Latest news with #SeanDuffy
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Judge Strikes Down Trump Plan To Tie Funding to Immigration Enforcement
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Thursday ruled against the Trump administration's plan to condition funding for transportation initiatives across the country on cooperation with immigration authorities, saying that the plan would violate the Constitution. Judge John J. McConnell Jr. in 10-page ruling addressed the "Duffy Directive," also known as the Immigration Enforcement Condition (IEC) which U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued in April. Duffy attempted to require transportation grant recipients cooperate with Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) deportation operations or lose out on funding from several subagencies. In response, 20 states sued the administration, seeking an immediate injunction against the directive, which McConnell Jr. granted. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference on May 20, 2025 in Austin, Texas. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference on May 20, 2025 in Austin, Texas."The IEC, backed by the Duffy Directive, is arbitrary and capricious in its scope and lacks specificity in how the States are to cooperate on immigration enforcement in exchange for Congressionally appropriated transportation dollars–grant money that the States rely on to keep their residents safely and efficiently on the road, in the sky, and on the rails," the judge wrote. He added that the conditions would violate the Spending Clause as well, as the IEC is "not at all reasonably related to the transportation funding program grants whose statutorily articulated purposes are for the maintenance and safety" of the various transit apparatuses across the country. The court issued its order quickly due to an impending June 20 deadline for applicants to file for certain grants, all of which would have included the Duffy Directive language. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Judge blocks Trump plan to tie states' transportation funds to immigration enforcement
A federal judge on Thursday blocked Donald Trump's administration from forcing 20 Democratic-led states to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in transportation grant funding. Chief US District Judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, granted the states' request for an injunction barring the Department of Transportation's policy, saying the states were likely to succeed on the merits of some or all of their claims. The Trump administration did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by a group of Democratic state attorneys general who argued the administration was seeking to unlawfully hold federal funds hostage to coerce them into adhering to Trump's hardline immigration agenda. The states argued the US transportation secretary, Sean Duffy, lacked the authority to impose immigration-enforcement conditions on funding that Congress appropriated to help states sustain roads, highways, bridges and other transportation projects. Since returning to office on 20 January, Trump has signed several executive orders that have called for cutting off federal funding to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that do not cooperate with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) as his administration has moved to conduct mass deportations. Sanctuary jurisdictions generally have laws and policies that limit or prevent local law enforcement from assisting federal officers with civil immigration arrests. The justice department has filed a series of lawsuits against such jurisdictions, including Illinois, New York and Colorado, challenging laws in those Democratic-led states that it says hinder federal immigration enforcement. The lawsuit before McConnell, who was appointed by Barack Obama, was filed after Duffy on 24 April notified states they could lose transportation funding if they do not cooperate with the enforcement of federal law, including with Ice in its efforts to enforce immigration law. The states argue that policy is improper and amounts to an unconstitutionally ambiguous condition on the states' ability to receive funding authorized by Congress as it leaves unclear what exactly would constitute adequate cooperation. The administration has argued the policy was within Duffy's discretion and that conditions should be upheld as there is nothing improper about requiring states to comply with federal law. The 20 states are separately pursuing a similar case also in Rhode Island challenging new immigration enforcement conditions that the homeland security department imposed on grant programs.
Washington Post
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Watch what happens when Fox pundits hired by Trump come back as guests
Several of President Donald Trump's most prominent appointees came either directly from Fox News or Fox Business, such as Defense Secretary Defense Pete Hegseth, Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy and interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro, or worked at the network in the past as a paid pundit or host, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Border Patrol agents shut down massive drug smuggling tunnel between Tijuana and San Diego
U.S. Border Patrol agents recently discovered and disabled a nearly 3,000-foot-long narcotics smuggling tunnel sitting beneath the US-Mexico border. Agents found the tunnel — which linked Tijuana and San Diego — in early April while it was actively under construction. The underground passageway ran under part of the Otay Mesa Port of Entry and had a projected exit point near or inside a commercial warehouse space in San Diego, according to an announcement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Upon entering the "highly sophisticated" tunnel, authorities were met with barricades seemingly placed to prevent law enforcement from finding its entrance, the announcement noted. San Diego Authorities Arrest 3 Noncitizens Allegedly Involved In Transporting More Than $5M Worth Of Meth The tunnel — which reached depths of around 50 feet underground at its deepest point — measured 2,918 feet long, 42 inches tall and 28 inches wide. It was equipped with lighting, electrical wiring, ventilation systems and a track system for transporting large amounts of contraband. Read On The Fox News App Dot Sec Sean Duffy Finalizes $150M Grant To Build New Port Of Entry On Southern Border Border Patrol agents — working alongside Homeland Security Investigations and Government of Mexico authorities — found the entrance point to the tunnel on Monday inside a house in the Nueva Tijuana neighborhood in Tijuana. The entrance had recently been covered up with freshly laid tile, according to the announcement. Trump Admin's Dot Announces Deal For High-tech Border Checkpoint In Crucial California Sector Thousands of gallons of concrete will soon be poured into the tunnel to prevent it from being used by Foreign Terrorist Organizations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection noted. "As we continue to strengthen the nation's air and maritime border security, it's not surprising that foreign terrorist organizations would resort to underground routes," Jeffrey D. Stalnaker, acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego Sector, said in a statement. "Disruption of narcotics smuggling tunnels is critical to protecting American lives." More than 95 tunnels have been decommissioned in the San Diego area since 1993. U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for article source: Border Patrol agents shut down massive drug smuggling tunnel between Tijuana and San Diego
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NHTSA revises exemption process for vehicles without driver controls
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has streamlined its 'Part 555' exemption process, which permits manufacturers to sell up to 2,500 motor vehicles a year that do not fully comply with current Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced in a June 13 press release. The streamlined application process, the framework of which was announced in April, extends to commercial robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles built without steering wheels, pedals or mirrors, which is a requirement for all passenger vehicles. The revisions are designed to expand mobility options in the U.S. and foster innovation in the development of self-driving technology. The revised Part 555 exemption also includes internal changes at the NHTSA to expedite application processing time, improve transparency and increase engagement, which includes notifying companies of what to expect during the process. Dive Insight: In a letter to stakeholders announcing the updates, the NHTSA said the previous Part 555 exemption was intended for traditional vehicles and was not well suited for vehicles with autonomous driving capabilities. It added that the streamlined application process would expedite deployment of robotaxis and autonomous trucks carrying fright. The NHTSA anticipates that the changes will reduce application processing times for exempt vehicles from years to months. 'The Part 555 exemption process has been rightly criticized for taking years – bogging developers down in unnecessary red tape that makes it impossible to keep pace with the latest technologies,' Duffy said in a statement. 'We've streamlined this process to remove another barrier to transportation innovation in the United States, ensure American AV companies can out-compete international rivals, and maintain safety.' Although the changes allow manufacturers to sell up to 2,500 vehicles each year, companies still must demonstrate to the NHTSA that their vehicles provide an equivalent safety level as FMVSS compliant passenger vehicles and that the exemption is in the public interest, according to the release. The previous Part 555 exemption process for AVs hindered innovation and stifled progress, per the NHTSA, as deploying and testing these types of vehicles on public roads in the U.S. is a necessary safety step, especially for those intended to carry passengers. In 2020, the NHTSA granted one of the first exemptions to AV startup Nuro to deploy its compact R2, a low-speed, electric delivery vehicle which was not designed to carry passengers and could operate on sidewalks. In 2022, General Motors requested the NHTSA revise its Part 555 exemption for vehicles it planned to use for its former Cruise robotaxi service in San Francisco. The automaker sought to deploy a fleet of Chevrolet Bolt AVs built without steering wheels or pedals, as well as the multi-passenger Cruise Origin autonomous shuttle built in collaboration with Honda Motor Co. and not equipped with any human driver controls. GM has since abandoned its robotaxi plans and its subsidiary Cruise now develops autonomous driving technology for its passenger vehicles. 'This next step in NHTSA's AV Framework will advance innovation by supporting the commercial deployment of purpose-built automated vehicles that can satisfy safety requirements,' NHTSA Chief Counsel Peter Simshauser said in the release. 'The agency continues working to modernize the FMVSS for automated vehicles, and in the meantime Part 555 exemptions will play an integral role in enabling the ongoing advancement of our domestic AV industry.' The NHTSA also amended its Standing General Order on Crash Reporting effective June 16 for vehicles equipped with advanced driver assistance systems and other autonomous driving technology. Among the changes, it requires that companies submit a report to the NHTSA within five days of any serious crashes with airbag deployment if a vehicle's automated driving system was engaged. The NHTSA's Part 555 exemption updates are supported by various trade groups, including the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, American Trucking Associations, Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association, Intelligent Transportation Society of America and the Zero Emission Transportation Association. The group of companies sent a letter to Duffy in March urging that the agency to make policy changes to accelerate the deployment of AVs and help the U.S. remain a global leader in the technology. Recommended Reading NHTSA seeks to fast-track AV deployment Melden Sie sich an, um Ihr Portfolio aufzurufen.
