Transcript
Ryland Barton (0:00)
This message comes from NPR sponsor Rosetta Stone, an expert in language learning for 30 years. Right now, NPR listeners can get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership to 25 different languages for 50% off. Learn more at Rosetta Stone.com NPR LIVE from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The Supreme Court has decided to hear arguments next year on an immigration case that could decide the future of how people seek asylum. As NPR's Jimena Bus reports, the policy in question stems from the first Trump administration.
NPR Announcer (0:35)
In 2018, amid a rise in people crossing the southern border, the Trump administration created a policy also known as metering. Under this policy, border officers physically blocked some people from seeking asylum at ports of entry along the southern border, turning them back to Mexico. Immigration advocates sued, arguing that in order to request asylum at the border, migrants needed to physically enter. And they say the policy prevented people from seeking asylum while forcing them to wait in Mexico, where they could face other dangers. The Biden administration rescinded the policy, and now the Trump administration is asking for the option to bring it back. Arguments are slated for next summer. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.
Ryland Barton (1:14)
President Trump says he would sign a bill to force the Justice Department to release investigative files about convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. It's a reversal the president and Republican leaders had previously tried to stop the effort. John Bresnahan from Punchbowl News explains why Trump changed his mind.
John Bresnahan (1:31)
The reality is this resolution was going to pass in the House. There were already enough votes because of the procedural measure they had to use to get this bill to the floor over Republican opposition. Speaker Mike Johnson was opposed to this, acting in Trump's behalf, but they had enough votes to pass it. They had four Republicans who had already agreed to pass this. There was going to be a jailbreak on the Republican side, and Trump was just recognizing the reality.
Ryland Barton (2:00)
John Bresnahan from Punchbowl News. The head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or fema, is resigning after six months on the job. He's the second person to leave the position under the Trump administration. As NPR's Lauren Sommer reports, David Richardson.
Lauren Sommer (2:14)
Took over FEMA at a time of turmoil for the agency. President Trump has said he wants FEMA to be eliminated as it exists today and wants states to take over preparation for disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. Richardson was criticized by lawmakers after the deadly floods in Texas this summer for not being more available as disaster unfolded. In a statement, FEMA thanked Richardson for his service and says the agency is anticipating a report from a FEMA Review Council soon, which will recommend how the agency should be restructured. Lauren Sommer, NPR News.