12.12.24 Florida’s solution to homelessness, the Senate debates Trump’s deportation plan, and a boychoir continues tradition

Summary

The World and Everything In It Episode: December 12, 2024
Title: Florida’s Solution to Homelessness, the Senate Debates Trump’s Deportation Plan, and a Boy Choir Continues Tradition
Host: Mary Reichard & Myrna Brown
Produced by: WORLD Radio

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1. Rising Homelessness and Florida’s New Approach

Introduction to the Issue
The episode opens with Mary Reichard highlighting the increasing homelessness crisis across the United States. She sets the stage by noting that some states are abandoning the "Housing First" policy in favor of alternative strategies.

Critique of the Housing First Policy
Addie Offrence, WORLD’s Effective Compassion Reporter, delves into the shortcomings of the Housing First model. She explains that while the policy prioritizes moving individuals into permanent housing swiftly, it often lacks the necessary follow-up services such as mental health care and substance abuse rehabilitation. As Offrence states at [07:24], “Those services aren't always pushed, and there's a lack of accountability, leading to individuals not staying in permanent housing.”

Florida’s Legislative Shift
Florida emerges as a case study for this new approach. Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 1365, which bans camping on public property and establishes sanctioned areas with strict regulations. Representative Sam Garrison, the bill’s sponsor, argues that models like those in San Francisco and New York are ineffective. At [08:28], Garrison asserts, “Doing the San Francisco and New York model is not a way to get the job done.”

Alternative Strategies and Nationwide Trends
The report highlights similar legislative changes in Georgia, Oklahoma, and Utah, where states are reallocating funds toward temporary shelters and mandatory treatment programs. Devin Kurtz from the Cicero Institute emphasizes the need for transitional housing with stricter requirements, stating at [10:36], “We need a greater array of tools to solve homelessness than what Housing First provides.”

Perspective and Motivations
Representative Garrison shares a personal and moral impetus behind the shift, saying at [13:39], “To me, it's a moral issue. It's motivated by my faith.” He underscores the necessity of addressing underlying behavioral health issues rather than solely providing housing.

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2. Senate Debates on Trump’s Deportation Plan

Overview of the Debate
Shifting focus, the podcast addresses the Senate hearings on President Trump's proposed mass deportation plan. Mary Reichard introduces the topic by noting Trump’s campaign promise to “fix the border and remove large numbers of people in the US illegally.”

Witness Testimonies and Concerns
Several witnesses testify, including undocumented immigrants and affected families. For instance, at [15:55], an undocumented immigrant named Turry explains his situation: “I came here when I was 7 years old,” highlighting the human impact of potential deportations.

Republican Stance and Criticism of Current Policies
Republican Senator Tom Tillis criticizes the Biden administration's parole policies, arguing they have led to increased illegal immigration. He states at [17:09], “If you've been paroled illegally, we're not going to give you the roots to attach yourself to our country because you should not have been here in the first place.”

Democratic Concerns and Humanitarian Arguments
On the other side, Democratic Senator Dick Durbin and others express concerns about the broad scope of the deportation plans and their effects on community members who contribute positively to society. Senator Maisie Hirono voices skepticism regarding Trump's willingness to implement meaningful solutions for Dreamers, as noted at [17:57].

Potential Outcomes and Legislative Challenges
The discussion also touches upon the logistical and ethical challenges of mass deportations, with Addie Offrence quoting a witness: “I think you should put American citizens first. We the people have put you in office, and you should be doing everything you can to protect us” at [20:21].

Expert Analysis
Cal Thomas provides a historical context of presidential pardon powers, comparing Trump's potential deportation strategies to past administrations. He raises concerns about constitutional violations if pardons are used improperly, emphasizing the need for congressional oversight.

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3. Preservation of Musical Tradition: The Maryland State Boy Choir

Introduction to the Tradition
Transitioning to a lighter yet culturally significant topic, the podcast features the Maryland State Boy Choir’s annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. This segment underscores the choir’s role in maintaining ancient musical traditions.

Behind the Scenes
Emma Frere, World’s Senior Writer, attends a rehearsal where she observes the choir’s preparation. Lucas Arzais, a 22-year-old choral scholar, shares his passion: “I love it. I think it brings joy” at [25:29].

Artistic and Personal Development
Cal Thomas discusses the benefits of participation in a boy choir, highlighting the discipline and personal responsibility it fosters. He remarks at [26:16], “There's an attention to detail, there's a discipline, there's a personal responsibility, there is a requirement of excellence.”

Cultural Significance and Community Impact
The choir's performances are depicted as spiritually and artistically enriching events. Stephen Holmes, the choir’s artistic director, emphasizes the importance of preserving this tradition, connecting it to historical practices of boys’ choirs in religious settings.

Youth Engagement and Education
The episode showcases how the choir serves as a safe and welcoming space for young men to engage in artistic endeavors, contrasting with other activities like sports. Holmes reflects at [27:37], “It was the beauty of the music, the beauty of the words and a certain aesthetic that was just different.”

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4. Presidential Pardons and Constitutional Implications

Current Events and Speculations
In the latter part of the episode, Mary Reichard and Cal Thomas discuss President Joe Biden’s impending use of presidential pardons. Thomas warns of potential abuses, comparing Biden’s rumored actions to past controversial pardons.

Historical Context and Comparisons
Thomas references President Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon and President Bill Clinton’s pardons, pointing out their political repercussions. He states, “If Biden issues preemptive pardons, it will only add to the public's disapproval of his administration” at [29:56].

Constitutional Concerns
Colleen Shogun of the Rubenstein Center is quoted, arguing that Biden’s potential pardons could bypass constitutional limits: “If reports are true, President Biden will ignore that limitation and pardon people who have not been indicted, convicted or sentenced for any illegal acts” at [33:00].

Public and Political Reactions
Senator Adam Schiff criticizes the plausibility of such pardons, advising that they would appear “defensive and unnecessary” [33:30]. The segment underscores the tension between executive power and constitutional safeguards, suggesting that only a constitutional amendment could properly address the issue.

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5. Lighthearted Local News: The Googly Eye Bandit in Bend, Oregon

Local Prankster’s Antics
Adding a whimsical note, the podcast covers a local incident in Bend, Oregon, where someone has been attaching googly eyes to city art installations. Mary Reichard describes how statues like the “flaming chicken” have been humorously altered.

Community Reactions and Costs
While some locals find the prank amusing—as Michael McCaul quips, “I think it's kind of funny”—city officials are less pleased due to the costs involved in removing the adhesive, which exceeds $1,500 per statue.

Conclusion of the Segment
The segment ends on a playful note with Mary Reichard advising the prankster to stop, while Kent Covington humorously suggests the bandit is “just rolling his eyes.”

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6. Closing Thoughts and Upcoming Content

Final Commentary on Pardons
Cal Thomas reiterates the potential constitutional overreach of presidential pardons and reflects on historical precedents to underscore the gravity of the issue.

Teasers for Future Episodes
The episode concludes with previews of upcoming segments, including a review of Peter Jackson’s animated film War of the Rohiram and the music of Advent, promising listeners more in-depth cultural and political discussions.

Inspirational Close
Mary Reichard closes the episode with an inspirational message rooted in biblical scripture, reinforcing WORLD Radio’s mission to provide biblically grounded journalism.

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Notable Quotes

• Addie Offrence [07:24]: “Those services aren't always pushed, and there's a lack of accountability, leading to individuals not staying in permanent housing.”

• Representative Sam Garrison [08:28]: “Doing the San Francisco and New York model is not a way to get the job done.”

• Devin Kurtz [10:36]: “We need a greater array of tools to solve homelessness than what Housing First provides.”

• Representative Sam Garrison [13:39]: “To me, it's a moral issue. It's motivated by my faith.”

• Lucas Arzais [25:29]: “I love it. I think it brings joy.”

• Cal Thomas [26:16]: “There's an attention to detail, there's a discipline, there's a personal responsibility, there is a requirement of excellence.”

• Senator Adam Schiff [33:30]: “I think this is frankly so implausible as not to be worthy of much consideration. I would urge the president not to do that.”

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Conclusion
This episode of The World and Everything In It offers a comprehensive look at pressing social issues, political debates, and cultural traditions. From innovative approaches to homelessness in Florida and contentious immigration policies in the Senate to the enduring charm of a boy choir, WORLD Radio delivers insightful analysis bolstered by firsthand reporting and expert commentary. Notable quotes and real-time reporting ensure that listeners are well-informed and engaged with the multifaceted discussions shaping our world today.

Transcript

[Mary Reichard]

Good morning. Homelessness is on the rise. Some states are ditching the housing first policy to try something else.

[Myrna Brown]

And there are needs that need to be met. But doing the San Francisco and New York model is not a way to get the job done.

[Kent Covington]

Also, the prospects for mass deportation of people living illegally in the US we have a report and how being part of a boy choir helps young men build character and confidence.

[Cal Thomas]

There's an attention to detail. There's a discipline. There's a personal responsibility. There is a requirement of excellence and.

[Kent Covington]

The power presidents have to pardon. World commentary from Cal Thomas.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Thursday, December 12th. This is the world and everything in it from listeners supported world Radio. I'm Mary Reichert.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Good morning.

[Mary Reichard]

Up next, Kent Covington has today's news.

[Kristin Flavin]

Life is slowly returning to normal in Syria with some shops and markets reopening in the capital city of Damascus on Wednesday. A local trader said it's clear that people are smiling differently now. He says with now deposed dictator Bashar al Assad gone, Damascus and Syria are returning to what they used to be. Meantime, world leaders are concerned about chemical weapons stockpiles left behind by Assad's regime. The leader of one of the rebel groups that overthrew Assad, hts says the group is actively working to locate those stockpiles, but not to use them. And Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said that is encouraging.

[Sabrina Singh]

We welcome this type of rhetoric, but actions have to meet words as well. So we're going to continue to work with the groups that we have relationships with. Again, our focus is that these chemical weapons do not fall into the wrong hands.

[Kristin Flavin]

She said the US Is working with regional partners like Israel, Turkey and Jordan to make sure that does not happen. Sing also fielded questions about mysterious drone flights over New Jersey and New York. Congressman Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey says he's learned from reliable sources that the drones are from a, quote, Iranian mothership parked off the East Coast. The sources I have are good. They can't reveal who they are because.

[Michael McCaul]

They are speaking to me in confidentiality.

[Kristin Flavin]

But Singh told reporters at the Pentagon.

[Addie Offrence]

Our initial assessment here is that these.

[Sabrina Singh]

Are not drones or activities coming from a foreign entity or adversary.

[Kristin Flavin]

Andrew said regardless of who's flying the drones, they need to be shot down. The drones have been spotted near US Military facilities as well as Donald Trump's Bedminster golf resort. That's of concern because of known Iranian plots to assassinate Trump. The Department of Homeland Security has reportedly described the devices as up to 6ft in diameter and sometimes traveling with their lights off.

[Cal Thomas]

Committee on Foreign affairs will come to order.

[Michael McCaul]

The purpose of today's hearing is to hear directly from Secretary Blinken and get.

[Cal Thomas]

His assessment of his State Department's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

[Kristin Flavin]

Secretary of State Tony Blinken in the hot seat Wednesday at a House hearing. Committee chairman Michael McCaul led with an opening statement on the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan in August of 2021.

[Cal Thomas]

This catastrophic event was the beginning of.

[Michael McCaul]

A failed foreign policy that lit the world on fire.

[Kristin Flavin]

For his part, Blinken told members of the committee that while the speed of the Taliban's takeover caught the Biden administration by surprise, the administration and the State.

[Myrna Brown]

Department in particular engaged in extensive planning for a whole range of outcomes.

[Kristin Flavin]

But GOP Congressman Rich McCormick ripped into what he said was a lack of adequate planning to not plan on what.

[Michael McCaul]

Airfields to secure, on how to keep those police stations secure while we were withdrawing to make sure that we got our people out on time in a safe way. It doesn't make any sense.

[Kristin Flavin]

Thirteen U.S. service members and at least 170 Afghan civilians were killed during the U.S. withdrawal. The Pentagon says Russia could launch its lethal new intermediate range ballistic missile against Ukraine again soon. Authorities cited a U.S. intelligence assessment saying an attack could happen in the coming days. U.S. military officials do not consider the Oreshnik missile to be a game changer on the battlefield, but Russia is thought to be using the weapon to intimidate Ukraine as both sides wrestle for any advantage that may give them leverage in negotiations to end the war. FBI Director Christopher Wray says he plans to step down next month when President Biden leaves office. World's Kristin Flavin has more.

[Sabrina Singh]

President Trump named Wray to head the FBI in 2017 after firing then FBI Director James Comey amid accusations that he had politicized the bureau. But the president elect believes corruption and politics still loom large within the FBI and made no secret that he wanted.

[Michael McCaul]

Wray to step aside.

[Sabrina Singh]

He plans to nominate Cash Patel to lead the bureau. Democrats say it's Trump who's politicizing the agency by moving to install a loyalist. Wray, speaking at a town hall meeting Tuesday with the bureau workforce, said he would be stepping down his words after weeks of careful thought for World I'm.

[Kristin Flavin]

Kristin Flabin, A person accused of accosting Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace in a Capitol office building, has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge. The exact nature of that alleged assault is unclear. 33 year old James McIntyre of Chicago was accused of acting aggressively when Mace extended her hand for a handshake. The congresswoman has drawn the ire of pro transgender activists for pushing a policy in the House chamber stating that biological men are not allowed in women's restrooms. I'm Kent Covington. And straight ahead, Florida is the latest state to change its approach to addressing homelessness. Plus, how a boys choir not only makes beautiful music but prepares young men for life. This is the WORLD and EVERYTHING in it.

[Mary Reichard]

It's Thursday, the 12th of December. So glad to have you along for today's edition of THE WORLD and Everything In It. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Myrna Brown. Coming next, combating homelessness. Some states are taking a new approach to fight it, and the incoming Trump administration may support that shift. Here to help set up our next story is world's effective compassion reporter, Addie Offrence.

[Mary Reichard]

Good morning, Addy.

[Addie Offrence]

Good morning, Mary.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, yesterday, World Digital posted a story that you've been following for quite some time now, and that is this policy called Housing First. It's the official policy of the federal government and also of many states. Describe it for us.

[Addie Offrence]

Yeah. So that policy prioritizes moving individuals into permanent housing as quickly as possible. And that's supposed to be followed up by offering services like mental health care or drug and alcohol rehab. But those services aren't always pushed. And if ministries or housing providers accept government money that's tied to housing first, they they can't require things like sober living or class participation.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, I know some people, including state lawmakers, say that this model just is not solving the problem. What's their biggest concern?

[Addie Offrence]

The concern is that there really is a lack of accountability. And so individuals who are moved into permanent housing often don't stay in that housing because their deeper underlying issues aren't addressed.

[Mary Reichard]

So appreciate your excellent reporting. Thank you.

[Addie Offrence]

Thanks for having me.

[Kent Covington]

We'll post a link to Addie's digital story in today's transcript. World's Anna Johansen Brown is here now with more from Addie Story.

[Myrna Brown]

Morning. Thank you.

[Addie Offrence]

In March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill that bans homeless people from camping on public property throughout his state.

[Myrna Brown]

HB 1365 will help maintain and ensure that Florida streets are clean and that Florida streets are safe for our residents and there are needs that need to be met. But doing the San Francisco and New York model is not a way to get the job done.

[Addie Offrence]

The law took effect on October 1st. It allows individuals or businesses to take cities to court if they fail to enforce the public camping ban. It also authorizes local governments to create sanctioned areas where homeless people can set up their tents, provided they follow basic safety measures. The measure prohibits alcohol and drug use in those areas and requires local governments to provide access to treatment for substance abuse and mental health.

[Myrna Brown]

As I was traveling the state and.

[Addie Offrence]

Traveling the nation, Republican Representative Sam Garrison represents Florida's 11th district. He sponsored the legislation in the Florida House of Representatives and seeing a number.

[Myrna Brown]

Of great American cities across the country that had found themselves in a really bad situation. As it relates to chronic homelessness at.

[Addie Offrence]

The federal level, the Department of Housing and Urban Development takes a Housing first approach to homelessness that means it prioritizes moving individuals into permanent housing as quickly as possible. But Garrison believes that approach misidentifies housing as the root problem.

[Myrna Brown]

Now the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting a different result. And it seemed like that's what we were doing. As it relates to the millions upon millions of dollars in federal money, particularly that was being pumped into the Housing first model, not just in Florida, but nationwide.

[Addie Offrence]

Homelessness rose 12% across the country last year. And in California, where lawmakers enshrined Housing first into state law in 2016, unsheltered homelessness skyrocketed 53% over the last decade. The state has spent nearly $24 billion on the approach since 2018.

[Kristin Flavin]

We need a greater array of tools to solve homelessness than what Housing first provides.

[Addie Offrence]

Devin Kurtz is the policy director for public safety at the Cicero Institute. That's a Texas based think tank that helped craft Florida's legislation. Kurtz says the Housing first model isn't the right approach for the chronically homeless. They suffer disproportionately from mental illnesses and addiction. Kurtz believes transitional housing with stricter requirements should be the first step.

[Kristin Flavin]

Where you have housing that has has more intensive requirements and expectations and for for high need individuals sort of guides them into a more independent living situation but sort of meets them where they're at as opposed to sort of assuming that they can just live on their own.

[Addie Offrence]

Florida Representative Sam Garrison says that's why the goal of the new legislation isn't to give everyone a key to a subsidized apartment.

[Myrna Brown]

We pivoted to focusing on temporary shelter space. Let's give them a place to give them some shelter, give them some referrals to help and provide them that hand up.

[Addie Offrence]

Lawmakers set aside $30 million for municipalities to prepare for the law. They also want local organizations to prioritize temporary shelter and treatment programs over permanent housing. Here's Kurtz.

[Kristin Flavin]

So for those who don't do well under a Housing first model, there's now a pool of, of significant funds in Florida to build out what we might call sort of the transitional housing model.

[Addie Offrence]

And Florida isn't the only state moving away from Housing First. Lawmakers in Georgia set aside money for temporary housing programs with mandatory mental health treatment and substance abuse rehab. Oklahoma passed a law similar to Florida's. And Utah lawmakers allocated more than $50 million to short term shelter and behavioral health programs in the state. Michelle Stieb is a consultant on homeless policy. She says moving away from the Housing first model is difficult for many states who rely on federal funding to address the issue.

[Sabrina Singh]

There's a lot of states that don't agree with Housing first, but they have so little funding that provides a leverage.

[Addie Offrence]

To, you know, move away from it. But she believes we may see a national shift to a more treatment oriented model once Donald Trump takes office.

[Michael McCaul]

Under my strategy working with states, we will ban urban camping wherever possible. Violators of these bans will be arrested, but they will be given the option to accept treatment and services.

[Addie Offrence]

In a campaign video, Trump laid out a vision similar to Florida's law. It includes setting aside sanctioned encampments where homeless people can receive services and treatment.

[Michael McCaul]

This strategy will be far better and also far less expensive than spending vast sums of taxpayer money to house the homeless in luxury hotels without addressing their underlying issues. And they have so many of these underlying issues and needs.

[Addie Offrence]

Back in Florida, Sam Garrison says he feels divinely called to lift up the vulnerable. That's one reason why he's committed to moving away from the old approach.

[Myrna Brown]

To me, it's a moral issue. It's motivated by my faith. And it seemed unconscionable to me to be spending hundreds of millions of dollars on Housing first models where we have people literally camping out on the side of the road in tents without place to go to get a roof over their head for the night.

[Addie Offrence]

He acknowledges not every individual in a state sanctioned encampment or temporary shelter will accept treatment. But he still believes the bill is an essential first step.

[Myrna Brown]

All we can do is make it available and to really focus on that, as opposed to let's spend hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars in this kind of fantasy land that we can somehow put every homeless person who's chronically homeless into long term stable housing without addressing the underlying behavioral health issues that have sadly brought them to that point.

[Addie Offrence]

For World, I'm Anna Johansson Brown.

[Kent Covington]

Coming up next on the World and everything in it, Mass Deportations. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump said if elected, he would fix the border and remove large numbers of people in the US Illegally. Those promises have been met with support and skepticism on Capitol Hill.

[Mary Reichard]

On Tuesday of this week, senators heard testimony about the prospect of ordering removal of illegal immigrants who do not qualify for asylum. What might these policies mean for everyday Americans? Here's Washington bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Senate Democrats have concerns about how wide the Trump administration's net for deporting immigrants might be and held Tuesday's hearing to probe the question.

[Myrna Brown]

Thirteen million undocumented immigrants live in our country.

[Michael McCaul]

Most have been here for a long period of time.

[Myrna Brown]

They are healthcare workers, teachers, farmworkers, small business owners.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Democrat majority called three witnesses, an immigration expert, a former military official, and a prosecutor living in Philadelphia who was born in Sierra Leone.

[Michael McCaul]

Mr. Turry, are you undocumented?

[Myrna Brown]

Yes, Senator. And why are you undocumented? I came here from a civil unrest. I had no choice. My life was in danger. My mom told me the story when I was trying to get my driver's license. How old were you when you came? I came here when I was 7 years old.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Fodet has legal status to work thanks to daca, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. President Elect Trump has not yet released specific plans for mass deportations, leaving some fearing that people like Ture could be on the list. Here's California Senator Alex Padilla.

[Myrna Brown]

Dreamers, as you all know, young people who were brought here by their parents at a very young age, but have.

[Michael McCaul]

Grown up here and are undocumented, Are they also on the target list for deportation?

[Carolina Lumeta]

But Republican Senator Tom Tillis told World that the Democrats focus on dreamers distracts from the bigger issues.

[Myrna Brown]

This hearing was really portrayed to give.

[Michael McCaul]

People an idea that his first priority.

[Myrna Brown]

Was going to be dreamers and DACA recipients.

[Michael McCaul]

We know it's not that.

[Cal Thomas]

It's actually cutting into the millions of.

[Michael McCaul]

People that came into the Biden administration.

[Myrna Brown]

And they're flooding the zone.

[Carolina Lumeta]

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham is the leading Republican on the Judiciary Committee, and he addressed who should be concerned.

[Michael McCaul]

If you're a criminal, we're coming after you first. If you've been paroled illegally, we're not going to give you the roots to attach yourself to our country because you should not have been here in the first place. As to the dreamers, hopefully we can find a solution to that problem.

[Carolina Lumeta]

On Sunday, Trump told Meet the Press host Kristen Welker that he's willing to work with Democrats in Congress on a plan for Dreamers, and we're going to.

[Michael McCaul]

Have to do something with them.

[Mary Reichard]

And you want them to be able.

[Sabrina Singh]

To stay, that's what you're saying?

[Michael McCaul]

I do. I want to be able to work something out. And it should have been able to be worked out over the last three or four years and it never got worked out.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Outside the Senate hearing room on Tuesday, Democratic Senator Maisie Hirono of Hawaii told World that she's waiting to see if Trump follows through on his statements.

[Michael McCaul]

I'm glad to hear him say that.

[Mary Reichard]

He'S willing to do something about daca.

[Michael McCaul]

But I also remember that when he.

[Mary Reichard]

First got elected, he said, bring me.

[Michael McCaul]

A bipartisan DACA bill, I will sign it. And he did not sign it, even if there were at least two DACA bills that have been presented to him.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Republicans on the committee called two witnesses, an immigration expert and a Maryland mother named Patty Morin. An illegal immigrant from El Salvador with an extensive criminal record has been charged with killing Morin's 37 year old daughter Rachel last year.

[Addie Offrence]

If they had done a DNA swab.

[Mary Reichard]

The three times they encountered this person.

[Addie Offrence]

That'S allegedly accused of killing my daughter, they would have known that he had an interpolation warrant for murder in his country.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Senator Graham blamed the Biden administration for misusing its power to parole people taken into custody after illegally crossing into the United States. He cited the murder of Georgia college student Laken Riley earlier this year. An illegal immigrant was sentenced to life without parole last month for Riley's death.

[Michael McCaul]

The man who's been convicted of killing Lakin Riley was paroled into the country because there was no bed space. There's nothing in the statute that allows parole because we have no place to put you.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Republicans acknowledge that the majority of asylum seekers are looking for economic opportunity in the United States, but they argue that failing to enforce immigration law has incentivized unsustainable numbers of applicants. Here's committee witness Arthur from the center for Immigration Studies, testifying for the gop.

[Myrna Brown]

The number of cases pending before the immigration courts has nearly tripled in the past five fiscal years, and that's after 700,000 cases involving putatively removable aliens were terminated, dismissed or closed.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Both sides said the price tag could be high whether the government deports hundreds of thousands of people or continues to allow hundreds of thousands to enter the country on shaky asylum claims. Senators also worried that the military is ill equipped to carry out deportations if that is part of Trump's plan for Patty Morin. Responsibility for fixing the problem rests on lawmakers.

[Addie Offrence]

And I do understand the economics that.

[Mary Reichard]

Everyone is talking about.

[Addie Offrence]

I do understand the military position. But I think that you should put American citizens first. We the people have put you the.

[Mary Reichard]

People into office and you should be.

[Addie Offrence]

Doing everything you can to protect us.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Reporting for world I'm Carolina Lumeta.

[Kristin Flavin]

Additional support comes from Ambassadors Impact Network, providing faith driven entrepreneurs the opportunity to apply for funding that aligns with their values. More@ambassadors impact.com from Asbury University coupling academic excellence with a focus on faith and biblical truths. Asbury. Edu and from the book Missions on Point presenting a biblical vision for local church centered missions on Amazon or sendforward.org missions on point.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, philosophers may ponder the question what is art? But the city of Bend, Oregon is clear on what art is not. The city displays nature statues around town. A family of deer, a school of trout and so on. Place near roundabouts. But somebody has been sticking huge googly eyes on the statues. You know those round white plastic things with a black disc inside that jiggles when you shake them?

[Kent Covington]

Yeah. It makes you giggle. Well, right.

[Mary Reichard]

So those works of art now kind of have a wacky cartoon look to them. Now city officials, though they are not laughing. The locals have different opinions.

[Michael McCaul]

I think it's kind of funny. I think it's a little ridiculous. Somebody's got a whole lot of extra time.

[Addie Offrence]

I love it. I think it brings joy. I love seeing this guy decorated.

[Mary Reichard]

This guy, known locally as the flaming chicken, is actually a giant red phoenix. And it cost more than $1,500 to remove the adhesive that sticks those googly eyes to the statues. So word from the city of Bend to the googly eye bandit. Hey, knock it off.

[Kent Covington]

Well, I'm guessing the prankster is just rolling his eyes.

[Mary Reichard]

Myrna, it's the world and everything in it. Today is Thursday, December 12th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Erna Brown. Coming next on the World and everything in it, a very traditional Christmas celebration. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols started in England more than a century ago. It's made up of nine Bibles. It begins with the fall of mankind in Genesis to the promise of the Savior and then to the birth of Christ. In between the readings, Christmas carols.

[Mary Reichard]

The Maryland State Boy Choir presents the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols annually. And that's not the only way this choir keeps ancient musical traditions alive. World Senior Writer Emma Frere attended a rehearsal to find out more.

[Sabrina Singh]

The Maryland State Boy Choir is getting ready for Christmas. The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is one of their most popular events of the year. Stephen Holmes is the choir's artistic director.

[Cal Thomas]

Many people say it's, you know, this is what makes their Christmas ushers them into the Christmas season.

[Sabrina Singh]

He says they offer three performances each year and they all pretty much sell out each time.

[Cal Thomas]

The building is decorated beautifully with for Christmas with lights and wreaths and poinsettias and really it's pretty beautiful in sight and sound. It is a feast for the eyes and the ears.

[Sabrina Singh]

Lucas Arzais joined the choir when he was 11. He's now 22 and works there as a choral scholar while also studying music in college. He and the other members of the choir are looking forward to lessons and carols.

[Myrna Brown]

It is 100% viewed as a spectacular event and it is one that is always greeted with much enthusiasm, with much joy and with much reverence because we know that this is probably the most significant performance that we have because it is a purely boy choir tradition, one that started back in 1918 with the choir of King's College, Cambridge, and one that continues now.

[Sabrina Singh]

Arzaz's favorite carol is Once in Royal David City, which is traditionally sung at the opening.

[Myrna Brown]

That is the true feeling of a boy choir service when you hear the boy soprano singing the first verse and then you see the procession and it's capped off by just a glorious descant.

[Sabrina Singh]

The boys wear traditional choir robes for the performance, but at this evening's rehearsal, most of them are in hoodies and sneakers. They goof around as they arrive, but as soon as rehearsal starts, everyone is focused on the music.

[Addie Offrence]

I love my love to sing.

[Kent Covington]

A.

[Sabrina Singh]

Choir that's only for boys and young men is unusual in America today.

[Cal Thomas]

We've provided so many spaces where boys can do physical activities and that's a really wonderful thing. But we haven't provided so many spaces for a safe, welcoming place for boys to have artistic endeavors, whether theater or dance or music.

[Sabrina Singh]

Holmes thinks a boy choir can contribute something unique to a boy's development for.

[Cal Thomas]

Boys to sing with other young men that are passionate about it. There's an attention to detail, there's a discipline, there's a personal responsibility, there is a requirement of excellence. And I don't say that with any pretense or arrogance, but just an idea that the music that we sing is not what people would expect 14 year old boys to be doing or 8 year old boys to be doing it's collegiate and adult professional type level singing.

[Sabrina Singh]

He also believes this is an important musical tradition to keep alive.

[Cal Thomas]

We of course trace back the heritage of boys singing to the Old Testament. The boys as a coming of age rite of passage would learn the psalms of ascent as they were processing to Jerusalem. And so then that carried on into the Christian tradition, of course, in cathedrals and churches and chapels. So much of the great music of centuries was written with boys voices in mind.

[Sabrina Singh]

The Maryland State Boy Choir was founded in the late 80s and is based in Baltimore. Today it has around 125 members and they perform roughly 100 concerts a year. Holmes entire life has been intertwined with the choir. He first joined when he was nine years old. And even at that young age, it struck a chord for me.

[Cal Thomas]

It was the beauty of the music, the beauty of the words and a certain aesthetic that was just different than your everyday 9 or 10 year old boys experience. It wasn't that I didn't like baseball or soccer or playing in the backyard, but there was something that was set apart when you were singing, making music at a high level and also with other boys.

[Sabrina Singh]

For Holmes, the festival of nine lessons and carols is a beautiful way to keep the tradition of a boy choir going. Reporting for World I'm Emma Frere in Baltimore, Maryland.

[Kent Covington]

Today is Thursday, December 12th. Good morning, this is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio. I'm Myrna Brown.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. President Joe Biden's turn is drawing to a close. Rumors are swirling about who else he may pardon before leaving office. World commentator Cal Thomas says that power must be wielded carefully.

[Michael McCaul]

Media reports say President Biden is about to issue a slew of preemptive pardons for people associated with his administration. Reportedly, he hopes to thwart any revenge the incoming Trump administration might take against them. While the founders intended presidential power to be nearly unlimited, their intent was quite different from its use by modern presidents. Colleen Shogun of the Rubenstein center writes, quote, while the pardon power is robust, there are important limitations. Among them is that a crime must have been committed for a pardon to be issued. If reports are true, President Biden will ignore that limitation and pardon people who have not been indicted, convicted or sentenced for any illegal acts. Biden has ignored many laws during his presidency. Two examples include his lax border enforcement and his proposed student loan forgiveness, nixed by the Supreme Court. So what is to restrain him now from bypassing constitutional mandates in the matter of pardons? Will these rumored pardons resemble the one he gave to his son Hunter, the pardon that protects him from past, present and future violations of the law? Or will they be issued only for those favored by the president and criticized by Donald Trump? Either way will violate the text of the Constitution. Speculation is swirling around D.C. the most prominent people considered possible beneficiaries of blanket presidential pardons include former White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci. According to a 500 plus page report by a House committee, Fauci turned out to be wrong when issuing unnecessary restrictions to contain the spread of COVID 19. Other potential pardon recipients include former Republican Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Democrat Senator Adam Schiff of California. Both were a thorn in Trump's side as members of the January 6th Committee. Asked about the possibility of preemptive pardons, Schiff told CBS News, quote, I think this is frankly so implausible as not to be worthy of much consideration. I would urge the president not to do that. I think it would seem defensive and unnecessary. Unquote. Schiff is right. The most famous pardon of modern presidents was the one given to Richard Nixon by Gerald Ford. The pardon came after Nixon left office, but before he could be impeached for his role in the Watergate affair. There have been plenty of controversial pardons. Nixon pardoned Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa, who served only five years of a 13 year sentence for jury tampering, attempted bribery, conspiracy and mail and wire fraud. Bill Clinton pardoned his brother Roger, though he had already served an entire prison sentence a decade earlier. Clinton also issued a pardon to Hillary's brother Hugh Rodham, who represented Roger. Among the most publicized pardons was the one Clinton gave to fugitive commodities trader Mark Rich. Rich's ex wife Denise had been a major donor to the Democratic National Committee, Hillary Clinton's campaign and the Clinton Library Foundation. In all, Bill Clinton issued 456 pardons and clemencies, including to some not convicted of any crime. The way to fix inequities and the nearly unrestricted power of a president to pardon anyone for nearly any reason is for Congress to pass a constitutional amendment. Sadly, that is unlikely to happen. If Biden issues preemptive pardons, it will only add to the public's disapproval of his administration as expressed by a majority of voters. In last month's election, a poll conducted for the daily mail of 1,006 registered US voters asked them to rank the nine elected presidents from the last 55 years in order from best to worst. Biden came in last. Clinton pollster James Carville recently called Biden the most tragic figure in American politics in my lifetime. If William Shakespeare were alive today, no better topic for a tragedy could be found. We'll see if history can grant President Biden a pardon. I doubt it. I'm Cal Thomas.

[Kent Covington]

Tomorrow, John Stonestreet returns for Culture Friday, and movie director Peter Jackson is back with another story from Middle Earth. This time an animated film. World's Colin Garbarino has a review of War of the Rohiram, plus the music of Advent. That and more tomorrow. I'm Erna Brown.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. The Bible says, let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another. And all the more as you see the day drawing near. Verses 24 and 25 of Hebrews, chapter 10. Go now in grace and peace.