Monday, April 13, 2026

Science grab bag

Science grab bag post.  Jack Guy (CNN) reports on a development:

The story of a 300-million-year-old fossil has been rewritten after scientists discovered that it doesn’t actually belong to the world’s oldest octopus as previously thought.

In fact, it belongs to an animal related to a modern nautilus, which has tentacles and an external shell, according to a study published Wednesday in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
“We basically used a wide selection of new analytical techniques to discover hidden anatomical characteristics within the rock,” lead study author Thomas Clements, a lecturer in invertebrate zoology at the University of Reading, England, told CNN on Thursday.

“And we were able to determine that it is not an octopus, but is actually a very decomposed nautiloid, which is a relative of modern nautiluses.”

The fossil, named Pohlsepia mazonensis, was found at the Mazon Creek site just south of Chicago, Illinois.

Paleontologists had long been puzzled by the fossil as it is far older than the next oldest known octopus, which dates back about 90 million years.

Clements explained that the animal had been decomposing for weeks before it was buried, giving its fossil an octopus-like appearance that led many scientists to conclude that octopuses had lived far earlier than previously thought.

 So that's interesting.  Equally interesting?  THE TRAVEL reports:

Despite the fact that over 20 species are going extinct every day, many animals have been able to adapt to be able to survive for millions of years, like the dinosaur relatives still alive today. Humans have managed to bring some animals back from the brink of extinction, like the once considered extinct ferret that entered history books after giving birth to kits after scientists were able to clone the black-footed ferret.

Other animals that we once thought to be extinct have turned out not to be extinct after all. Thought to be extinct by 1920, the world's rarest insect is back after a shipwreck threatened its existence, and scientists were left shocked and elated by the return of the world's rarest and long-lost fish species, thought to be extinct for 85 years.

These are just a few examples of animals that have overcome all odds. But perhaps even more impressive is the return of a prehistoric bird to New Zealand that was declared extinct in 1898: the takahē. Takahē populations are returning to the wild in New Zealand as the result of conservation efforts to return these birds to their native land, which is considered a big win for both experts and the Indigenous people of New Zealand.

Aotearoa is the traditional Māori name for New Zealand. It means "land of the long white cloud". While New Zealand is still an accepted name for the country, many government organizations in New Zealand are beginning to use "Aotearoa (New Zealand)" or just "Aotearoa" on official documentation out of respect for and to honor the Māori people. The rest of this article will refer to the country as Aotearoa (New Zealand).
Takahē, also known as South Island takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), were declared extinct in 1898. However, they were rediscovered in 1948, which was a shocking discovery at the time, especially for the Māori, the Indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand). For many Māori at the time, they had only heard stories of the takahē but had never actually seen one.


Science is about learning -- never ending learning.  Things can go extinct or appear to but come back.  And things can be thought to be an octopus only for new details to emerge.  SAUDI MOMENTS notes a new, emerging possibility regarding the Americas:


The newly found footprints in New Mexico were dated 23,000 years old, and this shocking finding made world scientists go round in complete shock. Such results indicate that humans lived in America way earlier than any existing theory on migrations was previously proposed.
Scientists are of the opinion that thousands of years ago, ancient people crossed the coasts of the Americas using a boat. Watercraft technology provided the means of moving the first Americans much faster than the walking path would have.
 Several American cave sites identify evidence of human habitation dating back maybe 30,000 years. These discoveries render a nonexistent chronology of walking theories that compel scientists to entirely reconsider the history of American settlement.
There is a developing scientific momentum worldwide of a Pacific coastal migration route. When the ancient seafarers sailed along the coasts that were dotted with kelps, they were able to easily find food, and as they continued their journey, they were gradually heading toward the warmer regions of America.
The genetic works of Native Americans show that the migration pattern is much more complicated than the single-direction theories proposed. DNA points in several different ways of the waves coming from an entirely different geographical pathway.
The history of the beginning of America is facing a scientific overhaul. This continent was created humanely by boats, coastline and ancient ocean navigators much more than any frozen land bridge could ever create.


That's very interesting.  Could  The Silurian Hypothesis explain some of that?  The what?  Peter Kinney (SPLASH TRAVELS) notes:

What if Earth had already hosted a highly advanced civilization—millions of years before humans ever showed up? And more importantly…would we have any clue they were here? The Silurian Hypothesis dives into this unsettling possibility, asking what traces a long-lost society might leave—and whether we’ve already missed them.
The Silurian hypothesis is an idea that explores whether modern science could find proof of an advanced civilization that was present millions of years ago. The best evidence for such a civilization might come from things like carbon traces, radioactive materials, or temperature changes.
Astrophysicists Adam Frank and Gavin Schmidt introduced the Silurian Hypothesis in a 2018 paper that discussed whether evidence of an advanced civilization before humans could be found in Earth's geological record. Here’s what they discovered.
They suggested that enough fossil carbon has existed since the Carboniferous Period (about 350 million years ago) to support an industrial civilization. However, finding direct proof, like ancient technology, is unlikely because fossilization is rare. The primary issue is that geological processes (erosion, plate tectonics) erase evidence over time.
Instead of direct proof, scientists might find clues like unusual sediment layers or traces of nuclear waste. The hypothesis also suggests that if an ancient civilization existed, its artifacts might still be on the Moon or Mars, where erosion and geological activity are much slower.
According to Frank and Schmidt, they highly doubt any industrial civilization existed before humans. Still, they believe exploring the idea helps raise important questions about astrobiology and the impact of human civilization on Earth's history.

 So some things to think about.  :D 


"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS): 

Monday, April 13, 2026.  Chump attacks Pope Leo, the peace talks fall apart over the weekend, Chump makes boasts he can't back up, the administration's well known pattern of lying continues, Senator Tammy Baldwin calls on Chump to address the latest avian flue outbreak, and much more.



Further developments today in Chump's war on Pope Leo.  So that we're all on the same page, let's drop back to Friday's snapshot:


Chump is a terrorist.  And among those targeted outside this country?  The Pope.  Troy Matthews (MEIDASTOUCH NEWS) reports:

The Vatican has cancelled a papal visit to the U.S. for the 250th anniversary celebration after Pentagon officials appeared to threaten the leader of the Catholic Church for speaking out against Trump's foreign policy.

Pope Leo XIV—the first American Pope in history—strongly condemned U.S. actions in Iran though not by name in his Easter message, stating that God "does not listen" to world leaders who wage war. 
Leo had already criticized Trump's actions on Venezuela and his threats against Greenland and Canada in a speech on January 9th stating, "a diplomacy that promotes dialogue and seeks consensus among all parties is being replaced by a diplomacy based on force."

In response, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby summoned Cardinal Christophe Pierre—the Vatican ambassador to the U.S.—to a meeting. In diplomatic parlance, an ambassador being summoned to meet with government officials for a lecture is the first stage in disciplinary action that can lead to a break off of diplomatic ties. 

It is being reported by The Free Press that in the meeting Colby told Pierre, "The United States has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side."

Someone in the meeting then reportedly mentioned the Avignon Papacy to Pierre. This refers to a 14th century attack on the Vatican by the French king, in which Pope Boniface VIII was murdered by assassins and the Vatican was forced to relocate to Avignon where it could be controlled by the French crown for the next 67 years. 



The controversy surrounding the meeting is likely to further inflame religious pushback to an unusual wave of spiritual saber-rattling by President Donald Trump’s administration — particularly surrounding the U.S. government’s military actions in Iran, which the president himself has suggested are the will of God. Combined with his other incendiary remarks about the war, the increase in faith-filled militaristic rhetoric is pitting Trump and his administration against a growing list of faith leaders, ranging from local clergy to the pope.
Faith leaders have reacted with frustration to the administration’s penchant for invoking the divine when discussing the Iran war, which was on full display earlier Wednesday when Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth led a press briefing at the Pentagon on the five-week-long war with Iran. After insisting Tuesday evening’s fragile ceasefire deal between the U.S. and Iran was evidence of a broader military victory, the secretary intimated the pause in fighting was the result of divine intervention.


 Tom Boggioni (RAW STORY) notes that the story was addressed Thursday on MS NOW's MORNING JOE:



After MS NOW host Willie Geist reported on the exchange, contributor Mike Barnicle, a lifelong Catholic, made a compelling case that the president and his underlings created a massive and enduring problem for themselves.

“What do you make of what you're hearing here?” Geist prompted his guest.
“I make that they are once again clowning the atmosphere up, the Trump administration, the idea that they would try to intimidate Pope Leo, the first American-born pope, is just absurd,"the incensed Barnicle replied.“The idea that they would have anything to say critical of the Catholic church or the pope itself, the pope himself is absurd, especially given the Easter morning tweet from the president of the United States, which was so deeply offensive to any breathing, thinking human being that it's outrageous for the Trump administration to pose any problems they allege they have with the Vatican.”
“I went to parochial school for eight consecutive years, and I got thrown out nearly every year by the nuns. You know, every grade — you deserve early stuff like that,” he recalled. But the one thing that you get to, to hold on to when you're raised Catholic, born Catholic, raised Catholic, especially by my mother, we used to call her 'my mother, the nun.' The one thing you retain, I would think, is that the theory of the Catholic church is rooted in a simple phrase: the least among us.”

“So if you look at the Trump administration's behavior toward the least among us, it is almost criminal,” he accused. “It is certainly a sin because they don't care for the least among us, and that we should all care for the least among us. Because when we care for them, we care for ourselves.”


Graig Graziosi (INDEPENDENT) notes:

In the wake of the meeting, the Pope reportedly refused Trump's invitation to attend the nation's 250th anniversary events.

Instead of spending July 4th in the U.S., the Pope will instead visit Lampedusa, a small Mediterranean island that has become an entry point for African migrants attempting to reach Europe.

A Vatican official speaking to The Free Press said the Pope has no plans to visit the U.S. while Trump is in office.

“The Pope may well never visit the United States under this administration," the official reportedly said.



Pope Leo has called out the war on Iran and he has called out the US war on immigrants. 


60 MINUTES, last night, did a segment on the Catholic Church and the war on Iran and on immigrants. 



When President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran this past week, it came after a chorus of world leaders called for an end to the war. One of those voices belonged to Leo XIV, the first-ever U.S.-born pope in the history of the Catholic Church. The 70-year-old pope was born Robert Prevost and grew up in Chicago. For many years he was known simply as Father Bob. Leo is measured, deliberate and soft-spoken. But the American pope has become increasingly outspoken against certain policies of the American president. So we asked three influential American cardinals who know him well, why Pope Leo's church has emerged as a voice of moral opposition to the war in Iran and the crackdown on immigration.

"Peace be with you:" those were the first words that Pope Leo uttered as the new leader of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. 

His selection was a surprise, celebrated by many of the 53 million that make Catholicism the largest Christian denomination in the United States.

Norah O'Donnell: What do you think having an American pope has done for the Catholic Church here in the U.S.?

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: I think it's put Chicago on the map.

Cardinal Blase Cupich: Finally. We're proud - we're proud that we produced a pope. Chicago can say that. 

The archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Blase Cupich, as well as Cardinals Robert McElroy of Washington D.C., and Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, agreed to their first ever joint interview. Their candor surprised us, about the new pope and what they're hearing in the pews.

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: We're the three American cardinals that are actively serving dioceses right now. So we listen to a lot of people. It's part of the job description. And I think we're aware of the anxieties of people about the threats to peace at all different levels.

Norah O'Donnell: Would you like to see this first American pope be more outspoken on issues that he disagrees with? 

Cardinal Joseph Tobin: He's the pastor of the world. He's not a pundit. So the distinction is he's not going to pronounce on everything. But he's going to pronounce on what's important.

He started in January with a speech criticizing U.S. military action in Venezuela.

After that, the Vatican's ambassador in the U.S. was called to the Pentagon for a meeting, which two church officials described to 60 Minutes as unpleasant and contentious. Both the Pentagon and the Vatican have said since in multiple statements that it was routine and provided an opportunity for an exchange of ideas.

In March, we traveled to Italy and managed to ask Pope Leo a question about the war in Iran.

Norah O'Donnell: Holy Father, can I ask you what your hopes are for the Middle East?

Pope Leo XIV: I am praying for peace, I hope that ceasefire would be the most effective way to work together to find peace for all parties, to respect all parties and to come to a solution, which is too many years, and you know, creating problems for everyone, so … Work for peace.

Since our visit, the pope's tone has sharpened; this past week he issued a rare condemnation of President Trump's threat to destroy Iranian civilization. The pope called it, quote "truly unacceptable."

He also took the unusual step of issuing a call to action.

Pope Leo XIV: "Contact the authorities — political leaders, congressmen — to ask them, tell them to work for peace and to reject war always."



On Sunday evening, Mr. Trump attacked Leo after several influential American cardinals appeared on “60 Minutes” to discuss why they had followed the pope in speaking out against the global and domestic conflicts created by the Trump administration.

“It’s an abominable regime, and it should be removed,” Cardinal Robert McElroy said during the “60 Minutes” appearance, referring to the leadership in Iran. “But this is a war of choice that we went to, and I think it’s embedded in a wider moment in the United States that’s worrying, which is this: We’re seeing before us the possibility of war after war after war.”

Several prominent Catholics have come to the pope’s defense after the president’s attack.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement: “I am disheartened that the President chose to write such disparaging words about the Holy Father. Pope Leo is not his rival; nor is the Pope a politician. He is the Vicar of Christ who speaks from the truth of the Gospel and for the care of souls.”

James Joseph Martin Jr., an American Jesuit priest and writer, wrote on social media: “I doubt Pope Leo XIV will lose any sleep over this, before he begins his pilgrimage to Africa tomorrow. But the rest of us should. Because it is unhinged, uncharitable and unchristian. Is there no bottom to this moral squalor?”


Katie Rogers also notes that in his post, Chump claimed credit for Pope Leo becoming Pope, alleging that it was done -- the choice made -- to appease Chump.  His ego is out of control.  He trashed the Pope as "weak on crime" and other nonsense.  


Chump's post was the posting of a tiny boy who can't grow up.  


Motoko Rich (NEW YORK TIMES) notes the Pope's reaction:


Pope Leo XIV said on Monday that he was not afraid of the Trump administration, hours after President Trump lashed out at the pontiff on social media.

Leo, speaking to reporters on a flight to Algeria ahead of a 10-day tour of several African nations, said: “I have no fear of the Trump administration, or speaking out loudly of the message of the Gospel, which is what I believe I am here to do.” Asked directly about Mr. Trump’s comments on Truth Social, Leo said: “It’s ironic — the name of the site itself. Say no more.”


Over the weekend, talks between the US and Iran came to an end.   THE NEW YORK TIMES' Tyler Pager, Farnaz Fassihi, Elian Peltier and Aaron Boxerman reported:


Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday that 21 hours of peace talks in Pakistan, between the United States and Iran had failed to produce an agreement to end the war, leaving the question of what happens after the current two-week cease-fire up in the air.

“They have chosen not to accept our terms,” Mr. Vance said in a brief news conference in Islamabad, though he left open the possibility that terms could still be reached. “We leave here with a very simple proposal: a method of understanding that is our final and best offer,” he added. “We’ll see if the Iranians accept it.”


Nicole Charky-Chami (RAW STORY) reports the news was not received well:

President Donald Trump was booed while entering a UFC event on Saturday night with his family walking behind him, just as news broke that negotiations between the United States and Iran had failed.

Vice President JD Vance announced the negotiations had stalled without reaching any agreement over the ongoing war during a speech in Islamabad, Pakistan, while Trump was walking next to Dana White at UFC 327 in Miami.



Unable to quickly remove Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz—the world’s most important oil transit corridor—with its current equipment, the US is switching tack: President Trump announced Sunday in two Truth Social posts that the Navy will launch its own blockade of “any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave” the passage, and intercept those that have paid Iran’s tolls to cross.

The announcement will almost certainly mean a further spike in oil prices when markets open on Monday, and it’s a move that does little to help Trump’s sagging domestic approval, leaving much of Iran’s hold on the global oil supply intact Gasoline costs will keep rising. Military commitments and expenses, will keep growing. The MAGA coalition will continue to crack.

Meanwhile, Trump’s two main promises on Hormuz this weekend, to clear Iranian sea mines from the strait—efforts he said were “starting” in another Truth Social post Saturday—and to detain “every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran,” are dubious.

That’s first and foremost because the US doesn’t have the resources to get rid of the sea mines. State-of-the-art demining vessels, if left alone by Iran, could clear the strait in a matter of weeks or months. But the Navy has no “significant mine clearing capability,” the Wall Street Journal reported in March, and its unmanned anti-mine vessels are unreliable even in clear waters that pose far less of a challenge than Hormuz. 


So many lies from this administration.  They lie about everything.  For example, Julia Ornedo (THE DAILY BEAST) reports:


Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s chest-thumping claims about Iran’s losses don’t appear to line up with intelligence assessments.

Iran still has thousands of ballistic missiles that could be pulled out of hiding or dug up from underground storage sites, officials familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments revealed to The Wall Street Journal.

The report undercuts the self-proclaimed secretary of war’s claims that Iran’s missile program has been obliterated.


Hegseth is only one liar in the administration.  Kristi Noem headed a whole department of liars when she was the Secretary of Homeland Security.  And there's Doctor Oz.  Ali Swenson (AP) reports:


President Donald Trump's administration this week acknowledged it made a significant error in figures it used to help justify a fraud probe into New York’s Medicaid program, a glaring mistake that undercuts a federal campaign to tackle waste, mostly in Democratic-led states.

The error, which the administration admitted first to The Associated Press, prompted health analysts to question how many of the Republican administration’s sweeping anti-fraud efforts around the country were based on faulty findings. One of a few mischaracterizations it made about New York's Medicaid program, it also reflected a common criticism that’s been made of Trump’s second administration — that it tends to attack first and confirm the facts later.

“These numbers could have been cleared up in a phone call, so it’s really slapdash,” said Fiscal Policy Institute senior health policy adviser Michael Kinnucan, whose recent analysis called attention to the Trump administration’s inaccurate claim.

The mistake appeared in comments made last month by Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a social media video and in a letter to New York’s Democratic governor announcing the fraud investigation.


And you can't talk lies from the administration and leave out the Justice Dept, right?  Daniel Hampton (RAW STORY) reports:


An eye-popping detail buried in a new Bloomberg report may explain why the Justice Department keeps getting caught making errors in federal court: Pam Bondi told her lawyers to treat the president as their client — and now they're afraid to push back on anything.

A February 2025 memo from Bondi directed DOJ attorneys to "vigorously" defend Trump's policies and referred to them as "his" counsel, according to a former Justice Department attorney who spoke anonymously to Bloomberg. The result, sources say, is a culture where lawyers are wary of pressing federal agencies about the accuracy of information they receive, because challenging it feels like challenging the boss.

The consequences are now playing out in courtrooms across the country.

In March, DOJ lawyers admitted to using incorrect information to defend migrant arrests in Manhattan, made inaccurate statements in a Rhode Island hearing about voter records, and missed a key deadline in Washington state due to unfamiliarity with local procedures.


Again, the entire administration lies.  But it's the lies about the Iran war that really register as Americans suffer daily.  Robert Reich notes:


Trump gas — like Trump shoes, Trump cologne, the Trump Bible, Trump shoes, Trump NFTs, Trump crypto, Trump resorts, Trump University, and everything else he’s tried to sell as a good deal — is turning out to be a ripoff.

The average cost of gas tracked by the AAA was $4.17 a gallon yesterday. The station at the end of my street is selling it for over $5 now. If you drive a Mini-Cooper, as I do, which demands premium grade, you’re shelling out over well over $6.

To put this in perspective, the average price for a gallon of gas in the U.S. the day before Trump launched his war was $2.98. Between then and today, the U.S. has experienced the largest increase in gas prices in 60 years.

Let's wind down with this from Senator Tammy Baldwin's office:


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) urged the Trump Administration to make good on its promise to address avian flu outbreaks and deliver much-needed support to Wisconsin farmers and their workers. Baldwin warns that without urgent action, egg prices could again spike to 2025 levels, when they hit $6 per dozen. Baldwin’s call follows three recent avian flu outbreaks in commercial egg-laying facilities in Wisconsin, which have impacted more than 4.3 million birds and resulted in over 80 layoffs at local Wisconsin farms.

“I write again regarding the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak that continues to devastate our nation’s poultry flocks and dairy herds,” wrote Senator Baldwin in a letter to United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The disease has repeatedly disrupted domestic and global agricultural markets and strained household budgets since 2022.”

“These recent outbreaks could potentially repeat the alarming egg prices seen in 2025, which peaked at $6 per dozen. Repeated supply shocks to markets have increased grocery costs across the country, hurting American consumers when affordability concerns are at an all-time high,” Baldwin continued.

Since March 2022, Wisconsin has lost 11.6 million birds across 50 commercial and backyard flocks. Between late February and March of this year, Wisconsin has experienced three major outbreaks in commercial poultry flocks, affecting more than 4.3 million egg-laying hens. As a result, two Wisconsin farms have been forced to temporarily lay off more than 80 employees.

In her letter, Senator Baldwin urged the Trump Administration to move forward with finalizing and implementing a national avian influenza vaccination strategy, as included in United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Five-Pronged Approach from February 2025.

In December 2025, Senator Baldwin pushed the Trump Administration to ramp up its avian flu response as the first dairy herd in Wisconsin tested positive for avian flu. Last year, Senator Baldwin also led her colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration release funding for labs that are dedicated to early detection, response, and control of animal diseases and outbreaks like avian flu. Additionally, she called on President Trump to quickly develop a plan to contain the avian flu outbreak that is devastating the nation’s poultry flocks and dairy herds and driving egg costs to reach record highs.

A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Rollins,

I write again regarding the ongoing highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak that continues to devastate our nation’s poultry flocks and dairy herds. The disease has repeatedly disrupted domestic and global agricultural markets and strained household budgets since 2022. Emergency disease response has been expensive for American farmers and taxpayers, and down the chain, American consumers have been burdened by high costs at the grocery store. The Administration must follow through with its promises in “USDA’s Five-Pronged Approach to Address Avian Flu,” including by finalizing an avian influenza vaccine policy that maintains markets for American farmers. These actions must include strong agency coordination with agricultural, animal health, environmental and public health industries.

Continued outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza have resulted in the loss of over 200 million birds nationwide since February 2022, including 11.6 million birds on Wisconsin farms. In the last two months, Wisconsin has experienced three major outbreaks in commercial poultry flocks, affecting more than 4.3 million egg-laying hens. This past December, Wisconsin reported its first confirmed case of the disease in dairy cattle through the National Milk Testing Strategy. Exposures typically tied to poultry and dairy operations have resulted in 71 human cases of avian influenza across the U.S., including one confirmed case in Wisconsin and two deaths nationwide.

Despite USDA-backed biosecurity measures, migrating wild birds continue to infect domestic poultry flocks and dairy cattle across the U.S., making clear that existing containment strategies are insufficient. Spring migration patterns are expected to increase cases through May, often impacting poultry flocks with egg-laying hens. These recent outbreaks could potentially repeat the alarming egg prices seen in 2025, which peaked at $6 per dozen. Repeated supply shocks to markets have increased grocery costs across the country, hurting American consumers when affordability concerns are at an all-time high.

Farmworkers also take financial hits from these outbreaks. Just this past month, 87 employees have been laid off at two Wisconsin farms following the depopulation of their flocks due to avian influenza. It is estimated that these individuals will be without work for five to seven months while the farms repopulate their flocks. Unfortunately, this is not the first time Wisconsin farmers have had to temporarily close their doors and lay off workers, and if the USDA continues to slow walk its approach in addressing avian influenza, this will certainly not be the last.

The Administration has yet to make meaningful progress towards the avian influenza vaccine response called for in USDA’s Five-Pronged Approach to Address Avian Flu. While the USDA funded $100 million for its “HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge,” which included investments to develop novel vaccines, in the fourth year of the avian influenza outbreak, there has been no movement to stand up a vaccine pilot program. At the same time, USDA has spent roughly $2.5 billion compensating farmers for their extensive losses. Payments for outbreak response snowball while the status quo continues. American farmers, taxpayers and consumers cannot continue to absorb these costs.

I once again urge the Trump Administration to deliver on its pledge to address avian influenza, including by following through on a nationwide avian influenza vaccination policy. Agriculture and public health stakeholders are calling for a comprehensive and coordinated response to avian influenza. As the outbreak continues, farmers and consumers deserve a response that matches the rising scale and pressing urgency of this outbreak.

Sincerely, 

###



The following sites updated:

Posted by at

Thursday, April 09, 2026

The Crooked Court's extreme partisanship

The Crooked Court.  We know it, you know it.  It's a Crooked Court that is doing its best to destroy the rights of the American people.   Justin Jouvenal (THE WASHINGTON POST) notes:

The sharply conservative Supreme Court that President Donald Trump’s three appointees remade is the first since at least the 1950s to reject civil rights claims in a majority of cases involving women and minorities, according to a detailed analysis conducted for The Washington Post.
The shift brings to an end a streak of successive courts expanding such protections that began with the dawn of the civil rights era. But the historic nature of the current court is also evident in other key areas of the law over the five terms since the third of Trump’s appointees joined the bench.

The analysis shows that in addition to civil rights, the court powered by Trump’s picks — Justices Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — has pushed to the right of any modern court on religious rights and voting issues.

The court has also entered a new era of extreme partisanship. None over the past seven decades has been as starkly polarized.

“There is no center now,” said political science professor Lee Epstein, who performed the analysis with her Washington University colleague Andrew D. Martin and Michael J. Nelson of Penn State.


Disgusting.

The American people no longer trust the Court and it's for there destruction of our rights and their refusal to follow precedents, it's for their lying in confirmation hearings, it's for their b.s.

There is probably no coming back for the Supreme Court.  

Some comments left on the article:

St Freeberg
5 hours ago
So equality seems to stop at some point. You see what Hegseth has done with military promotions—his prejudice is preventing great candidates from being promoted just because they are Black or female. Why do you think that general “retired”?

hadenough
3 hours ago
I remember a time when the Supreme Court was objective and beyond reproach.  It has been reduced by Trump and now decisions made by them are questionable and anything but objective.  The Supreme Court is no longer supreme.


"The Snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):

Thursday, April 9, 2026. Pam Bondi disrespects the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein again as she refuses to be deposed by the House Oversight Committee, Chump demonstrates what a chump he actually is with his cease-fire with Iran, and much more.  


Yesterday afternoon, SCRIPPS NEWS GROUP reported, "Former Attorney General Pam Bondi will not appear next week for a scheduled deposition before the House Oversight Committee as part of its investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, Scripps News has confirmed. A committee spokeswoman said the Department of Justice informed lawmakers that Bondi will not appear for the April 14 deposition because she is no longer serving as attorney general and was subpoenaed in that capacity."  The Democrats on the House Oversight Committee issued the following: 


Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, released the following statement after former Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to appear for her deposition before the Oversight Committee on April 14, despite the lawful bipartisan subpoena the Committee issued last month. This subpoena is binding, even after she was fired. The subpoena followed the Department of Justice’s botched release of the Epstein files and the continued White House cover-up.

“Now that Pam Bondi has been fired, she’s trying to get out of her legal obligation to testify before the Oversight Committee about the Epstein files and the White House cover-up.

Our bipartisan subpoena is to Pam Bondi, whether she is the Attorney General or not. She must come in to testify immediately, and if she defies the subpoena, we will begin contempt charges in the Congress. The survivors deserve justice,” said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.

###


The Department of Justice said Wednesday that Pam Bondi will not appear for her upcoming deposition in the House Oversight Committee’s Jeffrey Epstein investigation given that she is no longer serving as the US attorney general.

It marks the latest roadblock in Congress’ fight to secure Bondi’s sworn testimony related to the Justice Department’s public release of its investigative files into the late convicted sex offender.
The department argued that Bondi was subpoenaed in her official role as attorney general and not in a personal capacity. As such, she won’t appear on Capitol Hill on April 14 to discuss her role overseeing the release of the Epstein Files, Assistant Attorney General Patrick D. Davis wrote in a letter to House Oversight Chairman James Comer.

The Department of Justice says this?  DoJ is now the expert on Congressional subpoenas?  Congress subpoenas someone which makes them the 'decider' in this matter. The DoJ appears to be overstepping.  In addition, Pam's job has not been filled and she remains, per Chump's social media post announcing her firing, a government employee -- so still being paid her AG salary -- for the rest of the month as part of a "transitioning."  Therefore, she's still with the Justice Dept and she's still being paid her AG salary through the end of the month and April 14th is in the middle of the month so she could appear before the Committee as part of her "transitioning."











 




The DOJ’s position has drawn criticism from members of both parties on the Oversight Committee. Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC), who supported the subpoena alongside Democrats, said Bondi remains obligated to testify regardless of her current status.

“She was subpoenaed by name,” Mace said, arguing that leaving office does not remove the requirement to comply with congressional oversight. Several lawmakers have indicated they view the issue as a matter of institutional authority rather than a partisan dispute.
Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif) also called for Bondi to appear, stating in a letter to Chairman James Comer that her status as a private citizen could allow for broader testimony.

Nancy Mace is correct, Bondi was subpoenaed by name.  She is compelled to testify or be held in contempt.  There was no "Unless you resign or are fired" exception to the subpoena.  So what happens now?  Alison Durkee (FORBES) ponders that:


What will happen next week. It’s unclear if the threat of contempt could lead Bondi to show up on April 14 as scheduled, and if any GOP lawmakers would support Democrats in bringing contempt charges against her. Republicans on the House Oversight Committee said Wednesday they planned to work with Bondi’s personal counsel to reschedule and have her testify in her personal capacity. It’s unclear when Bondi could testify, if it’s rescheduled, and if that would be enough to keep Democrats from trying to move forward with contempt charges.


Some Epstein victims expressed anger at Bondi’s intent not to appear. “Survivors have waited nearly three decades for answers – how much longer must we wait?” said Maria and Annie Farmer in a joint statement. “Any further delays only deepen survivors’ pain and weakens our confidence in the government’s willingness to hold accountable those who enabled and perpetrated Epstein’s heinous crimes.”

Bondi does not care about the survivors.  She made that clear in February when she appeared before the House Judiciary Committee and refused to turn around and look at the Epstein survivors who were attending the hearing.  The Democrats on the Committee noted this refusal in a press release they issued:


Washington, D.C. (February 12, 2026)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee, led Judiciary Committee Democrats in cross-examining Attorney General Pam Bondi for the damage done to the Department of Justice (DOJ) under her watch.

Seated in the audience were survivors and families of late survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking ring, who were recognized, with their permission, at the start of the hearing: Theresa Helm; Jess Michaels; Lara Blume McGee; Dani Bensky; Liz Stein; Marina Lacerda; Sky and Amanda Roberts, who are the family of the late Virginia Giuffre; Sharlene Lund; and Lisa Phillips. Bondi ignored Members’ pleas for her to apologize directly to the survivors for the catastrophic harm Bondi’s DOJ caused by releasing their information and intimate details of their abuse. Rather than apologize, Bondi called the question “theatrics.” 

Bondi refused to confront the Trump DOJ’s botched handling of the Epstein files, which recklessly exposed survivors and shielded potential criminal co-conspirators. 

Rep. Pramila Jayapal pressed Bondi: “Will you turn to [the Epstein survivors] now and apologize for what your Department of Justice has put them through with the absolutely unacceptable release of the Epstein files and their information?” Bondi said: “I’m not going to get into the gutter with this woman doing theatrics.” 
 
Rep. Jayapal asked Epstein survivors to raise their hand if they still haven’t been invited to meet with Pam Bondi or the DOJ. Every single one raised their hand. 
 
Rep. Hank Johnson said: “We have the Epstein victim survivors here today. Rep. Jayapal asked a simple question. If you would be so kind and honorable as to turn around and face them and apologize to them for outing them. I mean, how many lives have been derailed because your Department was either sloppy and incompetent or willfully trying to intimidate and punish these ladies?” Bondi again refused to acknowledge the survivors, saying: “Your time is up.” 
 
Bondi obfuscated and filibustered when asked by Rep. Jerry Nadler how many of Epstein’s co-conspirators she has indicted. Rep. Nadler slammed her stonewalling: “The answer to my question of how many of Epstein’s co-conspirators has she indicted is zero. You have been the Attorney General for a whole year, and your DOJ fired the lead prosecutor of this case, sat on evidence this entire time, and claimed falsely last July that there were no more leads. It took an act of Congress for you to finally release part of the Epstein files. And when you did, you included personal information about the victims while protecting the names of abusers.” 
 
In response to a question from Rep. Ted Lieu on why she shut down the investigation into Epstein’s co-conspirators, the Attorney General deflected and made clear she is only here to defend Trump: “This is so ridiculous, that they are trying to deflect from all the great things Donald Trump has done.” Rep. Lieu slammed her non-response: “There are over 1,000 sex trafficking victims. And you have not held a single man accountable. Shame on you. If you had any decency, you would resign right after this hearing concludes.” 
 
Rep. Lou Correa blasted Bondi for redacting the names of powerful men in the Epstein files while dangerously exposing victims: “We have to make sure we tell those predators there is no place for them to hide. And if they commit the crime, they’re going to fry for it. It starts with showing us the names of the perpetrators in the Epstein files.” 
 
Bondi responded with personal attacks when Ranking Member Raskin asked her to “create a joint task force of the Department of Justice and governors and state attorneys general and district attorneys across the country to investigate the crimes that have taken place against [Epstein] victims.” 
 
In response to a question from Rep. Dan Goldman, Bondi refused to commit to providing key documents still missing from the Epstein files production: an 86-page prosecution memo from the Southern District of New York, and a draft indictment from Florida against Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators. Bondi’s DOJ is violating the bipartisan Epstein Files Transparency Act compelling the unredacted release of these documents.  
 
Rep. Jared Moskowitz pointed out precisely why the DOJ has covered up the Epstein files: “Trump’s name appears more times in the Epstein file than Harry Potter’s name appears in the seven books about Harry Potter.” 
 
Rep. Deborah Ross probed the Trump Administration’s shameful transfer of sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell to a lower-security prison where she has been pampered: “Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator received perk after perk in prison. In July, she had a two-day interview with your deputy and President Trump’s former defense attorney, Todd Blanche. Just days after that, Maxwell was transferred from a federal correctional institution in Florida to a minimum-security camp in Texas, which she, as a sex offender, would normally be ineligible for at this new facility. We’ve heard reports that she’s been afforded special privileges: puppy time, private workouts, personal mail, secretarial services.” Bondi bizarrely claimed she didn’t know about the prison transfer that occurred under her watch and falsely claimed that Maxwell had not been transferred to a lower-security prison. 
 
Rep. Becca Balint said: “Now, I’ve seen some of the unredacted Epstein files. And obviously, as you know, President Trump’s name is all over them. But so are the names of other senior Trump officials. Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce, John Phelan, the Secretary of the Navy, and Steven Feinberg, the Deputy Secretary of Defense. These men were appointed by President Trump to senior positions in his Administration. All of them have clear and confirmed ties to Jeffrey Epstein.” Bondi flailed when Rep. Balint pressed her on these ties and why they weren’t a dealbreaker for the President who hired them anyway. 
 
Amid all the lies and evasions, Bondi made a rare admission, saying that Trump’s name “appeared countless times” in the Epstein files.  




On Chump's pal Jeffrey Epstein, Shirsho Dasgupta (THE STATE COLUMBIA) reports:

In his attempts to position himself at the confluence of money and power, Jeffrey Epstein cultivated myriad relationships among the ruling elite of the Middle East, according to an extensive Miami Herald review of several million pages of documents recently released by the U.S. Justice Department.
From his Palm Beach and New York mansions and his luxurious apartment in Paris, Epstein enjoyed a remarkable level of access to sensitive information like the outcomes of political meetings and the itineraries of Gulf royals.

The disgraced financier, the Herald found, regularly corresponded with members of the ruling classes in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. He invited them to his properties and gave them business advice - even suggesting to Saudi palace officials that he tutor the crown prince about the ways of Wall Street.

He asked that he be given a “small palace” to live in while schooling the prince and demanded that the Saudis give him sweeping oversight over the kingdom’s fortunes.

When Qatar was accused of supporting Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, Epstein detailed to a Qatari royal a four-point campaign on how the country could clean up its image. Epstein also intervened on behalf of a Yemeni billionaire’s son to help him fight murder and rape allegations in Britain.


[. . .]

Epstein first got acquainted with Yemeni billionaire Shaher Abdulhak in the spring of 2012.

Abdulhak, at the time, was in a fix.

His son, Farouk, was a suspect in the rape and murder of 23-year-old Norwegian student Martine Vik Magnussen in London in 2008. According to the British press, British authorities wanted him for questioning, but Farouk had fled to Yemen.

Epstein, the records show, claimed to have facilitated an introduction with British attorney Lord Ken Macdonald, who had previously served as the top prosecutor in England and Wales.

Epstein told Abdulhak in a June 2012 email that he had spoken to Macdonald, who believed that Farouk could get a reduced charge and be granted bail, records show. Epstein advised Abdulhak to focus on “what punishment would be acceptable.”

“I think you are right, something like house arrest, plus charity work,” Abdulhak replied.



Let's move on over to the terrorist that is Donald Chump, the one who said he'd take a country back to "the stone age" and "obliterate" the people living there.  Chump sounded like a terrorist and like a lunatic.  He should be removed from office immediately.  Yes, Chump being Chump, he ended up chickening out at the last minute.  But that he took it that far goes to how severe the dementia has become.

He joined Netanyahu in starting a war of choice and he is now at a point where the US is much weaker and the government of Iran is much stronger.  Tom Boggioni (RAW STORY) reports:

Donald Trump claims to have reached a successful but still evolving ceasefire agreement with Iran, but National Review editor Jim Geraghty has a different assessment: the president has been completely outmaneuvered and is poised to capitulate on nearly every significant demand.
According to Geraghty's scathing analysis, Trump and Iran are describing fundamentally different agreements. The Iranian proposal includes concessions that represent a catastrophic setback for American national security interests.

The Iranian demands include: "Iran's continued control of the Strait of Hormuz," "Iran's uranium enrichment right should be accepted," and "Payment of compensation for damages inflicted on Iran."


Again, he lost.  Rex Huppke (USA TODAY) notes:

I don’t mean to sound controversial, but a president shouldn’t be able to walk away from threatening to wipe out an entire civilization ‒ even setting a deadline, as if Armageddon is a bloody reality show ‒ and then carry on like he’s a normal president. Even if Republicans want you to think it's normal.
In the sweep of less than 24 hours on April 7, Donald Trump went from threatening genocide to agreeing to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, a ceasefire that appears to give the Middle East nation a lot in return for nothing.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m damn glad he stepped away from mass murder. But let’s be honest: America can’t continue with this kind of “Look at me, I’m a crazy former reality show star, tune in to see what I’ll do next?!?” insanity.
The world just spent an entire day not knowing whether the American president was going to commit war crimes or drop a nuclear bomb on Iran as part of a war he started and was never authorized to conduct.




Donald Trump has lashed out at “fraudsters and charlatans” who he claims are circulating fake lists of Iran’s ceasefire plan as he tries to put a positive spin on the war.

In an angry Truth Social post on Wednesday, Trump claimed that “numerous agreements, lists and letters” were being sent out by people who had nothing to do with negotiations between the two countries.
“In many cases, they are total Fraudsters, Charlatans, and WORSE. They will be rapidly exposed after our Federal Investigation is completed,” he wrote, without providing any specifics.

“There is only one group of meaningful “POINTS” that are acceptable to the United States, and we will be discussing them behind closed doors during these Negotiations.”

The tirade came hours after Trump agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran—an abrupt climbdown from his earlier threat to unleash devastating military strikes if Tehran failed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.


Chump gets a revealed as a chump who needs someone to teach him THE ART OF THE DEAL and he lashes out at others.  Brad Bannon (THE HILL) offers:


“Trump Net Approval Drops to Record Low.” That’s the headline from the YouGov story about the new national survey it conducted last week for The Economist. His overall performance score comes in at net negative 23 percent, which puts him as deep underwater as the Great Marianas Trench in the Pacific Ocean. Trump’s ratings have been in intensive care for months but the controversy over starting a war against Iran a month ago have put them on life support.
Iran is a big problem for the president. You don’t need a meteorologist to know which way the wind is blowing. Americans oppose the war by a 2-to-1 margin. While Republicans still support the conflict, opposition to his misguided military misadventure is high in every demographic public subgroup.

Trump also suffers from a significant credibility gap. A clear majority of people believe he hasn’t provided accurate information about the progress of the war. Things could soon even get worse for the commander in chief if he decides to put U.S. troops on Iranian ground. Only one out of every six surveyed favor the use of U.S. ground forces against the Middle Eastern nation.

There are two reasons why the situation has gone from bad to worse for Trump. He failed to demonstrate at the onset that Iran was a serious threat to U.S. national security and the assault weaponized existing public concerns about his failure to reduce inflationary prices.


His reputation is in tatters on the world stage.  Need an example?  Sam Meredith (CNBC) reports:

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Wednesday joined a chorus of world leaders welcoming the announcement of a U.S.-Iran ceasefire but issued a thinly veiled swipe at the Trump administration for having initiated the hostilities.
"Ceasefires are always good news. Especially if they lead to a just and lasting peace. But this momentary relief cannot make us forget the chaos, the destruction, and the lives lost," Sánchez said in a social media post, according to a translation.
"The Government of Spain will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket."
Sánchez, who has emerged as one of the European Union's leading critics of U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran, called for "diplomacy, international law and PEACE" to prevail.

I can't imagine any US president in post-WWII era being insulted like that.  And from our ally Spain.  But this is what Chump has fostered with his attacks and his bullying.  He's treated the world as though it doesn't matter and now he's getting the same treatment back.  



But the two-week cease-fire leaves the Islamic Republic in place and still in command of the future of the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran’s nuclear stockpile and ballistic missile program unresolved. After Mr. Trump’s declaration of victory, however hollow, it is difficult to imagine a resumption of full-scale war.

For the rest of the world, the war “is starting to look like a military defeat, more serious than Iraq or Afghanistan,” said Bruno Maçães, former secretary of state for European affairs for Portugal.

“The myth of America as all-powerful is important,” he added, “and it’s the basic requirement of a global hegemon to keep the oil flowing, to open up the strait and keep it open. This belief in an all-powerful America that can solve anything is disappearing.”

Keeping sea lanes open for American goods and global trade is one of the few permanent interests the United States has in the Middle East, as well as in Asia.

The war in Iran shut down the strait. Now, the Iranian military is still in control of the passageway and is likely to demand large tolls. “The strategic rationale for the American military presence in the region has taken a huge hit,” said Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington.


The US looks like a crazed lunatic and a loser thanks to Chump.  And Iran?  As Charles P. Pierce points out at ESQUIRE:

Iran walks away with more than it had in the previous agreement it struck with the Obama administration. Israel is still firing missiles into Iran, to say nothing of laying waste to half of Lebanon. Iran maintains control of the Strait of Hormuz. Indeed, the deal turns the strait into an Iranian tollbooth. I think we’re lucky that Iran doesn’t now own half of Montana. On the other hand, Pete Hegseth thinks the whole thing is/was a masterstroke:

This morning, a big day for world peace. Iran wants it to happen. They’ve had enough. Operation Epic Fury was a historic and overwhelming victory on the battlefield. A capital V.
And JD Vance, fresh off canoodling with Viktor Orbán and still cosplaying Urban II in Budapest, emphasized that the U.S. is not kidding around this time. No sir. Not us. Uh-uhhh. 


June 23rd, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman's REGIME CHANGE is released.  It's about Chump's second term thus far.  The two reporters for THE NEW YORK TIMES have written "How Trump Took the U.S. to War With Iran" which is based on their book and which THE TIMES published Monday.  Interesting details in the piece.  Most interesting?  Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, was not present when Netanyahu made his case for war.  We'll note this part because it's been repeated in the media and it was always wrong: 

The Israelis also raised the prospect of Iranian Kurdish fighters crossing the border from Iraq to open a ground front in the northwest, further stretching the regime’s forces and accelerating its collapse.
[. . .]
The intelligence officials had deep expertise in U.S. military capabilities, and they knew the Iranian system and its players inside out. They had broken down Mr. Netanyahu’s presentation into four parts. First was decapitation — killing the ayatollah. Second was crippling Iran’s capacity to project power and threaten its neighbors. Third was a popular uprising inside Iran. And fourth was regime change, with a secular leader installed to govern the country.

The U.S. officials assessed that the first two objectives were achievable with American intelligence and military power. They assessed that the third and fourth parts of Mr. Netanyahu’s pitch, which included the possibility of the Kurds mounting a ground invasion of Iran, were detached from reality.


The Kurds in Iraq were never going to mount an invasion.  As we noted here repeatedly -- often noting the Talabni's extreme closeness to the Iranian government -- that was not going to happen.  The two ruling dynasties in the Kurdistan are both close to the government of Iran and have been for years.  Many fools in the US media repeated this claim -- from US anonymice whispers or Israeli anonymice whispers, I don't know -- and it was never viable.  

Back to the article:

When Mr. Trump joined the meeting, Mr. Ratcliffe briefed him on the assessment. The C.I.A. director used one word to describe the Israeli prime minister’s regime change scenarios: “farcical.”
At that point, Mr. Rubio cut in. “In other words, it’s bullshit,” he said.

Mr. Ratcliffe added that given the unpredictability of events in any conflict, regime change could happen, but it should not be considered an achievable objective.

Several others jumped in, including Mr. Vance, just back from Azerbaijan, who also expressed strong skepticism about the prospect of regime change.

The president then turned to General Caine. “General, what do you think?”

General Caine replied: “Sir, this is, in my experience, standard operating procedure for the Israelis. They oversell, and their plans are not always well-developed. They know they need us, and that’s why they’re hard-selling.”

Mr. Trump quickly weighed the assessment. Regime change, he said, would be “their problem.” It was unclear whether he was referring to the Israelis or the Iranian people. But the bottom line was that his decision on whether to go to war against Iran would not hinge on whether Parts 3 and 4 of Mr. Netanyahu’s presentation were achievable.



Let's wind down with this from Senator Elizabeth Warren's office:

Text of Letter (PDF)

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), along with Representative Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) and Representative Troy Carter (D-La.), pressed the Inspectors General of the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State to open an investigation into the Trump administration’s attempts to deport people to countries they have no ties to.

“We request that your offices evaluate the Trump Administration’s unlawful and costly system of “third-country removals”...Congress and the public deserve answers to better understand the scale of legal violations within this system that was recently ruled unconstitutional,” wrote the lawmakers.

Since President Trump took office for a second time, his administration has deported hundreds of people, including children, long-time U.S. residents, and individuals with no criminal records, to countries they are not from and that were not designated for their removal, which U.S. immigration law only allows in rare circumstances. Deportees are being sent to these countries without proper due process, and in some cases without being provided an opportunity to voice concerns that their life or freedom would be in danger in that third country. To persuade countries to accept deportees, the Trump Administration has used a combination of threats and payments, including paying $32 million to El Salvador, Rwanda, Eswatini, Equatorial Guinea, and Palau.

In September 2025, Senator Warren led over 60 members of Congress in launching an investigation into these practices. Despite the serious implications of third-country removals, both State and Homeland Security have failed to comply with the requests made as part of that investigation.

On February 25, 2026, a federal court ruled that this third-country removal system violates the U.S. Constitution and immigration law. Even so, DHS’s 2025 guidance regarding third country removals — which do not appear to have been updated since the February 2026 court ruling — claim the Department can deport individuals to third countries with no individualized process whatsoever.

Many people first learn that they are being deported to a third country while on the flight overseas. Even when a country has not credibly promised to refrain from torture or persecution, DHS still generally gives individuals only 24 hours’ notice that they will be deported to a particular country, with no guaranteed opportunity to speak with an attorney. To make matters worse, some DHS attorneys have reportedly threatened asylum seekers that they may be deported to third countries in order to pressure them to abandon their asylum claims and accept deportation to their home countries.

Some people deported to third countries have reported torture, arbitrary detention, and forced return to their countries of origin where courts have found they are likely to face persecution, and other human rights violations.

“Such reports cast serious doubt on DoS’s process, if one exists, of verifying the reliability of countries’ assertions that they will not torture or persecute deportees, or transport them onward to other countries where they’re likely to face torture or persecution,” wrote the lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the Administration is continuing to execute third-country deportations. As of early March, ICE had over 500 people in its custody slated for third-country deportations, and DHS signaled that it had its sights on deporting over 8,000 people to third countries.

The lawmakers asked that Inspectors General’s investigation include the administration’s failure to follow due process, negotiations with foreign governments, evaluating the risk of torture and persecution, and the cost of third-country deportations.

Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Jackie Rosen (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) signed on to this letter.

Representatives Donald Beyer (D-Va.), Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Dwight Evans (D-Pa.), John Garamendi (D-Calif.), Jesús García (D-Ill.), Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas), Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) signed on to this letter.

###




The following sites updated:


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