truthout--2020-06-23--Kentucky Closes 95 Percent of Polling Places, Leaving Louisville With Just One

As primary voters head to the polls in New York , Kentucky and Virginia , they face long lines , even as President Trump continues to attack mail-in voting , falsely claiming it leads to fraud .
Kentucky has reduced the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95 % reduction .
“ There ’ s the potential for record turnout , ” notes Cliff Albright , co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter , despite such suppression tactics .
This is a rush transcript .
Copy may not be in its final form .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
, democracynow.org , The Quarantine Report .
I ’ m Amy Goodman , with Juan González .
Three states are holding primaries today : New York , Kentucky and Virginia .
In Kentucky , voters could face very long lines as the state slashed the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95 % reduction .
In Louisville , Kentucky ’ s largest city , only one polling place is open .
The most closely watched race is the Democratic primary to pick a candidate to challenge Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Progressive candidate , Kentucky state Representative Charles Booker has seen a major boost in polling and received high-profile endorsements from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders , as well as Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , who ’ s running , herself , in New York .
Booker hopes to beat out former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath , who has outspent Booker on ads , $ 14 million to $ 1 million .
She spent the $ 14 million .
This comes as Trump again attacked mail-in voting yesterday , falsely claiming it leads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS , 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history.
” Well , for more , we ’ re joined by Cliff Albright , co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter .
He ’ s normally based in Atlanta , Georgia , but is joining us from the road , just outside Nashville , Tennessee , en route to Louisville , Kentucky , where voters are going to the polls today .
He recently co-authored a piece in The New York Times headlined “ Georgia Set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Home : And other horror stories from a voting meltdown.
” Cliff Albright , thanks so much for pulling over to be safe .
Talk about what ’ s happening in Kentucky today .
Is this possible : 3,700 polling places before , today only 170 ?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT : Yes , unfortunately , it is possible , and it ’ s happening right now .
And , you know , that ’ s not an equal decline that we ’ ve seen .
You know , what we know is that in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the county that has half of the state ’ s Black population , that the number of polling locations was actually brought down to one — one polling place serving the entire county , estimated 600,000 — over 600,000 registered voters .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And in terms of the projected vote totals , from previous elections to now , are people expecting a significant drop in the total votes as a result of reduction in polling places ?
Because many people will not end up doing mail-in ballots .
CLIFF ALBRIGHT : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the problem .
So , the first part of your question , in terms of the expected drop , actually , there ’ s the potential — there ’ s potential for record turnout .
What they ’ re saying is that there ’ s over 200,000 ballots that were sent out to folks that requested the mail-in ballot .
That , combined with the number of folks that have actually already early voted , puts them at a number that basically could exceed even 2008 , which is what we saw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spite of all of the mess that took place and the voter suppression that took place , that you still saw a record turnout in Georgia .
And so , there ’ s really potential to have something similar take place in Louisville , in particular , but throughout the state of Kentucky .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And you mention Georgia .
Clearly , if you could talk a little bit about the meltdown that occurred there , and also the fact a lot of people don ’ t understand that , yes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voting , essentially mail-in voting , but the mail-in voting process is a lot more complicated than it is going to the polling place and just choosing your candidates or sticking your ballot through a machine , isn ’ t it ?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT : Exactly .
You know , we ’ ve been big supporters of mail-in voting .
We know that it ’ s the safest way for our communities to be able to go vote — again , communities that are being disproportionately hit by the coronavirus .
But it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not something that solves all the problems .
It ’ s not something that ’ s exempt from voter suppression .
You can have a state that says , “ OK , we ’ ll do vote by mail , ” but there are many ways , there are many pitfalls in how it gets done , that can still create voter suppression , in fact , even larger-scale voter suppression than in a normal election .
There are still issues over who gets sent the ballots , over what excuse @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail-in ballot , or you still have states that are fighting against — like states like Tennessee , where I ’ m at right now , with states that are fighting against coronavirus even being an allowable excuse to do vote by mail .
You ’ ve still got issues in terms of when does the ballot have to receive : Is it a received-by date , or is it a postage date ?
You ’ ve got questions over signatures , right ?
In fact , one of the problems we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there are some voters who didn ’ t know that you have to sign in two places , and because of that , those ballots aren ’ t getting counted .
And then you ’ ve got the signature match issues , which they also have in Kentucky , which says that your signature is going to be — your signature on the mail-in ballot is going to be compared with the signature that they have on file , which could be 10 years old or 20 years old , right ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ these different areas where voter suppression can creep into the vote-by-mail system .
So , when done properly , it can be a great alternative to keep our communities safe , but it is not exempt from voter suppression .
That ’ s what we saw happen in Georgia , where the reality is , much of the lines that we saw in Georgia , it was a combination of many issues , but one of those issues is that you had many people that wanted to vote by mail but were not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ postage issue — the state didn ’ t provide postage — or some other aspects .
The state had incorrect directions in the mail envelope with the vote-by-mail ballot .
And so , some of those lines — and again , we ’ re talking about four-hour , five-hour , six-hour lines .
Some of that was caused by the fact that some people wanted to vote by mail , and simply weren ’ t able to .
AMY GOODMAN : So you have five states that fully vote by mail : Colorado @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Utah .
You have President Trump , after his catastrophic rally in Tulsa , in the midst of COVID , immediately tweeting , you know , the elections in November are going to be a fraud because of mail-in voting .
He votes mail-in .
Jared Kushner , his senior adviser and his son-in-law , and his daughter Ivanka Trump vote mail-in .
The military has voted mail-in since the Civil War .
Cliff Albright , if you can talk about what needs to be put into place in order for more people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And then , also , these incredible dangers during the time of the coronavirus , like the headline on your New York Times piece , “ Georgia Set Up a Polling Place in a Nursing Home , ” what could be more of a superspreading event ?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT : Yeah .
I mean , first of all , whenever you hear Trump talk about vote by mail being fraudulent , we always have to remember what his biography co-writer said about him , that whatever criticism he lays , he ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so , what we know is that Trump said himself how he feels about this issue : If voting was expanded , if we do this widescale vote by mail , Republicans will never be able to win .
He said it , right ?
Mitch McConnell said the same thing when Democratic legislation was trying to put in provisions to expand vote by mail , or even before coronavirus , when they were just trying to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act , Mitch McConnell says , “ Oh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to win another election.
” In Georgia , the Republican speaker of the House said the same thing .
So they ’ re not even trying to hide what their real motivations are .
Whenever they talk about voter fraud , what we know is all they see is their power and being able to hold onto their power .
This notion of democracy is just a cute , little idea that they have .
But when it comes down to their power , if they need to weaken democracy or attack democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve been willing to do that , Georgia being a perfect example with the current secretary of state , who really had three months , three extra months , to prepare for that election in Georgia .
The election was delayed not just once , but twice , from March to June , and he still couldn ’ t get it right .
But it ’ s not just incompetence .
It ’ s incompetence combined with intentional suppression .
JUAN GONZÁLEZ : And , Cliff Albright , I ’ m wondering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actual race in Kentucky that is occurring , two Democrats seeking to get the nomination to challenge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November .
Amy McGrath was the Democratic establishment candidate .
She was expected to cruise to victory , but suddenly Charles Booker has had a huge surge , representing , in essence , the left wing of the Democratic Party .
Your sense of what has happened there in Kentucky ?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT : Yeah .
I mean , I think what you ’ ve seen is that , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a little bit late , and so he had to build up some momentum .
And he was doing that , talking about these issues at the center of his campaign .
And then , of course , everything that ’ s happened over the past three , four weeks in terms of police violence and the protests , and it ’ s just created this energy , which hasn ’ t caused him to have to change his message , right ?
It ’ s just that his message is now getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to McGrath , who has literally been invisible throughout these three , four weeks of protest .
And so , there ’ s an incredible wave that ’ s taking place , and a lot of folks that are just finding out about Booker and his campaign .
And , you know , we really think , again , when you look at the numbers and you look at the number of folks that have either early voted or requested the ballots , there ’ s really potential for Kentucky to really shock @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary today .
AMY GOODMAN : And , of course , we ’ ll follow the results tomorrow , see what happens .
Cliff Albright , thanks so much for pulling over to the side of the road to speak with us , co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter , speaking to us from Tennessee on his way to Kentucky .
Up next , we will speak with a Black Lives Matter protester who was in Dallas when police shot him with a so-called less lethal bullet .
He lost his @ @ @ @ @ @

As primary voters head to the polls in New York, Kentucky and Virginia, they face long lines, even as President Trump continues to attack mail-in voting, falsely claiming it leads to fraud. Kentucky has reduced the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95% reduction. “There’s the potential for record turnout,” notes Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, despite such suppression tactics.
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org, The Quarantine Report. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González. Three states are holding primaries today: New York, Kentucky and Virginia. In Kentucky, voters could face very long lines as the state slashed the number of polling places from 3,700 to just 170 — a 95% reduction. In Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city, only one polling place is open.
The most closely watched race is the Democratic primary to pick a candidate to challenge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November. Progressive candidate, Kentucky state Representative Charles Booker has seen a major boost in polling and received high-profile endorsements from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, as well as Congressmember Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who’s running, herself, in New York. Booker hopes to beat out former Marine fighter pilot Amy McGrath, who has outspent Booker on ads, $14 million to $1 million. She spent the $14 million. This comes as Trump again attacked mail-in voting yesterday, falsely claiming it leads to fraud. He tweeted, “Because of MAIL-IN BALLOTS, 2020 will be the most RIGGED Election in our nations history.”
Well, for more, we’re joined by Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter. He’s normally based in Atlanta, Georgia, but is joining us from the road, just outside Nashville, Tennessee, en route to Louisville, Kentucky, where voters are going to the polls today. He recently co-authored a piece in The New York Times headlined “Georgia Set Up a Polling Place in a Nursing Home: And other horror stories from a voting meltdown.”
Cliff Albright, thanks so much for pulling over to be safe. Talk about what’s happening in Kentucky today. Is this possible: 3,700 polling places before, today only 170?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT: Yes, unfortunately, it is possible, and it’s happening right now. And, you know, that’s not an equal decline that we’ve seen. You know, what we know is that in Jefferson County, the largest county and the county that has half of the state’s Black population, that the number of polling locations was actually brought down to one — one polling place serving the entire county, estimated 600,000 — over 600,000 registered voters.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And in terms of the projected vote totals, from previous elections to now, are people expecting a significant drop in the total votes as a result of reduction in polling places? Because many people will not end up doing mail-in ballots.
CLIFF ALBRIGHT: Exactly. And that’s part of the problem. So, the first part of your question, in terms of the expected drop, actually, there’s the potential — there’s potential for record turnout. What they’re saying is that there’s over 200,000 ballots that were sent out to folks that requested the mail-in ballot. That, combined with the number of folks that have actually already early voted, puts them at a number that basically could exceed even 2008, which is what we saw happen in Georgia, right? In spite of all of the mess that took place and the voter suppression that took place, that you still saw a record turnout in Georgia. And so, there’s really potential to have something similar take place in Louisville, in particular, but throughout the state of Kentucky.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And you mention Georgia. Clearly, if you could talk a little bit about the meltdown that occurred there, and also the fact a lot of people don’t understand that, yes, many states have gone to mail-in voting, essentially mail-in voting, but the mail-in voting process is a lot more complicated than it is going to the polling place and just choosing your candidates or sticking your ballot through a machine, isn’t it?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT: Exactly. You know, we’ve been big supporters of mail-in voting. We know that it’s the safest way for our communities to be able to go vote — again, communities that are being disproportionately hit by the coronavirus. But it’s not a panacea. It’s not something that solves all the problems. It’s not something that’s exempt from voter suppression.
You can have a state that says, “OK, we’ll do vote by mail,” but there are many ways, there are many pitfalls in how it gets done, that can still create voter suppression, in fact, even larger-scale voter suppression than in a normal election. There are still issues over who gets sent the ballots, over what excuse even qualifies for you to use a mail-in ballot, or you still have states that are fighting against — like states like Tennessee, where I’m at right now, with states that are fighting against coronavirus even being an allowable excuse to do vote by mail. You’ve still got issues in terms of when does the ballot have to receive: Is it a received-by date, or is it a postage date? You’ve got questions over signatures, right? In fact, one of the problems we’re hearing in Kentucky right now is that there are some voters who didn’t know that you have to sign in two places, and because of that, those ballots aren’t getting counted. And then you’ve got the signature match issues, which they also have in Kentucky, which says that your signature is going to be — your signature on the mail-in ballot is going to be compared with the signature that they have on file, which could be 10 years old or 20 years old, right? So, you’ve got all these different areas where voter suppression can creep into the vote-by-mail system. So, when done properly, it can be a great alternative to keep our communities safe, but it is not exempt from voter suppression.
That’s what we saw happen in Georgia, where the reality is, much of the lines that we saw in Georgia, it was a combination of many issues, but one of those issues is that you had many people that wanted to vote by mail but were not able to, either because of a postage issue — the state didn’t provide postage — or some other aspects. The state had incorrect directions in the mail envelope with the vote-by-mail ballot. And so, some of those lines — and again, we’re talking about four-hour, five-hour, six-hour lines. Some of that was caused by the fact that some people wanted to vote by mail, and simply weren’t able to.
AMY GOODMAN: So you have five states that fully vote by mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah. You have President Trump, after his catastrophic rally in Tulsa, in the midst of COVID, immediately tweeting, you know, the elections in November are going to be a fraud because of mail-in voting. He votes mail-in. Jared Kushner, his senior adviser and his son-in-law, and his daughter Ivanka Trump vote mail-in. The military has voted mail-in since the Civil War. Cliff Albright, if you can talk about what needs to be put into place in order for more people to have that access by November? And then, also, these incredible dangers during the time of the coronavirus, like the headline on your New York Times piece, “Georgia Set Up a Polling Place in a Nursing Home,” what could be more of a superspreading event?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT: Yeah. I mean, first of all, whenever you hear Trump talk about vote by mail being fraudulent, we always have to remember what his biography co-writer said about him, that whatever criticism he lays, he’s just projecting on himself — from himself. And so, what we know is that Trump said himself how he feels about this issue: If voting was expanded, if we do this widescale vote by mail, Republicans will never be able to win. He said it, right? Mitch McConnell said the same thing when Democratic legislation was trying to put in provisions to expand vote by mail, or even before coronavirus, when they were just trying to restore and strengthen the Voting Rights Act, Mitch McConnell says, “Oh, we’ll never be able to win another election.” In Georgia, the Republican speaker of the House said the same thing.
So they’re not even trying to hide what their real motivations are. Whenever they talk about voter fraud, what we know is all they see is their power and being able to hold onto their power. This notion of democracy is just a cute, little idea that they have. But when it comes down to their power, if they need to weaken democracy or attack democracy, they’ve shown that they’ve been willing to do that, Georgia being a perfect example with the current secretary of state, who really had three months, three extra months, to prepare for that election in Georgia. The election was delayed not just once, but twice, from March to June, and he still couldn’t get it right. But it’s not just incompetence. It’s incompetence combined with intentional suppression.
JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And, Cliff Albright, I’m wondering if you could comment briefly on the actual race in Kentucky that is occurring, two Democrats seeking to get the nomination to challenge Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November. Amy McGrath was the Democratic establishment candidate. She was expected to cruise to victory, but suddenly Charles Booker has had a huge surge, representing, in essence, the left wing of the Democratic Party. Your sense of what has happened there in Kentucky?
CLIFF ALBRIGHT: Yeah. I mean, I think what you’ve seen is that, you know, Booker got into the race a little bit late, and so he had to build up some momentum. And he was doing that, talking about these issues at the center of his campaign. And then, of course, everything that’s happened over the past three, four weeks in terms of police violence and the protests, and it’s just created this energy, which hasn’t caused him to have to change his message, right? It’s just that his message is now getting more attention. And then you contrast to McGrath, who has literally been invisible throughout these three, four weeks of protest.
And so, there’s an incredible wave that’s taking place, and a lot of folks that are just finding out about Booker and his campaign. And, you know, we really think, again, when you look at the numbers and you look at the number of folks that have either early voted or requested the ballots, there’s really potential for Kentucky to really shock the country in terms of its Democratic primary today.
AMY GOODMAN: And, of course, we’ll follow the results tomorrow, see what happens. Cliff Albright, thanks so much for pulling over to the side of the road to speak with us, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, speaking to us from Tennessee on his way to Kentucky.
Up next, we will speak with a Black Lives Matter protester who was in Dallas when police shot him with a so-called less lethal bullet. He lost his eye. Stay with us.


truthout--2020-06-23--Trump Responds to COVID-19 Spike by Cracking Down on Immigration

The number of new COVID-19 cases are spiking in several states , but President Trump did not announce new public health responses on Monday .
Instead , he issued an executive order extending and expanding suspensions of immigration and guest worker programs until the end of the year .
The White House is also moving to push lower-wage workers out of the H-1B visa program , and it barred asylum seekers from gaining lawful employment for one year after filing a claim .
Meanwhile , the administration is already working to raise the standard of proof for asylum claims and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proceedings for people fleeing harm and violence , including thousands of people currently locked in immigration jails .
The new rules would make it excruciatingly difficult for women , LGBTQ people and survivors of gang violence to win asylum , according to the National Immigrant Justice Center ( NIJC ) .
“ While the worst impact will be felt by Central American asylum seekers , whom the administration clearly is trying to ban entirely , this proposed regulation would create insurmountable barriers for all asylum seekers , even for political asylum claims that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said NIJC Associate Director Ashley Huebner said in a statement earlier this month .
The administration said the order and new regulations are meant to reserve jobs for U.S. citizens , but critics argue it would not reduce unemployment created by the pandemic and would only increase pain and uncertainty in immigrant communities .
Trump and the immigration hawks around him have been working to prevent immigration and increase deportations since taking office , and advocates say the administration is using COVID-19 as an excuse to appease hardliners and pursue a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections .
“ Let ’ s be clear : This executive order is about race , racism and the scapegoating of immigrants in order to throw red meat to Trump ’ s base , ” said Paola Luisi , co-director of Families Belong Together , a group that works to end family separation due to immigration enforcement , in a statement .
The Trump administration finalized on Monday new restrictions on employment authorizations that allow asylum seekers to work legally in the U.S. and extended the waiting period for such authorizations to one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told reporters on background that the new rule removes incentives to apply for asylum in order to get a job authorization , but advocates say the move is part a cruel effort to push asylum seekers out of the country by making it difficult to survive .
Chia Chia Wang , an organizing director for the American Friends Service Committee in New Jersey , said applying for asylum is already difficult enough .
Preventing asylum seekers from accessing lawful employment while they pursue their claims will only make their lives “ miserable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights of refugees .
The proposed rules that immigration advocates say would gut legal protections for asylum applicants and fast-track deportation proceedings reflect the administration ’ s true intentions , Wang said .
“ If the rule changes go through , then [ it ] will be very difficult if not impossible to claim asylum status , and that would put these people in deportation proceedings for sure , ” she said , adding that migrants and asylum seekers are often incarcerated for months if not years before being deported .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread of COVID-19 in federal immigration jails , where populations have swelled under his administration .
These jails have become hotspots for coronavirus infection and death .
Rather than release incarcerated immigrants so they can safely shelter with family in their communities , advocates say Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) is keeping people locked up in dangerous environments , retaliating against protests and hunger strikes with pepper spray and solitary confinement , and routinely exposing people to toxic disinfectants that cause bloody noses , nausea and difficulty in breathing .
Compare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be affected by the immigration and guest worker restrictions to the 20 million people who collected unemployment this month .
Civil rights groups vowed to challenge the latest “ travel ban ” in court .
“ The latest travel ban is a new season of the same racist , xenophobic show put on by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller , ” said Vanita Gupta , president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights , in a statement .
“ But Trump ’ s transparent effort to rally his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including his disastrous response to COVID-19 , will not work.
” Trump signed off on a narrower measure in April that suspended the issuance of green cards to many new immigrants seeking to move to the U.S. Green cards are often used to reunite family members as well as recruit talent at businesses and universities .
The latest order extends the green card suspension through December .
While there are some exceptions — most notably for seasonal agricultural workers and low-wage , high-risk food processing jobs — the latest order suspends H1-B @ @ @ @ @ @ @ J visa programs for guest workers and their spouses in industries ranging from tech to forestry , as well as cultural exchange programs at schools and summer camps .
U.S. citizens can still sponsor spouses and young children for green card applications , but Trump ’ s order bars parents and other family members along with most other categories of applicants .
The order only applies to people seeking to enter the U.S. , not people who are already living here and applying for permanent residence .
The Trump administration is also eyeballing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program that would prioritize workers offered the highest salaries , a move that immigrant rights activists oppose because low-income , migrant workers should be able to live in the country where they work difficult and often dangerous jobs without fear of arrest and state violence .
Currently , temporary H1-B guest worker visas are randomly distributed by a lottery system , and Wang said some workers wait for years to claim a temporary job in the U.S .
While administration officials claim they will also close legal loopholes that allow large companies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in other countries by partnering with outsourcing firms — a regulatory change the administration has yet to spell out — Wang said existing rules already require that employers prove to the government that their employees will not lose their jobs to guest workers .
Wang suggested that the Trump administration either does not comprehend or is unwilling to enforce existing labor regulations .
“ So , I really don ’ t think it ’ s going to help with the job loss or the unemployment rate that we have today , ” Wang @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Part of the Series Despair and Disparity: The Uneven Burdens of COVID-19
The number of new COVID-19 cases are spiking in several states, but President Trump did not announce new public health responses on Monday. Instead, he issued an executive order extending and expanding suspensions of immigration and guest worker programs until the end of the year. The White House is also moving to push lower-wage workers out of the H-1B visa program, and it barred asylum seekers from gaining lawful employment for one year after filing a claim.
Meanwhile, the administration is already working to raise the standard of proof for asylum claims and pave the way to speed up deportation proceedings for people fleeing harm and violence, including thousands of people currently locked in immigration jails. The new rules would make it excruciatingly difficult for women, LGBTQ people and survivors of gang violence to win asylum, according to the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC).
“While the worst impact will be felt by Central American asylum seekers, whom the administration clearly is trying to ban entirely, this proposed regulation would create insurmountable barriers for all asylum seekers, even for political asylum claims that have long been recognized under U.S. law,” said NIJC Associate Director Ashley Huebner said in a statement earlier this month.
The administration said the order and new regulations are meant to reserve jobs for U.S. citizens, but critics argue it would not reduce unemployment created by the pandemic and would only increase pain and uncertainty in immigrant communities. Trump and the immigration hawks around him have been working to prevent immigration and increase deportations since taking office, and advocates say the administration is using COVID-19 as an excuse to appease hardliners and pursue a harsh nativist agenda ahead of the 2020 elections.
“Let’s be clear: This executive order is about race, racism and the scapegoating of immigrants in order to throw red meat to Trump’s base,” said Paola Luisi, co-director of Families Belong Together, a group that works to end family separation due to immigration enforcement, in a statement.
The Trump administration finalized on Monday new restrictions on employment authorizations that allow asylum seekers to work legally in the U.S. and extended the waiting period for such authorizations to one full year. A senior administration official told reporters on background that the new rule removes incentives to apply for asylum in order to get a job authorization, but advocates say the move is part a cruel effort to push asylum seekers out of the country by making it difficult to survive.
Chia Chia Wang, an organizing director for the American Friends Service Committee in New Jersey, said applying for asylum is already difficult enough. Preventing asylum seekers from accessing lawful employment while they pursue their claims will only make their lives “miserable,” and violates international agreements on the rights of refugees. The proposed rules that immigration advocates say would gut legal protections for asylum applicants and fast-track deportation proceedings reflect the administration’s true intentions, Wang said.
“If the rule changes go through, then [it] will be very difficult if not impossible to claim asylum status, and that would put these people in deportation proceedings for sure,” she said, adding that migrants and asylum seekers are often incarcerated for months if not years before being deported.
Trump’s order does nothing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in federal immigration jails, where populations have swelled under his administration. These jails have become hotspots for coronavirus infection and death. Rather than release incarcerated immigrants so they can safely shelter with family in their communities, advocates say Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) is keeping people locked up in dangerous environments, retaliating against protests and hunger strikes with pepper spray and solitary confinement, and routinely exposing people to toxic disinfectants that cause bloody noses, nausea and difficulty in breathing.
Compare the 525,000 jobs the Trump administration estimates will be affected by the immigration and guest worker restrictions to the 20 million people who collected unemployment this month. Civil rights groups vowed to challenge the latest “travel ban” in court.
“The latest travel ban is a new season of the same racist, xenophobic show put on by Donald Trump and Stephen Miller,” said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, in a statement. “But Trump’s transparent effort to rally his base and distract from his innumerable failures, including his disastrous response to COVID-19, will not work.”
Trump signed off on a narrower measure in April that suspended the issuance of green cards to many new immigrants seeking to move to the U.S. Green cards are often used to reunite family members as well as recruit talent at businesses and universities. The latest order extends the green card suspension through December. While there are some exceptions — most notably for seasonal agricultural workers and low-wage, high-risk food processing jobs — the latest order suspends H1-B, H-2B, H4, L and J visa programs for guest workers and their spouses in industries ranging from tech to forestry, as well as cultural exchange programs at schools and summer camps.
U.S. citizens can still sponsor spouses and young children for green card applications, but Trump’s order bars parents and other family members along with most other categories of applicants. The order only applies to people seeking to enter the U.S., not people who are already living here and applying for permanent residence.
The Trump administration is also eyeballing a revamp of the H1-B guest worker program that would prioritize workers offered the highest salaries, a move that immigrant rights activists oppose because low-income, migrant workers should be able to live in the country where they work difficult and often dangerous jobs without fear of arrest and state violence. Currently, temporary H1-B guest worker visas are randomly distributed by a lottery system, and Wang said some workers wait for years to claim a temporary job in the U.S.
While administration officials claim they will also close legal loopholes that allow large companies to replace employees with guest workers and workers in other countries by partnering with outsourcing firms — a regulatory change the administration has yet to spell out — Wang said existing rules already require that employers prove to the government that their employees will not lose their jobs to guest workers. Wang suggested that the Trump administration either does not comprehend or is unwilling to enforce existing labor regulations.
“So, I really don’t think it’s going to help with the job loss or the unemployment rate that we have today,” Wang said.
This story has been updated.
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truthout--2020-06-23--Trump’s Arizona Trip Showcases the Biggest Failures of His Presidency

After his debacle in Tulsa , a huge failure with an abysmal turnout and what may still have been a super-spreader event for a deadly virus , Donald Trump needs to set low expectations .
Instead , he is back out on the campaign trail Tuesday , making his third trip in five months to Arizona — a state that on Monday reported another record day for COVID-19 hospitalizations — to tout what he calls a major milestone on the long road to achieve his No .
1 campaign promise , building a “ big , beautiful wall ” on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebrated as the “ 212th plus mile of completion ” in a Monday tweet complaining about Fox News ’ coverage of his failed border wall , what the president won ’ t admit on his premature victory lap is that there has still only been three miles of new border construction since he took office .
Trump ’ s latest trip to Arizona succinctly illustrates the current state of his failed presidency .
His biggest campaign promise is a bust and the coronavirus keeps spreading in a state that seems to have bungled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal government .
The president is set to first visit a portion of the border in Yuma County , where new coronavirus cases climbed by more 100 once again on Monday , before heading to a Phoenix megachurch for an indoor rally with youthful supporters .
He ’ ll be joined at both stops by Arizona ’ s Republican Gov .
Doug Ducey , who polled as the lowest-ranked executive for his response to the pandemic after he issued an executive order preventing municipalities in the state from imposing stay-at-home orders back in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictions expired in mid-May and Arizona now appears to be among the worst places nationwide for COVID-19 spread .
On Sunday , the state surpassed 50,000 coronavirus cases .
Around 1,992 hospitalizations among positive or suspected COVID-19 patients were reported on Sunday , the highest recorded since April 8 , according to the latest figures from the Arizona Department of Health Services ( ADHS ) .
Inpatient beds , ICU beds , ventilators in use and emergency department visits also hit their highest-ever numbers Sunday , according to ADHS .
As of Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 84 % of ICU beds were in use .
For his part , Ducey , like Trump , has shrugged off the glaring red flags and partially lied about his administration ’ s testing capabilities .
“ Now , if you want a test , get a test .
We ’ ve got a test available .
We ’ ve got over 120-plus locations , ” said Ducey at his June 11 news conference .
But Arizona currently ranks 40th in the nation in per capita testing according to ongoing research conducted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drive-through testing location in a predominately Hispanic community of southwest Phoenix , people were forced to wait in line as long as 13 hours in the hot sun on Saturday .
Hundreds of people sat in the heat with no access to bathrooms , food or water , and many did not receive tests in an area with close to the highest rates of confirmed infections in Arizona ’ s largest city .
It ’ s another microcosm of how nationwide marginalized communities bear the brunt of this deadly disease due to public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing corporations are now rationing test kits as Trump and Republicans in Congress delay further federal investment .
As in much of the nation , patients between the ages of 20 and 44 account for the fastest growth in cases in the Grand Canyon State , with that age group now including more than twice the cases of any other .
So naturally , Trump ’ s second event is billed as an address to America ’ s youth .
Ahead of Trump ’ s arrival , Maricopa County , which with 4.5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state ’ s population , issued a mask mandate on Friday .
Days later , the pastor of the megachurch where Trump will speak claimed in a now-deleted Facebook page that special air conditioning units could virtually eliminate the coronavirus in a matter of minutes .
“ When you come into our auditorium , 99 % of COVID is gone , killed , ” said Luke Barnett , senior pastor of Dream City Church .
That succinctly sum up where we are in the final few months before Donald Trump ’ s final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials like and cranks alike , Trump is leading an ever-evaporating minority and trying to sell objective failure as success .
A solid majority of polled Americans still do not support the president ’ s effort to build a border wall , even as support for allowing refugees from Central America — a group Trump has repeatedly demonized as violent criminals — to enter the country has ticked up among all voter groups , including Republicans and independents .
Additionally , the number of people supporting increased immigration has grown from 21 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump took office .
That increase also includes Republican voters , who have gone from 11 % in favor of increasing immigration in 2016 to 16 % as of late last year .
Rejected by even his most ardent voters in a deeply red state and the conservative-leaning highest court of the land on several major cases in recent days , Trump ’ s only refuge outside the White House bunker and Mar-a-Lago appears to be with Republican sycophants like Arizona Sen. Martha McSally , who faces a bleak election battle this fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of former Rep. Gabby Giffords , who was critically injured in a 2011 assassination attempt — after fully hitching her wagon to the derailed Trump train .
Trump won Arizona by just three points in 2016 , the closest margin of victory in the state since Bill Clinton became the last Democratic presidential candidate to win it in 1992 .
Only 73 % of Arizona Republicans backed McSally in a Fox News poll released earlier this month .
Indeed , McSally may accomplish the rare feat of losing two Senate elections two years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in 2018 , she was appointed by Ducey to the seat previously held by the late Sen. John McCain .
Trump would like to rescue her , but his magic appears to be fading .

After his debacle in Tulsa, a huge failure with an abysmal turnout and what may still have been a super-spreader event for a deadly virus, Donald Trump needs to set low expectations. Instead, he is back out on the campaign trail Tuesday, making his third trip in five months to Arizona — a state that on Monday reported another record day for COVID-19 hospitalizations — to tout what he calls a major milestone on the long road to achieve his No. 1 campaign promise, building a “big, beautiful wall” on the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite what Trump celebrated as the “212th plus mile of completion” in a Monday tweet complaining about Fox News’ coverage of his failed border wall, what the president won’t admit on his premature victory lap is that there has still only been three miles of new border construction since he took office.
Trump’s latest trip to Arizona succinctly illustrates the current state of his failed presidency. His biggest campaign promise is a bust and the coronavirus keeps spreading in a state that seems to have bungled the pandemic nearly as badly as the federal government.
The president is set to first visit a portion of the border in Yuma County, where new coronavirus cases climbed by more 100 once again on Monday, before heading to a Phoenix megachurch for an indoor rally with youthful supporters. He’ll be joined at both stops by Arizona’s Republican Gov. Doug Ducey, who polled as the lowest-ranked executive for his response to the pandemic after he issued an executive order preventing municipalities in the state from imposing stay-at-home orders back in April. Ducey’s own statewide restrictions expired in mid-May and Arizona now appears to be among the worst places nationwide for COVID-19 spread. On Sunday, the state surpassed 50,000 coronavirus cases.
Around 1,992 hospitalizations among positive or suspected COVID-19 patients were reported on Sunday, the highest recorded since April 8, according to the latest figures from the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). Inpatient beds, ICU beds, ventilators in use and emergency department visits also hit their highest-ever numbers Sunday, according to ADHS. As of Sunday, 82% of current inpatient beds and 84% of ICU beds were in use.
For his part, Ducey, like Trump, has shrugged off the glaring red flags and partially lied about his administration’s testing capabilities.
“Now, if you want a test, get a test. We’ve got a test available. We’ve got over 120-plus locations,” said Ducey at his June 11 news conference. But Arizona currently ranks 40th in the nation in per capita testing according to ongoing research conducted by Johns Hopkins University.
At a drive-through testing location in a predominately Hispanic community of southwest Phoenix, people were forced to wait in line as long as 13 hours in the hot sun on Saturday. Hundreds of people sat in the heat with no access to bathrooms, food or water, and many did not receive tests in an area with close to the highest rates of confirmed infections in Arizona’s largest city. It’s another microcosm of how nationwide marginalized communities bear the brunt of this deadly disease due to public health negligence. Report suggest that Arizona testing corporations are now rationing test kits as Trump and Republicans in Congress delay further federal investment.
As in much of the nation, patients between the ages of 20 and 44 account for the fastest growth in cases in the Grand Canyon State, with that age group now including more than twice the cases of any other. So naturally, Trump’s second event is billed as an address to America’s youth. Ahead of Trump’s arrival, Maricopa County, which with 4.5 million people has more than half the state’s population, issued a mask mandate on Friday. Days later, the pastor of the megachurch where Trump will speak claimed in a now-deleted Facebook page that special air conditioning units could virtually eliminate the coronavirus in a matter of minutes. “When you come into our auditorium, 99% of COVID is gone, killed,” said Luke Barnett, senior pastor of Dream City Church.
That succinctly sum up where we are in the final few months before Donald Trump’s final political test. Surrounded by top elected officials like and cranks alike, Trump is leading an ever-evaporating minority and trying to sell objective failure as success.
A solid majority of polled Americans still do not support the president’s effort to build a border wall, even as support for allowing refugees from Central America — a group Trump has repeatedly demonized as violent criminals — to enter the country has ticked up among all voter groups, including Republicans and independents. Additionally, the number of people supporting increased immigration has grown from 21% to a record-high of 30% since Trump took office. That increase also includes Republican voters, who have gone from 11% in favor of increasing immigration in 2016 to 16% as of late last year.
Rejected by even his most ardent voters in a deeply red state and the conservative-leaning highest court of the land on several major cases in recent days, Trump’s only refuge outside the White House bunker and Mar-a-Lago appears to be with Republican sycophants like Arizona Sen. Martha McSally, who faces a bleak election battle this fall against former astronaut Mark Kelly — husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was critically injured in a 2011 assassination attempt — after fully hitching her wagon to the derailed Trump train.
Trump won Arizona by just three points in 2016, the closest margin of victory in the state since Bill Clinton became the last Democratic presidential candidate to win it in 1992. Only 73% of Arizona Republicans backed McSally in a Fox News poll released earlier this month. Indeed, McSally may accomplish the rare feat of losing two Senate elections two years apart; after being narrowly defeated by Democrat Kyrsten Sinema in 2018, she was appointed by Ducey to the seat previously held by the late Sen. John McCain. Trump would like to rescue her, but his magic appears to be fading.
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--2020-06-23--Secret Service Forces Reporters to Leave White House as Police Beat Protesters

Without initially offering an explanation , the Secret Service late Monday ordered members of the press to leave the White House grounds as law enforcement officials in riot gear used pepper spray and batons to beat back a nearby protest at which some attempted to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson .
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said in a statement hours later that “ four members of the media were misdirected by the Secret Service to leave the White House grounds.
” “ The members of the press were rerouted to exits on the south side @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” as demonstrations raged in Lafayette Park , the agency spokesperson said .
CNN reported late Monday that “ journalists , including two CNN employees , were told they had to leave the White House grounds immediately via the south side of the complex , which is not the normal entrance/exit for the press.
” “ The move to force members of the media off White House grounds is highly unusual , ” the outlet reported .
“ Typically in security situations at the White House , the press corps is locked down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gathered near the White House Monday as part of ongoing demonstrations sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month .
Videos posted to social media show protesters using ropes in an attempt to pull down a statue of Jackson—the slave-owning former president responsible for the Trail of Tears—before police cleared the area using chemical irritants and batons .
President Donald Trump , a self-proclaimed “ fan ” of Jackson , tweeted late Monday that “ numerous people ” were “ arrested in D.C. for the disgraceful vandalism , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Andrew Jackson.
” Trump went on to threaten protesters with a decade in prison “ under the Veteran ’ s Memorial Preservation Act.
” The Washington Post reported that “ it was not immediately clear if anyone had been arrested.
” “ In a chaotic scene , a helicopter flew low over the park as 150 to 200 U.S. Park and D.C. police moved through , ” according to the Post .
“ Officers used a chemical irritant to disperse protesters and sweep them back to H Street NW .
Protesters did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cannons at the base of the Jackson statue .
”

Protesters attempted to pull down a statue of Andrew Jackson before police engaged with chemical irritants and batons.
Without initially offering an explanation, the Secret Service late Monday ordered members of the press to leave the White House grounds as law enforcement officials in riot gear used pepper spray and batons to beat back a nearby protest at which some attempted to topple a statue of former President Andrew Jackson.
A spokesperson for the Secret Service said in a statement hours later that “four members of the media were misdirected by the Secret Service to leave the White House grounds.”
“The members of the press were rerouted to exits on the south side of the complex for their own safety” as demonstrations raged in Lafayette Park, the agency spokesperson said.
CNN reported late Monday that “journalists, including two CNN employees, were told they had to leave the White House grounds immediately via the south side of the complex, which is not the normal entrance/exit for the press.”
“The move to force members of the media off White House grounds is highly unusual,” the outlet reported. “Typically in security situations at the White House, the press corps is locked down inside the complex.”
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports that reporters were told they had to leave the White House as police confronted protesters near the grounds: “We were inside the White House. The Secret Service asked us to leave. I don’t think that’s ever happened…” pic.twitter.com/QZbwexPKi6 — Justin Baragona (@justinbaragona) June 23, 2020
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered near the White House Monday as part of ongoing demonstrations sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis last month.
Videos posted to social media show protesters using ropes in an attempt to pull down a statue of Jackson—the slave-owning former president responsible for the Trail of Tears—before police cleared the area using chemical irritants and batons.
#BREAKING: Protesters have opened the fence surrounding the Andrew Jackson statue in Lafayette Square and have climbed on top. I’ve heard them say they’re trying to tear it down. @wusa9 #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/i8cBlM171b — Jess Arnold (@JessArnoldTV) June 22, 2020
How is nothing about the White House or Lafayette Park trending?? Police violently cleared the area an hour ago. The area named #BlackLivesMatter plaza is the scene of police brutality. What is going on @MayorBowser??pic.twitter.com/e9TcHjr6WK — Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) June 23, 2020
Police use pepper spray and batons clash with protesters trying to pull down Andrew Jackson statue near White House #dcprotest #georgefloyd pic.twitter.com/us3JorHsED — Fredrick Kunkle WaPo (@KunkleFredrick) June 23, 2020
President Donald Trump, a self-proclaimed “fan” of Jackson, tweeted late Monday that “numerous people” were “arrested in D.C. for the disgraceful vandalism, in Lafayette Park, of the magnificent Statue of Andrew Jackson.”
Trump went on to threaten protesters with a decade in prison “under the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation Act.”
“Beware!” the president added.
The Washington Post reported that “it was not immediately clear if anyone had been arrested.”
“In a chaotic scene, a helicopter flew low over the park as 150 to 200 U.S. Park and D.C. police moved through,” according to the Post. “Officers used a chemical irritant to disperse protesters and sweep them back to H Street NW. Protesters did smash the wooden wheels of four replica cannons at the base of the Jackson statue.”
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--2020-06-23--Bubba Wallace’s Car Is Walked to Front of Pack by NASCAR in Act of Solidarity

NASCAR racers , their pit crews , and other racing staff at Talladega showed their support and solidarity behind Bubba Wallace on Monday , the only Black driver in the top level of the racing organization , after a symbol of hatred and racism was found in his team ’ s garage over the weekend .
A noose was discovered by Wallace ’ s team on Sunday , the day that the Geico 500 had originally been slated to take place ( the race was delayed to Monday due to bad weather ) .
The Department of Justice is currently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted a response from Wallace through his Twitter account the same evening it was found .
“ Today ’ s despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism , ” Wallace wrote .
The racecar driver has been a strong proponent of racial equality and inclusion for the sport , including racing in a “ Black Lives Matter ” car last week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ display of the Confederate battle flag at its events , which the organization agreed to doing earlier this month .
The display of the battle flag “ runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans , our competitors and our industry , ” NASCAR said in a statement announcing the banning of the symbol .
Following the discovery of the noose in Wallace ’ s garage , his fellow teammates and their crews demonstrated a commitment to supporting the driver , by walking alongside his number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of the pack on Monday .
Upon reaching that point , a clearly emotional Wallace , wiping away tears , hugged his fellow competitors , thanking them for the gesture .
Wallace also embraced legendary NASCAR personality Richard Petty , who came out to show support for the driver in his first appearance at a racing event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .
Wallace is also a part of Petty ’ s racing team .
After the conclusion of the race , Wallace , who finished in 14th place , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the day .
“ The pre-race deal was probably one of the hardest things I ’ ve ever had to witness in my life from all the supporters , from drivers , from crew members , from everybody here , the badass fan base , thank you guys for coming out here , ” Wallace said .
“ This is truly incredible and I ’ m glad to be a part of this sport.
” Ryan Blaney , the driver who won the Geico 500 and one of Wallace ’ s closest friends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter in greater detail .
“ I support him 100 percent , ” Blaney said of Wallace .
“ I ’ m always going to be behind him and if you run afoul of Bubba you run afoul of me .
”

Wallace, who was subjected to a racist attack, said the gesture made him “proud to be a part of this sport.”
NASCAR racers, their pit crews, and other racing staff at Talladega showed their support and solidarity behind Bubba Wallace on Monday, the only Black driver in the top level of the racing organization, after a symbol of hatred and racism was found in his team’s garage over the weekend.
A noose was discovered by Wallace’s team on Sunday, the day that the Geico 500 had originally been slated to take place (the race was delayed to Monday due to bad weather). The Department of Justice is currently investigating the matter.
The racist symbol prompted a response from Wallace through his Twitter account the same evening it was found.
“Today’s despicable act of racism and hatred leaves me incredibly saddened and serves as a painful reminder of how much further we have to go as a society and how persistent we must be in the fight against racism,” Wallace wrote.
The racecar driver has been a strong proponent of racial equality and inclusion for the sport, including racing in a “Black Lives Matter” car last week, and calling on NASCAR to ban the display of the Confederate battle flag at its events, which the organization agreed to doing earlier this month.
The display of the battle flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry,” NASCAR said in a statement announcing the banning of the symbol.
Following the discovery of the noose in Wallace’s garage, his fellow teammates and their crews demonstrated a commitment to supporting the driver, by walking alongside his number 43 car and pushing it to the front of the pack on Monday.
Upon reaching that point, a clearly emotional Wallace, wiping away tears, hugged his fellow competitors, thanking them for the gesture. Wallace also embraced legendary NASCAR personality Richard Petty, who came out to show support for the driver in his first appearance at a racing event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Wallace is also a part of Petty’s racing team.
After the conclusion of the race, Wallace, who finished in 14th place, described how he was feeling earlier in the day.
“The pre-race deal was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to witness in my life from all the supporters, from drivers, from crew members, from everybody here, the badass fan base, thank you guys for coming out here,” Wallace said. “This is truly incredible and I’m glad to be a part of this sport.”
Ryan Blaney, the driver who won the Geico 500 and one of Wallace’s closest friends in the sport, also discussed the matter in greater detail.
“I support him 100 percent,” Blaney said of Wallace. “I’m always going to be behind him and if you run afoul of Bubba you run afoul of me.”
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--2020-06-23--Defund the Police. Invest in Black Farmers.

For years , I lived two blocks from Cup Foods — the corner store that George Floyd was killed in front of by Minneapolis police on May 25 .
That store is like many of the others in this country where working-class , Black and Brown folks get a fair amount of their food .
Walk into these stores , and you will also find overpriced daily necessities , such as shampoo and deodorant , as well as an ample supply of junk food .
To Cup Foods ’ s credit , they do stock fresh fruits and vegetables .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer is far from that of a standard grocery store , with a selection of health foods and organic produce .
My point is not to criticize Cup Foods .
Instead , as we have the much-needed discussion concerning how to rethink this country ’ s policing system , we also need to include in that conversation ways to address the racial inequities that are built into our food system .
Bridging the two is quite possible — current debates that are happening in city councils around this country about defunding the police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ diverted from law enforcement , to creating and supporting a new generation of farmers of color .
Now , when city officials discuss defunding the police , they point to moving money from law enforcement into a variety of programs that deal with treating substance abuse , mental health , domestic violence and homelessness .
Additionally , how about dedicated resources to buying land , ensuring access to water , and getting folks a start in agriculture with seeds and other farming necessities ?
Minneapolis shares with many other cities the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially people of color , lack access to nutritious food .
Minneapolis ’ s Cup Foods was at the heart of one of those areas — sometimes referred to as food deserts — until a grocery cooperative opened a few blocks away .
Even then , it took pressure from community activists to make sure that that store would ensure affordable , healthy food to people of color who live in the area , as well as offering living-wage jobs .
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture ( USDA ) , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a county that contains between 1,000 and 8,000 people , with a poverty rate of 20 percent or greater , and with at least 500 persons and/or 33 percent of the population living more than 1 mile from a supermarket or large grocery store .
One USDA study identified approximately 6,500 food deserts in the U.S. , with two-thirds of them in urban areas .
The same study also found that as the number of people of color increase in an urban area , the higher is the likelihood that that space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the term “ food desert ” is correctly criticized as a misnomer ; it hides the systemic racism that inheres in the U.S. farm and food system .
Besides access to food , this racism is prevalent in everything from land ownership — where approximately 95 percent of farmers are white — to the distribution of farm subsidies , where again , it is white people who get the lion ’ s share of government assistance .
There is a long history to the creation of these inequities , including hundreds of years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Indigenous peoples .
For African Americans , despite the many challenges of the Jim Crow era , many families found ways to access land for farming .
In fact , the number of Black farmers peaked at 925,708 in 1920 , which was about 15 percent of the total number of agricultural producers in the country .
Since then , that number has fallen year after year , to now , where just over 1 percent of farmers in the U.S. are Black .
True , the number of farmers overall has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as Pete Daniel points out in his book , Dispossession : Discrimination against African American Farmers in the Age of Civil Rights , farm loss for Black people far outpaced their white counterparts .
It wasn ’ t mechanization alone that drove Black farmers off the land – the U.S. government was complicit in denying resources that could have kept African Americans on their land .
Black farmers were systematically denied by racist local government officials much-needed loans for decades , or when they were granted the resources , they were provided them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they requested .
To evidence this , Black farmers brought a lawsuit against the USDA for discrimination — Pigford v. Vilsack — in 1999 .
The farmers and their relatives won that suit , which is considered the largest civil rights settlement in U.S. history .
Specifically , over 70,000 people received over $ 2 billion .
While that lawsuit is a step in the right direction , awarding payments to individuals doesn ’ t address reversing the inequities that exist in our food production system .
To really think about countering the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to think about targeted policies that would benefit young farmers of color , many of whom reside in urban areas .
Look around the country .
Urban agriculture is booming , especially as the COVID-19 pandemic makes people turn to local food more and more .
Many of these groups are led by farmers of color , including groups in cities such as Pittsburgh and Detroit , which help young people start cooperatives , manage community gardens , form land trusts , and practice sustainable , regenerative forms of farming .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the term “ food desert ” is a misnomer yet for another reason — many people of color in urban areas have traditions , skills and abilities that connect them to growing food .
What they lack are resources .
Where could they get them ?
Let ’ s start with taking from the police .
So , when we talk about defunding the police , we should include in that discussion how to provide resources for people of color to grow their own food , in the areas where they live .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ police abolition , which brings up so much pain and violence , into a conversation about life and growth .
People of color , African Americans especially , have endured , suffered and bled for generations at the hands of violent state actors .
Part — just a part — of possible compensation for this injustice should include growing and supporting young farmers of color for the future .

We have an opportunity right now to turn this painful conversation around policing into one about life and growth.
Part of the Series The Road to Abolition
For years, I lived two blocks from Cup Foods — the corner store that George Floyd was killed in front of by Minneapolis police on May 25.
That store is like many of the others in this country where working-class, Black and Brown folks get a fair amount of their food. Walk into these stores, and you will also find overpriced daily necessities, such as shampoo and deodorant, as well as an ample supply of junk food. To Cup Foods’s credit, they do stock fresh fruits and vegetables. Still, the supply that they can offer is far from that of a standard grocery store, with a selection of health foods and organic produce.
My point is not to criticize Cup Foods. Instead, as we have the much-needed discussion concerning how to rethink this country’s policing system, we also need to include in that conversation ways to address the racial inequities that are built into our food system.
Bridging the two is quite possible — current debates that are happening in city councils around this country about defunding the police ought to include how funds can be diverted from law enforcement, to creating and supporting a new generation of farmers of color.
Now, when city officials discuss defunding the police, they point to moving money from law enforcement into a variety of programs that deal with treating substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence and homelessness.
Additionally, how about dedicated resources to buying land, ensuring access to water, and getting folks a start in agriculture with seeds and other farming necessities?
Minneapolis shares with many other cities the fact that in certain areas, working-class people, especially people of color, lack access to nutritious food. Minneapolis’s Cup Foods was at the heart of one of those areas — sometimes referred to as food deserts — until a grocery cooperative opened a few blocks away. Even then, it took pressure from community activists to make sure that that store would ensure affordable, healthy food to people of color who live in the area, as well as offering living-wage jobs.
As we have the much-needed discussion to rethink this country’s policing system, we also need to include in that conversation ways to address the racial inequities that are built into our food system.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), a food desert is a relatively permanent subdivision of a county that contains between 1,000 and 8,000 people, with a poverty rate of 20 percent or greater, and with at least 500 persons and/or 33 percent of the population living more than 1 mile from a supermarket or large grocery store.
One USDA study identified approximately 6,500 food deserts in the U.S., with two-thirds of them in urban areas. The same study also found that as the number of people of color increase in an urban area, the higher is the likelihood that that space is a food desert.
Still, the term “food desert” is correctly criticized as a misnomer; it hides the systemic racism that inheres in the U.S. farm and food system.
Besides access to food, this racism is prevalent in everything from land ownership — where approximately 95 percent of farmers are white — to the distribution of farm subsidies, where again, it is white people who get the lion’s share of government assistance.
There is a long history to the creation of these inequities, including hundreds of years of slavery as well as the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. For African Americans, despite the many challenges of the Jim Crow era, many families found ways to access land for farming. In fact, the number of Black farmers peaked at 925,708 in 1920, which was about 15 percent of the total number of agricultural producers in the country.
Since then, that number has fallen year after year, to now, where just over 1 percent of farmers in the U.S. are Black.
True, the number of farmers overall has fallen in the country. But, as Pete Daniel points out in his book, Dispossession: Discrimination against African American Farmers in the Age of Civil Rights, farm loss for Black people far outpaced their white counterparts.
It wasn’t mechanization alone that drove Black farmers off the land – the U.S. government was complicit in denying resources that could have kept African Americans on their land. Black farmers were systematically denied by racist local government officials much-needed loans for decades, or when they were granted the resources, they were provided them at a much later date than what they requested.
To evidence this, Black farmers brought a lawsuit against the USDA for discrimination — Pigford v. Vilsack — in 1999. The farmers and their relatives won that suit, which is considered the largest civil rights settlement in U.S. history. Specifically, over 70,000 people received over $2 billion.
While that lawsuit is a step in the right direction, awarding payments to individuals doesn’t address reversing the inequities that exist in our food production system.
To really think about countering the racism in our food system, we need to think about targeted policies that would benefit young farmers of color, many of whom reside in urban areas.
Look around the country. Urban agriculture is booming, especially as the COVID-19 pandemic makes people turn to local food more and more. Many of these groups are led by farmers of color, including groups in cities such as Pittsburgh and Detroit, which help young people start cooperatives, manage community gardens, form land trusts, and practice sustainable, regenerative forms of farming.
What these examples and proposals show is that the term “food desert” is a misnomer yet for another reason — many people of color in urban areas have traditions, skills and abilities that connect them to growing food. What they lack are resources. Where could they get them? Let’s start with taking from the police.
So, when we talk about defunding the police, we should include in that discussion how to provide resources for people of color to grow their own food, in the areas where they live. Let’s make this discussion of police abolition, which brings up so much pain and violence, into a conversation about life and growth. People of color, African Americans especially, have endured, suffered and bled for generations at the hands of violent state actors. Part — just a part — of possible compensation for this injustice should include growing and supporting young farmers of color for the future.
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