3.26.25 Washington Wednesday, World Tour, and helping immigrants amid changing policies

Summary

The World and Everything In It – Episode Summary: Washington Wednesday, World Tour, and Helping Immigrants Amid Changing Policies (March 26, 2025)

Hosted by WORLD Radio’s Lindsay Mast and Nick Eicher, this episode of "The World and Everything In It" delves into pressing national and international issues, including national security concerns, immigration policy changes, and global diplomatic events. The episode also features insightful commentary on the evolving cultural landscape within Christian communities.

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Headlines and Top Stories

Good Morning and Top Intelligence Concerns

The episode opens with Lindsay Mast and Nick Eicher setting the stage for the day’s discussions. Lindsay introduces the major topics, including intelligence officials addressing a controversial group chat about military actions in Yemen, the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies, and a global tour highlighting international developments.

• [00:05] Lindsay Mast: "Good morning. Top intelligence officials answer questions about a group chat discussing military action in Yemen."

National Politics and Policy Overhauls

Maritime Ceasefire Between Ukraine and Russia

Kent Covington reports on the tentative maritime ceasefire agreement between Ukraine and Russia, highlighting the complexities and conflicting statements between the Ukrainian President and the Russian government.

• [00:53] Kent Covington: "Ukraine and Russia have reached a tentative agreement to end the fighting, but only on the water for now."

Trump’s Sweeping Executive Order on Federal Elections

President Donald Trump signs an executive order aimed at overhauling federal elections, mandating proof of citizenship for voter registrations and enforcing strict ballot counting deadlines. This move intensifies the ongoing debates over election integrity and fraud allegations.

• [01:45] Nick Eicher: “We gotta straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections and the bad elections.”

Political Fallout and National Security Group Chat Scandal

The episode delves into the controversy surrounding a leaked Signal group chat that included high-ranking officials discussing military strikes in Yemen. The inadvertent inclusion of journalist Jeffrey Goldberg has sparked intense scrutiny and accusations of negligence.

• [02:26] Nick Eicher: “No, I don't think he should apologize. I think he's doing his best. It’s equipment and technology that's not perfect.”
• [08:31] Nick Eicher: “This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable. It's an embarrassment.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer faces criticism from within his party over his handling of the scandal, leading to speculations about a potential shift in Democratic leadership dynamics.

Immigration Policy Changes and Deportations

Deportation under the Alien Enemies Act

The Trump administration invokes the Alien Enemies Act to deport approximately 200 members of the Venezuelan gang Trend Aragua, stirring legal debates about the act’s applicability outside declared war contexts.

• [11:20] George Fishman: “The law invoked to deport gang members has a long history… [and] it lets a president quickly detain and deport alien enemies when two requirements have been met.”
• [13:00] Nick Eicher: “These are heinous monsters, rapists, murderers, kidnappers. They must be held accountable.”

Legal experts question whether the activities of Trend Aragua can be attributed to a foreign government, a necessary condition for the Alien Enemies Act. The administration’s justification and the potential Supreme Court involvement are examined in depth.

Impact on Refugee Families and Community Responses

Daniel Barrons highlights the plight of refugee families stranded by the administration’s policy changes, emphasizing the lack of support and the emotional toll on those unable to return to their home countries.

• [24:49] Daniel Barrons: “I think the challenge for the families that are here now is they can't go back. The door back is closed, but they're not being cared for.”

Community leaders and volunteers, like Chris Bendinelli, are stepping in to bridge the gaps left by federal funding cuts, striving to support refugees despite the administration’s stringent measures.

• [25:44] Chris Bendinelli: “Yet church volunteers helped fill the gap the resettlement agency left behind.”

World Tour: International Developments

Diplomatic Struggles in South Africa

Onize Adua reports from South Africa, where the expulsion of Ambassador Ibrahim Rasool has sparked national backlash. Declared unwelcome by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rasool’s removal underscores the strained US-South Africa relations under Trump’s administration.

• [16:03] Onize Odua: “U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Ibrahim Rasool as unwelcome, calling him a race-baiting politician who hates the United States.”

Political Turmoil in South Korea and Turkey

The episode covers political upheavals in South Korea, including the reinstatement of Prime Minister Han Deok following an impeachment trial, and mass protests in Turkey supporting detained Mayor Akrem Imamolu amidst accusations of a political coup.

• [16:51] Onize Odua: “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that the demonstrations amount to street terror.”

Cherry Blossom Season in Japan and Environmental Oddities in New Zealand

Onize also touches on Japan’s official declaration of cherry blossom season in Tokyo and a captivating environmental story from New Zealand, where scientists document an unusual encounter between a mako shark and an octopus, dubbed the "Sharktopus."

• [19:10] Nick Eicher: “It's beautiful, really beautiful. I love Tokyo.”
• [20:19] Nick Eicher: “Researchers nicknamed the unlikely duo the Sharktopus.”

Protests and Domestic Terrorism Concerns

Violence Against Tesla and Protests Related to Elon Musk

Kristen Flavin reports on the FBI’s crackdown on violent actions against Tesla properties, attributing these acts to domestic terrorism. The rise in vandalism and attacks has prompted federal investigations and bipartisan calls for denouncing the violence.

• [04:50] Nick Eicher: “The bureau has launched a task force to investigate related crimes.”

Community and Cultural Commentary

Changing Values within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod

WORLD commentator Carl Truman provides a reflective analysis on recent Pew research indicating shifting attitudes within the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) towards issues like abortion and homosexuality, raising concerns about traditional Christian values amidst modern societal changes.

• [29:26] Nick Eicher: “Carl Truman says the antidote is not outrage or retreat, but sound, faithful preaching.”
• [29:44] Carl Truman: “A better response than gleeful lamentation is to read such surveys as pointing to the key ecclesiastical challenges of our day and building pastoral strategies that address them.”

Truman emphasizes the need for robust theological education and community engagement to counteract the pervasive influence of contemporary cultural norms.

Personal Stories and Community Responses

Business Owners Stand with Immigrants Amid Rising Tensions

Emma Eicher narrates the story of Missy Beruman, a local business owner in Pittsburgh, who faces intimidation from anti-immigrant sentiments. Through solidarity actions like locking doors and supporting immigrant communities, Missy and her peers demonstrate resilience and compassion in a climate of fear and uncertainty.

• [21:59] Chris Bendinelli: “Missy didn’t feel fear, only sympathy for the person who wrote the note.”

Refugee Support Amid Policy Shifts

Daniel Barrons discusses the challenges faced by refugee families who remain in limbo due to halted refugee applications and reduced federal support. Community initiatives and church-led volunteer programs are highlighted as vital resources for these vulnerable populations.

• [27:15] Nick Eicher: “Missy hopes for the best too, and for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do their job.”

Looking Ahead

Upcoming Stories and Future Topics

The hosts preview upcoming segments, including an update on American families’ adoption struggles, a Ukrainian ballet group’s response to war, and more in-depth analyses of changing immigration policies.

• [33:45] Nick Eicher: “Tomorrow, hundreds of American families were just steps away from adopting when the country closed its doors last year. We have an update, and we'll meet a Ukrainian touring dance group using ballet to deal with the ravages of war.”

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Conclusion

In this comprehensive episode, "The World and Everything In It" navigates through complex national security issues, aggressive immigration reforms, and significant international events, all while providing a thoughtful examination of cultural shifts within religious communities. Through detailed reporting and insightful commentary, Lindsay Mast and Nick Eicher deliver a compelling narrative that informs, educates, and inspires listeners to engage with the world’s multifaceted challenges.

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Thank you for tuning into WORLD Radio’s "The World and Everything In It." Stay informed and inspired as we continue to bring you the stories that matter.

Transcript

[Lindsay Mast]

Good morning. Top intelligence officials answer questions about a group chat discussing military action in Yemen.

[Nick Eicher]

Also ahead on Washington Wednesday, deporting gang members as alien enemies. And world tour later, those caught in the middle of immigration policy change.

[Daniel Barrons]

The challenge for the families that are here now is they can't go back. The door back is closed, but they're not being cared for.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Foreign.

[Lindsay Mast]

It's Wednesday, March 26th. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Eicher. Good morning.

[Lindsay Mast]

Up next, Kent Covington has today's news.

[Kent Covington]

Ukraine and Russia have reached a tentative agreement to end the fighting, but only on the water for now. And there is already some confusion surrounding the agreement. On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a maritime ceasefire was in effect immediately. The White House also announcing a ceasefire agreement for the Baltic Sea. But Russia later said the deal depended on, among other things, the west lifting sanctions on fertilizer and food companies. Zelensky said it's evidence that the Russians have already begun to manipulate ceasefire talks. President Trump just signed a sweeping executive order aimed at overhauling federal elections. The order requires proof of citizenship for voter registration lists used in federal elections and it requires states to only count ballots received by election Day.

[Nick Eicher]

We gotta straighten out our election. This country is so sick because of the election, the fake elections and the bad elections.

[Kent Covington]

It also calls on federal agencies to work with states on voter lists and threatens to pull funding for states that don't comply. President Trump has repeatedly alleged widespread election fraud in the 2020 presidential election. The order is sure to spark a fresh legal battle in federal courts. The president on Tuesday also went to bat for his national security adviser, Mike Waltz. Waltz has been under fire this week since a journalist claimed he was accidentally added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app signal that included plans for military strikes in Yemen.

[Nick Eicher]

No, I don't think he should apologize. I think he's doing his best. It's equipment and technology that's not perfect.

[Kent Covington]

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is pointing a finger at Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

[Nick Eicher]

He does something really damaging to national security and he blames the reporter who his people sent the information to. What gall.

[Kent Covington]

Trump officials say they are investigating how the journalist was added to the group. Meantime, there are growing signs of political trouble for Chuck Schumer. Some Democrats, especially on the hard left, have turned up the heat on the leader over the past couple of weeks after he reluctantly backed a Republican led funding bill to avert a government shutdown. Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus Pete Aguilar dodged a question Tuesday about whether the party still has confidence in Schumer.

[Nick Eicher]

I have confidence in the leadership in the House and the Senate. I have confidence in the leadership of Hakeem Jeffries guiding the House Democratic Caucus. That's our focus. I'm elected by them. I'm not elected.

[Kent Covington]

Some Democrats have raised the idea of new leadership after Schumer voted to break the filibuster on that GOP funding bill. And for the first time since that vote, Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries met behind closed doors with their caucuses on Tuesday. US Border czar Tom Homan says Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ice, carried out a multi day operation in Boston. Homan said he promised that with or without the help of sanctuary cities, immigration law would be enforced.

[Nick Eicher]

I kept my promise and we arrested 370 people, majority of criminals and as you said, murderers, child rapists. We seized guns, drug traffickers, gun traffickers.

[Kent Covington]

He arrived in the city last Tuesday, kicking off a five day operation that reportedly included multiple agencies, the FBI, atf, US Marshals Service and the dea. And Homan added, we got a lot.

[Nick Eicher]

Of work to do. We're not done. We're going back.

[Kent Covington]

And he slammed Boston Mayor Michelle Wu for the city's so called sanctuary policies. Boston does not cooperate with immigration enforcement. The head of the FBI says the bureau is cracking down on violence and vandalism against Tesla cars and properties. World's Kristen Flavin has more Protests aimed.

[Nick Eicher]

At Tesla CEO Elon Musk have boiled over in recent weeks with criminal acts on the rise. Those have ranged from vandalism such as spray painting or keying Tesla vehicles to arson. Multiple suspects face federal charges for firebombing, charging stations or dealerships. One defendant allegedly even opened fire on a dealership. And FBI Director Kash Patel says it is domestic terrorism, plain and simple, and that the bureau will bring offenders to justice. The bureau has launched a task force to investigate related crimes. Many on the political left have expressed anger over Elon Musk's work with President Trump to audit government spending, heading up the Department of Government Efficiency. Some Democratic lawmakers and governors have publicly backed nonviolent Tesla boycotts and protests, but Republican leaders are calling on them to publicly denounce the violence. For World, I'm Kristen Flavin.

[Kent Covington]

And I'm Kent Covington. Straight ahead on Washington Wednesday, more on that recent text chain leading to national security concerns plus legal challenges over using the Alien enemies Act to deport Venezuelan gang members. This is the world and everything in it.

[Nick Eicher]

It's Wednesday, the 26th of March. This is World radio and we're so glad you've joined us today. Good morning, I'm Nick Eicher.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Master. Time now for Washington Wednesday. Today, legal battles over deporting gang members in the United States illegally. But first, more on that national security group Chat. The inclusion of a journalist on the messaging app's Signal raises serious national security questions. Here's Washington bureau reporter Carolina Lumeta.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Raised voices and hot tempers dominated yesterday's Senate Intelligence Committee hearing. Colorado Senator Michael Bennett grilled CIA Director John Ratcliffe and other Trump administration officials.

[Nick Eicher]

Why didn't you call out that his he was present on the Signal thread? I don't know if you use Signal messaging app. I do. I do not. For classified information. Not for targeting. Well, neither do I, Remote. Neither do I, Senator. Well, that's clear. Your testimony is today. It absolutely is not, Senator.

[Carolina Lumeta]

On Monday, news outlet the Atlantic dropped a bombshell report. According to Editor in Chief Jeffrey Goldberg, top level officials planned out strikes on the Houthis in Yemen over a group chat in Signal, an encrypted but open source Messaging app. On March 13, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz accidentally added Goldberg to the group. Here's Goldberg on ABC News this week.

[Nick Eicher]

And they're not just talking about, hey, what time is it? What time should we get dinner tonight.

[Kent Covington]

Or when is that meeting tomorrow? They're actually talking about substantive issues relating.

[Nick Eicher]

To kinetic action directed against America's enemies.

[Carolina Lumeta]

A National Security Council spokesman confirmed that the text chain was authentic. In addition to Waltz and ratcliffe, it included 16 other high ranking officials, such as the Secretaries of Defense and State, the Director of National Intelligence, the White House Chief of Staff, and even Vice President J.D. vance. Goldberg said that while he was in the chat, he saw information on weapons systems, timings and undercover CIA agents. Here's Senator Bennett again in yesterday's hearing.

[Nick Eicher]

This sloppiness, this incompetence, this disrespect for our intelligence agencies and the personnel who work for them is entirely unacceptable. It's an embarrassment. Senator, you need to do better.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Federal law states that classified information may only be shared over secure channels. National security officials have used Signal in the past. It has end to end encryption that keeps third parties from accessing chats. The Biden administration allowed staff to download Signal onto government phones, but warned that they should not share classified information on it. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard said the group chat users followed the law.

[Nick Eicher]

There was no classified material that was shared in that. So then, if there was no classified material, share it with the committee.

[Carolina Lumeta]

But Gabbard would not discuss the content of the chat thread. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg did say Waltz, who invited him to the chat, sent messages to disappear after a few weeks. If true, that could run afoul of federal record preservation laws, the same ones former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was accused of violating when she deleted emails from a private server. For his part, Walt said the Atlantic story distracts from US Efforts to stop terrorist attacks on global shipping near the Suez Canal.

[Nick Eicher]

Look, this journal us Mr. President wants the world talking about more hoaxes and this kind of nonsense rather than the freedom that you're enabling. And a key part of our sovereignty is open sea lanes and knocking the crap out of terrorists.

[Carolina Lumeta]

So far, most Republican lawmakers who have commented on the matter say that adding the Atlantic editor in chief to the chat was sloppy, but they are less concerned about the existence of the chat. Nevertheless, Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that lawmakers will investigate what happened.

[Nick Eicher]

Well, I mean, I think obviously we're getting to the bottom of what that whole text chain entailed.

[Kent Covington]

I suspect the Armed Services Committee may.

[Nick Eicher]

Want to have have some folks testify and have some questions answered as well. I think everybody has acknowledged, including the White House, that, yeah, mistakes were made and what we want to do is make sure that something like that doesn't happen again.

[Carolina Lumeta]

Reporting for world, I'm Carolina Lumeta in Washington.

[Nick Eicher]

Turning now to deportations, the Trump administration used the Alien Enemies act earlier this month to remove about 200 men the white House says are members of a criminal gang. Trend Aragua has roots in Venezuela, but the men in question were sent to El Salvador.

[Lindsay Mast]

Earlier this week, a federal judge ordered the administration to stop using the Alien Enemies act to deport anyone else until the judge can decide if it's legal. World's Josh Schumacher has the story.

[George Fishman]

The law invoked to deport gang members has a long history.

[Nick Eicher]

The Alien Enemies act was enacted in 1798, when we feared an invasion by revolutionary France.

[George Fishman]

George Fishman is a senior legal fellow at the center for Immigration Studies. He says that the Alien Enemies act enjoyed widespread support when it was created in the 18th century, and since then it's also been upheld by the Supreme Court. The law lets a president quickly detain and deport alien enemies when two requirements have been met. First, another country has declared war on the United States or is invading us, fishman explains.

[Nick Eicher]

You know, it's always been used in the context of a declared war, this would be the first time it's being used outside of that context.

[George Fishman]

And second, that declared war or invasion has to be the act of a foreign government. The legal dispute surrounding Trump's recent use of the act centers on that question.

[Nick Eicher]

Can the acts of a foreign terrorist organization, an international criminal cartel, be attributed to a foreign government for purposes of triggering the Alien Enemies Act?

[George Fishman]

The question is up to the courts. But President Trump took steps on day one to designate the Trende Aragua gang as a foreign terrorist organization. The group originated in Venezuela and is known for drug smuggling, human trafficking, and other crimes in the United States. George Fishman says the law might apply if the administration could prove that Venezuela had become what he calls a mafia state. That's where the government is indistinguishable from a criminal organization. Last week, White House press secretary Caroline Levitt defended the administration's actions to deport gang members.

[Nick Eicher]

These are heinous monsters, rapists, murderers, kidnappers.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Sexual assaulters, predators who have no right.

[Nick Eicher]

To be in this country and they must be held accountable.

[George Fishman]

Proving that detained individuals are active gang members could be more complicated. Jennifer Koh is a professor at Pepperdine University. She questions the administration's claim that all 200 alleged criminals were Trend Aragua members.

[Nick Eicher]

The evidence that has been marshaled in.

[Lindsay Mast]

Support of that claim is very unclear, Right?

[Nick Eicher]

But it appears, for example, that the.

[Lindsay Mast]

Government has relied, for example, on the existence of tattoos.

[George Fishman]

Members of Trend Aragua often have tattoos of stars, hourglasses, trains, eyes and crowns. Those might seem innocuous to a casual observer, but they alert law enforcement at home and abroad to the gang members affiliations.

[Nick Eicher]

The very first photo has the hourglass. It's basically they're counting the days they get out of prison. That's why a lot of them get it.

[George Fishman]

Chris Bendinelli runs a tattoo removal ministry in California. World showed him some tattoos linked to Trende Aragua. He says he's removed dozens of them from people who were once gang members, but who now want to live a different life.

[Nick Eicher]

See, it's that all cni, they both have it. It's not off these people, but I've seen all these tattoos a million times.

[George Fishman]

Ben Dinelli explains that just because someone has a gang related tattoo doesn't mean they're still a gang member. But with immigration courts overwhelmed by nearly a million cases, verifying the status of former gang members may not be a high priority for this administration.

[Nick Eicher]

They want to, you know, make good on their promise of deporting 13 million people, I think he estimated at one point.

[George Fishman]

David Brotherton is a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. He explains that the Alien Enemies act would allow the government to deport illegal immigrants en masse rather than push each individual through a months long case by case process in the immigration courts.

[Nick Eicher]

You know, it can take anything from, you know, a month to six months to a year before you can process somebody out of the country. And they want to, they want to overcome that.

[George Fishman]

The legal question about whether Trend Aragua members are alien enemies and what the process should be for removing them are currently working their way through the court system. And some experts believe the question will ultimately end up before the supreme court. Reporting for World I'm Josh Schumacher in Washington, D.C.

[Kent Covington]

Additional support comes from Letourneau University, the Christian Polytechnic University.

[Nick Eicher]

More at letu.edu coming up next on.

[Lindsay Mast]

THE WORLD and Everything in IT World tour with our reporter in Africa, Onize Adua.

[Onize Odua]

We start today in South Africa, where singing and cheers welcomed the country's ambassador after his expulsion from the United states this month. U.S. secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Ibrahim Rasool as unwelcome, calling him a race baiting politician who hates the United States. And President Donald Trump. The United States rescinded Rasool's diplomatic privileges and ordered him to leave.

[Nick Eicher]

We still come here and say we must build and we must reset the relationship with America, because our relationship with America over 50 years has not always been with the White House, it has sometimes been with Congress, and it has.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Always been with the people of the.

[Nick Eicher]

United States of America.

[Onize Odua]

Trump issued an executive order last month that caught funding to South Africa, accusing the government of supporting Hamas and Iran and implementing policies against white South Africans. Over in South Korea, the Constitutional Court has dismissed an ongoing impeachment trial against Prime Minister Han Deok. So the court also reinstated him as acting president, an additional role he took on after the former president was suspended and later impeached for declaring martial law. Back in December, lawmakers also attempted to impeach Han over his alleged involvement in the martial law scandal and a disagreement over judicial appointments. Han says here that he will work for the interest of all Koreans. The Constitutional Court is yet to issue a ruling on the case of the impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. If the court upholds his impeachment, South Korea will hold fresh elections within 60 days of the verdict. And in Turkey, tens of thousands of protesters turned out on Sunday to continue showing support for the detained Istanbul mayor. Authorities first detained Akrem Imamolu on corruption charges last Wednesday, days before his opposition CHP party held its primary to select its presidential candidate. On Monday, the party selected Imamolu. A day earlier, Turkish authorities stripped him of his mayoral title. The opposition has called the crackdown a political coup. Emamilu's wife, Dilek, spoke with protesters. She called it a hard day but encouraged them, saying they will win by resisting. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that the demonstrations amount to street terror. Authorities detained more than a thousand people and tried to block hundreds of accounts on the social media platform X. Meanwhile, the European Union called on Turkey to respect the protesters. European Commission spokesman Gulliemercier says the country must uphold democratic values.

[Nick Eicher]

These rights, the rights of elected officials, as well as the right of peace for demonstrations, need to be fully respected.

[Onize Odua]

We end today in Japan's capital city of Tokyo, where authorities have officially declared the start of cherry blossom season. The announcement came after the Japan Meteorological Agency confirmed five blossoms on a tree at Tokyo's Yasukuni shrine. French tourist Nathalie Labatte witnessed the first blooms. I was happy to see the trees.

[Nick Eicher]

It's beautiful, really beautiful. I love Tokyo.

[Onize Odua]

Japan's cherry blossoms usually open in late March to early April, a season that also coincides with the country's start of a new school and work year. The flowers usually last for about two weeks. That's it for this week's world tour. Reporting for World I'm Onize Odua in Abuja, Nigeria.

[Nick Eicher]

Scientists studying the coast of New Zealand recently released video of one of the ocean's most unlikely hitchhikers. They spotted a mako shark just below the surface with a curious bright orange blob stuck to its head. So they sent in a couple of cameras for a closer look. And there it was, an octopus with its tentacles wrapped around the shark's head like reins on a racehorse. And makos are the racehorses of the shark world, clocking speeds over 40 miles per hour. But how in the deep blue sea these two met is a mystery. Makos cruise the open ocean. Maori octopuses stick to the seafloor. Researchers nicknamed the unlikely duo the Sharktopus. They have no idea how the meeting happened, no idea how it ended, though I'm guessing badly. But at least for a few minutes of glory, this cephalopod was living the high speed life like a prize winning jockey with suction cups. It's the world and everything in it. Today is Wednesday, March 26th. Thank you for turning to World Radio to help start your day. Good morning, I'm Nick Icker.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. Up next, the Trump administration's sweeping changes to immigration policies have migrants trying to keep up. World's Emma Eicher brings us the story.

[Chris Bendinelli]

When Missy Beruman arrived on Monday morning at her store, a delivery man was holding a handwritten note that someone had taped to the door. At first, the man didn't want to show her what it said. Then he handed over the piece of paper. All illegal aliens please leave Beachview. We have contacted ICE Border Patrol. Missy didn't feel fear, only sympathy for the person who wrote the note. I hope he gets better. He must be going through some stuff. A Mexican restaurant across the street received the same warning, and someone tacked the notes onto neighborhood houses, too. The Bermans decided to keep the doors of their grocery store, Las Palmas Carnaceria, locked for the day, along with the rest of the block. But the note had nothing to do with it. On social Media, influencers declared February 3rd to be the day of no immigrants around the country. Missy and many neighborhood business owners participated. They shut down to show what it would be like if immigrants didn't have a role in the local economy. Las Palmas decided, because we just want to support the immigrant community, let them know we have their backs. Missy isn't an illegal immigrant. In fact, she's not an immigrant at all. She does have Hispanic heritage from Latin America, but she was raised in Indianapolis. Her community, though, is full of immigrants. And recently, she's noticed her customers are a little more on edge. It's high. Anxiety's high. Many Americans anticipated shakeups in immigration policy after President Donald Trump took office. And as promised, his administration immediately began overhauling the system in response to four years under former President Joe Biden, who allowed millions of illegal immigrants across the border. His lenient policies also affected the United States Refugee Admissions Program, or usrep. Simon Hankinson is a senior research fellow for immigration at the Heritage Foundation.

[Nick Eicher]

What we've seen for the past four years has been a sort of system that utterly bypasses not only the US Rap, but also the legal immigration system. So it's been, you know, basically an experiment in what happens if you open the doors and kind of throw the rules out the window. What would be the worst case scenario? And I think we found out.

[Chris Bendinelli]

But President Trump's breakneck pace in correcting border issues leaves consequences for those caught in the middle. During his first days in office, Trump signed a number of executive orders beyond just immigration. He halted new refugee applications for 90 days and temporarily ended federal funding for refugee resettlement agencies. That meant families who had just come to the US under refugee status were stuck. Daniel Barrons works with refugees at Church of the Ascension in Pittsburgh.

[Daniel Barrons]

I think the challenge for the families that are here now is they can't go back. And that's part of the definition of a refugee, is that you're not able to go back to your home country because of a threat of persecution. So they're here, the door back is closed, but they're not being cared for.

[Chris Bendinelli]

A few years ago, Behrens was a missionary at the southern Texas border. When he moved to Pittsburgh with his family, he started a volunteer program through the church to help refugees. They partnered with a local refugee resettlement agency, helping them find jobs and permanent housing. Then Trump's Stop Work order took effect.

[Daniel Barrons]

So we're collaborating to just meet some of the immediate needs, particularly of families that are in temporary housing. There were a lot of families in hotels and Airbnbs, not at all set up to take care of their own situation.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Yet church volunteers helped fill the gap the resettlement agency left behind. But Barron's worries about future implications.

[Daniel Barrons]

I'm not naive to think that everyone in the refugee process is a wonderful Christian leader, but there are some, and I'm sad that these policy changes are not discriminating between those groups of people. And we're closing the door on brothers and sisters in Christ who are being persecuted and need refuge.

[Chris Bendinelli]

In February, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to reinstate funding and refugee processing. But tens of thousands of refugees remain in limbo, and it could take many months to reverse course. Hankinson says Trump is redirecting funds and manpower to deporting millions of illegals, deportations, which should have happened years ago. And as a result, it leaves us wrap on the chopping block.

[Nick Eicher]

I would think there's not a lot of bandwidth left for the official refugee program, which is very sad, because that's probably where more of the actual genuine cases are.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Margaret Stock is an immigration law expert. She works with refugees in Alaska, including Ukrainians fleeing from their home country. Trump recently said he's considering revoking their legal status.

[Nick Eicher]

They're not being deported yet, but they're.

[Daniel Barrons]

Being told that, you know, they're not going to have any status and they're.

[Nick Eicher]

Not going to be able to work, and they're basically being told that America.

[Daniel Barrons]

No longer wants to welcome immigrants and they should go to another country that's.

[Nick Eicher]

More welcoming, and it's hard for them to figure out where they're supposed to go.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Hankinson says Trump's decision has nothing to do with being anti immigrant. Ukrainian immigrants were paroled in the country under Biden with a legal status only meant to last up to a year.

[Nick Eicher]

You have legal immigrants, you have legal permanent residents, you have legal non immigrants and then you have illegal immigrants. And what Trump is trying to do and I think succeeding at is to enforce the law and make sure that only people who are legally entitled to be here are here.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Behrens has seen firsthand how immigration has helped people start new lives and he hopes to continue to give those who are already here lawfully a proper welcome to America.

[Daniel Barrons]

Yeah, we have to see the real people in the middle of these changes and changes are needed. The system is very broken. But I hope we can be wise in kind of discerning some of these differences of different paths of being in the US and yeah, not be driven by fear in what we choose and what we support.

[Chris Bendinelli]

Missy hopes for the best too, and for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to do their job. I hope that they can find a way to make it easier to progress here, you know, to be a citizen, to be a part of the community. Reporting for World I'm Emma Eicher in Pittsburgh.

[Lindsay Mast]

Today is Wednesday, March 26th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from listener supported World Radio. I'm Lindsay Mast.

[Nick Eicher]

And I'm Nick Icker. Every era has its own seductive lies, ideas that capture the culture even if they stray from the truth. World commentator Carl Truman says the antidote is not outrage or retreat, but sound, faithful preaching.

[Carl Truman]

Recent Pew research findings on the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod make for some somber reading for all confessional Christians. Many like myself may not be Lutheran, but we look to the LCMS as a stronghold of traditional Protestant orthodoxy. Yet the pre research indicates that times might well be set to change. It reports that 54% of members think abortion should be legal in all or most cases. 50% say homosexuality should be accepted, down slightly from 10 years ago. 50% now favor same sex marriage, up slightly over the same time. The fact that such high proportions of Missouri Synod Lutherans consistently affirm positions incompatible with historic Christianity is a cause for concern for the professional doom sages. It will likely fuel that form of lamentation that seems just a little too self satisfied that another once great valiant for truth has proved faithless. For those who have been in ministry. It will confirm what they know only too well that no one should assume that the orthodoxy of the pulpit and the office bearers will naturally permeate the pew. A better response than gleeful lamentation is to read such surveys as pointing to the key ecclesiastical challenges of our day and building pastoral strategies that address them. The church has always faced problems as the wider culture catechises her people in its own values. When I became a Christian 40 years ago, old style liberalism that questioned the supernatural was the major foe, undermining biblical accounts of miracles and the deity of Christ. It was important to focus in Christian preaching and catechesis on clarifying and reinforcing the vital connection between the historicity of the resurrection and the gospel. Today, the issue is different. It presents itself as a new morality. Hence, questions about the legitimacy of homosexuality and the desirability of gay marriage are now central. And underlying these overtly moral challenges lurks the question of anthropology. What is man? That question can be recast as what is man? For something that reveals the connection with matters of sexual marriage and abortion. This means that ministers, elders and all with responsibility for teaching the whole counsel of God need to think about how to teach their people. A sound anthropology. It is not surprising that a world whose gospel is that of personal happiness has shaped the minds of a rising generation of Christians to see aspects of the sexual revolution as acceptable. The sexual revolution has always sold itself as delivering such happiness and portrayed its opponents as killjoys. The only way to combat this is to set forth a robust anthropology, one that challenges the values of the sexual revolution at the deepest level. And that makes it clear to Christians that there is a necessary connection between the gospel and the meaning of man. In practical terms, there should be a threefold strategy here. Preaching and catechesis need to bring out that necessary connection again and again and again. Only by constant affirmation of that point will people begin to understand. Worship, too, plays its role, raising hearts and minds above the earthly sphere to the things that are above. When the beauty of Christ is set forth in the worship service, the tawdry fake beauties of modern society will pale in comparison. And we need to embody in our daily lives what true biblical anthropology looks like. Beautiful marriages, deep friendships, homes marked by hospitality. That is the way to shape the Christian imagination in a way that will draw Christian people away from the lives of this present age. I'm Carl Truman.

[Nick Eicher]

Tomorrow, hundreds of American families were just steps away from adopting when the country closed its doors last year. We have an update, and we'll meet a Ukrainian touring dance group using ballet to deal with the ravages of war. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Icar.

[Lindsay Mast]

And I'm Lindsay Mast. 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 records that when the apostles had come together, they asked him, lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? He said to them, it is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifting it up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. Verses 6 through 9 of Acts chapter 1 go now in grace and peace.