Apr 12, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Michael Albence named new acting director of ICE

Photo: Herika Martinez/Getty Images

Acting Deputy Director Matthew Albence is expected to lead U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement following Acting Director Ronald Vitiello's official resignation on Wednesday, Buzzfeed reports.

Details: Per The Huffington Post, Vitiello named Albence as his replacement in an email sent to his colleagues on Thursday, stating: "Beginning tomorrow I will be out of the office, during which time Acting Deputy Director Matt Albence will be leading the agency."

Background: Albence previously served as the executive director of enforcement and removal operations with ICE and has a reputation for his harsh approach, defending the decision to separate families along the border, and characterizing it much like "summer camp," in the summer of 2018. He also wrote a 2017 memo instructing ICE officials to act immediately when they encounter any undocumented migrant in the U.S., per Buzzfeed. Albence has been with ICE for nearly 24 years.

Go deeper: Trump's hardline new border plan

Go deeper

Axios
Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 19,655,445 — Total deaths: 727,353 — Total recoveries — 11,950,845 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 7 a.m. ET: 4,998,802 — Total deaths: 162,425 — Total recoveries: 1,643,118 — Total tests: 61,080,587 — Map.
  3. Politics: Trump signs 4 executive actions on coronavirus aid — Democrats, and some Republicans, criticize the move.
  4. Public health: Fauci says chances are "not great" that COVID-19 vaccine will be 98% effective — 1 in 3 Americans would decline COVID-19 vaccine.
  5. Science: Indoor air is the next coronavirus frontline.
  6. Schools: How back-to-school is playing out in the South as coronavirus rages on — Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Howard to hold fall classes online.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Felix Salmon
1 hour ago - Economy & Business

Elevator anxiety will stifle reopenings

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Will you step back into an elevator any time soon?

Why it matters: Tens of billions of dollars — and the future of cities around the country — rest on the answer to that question. So long as workers remain unwilling to take elevators, hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of office real estate will continue to go largely unused.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow
Rebecca Falconer
Updated 6 hours ago - World

Brazil coronavirus death toll tops 100,000 and case numbers surpass 3 million

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro posted a photo of himself to Facebook congratulating his soccer team, Palmeiras, for winning the state title Saturday, moments after the health ministry confirmed the national COVID-19 death toll had surpassed 100,000.

Why it matters: Brazil is only the second country to confirm more than 100,000 deaths from the coronavirus. On Sunday morning, it became the second country to surpass 3 million cases, per Johns Hopkins. Only the U.S. has reported more. Bolsonaro has yet to address the milestones. He has previously tested positive for COVID-19 three times, but he's downplayed the impact of the virus, which has crippled Brazil's economy.

Editor's note: This article has been updated with the latest coronavirus case numbers and more context.