WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health advisers said Wednesday that a decades-old birth control pill should be sold without a prescription, paving the way for a likely U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter contraceptive medication.

The panel of FDA advisers voted unanimously in favor of drugmaker Perrigo’s request to sell its once-a-day medication over the counter. The recommendation came at the close of a two-day meeting focused on whether women could safely and effectively take the pill without professional supervision. A final FDA decision is expected this summer.

If the agency follows the nonbinding recommendation, Perrigo’s drug, Opill, would become the first contraceptive pill to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter onto store shelves. The company said sales could begin late this year if OK'd.

The outside experts said they were mostly confident that women of all ages could use the drug appropriately without seeing a health provider first.

“In the balance between benefit and risk, we’d have a hard time justifying not taking this action," said Maria Coyle, an Ohio State University pharmacist, who chaired the panel. “The drug is incredibly effective, and I think it will be effective in the over-the-counter realm just as it is in the prescription realm."

The positive vote came despite numerous criticisms from FDA scientists about how Perrigo studied the drug, including questions about whether study participants were able to understand and follow labeling instructions.

“We have an application with many complicated issues and uncertainties, including questionable reliability,” FDA’s Dr. Pamela Horn told panelists on Tuesday.

But the panel largely set those concerns aside, emphasizing the benefits of providing more effective birth control, particularly to young people and lower-income groups, than what’s available over the counter now, like condoms and diaphragms.

Most birth control pills used in the U.S. today contain a combination of progestin and estrogen. Opill is part of an older class of contraceptives that only contain progestin. They generally have fewer side effects and health risks but can be less effective if they’re not taken around the same time daily.

FDA’s decision won’t apply to other birth control pills, only Opill, although advocates hope that an approval decision might push other drugmakers to seek over-the-counter sales. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.

Nonprescription medicines are usually cheaper, but generally not covered by insurance. Requiring insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the federal government.

Opill was first approved in the U.S. five decades ago based on data showing it was more than 90% effective in preventing pregnancy when taken daily. But some women should not take it, particularly those with breast cancer, because of the risk that it could accelerate tumor growth. Women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to speak with a doctor before using it, because bleeding could indicate a serious health issue.

But in reading comprehension studies conducted by Perrigo, 68% of women with unexplained bleeding incorrectly answered they could take the drug. And a few women with breast cancer also told researchers they could use Opill.

Panel members said almost all women with a history of breast cancer would be under the care of a cancer specialist, who would advise them not to take hormonal drugs that could make their condition worse.

“I would think any woman who had a breast cancer diagnosis in the past would be highly aware of that, so I don’t think that’s going to be a concern,” said Dr. Deborah Armstrong of Johns Hopkins University.

Perrigo said its 880-patient study of the drug showed that women will consistently take the pill daily if it’s made available over-the-counter. But the FDA found several problems in the study, including more than 30% of participants who erroneously reported taking more pills than they were actually supplied. FDA reviewers said the problem called into question the company’s overall conclusions about the drug’s use and effectiveness.

FDA regulators also suggested changes in U.S. demographics since the pill was first tested — including increased obesity and other chronic conditions— could reduce the drug’s effectiveness.

Despite those concerns, Opill has the support of dozens of reproductive rights and medical groups that have long pushed for expanded access to birth control.

“Opill over the counter would give us one more option for access and the more options that are available the better,” said Clare Coleman, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association

Coleman was one of more than 25 speakers who supported Perrigo’s application during a public comment session Tuesday.

Catholic groups, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, oppose the move, saying women should be evaluated by a doctor before getting it.

Even if the pill is approved, it’s unclear how popular it might be. Opill has not been marketed in the U.S. since 2005 and was previously owned by Pfizer. Perrigo acquired the drug with its buyout of French drugmaker HRA Pharma last year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health advisers said Wednesday that a decades-old birth control pill should be sold without a prescription, paving the way for a likely U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter contraceptive medication.The panel of FDA advisers voted unanimously in favor of drugmaker Perrigo’s request to sell its once-a-day medication over the counter. The recommendation came at the close of a two-day meeting focused on whether women could safely and effectively take the pill without professional supervision. A final FDA decision is expected this summer.If the agency follows the nonbinding recommendation, Perrigo’s drug, Opill, would become the first contraceptive pill to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter onto store shelves. The company said sales could begin late this year if OK'd.The outside experts said they were mostly confident that women of all ages could use the drug appropriately without seeing a health provider first.“In the balance between benefit and risk, we’d have a hard time justifying not taking this action," said Maria Coyle, an Ohio State University pharmacist, who chaired the panel. “The drug is incredibly effective, and I think it will be effective in the over-the-counter realm just as it is in the prescription realm."The positive vote came despite numerous criticisms from FDA scientists about how Perrigo studied the drug, including questions about whether study participants were able to understand and follow labeling instructions.“We have an application with many complicated issues and uncertainties, including questionable reliability,” FDA’s Dr. Pamela Horn told panelists on Tuesday.But the panel largely set those concerns aside, emphasizing the benefits of providing more effective birth control, particularly to young people and lower-income groups, than what’s available over the counter now, like condoms and diaphragms.Most birth control pills used in the U.S. today contain a combination of progestin and estrogen. Opill is part of an older class of contraceptives that only contain progestin. They generally have fewer side effects and health risks but can be less effective if they’re not taken around the same time daily.FDA’s decision won’t apply to other birth control pills, only Opill, although advocates hope that an approval decision might push other drugmakers to seek over-the-counter sales. Birth control pills are available without a prescription across much of South America, Asia and Africa.Nonprescription medicines are usually cheaper, but generally not covered by insurance. Requiring insurers to cover over-the-counter birth control would require a regulatory change by the federal government.Opill was first approved in the U.S. five decades ago based on data showing it was more than 90% effective in preventing pregnancy when taken daily. But some women should not take it, particularly those with breast cancer, because of the risk that it could accelerate tumor growth. Women who have unusual vaginal bleeding are instructed to speak with a doctor before using it, because bleeding could indicate a serious health issue.But in reading comprehension studies conducted by Perrigo, 68% of women with unexplained bleeding incorrectly answered they could take the drug. And a few women with breast cancer also told researchers they could use Opill.Panel members said almost all women with a history of breast cancer would be under the care of a cancer specialist, who would advise them not to take hormonal drugs that could make their condition worse.“I would think any woman who had a breast cancer diagnosis in the past would be highly aware of that, so I don’t think that’s going to be a concern,” said Dr. Deborah Armstrong of Johns Hopkins University.Perrigo said its 880-patient study of the drug showed that women will consistently take the pill daily if it’s made available over-the-counter. But the FDA found several problems in the study, including more than 30% of participants who erroneously reported taking more pills than they were actually supplied. FDA reviewers said the problem called into question the company’s overall conclusions about the drug’s use and effectiveness.FDA regulators also suggested changes in U.S. demographics since the pill was first tested — including increased obesity and other chronic conditions— could reduce the drug’s effectiveness.Despite those concerns, Opill has the support of dozens of reproductive rights and medical groups that have long pushed for expanded access to birth control.“Opill over the counter would give us one more option for access and the more options that are available the better,” said Clare Coleman, president of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health AssociationColeman was one of more than 25 speakers who supported Perrigo’s application during a public comment session Tuesday.Catholic groups, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, oppose the move, saying women should be evaluated by a doctor before getting it.Even if the pill is approved, it’s unclear how popular it might be. Opill has not been marketed in the U.S. since 2005 and was previously owned by Pfizer. Perrigo acquired the drug with its buyout of French drugmaker HRA Pharma last year.___

FDA panel backs over-the-counter sales of birth control pill

A Senate committee on Wednesday approved a rail-safety bill introduced after the derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, but its fate remains uncertain due to significant Republican opposition.

The bill would increase inspections of trains carrying hazardous materials, require the use of technology to detect track defects, and sharply raise penalties on railroad companies for crashes.

The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bill one day after Norfolk Southern renewed a promise to create a fund for residents near the site of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">Ohio train wreck</a>&nbsp;to cover any decline in home values since the February derailment.

Norfolk Southern Corp. CEO Alan Shaw said in a letter to committee members that the railroad expects to compensate homeowners within about 5 miles (8 kilometers) of the crash if they sell their homes for less than the property was appraised before the derailment. He said the railroad expects to start making payments within a year.

On Feb. 3, 38 railcars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">derailed</a>&nbsp;in East Palestine, 11 of which carried hazardous chemicals, with some spilling into nearby waterways. Half of the town's 5,000 residents were evacuated as emergency responders burned off chemicals to prevent an uncontrolled explosion.

Images of the black smoke and stories about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-residents-limbo-8a486c65b38ea00d718936c5d88a70fc">families forced to leave their homes</a>&nbsp;led lawmakers to call for action to improve rail safety. The bill that emerged was approved by the Senate panel on a 16-11 vote, with all but two Republicans opposing the measure.

One of those Republicans supporting the bill, J.D. Vance of Ohio, argued that the measure is necessary to stem an increase in rail accidents.

“There will be another East Palestine in this country if we do not pass the Railway Safety Act. It’s that simple,” Vance said. “Yes, it may make rail transportation a little bit more expensive, but it's going to make rail transportation a little bit more expensive in the service of safety.”

But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the bill would give too much power to the Biden administration to restrict rail shipments of coal, oil and other fossil fuels “that the radical green movement hates.”

Vance and Republican Eric Schmitt of Missouri joined all the committee Democrats in voting for the bill.

Cruz said the bill is unlikely to get the 60 votes it probably would need to pass on the Senate floor, or to win passage in the GOP-controlled House, unless changes are made to restrict the administration's rulemaking power over railroads.

The bill has been the subject of bipartisan negotiations that resulted in changes to the original version introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Ian Jefferies, president of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aar.org/news/aar-statement-on-senate-commerce-rail-safety-act-vote/">Association of American Railroads</a>, said those negotiations have improved the bill, but “challenges remain with certain provisions,” including a requirement for at least two crew members on each train.

In his letter late Tuesday to committee members, Norfolk Southern CEO Shaw said that while the company has accrued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-railroad-earnings-east-palestine-derailment-1315a3cc5bb6fd81082e55d467cec5c2">nearly $400 million in charges</a>&nbsp;for the derailment, that doesn’t include compensation for falling property values, long-term health care or water treatment. It also does not reflect payments the railroad will receive from insurance.

Shaw said Cruz encouraged him to write the letter, which contained more details around homeowner compensation than the company had previously provided. “This commitment demonstrates that, as Senator Cruz and others have indicated, Norfolk Southern understands that this derailment was not the fault of the people of East Palestine,” the CEO said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-lawsuit-norfolk-southern-b5162c3a5d3eec681eaadfa4266ef5a6">federal government</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-lawsuit-norfolk-southern-07a9727b4cdf8f6758a7d834431a38c1">state of Ohio</a>&nbsp;and residents near the crash have all filed lawsuits against Norfolk Southern.

Shares of Norfolk Southern Corp., based in Atlanta, rose a fraction of a penny in trading Wednesday.

By Associated Press<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683816492279.jpeg" alt="A Norfolk Southern freight train makes it way through Homestead, Pa. on April 27, 2022. Norfolk Southern reports earnings on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)" />
 <figcaption>A Norfolk Southern freight train makes it way through Homestead, Pa. on April 27, 2022. Norfolk Southern reports earnings on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>A Senate committee on Wednesday approved a rail-safety bill introduced after the derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, but its fate remains uncertain due to significant Republican opposition.The bill would increase inspections of trains carrying hazardous materials, require the use of technology to detect track defects, and sharply raise penalties on railroad companies for crashes.The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bill one day after Norfolk Southern renewed a promise to create a fund for residents near the site of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">Ohio train wreck</a>&nbsp;to cover any decline in home values since the February derailment.Norfolk Southern Corp. CEO Alan Shaw said in a letter to committee members that the railroad expects to compensate homeowners within about 5 miles (8 kilometers) of the crash if they sell their homes for less than the property was appraised before the derailment. He said the railroad expects to start making payments within a year.On Feb. 3, 38 railcars&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">derailed</a>&nbsp;in East Palestine, 11 of which carried hazardous chemicals, with some spilling into nearby waterways. Half of the town's 5,000 residents were evacuated as emergency responders burned off chemicals to prevent an uncontrolled explosion.Images of the black smoke and stories about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-residents-limbo-8a486c65b38ea00d718936c5d88a70fc">families forced to leave their homes</a>&nbsp;led lawmakers to call for action to improve rail safety. The bill that emerged was approved by the Senate panel on a 16-11 vote, with all but two Republicans opposing the measure.One of those Republicans supporting the bill, J.D. Vance of Ohio, argued that the measure is necessary to stem an increase in rail accidents.“There will be another East Palestine in this country if we do not pass the Railway Safety Act. It’s that simple,” Vance said. “Yes, it may make rail transportation a little bit more expensive, but it's going to make rail transportation a little bit more expensive in the service of safety.”But Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said the bill would give too much power to the Biden administration to restrict rail shipments of coal, oil and other fossil fuels “that the radical green movement hates.”Vance and Republican Eric Schmitt of Missouri joined all the committee Democrats in voting for the bill.Cruz said the bill is unlikely to get the 60 votes it probably would need to pass on the Senate floor, or to win passage in the GOP-controlled House, unless changes are made to restrict the administration's rulemaking power over railroads.The bill has been the subject of bipartisan negotiations that resulted in changes to the original version introduced by Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.Ian Jefferies, president of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aar.org/news/aar-statement-on-senate-commerce-rail-safety-act-vote/">Association of American Railroads</a>, said those negotiations have improved the bill, but “challenges remain with certain provisions,” including a requirement for at least two crew members on each train.In his letter late Tuesday to committee members, Norfolk Southern CEO Shaw said that while the company has accrued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-railroad-earnings-east-palestine-derailment-1315a3cc5bb6fd81082e55d467cec5c2">nearly $400 million in charges</a>&nbsp;for the derailment, that doesn’t include compensation for falling property values, long-term health care or water treatment. It also does not reflect payments the railroad will receive from insurance.Shaw said Cruz encouraged him to write the letter, which contained more details around homeowner compensation than the company had previously provided. “This commitment demonstrates that, as Senator Cruz and others have indicated, Norfolk Southern understands that this derailment was not the fault of the people of East Palestine,” the CEO said.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-lawsuit-norfolk-southern-b5162c3a5d3eec681eaadfa4266ef5a6">federal government</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-lawsuit-norfolk-southern-07a9727b4cdf8f6758a7d834431a38c1">state of Ohio</a>&nbsp;and residents near the crash have all filed lawsuits against Norfolk Southern.Shares of Norfolk Southern Corp., based in Atlanta, rose a fraction of a penny in trading Wednesday.

Senate panel OKs rail-safety bill; railroad vows to help homeowners

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday will begin denying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-asylum-border-migrants-biden-f3a27b93a8082566b859ee34e92270e7">asylum to migrants</a>&nbsp;who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first applying online or seeking protection in a country they passed through. It marks a fundamental shift in immigration policy as the U.S. readies for the end of a key pandemic restriction.

Asylum seekers have been showing up at the border in huge numbers in anticipation of this week’s end of the use of a restriction&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">known as Title 42.</a>&nbsp;That rule has allowed the government to quickly expel migrants to Mexico. U.S. officials warned of difficult days ahead as the program tied to the COVID-19 pandemic expires this week.

The rule announced Wednesday is part of new measures meant to crack down on illegal border crossings while creating new legal pathways. Families who cross the border will face curfews and monitoring; the head of household will wear an ankle bracelet as their cases are heard within 30 days.

But there’s also a plan to open 100 regional migration hubs across the Western Hemisphere and granting humanitarian parole to 30,000 people a month to enter the country from four countries. U.S. officials have detailed steps they’ve taken, including increasing deportation flights, as they prepare for what many are expecting to be a substantial increase in migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“Our plan will deliver results, but it will take time for those results to be fully realized,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned.

Many migrants, spurred by concerns that it may soon become harder to stay in the U.S., were trying to cross before Title 42 expires and the new rule takes effect at the end of the day Thursday.

Under Title 42, border officials have quickly returned people — and they did so 2.8 million times since March 2020. But after the restrictions expire Thursday, migrants caught crossing illegally will not be allowed to return for five years. They can face criminal prosecution if they do.

At the Rio Grande in Matamoros on Wednesday, migrants arrived steadily. Many stripped down before descending the steep riverbank grasping plastic bags filled with clothes. They slowly waded into the river as more migrants arrived, some crossing themselves before following the line across the flowing border. One family swaddled a tiny baby inside an open suitcase. A man held it atop his head while another waded beside him as a precaution. Other children rode on shoulders. On the U.S. side they scrambled up the bank, pausing to put on dry clothing, before carefully picking their way through the rows of concertina wire.

In Ciudad Juarez, migrants arrived this week in small groups by train or bus, leaving daily to surrender to the U.S. authorities.

Fran Tovar, a 30-year-old electrician from Venezuela who left two children behind to try to reach the U.S., was expelled from the U.S. on his first attempt. He was trying again 24 hours later, with the goal of crossing before Title 42’s use expires.

“There is fear and anguish,” Tovar said Wednesday, adding that he has spent three months in Juarez trying to get an appointment through an app the U.S. has encouraged migrants to use to present themselves at a border entry point and seek admission.

Roughly 10,000 people were apprehended by Border Patrol on Tuesday, among the largest apprehensions in a single day, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. More than 27,000 people were in custody. Custody numbers vary as migrants are released or deported, but in March 8,600 people were in Border Patrol custody.

Miguel Meza, the head of migrant programs for Catholic Relief Services, which has 26 migrant shelters across Mexico, estimated that about 55,000 migrants were in the border cities across from the U.S. on Wednesday. The shelter space is “saturated," he said, and migrants were spilling into areas around them.

The measure announced Wednesday is a key part of the U.S. strategy to address border crossings that rose to all-time highs even with Title 42 in effect. While stopping short of a total ban, it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">imposes severe limitations on asylum</a>&nbsp;for those crossing illegally who didn't first seek a legal pathway. It includes room for exceptions and does not apply to children traveling alone. It was first announced in February.

A federal appeals court prevented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-ap-top-news-international-news-politics-latin-america-6bef9ed6c48b4c2ea203cbbea3ccacad">similar but stricter measures</a>&nbsp;pursued by then-President Donald Trump in 2019 from taking effect.

Human rights groups said they plan to sue quickly.

“This rule will subject people to grave harm,” said American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Katrina Eiland.

She said it would result in migrants stranded in northern Mexico. She said the rule was predicated on the idea migrants can get protection in another country or get an appointment online to seek asylum in the U.S. She said there are serious problems with both those options.

U.S. officials also said they planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-biden-asylum-75d8c0e67d5521fb48ac04f6bf017a49">open regional hubs around the hemisphere</a>, where migrants could apply to go to the U.S., Canada or Spain. Two hubs were previously announced in Guatemala and Colombia. It's unclear where the other locations would be. The administration officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing border plans that were not yet public.

Most of the people going to the U.S.-Mexico border are fleeing persecution or poverty in their home countries. Migrants and groups who work with them noted the swirl of rumors and disinformation from smugglers that makes it hard for migrants to understand what to do.

In Matamoros, Carmen Josefina Characo Lopez said she arrived over a month ago and had been trying to use the U.S. government's app to schedule an appointment to seek asylum.

“People who just arrive start hearing the stories of others who have been here longer and they start getting alarmed. ‘Oh, you’ve been here for four months. Well, I just got here and I’m going to cross.’ And that’s where the dilemma is,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683770770241.png" alt="National Guard troops installed razor wire along the Texas-Mexico border -photo Texas Gov. Greg Abbott" />
 <figcaption>National Guard troops installed razor wire along the Texas-Mexico border -photo Texas Gov. Greg Abbott</figcaption>
 </figure>CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) — The Biden administration on Thursday will begin denying&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-asylum-border-migrants-biden-f3a27b93a8082566b859ee34e92270e7">asylum to migrants</a>&nbsp;who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border without first applying online or seeking protection in a country they passed through. It marks a fundamental shift in immigration policy as the U.S. readies for the end of a key pandemic restriction.Asylum seekers have been showing up at the border in huge numbers in anticipation of this week’s end of the use of a restriction&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">known as Title 42.</a>&nbsp;That rule has allowed the government to quickly expel migrants to Mexico. U.S. officials warned of difficult days ahead as the program tied to the COVID-19 pandemic expires this week.The rule announced Wednesday is part of new measures meant to crack down on illegal border crossings while creating new legal pathways. Families who cross the border will face curfews and monitoring; the head of household will wear an ankle bracelet as their cases are heard within 30 days.But there’s also a plan to open 100 regional migration hubs across the Western Hemisphere and granting humanitarian parole to 30,000 people a month to enter the country from four countries. U.S. officials have detailed steps they’ve taken, including increasing deportation flights, as they prepare for what many are expecting to be a substantial increase in migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.“Our plan will deliver results, but it will take time for those results to be fully realized,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas warned.Many migrants, spurred by concerns that it may soon become harder to stay in the U.S., were trying to cross before Title 42 expires and the new rule takes effect at the end of the day Thursday.Under Title 42, border officials have quickly returned people — and they did so 2.8 million times since March 2020. But after the restrictions expire Thursday, migrants caught crossing illegally will not be allowed to return for five years. They can face criminal prosecution if they do.At the Rio Grande in Matamoros on Wednesday, migrants arrived steadily. Many stripped down before descending the steep riverbank grasping plastic bags filled with clothes. They slowly waded into the river as more migrants arrived, some crossing themselves before following the line across the flowing border. One family swaddled a tiny baby inside an open suitcase. A man held it atop his head while another waded beside him as a precaution. Other children rode on shoulders. On the U.S. side they scrambled up the bank, pausing to put on dry clothing, before carefully picking their way through the rows of concertina wire.In Ciudad Juarez, migrants arrived this week in small groups by train or bus, leaving daily to surrender to the U.S. authorities.Fran Tovar, a 30-year-old electrician from Venezuela who left two children behind to try to reach the U.S., was expelled from the U.S. on his first attempt. He was trying again 24 hours later, with the goal of crossing before Title 42’s use expires.“There is fear and anguish,” Tovar said Wednesday, adding that he has spent three months in Juarez trying to get an appointment through an app the U.S. has encouraged migrants to use to present themselves at a border entry point and seek admission.Roughly 10,000 people were apprehended by Border Patrol on Tuesday, among the largest apprehensions in a single day, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. More than 27,000 people were in custody. Custody numbers vary as migrants are released or deported, but in March 8,600 people were in Border Patrol custody.Miguel Meza, the head of migrant programs for Catholic Relief Services, which has 26 migrant shelters across Mexico, estimated that about 55,000 migrants were in the border cities across from the U.S. on Wednesday. The shelter space is “saturated," he said, and migrants were spilling into areas around them.The measure announced Wednesday is a key part of the U.S. strategy to address border crossings that rose to all-time highs even with Title 42 in effect. While stopping short of a total ban, it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">imposes severe limitations on asylum</a>&nbsp;for those crossing illegally who didn't first seek a legal pathway. It includes room for exceptions and does not apply to children traveling alone. It was first announced in February.A federal appeals court prevented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-ap-top-news-international-news-politics-latin-america-6bef9ed6c48b4c2ea203cbbea3ccacad">similar but stricter measures</a>&nbsp;pursued by then-President Donald Trump in 2019 from taking effect.Human rights groups said they plan to sue quickly.“This rule will subject people to grave harm,” said American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Katrina Eiland.She said it would result in migrants stranded in northern Mexico. She said the rule was predicated on the idea migrants can get protection in another country or get an appointment online to seek asylum in the U.S. She said there are serious problems with both those options.U.S. officials also said they planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-biden-asylum-75d8c0e67d5521fb48ac04f6bf017a49">open regional hubs around the hemisphere</a>, where migrants could apply to go to the U.S., Canada or Spain. Two hubs were previously announced in Guatemala and Colombia. It's unclear where the other locations would be. The administration officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing border plans that were not yet public.Most of the people going to the U.S.-Mexico border are fleeing persecution or poverty in their home countries. Migrants and groups who work with them noted the swirl of rumors and disinformation from smugglers that makes it hard for migrants to understand what to do.In Matamoros, Carmen Josefina Characo Lopez said she arrived over a month ago and had been trying to use the U.S. government's app to schedule an appointment to seek asylum.“People who just arrive start hearing the stories of others who have been here longer and they start getting alarmed. ‘Oh, you’ve been here for four months. Well, I just got here and I’m going to cross.’ And that’s where the dilemma is,” she said.___

US to limit asylum at Mexico border as COVID restrictions end

WISNER, Neb. (AP) — A high school athlete has died after collapsing during track practice at his school in Nebraska.

Hunter Palmer, 18, was a student at Wisner-Pilger High School. He collapsed Friday and died later at a nearby hospital.

The multitalented student also played basketball and was an all-district running back in football, the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska-high-school-senior-dies-after-collapsing-at-track-practice/article_1ee513a8-edc7-11ed-867f-13a695fdadc0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Omaha World-Herald reported Monday.</a>&nbsp;Palmer had signed with Midland University for football.

“Our staff really enjoyed recruiting Hunter,” Midland coach Jeff Jamrog said on Twitter. “He was a dynamic young man who was an absolute pleasure to be around."

A day before his death, Palmer competed at a meet and cleared his personal best in the high jump, winning the event. He also participated in a relay race, with his team coming in second.

The high school senior also enjoyed wrestling, golf and baseball,&nbsp;<a href="https://minnickfuneralserviceinc.com/book-of-memories/5188480/Palmer-Hunter/index.php">according to his obituary.</a>

“He loved hanging out with friends, driving around, watching Netflix, lifting weights, singing, and drinking Dr. Pepper. His favorite teams were the Green Bay Packers and Clemson Tigers," the obituary said.

Wisner-Pilger High School didn’t have information Monday on the cause of Palmer’s death. Local authorities referred questions to the county attorney, who declined to comment.

By Associated PressWISNER, Neb. (AP) — A high school athlete has died after collapsing during track practice at his school in Nebraska.Hunter Palmer, 18, was a student at Wisner-Pilger High School. He collapsed Friday and died later at a nearby hospital.The multitalented student also played basketball and was an all-district running back in football, the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska-high-school-senior-dies-after-collapsing-at-track-practice/article_1ee513a8-edc7-11ed-867f-13a695fdadc0.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Omaha World-Herald reported Monday.</a>&nbsp;Palmer had signed with Midland University for football.“Our staff really enjoyed recruiting Hunter,” Midland coach Jeff Jamrog said on Twitter. “He was a dynamic young man who was an absolute pleasure to be around."A day before his death, Palmer competed at a meet and cleared his personal best in the high jump, winning the event. He also participated in a relay race, with his team coming in second.The high school senior also enjoyed wrestling, golf and baseball,&nbsp;<a href="https://minnickfuneralserviceinc.com/book-of-memories/5188480/Palmer-Hunter/index.php">according to his obituary.</a>“He loved hanging out with friends, driving around, watching Netflix, lifting weights, singing, and drinking Dr. Pepper. His favorite teams were the Green Bay Packers and Clemson Tigers," the obituary said.Wisner-Pilger High School didn’t have information Monday on the cause of Palmer’s death. Local authorities referred questions to the county attorney, who declined to comment.

High school athlete dies after collapsing at track practice

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden predicted Tuesday that the U.S.-Mexico border would be “chaotic for a while" when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">pandemic-related restrictions end</a>, as 550 active-duty troops began arriving and migrants weighed whether or when to cross.

The restrictions have been in place since 2020, and allowed U.S. officials to quickly return migrants over the border. They are ending later this week and the U.S. is putting into place a set of new policies that will clamp down on illegal crossings while offering migrants a legal path to the United States if they apply online through a government app, have a sponsor and pass background checks.

Biden said his administration was working to make the change orderly. “But it remains to be seen," he told reporters. "It's going to be chaotic for a while.”

Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spoke for roughly an hour Tuesday to discuss the border. Mexico shares a 1,951-mile border with the United States, so the nation is key to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-biden-mexico-a0b8f4730521d90fd5ea305e2f2cbc5e">the success of any plans</a>&nbsp;by the United States to control immigration at the southern border.

Migrants are already arriving. About 100 people — mostly from Colombia — came across the border before dawn Tuesday and walked nearly two hours through remote, boulder-strewn mountains east of San Diego to a sandy plateau where Border Patrol agents watched over them.

Andres Barra, 39, left Colombia on Friday, flew to Tijuana, Mexico, and paid a smuggler $300 to guide him to a mountain peak near the agents, to whom they surrendered. He fled Colombia because frequent robbery and extortion made it difficult to live.

He said he wanted to enter the United States while the restrictions were still in effect, because he heard it would be more difficult after Thursday.

“It won’t be so easy anymore,” he said.

Agents in the U.S. Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four- or five-day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief. On Monday, agents found migrants from 22 countries.

In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, groups handed out fliers Tuesday that explained in English and Haitian Creole how to register for the CBP One app that the U.S. has been using to allow migrants to schedule an appointment to try to gain admittance to the U.S.

Standing in Reynosa’s central square Tuesday, Phanord Renel of Haiti said he would not risk deportation to cross. “We don’t want to go back there (Haiti) because the situation is very complicated there,” he said. “If we can’t cross, we have to put up with it here, maybe the government will do something for us, but cross illegally — no.”

U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum. However, the U.S. has used Title 42 of a public health law to expel migrants with no chance at asylum 2.8 million times since March 2020 on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

The Biden administration has said it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>

“We believe we have a robust process to deal with what is going to occur after Title 42 lifts. Again, we’re using the tools that are available to us because Congress refuses to do their job as it relates to the border," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.

The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border, but they will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities.

At least some of the active-duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go. More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May.

Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation. Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority.

Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. The Biden administration's plan is meant to crack down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.

Some migrants have been spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.

“It’s a very complicated legal system and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to communicate the realities of our clients,” Daniel Berlin, of the International Rescue Committee, said. ”While we try to communicate the most accurate and up to date information that we have, smugglers and traffickers and other bad actors are communicating false information.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-sanctuary-chicago-texas-99857b2b34e52fba556497dda263537d">Effects have also been felt far from the southern border.</a>&nbsp;In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an emergency declaration in response to a tenfold increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the city in need of temporary shelter and other help.

Chicago officials have warned for several weeks that its shelters can't accommodate the larger number of migrants arriving daily since late April. Migrants have been sheltering inside city police stations or airports because city-run shelters are full.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden predicted Tuesday that the U.S.-Mexico border would be “chaotic for a while" when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">pandemic-related restrictions end</a>, as 550 active-duty troops began arriving and migrants weighed whether or when to cross.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Title 42 might as well already be rolled back. Our Border Patrol Agents are managing countless droves of migrants attempting to enter the United States. Congress must act and ensure BP has the resources they need to combat this crisis. <a href="https://t.co/NJOtqwZRk1">pic.twitter.com/NJOtqwZRk1</a>&mdash; Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/1654179879074635776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The restrictions have been in place since 2020, and allowed U.S. officials to quickly return migrants over the border. They are ending later this week and the U.S. is putting into place a set of new policies that will clamp down on illegal crossings while offering migrants a legal path to the United States if they apply online through a government app, have a sponsor and pass background checks.Biden said his administration was working to make the change orderly. “But it remains to be seen," he told reporters. "It's going to be chaotic for a while.”Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador spoke for roughly an hour Tuesday to discuss the border. Mexico shares a 1,951-mile border with the United States, so the nation is key to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-immigration-biden-mexico-a0b8f4730521d90fd5ea305e2f2cbc5e">the success of any plans</a>&nbsp;by the United States to control immigration at the southern border.Migrants are already arriving. About 100 people — mostly from Colombia — came across the border before dawn Tuesday and walked nearly two hours through remote, boulder-strewn mountains east of San Diego to a sandy plateau where Border Patrol agents watched over them.Andres Barra, 39, left Colombia on Friday, flew to Tijuana, Mexico, and paid a smuggler $300 to guide him to a mountain peak near the agents, to whom they surrendered. He fled Colombia because frequent robbery and extortion made it difficult to live.He said he wanted to enter the United States while the restrictions were still in effect, because he heard it would be more difficult after Thursday.“It won’t be so easy anymore,” he said.Agents in the U.S. Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four- or five-day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief. On Monday, agents found migrants from 22 countries.In the Mexican border city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas, groups handed out fliers Tuesday that explained in English and Haitian Creole how to register for the CBP One app that the U.S. has been using to allow migrants to schedule an appointment to try to gain admittance to the U.S.Standing in Reynosa’s central square Tuesday, Phanord Renel of Haiti said he would not risk deportation to cross. “We don’t want to go back there (Haiti) because the situation is very complicated there,” he said. “If we can’t cross, we have to put up with it here, maybe the government will do something for us, but cross illegally — no.”U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum. However, the U.S. has used Title 42 of a public health law to expel migrants with no chance at asylum 2.8 million times since March 2020 on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.The Biden administration has said it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>“We believe we have a robust process to deal with what is going to occur after Title 42 lifts. Again, we’re using the tools that are available to us because Congress refuses to do their job as it relates to the border," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border, but they will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities.At least some of the active-duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go. More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May.Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation. Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority.Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. The Biden administration's plan is meant to crack down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.Some migrants have been spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.“It’s a very complicated legal system and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to communicate the realities of our clients,” Daniel Berlin, of the International Rescue Committee, said. ”While we try to communicate the most accurate and up to date information that we have, smugglers and traffickers and other bad actors are communicating false information.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-sanctuary-chicago-texas-99857b2b34e52fba556497dda263537d">Effects have also been felt far from the southern border.</a>&nbsp;In Chicago, Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued an emergency declaration in response to a tenfold increase in the number of asylum-seekers arriving in the city in need of temporary shelter and other help.Chicago officials have warned for several weeks that its shelters can't accommodate the larger number of migrants arriving daily since late April. Migrants have been sheltering inside city police stations or airports because city-run shelters are full.___

Biden: US-Mexico border will be 'chaotic for a while'

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging financial fraud at the heart of a political campaign built on dubious boasts about his personal wealth and business success.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the 13 count indictment

Santos, the New York Republican whose biography began to unravel after his election last fall, is accused of duping donors, stealing campaign funds, lying to Congress and cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve. Santos, 34, was released on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment Wednesday at a Long Island federal courthouse, about five hours after he surrendered to authorities. Santos told reporters he would not resign.

CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-santos">George Santos</a>, the New York Republican infamous for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-lies-congress-new-york-republicans-9e4fd69b75894addb5bd2d4d5e8171ff">fabricating his life story</a>, has been indicted on charges that he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve, prosecutors said Wednesday.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the 13 count indictment

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23809076-george-santos-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with Santos' fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.

Santos surrendered on Wednesday and was taken to a federal courthouse on Long Island, where he was expected to make an initial court appearance on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.

Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos induced supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including to buy designer clothes and to pay his credit cards and car payments.

Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and applying for and receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.

The indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."

Reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Santos said he was unaware of the charges.

Santos has defied calls to resign — some from fellow Republicans — as details of his fictitous resume came to light, though he did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-house-committees-6e46e2badad39fb190d38105a800236f">decline his committee assignments</a>. He has given no indication that he plans to step aside because of his indictment. In the past, members of Congress in both parties have remained in office while facing charges.

Santos, 34, was elected to Congress last fall after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-business-bb455cc02b70e5366b9c5e347da8ad38">a campaign built partly on falsehoods</a>. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.

In reality, Santos didn't work at the big financial firms he claimed had employed him, didn't go to college and struggled financially before his run for public office. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches, earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.

In regulatory filings, Santos claimed he loaned his campaign and related political action committees more than $750,000, but it was unclear how he would have come into that kind of wealth so quickly after years in which he struggled to pay his rent and faced multiple eviction proceedings.

In a financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.

Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working as a salesman for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.

In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.

Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed that the company was formed “exclusively” to aid Santos’ election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed that the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.

Last October, a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from company coffers to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.

Many of Santos' fellow New York Republicans called on him to resign after his fabricated life story was revealed. Some renewed those calls after news of his indictment.

"Sooner or later, whether he chooses to or not, both the truth and justice will be delivered to him,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican representing parts of upstate New York.

House Republican leaders were more circumspect, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying, “I think in America, you’re innocent till proven guilty," and Majority Leader Steve Scalise saying, “In America there’s a presumption of innocence."

Santos has faced criminal investigations before.

When he was 19, he was the subject of a criminal investigation in Brazil over allegations he used stolen checks to buy items at a clothing shop. Brazilian authorities said they have reopened the case.

In 2017, Santos was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-george-santos-pennsylvania-theft-business-e6d41c89261061f4775c7073c6ec14e8">charged with theft</a>&nbsp;in Pennsylvania after authorities said he used thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook had been stolen, and that someone else had taken the dogs.

Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos' work raising money for a group that purported to help neglected and abused pets. One New Jersey veteran accused Santos of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-jersey-george-santos-surgery-f72a4d8a505783d7c558c8cbf4b6d55a">failing to deliver $3,000</a>&nbsp;he had raised to help his pet dog get a needed surgery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683736676254.png" alt="United State's Attorney's office" />
 <figcaption>United State's Attorney's office</figcaption>
 </figure>CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep. George Santos has pleaded not guilty to charges alleging financial fraud at the heart of a political campaign built on dubious boasts about his personal wealth and business success.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the 13 count indictmentSantos, the New York Republican whose biography began to unravel after his election last fall, is accused of duping donors, stealing campaign funds, lying to Congress and cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn’t deserve. Santos, 34, was released on a $500,000 bond following his arraignment Wednesday at a Long Island federal courthouse, about five hours after he surrendered to authorities. Santos told reporters he would not resign.----------CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. (AP) — U.S. Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-santos">George Santos</a>, the New York Republican infamous for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-lies-congress-new-york-republicans-9e4fd69b75894addb5bd2d4d5e8171ff">fabricating his life story</a>, has been indicted on charges that he duped donors, stole from his campaign and lied to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve, prosecutors said Wednesday.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-05/santos.indictment.pdf">Click here to read</a> the 13 count indictment<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23809076-george-santos-indictment">The indictment</a>&nbsp;was a reckoning for a web of fraud and deceit that prosecutors say overlapped with Santos' fantastical public image as a wealthy businessman — a fictional biography that began to unravel after he won election last fall.Santos surrendered on Wednesday and was taken to a federal courthouse on Long Island, where he was expected to make an initial court appearance on charges of wire fraud, money laundering, theft of public funds and making false statements to Congress.Among the allegations, prosecutors say Santos induced supporters to donate to a company under the false pretense that the money would be used to support his campaign. Instead, they say, he used the money for personal expenses, including to buy designer clothes and to pay his credit cards and car payments.Santos also is accused of lying about his finances on congressional disclosure forms and applying for and receiving unemployment benefits while he was employed as regional director of an investment firm that the government shut down in 2021 over allegations that it was a Ponzi scheme.The indictment “seeks to hold Santos accountable for various alleged fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations,” U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said. “Taken together, the allegations in the indictment charge Santos with relying on repeated dishonesty and deception to ascend to the halls of Congress and enrich himself."Reached by The Associated Press on Tuesday, Santos said he was unaware of the charges.Santos has defied calls to resign — some from fellow Republicans — as details of his fictitous resume came to light, though he did&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-congress-house-committees-6e46e2badad39fb190d38105a800236f">decline his committee assignments</a>. He has given no indication that he plans to step aside because of his indictment. In the past, members of Congress in both parties have remained in office while facing charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673636785376.png" alt="Rep. Santos -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Santos -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Santos, 34, was elected to Congress last fall after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-business-bb455cc02b70e5366b9c5e347da8ad38">a campaign built partly on falsehoods</a>. He told people he was a wealthy Wall Street dealmaker with a substantial real estate portfolio who had been a star volleyball player in college, among other things.In reality, Santos didn't work at the big financial firms he claimed had employed him, didn't go to college and struggled financially before his run for public office. He claimed he fueled his run largely with self-made riches, earned from brokering deals on expensive toys for wealthy clients, but the indictment alleges those boasts were also exaggerated.In regulatory filings, Santos claimed he loaned his campaign and related political action committees more than $750,000, but it was unclear how he would have come into that kind of wealth so quickly after years in which he struggled to pay his rent and faced multiple eviction proceedings.In a financial disclosure form, Santos reported making $750,000 a year from a family company, the Devolder Organization, but the charges unsealed Wednesday allege that Santos never received that sum, nor the $1 million and $5 million in dividends he listed as coming from the firm.Santos has described the Devolder Organization as a broker for sales of luxury items like yachts and aircraft. The business was incorporated in Florida shortly after Santos stopped working as a salesman for Harbor City Capital, the company accused by federal authorities of operating an illegal Ponzi scheme.In November 2021, Santos formed Redstone Strategies, a Florida company that federal prosecutors say he used to dupe donors into financing his lifestyle. According to the indictment, Santos told an associate to solicit contributions to the company and gave the person contact information for potential donors.Emails to prospective donors falsely claimed that the company was formed “exclusively” to aid Santos’ election bid and that there would be no limits on how much they could contribute, the indictment said. Santos falsely claimed that the money would be spent on television ads and other campaign expenses, it said.Last October, a month before his election, Santos transferred about $74,000 from company coffers to bank accounts he maintained, the indictment said. He also transferred money to some of his associates, it said.Many of Santos' fellow New York Republicans called on him to resign after his fabricated life story was revealed. Some renewed those calls after news of his indictment."Sooner or later, whether he chooses to or not, both the truth and justice will be delivered to him,” said U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro, a Republican representing parts of upstate New York.House Republican leaders were more circumspect, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy saying, “I think in America, you’re innocent till proven guilty," and Majority Leader Steve Scalise saying, “In America there’s a presumption of innocence."Santos has faced criminal investigations before.When he was 19, he was the subject of a criminal investigation in Brazil over allegations he used stolen checks to buy items at a clothing shop. Brazilian authorities said they have reopened the case.In 2017, Santos was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-george-santos-pennsylvania-theft-business-e6d41c89261061f4775c7073c6ec14e8">charged with theft</a>&nbsp;in Pennsylvania after authorities said he used thousands of dollars in fraudulent checks to buy puppies from dog breeders. That case was dismissed after Santos claimed his checkbook had been stolen, and that someone else had taken the dogs.Federal authorities have separately been looking into complaints about Santos' work raising money for a group that purported to help neglected and abused pets. One New Jersey veteran accused Santos of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-new-york-city-jersey-george-santos-surgery-f72a4d8a505783d7c558c8cbf4b6d55a">failing to deliver $3,000</a>&nbsp;he had raised to help his pet dog get a needed surgery.___

GOP congressman surrenders; read the indictment of fraud, theft

WASHINGTON (AP) — Women should start getting every-other-year mammograms at age 40 instead of waiting until 50, according to a draft recommendation from a federal task force.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long said women can choose to start breast cancer screening as young as 40, with a stronger recommendation that they get the X-ray exams every two years from age 50 through 74.

Tuesday’s update -– if the draft proposal is finalized -– would mark a shift in the influential panel’s guidelines although it's not likely to end confusion. Other health groups differ over when and how often to screen.

“This new recommendation will help save lives and prevent more women from dying due to breast cancer,” said former task force chair Dr. Carol Mangione.

The task force noted that Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, making mammograms at 40 an especially important step -– but also urged more research to better understand and combat the disparity.

The task force also noted that nearly half of all women have dense breasts, which means mammograms may not work as well, and called for more research into whether additional types of testing would help.

The draft recommendation applies to women at average risk of breast cancer but not those at very high risk due to certain genetic or other factors. It is open for public comment through June 5, after which the task force will decide whether to finalize it.

While cancer deaths have been declining for years, breast cancer remains the second leading cancer killer of U.S. woman, behind lung cancer.

Health organizations have long had different screening recommendations, seeking to balance catching breast cancer early while avoiding too many false alarms, when the X-rays spot non-cancerous blips.

The American Cancer Society says women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year -– but can choose to start at 40 and then at 55, can choose to switch to every other year.

The American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at 40 for women at average risk of breast cancer -– but urges that young women get assessed for risk factors that require even earlier screening.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Women should start getting every-other-year mammograms at age 40 instead of waiting until 50, according to a draft recommendation from a federal task force.The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has long said women can choose to start breast cancer screening as young as 40, with a stronger recommendation that they get the X-ray exams every two years from age 50 through 74.Tuesday’s update -– if the draft proposal is finalized -– would mark a shift in the influential panel’s guidelines although it's not likely to end confusion. Other health groups differ over when and how often to screen.“This new recommendation will help save lives and prevent more women from dying due to breast cancer,” said former task force chair Dr. Carol Mangione.The task force noted that Black women are 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women, making mammograms at 40 an especially important step -– but also urged more research to better understand and combat the disparity.The task force also noted that nearly half of all women have dense breasts, which means mammograms may not work as well, and called for more research into whether additional types of testing would help.The draft recommendation applies to women at average risk of breast cancer but not those at very high risk due to certain genetic or other factors. It is open for public comment through June 5, after which the task force will decide whether to finalize it.While cancer deaths have been declining for years, breast cancer remains the second leading cancer killer of U.S. woman, behind lung cancer.Health organizations have long had different screening recommendations, seeking to balance catching breast cancer early while avoiding too many false alarms, when the X-rays spot non-cancerous blips.The American Cancer Society says women ages 45 to 54 should get mammograms every year -– but can choose to start at 40 and then at 55, can choose to switch to every other year.The American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at 40 for women at average risk of breast cancer -– but urges that young women get assessed for risk factors that require even earlier screening.

Start mammograms at 40, not 50, a US health panel recommends

KEARNEY, NEB.&nbsp; — Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office (Texas), and the Kearney Police Department, have arrested a Kearney man after a child exploitation investigation.

Montgomery County officials contacted Nebraska officials regarding a child exploitation investigation and had identified a suspect who was located in Kearney.

Tuesday morning, NSP performed a search warrant at the residence of 822 D Avenue, in Kearney. The resident, Nicholas Kitzing, 33, was arrested on four arrest warrants from Montgomery County, Texas for possession with the intent to promote child pornography.&nbsp;

Kitzing was lodged in Buffalo County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.

By Nebraska State Patrol&nbsp;KEARNEY, NEB.&nbsp; — Investigators with the Nebraska State Patrol Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constables Office (Texas), and the Kearney Police Department, have arrested a Kearney man after a child exploitation investigation.Montgomery County officials contacted Nebraska officials regarding a child exploitation investigation and had identified a suspect who was located in Kearney.Tuesday morning, NSP performed a search warrant at the residence of 822 D Avenue, in Kearney. The resident, Nicholas Kitzing, 33, was arrested on four arrest warrants from Montgomery County, Texas for possession with the intent to promote child pornography.&nbsp;Kitzing was lodged in Buffalo County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing.

NSP arrests Kearney man in child exploitation investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders confronted each other on the debt limit impasse Tuesday, ending their meeting with no breakthrough but agreeing to meet again this week to try to avert the looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">risk of an unprecedented government default</a>.

Speaking at the White House, Biden described the talks as “productive” even though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said after the high-stakes Oval Office meeting that he “didn’t see any new movement” toward resolving the stalemate.

Lawmakers and their staffs were to continue discussions as soon as Tuesday evening on the annual federal budget at Biden’s encouragement. Biden and the congressional leaders are to meet again on Friday.

After the hour-long discussion in the Oval Office, Biden said he was “absolutely certain” that the country could avert a default, declaring that failure to meet America's obligations “is not an option.”

Still, time is short. The government is bumping up against its legal limit for borrowing and will not be able to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress doesn’t agree to raise the debt ceiling. That failure would send the country into default with wide-reaching economic impacts at home and around the world.

Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations — while affirming his willingness to hold talks on the budget only after default is no longer a threat.

“I told congressional leaders that I’m prepared to begin a separate discussion about my budget, spending priorities, but not under the threat of default,” Biden said.

Outside the White House, McCarthy said, “I asked the president this simple question, Does he not believe there’s any place we could find savings."

As the president welcomed McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, he had quipped to reporters, “We’re going to get started, solve all the world’s problems.”

Biden described the meeting's tone as “very measured and low key,” adding, “occasionally there would be a little bit of an assertion that maybe was a little over the top from the speaker.”

He especially took issue with McCarthy's branding as a lie the Democrats' assertion that the Republicans' budget restraints would hurt veterans.

Still, Biden added, “I trust Kevin will try to do what he says.”

There seemed to be at least a bit of daylight between McConnell, who has let his House counterpart take the lead in negotiations and backed him up ahead of the White House meeting, and McCarthy.

The Senate leader categorically said, “The United States is not going to default. It never has and it never will." The speaker, though, simply said, “I’ve done everything in my power to make sure we will not default.”

Democrats said there is room to “come together” on spending cuts as part of the budget process, but quickly jumped on McCarthy's refusal to rule out the possibility of default, with Schumer saying the Republican is “greatly endangering America.”

“To use the risk of default, with all the dangers that has for the American people as a hostage and say it’s my way or no way, are mostly my way or no way, is dangerous," Schumer said.

McCarthy said Biden had directed their staffs to continue discussions, and that the leaders themselves would convene again in person on Friday at the White House.

While Biden ruled out default, he also all but dismissed trying to unilaterally prevent it, saying that he didn't believe invoking the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says the validity of the federal debt shall not be questioned, was a solution to the current impasse.

White House lawyers will pursue the idea further, he added, but "the problem is it would have to be litigated.”

Before the White House meeting, both McCarthy and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted it would be simple to avert default — if only the other side capitulated.

The chasm between these opposite postures had fomented uncertainty that is roiling financial markets and threatens to turn into a tidal wave that swamps the country’s economy. Default, officials say, would have sweeping impacts, threatening to disrupt Social Security payments to retirees, destabilize global markets and tilt the nation into a potentially debilitating recession.

Last month, House Republicans passed a sweeping bill to slash spending, an opening offer in negotiations. But that legislation has no chance in the Democratic Senate and the White House has threatened to veto it. Republicans hope that bill would achieve $4.5 trillion in deficit savings through cuts in spending, eliminating tax breaks for investing in clean energy, and reversing Biden’s plans to reduce the burdens of student loan debt.

Referring to the House bill, McCarthy said, “We both said default is not an option — but only one of us took action.”

Already looking past the meeting, Biden on Wednesday is to go to Westchester County, New York, where he plans to deliver a speech on how proposed spending cuts approved by House Republicans could hurt teachers, older adults needing food aid and veterans seeking health care.

It's part of a broader campaign by Biden to try to paint the Republican cuts as draconian. Aides believe that message both strengthens his position in talks with the GOP and boosts his nascent 2024 reelection effort. His Wednesday visit will be to a congressional district won by Biden in 2020 but now represented by a Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler.

Because the House Republican bill does not specifically spell out which federal programs would be cut, Democrats have gone on offense warning of steep hits to popular programs. The Democratic-aligned group House Majority Forward announced a $1 million campaign Tuesday amplifying such cuts, while the House Republicans' campaign committee countered with its own effort portraying Democrats as “addicted to spending.”

McCarthy rejected as he said his caucus would take steps to increase funding for veterans despite their overall proposal. “First of all, cutting the veterans is a lie,” he said.

While calling for a “clean” increase to the debt limit, Biden has said he is open to discussion about how to reduce the federal deficit. His budget plan would trim deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade, mainly through tax increases on the wealthy and changes such as letting the government negotiate over prescription drug prices.

In response to McCarthy’s demand to claw back some unspent funds from his sweeping COVID-19 relief package, Biden said he would “take a hard look” at doing so independent of the talks to raise the debt limit.

“We don’t need it all, but the question is what obligations were there made, commitments, made, money not dispersed, etc.,” Biden said, adding: “It’s on the table.”

Biden added the debt limit should be raised for “more than a year, so that we can move things along.” The House GOP bill raised the possibility of another showdown over the government’s borrowing authority in the heat of a presidential election next year.

While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-gdp-economy-inflation-interest-rates-growth-b6276997368000bdd2bb12bdcf34f3b8">the financial markets</a>&nbsp;have started to show some jitters, the business community has thus far largely avoided backing either side in the showdown and instead called for a deal to be struck.

“Securing a bipartisan path forward to raise the debt ceiling could not be more urgent,” said Josh Bolten, the head of the Business Roundtable, a group that represents CEOs. “The cost of a default, or even the threat of a default, is simply too high.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggested its own priorities for a swift deal Tuesday, saying "there are no two better places to start than permitting reform and an agreement on spending caps.”

Biden's refusal to negotiate on the debt limit is informed by his first-hand experience in 2011, when he was Barack Obama's vice president and the administration made painful concessions to Republicans in an effort to avoid default. Biden has told aides it's an experience he refuses to repeat, not just for himself, but for future presidents.

Notably, though, the administration has not ruled out a short-term increase in the debt limit that would align the deadline to increase federal borrowing authority with the talks on government spending that must be resolved by Sept. 30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683679819499.png" alt="Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and congressional leaders confronted each other on the debt limit impasse Tuesday, ending their meeting with no breakthrough but agreeing to meet again this week to try to avert the looming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-department-of-the-treasury-united-states-government-janet-yellen-business-6fe9b54dcdfea58bead0f4c5f9f89a64">risk of an unprecedented government default</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Join me as I deliver remarks following a meeting with Congressional leaders about preventing a first-ever government default. <a href="https://t.co/FTjvRnl7oa">https://t.co/FTjvRnl7oa</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1656066178886803457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking at the White House, Biden described the talks as “productive” even though House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said after the high-stakes Oval Office meeting that he “didn’t see any new movement” toward resolving the stalemate.Lawmakers and their staffs were to continue discussions as soon as Tuesday evening on the annual federal budget at Biden’s encouragement. Biden and the congressional leaders are to meet again on Friday.After the hour-long discussion in the Oval Office, Biden said he was “absolutely certain” that the country could avert a default, declaring that failure to meet America's obligations “is not an option.”Still, time is short. The government is bumping up against its legal limit for borrowing and will not be able to pay all of its bills as soon as June 1 if Congress doesn’t agree to raise the debt ceiling. That failure would send the country into default with wide-reaching economic impacts at home and around the world.Republicans came to the White House hoping to negotiate sweeping cuts to federal spending in exchange for allowing new borrowing to avoid default. Biden, on the other hand, reinforced his opposition to allowing the country’s full faith and credit to be held “hostage” to negotiations — while affirming his willingness to hold talks on the budget only after default is no longer a threat.“I told congressional leaders that I’m prepared to begin a separate discussion about my budget, spending priorities, but not under the threat of default,” Biden said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our national debt crisis is too important to play politics. That’s why House Republicans voted to avoid default and responsibly raise the debt limit. Our founders designed our government for negotiation. So let’s get this done. <a href="https://t.co/eVmNSLYg5E">pic.twitter.com/eVmNSLYg5E</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1656082747482415104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Outside the White House, McCarthy said, “I asked the president this simple question, Does he not believe there’s any place we could find savings."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Just finished meeting at the White House. My position is clear and reasonable—House Republicans have done their job to avoid a default and responsibly raise the debt limit. Democrats must now do the same. <a href="https://t.co/AkR3DoagD9">https://t.co/AkR3DoagD9</a>&mdash; Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerMcCarthy/status/1656044330099044352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the president welcomed McCarthy, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, he had quipped to reporters, “We’re going to get started, solve all the world’s problems.”Biden described the meeting's tone as “very measured and low key,” adding, “occasionally there would be a little bit of an assertion that maybe was a little over the top from the speaker.”He especially took issue with McCarthy's branding as a lie the Democrats' assertion that the Republicans' budget restraints would hurt veterans.Still, Biden added, “I trust Kevin will try to do what he says.”There seemed to be at least a bit of daylight between McConnell, who has let his House counterpart take the lead in negotiations and backed him up ahead of the White House meeting, and McCarthy.The Senate leader categorically said, “The United States is not going to default. It never has and it never will." The speaker, though, simply said, “I’ve done everything in my power to make sure we will not default.”Democrats said there is room to “come together” on spending cuts as part of the budget process, but quickly jumped on McCarthy's refusal to rule out the possibility of default, with Schumer saying the Republican is “greatly endangering America.”“To use the risk of default, with all the dangers that has for the American people as a hostage and say it’s my way or no way, are mostly my way or no way, is dangerous," Schumer said.McCarthy said Biden had directed their staffs to continue discussions, and that the leaders themselves would convene again in person on Friday at the White House.While Biden ruled out default, he also all but dismissed trying to unilaterally prevent it, saying that he didn't believe invoking the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which says the validity of the federal debt shall not be questioned, was a solution to the current impasse.White House lawyers will pursue the idea further, he added, but "the problem is it would have to be litigated.”Before the White House meeting, both McCarthy and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted it would be simple to avert default — if only the other side capitulated.The chasm between these opposite postures had fomented uncertainty that is roiling financial markets and threatens to turn into a tidal wave that swamps the country’s economy. Default, officials say, would have sweeping impacts, threatening to disrupt Social Security payments to retirees, destabilize global markets and tilt the nation into a potentially debilitating recession.Last month, House Republicans passed a sweeping bill to slash spending, an opening offer in negotiations. But that legislation has no chance in the Democratic Senate and the White House has threatened to veto it. Republicans hope that bill would achieve $4.5 trillion in deficit savings through cuts in spending, eliminating tax breaks for investing in clean energy, and reversing Biden’s plans to reduce the burdens of student loan debt.Referring to the House bill, McCarthy said, “We both said default is not an option — but only one of us took action.”Already looking past the meeting, Biden on Wednesday is to go to Westchester County, New York, where he plans to deliver a speech on how proposed spending cuts approved by House Republicans could hurt teachers, older adults needing food aid and veterans seeking health care.It's part of a broader campaign by Biden to try to paint the Republican cuts as draconian. Aides believe that message both strengthens his position in talks with the GOP and boosts his nascent 2024 reelection effort. His Wednesday visit will be to a congressional district won by Biden in 2020 but now represented by a Republican, Rep. Mike Lawler.Because the House Republican bill does not specifically spell out which federal programs would be cut, Democrats have gone on offense warning of steep hits to popular programs. The Democratic-aligned group House Majority Forward announced a $1 million campaign Tuesday amplifying such cuts, while the House Republicans' campaign committee countered with its own effort portraying Democrats as “addicted to spending.”McCarthy rejected as he said his caucus would take steps to increase funding for veterans despite their overall proposal. “First of all, cutting the veterans is a lie,” he said.While calling for a “clean” increase to the debt limit, Biden has said he is open to discussion about how to reduce the federal deficit. His budget plan would trim deficits by nearly $3 trillion over a decade, mainly through tax increases on the wealthy and changes such as letting the government negotiate over prescription drug prices.In response to McCarthy’s demand to claw back some unspent funds from his sweeping COVID-19 relief package, Biden said he would “take a hard look” at doing so independent of the talks to raise the debt limit.“We don’t need it all, but the question is what obligations were there made, commitments, made, money not dispersed, etc.,” Biden said, adding: “It’s on the table.”Biden added the debt limit should be raised for “more than a year, so that we can move things along.” The House GOP bill raised the possibility of another showdown over the government’s borrowing authority in the heat of a presidential election next year.While&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/recession-gdp-economy-inflation-interest-rates-growth-b6276997368000bdd2bb12bdcf34f3b8">the financial markets</a>&nbsp;have started to show some jitters, the business community has thus far largely avoided backing either side in the showdown and instead called for a deal to be struck.“Securing a bipartisan path forward to raise the debt ceiling could not be more urgent,” said Josh Bolten, the head of the Business Roundtable, a group that represents CEOs. “The cost of a default, or even the threat of a default, is simply too high.”The U.S. Chamber of Commerce suggested its own priorities for a swift deal Tuesday, saying "there are no two better places to start than permitting reform and an agreement on spending caps.”Biden's refusal to negotiate on the debt limit is informed by his first-hand experience in 2011, when he was Barack Obama's vice president and the administration made painful concessions to Republicans in an effort to avoid default. Biden has told aides it's an experience he refuses to repeat, not just for himself, but for future presidents.Notably, though, the administration has not ruled out a short-term increase in the debt limit that would align the deadline to increase federal borrowing authority with the talks on government spending that must be resolved by Sept. 30.

🎥Not much happened at the White House debt limit meeting 

WASHINGTON (A) — About 550 U.S. active duty troops have begun arriving along the U.S.-Mexico border in the first group of military support ahead of an expected increase of migrants, U.S. defense officials said Tuesday.

The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border as the U.S. prepares for the end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">immigration restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic.</a>&nbsp;Those restrictions are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">set to expire Thursday</a>, leading to concerns about whether that will result in an increase in migrants trying to enter the U.S. starting Friday.

The forces will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities.

"They needed assistance performing some of those back shop type requirements so that they can focus on the law enforcement aspect of this,” Ryder said.

At least some of the active duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go.

More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May. The initial plan calls for a temporary 90-day deployment of the active duty forces, because they can be moved much more quickly to the border than National Guard or Reserve troops.

The Biden administration has said that it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>

Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation.

Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority. Ryder said the active duty troops will be doing an entirely separate mission.

Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. President Joe Biden has responded by cracking down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.

Some locations across the border are already seeing an influx of migrants, often spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the Title 42 changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.

Agents in the Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four or five day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief.

It’s unclear what’s driving the increase other than anticipation that pandemic restrictions are about to end, Bovino said in an interview.

“We see these surges whenever there’s a major event or a news story,” he said. “We don’t have a crystal ball, so I can’t say there’s going to be a massive surge on Friday.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683651774846.png" alt="The initial plan calls for a temporary 90-day deployment of the active duty forces photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>The initial plan calls for a temporary 90-day deployment of the active duty forces photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (A) — About 550 U.S. active duty troops have begun arriving along the U.S.-Mexico border in the first group of military support ahead of an expected increase of migrants, U.S. defense officials said Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Title 42 might as well already be rolled back. Our Border Patrol Agents are managing countless droves of migrants attempting to enter the United States. Congress must act and ensure BP has the resources they need to combat this crisis. <a href="https://t.co/NJOtqwZRk1">pic.twitter.com/NJOtqwZRk1</a>&mdash; Rep. Tony Gonzales (@RepTonyGonzales) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepTonyGonzales/status/1654179879074635776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The movement of troops is part of efforts to beef up security along the southern border as the U.S. prepares for the end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">immigration restrictions linked to the coronavirus pandemic.</a>&nbsp;Those restrictions are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">set to expire Thursday</a>, leading to concerns about whether that will result in an increase in migrants trying to enter the U.S. starting Friday.The forces will mainly be used to help monitor and watch the border, or do data entry and support, and are “not there in any way to be interacting with migrants,” said Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary. The goal is to free up U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel to do law enforcement activities."They needed assistance performing some of those back shop type requirements so that they can focus on the law enforcement aspect of this,” Ryder said.At least some of the active duty troops will be used near El Paso, Texas, he said, while adding that CBP will decide where forces will go.More than 900 additional soldiers, Marines and airmen will follow around the end of May. The initial plan calls for a temporary 90-day deployment of the active duty forces, because they can be moved much more quickly to the border than National Guard or Reserve troops.U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum. However, the U.S. has used Title 42 of a public health law to expel migrants with no chance at asylum 2.8 million times since March 2020 on the grounds of preventing the spread of COVID-19.The Biden administration has said that it is ready to deal with whatever happens after Title 42's use ends, although it has also repeatedly criticized Congress for not making changes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">the country's immigration system.</a>“We believe we have a robust process to deal with what is going to occur after Title 42 lifts. Again, we’re using the tools that are available to us because Congress refuses to do their job as it relates to the border," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.Roughly 2,500 National Guard members are already spread across all sectors of the border, providing an array of support to CBP, including monitoring, detection and air transportation.Separately, Texas National Guard troops are also working along the border under state authority. Ryder said the active duty troops will be doing an entirely separate mission.Even with the COVID-19 asylum restrictions still in place, the administration has seen record numbers of people crossing the border. President Joe Biden has responded by cracking down on those who cross illegally and by creating new pathways meant to offer alternatives to a dangerous and often deadly journey.Some locations across the border are already seeing an influx of migrants, often spurred by false information from smugglers or widespread rumors about what the Title 42 changes will mean for their chances of being able to remain in the U.S.Agents in the Border Patrol’s relatively quiet El Centro, California, sector stopped about 260 migrants a day over a four or five day period through Sunday, up from about 90 a day the previous week, said Gregory Bovino, the sector chief.It’s unclear what’s driving the increase other than anticipation that pandemic restrictions are about to end, Bovino said in an interview.“We see these surges whenever there’s a major event or a news story,” he said. “We don’t have a crystal ball, so I can’t say there’s going to be a massive surge on Friday.”Top nationalities crossing illegally in the El Centro sector are from Peru, Colombia and Senegal, Bovino said. On Monday, agents found migrants from 22 countries.Also Tuesday, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and President Joe Biden spoke by telephone. Since Mexico shares a roughly 2,000-mile (3,200-kilometer) border with the United States, it's key to the success of any plans by the United States to control immigration at the southern border. The Mexican president said the two spoke for over an hour.“We reaffirmed the commitment to continue working together on issues like migration with a humanistic perspective, drug and weapons trafficking, and above all, cooperation on the welfare of the poorest people on our continent,” he said.----------BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Under a set of white tents at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;in Brownsville, Texas, dozens of Venezuelan men waited. Some sat on curbs and others leaned on metal barricades. When the gates eventually opened, the long line of men filed slowly up the pedestrian pathway to the bridge and across the Rio Grande River to Mexico.In the past few weeks, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have been facilitating these expulsions three times a day as roughly 30,000 migrants,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-immigration-border-migrants-86bd7acbf3f13167db8d2197607fa940">mostly from Venezuela</a>, have entered the U.S. in this region since mid-April. That's compared with 1,700 migrants Border Patrol agents encountered in the first two weeks of April.In the other end of the state, in El Paso, officials are dealing with another surge of migrants and worry that thousands more are waiting to cross.All this comes as the U.S. is preparing for the end of a policy linked to the coronavirus pandemic that allowed it to quickly expel many migrants, and it spotlights concerns about whether the end of the immigration limits&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">under Title 42 of a 1944 public health law</a>&nbsp;will mean even more migrants trying to cross the southern border.“We’ve been preparing for quite some time and we are ready. What we are expecting is indeed a surge. And what we are doing is planning for different levels of a surge,” Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last week during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-border-patrol-asylum-title-42-849bd8da7a3427b8ee6cba5b83b9086c">a visit to southern Texas</a>. But he also stressed that the situation at the border is “extremely challenging.”He spoke from a location in Brownsville where U.S. officials had set up a tent and facilities like portable bathrooms for migrants. He said it's difficult to identify the cause of the recent Venezuelan surge but said the U.S. is working with Mexico to address it and predicted change “very shortly.”Many of those crossing the border are entering through Brownsville just north of the Mexican border town of Matamoros. The city was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bus-stop-crash-migrants-dead-shelter-border-2a84f53e5981fc0d315d290b0961f793">rocked by another crisis Sunday</a>&nbsp;when an SUV plowed into people waiting at a bus stop across from the city's migrant shelter. Eight people, mostly men from Venezuela, died.Ricardo Marquez, a 30-year-old Venezuelan man, arrived at a shelter in McAllen after crossing the border with his wife and 5-month-old child in Brownsville. They left Venezuela because his daughter needs surgery.“I was confronted with the decision to either stay there or risk it all for my daughter,” he said. They had crossed the Rio Grande after spending a month in Matamoros trying to get an appointment through an app the U.S. uses to schedule appointments for people without documents to come to the border and seek entry.Officials in President Joe Biden's administration say they have been preparing for well over a year for the end of Title 42.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-biden-asylum-75d8c0e67d5521fb48ac04f6bf017a49">The strategy</a>&nbsp;has hinged on providing more legal pathways for migrants to get to the U.S. without risking the perilous journey to the border. That includes things like setting up centers in foreign countries where migrants can apply to emigrate as well as a humanitarian parole process already in place&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-immigration-af0643a4fb8f45388fe247e44c9b2c5e">with 30,000 slots a month for people</a>&nbsp;from four countries to come to the U.S. Starting May 12 they're expanding appointments available through the CBP One app Marquez tried to use. When it was launched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-united-states-government-caribbean-mexico-mobile-apps-49b38b18869ed3b2260fb6d774153456">many migrants and advocates criticized the app</a>, saying it had technological problems and there simply weren't enough appointments.The strategy is also heavy on consequences. The U.S. is proposing a rule that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">would severely limit</a>&nbsp;asylum to migrants who first travel through another country,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asylum-screening-title-42-mexico-93273917fa28848b78684cfb99bb7ad5">quickly screening migrants seeking</a>&nbsp;asylum at the border and deporting those deemed not qualified, and a five-year ban on reentry for those deported.A lot of these consequences have been met with harsh criticism by immigrants' rights groups who have gone so far as to compare the policies to then-President Donald Trump's and say the right to apply for asylum on U.S. soil is sacrosanct. Much of the Biden administration strategy is also facing legal peril in the coming weeks. The proposed rule limiting asylum is almost certain to be the subject of lawsuits. And Republican-leaning states want to stop the Democratic administration's use of humanitarian parole on such a large scale.The administration has also been increasing Immigration and Customs Enforcement flights to remove people from the country — flights like one that took off recently from an airport in Harlingen, Texas. Shortly after dawn three buses pulled up next to a plane. One by one migrants got out of the bus. They were wearing handcuffs and leg restraints and surgical masks. First they were patted down for contraband and then slowly walked up the stairs to the plane. Altogether 133 migrants were sent back to their home country of Guatemala.But those flights only work if countries accept them. Venezuela does not. And Colombia says it's suspending deportation flights due to “cruel and degrading” treatment of migrants.Administration officials say they're using technology to speed up the processing of migrants who cross the border without documentation and using mobile processing, so they can process migrants while they're being transported by bus or van, for example. They've pushed to digitize documents that at one time were filled out by hand by Border Patrol. And they've beefed up the hiring of contractors so agents can remain in the field.But critics have slammed the administration, saying it's not doing enough. Kyrsten Sinema, an independent U.S. senator from Arizona, said on CBS' “Face the Nation” on Sunday that the administration wasn't communicating with local officials about things like what type of surge to expect or whether buses would be available to transport migrants. And she said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-troops-southern-border-68ec4d25fb87b41265019a0ffd20a784">a decision to send 1,500 military troops</a>&nbsp;to the border came too late.In Texas, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said Monday he was deploying “tactical” National Guard teams this week to the busiest crossing spots. Abbott, who for years has accused the Biden administration of not doing enough on the border, also said “many thousands more” migrants in the coming days will be bused by the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/greg-abbott-mexico-texas-immigration-philadelphia-65a9158fc6969608cc2736b93de0c20f">to Democratic-led cities elsewhere in the U.S.</a>“It did not have to be this way," said Abbott, speaking in Austin as Guard members boarded four C-130 cargo planes behind him.In communities that border Mexico, officials and community groups that care for newly arrived migrants are anxious about what the end of Title 42 means. Sister Norma Pimentel runs&nbsp;<a href="https://www.catholiccharitiesrgv.org/respitecenter/home.aspx">Catholic Charities' Humanitarian Respite Center</a>, the largest shelter in South Texas.The shelter functions mainly as a resource center where migrants can purchase tickets, make calls, eat and rest before traveling to their next destination, where they often have family or other contacts. But, Pimentel said, many of the Venezuelans in this latest surge don’t have connections in the U.S., making it harder for them to move to the next destination. “That becomes a problem for us,” she said.The federal government gives money to communities to help them deal with the increases in migrants. On Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/05/05/emergency-food-and-shelter-program-national-board-allocates-over-300-million-local">the administration announced that $332 million</a>&nbsp;had been disbursed to 35 local governments and service organizations. Most goes to communities close to the border “due to the urgencies they are confronting,” but cities far from the border also get funds.In the Texas border city of El Paso, about 2,200 migrants are currently camped or living on the streets a few blocks from major ports of entry that connect El Paso with the Mexican city of Juárez. The city is prepared to open up shelters next week if needed at two vacant school buildings and a civic center.El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser estimated that roughly 10,000 to 12,000 migrants are in Juárez waiting to cross, as local officials prepare for the “unknown.” Leeser said migrants are flocking to the border under false assumptions that it will be easier to gain entry to the U.S. when Title 42 goes away, but for many there could be tougher consequences.It's a message federal officials have been repeating. But they're competing against a powerful human smuggling network that facilitates northern migration and the desperation of migrants who feel they have no other option.At the Brownsville port of entry, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say they've run drills to prepare in case there’s a surge of migrants trying to cross and they need to close the bridge. Pedestrians cross from Matamoros using a covered walkway that can only accommodate a few people across. Worried about the impact of long lines of migrants coming to the port after May 11 without an appointment and impacting port operations, they're calling on people to schedule appointments through CBP One.___