TEXAS – Newsweek reports that immigration was the sole driver of the United States’ population growth in a single year for the first time since records began, a new study released Wednesday said. The nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute (MPI) looked at U.S. Census Bureau data for 2022-2023, the latest available, finding that falling American birthrates factored into the change. The findings come at a time when immigration, particularly illegal immigration, is a key focus of the current White House administration. While plans for mass deportations are being carried out, the other obstacle â a collapsing fertility rate â has been far more vexing for officials, both in the U.S. and other developed nations suffering from the same dynamic. The U.S. immigrant population grew by 1.6 million between 2022 and 2023 to 47.8 million, according to the MPI analysis, with immigrants now representing a 14.3 percent share of the overall populationâthe highest ever. The Census Bureau started collecting data in 1850 and has tracked immigrant arrivals through the boom in the early 1900s, the bust in middle of the century, and then a steady rise from the 1970s onward.
In 2023, birth rates among American women reached a record low for those aged between 20 and 24, while the rate also dropped overall for the larger group of 20-39 year olds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The shift has been noted in other reporting in recent months, including from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP), which found that more immigrants were entering the workforce than American-born workers because of an aging population and the declining birthrate. Immigrants made up around 18 percent of the total workforce in 2023, the last year for which complete data is available. In a separate study, the nonpartisan Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) looked at estimates from January 2025, finding an even larger rise in the immigrant population. It now stands at around 15.8 percent, according to the CIS analysis. Among the largest nationalities represented in the U.S. immigrant population in 2023 were Mexicans at 23 percent, followed by Indians (6 percent) and Chinese (5 percent).
HOUSTON – The Houston Chronicle reports Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday resurrected debunked rumors that public schools were putting litter boxes in classrooms for students dressed as cats, amplifying right-wing criticism of some educators as he pushes for a statewide private school voucher program. The Texas Republican told a gathering of pastors at a Baptist church in Austin that the so-called furries trend is âalive and wellâ in communities across the state, and that lawmakers needed to ban it. He endorsed newly filed legislation by state Rep. Stan Gerdes called the âForbidding Unlawful Representation of Roleplaying in Education (F.U.R.R.I.E.S) Act,â which would prohibit any ânon-human behaviorâ by a student, âincluding presenting himself or herself ⊠as anything other than a human beingâ by wearing animal ears or barking, meowing or hissing. The bill includes exceptions for sports mascots or kids in school plays.
Gerdesâ office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The bill didnât have any immediate cosponsors. Abbottâs remarks appeared to call back unfounded rumors from 2022 that public schools across the country were catering to students who identified as animals. In one instance, the GOP chair in Williamson County falsely claimed Round Rock schools were lowering cafeteria tables for furries. âIn some small rural sections of school districts in the state of Texas, they have in their schools, what are called furries. Y’all know what this is?â Abbott asked the crowd, which responded with a smattering of âyeahs.â âKids go to school dressed up as cats with litter boxes in their classrooms,â Abbott said. Abbott referenced two rural school districts but did not name them in his address to the Texas Pastors Policy Conference. When asked about the claims, his office sent a statement saying he has âheard from countless parents growing frustrated at the quality of schools, the substance of what is taught, and failures of ISDs leading to an unwelcoming learning environment for their children. âThe Governor recommends concerned parents report any potential issues to the Texas Education Agency for investigation,â said Andrew Mahaleris, a spokesman for the governor. The governor has ratcheted up his criticism of public schools in recent weeks as he pitches a program allowing public money to be spent on private education, which the governor has made his signature policy push this session. The governor has cast private school vouchers as an option for parents turned off by what he called âthe pervasive woke leftist agenda that’s being forced on our kids in our public schools.â
(NEW YORK) -- The Department of Homeland Security has arrested a second student who was involved with Columbia University protests, the agency announced.
Leqaa Korda was arrested by agents from Homeland Security Investigations for allegedly overstaying her expired visa -- which terminated on Jan. 26, 2022. She was also allegedly arrested in 2024 for her involvement in the protests, according to DHS.
Korda is a Palestinian from the West Bank, according to DHS.
The arrest comes nearly a week after plain-clothed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who was also involved in the protests at Columbia University.
The agency said another student involved in the protests -- Ranjani Srinivasan, an urban planning student at Columbia and Indian citizen -- used the CBP Home app to self-deport.
âIt is a privilege to be granted a visa to live and study in the United States of America," DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said. "When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country. I am glad to see one of the Columbia University terrorist sympathizers use the CBP Home app to self-deport."
Federal agents with DHS also searched two Columbia University student residences Thursday night but did not arrest or detain anyone.
In a statement, Columbia President Katrina Armstrong said the DHS agents had two search warrants signed by a federal magistrate judge authorizing them to enter non-public areas of the university and conduct searches of two student rooms.
"I am writing heartbroken to inform you that we had federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in two University residences tonight," Armstrong said in the statement. "No one was arrested or detained. No items were removed, and no further action was taken."
The searches were part of the Trump administrationâs crackdown on individuals it has described as espousing the views of Hamas and threatening the safety of Jewish students, according to sources.
Khalil was one of the leaders of the university encampment protests last spring, and is being held in Louisiana.
Khalil, a green card holder who has not been charged with a crime, is set to appear before an immigration judge on March 27.
Trump administration officials have said Khalil was detained for his purported support of Hamas. Baher Azmy, one of Khalil's lawyers, called his client's alleged alignment with Hamas "false and preposterous."
Earlier Thursday, at least 98 people were arrested at a protest in the lobby of Trump Tower in New York City calling for Khalil's release.
Separately, Columbia University announced Thursday that students who occupied the campus' Hamilton Hall during pro-Palestinian protests last spring have been expelled, suspended for several years or had their degrees temporarily revoked.
Disney has released the teaser trailer for Freakier Friday, its sequel to the 2003 live-action comedy film Freaky Friday.
The film, which arrives in theaters on Aug. 8, stars Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, who reprise their roles as Anna and Tess Coleman.
The duo switch bodies again in this new film, now decades after the first go-around, but there's a new multigenerational twist. Lohan's Anna now has a daughter of her own, along with a soon-to-be stepdaughter.
As they navigate the challenges of merging two families together, the teaser trailer also reveals that this time around there's a four-way body swap between Anna, Tess, Anna's daughter and Anna's stepdaughter.
"Oh, that's interesting. Your lifelines, it's like they've intersected before. You've walked in each other's path," a character played by Vanessa Bayer tells Anna and Tess in the trailer. "You learned a lesson. A lesson that may serve you again."
Chad Michael Murray, Mark Harmon, Christina Vidal Mitchell, Haley Hudson, Lucille Soong, Stephen Tobolowsky and Rosalind Chao are all reprising their roles from the first film.
Joining them are new cast members Manny Jacinto, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Sophia Hammons and Julia Butters.
The first Freaky Friday film was based on the 1972 Mary Rodgers novel of the same name.
Nisha Ganatra directs Freakier Friday, from a script written by Jordan Weiss.
Season 4 of BMF is on the horizon, set to return to Starz in June. The season will pick up with the Flenory brothers still in Mexico, where they'd traveled to rescue their key supplier, who was arrested. While also there to secure and expand their business operations, they're left fighting to survive amid several life-and-death situations.
The brothers' "chaotic and relationship-altering mission in Mexico" is teased in a promo clip for the series, which starts with Terry holding Meech, who had just been shot, in the middle of a desert. As one clip finds their father, Charles, expressing concern about Meech and his whereabouts, others see Meech on the run in Mexico and in the middle of some shootouts. Meech then receives a prophesy about his rise in the game, before the infamous question of the season is asked.
The answer to "What the f*** happened in Mexico?" will be answered starting June 6 at 9 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada.
First-look images also show what fans can expect, including Meech and Terry's expansion to St. Louis, Markisha's quest to be taken seriously as Terry's business partner, and the aftermath of Lucille and Charles' divorce.
According to Deadline, it's not clear if season 4 of BMF will be the final one. While sources close to production say Starz âis pleased with Season 4 creativelyâ and is âlooking forward to sharing new action-packed episodes with fans," the future of the show has yet to be determined.
(GAINES COUNTY) ABC — The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 259, with 36 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday.
Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. Two cases have occurred in persons vaccinated with two doses, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Breakthrough infections, when a vaccinated person is infected are rare, as the measles vaccine provides up to 97% protection after 2 doses.
At least 34 people have been hospitalized so far.
In the Texas outbreak, children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases, with 115, followed by children ages 4 and under comprising 86 cases, according to the data.
DSHS said in its update that it expects more cases to be confirmed in the area and in surrounding communities.
Two likely measles deaths have been reported so far in the U.S. One is a confirmed death associated with measles, while the other has been definitively linked to the measles virus but the cause of death officially remains under investigation.
The first reported death was an unvaccinated school-aged child in Texas, according to the DSHS. The child did not have any known underlying conditions, according to the department.
The Texas death was the first measles death recorded in the U.S. in a decade, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Another probable measles death was recorded last week after an unvaccinated New Mexico resident tested positive for the virus.
Gaines County is the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, with 174 cases confirmed among residents, according to the DSHS. State health data shows the number of vaccine exemptions in Gaines County has grown dramatically in the last dozen years.
In 2013, roughly 7.5% of kindergartners in the county had parents or guardians who filed for an exemption for at least one vaccine. Ten years later, that number rose to more than 17.5% â one of the highest in all of Texas, according to state health data.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed hundreds of cases in at least 12 states so far this year, including Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington
The majority of nationally confirmed cases are in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Of those cases, 4% are among those who received just one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) inoculation and 2% are among those who received the required two doses, according to the CDC.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans. Just one infected patient can spread measles to up to nine out of 10 susceptible close contacts, according to the CDC.
Health officials have been urging anyone who isn’t vaccinated to receive the MMR vaccine.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says. Most vaccinated adults don’t need a booster.
Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to the highly effective vaccination program, according to the CDC. However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years.
ABC News Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
(NAIROBI, Kenya) -- As cute and confident as Pardamat now seems, the little elephant had a difficult start to life.
"Pardamat was found next to the dead body of his mother," Edwin Lusichi, head keeper at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's nursery in Nairobi, Kenya, where Pardamat is being cared for, told ABC News. "His mother had a big wound that had been caused by human beings."
The story is similar for many elephants across the country -- victims of what's known as "human-wildlife conflict," which has surpassed poaching as the No. 1 cause of illegal elephant death in Kenya, according to conservation groups.
Conservation groups say the growing human population, combined with drought and resource scarcity linked to climate change, are increasingly causing people and elephants to compete for things like space, food and water.
A common scenario involves elephants raiding and destroying crops in search of food. Some vulnerable farmers, desperate to protect their livelihoods, retaliate by spearing the elephants.
"The shopping malls, the roads, have been built on lands that used to belong to elephants and their migration routes," Lusichi said. "So the resources are not there for humans and wildlife, and so animals are forced to get into human properties."
According to some conservation groups, the issue has been exacerbated by the proliferation of new commercial farms growing crops like avocados for the West and China.
Every year, hundreds of people around the world are killed or injured by elephants due to conflict between humans and elephants, conversation groups said.
In southern Kenya, such conflict has become so common that some rangers now patrol farmlands on a nightly basis.
"On a busy night, on a dry season, even 20 elephants can come and raid," Daniel Kutata, a ranger for the nonprofit conservation organization Big Life Foundation, told ABC News. "Farmers will be losing their crops, which they are depending on to earn a living, so yeah, there is a lot of pressure. We need both farmers and elephants to be safe."
Big Life has installed an electric fence to help keep elephants within their protected areas. The organization reports that this initiative has significantly improved the situation, although some elephants have learned how to get around it.
A Maasai farmer who spoke to ABC News shortly after his tomato farm was raided told us he lost months of hard work and approximately $4,000 -- that's about eight times the average monthly salary in Kenya.
Save the Elephants, a research and conservation organization headquartered in Nairobi, has been working with local farmers to develop creative solutions to the problem.
ABC News spoke with farmer Jonas Makima, who nearly gave up on his business due to elephants raiding his crops.
"If an elephant gets onto the farm and raids everything, then it means now, you'll not have food for the family, you'll not have money for education for my children," Makima said.
Makima told ABC News that during crop season, every night is a battle. He has set up all sorts of contraptions around his farm to keep the elephants away, including a watch tower, a sound cannon, and "chili bombs."
However, Makima said his most effective tool is his beehive fence. A project by Save the Elephants found that elephants avoid crops up to 86% of the time during peak seasons because they are terrified of bees.
With Kenya's population expected to double by 2070, Makima is now working with Save the Elephants to teach farmers across Africa that peaceful coexistence between people and elephants is possible with the right tools.
"People need to be educated, people need to know what to do when they encounter these animals in their farms," Lusichi said. "And people need to know that these animals also have a right to life, a right to their space, so these habitats should not be invaded and occupied and used by people."
Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images
(GAINES COUNTY, Texas) -- The number of measles cases associated with an outbreak in western Texas has grown to 259, with 36 cases reported over the last three days, according to new data released Friday.
Almost all of the cases are in unvaccinated individuals or in individuals whose vaccination status is unknown. Two cases have occurred in persons vaccinated with two doses, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Breakthrough infections, when a vaccinated person is infected are rare, as the measles vaccine provides up to 97% protection after 2 doses.
At least 34 people have been hospitalized so far.
In the Texas outbreak, children and teenagers between ages 5 and 17 make up the majority of cases, with 115, followed by children ages 4 and under comprising 86 cases, according to the data.
DSHS said in its update that it expects more cases to be confirmed in the area and in surrounding communities.
Two likely measles deaths have been reported so far in the U.S. One is a confirmed death associated with measles, while the other has been definitively linked to the measles virus but the cause of death officially remains under investigation.
Gaines County is the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, with 174 cases confirmed among residents, according to the DSHS. State health data shows the number of vaccine exemptions in Gaines County has grown dramatically in the last dozen years.
In 2013, roughly 7.5% of kindergartners in the county had parents or guardians who filed for an exemption for at least one vaccine. Ten years later, that number rose to more than 17.5% â one of the highest in all of Texas, according to state health data.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 301 cases in at least 14 states so far this year, including Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont and Washington, according to new data published Friday.
There are more cases so far this year than the entirety of last year, which saw 285 cases nationwide, CDC data shows.
The majority of nationally confirmed cases are in people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Of those cases, 4% are among those who received just one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) inoculation and 2% are among those who received the required two doses, according to the CDC.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known to humans. Just one infected patient can spread measles to up to nine out of 10 susceptible close contacts, according to the CDC.
Health officials have been urging anyone who isn't vaccinated to receive the MMR vaccine.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective, and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says. Most vaccinated adults don't need a booster.
Measles was declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000 due to the highly effective vaccination program, according to the CDC. However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years.
ABC News Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) -- Ten Senate Democrats provided the necessary votes to allow the House-approved government funding bill to advance on Friday afternoon, setting the government funding bill on a glide path to final passage before a deadline at the end of the day Friday.
In a test vote, the Senate voted 62 to 38 to advance the bill -- with 60 votes needed to advance it. Democrats voted with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to keep the funding bill moving forward, despite blowback from other members of their party.
While the test vote wasn't on the final passage of the funding bill, it's an indicator of how the final vote will go. With the passage of the key procedural hurdle, it's almost certain to eventually pass.
The vote comes after Schumer took to the Senate floor Friday morning to defend his decision to support the Republican short-term funding bill -- a move that has drawn criticism from other Democrats.
His surprise reversal, first announced Thursday evening -- a day after he said he and Democrats would try to block the bill -- means there will almost certainly be enough Democratic votes to advance the measure to a final Senate vote Friday just hours before the shutdown deadline.
"As everyone knows, government funding expires at midnight tonight. As I announced yesterday, I will vote to keep the government open. I believe it is the best way to minimize the harm that the Trump administration will do to the American people," Schumer said Friday.
He said he believes the short-term funding bill -- or continuing resolution -- is a "bad bill" but said he believes if the government were to shut down, it would be a far worse outcome for the country.
"The CR is a bad bill. But as bad as the CR is, I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power via a government shutdown is a far worse option," Schumer said.
Schumer said he believes a government shutdown would mean President Donald Trump and Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) would have even more authority to "destroy vital government services at a much faster rate."
He said they would also have the power to determine which federal employees are considered essential -- potentially giving them more power to lay off or fire more government workers and shutter federal agencies.
"A shutdown would allow DOGE to shift into overdrive. Let me repeat, a shutdown will allow DOGE to shift into overdrive. It would give Donald Trump and DOGE the keys to the city, state and country," he said. "Donald Trump and Elon Musk would be free to destroy vital government services at a much faster rate than they can right now and over a much broader field of destruction that they would render."
He continued, "In a shutdown, Donald Trump and DOGE will have the power to determine what is considered essential and what is not and their views on what is not essential would be mean and vicious and would decimate vital services and cause unimaginable harm to the American people."
"Musk has told everybody he wants a shutdown because he knows it will help him achieve his horrible goal of just decimating the federal government from one end to the other. In other words, if government were to shut down, DOGE has a plan in place to exploit the crisis for maximum destruction," Schumer said.
"A shutdown would be the best distraction Donald Trump could ask for," he added.
Schumer also defended some of his Senate Democratic colleagues who have come out opposed to the short-term funding bill. He acknowledged the tough decisions they as a caucus had to weigh.
"Our caucus members have been torn between two awful alternatives, and my colleagues and I have wrestled with which alternative would be worse for the American people," Schumer said.
Trump praised Schumer in a post on his social media platform on Friday, saying it took "guts" for the New York senator to signal his support for the GOP bill.
"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing -- Took "guts" and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming," Trump posted on Truth Social.
"We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning," Trump wrote.
Two separate letters were sent to Schumer on Friday, urging senators to reject the GOP continuing resolution -- one from freshman California Rep. Derek Tran and the second from Ranking Member of House Appropriations Committee Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.
Rep. Tran's letter, which has 66 signatures so far and is addressed directly to Schumer, states that "as members of the House Democratic Caucus, we write to express our strong opposition to the passage of a partisan continuing resolution that potentially legitimizes President Trump and the Republican party's dismantling of government."
"We urge you to reject the partisan continuing resolution coming before the Senate and stand with the American people in opposing these draconian Republican cuts. All parties must come back to the negotiating table and work across party lines to keep the government open in a responsible way," the lawmakers wrote.
Rep. DeLauro's letter, which came from Democratic lawmakers on the Appropriations Committee, echoed similar sentiments.
"As members of the House Committee on Appropriations, we urge our Democratic colleagues in the Senate to reject the partisan and harmful continuing resolution that will only serve to enable President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Republican Party's ongoing efforts to unilaterally and unlawfully destroy the agencies and programs that serve the American people," the appropriators said.
"We urge all Senate Democrats to stand with House Democrats and with the American people, reject this continuing resolution," they added.
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appeared to be distancing herself from Schumer's decision, slammed Democrats who support the House GOP bill.
"America has experienced a Trump shutdown before -- but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People," she said in a statement Friday.
At the same time, Pelosi applauded House Democrats for their near unanimous vote against the measure.
"I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill," she said.
ABC News' Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
"A shutdown would be the best distraction Donald Trump could ask for," he added.
Schumer also defended some his Senate Democratic colleagues who have come out opposed to the short-term funding bill. He acknowledged the tough decisions they as a caucus have had to weigh.
"Our caucus members have been torn between two awful alternatives, and my colleagues and I have wrestled with which alternative would be worse for the American people," Schumer said.
He added that just because some of his colleagues will vote no on advancing the short-term funding bill, it does not mean they support a government shutdown.
"Different senators come down on different sides of this question. But that does not mean that any Senate Democrat supports a shutdown. Whatever the outcome, our caucus will be united in our determination to continue the long-term fight to stop Donald Trump's dangerous war on our democracy and on America's working families," he said.
About the time Schumer was speaking, Trump praised him in a post on his social media platform, saying it took "guts" for the New York senator to signal his support for the GOP bill.
"Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing -- Took "guts" and courage! The big Tax Cuts, L.A. fire fix, Debt Ceiling Bill, and so much more, is coming," Trump posted on Truth Social.
"We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer. This could lead to something big for the USA, a whole new direction and beginning," Trump wrote.
On Friday, House Democrats sent a letter to Schumer saying their "strong opposition" to the funding bill.
"The Republican leadership has deliberately cut Democrats out of the process, and we must not give in to Republican hostage-taking of our vulnerable seniors, veterans, and working-class families to advance their destructive funding bill," the House Democratic Caucus' letter said.
The letter recommends a 30-day CR as a short-term solution.
"We urge you to reject the partisan continuing resolution coming before the Senate and stand with the American people in opposing these draconian Republican cuts," the letter said. "All parties must come back to the negotiating table and work across party lines to keep the government open in a responsible way."
"If Republicans in Congress want to pass this bill, they should do so with their own votes," the letter said. "However, since they cannot, Republicans must work with Democrats to pass a clean 30-day continuing resolution and continue negotiating full FY25 appropriations."
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, appeared to be distancing herself from Schumer's decision, slammed Democrats who support the House GOP bill.
"America has experienced a Trump shutdown before -- but this damaging legislation only makes matters worse. Democrats must not buy into this false choice. We must fight back for a better way. Listen to the women, For The People," she said in a statement Friday.
At the same time, Pelosi applauded House Democrats for their near unanimous vote against the measure.
"I salute Leader Hakeem Jeffries for his courageous rejection of this false choice, and I am proud of my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their overwhelming vote against this bill," she said.
ABC News' Isabella Murray contributed to this report.
MALAKOFF â Malakoff Independent School District held a special board meeting Wednesday as the Board of Trustees named Dr. PJ Winters the lone finalist for their new superintendent.
According to our news partner, KETK, Dr. Winters brings over 20 years of experience in education to the job. He was a teacher for over five years working at Lukfata Public Schools and Marshall ISD. Then, he became an assistant principal for Jefferson ISD for over three years.
Winters became a principal at Big Sandy High School for a year before returning to Jefferson ISD, where he was also a principal for two and a half years. Afterwards, he started working at the university level and became a professor. At East Baptist University he spent over eight years working as an associate professor and later as the director of music education programs. On June 2022, Winters joined Malakoff ISD becoming director of elementary curriculum.
Winters will be staying with Malakoff ISD as the new Superintendent. The Malakoff ISD Board of Trustees voted him as the lone finalist 7-0. Once the required 21-day waiting period is over, he will formally take over the role.
Graeme Sloan for The Washington Post via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) -- New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Thursday called Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's decision to vote for the House GOP funding bill to avert a government shutdown "a tremendous mistake."
She also avoided saying whether she'd primary Schumer next cycle even though it's something some Democrats are privately urging her to do.
Ocasio-Cortez said she was concentrating on keeping Democrats from backing the funding bill, during an appearance on CNN.
"The strength of our leadership in this moment is going to demonstrate the strength of our caucus," she told Jake Tapper.
Her comments came the same night that Schumer said he plans to vote to keep the government open, signaling that there will almost certainly be enough Democratic votes to advance a House GOP funding bill before a shutdown deadline at the end of the day Friday. The minority leader's announcement amounted to a major break from House Democrats who voted nearly unanimously against the GOP funding bill earlier this week.
Ocasio-Cortez said passing the funding bill would "empower" President Donald Trump and his senior adviser Elon Musk.
"I cannot urge enough how bad of an idea it is to empower and enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk in this moment. It is dangerous and it is reckless," she said.
However, Schumer contended that a decision to shut down the government would give Trump and Musk too much power to continue their federal worker cuts without discretion.
Ocasio-Cortez said there was still time to block the bill and that she hoped that "individuals that are considering" voting yes on cloture and the bill would "reconsider" their support.
The congresswoman repeated her calls on social media, encouraging voters to call Senate Democrats and urge their no vote on cloture and the GOP funding bill.
"Senate Democrats should not allow this chaos to continue," she wrote on X.
CNN reported on Thursday that Ocasio-Cortez was urged by Democratic House colleagues at a retreat to challenge Schumer -- even from some centrist members -- following the announcement of his decision on the funding bill. She did not say whether she would consider taking on Schumer in a primary.
On Thursday at the retreat, House Democrats across the ideological spectrum maintained their opposition to the Republican-approved continuing resolution and kept the heat on their Senate counterparts to do the same. But the House would have to come back into session to pass the 30-day stopgap bill they are in support of. Ocasio-Cortez dismissed the idea that calling House members back would be a problem.
"House Democrats are in town. I mean, are we afraid of working? Is that the problem here? That the idea that, God forbid, members of Congress have to fly back and do their jobs? I mean, genuinely -- come on," AOC said on CNN.
Ocasio-Cortez lauded House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for whipping votes against the bill in the House.
"Every single House Democrat, including every single House Democrat who won a Trump district, except for one out of over 200 voted against this deeply partisan, extreme Republican spending bill ⊠in terms of Democratic leadership in the House. We've seen that result in the House, I think it's time that we see similar results in the Senate," she added.
The congresswoman said her position is supported by the majority of Americans, most clearly evidenced by the heated town halls many members have been holding in recent weeks with their constituents.
"If anyone has held a town hall -- or has seen what has been happening in town halls -- American people, whether they are Republicans, independents, Democrats, are up in arms about Elon Musk and the actual gutting of federal agencies across the board. This continuing resolution codifies much of this chaos that Elon Musk is wreaking havoc on the federal government. It codifies many of those changes," she said.
(WASHINGTON) -- The former director for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) called for stronger, nationwide guidance on infant vaccine doses for measles prevention in a new opinion paper published Friday.
In the face of a growing measles outbreak -- with more than 200 cases confirmed in western Texas -- the federal health agency issued an alert on March 7 saying parents in the outbreak area should consider getting their children an early third dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The CDC currently recommends people receive two vaccine doses, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. The third early dose would occur starting at 6 months old.
Texas health officials have also recommended early vaccination for infants living in outbreak areas.
However, in the new opinion paper published in the medical journal JAMA, Dr. Rochelle Walensky and her co-authors say the CDC should issue a more direct nationwide recommendation.
"Right now, there is a higher risk of measles exposure in New Mexico than Mexico City, so our vaccine recommendations should reflect that," co-author Dr. Benjamin Rader, a computational epidemiologist at Boston Children's Hospital and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, told ABC News.
The suggested recommendations include that infants living in any high-risk area within the U.S. be advised to get an early dose of the MMR vaccine and that infants planning to visit high-risk areas -- domestically or internationally -- should get an early dose.
The authors say that, historically, unvaccinated children traveling internationally to measles-endemic reasons have resulted in the most cases of the disease in the U.S.
However, due to recent measles outbreaks in the U.S. and low vaccination rates, there is "a growing domestic hazard," signaling the need for a policy change.
"With measles outbreaks increasing domestically, infants traveling to affected areas face significant risk," said co-author Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and ABC News contributor. "Expanding early MMR vaccination beyond international travel to include high-risk U.S. regions is a necessary step to protect vulnerable populations."
The CDC did not immediately return ABC News' request for comment.
If an infant gets their first MMR vaccine at 6 months, they will cumulatively get three shots throughout childhood, rather than the standard two shots.
Young children under the age of 5 make up one-third of all measles cases in the U.S. this year and have the highest rate of hospitalization of any age group from measles, CDC data shows.
This group is also at risk for being more likely to suffer measles complications including hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis -- swelling of the brain -- and even death.
(NEW YORK) -- Consumer attitudes soured in March alongside slumping markets and growing concern about a possible recession, University of Michigan survey data on Friday showed. Sentiment worsened more than economists expected.
The figure marked the third consecutive month of dampening consumer attitudes, data showed.
Expectations about future economic conditions worsened in a slew of key areas, including personal finances, labor markets, inflation and stock markets, the survey said.
Consumer sentiment soured among both Democrats and Republicans, though it dropped more among Democrats, data showed.
On Thursday, the S&P 500 closed down more than 10% since a peak attained last month, meaning the decline officially qualified as a market correction. It marked the index's first correction since October 2023.
The major stock indexes recovered some losses in early trading on Friday.
Consumers expect the inflation rate to rise to 4.9% over the next year, according to the survey, which marks a significant jump in year-ahead inflation expectations compared to survey results in February.
The current inflation rate stands at 2.8%, nearly a percentage point higher than the Federal Reserve's target of 2%.
President Donald Trump's tariffs last week set off an escalating global trade war. The U.S. slapped 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada, some of which were delayed. Trump also imposed a 10% tariff on China, doubling taxes on Chinese imports to 20%.
Trumpâs 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminum products took effect on Wednesday.
The array of duties on imported goods prompted retaliatory measures from China, Canada and the European Union.
Tariffs of this magnitude are widely expected to increase prices paid by U.S. shoppers, since importers typically pass along a share of the cost of those higher taxes to consumers.
Higher prices and looming economic uncertainty could scare off consumers, experts previously told ABC News. Consumer spending accounts for about two-thirds of U.S. economic activity.
Goldman Sachs last week hiked its odds of a recession from 15% to 20%. Moody's Analytics earlier this week pegged the probability of a recession at 35%.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump is set to visit the Justice Department on Friday -- a move that comes as he has sought to assert control over the nation's top law-enforcement agency that brought two historic prosecutions against him, which were thwarted by his 2024 election victory.
He used the setting to repeat his now familiar accusation that the Justice Department was "weaponized" to attack him.
"We must be honest about the lies and abuses that have occurred within these walls. Unfortunately, in recent years, a corrupt group of hacks and radicals within the ranks of the American government obliterated that trust and goodwill built up over generations," he said. "They weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try and thwart the will of the American people."
"Our predecessors turned this Department of Justice into the Department of Injustice," he continued. "But I stand before you today to declare that those days are over, and they are never going to come back. They're never coming back. So now, as the chief law enforcement officer in our country, I will insist upon and demand full and complete accountability for the wrongs and abuses that have occurred."
The rare visit marks Trump's first time inside the walls of the Robert F. Kennedy building as president, and follows nearly a decade's worth of conflict that have proven to be the ultimate stress test for the Justice Department's post-Watergate norms intended to preserve independence from the White House.
The opening weeks of Trump's presidency have been a time of unprecedented upheaval for the DOJ, as Trump's political leadership immediately moved to reassign or oust career officials who served in senior criminal and national security roles across multiple administrations.
An effort by the department to drop its criminal corruption case against New York Mayor Adams resulted in a dramatic standoff leading to multiple resignations by prosecutors and other top officials who described the arrangement as a clear "quid pro quo" to secure Adams' cooperation with the administration's aggressive immigration enforcement efforts.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt previewed Trump's remarks on Fox News, saying that it will be focused on "restoring law and order," but added he might also discuss "ending the weaponization of justice."
"Donald Trump will go to the Department of Justice to visit with Attorney General Pam Bondi and Kash Patel to give a speech not just to the Department of Justice but to the American people about Donald Trump's intention to restore a justice department that is truly focused on fighting crime and restoring law and order in American communities," Leavitt said on Fox News.
She also previewed the remarks when asked by reporters at the White House on Friday morning, saying Trump will be joined by families who have lost children "at the hands of illegal migrant criminals" and because of "illegal Chinese fentanyl."
In remarks Thursday to reporters at the White House, Trump said his speech at DOJ would "set out" his "vision" for the department through the rest of his tenure.
"I think we have unbelievable people, and all I'm going to do is set out my vision. It's going to be their vision, really, but it's my ideas," he said. "We want to have justice, and we want to have -- we want to have safety in our cities as well as our communities. And we'll be talking about immigration. We'll be talking about a lot of things."
Nearly every top appointee for the department previously represented Trump as a defense attorney in either an official or personal capacity, a reflection of Trump's expectation for loyalty from a department that he has said he believes stymied his first term and was later "weaponized" against him after leaving office.
While Attorney General Pam Bondi told senators in her confirmation hearing she would "not politicize" her office, her opening weeks, critics argue, have been marked with politically-charged statements repeatedly emphasizing her loyalty to Trump.
"I've never seen this before, and we all adore Donald Trump and we want to protect him and fight for his agenda," Bondi said in an interview with Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump.
In another interview early this month, Bondi said she was still working to "root out" officials at the department who she said "despise Donald Trump."
In one of her first directives following her confirmation, Bondi ordered DOJ officials to "zealously defend" the interests of the presidency, and threatened discipline or termination for any attorney who refused to sign onto legal arguments put forward by political leadership.
"When Department of Justice attorneys, for example, refuse to advance good-faith arguments by declining to appear in court or sign briefs, it undermines the constitutional order and deprives the President of the benefit of his lawyers," the directive stated.
Trump's visit to DOJ is his first to any government agency since taking office, though it's not without precedent. The last visit by a sitting American president to the building was by former President Barack Obama, who attended a departure ceremony in 2015 for Eric Holder -- for a retirement ceremony honoring his time as attorney general.
LUBBOCK – Lubbock fire officials said Thursday that they are still uncertain about what caused at least one underground explosion and several fires at Texas Tech University the night before that took out power and forced an emergency shutdown of the campus.
Emergency officials said they received several calls regarding a potential gas leak just before 7 p.m. on campus. Upon arrival, firefighters found flames shooting out of manholes, a Lubbock Fire official said during a press conference Wednesday. Video from the Texas Tech campus posted by local news station KCBD shows green flames spewing from one manhole. Officials at a second press conference Thursday said the discoloration was likely caused by copper and other electronic material underground.
Texas Tech Fire Marshal Mike Kennon said teams initially responded to three different fires on campus, but later determined that there were five fires in underground vaults. Officials also said natural gas is being removed from underground, but could not confirm whether it was what caused the fires.
âWas that a result of an explosion, or electrical or a fire, or was it the other way around?â Lubbock Assistant Fire Chief Nick Wilson said. âWe know it was present. We don’t necessarily know why.â
Officials on Thursday did not confirm whether there was a single explosion or several, but said on Wednesday there was at least one underground explosion inside a manhole on campus near Engineering Key, a central portion of the campus.
Evacuations began in that area shortly after firefighters arrived, and power was either automatically or intentionally shut off to avoid exacerbating the fires and prevent any further damage. No injuries have been reported.
âAn event like this can obviously cascade and cause a lot worse damage than we saw,â said Matt Rose, chief public affairs officer for Lubbock Power & Light. âThat being said, we’re taking this very, very seriously.â
About 40% of the campus is still without power as of Thursday afternoon, officials said, and the explosion initially caused outages across campus and at the nearby Texas Tech Health and Sciences Center. Because a bulk of the damaged systems are underground, it is unclear how long repairs may take as officials wait for portions of the tunnels to be deemed safe for repairs.
Spring break for Texas Tech students was set to start Monday, however the university announced it will be closed for the remainder of the week. For students who had chosen to remain on campus during spring break but are now without power, Texas Tech has provided housing accommodations, and food was donated by H-E-B and other groups, as well.
Article originally published by The Texas Tribune. To read the originally published article, click here.
