truthout--2020-09-03--“Herd Immunity” Plan May Result in Long-Term Heart Problems for Many in US

One of President Trump ’ s top medical advisers , Scott Atlas , is urging the administration to lean into a national “ herd immunity ” strategy to combat the pandemic , according to a report by The Washington Post .
The report explains that Atlas , a neuroradiologist and fellow at Stanford ’ s Hoover Institution— a right-leaning think tank and research center — is pushing for the United States to embrace a laissez-faire pandemic management model like Sweden ’ s , by allowing the coronavirus to spread freely to most of the population while protecting those in senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yet Sweden ’ s laissez-faire approach resulted in the country having a higher per-capita death rate than its neighboring comparable countries .
As Salon previously reported , by June , Sweden ’ s per capita COVID-19 death rate was 43.88 out of every 100,000 people , compared to 4.46 out of every 100,000 people in Norway and Denmark ’ s rate of 10.00 out of every 100,000 people .
In any case , the herd immunity–building approach has another major problem , only recently realized : The long-term health impact the coronavirus can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Troublingly , even those who seem to have less-pronounced COVID-19 symptoms or no symptoms at all may discover that they have heart issues later .
“ That ’ s certainly the concern , ” Dr. Thomas Maddox , Chairman of the American College Cardiology ’ s Science and Quality Committee and a professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis , told Salon .
“ Even for people who have a relatively benign infection , most people do not need the hospital even if they do have confirmed COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ German study , sometimes even those folks , at least a subset , may have long-term cardiac damage.
” The study Maddox is referring to was published in JAMA Cardiology by German researchers in July .
The study , which used Cardiac Magnetic Resonance ( CMR ) imaging in 100 recently-recovered COVID-19 patients , identified ongoing myocardial inflammation in 60 percent of the recovering volunteers .
In total , 78 percent had abnormal CMR findings .
“ These findings indicate the need for ongoing investigation of the long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ It was really concerning that about 80 percent of people had some evidence of scarring or some swelling in the heart , ” Maddox said .
“ Even if they hadn ’ t necessarily been that sick.
” A separate autopsy study by a different group of German researchers had similar findings , in that the coronavirus had affected COVID-19 patients ’ hearts .
Maddox explained that there are several concerns around how coronavirus affects the human heart .
“ We believe that the heart can be affected by COVID in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ One is that the infection and stress resulting from an infection can cause injury to the heart , just almost as a bystander effect with the heart working so hard to fight off the overall viral infection that can cause damage.
” The second , Maddox said , that there might be some “ direct viral invasion , ” although the evidence of that doesn ’ t necessarily stack up .
A third concern is for people who have severe symptoms , there could be an overreaction of the immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is related to clotting in the body .
“ When the heart gets infected , we think that ’ s related to the overall inflammation , and we think some of the clotting in our blood vessels and other parts of the heart can also cause heart damage , ” Maddox said .
“ So , as best as we can tell , some mixture of those four various things can cause heart damage.
” As Scientific American recently reported , a growing body of research suggests COVID-19 has detrimental long-term effects on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ young people .
Indeed , a COVID-19-positive football player at Indiana University was reported to be suffering from heart issues , along with a University of Houston defensive lineman who reported “ heart complications related to COVID-19.
” Shelby Hedgecock , a 29-year-old living in Los Angeles , tested positive for COVID-19 on April 20 .
While she no longer tests positive for the coronavirus , she ’ s still struggling with symptoms and considers herself to be a “ long-hauler.
” At first , her symptoms included intense headaches and gastrointestinal issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of breath .
Hedgecock told Salon her “ lungs , chest and spleen ” are “ permanently scarred.
” As a former physical trainer , she can no longer overexert herself in part due to heart issues .
Three weeks ago , she was sitting at her computer and her heart rate jumped up to 155 beats per minute .
“ I was literally doing nothing , ” Hedgecock said .
“ And it stayed that way for about 45 minutes , … and since then I have been having the random shortness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve had to wear a heart monitor for a couple of weeks.
” Hedgecock said she ’ s waiting to see a cardiologist to see what ’ s going on .
“ I had none of these issues prior to COVID , ” Hedgecock added .
“ It ’ s quite alarming.
” Indeed , scientists like Maddox warned against a herd immunity approach like Dr. Atlas proposes .
“ It looks like there ’ s long-term lung damage , and this affects various organ systems , ” Maddox said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ careful of being too cavalier and saying , ‘ Oh , throw everybody together and get everybody infected , we ’ ll get enough antibodies circulating to protect everyone , ’ because I don ’ t think it ’ s that simple.
” “ I think there may be a fairly large number of people who would have long-term health problems , if we adopted that strategy , ” Maddox added .

Even those who seem to have less-pronounced or no COVID-19 symptoms at all may discover long-term health issues.
One of President Trump’s top medical advisers, Scott Atlas, is urging the administration to lean into a national “herd immunity” strategy to combat the pandemic, according to a report by The Washington Post.
The report explains that Atlas, a neuroradiologist and fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution— a right-leaning think tank and research center — is pushing for the United States to embrace a laissez-faire pandemic management model like Sweden’s, by allowing the coronavirus to spread freely to most of the population while protecting those in senior homes or in other vulnerable populations. Yet Sweden’s laissez-faire approach resulted in the country having a higher per-capita death rate than its neighboring comparable countries. As Salon previously reported, by June, Sweden’s per capita COVID-19 death rate was 43.88 out of every 100,000 people, compared to 4.46 out of every 100,000 people in Norway and Denmark’s rate of 10.00 out of every 100,000 people.
In any case, the herd immunity–building approach has another major problem, only recently realized: The long-term health impact the coronavirus can have on victim’s hearts. Troublingly, even those who seem to have less-pronounced COVID-19 symptoms or no symptoms at all may discover that they have heart issues later.
“That’s certainly the concern,” Dr. Thomas Maddox, Chairman of the American College Cardiology’s Science and Quality Committee and a professor at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, told Salon. “Even for people who have a relatively benign infection, most people do not need the hospital even if they do have confirmed COVID-19, … but like we saw with the German study, sometimes even those folks, at least a subset, may have long-term cardiac damage.”
The study Maddox is referring to was published in JAMA Cardiology by German researchers in July. The study, which used Cardiac Magnetic Resonance (CMR) imaging in 100 recently-recovered COVID-19 patients, identified ongoing myocardial inflammation in 60 percent of the recovering volunteers. In total, 78 percent had abnormal CMR findings.
“These findings indicate the need for ongoing investigation of the long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19,” the authors state in the study.
“It was really concerning that about 80 percent of people had some evidence of scarring or some swelling in the heart,” Maddox said. “Even if they hadn’t necessarily been that sick.”
A separate autopsy study by a different group of German researchers had similar findings, in that the coronavirus had affected COVID-19 patients’ hearts.
Maddox explained that there are several concerns around how coronavirus affects the human heart.
“We believe that the heart can be affected by COVID in a couple of ways,” Maddox said. “One is that the infection and stress resulting from an infection can cause injury to the heart, just almost as a bystander effect with the heart working so hard to fight off the overall viral infection that can cause damage.”
The second, Maddox said, that there might be some “direct viral invasion,” although the evidence of that doesn’t necessarily stack up. A third concern is for people who have severe symptoms, there could be an overreaction of the immune system attacking the heart. The fourth is related to clotting in the body.
“When the heart gets infected, we think that’s related to the overall inflammation, and we think some of the clotting in our blood vessels and other parts of the heart can also cause heart damage,” Maddox said. “So, as best as we can tell, some mixture of those four various things can cause heart damage.”
As Scientific American recently reported, a growing body of research suggests COVID-19 has detrimental long-term effects on the heart, even among very healthy young people. Indeed, a COVID-19-positive football player at Indiana University was reported to be suffering from heart issues, along with a University of Houston defensive lineman who reported “heart complications related to COVID-19.”
Shelby Hedgecock, a 29-year-old living in Los Angeles, tested positive for COVID-19 on April 20. While she no longer tests positive for the coronavirus, she’s still struggling with symptoms and considers herself to be a “long-hauler.” At first, her symptoms included intense headaches and gastrointestinal issues, but it progressed to intense shortness of breath. Hedgecock told Salon her “lungs, chest and spleen” are “permanently scarred.” As a former physical trainer, she can no longer overexert herself in part due to heart issues. Three weeks ago, she was sitting at her computer and her heart rate jumped up to 155 beats per minute.
“I was literally doing nothing,” Hedgecock said. “And it stayed that way for about 45 minutes, … and since then I have been having the random shortness of breath, chest pain — I’ve had to wear a heart monitor for a couple of weeks.”
Hedgecock said she’s waiting to see a cardiologist to see what’s going on.
“I had none of these issues prior to COVID,” Hedgecock added. “It’s quite alarming.”
Indeed, scientists like Maddox warned against a herd immunity approach like Dr. Atlas proposes.
“It looks like there’s long-term lung damage, and this affects various organ systems,” Maddox said. “So I think we want to be careful of being too cavalier and saying, ‘Oh, throw everybody together and get everybody infected, we’ll get enough antibodies circulating to protect everyone,’ because I don’t think it’s that simple.”
“I think there may be a fairly large number of people who would have long-term health problems, if we adopted that strategy,” Maddox added.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-09-03--Trump Threatens to Defund NYC and Other Cities He Deems “Anarchist”

Democratic lawmakers and rights advocates voiced outrage and contempt overnight in response to a new five-page memo from the Justice Department sanctioned by President Donald Trump late Wednesday that would restrict federal funding to U.S. cities determined by Attorney General William Barr to be so-called “ anarchist jurisdictions ” — a term that made clear to critics the move is nothing short of an election-year canard designed to bolster the president ’ s “ law and order ” campaign message .
According to the Washington Post ’ s Jeff Stein — who characterized the move as an “ extraordinary attack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 election ” by Trump — the DOJ memo “ directs the White House Office of Management and Budget [ OMB ] to give guidance to federal agencies on restricting funding to cities that ‘ defund ’ their police departments .
The memo also directs the Justice Department within 14 days to come up with a list of localities that qualify as ‘ anarchist jurisdictions ’ and post that list publicly.
” While Black Lives Matter protesters and others have called for “ defunding ” police departments in the wake of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ victims this year , there has been little political purchase for the demand — which polls have shown remains largely unpopular — among most Democratic lawmakers .
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has adamantly opposed cutting budgets as part of the solution to otherwise much-needed police and criminal justice reforms .
The memo comes as the president seeks to intensify his attacks on Democratic mayors of cities that have faced civil unrest amid protests against police brutality .
It specifically calls for a review of federal funding that goes to Portland , Ore. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and D.C. Legal experts said the White House maneuver to restrict funding would almost certainly be met by an immediate challenge in court .
Vanita Gupta , president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , was gobsmacked over the latest threat by the president — especially as it arrived directly through the Justice Department .
Gupta cited the DOJ ’ s memo — which broadly defines “ anarchist jurisdictions ” as an area “ that unreasonably refuses to accept offers of law enforcement assistance by the federal government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Attorney General deems appropriate ” — to express disbelief .
“ This is actually happening .
On our watch , ” Gupta said .
“ I can ’ t imagine what four more years of Trump-Barr would mean for our democracy.
” Sam Berger , a former senior OMB official during the Obama administration , told the Post that legal action would be nearly certain if and when Trump follows through with the memo ’ s threat and said : “ This is a campaign document coming out of the White House.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oregon — who has clashed repeatedly with Trump — warned that the withdrawal of federal funds could possibly include money for “ health , education and safety net dollars Americans need to get through the pandemic and economic crisis.
” “ This is a new low , even for this president , ” said Wheeler in a statement late Wednesday .
“ He continues to believe that disenfranchising people living in this country to advance his petty grudges is an effective political strategy .
The rest of us know it is dangerous , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York denounced the DOJ memo and the president ’ s support for it .
“ We will not allow President Trump ’ s malicious infantile ways to hurt New York City , ” Schumer tweeted .
“ Instead of these foolish stunts he ought to be focused on getting our country out of the COVID crisis.
” Katie Phang , a legal analyst for NBC News , was among those who noted : “ It ’ s not ‘ anarchists ’ that will be hurt by this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents.
” And Sherrilyn Ifill , president and director of counsel for the NAACP ’ s Legal Defense Fund , said in response to the DOJ order : “ Ironically the one instance in which the federal government is actually required to withhold fed funds from local programs is missing .
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which should prohibit federal funding to police departments engaged in racial discrimination .
”

The Justice Department is directed to release its list of “anarchist jurisdictions” within 14 days.
Democratic lawmakers and rights advocates voiced outrage and contempt overnight in response to a new five-page memo from the Justice Department sanctioned by President Donald Trump late Wednesday that would restrict federal funding to U.S. cities determined by Attorney General William Barr to be so-called “anarchist jurisdictions” — a term that made clear to critics the move is nothing short of an election-year canard designed to bolster the president’s “law and order” campaign message.
According to the Washington Post’s Jeff Stein — who characterized the move as an “extraordinary attack on political opponents just months ahead of the 2020 election” by Trump — the DOJ memo “directs the White House Office of Management and Budget [OMB] to give guidance to federal agencies on restricting funding to cities that ‘defund’ their police departments. The memo also directs the Justice Department within 14 days to come up with a list of localities that qualify as ‘anarchist jurisdictions’ and post that list publicly.”
While Black Lives Matter protesters and others have called for “defunding” police departments in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd and other victims this year, there has been little political purchase for the demand — which polls have shown remains largely unpopular — among most Democratic lawmakers. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has adamantly opposed cutting budgets as part of the solution to otherwise much-needed police and criminal justice reforms.
As Stein reports:
The memo comes as the president seeks to intensify his attacks on Democratic mayors of cities that have faced civil unrest amid protests against police brutality. It specifically calls for a review of federal funding that goes to Portland, Ore.; New York City; Seattle; and D.C. Legal experts said the White House maneuver to restrict funding would almost certainly be met by an immediate challenge in court. Related Story Op-Ed | Politics & Elections Trump’s Kenosha Tour Was Another Crude Appeal to White Grievance Trump’s “law and order” rhetoric during his Wisconsin visit revealed his desperation as his reelection campaign flails. Truthout
Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, was gobsmacked over the latest threat by the president — especially as it arrived directly through the Justice Department.
Gupta cited the DOJ’s memo — which broadly defines “anarchist jurisdictions” as an area “that unreasonably refuses to accept offers of law enforcement assistance by the federal government” or “any other related factors the Attorney General deems appropriate” — to express disbelief.
“This is actually happening. On our watch,” Gupta said. “I can’t imagine what four more years of Trump-Barr would mean for our democracy.”
DOJ’s definition of “anarchist jurisdictions” includes “any other related factors the Attorney General deems appropriate” This is actually happening. On our watch. I can’t imagine what four more years of Trump-Barr would mean for our democracy. https://t.co/jDmgNmSC4Z — Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) September 3, 2020
Sam Berger, a former senior OMB official during the Obama administration, told the Post that legal action would be nearly certain if and when Trump follows through with the memo’s threat and said: “This is a campaign document coming out of the White House.”
Mayor Ted Wheeler of Portland, Oregon — who has clashed repeatedly with Trump — warned that the withdrawal of federal funds could possibly include money for “health, education and safety net dollars Americans need to get through the pandemic and economic crisis.”
Trump threatens to withdraw federal funds, possibly including health, education and safety net dollars Americans need to get through the pandemic and economic crisis. Again, he targets cities – including ours – with democratic Mayors, which he calls “anarchist jurisdictions.” — Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 3, 2020
“This is a new low, even for this president,” said Wheeler in a statement late Wednesday. “He continues to believe that disenfranchising people living in this country to advance his petty grudges is an effective political strategy. The rest of us know it is dangerous, destructive, and divisive.”
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York denounced the DOJ memo and the president’s support for it. “We will not allow President Trump’s malicious infantile ways to hurt New York City,” Schumer tweeted. “Instead of these foolish stunts he ought to be focused on getting our country out of the COVID crisis.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo delivered a similar message:
President Trump has actively sought to punish NYC since day one. He let COVID ambush New York. He refuses to provide funds that states and cities MUST receive to recover. He is not a king. He cannot “defund” NYC. It’s an illegal stunt. — Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) September 2, 2020
Katie Phang, a legal analyst for NBC News, was among those who noted: “It’s not ‘anarchists’ that will be hurt by this power grab; it’s the residents.”
And Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director of counsel for the NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund, said in response to the DOJ order: “Ironically the one instance in which the federal government is actually required to withhold fed funds from local programs is missing. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which should prohibit federal funding to police departments engaged in racial discrimination.”
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-09-03--Closure of Border to Refugees Spreads Misery as US Tourists Vacation in Mexico

Over the past few months , conditions for migrants traveling through Mexico have grown worse .
With most shelters still closed to new migrants because of the pandemic and the U.S. sending people who reach the border back within hours , many refugees and migrants in Mexico are living on the streets .
The restrictive measures being applied to migrants in the name of the pandemic are not being applied to tourists , nor to delivery trucks crossing the land border with a range of essential and nonessential goods .
Indeed tourists from the U.S. — the country with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing to fly to Mexico to enjoy resort holidays in Cancun and elsewhere .
“ If you ’ re ready and comfortable enough to fly , Cancun is a destination that ticks all ( the ) boxes , ” wrote one tourist in July .
Cancun reopened to tourism on June 8 , and while Europe won ’ t let people from the U.S. in , Mexico is one of just a handful of countries that will .
And despite Mexico ranking third in the world for the number of COVID-19 deaths — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice from the U.S. Department of State considers parts of it safer to travel to than Canada at the time of writing .
While an unreliable temperature check at the airport has been deemed enough for tourists entering by plane , who have been allowed to continue flying to Mexico throughout the pandemic , Mexico and the U.S. recently agreed to extend the land border closure , which only allows land border crossings from Mexico to the United States for “ essential travel ” until September 21 .
Stopping the advance of COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Security secretary , Chad Wolf , but the rationale seems cynical given the continuation of air travel .
Meanwhile , the border closure only increases the already extremely dangerous conditions that people are migrating under .
The U.S. ’ s quick “ turnback ” policy was instated on March 24 , 2020 , purportedly to stop the spread of COVID-19 .
The policy is based on Title 42 , which has been around in some form since the 1890s to stop boats that were coming from countries with infectious diseases like smallpox from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the first time it has been used on the U.S.-Mexico border , and it is unusual in that it is superseding immigration law .
It means that around 91 percent of migrants apprehended while trying to cross from Mexico into the U.S. ’ s Southwest border are being sent back within as little as two hours , according to Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan .
There were 38,347 apprehensions in July , the highest figure compared to the previous nine months .
Sending migrants back in this form denies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their legal rights to due process .
Even children who are testing negative for COVID-19 aren ’ t being afforded the legal protections they have .
COVID-19 as an Excuse to Violate Human Rights While the U.S. government is falling far short in its efforts to address the virus within its borders , it is using COVID-19 as a pretext to justify mass deportations and detentions , Sister María Magdalena Silva Rentería told Truthout .
She is the head of CAFEMIN , a shelter for women and children in Mexico City , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelters in Mexico .
Maycon Peña , a refugee staying in a Mexico City shelter , had to flee Honduras due to his active opposition to the government as well as due to gang violence .
“ The border closure is just politics .
I don ’ t agree with it , ” he told Truthout .
“ The pandemic isn ’ t a reason to not attend to people who have had to leave their country and have traveled so far to request asylum.
” “ The closing of the border isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Silva .
She described Mexico ’ s southern and northern borders as “ porous.
” Because they are so long , there are inevitably parts of the border that aren ’ t controlled .
Increasing security and turning migrants back at key points , she argued , only means migrants are forced to try to cross through more dangerous areas .
“ The smugglers are profiting from this , organized crime is , because they extort and kidnap the migrants and force them to enter the U.S. with drugs in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border that are less guarded , ” she said .
Along Mexico ’ s northern border , there is chaos and extreme overcrowding , Silva said .
She described how some people involved in the caravans from Central America a year and a half ago are still there , hoping to cross .
“ With the closure , a lot of people think it is better not to cross , so they are staying near the border and waiting , ” she said .
Migrants waiting to cross are also extremely vulnerable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other types of attacks .
Some 56 percent of migrants and refugees that Doctors Without Borders attended to in Nuevo Leon last year , for example , suffered violence while waiting .
Even before the pandemic , migrants wouldn ’ t leave shelters , for fear of kidnapping .
The UN is installing pre-made homes , similar to those used in other refugee camps around the world , to try to help some of the thousands of migrants stuck at the border .
Apart from dealing with unsafe conditions , uncertainty and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the storm and hurricane season .
People who have been turned around at the border also make up some of those now waiting there .
Many of them are from Central America and have no connections or means to go anywhere else .
Even those who are deported to Mexico City or Guadalajara often end up homeless or targets of organized crime .
The expulsions , Amnesty International says , violate U.S. refugee laws and treaty obligations .
Pandemic Measures in Mexico Are Leaving Migrants Homeless and Unemployed The border closure is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in or still traveling through Mexico .
With the pandemic , most shelters closed their doors to new arrivals , and have forced current migrants to shelter in place except in the case of emergencies or the need to see a doctor .
COMAR , the Mexican Commission for Helping Refugees , has suspended procedures , meaning refugees in lockdown don ’ t know what is happening with their applications .
Some , desperate , are abandoning their processes .
Shut inside shelters for nearly five months now , migrants are also feeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally not getting their basic needs for education and play met .
Some unaccompanied teenagers are facing deportation , but that can take up to four months , Silva said .
Donations to shelters have decreased , as businesses and individuals , negatively affected by the economic effects of the pandemic , have little to spare .
In most of Mexico , shelters are relying on their own scant means to provide food .
Because a number of shelters are closed , many of those who are trying to travel through Mexico are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that then exposes them further to violence and xenophobia .
Those who previously had work , typically very precarious and under-the-counter , were among the first victims of the unemployment resulting from the pandemic .
“ Before the job I have now , I was working in a bakery .
It closed for a month with the pandemic and I can ’ t get by without work , so I got another job , ” said Peña .
“ I was working in sales , and the boss said sales have gone down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I had to leave that .
I know a lot of people who are earning much less or who have lost their job .
The pandemic has affected migrants very harshly.
” Central America and Mexico are feeling the full force of increased poverty as a result of the pandemic .
In Mexico , those with an income that is insufficient to cover basic needs increased to 55 percent of workers .
Some 16 million Mexicans have fallen into extreme poverty conditions over the past few months .
In Honduras , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has almost doubled .
An International Organization for Migration survey conducted in June found that 84 percent of migrants are planning on resuming their migration once restrictions are lifted .
Once migrants resume travel , providing them with support and respecting their legal and human rights will be important .
The hypocrisy of the U.S. closing its borders to refugees and migrants while its tourists travel freely to Mexico shows that these policies are not about stopping the spread of COVID-19 .
Rather , they are a demonstration of power and of racism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inequality between the two countries .

The hypocrisy of the U.S. shutting out refugees while its tourists still travel to Mexico shows this is not about COVID.
Over the past few months, conditions for migrants traveling through Mexico have grown worse. With most shelters still closed to new migrants because of the pandemic and the U.S. sending people who reach the border back within hours, many refugees and migrants in Mexico are living on the streets.
The restrictive measures being applied to migrants in the name of the pandemic are not being applied to tourists, nor to delivery trucks crossing the land border with a range of essential and nonessential goods.
Indeed tourists from the U.S. — the country with the highest death toll from COVID-19 — are continuing to fly to Mexico to enjoy resort holidays in Cancun and elsewhere.
“If you’re ready and comfortable enough to fly, Cancun is a destination that ticks all (the) boxes,” wrote one tourist in July. Cancun reopened to tourism on June 8, and while Europe won’t let people from the U.S. in, Mexico is one of just a handful of countries that will. And despite Mexico ranking third in the world for the number of COVID-19 deaths — after the U.S. and Brazil — travel advice from the U.S. Department of State considers parts of it safer to travel to than Canada at the time of writing.
While an unreliable temperature check at the airport has been deemed enough for tourists entering by plane, who have been allowed to continue flying to Mexico throughout the pandemic, Mexico and the U.S. recently agreed to extend the land border closure, which only allows land border crossings from Mexico to the United States for “essential travel” until September 21. Stopping the advance of COVID-19 was the reason given by acting Homeland Security secretary, Chad Wolf, but the rationale seems cynical given the continuation of air travel. Meanwhile, the border closure only increases the already extremely dangerous conditions that people are migrating under.
The U.S.’s quick “turnback” policy was instated on March 24, 2020, purportedly to stop the spread of COVID-19. The policy is based on Title 42, which has been around in some form since the 1890s to stop boats that were coming from countries with infectious diseases like smallpox from entering U.S. ports. However, this is the first time it has been used on the U.S.-Mexico border, and it is unusual in that it is superseding immigration law.
It means that around 91 percent of migrants apprehended while trying to cross from Mexico into the U.S.’s Southwest border are being sent back within as little as two hours, according to Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Mark Morgan. There were 38,347 apprehensions in July, the highest figure compared to the previous nine months. Sending migrants back in this form denies their human right to request asylum and their legal rights to due process. Even children who are testing negative for COVID-19 aren’t being afforded the legal protections they have.
Tamara Pearson
COVID-19 as an Excuse to Violate Human Rights
While the U.S. government is falling far short in its efforts to address the virus within its borders, it is using COVID-19 as a pretext to justify mass deportations and detentions, Sister María Magdalena Silva Rentería told Truthout. She is the head of CAFEMIN, a shelter for women and children in Mexico City, and coordinates REDODEM, a network of 23 shelters in Mexico.
The restrictive measures being applied to migrants in the name of the pandemic are not being applied to tourists.
Maycon Peña, a refugee staying in a Mexico City shelter, had to flee Honduras due to his active opposition to the government as well as due to gang violence. “The border closure is just politics. I don’t agree with it,” he told Truthout. “The pandemic isn’t a reason to not attend to people who have had to leave their country and have traveled so far to request asylum.”
“The closing of the border isn’t a security measure,” said Silva. She described Mexico’s southern and northern borders as “porous.” Because they are so long, there are inevitably parts of the border that aren’t controlled. Increasing security and turning migrants back at key points, she argued, only means migrants are forced to try to cross through more dangerous areas.
“The smugglers are profiting from this, organized crime is, because they extort and kidnap the migrants and force them to enter the U.S. with drugs in exchange for helping them get across parts of the border that are less guarded,” she said.
Along Mexico’s northern border, there is chaos and extreme overcrowding, Silva said. She described how some people involved in the caravans from Central America a year and a half ago are still there, hoping to cross. “With the closure, a lot of people think it is better not to cross, so they are staying near the border and waiting,” she said.
Migrants waiting to cross are also extremely vulnerable to assault, rape, extortion, and other types of attacks. Some 56 percent of migrants and refugees that Doctors Without Borders attended to in Nuevo Leon last year, for example, suffered violence while waiting. Even before the pandemic, migrants wouldn’t leave shelters, for fear of kidnapping.
The UN is installing pre-made homes, similar to those used in other refugee camps around the world, to try to help some of the thousands of migrants stuck at the border. Apart from dealing with unsafe conditions, uncertainty and the pandemic, migrants are also now facing the storm and hurricane season.
People who have been turned around at the border also make up some of those now waiting there. Many of them are from Central America and have no connections or means to go anywhere else. Even those who are deported to Mexico City or Guadalajara often end up homeless or targets of organized crime. The expulsions, Amnesty International says, violate U.S. refugee laws and treaty obligations.
Tamara Pearson Tamara Pearson Tamara Pearson Tamara Pearson
Pandemic Measures in Mexico Are Leaving Migrants Homeless and Unemployed
The border closure is also exacerbating already difficult conditions for migrants staying in or still traveling through Mexico. With the pandemic, most shelters closed their doors to new arrivals, and have forced current migrants to shelter in place except in the case of emergencies or the need to see a doctor.
Around 91 percent of migrants apprehended while trying to cross from Mexico into the U.S.’s Southwest border are being sent back within as little as two hours.
COMAR, the Mexican Commission for Helping Refugees, has suspended procedures, meaning refugees in lockdown don’t know what is happening with their applications. Some, desperate, are abandoning their processes. Shut inside shelters for nearly five months now, migrants are also feeling anxiety and frustration. Child migrants are generally not getting their basic needs for education and play met. Some unaccompanied teenagers are facing deportation, but that can take up to four months, Silva said.
Donations to shelters have decreased, as businesses and individuals, negatively affected by the economic effects of the pandemic, have little to spare. In most of Mexico, shelters are relying on their own scant means to provide food.
Because a number of shelters are closed, many of those who are trying to travel through Mexico are sleeping on the street. Silva said that then exposes them further to violence and xenophobia. Those who previously had work, typically very precarious and under-the-counter, were among the first victims of the unemployment resulting from the pandemic.
“Before the job I have now, I was working in a bakery. It closed for a month with the pandemic and I can’t get by without work, so I got another job,” said Peña. “I was working in sales, and the boss said sales have gone down so she couldn’t pay us, and I had to leave that. I know a lot of people who are earning much less or who have lost their job. The pandemic has affected migrants very harshly.”
Tamara Pearson Tamara Pearson Tamara Pearson
Central America and Mexico are feeling the full force of increased poverty as a result of the pandemic. In Mexico, those with an income that is insufficient to cover basic needs increased to 55 percent of workers. Some 16 million Mexicans have fallen into extreme poverty conditions over the past few months. In Honduras, the number of people facing food insecurity has almost doubled.
An International Organization for Migration survey conducted in June found that 84 percent of migrants are planning on resuming their migration once restrictions are lifted.
Once migrants resume travel, providing them with support and respecting their legal and human rights will be important.
The hypocrisy of the U.S. closing its borders to refugees and migrants while its tourists travel freely to Mexico shows that these policies are not about stopping the spread of COVID-19. Rather, they are a demonstration of power and of racism, and an extension of the massive inequality between the two countries.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.


truthout--2020-09-03--Decades-Old Gang Laws Are Being Used to Target Black Lives Matter Protesters

On July 9 , Madalena McNeil bought several buckets of red paint , a ladder , and paint rollers from a Salt Lake City Home Depot store .
Later that night , she accompanied two dozen other people to a demonstration outside the Salt Lake County District Attorney ’ s office , amidst ongoing nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer .
Demonstrators shattered four windows of the office , daubed red paint on the building ’ s driveway , and engaged in physical altercations with the police .
Roughly a month later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the demonstration .
Along with several other people arrested , Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill charged McNeil with felony charges of criminal mischief with a gang enhancement that , under Utah state law , carries a sentence of five years to life .
“ I feel that it sends a very extreme message to anyone who ’ s considering acting out their civil right to protest , that they are going to be met with the harshest possible charges and response , ” McNeil told a local television station on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on bail .
On August 21 , a retired judge selected as “ conflict counsel ” by the Salt Lake County District Attorney decided to drop the gang enhancements for McNeil and her co-defendants .
However , additional gang enhancement charges for other Salt Lake City protesters accused of property destruction this spring are still pending .
The use of decades-old gang laws to target participants in the largest uprising against police brutality in American history has brought criticism from civil liberties groups and criminal legal reform advocates .
However , Gill is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the McNeil case — law enforcement in Western states have long used gang laws to target activists involved in causes including animal rights , environmentalism , and even “ straight-edge ” sobriety .
Many states — the majority of them in the West and South — have adopted gang laws similar to California ’ s STEP Act , which was enacted in 1988 .
This law outlawed participation in criminal street gangs and codified hefty sentencing enhancements for gang-related convictions .
In recent years , gang classification and enforcement in states like California @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been criticized by civil rights groups for fomenting unconstitutional and biased enforcement .
In Los Angeles , a scandal involving the LAPD ’ s falsification of gang records for dozens of people resulted in the invalidation of one quarter of the entries in the statewide CalGang database .
Mike German , a former FBI agent who spent years infiltrating and investigating white supremacist groups , told The Appeal that there is a push by the Trump administration and Attorney General Bill Barr to frame racial justice protesters and their allies as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lethal activities of the extreme right .
“ It ’ s ignoring reality to create a political narrative around the protests to create a particular agenda rather than address the concerns of the protests , ” German said .
Gang laws , German said , are an effective means for authorities to charge a number of associated people for a single offense , because the statutes function in the same manner as federal and state criminal conspiracy laws .
German said that by using gang laws to pursue alleged crimes by protesters , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run around First Amendment protections on freedom of association because of the criminal status afforded to the gang .
Most alarmingly , the tenor of national media coverage over the George Floyd protests — particularly an adoption of right-wing talking points around anti-fascists — means that arguments by the Trump administration are more likely to find favor in the judiciary .
“ All it ’ s going to take is one judge to classify Antifa as a gang in one jurisdiction , and others will follow suit , ” German said .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have adapted the STEP Act ’ s investigative lens to examine political groups .
In October 2012 , the San Francisco Police Department ’ s gang unit led an investigation into 20 demonstrators arrested during a chaotic anti-capitalist protest .
The demonstration and subsequent court case came during sustained Bay Area activism as part of the Occupy and Oscar Grant movements .
SFPD spokespeople labeled the arrestees as part of a “ criminal street gang ” alternatively identified as anarchists or “ Black Bloc , ” and alleged that several people arrested also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Mission station during September 2012 demonstrations over a police shooting in the neighborhood .
On the state level , California law enforcement have a similar focus on anarchist groups .
In 2011 , then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris ’ s office prominently featured “ criminal anarchists ” in the ‘ domestic terrorism ’ category of its annual “ Organized Crime in California ” report .
The report classified anarchists along with the far-right wing sovereign citizens as the two major variations of “ Anti-government Criminal Extremism.
” The same report also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” like the Earth Liberation Front as domestic terrorists .
The push to criminalize left-wing protest groups is a bipartisan approach that has garnered support in some progressive communities .
In 2017 , following repeated clashes in Berkeley , California , between out-of-town far right militants and anti-fascist counter-protesters , Mayor Jesse Arreguín pushed to label the latter group as a street gang .
“ I think we should classify them as a gang , ” said Arreguín at the time .
“ They come dressed in uniforms .
They have weapons , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.
” Law enforcement in Washington State also approaches left-wing activists through the prism of gang policing and investigations .
King County Jail documents provided to The Appeal by Seattle police accountability activists show the agency classified “ anarchists ” , the “ Animal Liberation Front ” , the “ Earth Liberation Front ” , “ Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice ( SHARPS ) ” , and “ Hardline Straight Edgers ” as “ Predominantly Caucasian Biker , Street , and Prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Peckerwoods and the Ku Klux Klan .
Ample evidence also shows that the federal government has several ongoing investigations into left-wing political groups around the United States .
A March 2018 FBI internal communication obtained by The Appeal lists an active “ Type 3 assessment ” of “ Anarchist Extremism ” out of the Los Angeles field office under the 266H assignment code , which the FBI uses for cases they consider to be anarchist-aligned domestic terrorism .
An “ assessment ” is an intelligence-gathering mission that does not rise to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the FBI ’ s Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide , permits the bureau to proactive scrutinize people or groups who may pose a threat to public safety without evidence of criminality .
In August , the FBI arrested Queens resident Samuel Resto and later charged him with firebombing an unoccupied NYPD patrol car during a nighttime protest in July .
According to the government ’ s detention memorandum for Resto , the NYPD was surveilling him when he left his apartment before the demonstration where the police car was torched .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his arrest , Sarah Bernal , is assigned to the New York City Joint Terrorism Task Force .
Posts on a left-wing message board claim Agent Bernal has been probing the New York City anarchist community since fall 2019 .
Earlier this summer , FBI agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force questioned people arrested during New York City ’ s George Floyd demonstrations about their ties to anti-fascist and anarchist groups .
Although NYPD is under a decades-old consent decree that restricts the department ’ s ability to monitor political organizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on anarchist groups and events as a persistent threat , sometimes to a risible degree .
New York City ’ s efforts against left-wing groups was part of a push by FBI Director Christopher Wray a week after the George Floyd demonstrations began instructing all 200 Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country “ to assist local law enforcement with apprehending and charging violent agitators who are hijacking peaceful protests ” On August 27 , the local United States Attorney in Portland , Oregon charged 74 people with a slew of federal crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protests .
President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr have spent much of the summer railing against “ Antifa ” and “ Anarchists ” in Portland that have faced off against local , state , and federal law enforcement in a series of clashes that drew international attention .
Josmar Trujillo , a New York City activist who studies gang statutes and policing tactics , views the application of laws usually reserved for inner-city youth of color to political activists and organizers as a targeted attempt to suppress police accountability protests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and bashing heads at protests — they want you to actually pay a much deeper price .
It ’ s one thing to get clubbed upside your head one night , then you get angrier and come back out again the next night , ” Trujillo said .
“ They can just keep you off of the streets , keep you tied up in court spending thousands of dollars keeping yourself out of jail .
That not only guarantees that you ’ ll be out of protests , but your circles will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be out of protests , and people who hear about what happened to you will be dissuaded from joining.
” The Appeal is a non-profit media organization that produces news and commentary on how policy , politics , and the legal system affect America ’ s most vulnerable people .

This story was originally published by The Appeal, a nonprofit criminal justice news site.
On July 9, Madalena McNeil bought several buckets of red paint, a ladder, and paint rollers from a Salt Lake City Home Depot store. Later that night, she accompanied two dozen other people to a demonstration outside the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office, amidst ongoing nationwide protests over the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. Demonstrators shattered four windows of the office, daubed red paint on the building’s driveway, and engaged in physical altercations with the police.
Roughly a month later, McNeil was arrested on a warrant stemming from the demonstration. Along with several other people arrested, Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill charged McNeil with felony charges of criminal mischief with a gang enhancement that, under Utah state law, carries a sentence of five years to life.
“I feel that it sends a very extreme message to anyone who’s considering acting out their civil right to protest, that they are going to be met with the harshest possible charges and response,” McNeil told a local television station on August 6 shortly after she was released on bail.
On August 21, a retired judge selected as “conflict counsel” by the Salt Lake County District Attorney decided to drop the gang enhancements for McNeil and her co-defendants. However, additional gang enhancement charges for other Salt Lake City protesters accused of property destruction this spring are still pending.
The use of decades-old gang laws to target participants in the largest uprising against police brutality in American history has brought criticism from civil liberties groups and criminal legal reform advocates. However, Gill is far from alone in his decision-making in the McNeil case — law enforcement in Western states have long used gang laws to target activists involved in causes including animal rights, environmentalism, and even “straight-edge” sobriety.
Many states — the majority of them in the West and South — have adopted gang laws similar to California’s STEP Act, which was enacted in 1988. This law outlawed participation in criminal street gangs and codified hefty sentencing enhancements for gang-related convictions. In recent years, gang classification and enforcement in states like California, Oregon, Illinois, and Maryland have been criticized by civil rights groups for fomenting unconstitutional and biased enforcement. In Los Angeles, a scandal involving the LAPD’s falsification of gang records for dozens of people resulted in the invalidation of one quarter of the entries in the statewide CalGang database.
Mike German, a former FBI agent who spent years infiltrating and investigating white supremacist groups, told The Appeal that there is a push by the Trump administration and Attorney General Bill Barr to frame racial justice protesters and their allies as a domestic terrorism threat while eliding the increasingly lethal activities of the extreme right. “It’s ignoring reality to create a political narrative around the protests to create a particular agenda rather than address the concerns of the protests,” German said. Gang laws, German said, are an effective means for authorities to charge a number of associated people for a single offense, because the statutes function in the same manner as federal and state criminal conspiracy laws.
German said that by using gang laws to pursue alleged crimes by protesters, law enforcement authorities can do an end run around First Amendment protections on freedom of association because of the criminal status afforded to the gang. Most alarmingly, the tenor of national media coverage over the George Floyd protests — particularly an adoption of right-wing talking points around anti-fascists — means that arguments by the Trump administration are more likely to find favor in the judiciary.
“All it’s going to take is one judge to classify Antifa as a gang in one jurisdiction, and others will follow suit,” German said.
In California, local and state law enforcement have adapted the STEP Act’s investigative lens to examine political groups.
In October 2012, the San Francisco Police Department’s gang unit led an investigation into 20 demonstrators arrested during a chaotic anti-capitalist protest. The demonstration and subsequent court case came during sustained Bay Area activism as part of the Occupy and Oscar Grant movements. SFPD spokespeople labeled the arrestees as part of a “criminal street gang” alternatively identified as anarchists or “Black Bloc,” and alleged that several people arrested also took part in the vandalizing of SFPD’s Mission station during September 2012 demonstrations over a police shooting in the neighborhood.
On the state level, California law enforcement have a similar focus on anarchist groups. In 2011, then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris’s office prominently featured “criminal anarchists” in the ‘domestic terrorism’ category of its annual “Organized Crime in California” report. The report classified anarchists along with the far-right wing sovereign citizens as the two major variations of “Anti-government Criminal Extremism.” The same report also listed animal rights activists and “eco-terrorists” like the Earth Liberation Front as domestic terrorists.
The push to criminalize left-wing protest groups is a bipartisan approach that has garnered support in some progressive communities. In 2017, following repeated clashes in Berkeley, California, between out-of-town far right militants and anti-fascist counter-protesters, Mayor Jesse Arreguín pushed to label the latter group as a street gang. “I think we should classify them as a gang,” said Arreguín at the time. “They come dressed in uniforms. They have weapons, almost like militia, and I think we need to think about that in terms of our law enforcement approach.”
Law enforcement in Washington State also approaches left-wing activists through the prism of gang policing and investigations. King County Jail documents provided to The Appeal by Seattle police accountability activists show the agency classified “anarchists”, the “Animal Liberation Front”, the “Earth Liberation Front”, “Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARPS)”, and “Hardline Straight Edgers” as “Predominantly Caucasian Biker, Street, and Prison Gangs” alongside the Aryan Brotherhood, the Peckerwoods and the Ku Klux Klan.
Ample evidence also shows that the federal government has several ongoing investigations into left-wing political groups around the United States. A March 2018 FBI internal communication obtained by The Appeal lists an active “Type 3 assessment” of “Anarchist Extremism” out of the Los Angeles field office under the 266H assignment code, which the FBI uses for cases they consider to be anarchist-aligned domestic terrorism. An “assessment” is an intelligence-gathering mission that does not rise to the level of a full investigation, but under the FBI’s Domestic Investigations and Operations Guide, permits the bureau to proactive scrutinize people or groups who may pose a threat to public safety without evidence of criminality.
In August, the FBI arrested Queens resident Samuel Resto and later charged him with firebombing an unoccupied NYPD patrol car during a nighttime protest in July. According to the government’s detention memorandum for Resto, the NYPD was surveilling him when he left his apartment before the demonstration where the police car was torched. The FBI agent who swore out the affidavit for his arrest, Sarah Bernal, is assigned to the New York City Joint Terrorism Task Force. Posts on a left-wing message board claim Agent Bernal has been probing the New York City anarchist community since fall 2019.
Earlier this summer, FBI agents from the Joint Terrorism Task Force questioned people arrested during New York City’s George Floyd demonstrations about their ties to anti-fascist and anarchist groups. Although NYPD is under a decades-old consent decree that restricts the department’s ability to monitor political organizing, in recent years it has fixated on anarchist groups and events as a persistent threat, sometimes to a risible degree. New York City’s efforts against left-wing groups was part of a push by FBI Director Christopher Wray a week after the George Floyd demonstrations began instructing all 200 Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the country “to assist local law enforcement with apprehending and charging violent agitators who are hijacking peaceful protests”
On August 27, the local United States Attorney in Portland, Oregon charged 74 people with a slew of federal crimes for participating in months of often chaotic protests. President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr have spent much of the summer railing against “Antifa” and “Anarchists” in Portland that have faced off against local, state, and federal law enforcement in a series of clashes that drew international attention.
Josmar Trujillo, a New York City activist who studies gang statutes and policing tactics, views the application of laws usually reserved for inner-city youth of color to political activists and organizers as a targeted attempt to suppress police accountability protests.
“Cops are tired of just going and bashing heads at protests — they want you to actually pay a much deeper price. It’s one thing to get clubbed upside your head one night, then you get angrier and come back out again the next night,” Trujillo said. “They can just keep you off of the streets, keep you tied up in court spending thousands of dollars keeping yourself out of jail. That not only guarantees that you’ll be out of protests, but your circles will be out of protest, your networks will be out of protests, and people who hear about what happened to you will be dissuaded from joining.”
The Appeal is a non-profit media organization that produces news and commentary on how policy, politics, and the legal system affect America’s most vulnerable people.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
This piece was reprinted by Truthout with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.


truthout--2020-09-04--Trump Threats to Anti-Doping Agency May Result in Sanctions on US Olympics Team

Due to threats that the Trump administration made earlier this year to withhold funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency ( WADA ) , the United States may face punishments in the international sporting world .
However , Witold Banka , the head of WADA , sought to assure U.S. athletes on Friday that their participation in such events , including in the Olympics next year , would not be jeopardized due to political disagreements between the agency and the U.S .
The White House ’ s Office of National Drug Control Policy ( ONDCP ) made recommendations to Congress in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international agency agreed to give the U.S. “ a proportionate voice in WADA decision-making.
” The United States gives $ 2.7 million to WADA annually , more than any other country .
WADA responded to the demands from ONDCP , however , by saying that the U.S. does have representation on its many committees , “ better than any other single nation , ” a spokesman pointed out .
“ To allocate seats exclusively to the highest funders would eliminate the majority of nations of the world from ever holding a seat , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
“ Would Americans support having all Members of the U.S. Congress come from just the wealthiest states ?
” The threat from the Trump administration prompted other nations to push for amending rules within the anti-doping organization to find the U.S. non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code if they didn ’ t continue providing funds for the agency .
“ These governments want us to consider an amendment to the compliance standard meaning that non-payment by a government of its WADA contribution could lead directly to that country ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code , ” WADA president Witold Banka said to Reuters on Thursday .
A nation that is non-compliant with the rules imposed by WADA typically risks having its athletes banned from sporting events , including from the Olympics .
Per the International Olympic Committee rules , athletes ’ nations must pass WADA ’ s Code .
However , on Friday , Banka sought to assure athletes that political differences between WADA and the U.S. wouldn ’ t threaten their ability to participate in next year ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over the world remains my number one priority .
I will never let clean athletes become hostages of political games , ” Banka said .
Action could still be taken against the United States , however .
“ Under the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories , there are many possible consequences that do not impact the athletes , ” Banka added .
Such actions were taken against Russia , for example , when WADA placed a ban on that nation , but allowed some athletes to participate under the designation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 if they passed drug tests .
If that were to happen for the U.S. , American athletes would be barred from wearing apparel or waving the nation ’ s flag , for example .
The U.S. national anthem may not be played if American athletes win gold medals as well under such a scenario .
United States Anti-Doping Agency president Travis Tygart fired back at the idea that WADA rules could be changed to require nations to provide funds to the agency or risk being found non-compliant .
“ To threaten one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s failed governance model is pretty remarkable and disappointing , ” Tygart said .
Han Xiao , chair of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee ’ s Athletes ’ Advisory Council , agreed with Tygart ’ s statement , writing in an email to The Washington Post that he disagreed with moves to find WADA member nations non-compliant if they refused to fund the agency .
“ It is entirely inconsistent for WADA to threaten essentially a blanket ban of American athletes in this case , ” Xiao said .
“ The bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be punished for disagreements between institutions over governance reforms .
Even the suggestion that it ’ s an option sets a terrible precedent.
” But Banka was steadfast in the agency ’ s principles , and its right to change the code , if member nations deemed doing so was in the best interests of international sporting .
“ If WADA made past mistakes I can say it , of course , but I will never let WADA be blackmailed and undermine our position as the global regulator , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to take place this year , have been rescheduled for next summer due to the coronavirus pandemic .
WADA has not yet made any moves to introduce an amendment to the World Anti-Doping Code .

The IOC requires nations to comply with World Anti-Doping Agency rules in order to participate in the games.
Due to threats that the Trump administration made earlier this year to withhold funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the United States may face punishments in the international sporting world.
However, Witold Banka, the head of WADA, sought to assure U.S. athletes on Friday that their participation in such events, including in the Olympics next year, would not be jeopardized due to political disagreements between the agency and the U.S.
The White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) made recommendations to Congress in June to pull back funding unless the international agency agreed to give the U.S. “a proportionate voice in WADA decision-making.”
The United States gives $2.7 million to WADA annually, more than any other country. WADA responded to the demands from ONDCP, however, by saying that the U.S. does have representation on its many committees, “better than any other single nation,” a spokesman pointed out.
“To allocate seats exclusively to the highest funders would eliminate the majority of nations of the world from ever holding a seat,” a statement from WADA said at the time. “Would Americans support having all Members of the U.S. Congress come from just the wealthiest states?”
The threat from the Trump administration prompted other nations to push for amending rules within the anti-doping organization to find the U.S. non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code if they didn’t continue providing funds for the agency.
“These governments want us to consider an amendment to the compliance standard meaning that non-payment by a government of its WADA contribution could lead directly to that country’s NADO (National Anti-Doping Organization) being declared non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code,” WADA president Witold Banka said to Reuters on Thursday.
A nation that is non-compliant with the rules imposed by WADA typically risks having its athletes banned from sporting events, including from the Olympics. Per the International Olympic Committee rules, athletes’ nations must pass WADA’s Code.
However, on Friday, Banka sought to assure athletes that political differences between WADA and the U.S. wouldn’t threaten their ability to participate in next year’s Olympic games.
“Fairness for athletes all over the world remains my number one priority. I will never let clean athletes become hostages of political games,” Banka said.
Action could still be taken against the United States, however. “Under the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories, there are many possible consequences that do not impact the athletes,” Banka added.
Such actions were taken against Russia, for example, when WADA placed a ban on that nation, but allowed some athletes to participate under the designation “Olympic Athlete from Russia” in 2018 if they passed drug tests. If that were to happen for the U.S., American athletes would be barred from wearing apparel or waving the nation’s flag, for example. The U.S. national anthem may not be played if American athletes win gold medals as well under such a scenario.
United States Anti-Doping Agency president Travis Tygart fired back at the idea that WADA rules could be changed to require nations to provide funds to the agency or risk being found non-compliant.
“To threaten one country’s athletes over WADA’s failed governance model is pretty remarkable and disappointing,” Tygart said.
Han Xiao, chair of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s Athletes’ Advisory Council, agreed with Tygart’s statement, writing in an email to The Washington Post that he disagreed with moves to find WADA member nations non-compliant if they refused to fund the agency.
“It is entirely inconsistent for WADA to threaten essentially a blanket ban of American athletes in this case,” Xiao said. “The bottom line is clean American athletes should not be punished for disagreements between institutions over governance reforms. Even the suggestion that it’s an option sets a terrible precedent.”
But Banka was steadfast in the agency’s principles, and its right to change the code, if member nations deemed doing so was in the best interests of international sporting.
“If WADA made past mistakes I can say it, of course, but I will never let WADA be blackmailed and undermine our position as the global regulator,” he said.
The Tokyo Olympic Games, originally scheduled to take place this year, have been rescheduled for next summer due to the coronavirus pandemic. WADA has not yet made any moves to introduce an amendment to the World Anti-Doping Code.
Tired of reading the same old news from the same old sources? So are we! That’s why we’re on a mission to shake things up and bring you the stories and perspectives that often go untold in mainstream media. But being a radically, unapologetically independent news site isn’t easy (or cheap), and we rely on reader support to keep the lights on.
If you like what you’re reading, please consider making a tax-deductible donation today. We’re not asking for a handout, we’re asking for an investment: Invest in a nonprofit news site that’s not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, not afraid to stand up for what’s right, and not afraid to tell it like it is.
Copyright © Truthout. May not be reprinted without permission.