Police seeking wire theft suspect

Police seeking wire theft suspectJEFFERSON – According to our news partner KETK, the Jefferson Police Department is seeking the public’s help to identify a man who they believe committed wire theft, possibly causing signal and service disruptions across the area.

Video footage of the suspect was obtained through a tactical game camera. Officials are now looking for the public’s help to identify the man seen in the video as they believe he could have caused poor signal and service disruptions for residents in the area.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity is asked to contact the Jefferson Police Department at 903-665-2432.

Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ risks weaponization of space, China says

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

(LONDON) -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry accused President Donald Trump of undermining "global strategic balance and stability" by pushing ahead on his "Golden Dome" missile defense shield program -- and urged the U.S. to abandon the project.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the project at an Oval Office briefing on Tuesday, confirming reports that the administration was seeking to establish a missile defense umbrella the president said would be capable of "intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world and even if they are launched from space."

The project will cost around $175 billion and be operational in three years, Trump said.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters at a Wednesday briefing that the proposed shield will "heighten the risk of turning the space into a war zone and creating a space arms race and shake the international security and arms control system," according to a readout posted to the ministry's website.

"It plans to expand the U.S. arsenal of means for combat operations in outer space, including R&D and deployment of orbital interception systems," Mao said.

"That gives the project a strong offensive nature and violates the principle of peaceful use in the Outer Space Treaty," she added, referring to the 1967 agreement which -- among other things -- prohibited the use of nuclear weapons in space and limited any usage of all "celestial bodies" for peaceful purposes.

"This is yet another 'America First' initiative that puts the U.S.' absolute security above all else," Mao continued. "It violates the principle of 'undiminished security for all' and will hurt global strategic balance and stability," she said. "China is gravely concerned."

"We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying global anti-missile system, and take concrete actions to enhance strategic trust between major countries and uphold global strategic stability," Mao said.

Trump began calling for a U.S. missile defense shield inspired by Israel's Iron Dome -- which is used to intercept short-range projectiles -- a year ago on the campaign trail after watching Israel and its Western allies defeat some 300 missiles and drones fired during an attack by Iran. The attack was thwarted by a range of anti-missile systems and military aircraft.

Military officials said at the time that they hadn't expressed a need for such a comprehensive shield to defend the U.S. Critics of Trump's plan noted the U.S. wasn't under threat from its neighbors, Canada and Mexico, and is buffered by two oceans.

The "Golden Dome" project has echoes of the failed Cold War-era "Star Wars" program, which likewise sought to introduce a defense umbrella against nuclear-capable ballistic missiles. At the time, critics -- including leaders in the Soviet Union -- said such a project was both unworkable and could spark a new arms race.

ABC News' Anne Flaherty, Luis Martinez and Nathan Luna contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly dies at 75

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia has died, his office announced Wednesday morning. He was 75 years old.

"It is with immense sadness that we share that our devoted and loving father, husband, brother, friend and public servant, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, passed away peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family," a statement from his family read.

Connolly had served in Congress since 2009. He was a champion for federal workers, pushing back in recent months against the Trump administration and Elon Musk's overhaul of the government.

"We were fortunate to share Gerry with Northern Virginia for nearly 40 years because that was his joy, his purpose, and his passion. His absence will leave a hole in our hearts, but we are proud that his life's work will endure for future generations," his family said.

Just last month, Connolly said he was stepping down from the top Democratic position on the influential House Oversight Committee because his cancer had returned. Connolly had defeated New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the committee chair in December.

He had been diagnosed with cancer of the esophagus in November.

"When I announced my diagnosis six months ago, I promised transparency," he said in his statement last month. "After grueling treatments, we've learned that the cancer, while initially beaten back, has now returned. I'll do everything possible to continue to represent you and thank you for your grace."

Tributes to Connolly poured in from his congressional colleagues.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries commended Connolly's work on the House Oversight Committee and on federal tech legislation.

"In addition to his legislative wisdom, Gerry always brought his signature mirth and wit to the House, making even something like proxy voting a point of levity during an otherwise challenging time in our nation," Jeffries wrote. "My prayers, and those of the entire House Democratic Caucus, are with Congressman Connolly’s loved ones and the devoted staff who he considered to be his family."

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Congressman Gerry Connolly. For decades, he dedicated his life to serving the people of Virginia. Our prayers are with his family, friends, and the people of Virginia’s 11th district during this difficult time," House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, said in a statement.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

In brief: ‘IT: Welcome to Derry’ teaser trailer and more

Yellowjackets has been renewed for season 4. Paramount+ with Showtime announced the renewal of the popular series on Tuesday. Chris McCarthy, co-CEO of Paramount Global and president of Showtime/MTV entertainment Studios, said the company was thrilled to renew the coming-of-age survival drama show for another season after the success of season 3. Yellowjackets' third season was the most-watched ever, according to Paramount+, with its finale becoming the most-streamed episode of the whole series ...

The teaser trailer for the new drama series IT: Welcome to Derry has arrived. HBO released the teaser trailer on Tuesday. The upcoming show will air in the fall on HBO and HBO Max. The new series is based on Stephen King's novel IT and expands on the story told in Andy Muschietti's films IT and IT Chapter Two ...

Carey Mulligan might be making her way to Narnia. The actress is in talks to join Greta Gerwig's Narnia film adaptation for Netflix, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is based on the popular novels by C.S. Lewis. Mulligan would play Digory's mother in the film, which is reportedly an adaptation of the sixth novel in the series, titled The Magician's Nephew ...

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Trump said only he could get Putin to make a Ukraine peace deal. It hasn’t happened.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump, on the 2024 campaign trail, repeatedly promised voters he personally could end the Russia-Ukraine war on his first day in office -- or even before.

But four months into his term, peace not only remains elusive but he's saying he could soon "back away" from being involved.

His comment came hours after his highly-anticipated phone call Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin produced no breakthrough -- even though Trump had earlier suggested it could.

Just last week, after Putin snubbed an invitation from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to attend peace negotiations in Istanbul -- something Trump had encouraged -- he told reporters: "Nothing's going to happen until Putin and I get together, OK?"

"I don't believe anything's going to happen, whether you like it or not, until he and I get together, but we're going to have to get it solved, because too many people are dying," Trump said.

After his hourslong conversation with Putin on Monday, though, Trump said that conditions for a ceasefire and an ultimate end to the conflict "will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be."

Direct talks between just Ukraine and Russia, Trump said, would begin "immediately" and possibly be hosted by the Vatican. The two sides already began engaging in Turkey last week in what was the first known meeting between representatives of Moscow and Kyiv since spring 2022.

Trump had also previously pushed for an "immediate ceasefire" between Russia and Ukraine, but that was not pushed further in his public comments following his Putin call.

Still, Trump sought to put an optimistic spin on Monday's talks.

"I think something's going to happen," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "It's got very, very big egos involved, I tell you, big egos involved. But I think something's going to happen."

"And if it doesn't, I just back away and they're going to have to keep going again," Trump said. "This is a European situation. It should have remained a European situation."

He did not answer whether he would be meeting with Putin -- something he had suggested was likely in the not too distant future.

Trump and various top administration officials had said Trump's personal history with Putin and strongman persona would get results.

In his debate against then-Vice President Kamala Harris in September, Trump said he'd get the Russia-Ukraine war ended "before even becoming president" because Putin and Zelenskyy "respect me."

During an exclusive interview with ABC News on the 100-day mark of his term, Trump posited that, "If it weren't for me, I think [Putin would] want to take over the whole country, personally."

Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy, said on ABC's "This Week" this past Sunday that the "president has a force of personality that is unmatched."

"I believe that the president is going to have a successful call with Vladimir Putin," Witkoff said. "They know each other. The president is determined to get something done here. And hopefully, if he can't do it, then nobody can."

Trump said last week he wanted to hold a summit with Putin as soon as possible.

"We have to get together. I think we will probably schedule it. Because I'm tired of having other people go and meet and everything else," Trump told Fox News on May 16. He added, "I think I'm the only one that's going to be able to do that one. And I think we will do it fast, too."

On Monday, Trump said that he'd asked Putin to meet during their phone call, but did not say whether Putin expressed interest in doing so.

"I said, 'When are we going to end this, Vladimir?'" Trump told reporters of their discussion. "I said, 'When are we going to end this bloodshed, this, this bloodbath?' It's a bloodbath. And, I do believe he wants to end it."

Putin, in his own comments to journalists in Sochi after the call, only said he was ready to work on "memorandum on a possible future peace agreement" with Ukraine, but did not elaborate on what that would look like.

Putin showed no signs of making concessions, only saying both sides must "determine the most effective ways of moving towards peace."

Trump and other top officials have said Ukraine will have to forgo NATO membership and likely concede some territory occupied by Russia in order to bring the conflict to an end. They have not made similar public demands of Russia, which started the war when it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

Trump, at times, has threatened more sanctions on Moscow. On Monday, he suggested trade with the U.S. after the war is over could be a motivator for pursuing peace.

Meanwhile, Russia only ramped up strikes inside Ukraine overnight following the Trump-Putin call.

In late April, Trump wondered aloud if Putin was "tapping me along" as strikes increased. If so, he said, he'd have to be "dealt with differently." Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said over the weekend that the U.S. was trying to find out if Russia was "tapping us along" and said "we'll find out pretty soon."

Ukraine's Zelenskyy, who Trump also spoke with on Monday, said the negotiation process "must involve both American and European representatives."

"It is crucial for all of us that the United States does not distance itself from the talks and the pursuit of peace, because the only one who benefits from that is Putin," Zelenskyy said.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

ICE lodges detainer for 24-year-old Venezuelan man arrested for posing as 16-year-old high school student: Police

Wood County Sheriff's Office

(PERRYSBURG, OHIO) -- A 24-year-old Venezuelan man who was arrested for pretending to be a 16-year-old high school student in Ohio is now facing a detainer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Anthony Emmanuel Labrador Sierra was arrested on Monday after he posed as a teenager in January 2024, according to the City of Perrysburg Police.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged a detainer for Labrador on Tuesday, the DHS said.

"ICE lodged a retainer to ensure that this criminal illegal alien is removed from this community and is no longer able to prey on the students of Perrysburg High School," Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, announced in a press release on Wednesday.

According to a police report, Labrador had contacted Perrysburg Schools in November 2023, wanting to enroll as a student, claiming that "he had been homeless and was an immigrant from Venezuela."

He also told the school that he was a victim of human trafficking, police said.

When he met with the school to begin the enrollment process, Labrador presented a birth certificate from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela with a birthdate of Dec. 2, 2007, police said. At the time, he told the school he was staying at an address in Toledo, and he started as a student on Jan. 19, 2024.

Kathy and Brad Melfred, who had housed exchange students in the past and had adoptive children, were contacted about Labrador. The Melfreds agreed to assist Labrador and he began residing with them on March 21, 2024, police said.

The couple was granted permanent guardianship over Labrador through the Wood County Common Pleas Court Juvenile Division and they also assisted him in getting a social security number and an Ohio driver's license, police said.

Then on May 14, the Melfreds were contacted by a woman, Evelyn Camacho, who stated that Labrador was "actually a 24-year-old and he was the father of her child," police said. Camacho sent the Melfreds a picture of Labrador's driver's license with a birthdate of March 27, 2001, along with Facebook pictures of her with Labrador and a small child, police said.

Police said they reached out to the United States Border Patrol for assistance in the investigation, who advised that Labrador had an actual birthdate of March 27, 2001, an expired work visa and was considered "an overstay in this country."

Officials said his work visa expired the same year he reached out to Perrysburg Schools to enroll.

On Monday at 4:15 p.m., Labrador was arrested after he was located riding in a vehicle on Interstate 75 and was booked on forgery charges, police said in a statement.

Labrador was also a member of the junior varsity soccer and swim teams at the high school, and the district has reported the situation to the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

The suspect remains in custody at the Wood County Jail and his next court date is scheduled for May 29, according to jail records. It is unclear if Labrador has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

What’s in Trump’s ‘big’ tax and immigration bill House Republicans are struggling to pass

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

(WASHINTON) -- Officially titled the "One Big, Beautiful Bill Act," this megabill fulfills a laundry list of President Donald Trump's campaign promises from taxes to border security.

As House Republicans continue to negotiate the final details of the legislation, here's a look at some possible ways the bill could affect everyday Americans, according to recent estimates.

Keep in mind, the Senate is likely to significantly change this bill and the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) continues to review the legislation.

Some potential impacts:

  • More than an estimated 8 million recipients could lose Medicaid coverage, according to a CBO analysis requested by House Democrats. Republicans say they're targeting able-bodied adults and undocumented immigrants, but other beneficiaries could also be impacted.
  • Cuts SNAP food assistance by roughly $230 billion over 10 years, narrowing participation in the program servicing roughly one-in-eight Americans each month
  • Extends the 2017 Trump tax cuts
  • Fulfils Trump's campaign promises of no taxes on tips and no taxes on overtime work
  • Provides $50 billion wall to renew construction of Trump's border wall
  • Commits roughly $150 billion in defense spending for shipbuilding and 'Golden Dome' missile defense system
  • It's important to note, the impacts of the bill are estimates based on early analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The estimates - and legislative text - have not been finalized.

Changes in Medicaid work requirements

Republicans say their main goal is reducing "waste, fraud, and abuse" within Medicaid, the health care program for lower income Americans and those with disabilities, in order to achieve hundreds of billions in savings over the next decade.

Early estimates requested by House Democrats put the number of people who could lose coverage at more than 8 million, but that number continues to fluctuate and the Congressional Budget Office has not yet released its final score of the GOP bill, which is not yet even finalized itself.

The bill imposes new work requirements on able-bodied Medicaid recipients aged 19-64 who don't have dependents, which includes working at least 80 hours per month. The bill also requires states to conduct eligibility redeterminations at least every 6 months for all recipients.

The legislation also removes undocumented migrants from Medicaid eligibility (per the White House, this accounts for approximately 1.4 million undocumented migrants losing coverage provided through state Medicaid programs).

Under the bill's current text, these work requirements don't kick in until 2029, as President Trump leaves office. But House Republican hardliners are looking at moving that date up to 2026 or 2027 in their negotiations with leadership.

The bill also increases copays for Medicaid recipients who make more than the federal poverty limit, for single beneficiaries that's just over $15,500. They would be required to pay an extra $35 dollar copay in some visits.

It also increases the required Medicaid paperwork for income and residency verification as lawmakers look to crack down on people who are "double-dipping" in multiple jurisdictions. These additional steps are expected to especially impact seniors and others who can't promptly respond.

SNAP cuts

The bill tightens eligibility requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), what used to be called "food stamps" program, which helped roughly 42 million low-income people per month buy groceries in 2024.

Adults aged 55-64 and children would face additional work requirements to qualify for SNAP benefits.

The bill also shifts some SNAP costs to the states. The program is currently 100% federally funded. This bill requires states to share in at least 5 percent of SNAP benefit costs starting in 2028.

The SNAP cuts total an estimated $230 billion over 10 years.

The changes could have an indirect impact on school lunch programs, requiring some previously eligible families to apply for access and impact federal reimbursement payments for some school districts.

No tax on tips and overtime pay

This addition to the bill helps Trump fulfill one of his major campaign promises -- exempting workers who receive tips from paying federal income taxes on them, as long as they make less than $160,000 a year. The tax break would expire at the end of 2028, after the next presidential election, according to the proposal.

Expanding Trump tax cuts

Makes tax cuts from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act permanent that fiscal hawks complain adds trillions of dollars to the deficit over the next decade; does not include a tax increase on the wealthiest earners. Trump posted last week that the proposal shouldn't raise taxes on high-earners, "but I'm OK if they do!!!"

Creation of MAGA savings account for children

The bill would create so-called MAGA savings accounts for parents to open for their children. The contribution limit for any taxable year is $5,000. It includes a pilot program to start the accounts with $1,000.

Raising the SALT cap

The current bill raises the deduction limit of state and local taxes from your federal income tax filing from $10,000 to $30,000 for joint filers making less than $400,000 per year.

Republicans from states such as New York and California are pushing House Republican leadership to further increase that cap to help their constituents. Hardliners warn increasing that limit would worsen the deficit.

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to eliminate the SALT cap first imposed by the 2017 tax law he signed during his first term.

More money for border security enforcement

The legislation provides almost $50 billion to revive construction of Trump's wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and it makes changes to immigration policy.

The bill includes $4 billion to hire an additional 3,000 new Border Patrol agents as well as 5,000 new customs officers, and $2.1 billion for signing and retention bonuses.

There's also funds for 10,000 more Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and investigators.

It includes major changes to immigration policy, imposing a $1,000 fee on migrants seeking asylum, which has never been done before in the United States.

The bill includes a $4 trillion increase to the statutory debt limit as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent calls on Congress to act by the end of July.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Kristi Noem fumbles habeas corpus, denies DHS will host citizenship TV show

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem incorrectly responded to a lawmaker's question on the definition of habeas corpus during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security budget for the upcoming year on Tuesday.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., asked Noem, "What is habeas corpus?"

The secretary responded, saying, "Habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country."

"Excuse me, that's -- that's incorrect," Hassan interjected.

"Habeas corpus is the legal principle that requires, requires that the government provide a public reason for detaining and imprisoning people. If not for that protection, the government could simply arrest people, including American citizens, and hold them indefinitely for no reason," she said.

"Habeas corpus is the foundational right that separates free societies like America from police states like North Korea," Hassan added. "As a senator from the 'Live Free or Die' state, this matters a lot to me and my constituents and to all Americans."

Hassan then asked, "Secretary Noem, do you support the core protection that habeas corpus provides that the government must provide a public reason in order to detain and imprison someone?"

"I support habeas corpus," Noem responded. "I also recognize that the president of the United States has the authority under the Constitution to decide if it should be suspended or not."

Hassan interrupted Noem, saying, "It has never been done. It has never been done without approval of Congress. Even Abraham Lincoln got retroactive approval from Congress."

Later in the hearing, Noem denied any involvement in a reported reality television show featuring the Department of Homeland Security in which immigrants would compete for U.S. citizenship.

"We have no knowledge of a reality show," Noem said. "There may have been something submitted to the department, but I did not know anything about this reality show until the reporter reached out."

Noem then took aim at The Wall Street Journal's reporting, saying, "That article -- in fact, they had to change it later because they lied so bad, and they had us on the record saying I had no knowledge of a reality show. The department didn't -- there may have been something submitted somewhere along the line because there are proposals pitched to the department, but me and my executive team have no knowledge of a reality show and it's not under consideration."

"That article was completely inaccurate, completely inaccurate and false, and the fact that they printed it when they knew it was false was a dereliction of their work," she added.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Gaza ceasefire talks have not led anywhere, Qatari PM says

Gaza ceasefire talks have not led anywhere, Qatari PM says
Khames Alrefi/Anadolu via Getty Images

(DOHA, QATAR) -- The recent Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar have not led anywhere yet, the Qatari prime minister said Tuesday, citing a "fundamental gap" between the two parties, Israel and Hamas.

"One party is looking for a partial deal that might or have the possibility to lead to a comprehensive deal and the other party is looking just for a one-off deal and to end the war and to get all the hostages out," Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a press briefing Tuesday. "And we couldn't bridge this fundamental gap with whatever proposals we have provided."

Rounds of negotiations have been ongoing in Doha over the past couple of weeks, he said.

Hamas claimed Tuesday that Israel has not been serious about the negotiations, saying in a statement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is extending his delegation's stay in Doha on a day-to-day basis without engaging in any serious negotiations, and no real talks have taken place since last Saturday."

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office claimed Tuesday that Hamas is refusing the American proposal for the return of the hostages.

"After approximately one week of intensive contacts in Doha, the senior members of the negotiating team will return to Israel for consultations; the working echelon will -- at present -- remain in Doha," the office said.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said in a statement on Sunday that the Israeli negotiation team is working to "exhaust every chance of a deal," including one that would include "the release of all hostages, the expulsion of Hamas terrorists [from Gaza], and the disarmament of the Strip."

Amid the ceasefire talks, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday the start of a new "extensive ground operation" throughout northern and southern Gaza.

The escalation has been met with condemnation from the leaders of the United Kingdom, France and Canada, who called on Israel in a joint statement on Monday to stop its military operations and immediately allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, otherwise they "will take further concrete actions in response."

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy subsequently announced Tuesday that the U.K. has suspended negotiations with Israel on a new free trade agreement and will impose sanctions on West Bank settlers, saying, "Despite our efforts, this Israeli government's egregious actions and rhetoric have continued."

Netanyahu had pushed back against the joint statement in a statement on X on Monday, saying that by "asking Israel to end a defensive war for our survival before Hamas terrorists on our border are destroyed," the leaders in London, Ottawa and Paris are "offering a huge prize for the genocidal attack on Israel on October 7 while inviting more such atrocities."

"The war can end tomorrow if the remaining hostages are released, Hamas lays down its arms, its murderous leaders are exiled and Gaza is demilitarized. No nation can be expected to accept anything less and Israel certainly won't," Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry also brushed off the U.K.'s announcements on the free trade talks and sanctions on Tuesday, saying, "External pressure will not divert Israel from its path in defending its existence and security against enemies who seek its destruction."

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Local Airbnb shooting prompts calls for stricter vetting

Local Airbnb shooting prompts calls for stricter vettingFLINT — What was intended to be a quiet stay at ‘The Oasis on Valley,’ a Flint Airbnb, took an unsettling turn when gunshots echoed through the neighborhood, prompting concerns about who is renting these properties and whether short-term rentals belong in residential areas, according to our news partner KETK.

“In the evening, my relative went to bed and heard firecrackers going off around midnight. Come to find out they were driving up and down the streets, shooting towards each other,” a concerned relative, David said.

Just down the street from the Airbnb house, holes are visible in the stop sign. The owners said they have not had this issue in the past, and the customer told them they would only have four visitors in the home, but according to neighbors, there were more than 30 at the house. Continue reading Local Airbnb shooting prompts calls for stricter vetting

Judge orders Trump administration to maintain ‘custody and control’ of any migrants deported to South Sudan

Veronica Gabriela Cardenas-Pool/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge is probing whether the Trump administration deported migrants to South Sudan on Tuesday in violation of an earlier order barring deportations of migrants to countries other than their own without giving them sufficient chance to contest their removal.

An order from U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy late Tuesday directs the government to "maintain custody and control" of anyone deported to South Sudan covered under a lawsuit challenging the administration's practice of deporting migrants to third countries “to ensure the practical feasibility of return if the Court finds that such removals were unlawful.”

The judge's order comes after attorneys with the National Immigration Litigation Alliance and other groups filed an emergency motion to bar the government from deporting migrants to South Sudan, saying they had indications at least 12 migrants had been sent to the East African country.

Lawyers said they believed one of the men, a native of Myanmar identified in court filings as "N.M.," was removed from the Port Isabel Detention Center in Texas to South Sudan on Tuesday morning. The attorneys also allege a Vietnamese migrant referred to as T.T.P. "appears to have suffered the same fate."

Both men named in the filing have orders of removal to their home countries, the attorneys said.

During a hastily arranged virtual hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Boston, a Justice Department lawyer told the judge that N.M. had been deported to Myanmar, not South Sudan. But the lawyer declined to say where T.T.P had been sent, saying the information was classified, according to an account of the hearing in The New York Times.

The lawyer also said the current location of the plane carrying the migrants to be removed as well as its final destination were classified, according to the Times.

Murphy, a Biden appointee, told the DOJ lawyer that officials who carried out deportations in violation of his earlier order could face criminal contempt proceedings, according to the Times. Attorney Trina Realmuto, of the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, who was present for the hearing, confirmed this account.

ABC News has reached out to DHS for comment about the alleged removals to South Sudan.

As a part of his order, Murphy also instructed the government to be prepared to identify the affected deportees and to provide more details about their removal and the opportunity each individual had to raise a fear-based claim.

The U.S. State Department currently advises American travelers not to visit South Sudan due to the threat of crime, kidnapping and armed conflict.

Another hearing in the case is set for Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Last month, Murphy issued an order requiring the Trump administration to provide individuals with written notice before they're removed to a third country and a "meaningful opportunity" to raise concerns about their safety. The preliminary injunction also prohibits the government from removing a migrant to a third country without screening for possible risks to their safety in that country and a 15-day window to contest the government's determination based on that screening.

In a declaration, one of the attorneys for N.M. said he was also one of the men whom the Trump administration attempted to deport to Libya earlier this month setting off a legal scramble to block it. In that instance, the judge said removing the men to Libya without due process would "clearly violate" his order.

ABC's Jack Moore contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Trump’s impact on European politics: Rise of the right and liberals pushing back

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- If this past weekend in European politics is an indicator of anything, it's that the "Trump effect" is real, and its reverberations are unpredictable.

Three European Union countries held elections on Sunday -- Romania, Poland and Portugal -- with the results failing to show any clear trend for the future of European politics. The elections did, however, indicate the American president's growing influence on the continent.

The disparate responses from voters in all three countries -- and the lack of any decisive victory for any one party or candidate in Portugal or Poland -- hint that the political polarization that has roiled the U.S. over the past decade is a global trend, not merely an American one.

As to whether President Donald Trump and the "Make America Great Again" movement swirling around him can establish European avatars, the question remains an open one.

"I don't know if I have a firm answer," Celia Belin, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations and head of its Paris office, told ABC News. "At the moment, we are all monitoring what is happening and how this influence can establish itself."

"It's very early," Belin added. "This is an ongoing phenomenon."

While it's unclear what the extent of Trump's impact on European politics will ultimately be, Belin said the impact is "stronger" than it was two years ago.

Trump's influence -- indirect and direct -- has given populist movements like Germany's Alternative for Germany party, Poland's nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party and Portugal's far-right Chega party a clear boost, evident in recent elections in each country.

"If I am to compare with two years ago, for example, it is stronger, it is more united, it gives inspiration to a ton of populist nationalist leaders in Europe," Belin said. "It's getting stronger. That's the direction it's going in right now."

The groundswell of grievances that carried Trump to the Oval Office twice is not merely an American phenomenon and manifests differently in individual nations. Concerns over globalization, immigration, inequality, the cost of living, low rates of economic growth, progressivism and national identity are near-universal in the Western democratic world.

Trump seized upon those conditions in the U.S. and right-wing leaders in Europe are seeking to do the same.

Election week in Europe

This week's election results in Romania, Poland and Portugal, however, suggest the translation of Trumpism into European political languages remains incomplete.

In Romania, voters opted for Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan's pro-Europe, pro-NATO, pro-Ukraine platform. Dan won with around 54% of the vote.

Dan's opponent -- Trump supporter George Simion, who courted the MAGA movement and even visited the U.S. during his campaign -- came up short, though he vowed to continue "our fight for freedom and our great values along with other patriots, sovereignists and conservatives all over the world."

In Poland, the presidential election saw liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski secure an unexpectedly tight victory in the first round of voting with around 31% of the vote, beating out right-wing rival Karol Nawrocki -- who was personally endorsed by Trump -- who had 29.5% of the vote.

The two men will go into the second round of voting on June 1, hoping to draw voters from other minor candidates, among them a significant bloc which voted for far-right firebrand Slawomir Mentzen, who came third with 14.8%.

Piotr Buras, a senior policy fellow at ECFR at the head of its Warsaw office, told ABC News that Trump has loomed large over the election.

Nawrocki framed himself as the Trump-friendly candidate, along with his backers in the Law and Justice party, criticizing Trzaskowski's Civic Platform party and Prime Minister Donald Tusk for allegedly undermining Polish-American relations.

"We used to have a nationwide consensus on America," Buras said, with voters generally warm to the idea of close ties with Washington, D.C. "Now, because of this ideological divide in Poland, because of the U.S. and because of Trump's approach to Europe, Poland is suddenly divided on how to go about America," he added.

In Portugal, meanwhile, the far-right Chega party gained a record 22.6% share of the vote, blowing open the long-standing two-party domination of the country's political scene even though it was unable to overhaul the ruling center-right Democratic Alliance.

"I am not going to stop until I become the prime minister of Portugal," Chega leader Andre Ventura -- who was among the foreign politicians invited to Trump's second inauguration -- said.

Making Europe great again?

Such confidence in defeat may be buoyed by the strong foundations populist parties and candidates are putting down in Europe. Across the continent, far-right groups are winning historically large chunks of the electorate and dominating political debates, even without securing the reins of power.

In the U.K., the right-wing Reform party recorded a stunning performance in the May local elections, winning hundreds of council seats and leaving leader Nigel Farage -- well-known for his cozy relationship with Trump and the MAGA movement -- to declare an end to the traditional dominance of Britain's two major parties.

In Germany's February parliamentary election, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party converted years of growing popularity to win around 21% of the vote and become the second-largest party in the Bundestag.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance conducted his first foreign trip in his new position to Germany in February, shortly before the election, speaking at the Munich Security Conference on February 14.

In his speech addressing the annual security conference, Vance criticized Europe for hindering free speech, suggesting the conference's decision to ban AfD members from attending was a form of censorship.

"In Britain, and across Europe, free speech, I fear, is in retreat," Vance said. "I believe that dismissing people, dismissing their concerns, or, worse yet, shutting down media, shutting down elections, or shutting people out of the political process protects nothing. In fact, it is the most surefire way to destroy democracy." Many political analysts considered Vance's remarks to be a tacit endorsement of AfD from the Trump administration.

And in France, President Emmanuel Macron has thus far held off the persistent challenge for the presidency from far-right leader Marine Le Pen and the National Rally, but he was unable to stop the party from becoming the largest in the National Assembly in 2024. Only a shaky minority government has kept the party out of the prime minister's office.

The insurgent parties are coordinating. Leaders have increasingly been drawn to American conservative events, such as the Conservative Political Action Conference -- the first-ever European installment of which was held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2022.

And this year, right-wingers gathered for the Make Europe Great Again conference in Madrid in February, organized by Spain's far-right VOX party.

Buras noted rumors that Vice President JD Vance may even attend a planned CPAC event in Poland in late May, in what could only be interpreted as a show of support for Nawrocki. The event raises the prospect of American "interference almost, or at least influence, from the U.S.," Buras said.

MAGA blowback

Trump is just as divisive abroad as he is at home. Indeed, polls consistently indicate that many European voters are skeptical of, unsettled by or outright hostile to the American president.

There is, then, no guarantee that a MAGA association will put foreign populists in power. Recent elections in Canada and Australia, for example, saw center-left establishment parties secure victory against conservative opponents they sought to smear as Trumpian.

Trump's return to the White House "has woken up the anti-populist or anti-nationalist movements," Belin said. "It gives them a foil. … You want to mobilize your electorate and use the U.S. of Donald Trump as a sort of scarecrow -- the mobilization effect goes in two directions."

"It fuels the extremist base and so it excites a lot of people, but it also fuels the other side and it also frightens the middle," Belin said.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Judge homers late and Yankees beat Rangers 5-2 behind Warren and Rice

NEW YORK (AP) — Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer, rookie Will Warren struck out a career-high 10 and the New York Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Ben Rice also went deep for the Yankees in the opener of a three-game series between the past two American League champions. Anthony Volpe blooped an RBI double after Rice drove in the first two runs.

New York (28-19) has won nine of 12 to move a season-best nine games over .500.

Texas manager Bruce Bochy was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres with Judge batting in the sixth inning, and the Rangers lost for the third time in four games following a six-game winning streak.

Jonah Heim’s two-run homer off Ian Hamilton with two outs in the ninth prevented a shutout. With a runner at third, Luke Weaver retired Josh Smith on a popup for his sixth save.

Judge made it 5-0 in the eighth with a 326-foot fly — the shortest homer of his career — that landed just inside the right-field foul pole at Yankee Stadium. It was the 16th home run this season for Judge, who began the night tied for the AL lead.

Rice sent a solo shot into the second deck in right off starter Patrick Corbin (3-3) in the second for his 10th home run.

Warren (3-2) allowed five hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings to win his second consecutive decision.

Before the game, the Rangers placed reliever Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, with right shoulder fatigue. Right-hander Cole Winn was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.
Key moments

With the bases loaded in the sixth, Warren threw a called third strike past Marcus Semien before Mark Leiter Jr. whiffed Joc Pederson to end the threat. Moments earlier, third baseman Oswald Peraza tumbled head over heels on the rolled-up tarp to make an acrobatic catch in foul territory.
Key stat

Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger extended his hitting streak to a career-best 14 games with a pop-fly single in the fourth that helped set up Rice’s sacrifice fly.
Up next

Yankees LHP Ryan Yarbrough (1-0, 3.70 ERA) pitches Wednesday night against Rangers RHP Jacob deGrom (4-1, 2.29), who won two NL Cy Young Awards in New York with the Mets.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Taylor Walls hits sacrifice fly in 9th as Rays rally to beat Astros 3-2

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Taylor Walls hit a game-ending sacrifice fly and the Tampa Bay Rays rallied to beat the Houston Astros 3-2 on Tuesday night.

The Rays trailed 2-0 until Jonathan Aranda’s two-run single in the eighth inning tied the score.

Christian Morel then led off the ninth with a walk against Kaleb Ort (1-1) and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Brandon Lowe’s double to left-center. After Josh Lowe popped out, Walls hit a fly ball to drive in Morel to give the Rays their 12th win in 30 games at Steinbrenner Field, their temporary home this season.

Manuel Rodriguez (1-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to get the win.

Astros left-hander Brandon Walter, making his first major league start, pitched five strong innings in his Houston debut.

Jake Meyers hit an RBI double in the second for the Astros, and Isaac Paredes had a solo homer in the third against his former team to make it 2-0.

Rays starter Zach Littell allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings. He struck out six.
Key moment

With the Rays trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth, with one out and runners on first and second, Kameron Misner and Jose Caballero pulled off a double steal to set up Aranda’s tying single to right field.
Key stat

Starting for the first time after making nine relief appearances for Bostohn in 2023, Walter gave up three hits and struck out five.
Up next

Astros RHP Hunter Brown (6–2, 1.43 ERA) goes against Rays RHP Taj Bradley (3–3, 4.80 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.

___

AP MLB: https://www.apnews.com/hub/MLB

Boone brothers square off at Yankee Stadium in latest family affair

NEW YORK (AP) — Now into their 50s, the Boone brothers are still meeting at the ballpark.

For the first time in two decades, New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone squared off against his older sibling on a big league field Tuesday night when the Texas Rangers came to town for the opener of a three-game series between the past two American League champions.

Bret Boone was hired May 5 as a hitting coach for the Rangers, his first job on a major league staff. Aaron Boone is in his eighth season as the Yankees’ skipper.

“It hasn’t happened for us yet in this kind of capacity. So, certainly good to see him,” Aaron Boone said a few hours before his team’s 5-2 victory. “I’m sure I’ll peek over there at some point during the game and see what his act looks like.”

Prior to the first pitch at Yankee Stadium, the Boone brothers brought the lineup cards to home plate and posed for photos with the umpires.

They had dinner together Monday night, a day off for each team, and both were excited about having their children at the game — helping to make this week a true family affair.

“He actually paid the bill last night. So that’s new,” Bret Boone, 56, said with a grin in the Texas dugout. “It was nice. We don’t get to see each other much. Last time I saw Aaron was Christmas and he came to San Diego. I might pop in Anaheim. So it was good. It’s good catching up and, you know, there’s a little more baseball talk, but it’s more to see my nieces and nephews.”

Both All-Star infielders, the Boone brothers were teammates with the Cincinnati Reds from 1997-98 and played 24 games against each other in the majors.

The last one was April 24, 2005, when Aaron Boone homered for Cleveland in a 9-1 loss at Seattle. Bret Boone went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly.

“He’s very competitive. I’m very competitive when it comes to this. I don’t treat it differently,” Bret Boone said. “Once all the fun stuff is kind of over, it’s kind of business.”

Aaron Boone, 52, recalled boxing against his older brother in the house when they were young kids growing up in a baseball family.

“He was a great big brother, especially when we were little. Four years older than me, he (dragged) me with him a lot,” the New York manager said. “So, I always say a lot of my athletic development, I give him a lot of credit because when I was 4, 5, 6, 8 years old, I was playing and had to keep up with 12-year-olds. And it was either keep up or get stomped. So, I’m pretty appreciative of that. He always kind of took me with him.”

Bret Boone said he’s “very proud” of Aaron’s accomplishments, but acknowledged it was “weird” at first to see him managing the Yankees.

“It was always Bret’s little brother and then all of a sudden he got the Yankee job and people were saying, `You’re Aaron’s brother.’ I said, ‘Wait a minute, wait a minute,’” Bret Boone explained.

But now, just like Aaron, he knows what it’s like to pull for your players from a big league bench.

“I’ve lived and died every emotion in this game, but now all of a sudden putting this uniform on in a different capacity than I’ve ever been, I kind of have a little bit of insight on what staffs go through,” Bret Boone said.

“The onus, it’s a little heavier when you’re the manager — but I know what he’s going through. You live and die with these guys. That’s the one thing that kind of caught me off guard is, I knew I’d be invested, I knew I’d care, but I didn’t realize how emotionally I’d get invested with these guys on a daily basis.”

Their grandfather Ray and father Bob were both All-Star players in the majors, making the Boones the first family to produce three generations of big leaguers. Bob Boone also managed the Reds and Kansas City Royals.

With that lineage in mind, Aaron Boone thinks his older brother is well suited for his new job.

“He’s in such a good place in his life,” the younger Boone said. “I think he’ll be a really steadying force for those guys and I think he has a lot to offer them. Look, he’s got tremendous baseball knowledge. He’s been in the game forever. He’s passionate about it. But I think he’ll have a really good presence with those guys.”

___

Freelance writer Larry Fleisher contributed to this report.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb