Trump's 'Liberation Day', Wisconsin Supreme Court Race, Mistaken Deportation

Summary

Up First from NPR: April 2, 2025

NPR’s “Up First” delivers the three biggest stories to kickstart your day. In this episode, hosts Steve Inskeep and Leila Fadell delve into President Trump’s latest economic moves, the high-stakes Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and a controversial deportation mishap by the Trump administration. Here’s a comprehensive summary of the episode’s key discussions and insights.

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1. President Trump’s “Liberation Day” and Tariff Implementation

Overview: The episode opens with a focus on President Trump's declaration of “Liberation Day,” a pivotal moment he describes as the day he intends to impose new tariffs on various countries. This move has stirred significant market anxiety and debate over its potential economic impacts.

Key Points:

• Tariff Details and Intentions:

  • Steve Inskeep (00:03): President Trump refers to the day as “Liberation Day” in the context of imposing tariffs, aiming to protect American industries from what he perceives as unfair foreign competition.
  • Leila Fadell (00:10): Raises the critical question of whether these tariffs will bolster or harm the U.S. economy.

• Market and Economic Reactions:

  • Danielle Kurtzleben (03:32): Explains that markets are jittery due to uncertainty about the specifics and potential repercussions of the tariffs.
  • Leila Fadell (05:12): Cites a Yale Budget Lab study suggesting an average household could face an additional $3,000 in costs annually due to higher prices from tariffs, disproportionately affecting lower-income families.

• President Trump’s Justifications:

  • Danielle Kurtzleben (05:37): The administration claims the tariffs are intended to ensure fairness and rejuvenate manufacturing jobs.
  • Steve Inskeep (04:47): Quotes Trump stating, “They took advantage of us and we are going to be very nice by comparison to what they were” ([04:57]).

• Potential Risks and Retaliation:

  • Danielle Kurtzleben (05:37): Warns of possible retaliatory tariffs from other countries, which could target U.S. farmers and further strain the economy.
  • Leila Fadell (06:28): Emphasizes the risk of short-term economic pain impacting voter sentiment towards Trump’s administration.

Conclusion: While President Trump champions the tariffs as a means to enrich the country and rectify long-standing trade imbalances, experts and market analysts express concern over the immediate economic strain and potential for international retaliation.

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2. Historic Wisconsin Supreme Court Race: A Battle Between Liberals and Elon Musk-Backed Conservatives

Overview: The episode highlights what is described as the most expensive judicial race in U.S. history, taking place in Wisconsin. Despite substantial financial backing from high-profile figures like Elon Musk and President Trump, the liberal candidate, Susan Crawford, secured a decisive victory, maintaining the state’s liberal majority on the Supreme Court.

Key Points:

• Election Results and Spending:

  • Steve Inskeep (06:55): Reports that Susan Crawford defeated conservative Brad Schimmel by 9 percentage points, garnering approximately 235,000 votes.
  • Chuck Korenbach (07:18): Details the significant financial influx, with Schimmel receiving around $20 million from Elon Musk and affiliated groups, while Crawford was supported by mega donors including George Soros and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker.

• Campaign Dynamics and Voter Sentiment:

  • Chuck Korenbach (08:45): Observes that voters viewed the race as a referendum on both Elon Musk and President Trump, with Crawford’s victory seen as a pushback against their influence.
  • Danielle Kurtzleben (07:37): Notes Crawford’s victory as a statement against Musk’s “Doge effort” and highlights reproductive rights as a key issue influencing voters.

• Implications for Future Elections:

  • Chuck Korenbach (08:45): Indicates that while the Republicans faced disappointment, they are optimistic about future elections in 2026 to defend Trump’s agenda.
  • Susan Crawford (00:32): Emphasizes her unexpected role in challenging Elon Musk, showcasing grassroots support against wealthy influences ([00:37]).

• Judicial Impact and Upcoming Cases:

  • Chuck Korenbach (09:35): Outlines that the newly elected liberal majority will handle significant cases including abortion laws, the contentious Act 10 affecting union rights, and redistricting issues proposed by Musk.

Conclusion: Susan Crawford’s triumph in the Wisconsin Supreme Court race underscores the resilience of liberal influence despite unprecedented financial challenges. The outcome has broader implications for judicial decisions on critical social and economic issues in Wisconsin.

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3. Controversial Deportation: Mistakes and Claims of Gang Affiliation

Overview: The episode shifts focus to a troubling incident involving the Trump administration mistakenly deporting a Maryland father, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, to El Salvador despite a court order preventing such action. This case raises serious concerns about the integrity of immigration laws and due process.

Key Points:

• Deportation Error and Government Response:

  • Steve Inskeep (10:39): Reveals that the administration admitted to a “clerical” or “administrative” error in deporting Abrego Garcia.
  • Ximena Ostillo (10:58): Clarifies that Abrego Garcia was not supposed to be deported but was sent to El Salvador, a claim supported by his family’s identification through government-issued photos.

• Government’s Justification and Legal Challenges:

  • Ximena Ostillo (11:13): The administration asserts that Abrego Garcia was a member of the MS-13 gang, a claim contested by his lawyers who point out the absence of any criminal conviction.
  • Leila Fadell (13:03): Highlights the broader implications if such administrative errors go unchecked, potentially undermining the entire immigration legal framework.

• Legal Proceedings and Future Implications:

  • Ximena Ostillo (12:23): Details that Abrego Garcia’s lawyer plans to petition the court to order his return, arguing that the deportation violates previous judicial decisions.
  • Ximena Ostillo (13:03): Warns that failure to rectify this error could set a dangerous precedent, potentially endangering the rights of U.S. citizens in future cases.

• Due Process Concerns:

  • Ximena Ostillo (14:05): Explains the standard legal process for deportations, which includes hearings and opportunities for asylum or appeals—processes that were evidently bypassed in this case.

Conclusion: The deportation of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia exemplifies significant flaws within the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, raising critical questions about due process and the adherence to court orders. This incident not only affects Garcia’s personal circumstances but also poses a threat to the integrity of U.S. immigration laws.

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Final Thoughts

NPR’s “Up First” provides a thorough analysis of pressing national issues, from economic policies and high-profile elections to immigration controversies. By incorporating expert opinions and firsthand accounts, the episode offers listeners a nuanced understanding of the complexities shaping the United States.

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Notable Quotes:

• Steve Inskeep (04:47): “They took advantage of us and we are going to be very nice. By comparison to what they were, the numbers will be lower than what they've been charging us.”

• Danielle Kurtzleben (07:37): “I never could have imagined that I'd be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin. And we won.”

• Ximena Ostillo (13:03): “If courts cannot order him returned from a place he should legally not be, eventually the government could do the same to a U.S. Citizen.”

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For more in-depth stories and analyses, subscribe to NPR’s Up First and support your local NPR station at donate.npr.org.

Transcript

[Steve Inskeep]

President Trump calls this liberation Day, as in tariff day. We are going to be very nice by comparison to what they were.

[Leila Fadell]

Markets have been jittery in anticipation. Will tariffs help or hurt the economy?

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm Steve Inskeep with Leila Fadell, and this is up first from NPR News. It was the most expensive judicial race in US History. And despite Elon Musk putting his money in support behind a conservative candidate, liberals held onto their state Supreme Court majority in Wisconsin.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

I never could have imagined that I'd be taking on the richest man in the world.

[Steve Inskeep]

How did this race become a referendum on Musk?

[Leila Fadell]

And the Trump administration has admitted to deporting a Maryland father by mistake.

[Steve Inskeep]

If they're allowed to get away with this, then it means that the immigration laws are meaningless, all of them.

[Leila Fadell]

Stay with us. We'll give you the news you need to start your day.

[Sara Levy]

Support for NPR and the following message come from Betterment, the automated investing and savings app. CEO Sara Levy shares how Betterment utilizes tech tools powered by human advice.

[Leila Fadell]

Betterment is here to help customers build wealth their way. And we provide powerful technology and complete human support where technology can deliver ease of use and affordability. And the people behind that technology can provide advice and guidance.

[Sara Levy]

Learn [e-mail] investing involves risk performance not guaranteed. This message comes from Pemco Mutual Insurance Company. You know that moment when things take an unexpected turn and you get that sudden sinking feeling that maybe it could have been avoided? Pemco Insurance wants to help you avoid that feeling by sharing prevention tips that empower you to prevent some of life's preventable pitfalls. Because Pemco's commitment to their customers goes beyond the moment of a claim, it about being with their customers every day. [e-mail] Prevention this message comes from BetterHelp. Therapy can be expensive, but at BetterHelp, they believe therapy should feel accessible, not like a luxury, which is why they offer quality care at a price that makes sense and can help you with anything from anxiety to everyday stress. Your mental health is worth it, and now it's within reach. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp.com NPR it's a big day.

[Leila Fadell]

On President Trump's calendar, something he's been calling Liberation Day, a day when he.

[Steve Inskeep]

Says he's going to make good on a promise to impose tariffs on many, many countries. I think people will be pleasantly surprised, but it's going to make our country very rich because we're the piggy bank and everybody steals from. And they've been doing it for many years, for decades. So we're not going to let it happen. The president says he's made up his mind on which tariffs to impose. Where, although we don't know the details yet, markets have been nervous leading up to this day amid concerns that taxes on imports hurt rather than help the US Economy and also raise consumer prices.

[Leila Fadell]

NPR White House correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben is here to tell us what to expect. Good morning, Danielle. Hey.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Hey, good morning.

[Leila Fadell]

What do we know about these tariffs?

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Well, we know Trump's going to lay them out at a big Rose garden event at 4pm Eastern, but his team has given few details on this. He and his advisors, in fact, were still working on the tariffs yesterday, which is itself notable. I mean, this is a potentially sweeping trade policy that has not been clearly communicated yet. But as for what he's announcing, these are what he's been calling reciprocal tariffs, which he has said could apply to many different items and all countries. And he's long described them as mirroring other countries tariffs.

[Leila Fadell]

Give us an example there.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Sure. So this week, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt showed reporters a graphic of all kinds of tariffs on US goods. And one example was Mexico's 150% tariff on American alcohol. So a reciprocal tariff in this example could be the US imposing a 150% tariff on Mexican alcohol. Now, again, I want to stress this is just a hypothetical I'm giving, but in this example, that would mean US importers would pay a 150% tax to bring that alcohol into the country. And in most cases, we could expect American businesses to either eat that cost or pass it on to consumers.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, so that sounds like it could get pretty expensive.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Yeah, it could. And stock markets and consumers are taking Trump seriously on this. Consumer confidence and stock indexes have been plummeting as Reciprocal Tariff day has grown closer. And amid that, Trump seems to have softened on this idea of equal tariffs. Here he was talking to reporters this week.

[Steve Inskeep]

They took advantage of us and we are going to be very nice. By comparison to what they were, the numbers will be lower than what they've been charging us.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

And yesterday Levitt also said different countries have been lobbying the president's team. Trump has left the door open to exceptions, but he has also said he doesn't want many.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, given that we don't know the details of these tariffs, do we know anything about how they'll affect people here.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

In the U.S. well, we have some broad ideas. One is that they'll lead to higher prices. The Yale Budget Lab did one hypothetical modeling of what these tariffs could look like, finding that in the short run, they'd cost the average household around $3,000 a year. And those costs, by the way, would hit lower income households harder than higher income.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, if this is so risky for the economy, what has the president said about why he's doing this?

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

Well, the Trump administration says this is about fairness and also about creating manufacturing jobs. That's what Trump ran, and a lot of his base is in blue collar jobs like manufacturing. And some manufacturers could be helped by the tariffs. I mean, if goods from other countries get more expensive, it would mean people in the U.S. would buy more goods made in the U.S. but some U.S. manufacturers will also pay more for materials, which could offset whatever benefits they might see from the tariffs. And there's one more economic risk, and that's that other countries see this and then they retaliate with their own tariffs. And farmers would be a likely target there. So there's a real risk here for Trump. He has acknowledged that these tariffs could cause short term pain, and that means voters could easily in the future pin any weakness from the economy on him.

[Leila Fadell]

NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben. Thank you, Danielle. Thank you. President Trump was not on the ballot, but elections in two states are being viewed as an early indicator of how voters feel about him after his first few months in office. In Florida, Republicans hung onto two congressional seats in deeply red districts, cementing their slim majority in the US House.

[Steve Inskeep]

Solid wins for Republicans, although the margins were a little bit less than they were just last year in Wisconsin. In what became the most expensive judicial race in American history, the liberal judge Susan Crawford was elected to the state Supreme Court. She beat conservative Brad Schimmel, who ran with Trump's endorsement and some $20 million from Elon Musk, along with groups affiliated with him. Here's Crawford last night.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

As a little girl growing up in Chippewa Falls, I never could have imagined that I'd be taking on the richest man in the world for justice in Wisconsin. And we won.

[Leila Fadell]

Chuck Korenbach of member station WUWM joins me now for From Milwaukee. Good morning, Chuck.

[Chuck Korenbach]

Good morning.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, so what happened in the race?

[Chuck Korenbach]

Well, in the end, the liberal judge from Madison, Crawford, won with a Comfortable margin, about 235,000 votes, 9 percentage points over Schimmel, the conservative judge from suburban Milwaukee. Crawford even took some counties that have gone pretty often for Republicans in recent years, including Brown County. That's mainly Green Bay, where Elon Musk Held a rally Sunday night. One of the other big stories from last night was the surge in voter turnout on both sides. Early voting and in person voting exceeded many clerks expectations. And of course, there was the spending. Both sides spent really big. Yeah. Musk and groups associated with him spent about 20 million. Crawford had a lot of money to spend, though, too, including from mega donors like George Soros and Illinois Governor J.B. pritzker.

[Leila Fadell]

Now, Elon Musk became a big part of this race, as you point out, and Trump's endorsement, too. Anything to take away from Shimal?

[Chuck Korenbach]

Well, a few things. This race, even though it was the court, is nonpartisan. It was definitely a win for Democrats, and they're claiming victory against the president, his administration, and Musk. And I heard that from voters, too. They say Musk's Doge effort is going too fast, too broadly from young voters, though. I also heard a lot about reproductive rights, which was the big issue in the last state Supreme Court election we had here two years ago. For more conservative voters, I heard support for the president and for Musk and that Schimmel could protect Trump's policies and agenda. The state GOP says they're disappointed about last night, but are looking forward to 2026 when they say they'll have the opportunity to defend President Trump's agenda in more elections.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, so back to the court. Liberals have kept their majority. What cases are expected to go before the justices?

[Chuck Korenbach]

Well, abortion is already in front of the court. They're going to have to decide soon on whether an 1849 Wisconsin law that halted abortions here for 15 months right after the Dobbs decision, is constitutional. Next, the matter of Act 10. That's the big fight from 15 years ago that curtailed union bargaining rights for most public sector workers. The court could decide if parts of that law are unconstitutional. And one issue we heard a lot about from Musk and was congressional redistricting. His contention? The Democrats would try to pick up a couple of U.S. house seats here. Democrats told me last night when I asked about this, hey, we want to enjoy Crawford's win. And our lawyers will decide whether to pursue the redistricting issue before a court that will stay 4 to 3. Liberal.

[Leila Fadell]

Chuck Kornbach of member station W W M. Thank you, Chuck.

[Chuck Korenbach]

Thank you.

[Leila Fadell]

On Friday, a lawyer plans to ask a court to order the return of his client to the United States.

[Steve Inskeep]

President Trump's administration admits sending the man to El Salvador despite knowing about a court order preventing them from doing that. Responding to questions from reporters, Press Secretary Caroline Levitt spoke of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia.

[Ximena Ostillo]

Well, first of all, the error that you are referring to was a clerical error. It was an administrative error.

[Steve Inskeep]

By calling it an administrative error, the government avoids saying they deliberately defied a court order. The government goes on to assert that a judge should have no power to overrule the mistake. And the administration does not want to bring the man back anyway.

[Ximena Ostillo]

The administration maintains the position that this individual who was deported to El Salvador and will not be returning to our country will was a member of the brutal and vicious MS.13 gang.

[Steve Inskeep]

His lawyers questioned the government's claim that he is a gang member at all, says he wasn't convicted of a crime and that he was not supposed to be sent specifically to El Salvador.

[Leila Fadell]

NPR's immigration policy reporter Ximena Ostillo has more. Hi, Ximena.

[Ximena Ostillo]

Good morning.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, so tell us what we know about who Abrego Costillo is and what happened to him.

[Ximena Ostillo]

He was from El Salvador and living in Maryland with his child and his wife, who is a U.S. citizen. But Abrego Garcia already went through immigration courts. In 2019, he was served with his notice to appear before a judge. The judge found that he could be deported. But Abrego Garcia was able to make the case against being deported back to El Salvador. The government appealed, but lost. And then last month, he was apprehended by immigration officials once more. And his wife only realized that he had been transferred to a mega prison in El Salvador because she recognized his tattoos on a photo from the El Salvador government.

[Leila Fadell]

Okay, so the administration admits in court they knew they couldn't deport him to El Salvador, but they deported him anyways.

[Ximena Ostillo]

Yes. In court filings, immigration officials admitted that Abrego Garcia's deportation was an administrative error, but they are doubling down on his deportation. Vice President J.D. vance alleged on social media that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS.13 gang. Abrego Garcia's lawyer, however, disputes the claims of criminal history, noting that he's never been convicted of a crime in the US or any other country, nor has there been significant evidence of his ties to the gang. His lawyers argue that the government could have deported him anywhere but El Salvador, but they ignore those earlier orders.

[Leila Fadell]

So what does his lawyer say about this insistence by the government that Garcia cannot be returned?

[Ximena Ostillo]

Simon Sandoval Moschenberg, who is representing Abrego Garcia, raised concerns about the implications that this has on other immigration court cases.

[Leila Fadell]

I mean, if they're allowed to get.

[Steve Inskeep]

Away with this, then it means that the immigration laws are meaningless, all of them.

[Ximena Ostillo]

On Friday, he will ask a federal judge to order the US to bring Abrego Garcia back. The government is poised to argue that it's too late because Abrego Garcia is in the custody of another government. But his lawyer says that if courts cannot order him returned from a place he should legally not be, eventually the government could do the same to a US Citizen.

[Leila Fadell]

Now, are these men that have been detained and accused of crimes like being part of a criminal gang supposed to get due process?

[Ximena Ostillo]

Depending on where you're detained and how long you've been in the country, you could have your day in court to convince a judge that you should stay, the government brings their own attorneys to argue that you should be removed. And then people get a chance to defend themselves. Sometimes that defense can be claiming asylum or asking to not be deported to a specific country. Then a judge decides whether they agree.

[Leila Fadell]

And that didn't happen in these cases. NPR's Jimena Bestillo, thank you so much.

[Ximena Ostillo]

Thank you.

[Leila Fadell]

And that's up first for Wednesday, April 2nd. I'm Layla Falden.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I'm Steve Inskeep. For your next listen, consider Consider this from NPR News. We hear it up first, give you the first three big stories of the day. And our Consider this colleagues take a different approach, diving into a single news story. Listen now on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Leila Fadell]

Today's episode of up first was edited by Roberta Rampton, Acacia Squires, Anna Yukonanov, Lisa Thompson and Alex Wolfley. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us again tomorrow.

[Sara Levy]

This message comes from Warby Parker. What makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost, like free adjustments for life. Find your [e-mail] or visit one of their hundreds of stores around the country. Support for NPR and the following message come from Rosetta Stone, the perfect app to achieve your language learning goals, no matter how busy your schedule gets. It's designed to maximize study time with immersive 10 minute lessons and audio practice for your commute. Plus, tailor your learning plan for specific objectives like travel. Get Rosetta Stone's lifetime membership for 50% off and unlimited access to 25 language courses. Learn more at rosettastone.com NPR this message comes from Warby Parker. What makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost, like free adjustments for Life. Find your [e-mail] or visit one of their hundreds of stores around the country.