Reuters US Domestic News Summary
Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.
Uncertainty clouds US transition at Mexico border as new rules take effect
The Biden administration began implementing a sweeping policy shift at the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday as a COVID-era order that had allowed the swift expulsion of many migrants expired and new asylum restrictions took effect amid confusion and uncertainty. Several last-minute court actions added to questions about how President Joe Biden's reworked border strategy will play out, with advocates filing a legal challenge to the new asylum regulation as it was enacted.
Wendy Sherman, US official who led diplomacy with China and Russia, to retire
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, the country's number two diplomat, said on Friday she will retire at the end of June after three decades in Washington's foreign policy establishment. Sherman is the first woman to serve in her current role, in which she has headed up the Biden administration's diplomacy with China and led unsuccessful talks with Russia to avert Moscow's February 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Former US Marine charged with manslaughter in NYC subway choking death
A former U.S. Marine sergeant who killed a homeless man by putting him in a chokehold on the New York City subway was charged with manslaughter on Friday in a Manhattan criminal court, hours after he surrendered to police. A viral video showed Daniel Penny putting 30-year-old Jordan Neely in a chokehold on May 1 while they rode on an F train in Manhattan. Neely died from a compression of the neck, the medical examiner said, but Penny's lawyers said their client did not mean to kill him.
JPMorgan opposes class-action status for Epstein accusers
JPMorgan Chase & Co on Friday asked a federal judge to deny class-action status to more than 100 women who said the bank helped enable the late financier Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse them. In a filing in Manhattan federal court, the largest U.S. bank said Epstein's accusers had too many differences to sue under an "oversimplified" theory that it was liable to all of them by having provided Epstein with banking services.
Biden says US debt ceiling talks are moving along
President Joe Biden said on Saturday that talks with Congress on raising the U.S. government's debt limit were moving along and more will be known about their progress in the next two days. "I think they are moving along, hard to tell. We have not reached the crunch point yet," Biden told reporters at Joint Base Andrews.
Data of 237,000 US government employees breached
The personal information of 237,000 current and former federal government employees has been exposed in a data breach at the U.S. Transportation Department (USDOT), sources briefed on the matter said on Friday. The breach hit systems for processing TRANServe transit benefits that reimburse government employees for some commuting costs. It was not clear if any of the personal information had been used for criminal purposes.
North Carolina governor vetoes 12-week abortion ban, override likely
North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper on Saturday vetoed a bill that would ban most abortions after 12 weeks, a move the Republican supermajority in the state legislature is expected to quickly override, allowing the bill to become law. The measure would cut the window for most abortions in the state back from 20 weeks and curtail access to the procedure for millions of women across the U.S. south.
U.S. metals magnate Sabin sours on DeSantis, backs Scott in 2024 race
Metals magnate and Republican donor Andy Sabin said he has soured on Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over his stance on abortion and Ukraine, and is now planning to back Senator Tim Scott instead in the 2024 Republican White House race. Sabin had been considering donating to DeSantis, who is expected to officially announce a White House run in June, but changed his mind after the governor signed a new law banning abortions after six weeks and called the war in Ukraine a "territorial dispute."
U.S. Congressman George Santos agrees to settle lawsuit in Brazil
Republican U.S. congressman George Santos, who has Brazilian heritage, agreed to settle a lawsuit in which he was accused of bouncing checks to buy clothes in a Rio de Janeiro clothing store over a decade ago, a court in Rio said. Santos was indicted this week for fraud and money laundering in the U.S. and has faced months of allegations related to lies about his career and history.
Biden to meet congressional leaders on debt early next week - White House
President Joe Biden is expected to meet with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders early next week to resume budget negotiations and resolve a looming default on the nation's debt, White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday. The leaders had canceled a planned meeting on Friday to let staff continue to discuss.
