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San Francisco

Axios San Francisco

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's made his first public comments Saturday after suffering a cardiac arrest during the team's game against the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this week.

The latest: "When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x's as much," Hamlin said in an Instagram post. "The Love has been overwhelming, but I'm thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out."

"If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger," he added. "On a long road keep praying for me!"

Hamlin has seen significant improvement in his condition since collapsing on the field during the regular-season game. 

His breathing tube was removed Thursday night as he "continues to progress remarkably in his recovery," the Buffalo Bills said Friday.

Hamlin's "neurologic function remains intact" and he has been talking with his family and care team, the team said, citing University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC) physicians.

Hamlin FaceTimed with teammates on Friday. “Love you boys,” he said, per the Bills.

What we're watching: The NFL announced Friday a series of measures that all 32 clubs can use to honor Hamlin during this weekend's slate of games.

The options include holding a moment of silence, outlining the "3" in each 30-yard line number and wearing pregame shirts from Nike that read "Love for Damar 3."

The Buffalo Bills announced the team will wear a No. 3 uniform patch to celebrate their fallen teammate during their home game Sunday against the New England Patriots.

The game will be "a celebration of life and of ongoing life,” Bills General Manager Brandon Beans said at a press conference Friday. “Just a celebration … for the whole country.”

“I think it's going to be a great seat if you've got a ticket to come here and just be a part of this atmosphere," Beans said. "I’ve got hair on the back of my neck standing up right now. It is going to be unique."

Catch up quick: On Thursday, Hamlin's doctors said that he was awake and making "substantial progress" after suffering a cardiac arrest.

The Buffalo Bills safety was deemed still "critically ill" Thursday but appeared to be neurologically intact, the team said.

At the time, Hamlin was unable to speak because of a breathing tube. But he was communicating through writing and could move his hands, feet and head, according to physicians at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center (UCMC).

The progress marked a "good turning point" in Hamlin's care, UCMC physician Timothy Pritts said at a news conference Thursday afternoon. Hamlin will continue to receive treatment in the intensive care unit before returning to his family.

"He expressed surprise that he had been not with the world for two days, and we talked about the support that's been given from Cincinnati and Buffalo and really across the country for him and his family here at the time," Pritts added.

What they're saying: "His lungs continue to heal and he is making steady progress," the Bills had said in an update Thursday morning.

Bills cornerback Kaiir Elam also tweeted Thursday that Hamlin "is doing better, awake and showing more signs of improvement."

Hamlin's agent, Ron Butler, told CNN that the Bills safety is holding hands with his family.

"Great news," President Biden said in response to the Bills' update Thursday. "Damar, like I told your mom and dad yesterday, Jill and I — along with all of America — are praying for you and your family."

Background: Hamlin collapsed on the field Monday night in Cincinnati after taking a hit to the chest from a routine tackle. 

Medical professionals gave him oxygen and administered CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) to bring back his heartbeat, Axios' Kendall Baker reports.

Hamlin's uncle Dorrian Glenn said Tuesday that his nephew was still on a ventilator, but he was improving.

On Wednesday, Hamlin was “in the ICU in critical condition with signs of improvement," according to the Bills.

Experts say Hamlin likely experienced commotio cordis, a rare event that happens due to a blow to the chest wall, Baker writes. Fewer than 30 cases are reported annually according to the National Library of Medicine. 

The big picture: Thousands of people have shared their support and prayers for Hamlin in the days following the tragic incident. 

More than 221,000 people have donated to Hamlin's fundraiser for a Pittsburgh-area toy drive.

"On behalf of our family, we want to express our sincere gratitude for the love and support shown to Damar during this challenging time," Hamlin’s family said in a statement. "We are deeply moved by the prayers, kind words, and donations from fans across the country."

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details and developments.

Bills' Damar Hamlin makes first public comment since cardiac arrest

"When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x's as much," Hamlin said.

 Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 13, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. Photo: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images

Football

Sports

Latino

Axios Latino

States with legislation requiring Holocaust and genocide education

Data: National Conference of State Legislatures; Cartogram: Kavya Beheraj/Axios

A majority of U.S. states don't have laws requiring public school students to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, according to an Axios analysis of data from the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Why it matters: Surveys show Americans — especially Millennials and Gen Z members — don't know basic facts about the Holocaust amid a rise in racist and antisemitic social media posts and a jump in antisemitic violence across the U.S.

And many Holocaust survivors who have spoken at schools as part of education programs are dying, depriving educators of a key resource to teach students about genocide.

By the numbers: At least 18 states have passed bills specifically requiring Holocaust and genocide education, the National Conference of State Legislature said.

Just five states had laws requiring Holocaust education before 2017, according to data collected by National Conference of State Legislatures policy associate Emily Ronco.

Then 13 states passed legislation after President Trump took office, and the nation saw a spike in antisemitic violence.

Zoom in: Some states that don't have laws mandating Holocaust education instruct schools to teach it through broad social studies standards adopted by state education agencies.

California, which isn't on the National Conference of State Legislatures' list, enacted a law in 1985 that said social studies should pay "particular attention to the study of the inhumanity of genocide, slavery, and the Holocaust, and contemporary issues."

Pennsylvania, also not on the list, passed a law in 2014 prioritizing Holocaust lessons. The instruction is not mandated but "encouraged," the state Board of Education said.

State of play: A 2020 survey commissioned by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims against Germany measuring Holocaust awareness in the U.S. found that roughly two-thirds of those surveyed didn't know how many Jewish people died.

The survey of Americans between 18 and 40 also found that 48% could not name one concentration camp or ghetto.

Zoom out: Antisemitic hate crimes are trending higher this year in several major cities and could surpass numbers from 2021 — a possible record year, according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.

Hip-hop artist Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, and NBA star Kyrie Irving, have both made antisemitic social posts in recent months.

What they're saying: "Holocaust education is essential. But I also believe that it should be part of a chain of education that deals with the diverse groups that make up the United States," Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism director Brian Levin told Axios.

"It's important to establish that the Holocaust is not an outlier" and should be taught alongside lessons about slavery, Indigenous removal and threats to democracy.

Yes, but: Samantha Abramson, executive director of the Nathan and Esther Pelz Holocaust Education Resource Center in Milwaukee, said states like Wisconsin that require Holocaust education don't put funding behind it. 

"The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction puts put forward guidelines and collaborates on workshops for educators," Abramson said.

"No one is keeping tabs on what each school is doing ... there's no time commitment. The bill does not stipulate that X number of hours is needed or do it at this time of year. So you'll see a lot of variation from district to district."

Abramson said her center provides teachers with lesson plans and ideas to teach the Holocaust effectively, but sometimes she finds a school doing something offensive.

The bottom line: Holocaust education shouldn't be simply about knowing how many Jewish people were killed, Amy Asin, vice president and director of strengthening congregations for the Union of Reform Judaism, told Axios. 

"It should also be about recognizing the signs, the threats to democracy, and how antisemitism is the gateway to racism."

Most states lack laws requiring Holocaust, genocide education

Surveys show Millennials and Gen Z members don't know basic facts about the Holocaust.

Anti-semitism

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) gave his first speech as Speaker of the House after midnight on Saturday in which he pledged "to be the check and provide some balance" on the Biden administration.

The big picture: McCarthy clinched the speakership after suffering 14 ballot vote losses in a historic vote that stretched multiple days.

What he said: "I hope one thing is clear after this week: I will never give up. I will never give up for you, the American people," McCarthy said. "And I will never give up on keeping our commitment to America."

"As Speaker of the House, my ultimate responsibility is not to my party, my conference, or even our Congress. My responsibility — our responsibility — is to our country," he added.

"Our system is built on checks and balances. It’s time for us to be the check and provide some balance to the President’s policies...There is nothing more important than making it possible for American families to live and enjoy the lives they deserve."

Finishing his remarks, McCarthy added, "Our nation is worth fighting for. Our rights are worth fighting for. Our dreams are worth fighting for. Our future is worth fighting for." 

After his speech, McCarthy thanked former President Trump when speaking with reporters.

"I don’t think you should doubt, anybody should doubt, his influence," McCarthy told reporters. "He was with me from the beginning. … And he was all in. He would call me and he would call others."

"And he really was – I was just talking to him tonight – helping get those final votes. And what he’s really saying really for the party and the country, that we have to come together," he added.

The other side: President Biden congratulated McCarthy in a statement released Friday night.

"As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well," Biden said. "Now that the leadership of the House of Representatives has been decided it is time for that process to begin."

"As the last two years show, we can do profound things for the country when we do them together."

McCarthy elected House speaker after historic battle with GOP rebels

McCarthy talks escalate as speaker vote adjourns on Day 3

Here's what Kevin McCarthy said after winning House speakership

The GOP leader secured the gavel Saturday morning after suffering 14 losses in a historic speakership vote.

U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks during his weekly news conference December 5, 2019 

Speaker of the House Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks during a news conference. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Kevin McCarthy

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis activated the Florida National Guard Friday as hundreds of migrants have arrived in the Sunshine State.

Why it matters: The decision to deploy troops comes as DeSantis and other Republicans have waged battle after battle against the Biden administration over the president's immigration policy.

Details: DeSantis, a potential 2024 presidential candidate, directed state law enforcement and state agencies to provide resources for local governments in response to the migrants arriving in the Florida Keys, his office said in a press release.

He also called on state agencies to provide "additional support toward efforts to prevent further migrant landings on Florida’s shores."

The state will share airplanes and helicopters from the National Guard, as well as increase the marine patrol for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the governor said. 

Context: About 300 illegal migrants entered Florida on Jan. 1, DeSantis said. This is on top of the nearly 8,000 that authorities  "encountered" at sea off Florida's coast since August 2022, DeSantis said. 

Hundreds of Cuban migrants have reached the Florida Keys over the last week and thousands have been detained by authorities since October, Politico reports. 

What he said: “As the negative impacts of Biden’s lawless immigration policies continue unabated, the burden of the Biden administration’s failure falls on local law enforcement who lack the resources to deal with the crisis,” DeSantis said in a statement Friday. 

“That is why I am activating the National Guard and directing state resources to help alleviate the strain on local resources. When Biden continues to ignore his legal responsibilities, we will step in to support our communities.”

Flashback: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) have taken similar steps in recent years, sending thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border to deal with the ongoing crisis.

Zoom out: President Biden is expected to visit the border for the first time since taking office on Sunday. He will do so as the country anticipates potentially 14,000 migrant crossings a day, Axios reports, which may push the administration to limit migrants' ability to qualify for asylum at the southern border.

Ahead of his trip to Mexico, Biden announced a new policy that looks to accept up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezula.

The plan offers legal entry to those countries under humanitarian parole and asylum for one month, senior administration officials told reporters. But those who enter illegally could be expelled to Mexico.

Biden told migrants from those countries to ​​"not just show up at the border."

Biden braces for potentially 14,000 migrants a day

U.S. sets record with more than 2 million encounters at Mexico border

Ron DeSantis activates National Guard as migrants arrive in Florida

Other governors across the U.S. have taken similar steps in recent years amid the ongoing border crisis.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to guests in Las Vegas.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks in Las Vegas. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Ron DeSantis

Iran has executed two more men as the country looks to crack down on nationwide protests, according to multiple reports.

Iran executes two men accused of killing Revolutionary Guard member

The two men were convicted of killing Seyed Ruhollah Ajamian, a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s Basij military force.

Axios

Saturday's top stories

Bills' Damar Hamlin makes first public comment since cardiac arrest

Most states lack laws requiring Holocaust, genocide education

Here's what Kevin McCarthy said after winning House speakership

Ron DeSantis activates National Guard as migrants arrive in Florida

Iran executes two men accused of killing Revolutionary Guard member

Facial recognition's alarming pitfalls

Mississippi civil rights sites may join National Park System

It's easier than ever to have a Dry January

McCarthy elected House speaker after historic battle with GOP rebels

Judge halts extradition of El Chapo's son to U.S.