Venomous, floating fire ants are invading Virginia and more state headlines
• 'Venomous, floating fire ants are invading Virginia.' — Axios
• 'Virginia Breeze sets ridership record.' — CBS19
• 'Virginia Beach introduces program to address school-related threats.' — WAVY
• 'Police: Driver killed in Virginia State Police shooting had a knife.' — WTVR
• 'Fairfax County seeks input on update to vision for Fair Lakes area.' — FFXnow
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Axios
4 hours ago
- Axios
Here are the 3rd-countries where the Trump admin is deporting migrants
Expelling migrants to third-countries that are not their place of origin is becoming a cornerstone of President Trump's deportation strategy. The big picture: The administration's increasing number of third-country deportation agreements showcases a dogged desire to pursue every possible avenue to fulfill Trump's promise to deport record numbers of noncitizens. Catch up quick: The Trump administration restarted deportation flights after the Supreme Court ruled last month that the Department of Homeland Security could resume sending migrants to countries that were not their place of origin. The decision put a lower court order that required the government to give immigrants adequate time to challenge their deportations on hold. State of play: Border czar Tom Homan said the U.S. aims to sign third-country deportation agreements with "many countries" to support the administration's deportation plans. The administration has either approached or plans to approach roughly 51 countries to accept non-citizen deportations from the U.S., per a June report New York Times report. At least two of those countries, Eswatini and South Sudan in Africa, have accepted flights from the U.S. since the report came out. The DHS did not immediately respond to Axios' Wednesday evening request for comment on how many of the countries have been approached. Thought bubble via Axios' Dave Lawler: The administration has reportedly discussed safe third-country agreements with many countries for which the "safe" description is very much in question. Take Libya or South Sudan, both of which have been wracked by instability and violence for years. Several other countries involved in these deals are among the poorest in the world. The prospect of deporting migrants thousands of miles away to unfamiliar and often unstable countries has raised alarm among human rights groups, but the idea has strong support within the administration. Here are the countries that have already accepted deportees who are not their citizens: Eswatini Five migrants from Cuba, Jamaica, Laos, Vietnam and Yemen were deported to the tiny African nation of Eswatini on Tuesday, the DHS announced. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X that the flight was carrying individuals who had been convicted of a range of crimes that included murder, homicide, and child rape. El Salvador The Trump administration sent at least 238 Venezuelan migrants to a notorious El Salvadorian maximum security prison under the Alien Enemies Act in March, claiming that they were terrorists and members of a violent gang. By the numbers: An April CBS News report found 75% of the migrants sent to the prison had no criminal record. Mexico Mexico has received roughly 6,000 non-Mexicans from the U.S. as of late April, per Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Sheinbaum said the non-Mexicans her country was accepting for "humanitarian reasons" comprise a small number of the nearly 39,000 migrants the U.S. has deported to Mexico since Jan. 20. Guatemala Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo announced in February that his country had agreed to accept third-country nationals from the United States and would be ramping up deportation flights from the U.S. by 40%. Arevalo told NBC News that the agreement was not supposed to provide a pathway for people to seek asylum in Guatemala. Rather, the country would serve as a pit stop in the process of sending people back to their home countries. Costa Rica Costa Rica accepted roughly 200 third-country nationals from two different U.S. flights through the end of February, per a May Human Rights Watch report. On the planes were at least 81 children and two pregnant women. What they're saying: After announcing the expulsion agreement, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves said his country was helping its "economically powerful brother to the north." Costa Rican officials have said the U.S. will cover the costs of the deported people's stay in the country, and that the arrangement was expected to be a temporary stop in the repatriation process. Panama The U.S. has deported hundreds of people to Panama since February as part of a deal for the country serve as a "bridge" while the U.S. bears the financial costs, per AP. The migrants are from countries including Iran, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. Rwanda The U.S. paid the Rwandan government $100,000 to accept an Iraqi citizen in April and agreed to take 10 more deportees, the New York Times reported. Negotiations reached over the Iraqi citizen "proved the concept for a new removal program, according to the report. South Sudan The U.S. deported eight men to South Sudan in July, after a legal battle diverted their deportation flight to Djibouti for several weeks. Some of the men deported were from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar and Vietnam. Kosovo This landlocked Balkan nation in Europe agreed to host 50 noncitizen deportees from the U.S. in June. The deal would allow noncitizens to be "temporarily relocated" before being sent back to their home country. The intrigue: Kosovo reportedly agreed to accept the noncitizens from the U.S. in the hope that the administration will continue to lobby other nations to recognize the small country's independence.
Axios
4 hours ago
- Axios
Senate Democrats slam Israel in major shift of tone
Mainstream Senate Democrats are starting to echo their party's base, which has soured on supporting Israel. Zoom in: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a moderate Democrat from a swing state, this week slammed the Israeli government for the lack of humanitarian aid in Gaza and violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank. "There are times when, to me, it doesn't look like [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is prioritizing the hostage situation," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told Axios. "Certainly, there's times when it looks like Hamas does not want a deal." "I think it's way overdue to have Democratic members of Congress speak up and speak out about the humanitarian disaster in Gaza," Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), another moderate who has criticized Israel since the start of the war, told Axios on Wednesday. The big picture: The comments are part of a significant shift in tone toward Netanyahu from the center of the Democratic Party. Slotkin's post on X this week addressed the killing of an American by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and slammed Netanyahu for a lack of accountability. Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who spent time in Iraq, told Axios on Wednesday she has heard "lots of negative feedback" about her post following a "very rough weekend in the Middle East." "I say strong things about Iran and how I'm glad that their nuclear capability has been put back, and I also hear a negative response to that," Slotkin said. "So I just try and objectively call balls and strikes." The other side: Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has emerged as one of the strongest pro-Israel voices in the party. Fetterman offered his full support of President Trump's decision to attack Iran last month, saying the U.S. commitment to Israel must be "absolute." The bottom line: Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) told Axios that lawmakers are starting to understand "this is not just a moral issue, it's a political issue."
Axios
6 hours ago
- Axios
Exclusive: Democratic challenger to GOP Rep. Scott Perry raises $500k in 2 days
Janelle Stelson, a Pennsylvania Democrat who narrowly lost to Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) in 2024, raised more than $500,000 in the first 48 hours since announcing for 2026, Axios has learned. Why it matters: For a candidate essentially asking donors for a second chance, those are encouraging numbers. Bombshell fundraising announcements can also make other potential Democratic hopefuls think twice about jumping into the primary. "We are building the coalition needed to win this seat and it's clear that momentum is on our side," Stelson said in a statement to Axios. What we're watching: Stelson, like other 2024 retreads, still needs to get through a 2026 primary process, which could get messy. The Democratic party is still processing Zohran Mamdani's shock win in New York City, with even established incumbents wondering if they'll be victims of a progressive insurgency. Zoom in: Repeat candidates bring certain advantages to a rematch, including name ID and a donor list that can be resuscitated. But they also enter the race having been rejected the previous cycle. Still, Democratic party strategists are convinced that the midterm electorate will be more forgiving to their candidates with President Trump off the ballot. They are betting that tough losses in a presidential year can turn into tight wins in the off-year. Zoom out: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee tends to encourage repeat candidates more than their GOP counterparts, with 10 Democratic challengers running for a second time in competitive seats in 2024. Two of them – Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) and Josh Riley (D-N.Y.) – ended up prevailing in their rematches. Rep. Tom Souzi, who left his seat to run for governor in 2022, recaptured it in a special election in 2024 and then won a full term in November. Republicans mocked the tactic, likening it to microwaving "crusty lasagna". Between the lines: This year, both parties already have a handful of retread candidates looking for redemption. Former Iowa state Rep. Christina Bohannan is challenging Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) for a third time after losing by 799 votes in 2024. In Wisconsin, Rebecca Cooke wants to take another shot at Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.). In California, Joe Kerr, a retired firefighter, plans to run against Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) again. Former Rep. Yadiro Caraveo is laying the groundwork to take back her Colorado seat from Rep. Gabe Evans (R-Colo.). And former state Rep. Amish Shah and Marlene Galán-Woods are both running in the Democratic primary to face Rep. David Schweikert in Arizona. Shah lost in 2024 in the general election. The other side: In Ohio, Kevin Coughlin is looking for a rematch against Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio). And Derek Merrin is making a second run at Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). Former Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln wants to again challenge Rep. Josh Harder (D-Calif.) in the Central Valley. Two Nevada Republicans — Marty O'Donnell and David Flippo — who didn't advance past the primary last cycle are also running again in NV-03 and NV-04. The bottom line: Second-time candidates — and even third-time candidates — know how to dial for dollars, but they'll still face well-financed incumbents in November.
