Welcome to February. The month has begun with a flurry of events.  This month is starting off very intense.

    The Chicago area was shaken by a series of immigration raids and arrests. This round of enforcement was done by the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  Police Superintendent Larry Snelling stated that over a hundred people were taken into custody.  This is part of the bigger picture: the Trump administration's mass deportation campaign.  On Wednesday, President Trump announced plans to open up a detention center in Guantanamo Bay. This center could hold up to 30, 000 of what they call "worst criminal aliens. "  The U. S. has a long history of using Guantanamo Bay for controversial purposes.  The U. S. government used it for military purposes in Cuba.  They also used it to house prisoners during the Iraq War.  The same day, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said that deportation protections for about 600, 000 Venezuelans living in the U. S. were revoked.  People will now face more uncertainty.  Some are at risk of being removed from the country within two months.

     Wednesday night had a sad event.  An Army helicopter crashed into an American Airlines passenger jet near Washington D. C.  This collision happened just as the helicopter was about to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport.  The aircraft tumbled into the Potomac River.  Everyone on board the plane and the crews of both aircraft were killed.  Recovery efforts are still underway.  We still don't know what caused the crash but the National Transportation Safety Board started an investigation.

   This was also the day that the new Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in.  Other new faces in the administration this week?  Doug Burgum as interior secretary and Lee Zeldin, who will lead the Environmental Protection Agency.  The same day, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , Tulsi Gabbard and Kash Patel faced tough questions during confirmation hearings.  They all have a big task ahead of them.  They will be responsible for important government agencies.

    The White House caused a stir this week.  They issued a federal funding freeze.  This freeze caused confusion and disruption among social service agencies, nonprofits and universities.  The White House quickly reversed the decision the next day.  The president also announced that new tariffs on Canada and Mexico were coming.  He mentioned that the 25% tariffs will begin on Saturday.  But it was still unclear if the tariffs will include oil imports from those countries.  The tariffs are an important topic.  They could have big effects on the economy and trade relations.  The outcome is yet to be determined.

    The jury in the public corruption case against former House Speaker Michael Madigan began their deliberations.  This is the case that has been closely followed for nearly four months.  The jury is still working on a verdict.  Jurors will return to continue their discussions.

    The Chicago Cubs had a busy week.  They acquired Ryan Pressly, a veteran reliever, from the Houston Astros.  This exchange happened on Tuesday.  The Cubs traded for Pressly in exchange for Juan Bello, a minor-league pitcher.  Pressly revealed that the decision to waive his no-trade clause to join the Cubs was "one of the hardest decisions" he's ever made.  Pressly has had a successful career.  He has experience and could be a valuable addition to the Cubs' team.

    The Chicago Cubs had a busy week.  They made a big move.  The Cubs acquired Ryan Pressly, a seasoned reliever, from the Houston Astros.  The trade happened on Tuesday.  There was an exchange of players.

February Frenzy: Immigration and More

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