` Leave . ''
Lukashenko has refused to step down , arguing he won his reelection in a popular landslide .
In extended opening remarks before cameras , the leaders ' body language seemed to characterize the power dynamic at play : Lukashenko leaning in hard toward Putin and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Kremlin leader suggested he viewed the political crisis in Belarus as an internal affair for now .
`` We want Belarusians themselves , without prompting and pressure from outside , to sort out this situation in a calm manner , '' said Putin , leaning back in his chair .
Lukashenko was , by turn , almost painfully ingratiating in response — thanking his `` older brother '' and `` all Russian people '' for their support as Putin tapped the floor with his foot absent-mindedly .
`` Everyone understands that Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ context of this political crisis , '' says Yauheni Preiherman of the Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations in an interview with NPR .
Yet Preiherman suggested that Russia 's position is far from settled .
`` We 'll only understand Moscow 's longer-term strategy in Belarus in some time . ''
Indeed , while nominally Moscow 's ally , Lukashenko has repeatedly tested the Kremlin 's patience on a range of issues , including the coronavirus , gas politics and a long-stalled plan to create a union state between the two countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election , Lukashenko said Russia was behind a plot to disrupt the vote .
Protests in the wake of the vote have prompted a change of heart .
Lukashenko now argues that the demonstrations are a Western-backed plot to end his rule and expand NATO to Russia 's borders .
Yet Lukashenko walked away far from empty-handed in his four-hour-plus meeting with Putin in Sochi on Monday .
The Kremlin leader also reaffirmed Russia 's existing security guarantees .
Among them : Russian paratroopers will take part in joint exercises in Belarus starting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Putin was simply placing — by default — Russia 's geopolitical interests above all else .
`` The legitimacy of any leader ... is valued not by performance or genuine popularity of the leader , but by how well they maintain the distance '' between Russia and the West , wrote Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center .
Yet any overly tight embrace of Lukashenko also risks alienating Belarusians who until now have n't been trying to get out of Russia 's orbit .
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya , Lukashenko 's opponent during the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of Monday 's talks saying she regretted that Putin had chosen `` dialogue with a dictator '' over the Belarusian people .
She also insisted any deals cut by Lukashenko in Sochi would be subject to future government review .
In turn , Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Russia still sees Lukashenko as the `` legitimate president '' of Belarus .
`` As to those people who do n't agree with the results of the elections , they are all citizens of brotherly Belarus .
We love and value them all @ @

Amid Democratic Street Uprising, Belarusian Strongman Gets Support From Russia
Enlarge this image toggle caption Kremlin press office handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Kremlin press office handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Russian President Vladimir Putin provided a limited lifeline to Alexander Lukashenko as the Belarusian strongman paid a visit to the Russian city of Sochi on Monday amid the biggest crisis of his 26-year rule.
For the past four weeks, Belarusians have repeatedly taken to the streets demanding Lukashenko's resignation following an August presidential election that demonstrators say was rigged to keep Lukashenko in power.
On Sunday, a crowd of more than 100,000 again swamped downtown Minsk, the capital, for the fourth weekend in a row.
A repeated show of force by Lukashenko's security forces has led to thousands of arrests — and credible allegations of widespread torture — but has failed to stem voters' ire.
Lukashenko's nickname in protest circles is simply "the rat." A standard chant at rallies has become a basic demand: "Leave."
Lukashenko has refused to step down, arguing he won his reelection in a popular landslide.
Putin appears with Lukashenko
In extended opening remarks before cameras, the leaders' body language seemed to characterize the power dynamic at play: Lukashenko leaning in hard toward Putin and the Belarusian strongman repeatedly wiping his brow as the Kremlin leader suggested he viewed the political crisis in Belarus as an internal affair for now.
"We want Belarusians themselves, without prompting and pressure from outside, to sort out this situation in a calm manner," said Putin, leaning back in his chair.
Lukashenko was, by turn, almost painfully ingratiating in response — thanking his "older brother" and "all Russian people" for their support as Putin tapped the floor with his foot absent-mindedly.
"Everyone understands that Moscow has now become the kingmaker in the context of this political crisis," said Yauheni Preiherman of the Minsk Dialogue Council on International Relations in an interview with NPR.
Yet Preiherman suggested that Russia's position is far from settled.
"We'll only understand Moscow's longer-term strategy in Belarus in some time."
Evolving Lukashenko-Putin relations
Indeed, while nominally Moscow's ally, Lukashenko has repeatedly tested the Kremlin's patience on a range of issues, including the coronavirus, gas politics and a long-stalled plan to create a union state between the two countries.
Even ahead of the August presidential election, Lukashenko said Russia was behind a plot to disrupt the vote.
Protests in the wake of the vote have prompted a change of heart. Lukashenko now argues that the demonstrations are a Western-backed plot to end his rule and expand NATO to Russia's borders.
NATO has repeatedly denied the charges.
Yet Lukashenko walked away far from empty-handed in his four-hour-plus meeting with Putin in Sochi on Monday.
Putin announced a $1.5 billion loan for Belarus' struggling economy.
The Kremlin leader also reaffirmed Russia's existing security guarantees. Among them: Russian paratroopers will take part in joint exercises in Belarus starting this week.
Observers in Moscow suggested Putin was simply placing — by default — Russia's geopolitical interests above all else.
"The legitimacy of any leader ... is valued not by performance or genuine popularity of the leader, but by how well they maintain the distance" between Russia and the West, wrote Alexander Baunov of the Carnegie Moscow Center.
Yet any overly tight embrace of Lukashenko also risks alienating Belarusians who until now haven't been trying to get out of Russia's orbit.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Lukashenko's opponent during the disputed August election, issued a statement ahead of Monday's talks saying she regretted that Putin had chosen "dialogue with a dictator" over the Belarusian people.
She also insisted any deals cut by Lukashenko in Sochi would be subject to future government review.
In turn, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov added that Russia still sees Lukashenko as the "legitimate president" of Belarus.
"As to those people who don't agree with the results of the elections, they are all citizens of brotherly Belarus. We love and value them all."


npr--2020-09-14--Wildfires Make Dangerous Air For Farmworkers: 'It's Like You Can't Breathe'

Wildfires Make Dangerous Air For Farmworkers : 'It 's Like You Ca n't Breathe' Farmworkers in California are facing two crises at once : the coronavirus and exposure to dangerous air from wildfires .
Massive fires border large swaths of California 's agriculture region , the Central Valley .
Monitoring stations report unhealthy air across the interior of the state .
`` To be out in the fields , it 's like you ca n't breathe , '' says Hernan Hernandez , executive director of the California Farmworker Foundation .
California requires employers to provide outdoor workers with respiratory protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality reaches a certain threshold .
In a statewide survey last month , a labor union found farmworkers mostly were n't getting them .
But wearing a mask when it 's 110 degrees is n't easy either .
About half , or more , of farmworkers in the U.S. are in the country illegally .
They do n't have access to many government benefits , ca n't afford to miss work and may be hesitant to complain .
Here are excerpts of Sacha Pfeiffer 's interview with Hernandez on All Things Considered about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you 're hearing that employers are not always supplying masks .
Yes .
There 's not enough PPE to sustain the current agriculture workforce in California .
So what we 're seeing on the ground is that everybody 's just trying to get a hold of whatever they can .
At a state level , in which PPE distributions have occurred in the past couple of weeks , we 're nowhere near meeting the demands to ensure the safety of farmworkers and their families .
What are you hearing from farmworkers about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're facing , especially in terms of what if they miss work and how do they try to protect their health ?
When you look at farmworkers and you ask them , `` How can the state help you during these difficult times ? ''
the No .
1 thing they will tell you is rent relief .
The Central Valley , the coastal areas , everywhere in California , there 's a housing crisis .
And you 're seeing it through farmworkers living in households that have two to three families because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ California did supply some pandemic aid to undocumented immigrants — about $ 125 million in May .
Has that money gotten to farmworkers and helped them during this time ?
Yes , it was a very minute force that actually received the California aid , because just in the Central Valley alone we have over 500,000 farmworkers .
The aid for the Central Valley was capped at 10,000 undocumented workers , so this did n't encompass just farmworkers , it encompassed any type of undocumented worker that works in retail , that works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so a very minute force actually had an opportunity to receive those $ 500 .
Jonaki Mehta and Sarah Handel produced and edited the audio interview .

Wildfires Make Dangerous Air For Farmworkers: 'It's Like You Can't Breathe'
Enlarge this image toggle caption Brent Stirton/Getty Images Brent Stirton/Getty Images
Farmworkers in California are facing two crises at once: the coronavirus and exposure to dangerous air from wildfires.
Massive fires border large swaths of California's agriculture region, the Central Valley. Monitoring stations report unhealthy air across the interior of the state.
"To be out in the fields, it's like you can't breathe," says Hernan Hernandez, executive director of the California Farmworker Foundation.
California requires employers to provide outdoor workers with respiratory protection such as N95 masks if the air quality reaches a certain threshold. In a statewide survey last month, a labor union found farmworkers mostly weren't getting them. But wearing a mask when it's 110 degrees isn't easy either.
About half, or more, of farmworkers in the U.S. are in the country illegally. They don't have access to many government benefits, can't afford to miss work and may be hesitant to complain.
Here are excerpts of Sacha Pfeiffer's interview with Hernandez on All Things Considered about the threats facing farmworkers.
I understand that you're hearing that employers are not always supplying masks.
Yes. There's not enough PPE to sustain the current agriculture workforce in California. So what we're seeing on the ground is that everybody's just trying to get a hold of whatever they can. At a state level, in which PPE distributions have occurred in the past couple of weeks, we're nowhere near meeting the demands to ensure the safety of farmworkers and their families.
What are you hearing from farmworkers about the kinds of dilemmas and choices they're facing, especially in terms of what if they miss work and how do they try to protect their health?
When you look at farmworkers and you ask them, "How can the state help you during these difficult times?" the No. 1 thing they will tell you is rent relief. The Central Valley, the coastal areas, everywhere in California, there's a housing crisis. And you're seeing it through farmworkers living in households that have two to three families because they can't afford the rent.
California did supply some pandemic aid to undocumented immigrants — about $125 million in May. Has that money gotten to farmworkers and helped them during this time?
Yes, it was a very minute force that actually received the California aid, because just in the Central Valley alone we have over 500,000 farmworkers. The aid for the Central Valley was capped at 10,000 undocumented workers, so this didn't encompass just farmworkers, it encompassed any type of undocumented worker that works in retail, that works in restaurants, that works in construction, so a very minute force actually had an opportunity to receive those $500.
Jonaki Mehta and Sarah Handel produced and edited the audio interview.


npr--2020-09-14--Protests Erupt In Lancaster, Pa., Following Officer-Involved Shooting Death

Demonstrators gathered to protest the death of 27-year-old man who was shot and killed by a police officer in Lancaster , Pa. , over the weekend .
The Lancaster District Attorney 's office said in a statement that the investigation is ongoing , and that the man , identified as Ricardo Munoz , was armed with a knife when he was shot dead by an officer who has not been publicly identified .
The encounter was captured on the officer 's body camera and released by the Lancaster Bureau of Police on Sunday evening .
Hours after the shooting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demonstrators gathered outside of the police station .
`` A group in excess of 100 protestors gathered on the access ramp on the west side of the station , '' police said in a statement .
`` A public address system was used to provide several warnings that if the group did not move from the ramp that chemical munitions would be deployed , '' the statement continued .
`` The group failed to follow the instructions and chemical agents were used to disperse the crowd . ''
Officials added that a county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ station was damaged and glass bottles and rocks were thrown at officers .
Several local media outlets , including Lancaster Online , reported doors and windows at the police station had been shattered .
The website also reports several arrests were made into the early hours of Monday morning .
The chaotic scene was sparked by the shooting death of Munoz , which took place a little after 4 p.m. Sunday .
Officials said emergency dispatch received a call from a woman who said her brother was becoming aggressive with his mother and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The police video , which is just a few minutes long and is edited , shows an officer walking along the 300 block of Laurel Street .
When the officer arrives at the residence , a woman is standing in the doorway looking inside the home .
`` Where did he go ? ''
the officer asks at approximately the 2:01 mark in the video .
Seconds later the woman quickly steps completely outside , appearing to get out of the way of a man rushing toward the doorway .
`` Get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer says in the woman 's direction as he appears to retreat .
As the officer is running away , a man wearing a white shirt and orange shorts chases the him .
At around 2:11 in the video , the officer discharges his service weapon multiple times and the man falls to the ground .
No other officers were on the scene at the time , according to police .
The video then features two still images .
The first freezes the video to show the man with what appears to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above his head .
The other shows the man on the ground , face down , with the object a few feet in front of him .
A disclaimer at the end of the police video says release of the footage `` does not include any determination about compliance with Bureau policies or whether the use of force was justified . ''
The Lancaster County District Attorney 's office said it will make that determination after the probe into the matter is complete .
`` A police-involved shooting has significant impact on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large number of individuals gathering in the streets , '' Heather Adams , the district attorney said in a statement Sunday .
`` However , I am asking that all reaction be tempered as the investigation is ongoing . ''
At a Monday afternoon press conference , Lancaster City Council President Ismail Smith Wade-El lamented that some residents face a lack of access to `` equitable and affordable mental health care . ''
`` I can not help but wonder if Mr. Munoz got all the care he needed , years ago , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place ?
Could his family and could that officer all be in a different place ? ''
Lancaster Online reported on Monday afternoon that Munoz suffered from mental illness , citing an interview with Rulennis Munoz , the victim 's sister .
She told the paper she called a crisis intervention organization and the nonemergency number for the Lancaster police to get information on how to get her brother involuntarily committed .
`` He had an episode , '' Munoz told the website of her brother .
`` He was just incoherent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find out what the procedure was to get him some help . ''

Protests Erupt In Lancaster, Pa., Following Officer-Involved Shooting Death
Demonstrators gathered to protest the death of 27-year-old man who was shot and killed by a police officer in Lancaster, Pa., over the weekend.
The Lancaster District Attorney's office said in a statement that the investigation is ongoing, and that the man, identified as Ricardo Munoz, was armed with a knife when he was shot dead by an officer who has not been publicly identified.
The encounter was captured on the officer's body camera and released by the Lancaster Bureau of Police on Sunday evening.
Hours after the shooting, police said chemical agents were used on demonstrators gathered outside of the police station.
"A group in excess of 100 protestors gathered on the access ramp on the west side of the station," police said in a statement.
"A public address system was used to provide several warnings that if the group did not move from the ramp that chemical munitions would be deployed," the statement continued. "The group failed to follow the instructions and chemical agents were used to disperse the crowd."
Officials added that a county vehicle parked in front of the police station was damaged and glass bottles and rocks were thrown at officers.
Several local media outlets, including Lancaster Online, reported doors and windows at the police station had been shattered. The website also reports several arrests were made into the early hours of Monday morning.
The chaotic scene was sparked by the shooting death of Munoz, which took place a little after 4 p.m. Sunday.
Officials said emergency dispatch received a call from a woman who said her brother was becoming aggressive with his mother and trying to force entry into her home.
The police video, which is just a few minutes long and is edited, shows an officer walking along the 300 block of Laurel Street.
When the officer arrives at the residence, a woman is standing in the doorway looking inside the home.
"Where did he go?" the officer asks at approximately the 2:01 mark in the video.
Seconds later the woman quickly steps completely outside, appearing to get out of the way of a man rushing toward the doorway.
"Get back. Get back," the officer says in the woman's direction as he appears to retreat.
The woman screams.
As the officer is running away, a man wearing a white shirt and orange shorts chases the him.
At around 2:11 in the video, the officer discharges his service weapon multiple times and the man falls to the ground. No other officers were on the scene at the time, according to police.
The video then features two still images. The first freezes the video to show the man with what appears to be a metal object in his right hand above his head. The other shows the man on the ground, face down, with the object a few feet in front of him.
A disclaimer at the end of the police video says release of the footage "does not include any determination about compliance with Bureau policies or whether the use of force was justified."
The Lancaster County District Attorney's office said it will make that determination after the probe into the matter is complete.
"A police-involved shooting has significant impact on a community as we are seeing with the large number of individuals gathering in the streets," Heather Adams, the district attorney said in a statement Sunday. "However, I am asking that all reaction be tempered as the investigation is ongoing."
At a Monday afternoon press conference, Lancaster City Council President Ismail Smith Wade-El lamented that some residents face a lack of access to "equitable and affordable mental health care."
"I can not help but wonder if Mr. Munoz got all the care he needed, years ago, could we possibly be in a different place? Could his family and could that officer all be in a different place?"
Lancaster Online reported on Monday afternoon that Munoz suffered from mental illness, citing an interview with Rulennis Munoz, the victim's sister.
She told the paper she called a crisis intervention organization and the nonemergency number for the Lancaster police to get information on how to get her brother involuntarily committed.
"He had an episode," Munoz told the website of her brother. "He was just incoherent and acting out."
"I called to find out what the procedure was to get him some help."


npr--2020-09-14--At Least 35 Dead As Wildfires Rampage Along The West Coast

At Least 35 Dead As Wildfires Rampage Along The West Coast Wildfires have now burned more than 4.6 million acres in 87 large fires across 10 states , according to the National Interagency Fire Center .
At least 35 people have died in California , Oregon and Washington , The Associated Press reported .
Dense smoke and fog enveloped an area far beyond the fires on Monday , keeping temperatures cooler but also creating new hazards in an ongoing catastrophe , with reduced visibility and a high risk of smoke inhalation .
In Oregon , the blazes stretch from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way up to Portland 's suburbs , Oregon Public Broadcasting 's Rebecca Ellis told NPR 's Morning Edition on Monday .
Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes .
`` The 16 large fires in Oregon total about 878,000 acres of fire , while the 13 large fires in Washington are at about 676,000 acres , '' according to the Bureau of Land Management office for those two states .
There 's concern that two of the biggest blazes threatening cities and towns near Portland — the Beachie Creek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coming days .
All of the state 's forests are classified as being in `` extreme fire danger . ''
In Oregon and Washington , some 8,651 personnel are fighting wildfires , the U.S. Forest Service 's Pacific Northwest regional office says .
In California , nearly 16,500 firefighters are grappling with 28 major wildfires , according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , or Cal Fire .
So far in 2020 , `` wildfires have burned over 3.2 million acres in California , which is larger than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
President Trump traveled to McClellan Park , Calif. , on Monday afternoon , landing at a former air base near Sacramento to meet with Gov .
Gavin Newsom and other officials .
`` We feel very strongly the hots are getting hotter , the dries are getting dryer , '' Newsom said as he stood alongside Trump , according to a pool report .
`` Something has happened to the plumbing of the world and we come from a perspective , humbly , that we assert the science that climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Please respect the difference of opinion out here with respect to the fundamental issue of climate change . ''
To that , Trump replied , `` Absolutely . ''
But the president later predicted that temperatures would begin to get cooler , according to the pool report : `` Just watch .
I do n't think science knows actually . ''
Trump 's visit follows a campaign event in Nevada , including an indoor rally in a Las Vegas suburb in defiance of a state restriction on gatherings of more than 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only moisture in eastern Washington was the tears of people who have lost their homes and mingling with the ashes .
And now we have a blow torch over our states in the West , which is climate change , '' Inslee said on ABC 's This Week With George Stephanopoulos .
`` It is maddening right now when we have this cosmic challenge to our communities , with the entire West Coast of the United States on fire , to have a president to deny that these are not just fires , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
`` If this is not a signal to the United States , I do n't know what it will take . ''
The National Weather Service warns of `` critical fire weather '' in southern Oregon and adjacent portions of Northern California and northwest Nevada as well as parts of eastern Idaho and southwest Montana .
The fire-friendly weather is the result of warm , dry and breezy conditions .
In recent years , scientists have linked an increasing prevalence and intensity of wildfires to climate change .
`` CO2 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the temperature is accelerating the evaporation of water , '' climate scientist Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii recently told NPR .
`` The evaporation of water leads to drought that in turn leads to heat waves and wildfires . ''

At Least 35 Dead As Wildfires Rampage Along The West Coast
Enlarge this image toggle caption Nic Coury/Bloomberg via Getty Images Nic Coury/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Wildfires have now burned more than 4.6 million acres in 87 large fires across 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. At least 35 people have died in California, Oregon and Washington, The Associated Press reported.
Dense smoke and fog enveloped an area far beyond the fires on Monday, keeping temperatures cooler but also creating new hazards in an ongoing catastrophe, with reduced visibility and a high risk of smoke inhalation.
In Oregon, the blazes stretch from the southern border along the coast all the way up to Portland's suburbs, Oregon Public Broadcasting's Rebecca Ellis told NPR's Morning Edition on Monday. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes.
"The 16 large fires in Oregon total about 878,000 acres of fire, while the 13 large fires in Washington are at about 676,000 acres," according to the Bureau of Land Management office for those two states.
There's concern that two of the biggest blazes threatening cities and towns near Portland — the Beachie Creek and Riverside fires — will combine in the coming days. All of the state's forests are classified as being in "extreme fire danger."
In Oregon and Washington, some 8,651 personnel are fighting wildfires, the U.S. Forest Service's Pacific Northwest regional office says.
In California, nearly 16,500 firefighters are grappling with 28 major wildfires, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
So far in 2020, "wildfires have burned over 3.2 million acres in California, which is larger than the State of Connecticut," Cal Fire says.
President Trump traveled to McClellan Park, Calif., on Monday afternoon, landing at a former air base near Sacramento to meet with Gov. Gavin Newsom and other officials.
"We feel very strongly the hots are getting hotter, the dries are getting dryer," Newsom said as he stood alongside Trump, according to a pool report. "Something has happened to the plumbing of the world and we come from a perspective, humbly, that we assert the science that climate change is real."
Newsom added, "Please respect the difference of opinion out here with respect to the fundamental issue of climate change."
To that, Trump replied, "Absolutely." But the president later predicted that temperatures would begin to get cooler, according to the pool report: "Just watch. I don't think science knows actually."
Trump's visit follows a campaign event in Nevada, including an indoor rally in a Las Vegas suburb in defiance of a state restriction on gatherings of more than 50 people due to COVID-19.
On Sunday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee called the rampaging wildfires "apocalyptic."
"The only moisture in eastern Washington was the tears of people who have lost their homes and mingling with the ashes. And now we have a blow torch over our states in the West, which is climate change," Inslee said on ABC's This Week With George Stephanopoulos.
"It is maddening right now when we have this cosmic challenge to our communities, with the entire West Coast of the United States on fire, to have a president to deny that these are not just fires, these are climate fires," Inslee said. "If this is not a signal to the United States, I don't know what it will take."
The National Weather Service warns of "critical fire weather" in southern Oregon and adjacent portions of Northern California and northwest Nevada as well as parts of eastern Idaho and southwest Montana. The fire-friendly weather is the result of warm, dry and breezy conditions.
In recent years, scientists have linked an increasing prevalence and intensity of wildfires to climate change.
"CO2 is increasing the temperature. As a result, the temperature is accelerating the evaporation of water," climate scientist Camilo Mora of the University of Hawaii recently told NPR. "The evaporation of water leads to drought that in turn leads to heat waves and wildfires."


npr--2020-09-14--'It's A Bit Surreal': Oregon's Air Quality Suffers As Fires Complicate COVID-19 Fight

Wildfires are destroying homes and communities on the West Coast — and they are also creating some of the world 's worst air pollution in a region usually known for its clean living and stunning views .
The fires and massive plumes of smoke are also affecting the fight to control COVID-19 .
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 's air quality monitoring website Airnow.gov currently lists Portland 's air as `` hazardous '' Monday , with air quality index readings that have ranged from 350 to more than 515 .
`` When the forecast is Purple ( very unhealthy ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoor activities , '' the EPA site advises .
It forecasts `` very unhealthy '' air quality for Tuesday .
`` It 's a bit surreal , '' says Dr. Jennifer Vines , the lead health officer for the Portland metro region , `` to have these compounding public health issues , '' air quality risks and a pandemic .
Health experts are urging residents to stay indoors to avoid inhaling smoke and ash particles from the unprecedented fires .
The international air quality monitoring website IQAir.com ranked Portland as No .
1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's cities on Monday morning – worse than notoriously polluted spots in countries such as India , China and Israel .
Seattle , San Francisco and Los Angeles were also in the top 10 , reflecting the wildfires ' huge size and broad impact .
Dozens of large blazes have now burned more than 4.6 million acres in 10 states , according to the National Interagency Fire Center .
That includes more than 1.5 million acres in Oregon and Washington , the Northwest Coordination Center says .
Wildfire smoke can be lethal .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cloud , Vines says the smoke is made up of lots of tiny particles , each much smaller than the diameter of a human hair .
`` These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even cross into the bloodstream , '' she adds .
People who are most in danger are older and those with underlying lung or heart conditions .
Children are also at a greater risk , Vines says , `` because they breathe higher air volumes relative to the size of their bodies and because their airways are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complicating Oregon 's COVID-19 strategies .
Before the fires , health care professionals were urging people to get outdoors — but now they 've reversed that advice .
Testing rates for the coronavirus have dropped .
And as people get out of harm 's way , many of them are also mixing together indoors .
`` We 're going to be watching COVID testing numbers and hospital capacity really closely in the coming weeks , '' Vines says .
She adds , `` But I think right now many of us are just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' trying to keep people safe .
What 's worse , Vines says , `` it 's the same people who are at higher risk of complications from wildfire smoke and from COVID .
We know many of them in the Portland area are Black , Indigenous or people of color . ''
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is urging employers to provide N95 masks if employees are asked to work outdoors .
If employees have underlying medical conditions , the agency is asking that they be allowed to stay home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke and fog advisory for the northern Oregon coast Monday , saying visibility would be reduced to as little as 50 feet .

'It's A Bit Surreal': Oregon's Air Quality Suffers As Fires Complicate COVID-19 Fight
Enlarge this image toggle caption John Locher/AP John Locher/AP
Wildfires are destroying homes and communities on the West Coast — and they are also creating some of the world's worst air pollution in a region usually known for its clean living and stunning views. The fires and massive plumes of smoke are also affecting the fight to control COVID-19.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's air quality monitoring website Airnow.gov currently lists Portland's air as "hazardous" Monday, with air quality index readings that have ranged from 350 to more than 515.
"When the forecast is Purple (very unhealthy), everyone needs to cut back on outdoor activities," the EPA site advises. It forecasts "very unhealthy" air quality for Tuesday.
"It's a bit surreal," says Dr. Jennifer Vines, the lead health officer for the Portland metro region, "to have these compounding public health issues," air quality risks and a pandemic.
Health experts are urging residents to stay indoors to avoid inhaling smoke and ash particles from the unprecedented fires.
The international air quality monitoring website IQAir.com ranked Portland as No. 1 for worst air quality among the world's cities on Monday morning – worse than notoriously polluted spots in countries such as India, China and Israel. Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles were also in the top 10, reflecting the wildfires' huge size and broad impact.
Dozens of large blazes have now burned more than 4.6 million acres in 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. That includes more than 1.5 million acres in Oregon and Washington, the Northwest Coordination Center says.
Wildfire smoke can be lethal. While it often appears as a large cloud, Vines says the smoke is made up of lots of tiny particles, each much smaller than the diameter of a human hair. "These particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and even cross into the bloodstream," she adds.
People who are most in danger are older and those with underlying lung or heart conditions. Children are also at a greater risk, Vines says, "because they breathe higher air volumes relative to the size of their bodies and because their airways are smaller."
The wildfires are also complicating Oregon's COVID-19 strategies.
Before the fires, health care professionals were urging people to get outdoors — but now they've reversed that advice. Testing rates for the coronavirus have dropped. And as people get out of harm's way, many of them are also mixing together indoors.
"We're going to be watching COVID testing numbers and hospital capacity really closely in the coming weeks," Vines says. She adds, "But I think right now many of us are just going one day at a time," trying to keep people safe.
What's worse, Vines says, "it's the same people who are at higher risk of complications from wildfire smoke and from COVID. We know many of them in the Portland area are Black, Indigenous or people of color."
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is urging employers to provide N95 masks if employees are asked to work outdoors. If employees have underlying medical conditions, the agency is asking that they be allowed to stay home.
The National Weather Service issued a dense smoke and fog advisory for the northern Oregon coast Monday, saying visibility would be reduced to as little as 50 feet.