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Today’s top stories
In Los Angeles, protests against ICE immigration raids continue for the fourth consecutive night. President Trump has ordered the deployment of hundreds of active-duty Marines to the city, along with an additional 2,000 National Guard troops on top of the 2,000 mobilized over the weekend. The Pentagon states that the troops will be tasked with protecting federal buildings and agents. Trump insists that this deployment is aimed at controlling the protests. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass view this move as an unnecessary escalation.
National Guard troops stand outside the Metropolitan Detention Center on Sunday in Los Angeles. Tensions in the city remain high after the Trump administration called in the National Guard against the wishes of city leaders following two days of clashes with police during a series of immigration raids.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
- 🎧 Federal law generally prohibits active-duty military forces from participating in domestic law enforcement unless the president invokes the Insurrection Act, NPR’s Adrian Florido tells Up First. Trump has not yet invoked this act, but he has suggested he might. Newsom has filed a lawsuit challenging the president’s decision to take control of the state National Guard without his authorization. The governor also plans to sue regarding the deployment of Marines. Recently, Trump endorsed the idea of arresting Newsom, which is an extraordinary statement to make about a sitting governor, Florido says. Many people are concerned that deploying troops will escalate tensions on the streets. Sandra Martinez, a protester, expressed her worries, stating, “They’re gonna make it worse.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced yesterday that he is replacing all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a critical vaccine committee that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Kennedy has the authority to appoint new committee members as his department oversees the CDC. The potential replacement of the entire committee raised concerns among some politicians and public health experts when Kennedy was initially nominated.
- 🎧 Kennedy alleged that the committee was simply rubber-stamping recommendations and had conflicts of interest, NPR’s Will Stone reports. NPR’s investigation into Kennedy’s claims found that a government report he referenced does not support his allegations. Dr. Jonathan Temte, a former chair of ACIP from 2012 to 2015, stated, “ACIP has been a global leader in evidence-based vaccine policy.” “I regret to say this. We are on the path to making U.S. vaccine policy an international joke,” he added.
The number of drug-related deaths among young people in the U.S. has finally decreased after a decade where over 230,000 individuals under 35 died from overdoses. In 2021, fentanyl and other substances led to over 31,000 deaths in this age group. By last year, that number significantly dropped to approximately 16,690 fatal overdoses, according to provisional CDC data.
- 🎧 There are several theories behind this substantial decline, including improved healthcare, as NPR’s Brian Mann reports. Narcan, also known as naloxone, a medication that reverses fentanyl overdoses, is widely distributed. There is growing evidence that young people are being more cautious and using fewer hard drugs that may be laced or contaminated with fentanyl. Experts and families express concerns that the Republican budget passed by the House would cut billions from Medicaid, public health, and science agencies. There is fear that funding for fentanyl and addiction programs could dry up, potentially undoing this progress.
