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First immigration detainees arrive at Florida center in the Everglades

First immigration detainees arrive at Florida center in the Everglades

The first group of immigrants has arrived at a new detention center deep in the Florida Everglades that officials have dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz,' a spokesperson for Republican state Attorney General James Uthmeier told The Associated Press.
'People are there,' Press Secretary Jae Williams said, though he didn't immediately provide further details on the number of detainees or when they arrived.
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The Great American EV Fire Sale Is About to Begin
The Great American EV Fire Sale Is About to Begin

Gizmodo

time24 minutes ago

  • Gizmodo

The Great American EV Fire Sale Is About to Begin

If you are thinking about buying an electric vehicle, the clock is now ticking. President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' has officially passed Congress, and with it, a countdown that will kill the popular $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles. You now have less than three months to act. The tax credit officially expires on September 30, 2025. Initially, there were rumors the EV credits would last 180 days from when the bill was signed, a six-month grace period. This law is the centerpiece of Trump's second term, a legislative victory he can claim alongside his mass deportation initiatives as a promise kept to his base. It includes sweeping changes to the American economy, including cuts to social programs like Medicare and new work requirements for food stamp recipients. But one of its most immediate and tangible impacts is a full scale assault on clean energy incentives, and walks back some of the progress made under the Inflation Reduction Act, which previously supercharged EV sales with consumer-friendly subsidies. For consumers, the most significant change is the termination of the EV tax credit. While it was initially rumored the credit might be phased out over six months, the final version of the bill accelerates the timeline dramatically. After September 30, the $7,500 credit for new EVs will be gone. The smaller $4,000 credit for used EVs will also disappear on the same date. The bad news for clean energy does not stop there. The 30% tax credit for rooftop solar installations is now set to end on December 31, 2025, as are incentives for geothermal heat pumps and other home energy devices. The new law also dismantles the regulatory framework that has pushed automakers to produce more electric vehicles. It effectively guts the federal Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards by reducing the penalties for noncompliance to zero. Previously, automakers who failed to meet fuel efficiency targets had to pay steep fines or buy regulatory credits from more efficient companies like Tesla. Now, that financial pressure is gone. In a related move, Congress has revoked the EPA waivers that allowed California and the 17 other states that follow its lead to enforce stricter emissions rules, including Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandates. These state level programs required automakers to sell a certain percentage of zero emission vehicles or purchase credits from competitors. Without the federal waivers, these state mandates are no longer legally enforceable. For automakers, this means the financial incentive to produce and sell EVs has been significantly weakened. For a company like Tesla, which earned substantial profits in recent years from selling these credits to less compliant automakers, it means a key revenue stream has vanished. But for the average person, the message is much simpler: the era of federally subsidized electric vehicles is coming to a very abrupt end. If you're in the market for an EV, this is your last call. After September 30, the $7,500 and $4,000 tax breaks disappear. And unless there's a dramatic shift in power, they aren't coming back anytime soon.

Defunded DA hangs onto control of office for now
Defunded DA hangs onto control of office for now

Yahoo

time36 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Defunded DA hangs onto control of office for now

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) — The state of New Mexico recently defunded a district attorney, saying she couldn't keep or hire staff because of her incompetence. The state now has a plan to fix the McKinley County District Attorney's Office operations, but the DA isn't allowing that to happen quite yet. San Juan County District Attorney Jack Fortner has tried email, phone calls, and even a mediation hosted by the Governor's Office to get McKinley County District Attorney Bernadine Martin to meet with him in person. Now out of time, he showed up at her office at 9 a.m. on Tuesday – the day the fiscal year began. The state legislature had put Fortner in control of the McKinley County DA Office's budget. 'It's on her': Senator defunds DA citing attitude, staff shortage When Fortner asked if Martin was available to speak, he was surprised to find she was. Martin let Fortner in, along with his staff – an HR employee and office manager who were ready to begin onboarding the staff under his payroll. Plus, attorneys prepared to help with her county's caseload. But then, Martin closed the door. The state defunded Martin's office after years of complaints from the community and police. She should have eight assistant prosecutors, but for more than six months, she's had zero. As we shared in a KRQE investigation Monday night, the sheriff says this staffing shortage has led to criminals not being held accountable. On top of that, KRQE News 13 is told Martin has created a hostile work environment. After their meeting, KRQE asked the DA again if she would talk with us. She said no, saying she had just met with Fortner. Their meeting lasted about half an hour. Fortner said he 'was not expecting her to co-operate,' but found Martin was very cooperative, and that they had a good discussion. But she won't let him have any say in her office's operation just yet. Fortner says Martin asked him to hold off for at least two more weeks, as she'd like to hear from the New Mexico Supreme Court first. Just last month, Martin petitioned the justices to weigh in on whether the legislature and governor have the right to defund her'DA Martin assured me that she has legal coverage for two weeks,' said Fortner. 'She has funds for her staff for two weeks. And so I said, 'as soon as you need us, we're here.'' Still, it remains unclear if the court will hand down a decision that soon. Fortner says that 'it's her office, and I can't intrude without her cooperation.' They agreed to talk in a week, and see what happens. Now, Martin could be removed before then. The governor asked the attorney general to investigate whether Martin's conduct amounts to gross incompetence. Letter from Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham to Attorney General Raúl Torrez Letter to District Attorney Bernadine Martin Response from Attorney General Raúl Torrez New Mexico Department of Justice spokesperson Lauren Rodriguez released the following statement: 'We are actively investigating whether District Attorney Bernadine Martin's conduct meets the legal standard of gross incompetence, as outlined in state statute, which is necessary to pursue her removal from elected office. As with any investigation, she is entitled to due process, and we remain committed to upholding the rule of law.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds?
How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds?

Yahoo

time36 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds?

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – It was stunning news for state public education agencies across the country. The day before federal funds, approved by Congress, were supposed to be distributed, the Trump Administration sent an email saying they're reviewing the nearly $7 billion in funds and freezing that money during the review. Story continues below Crime: Albuquerque police: Child exploitation sting was a success Trending: Poll: What is the strangest town name in New Mexico? News: How could New Mexico schools be impacted by withholding of federal funds? Wildfire: Couple loses home to Trout Fire burning in the Gila National Forest 'They didn't give states a lot of indication of what they're reviewing or why they're reviewing them, only that they were going to take a look at these,' said John Sena, Director of Legislative Education Study Committee, to lawmakers on Wednesday. There are still a lot of questions about what is going on at the federal level, but during an interim committee hearing on Wednesday, a group of lawmakers learned what the potential impact could be on New Mexico Schools. Lawmakers learned the money being withheld is used for five main categories: migrant education, professional development for teachers, English acquisition learners, who account for about 18.8% of New Mexico students, support to schools that are struggling, and after-school programs. Early numbers presented at the hearing show about $18 million would be withheld from professional development for teachers and $10 million for after-school programs. Among all five categories, the withheld funds total to about $44 million and would impact about 185 staffing positions in the Public Education Department and local school agencies. Sena also said the cuts could impact how New Mexico meets requirements in the Yazzie-Martinez settlement. 'Other than those, most of those federal grants that we normally receive, the [Department of Education] has received notification that they will get those grants. They haven't seen huge fluctuations in those grants from previous years,' Sena told lawmakers. The Trump administration is also considering consolidating 18 grants into one block grant. 'And would both mean a reduction in $3.8 billion in total funding, but would also then leave it up to states how they spend whatever allocation they get,' said Sena. Sena said his team is also working with the New Mexico Public Education Department to see how the impounded funding will impact each district individually. KRQE News 13 reached out to NMPED for comment, and a spokesperson said they are still trying to get more information on the impounded funds. Sena also warned lawmakers that the changes that could be coming to Medicaid could impact New Mexico schools, saying if eligibility is changed, the state might be on the hook to pay more to keep lunches free for all New Mexico students. 'It's disappointing but, sadly, not surprising that the Trump Administration is targeting public education funding. New Mexicans can rest assured that Gov. Lujan Grisham will fight for the federal education funding our state deserves,' said Michael Coleman, Communications Director for Office of New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, in an emailed statement to News 13. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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