May 25, 2018

Border Patrol union criticizes Trump's deployment of National Guard

Border Patrol agents. Photo: Sandy Huffaker/AFP/Getty Images

Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council — a national union for the U.S. Border Patrol — criticized President Trump's deployment of the National Guard to the U.S.-Mexico border calling the move "a colossal waste of resources," the L.A. Times reports.

Why it matters: The group endorsed Trump during the election, and had hopes that this deployment would help "alleviate the Border Patrol's workload," per the Times. But Judd says "that has not happened at all."

A Homeland Security spokeswoman, Katie Waldman, defended the deployment telling the Times: "While the National Guard deployment has not yet reached full capacity, it has clearly and unquestionably been a success with thousands of additional apprehensions and millions of dollars of drugs kept out of our country. ... More help is on the way."

Judd told the Times: "We generally support the administration, but we're not going to be cheerleading when things are not going well."

Go deeper

Axios

Updated 26 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:15 p.m. ET: 30,611,684 — Total deaths: 953,820— Total recoveries: 20,836,867 — Map.
U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:15 p.m. ET: 6,756,781 — Total deaths: 199,090 — Total recoveries: 2,556,465 — Total tests: 93,150,052 — Map.
Politics: In reversal, CDC again recommends coronavirus testing for asymptomatic people.
Health: The dwindling chances of eliminating COVID-19.
World: Guatemalan president tests positive for COVID-19 — The countries painting their pandemic recoveries green.

Go deeper (<1 min. read)

Jacob Knutson

56 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Trump says he expects to announce a Supreme Court nominee "next week"

President Trump speaking prior to his departure from the White House on Sept. 19. Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images

President Trump said Saturday he expects to announce a nominee for Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's vacant Supreme Court seat “next week” and that the person will “most likely" be a woman.

What he's saying: "If somebody were to ask me now, I would say that a woman would be in first place, yes. The choice of a woman, I would say, would certainly be appropriate," the president told pool reporters.

Go deeper (1 min. read)

Jacob Knutson, Alayna Treene

2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Susan Collins says Senate should postpone Supreme Court vote

Sen. Susan Collins. Photo: Tom Williams/Getty Images

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said in a statement Saturday she believes whoever is elected in the 2020 presidential race should pick the nominee to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Supreme Court seat.

Why it matters: Collins will be key in how the nomination process plays out. As one of the most centrist Senate Republicans, whether or not the Senate confirms Trump's SCOTUS nominee could hinge on her vote.