A federal judge ruled on Friday that President Obama did not have the legal authority to create the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which offers protection from deportation for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
The latest: Calling the ruling "disappointing," President Biden on Saturday urged Congress to "ensure a permanent solution by granting a path to citizenship for Dreamers that will provide the certainty and stability that these young people need and deserve."
Facebook fired back on Friday evening after President Biden earlier said that social media platforms are "killing people" by allowing COVID-19 vaccine misinformation on their sites.
What they're saying: "We will not be distracted by accusations which aren't supported by the facts," a spokesperson for the tech giant said in a statement Friday.
Arizona county election officials found 182 cases of potential voter fraud out of more than 3 million ballots cast in the 2020 presidential election, AP reports.
Why it matters: The news organization's finding undercuts former President Trump's claims of a "rigged" election. AP's findings also align with studies showing that voter fraud is rare.
President Biden will nominate former New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall as his ambassador to New Zealand, tapping another onetime senator to serve in his state department.
Why it matters: Biden is drawing heavily on politicians, longtime aides and former diplomats as he fills out his ambassadorial ranks, giving short shrift to pure political donors.
President Biden will nominate Laurie E. Locascio to lead the federal agency in charge of promoting innovation and technology, the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Driving the news: Biden will name Locascio, currently vice president for research at the University of Maryland, as Undersecretary for Standards and Technology at the Department of Commerce.
She previously led internal scientific research and laboratory programs at at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, or NIST, as acting principal deputy director and associate director for laboratory programs.
The nomination will mark Locascio's return to NIST, a federal agency that works with the private sector to develop technology and standards.
The U.S. Air Force announced it will send more than two dozen F-22 fighter jets to an exercise in the western Pacific, CNN reports.
Why it matters: Analysts say that sending that many jets sends a clear message to China as tensions between Beijing and Washington escalate, CNN notes.
The Biden administration warned U.S. businesses on Friday about the risks of doing business in Hong Kong amid China's crackdown on political and economic freedoms once enjoyed in the region.
Why it matters: The new advisory, along with new sanctions against Chinese officials, will likely heighten tensions between Washington and Beijing.
U.S. Border Patrol has made more than 1 million arrests of migrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border since last October, after June set a 20-year record for that month, according to government data released on Friday.
Why it matters: The surge in migrants attempting to cross the border has continued — inciting Republicans to blame the Biden administration, while Democrats and immigration advocates pressure the president to undo strict Trump-era enforcement policies.
Seventy percent of active duty service members have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine and 62% are fully vaccinated, the Pentagon announced on Friday.
The big picture: The update comes amid initial skepticism toward vaccination, per Politico. In February, approximately one-third of troops had declined the vaccine.
A Georgia county has agreed to create new policies for the eligibility of all voters based on their residency, resolving a lawsuit claiming DeKalb County purged its voter rolls, Bloomberg reports.
Why it matters: The agreement highlights the voting battle being fought in Georgia, which helped President Biden claim victory and gave Democrats control of the Senate.
President Biden will nominate Jane Hartley, a former ambassador to France, to serve as ambassador to Britain, the Washington Post reports.
Why it matters: The ambassadorship to London is considered one of the most prestigious positions for the U.S. president to fill due to the close diplomatic, military and historical relationship between the U.S. and Britain, per the Post.
Two men have been charged in connection to an alleged plot to attack the California Democratic Party's headquarters in Sacramento, the FBI said late Thursday.
Driving the news: Ian Benjamin Rogers and Jarrod Copeland were "prompted by the outcome of the 2020 presidential election" and believed their attack would spark a "movement," federal prosecutors said, according to the Washington Post.
The Biden administration is reversing a rule approved during the Trump-era after the former president complained that some showerheads don't adequately rinse his hair, which "has to be perfect," AP reports.
The big picture: The Energy Department is going back to a standard set in 2013 by the Obama administration, which said that showerheads should not pour more than 2.5 gallons per minute, including all nozzles. An official told AP that it provides enough water to take an appropriate shower.
The top Republican on the House Judiciary antitrust subcommittee is launching a new GOP caucus on Big Tech as he seeks to build support for antitrust changes despite a divide among Republicans.
The big picture: Republicans eager to take on Big Tech are at a crossroads between working with Democrats to enact changes now or going it alone and playing a longer game.
Biden administration officials are inviting labor and business groups to the White House on Friday to strategize on how to pass the $579 bipartisan infrastructure deal, according to an administration official.
Why it matters: By welcoming groups as disparate as the Chamber of Commerce and the Ironworkers, top White House officials Anita Dunn and Cedric Richmond are working to build a broad coalition to ensure the bipartisan agreement for “hard” infrastructure becomes law.
America’s rapid demographic changes — its increasing diversity, fast-growing cities and extreme partisan sorting — are changing how Republicans and Democrats try to lock in political power through gerrymandering.
Why it matters: Narrow congressional majorities and close elections create even more incentive for parties to capitalize on the redistricting process.
The campaign committee for Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has enlisted a crew of prominent Trumpworld figures as he seeks re-election amid scandal and possible legal jeopardy, records reviewed by Axios show.
Why it matters: For a Republican in a party still dominated by the former president, little conduct could surpass fealty to Donald Trump in the minds of GOP voters. Newly released financial records show Gaetz, a steadfast ally of the former president, is leaning into that reputation amid scrutiny of his personal life.
Some U.S. swing voters are deeply worried about crime and violence — but so far aren't buying the blame-casting by Republicans or Democrats.
Why it matters: That key takeaway from our latest Engagious/Schlesinger focus groups shows how ripe for weaponizing the issue of rising national crime rates could be in the midterm elections — but how those efforts could flop if voters don't see the critiques as authentic.
The largest bloc of House conservatives has drafted a 300-page counterproposal to the Senate's sprawling bipartisan China bill, planning to circulate it to members Friday, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) won approval for his China bill, the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, with the support of 18 Republicans last month. While the GOP doesn't control the House, the proposal is an attempt to peel away Republican support for Schumer's bill and attract support from House members opposing it.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) dropped a bomb on lawmakers Thursday morning when he outlined an ambitious timeline propelling the bipartisan infrastructure proposal toward floor action next week.
Why it matters: The senators involved have their work cut out for them. There's still a lot of concern about how to pay for the $1 trillion bill, which is key to shoring up Republican support for the measure.
