Plus: RFK Jr. pressures Big Food CEOs to remove artificial food dyes

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Good afternoon,

Sometimes, we don’t want to share our food – especially ice cream. A 4-year-old in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, called 911 last Tuesday to have police “come and get my mommy” after she ate his ice cream.

When officers arrived, the boy told them he was upset because he didn’t get any ice cream. His mother was lighthearted about it, and even let her son put handcuffs on her.
The next day, officers returned with a special treat: two scoops of ice cream topped with blue sprinkles!

My thoughts here: I remember packing my bag to move out of the house when my parents didn’t do what I wanted — the early 2000s version of asking Siri to call the police (which is how the boy called 911!). But now, I can appreciate how moms deserve whatever treat they want.

Lauren
Producer

🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING

Judge: Activist Will Remain in ICE Detention, Should Be Allowed Calls With Lawyer

A federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday ruled that Columbia University protest leader Mahmoud Khalil will remain in ICE detention in Louisiana, but should be allowed to speak with his lawyers. At this point, Khalil, who was born in Syria and is of Palestinian descent, hasn’t yet been formally charged with a crime.

In a letter, his wife — a U.S. citizen who is staying anonymous— said her husband was “kidnapped” and demanded his immediate release. A lawyer read her statement outside of court.

INSIDE THE COURTHOUSE
Khalil's lawyers asked for him to be returned to New York and released under supervision. They argue that he engaged in protected free speech and that the government is unconstitutionally retaliating against his views.

Meanwhile, the Department of Justice argued that Khalil’s case should be moved to Louisiana or New Jersey, where Khalil has been held in multiple facilities – rather than in NYC.
Judge Jesse Furman, an Obama appointee, granted Khalil two attorney-client phone calls in the next two days, but did not rule on where Khalil’s case will take place.
- Khalil’s lawyers said they had not been able to speak with him since his arrest Saturday.

Judge Furman also asked both sides to file written arguments by Friday, with a response due on Monday.

THE CASE
Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident who holds a Green Card, was arrested over the weekend. ICE officers say they were acting on Trump administration orders to detain him for his involvement in pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests that took over campus buildings last year and were "aligned with Hamas." Khalil came to the U.S. on a student visa in 2022, before eventually getting his green card. The White House has said he distributed Hamas propaganda, but has not released evidence.

ICE arrested Khalil under a U.S. immigration law allowing the secretary of state to deem him deportable as a potential foreign policy risk, given that Hamas is a designated terrorist organization.
- Non-U.S. citizens do not have the same rights as citizens when it comes to arrests and deportations, but have due process rights to have their cases heard before a judge. Khalil’s case also centers around the question of free speech according to his advocates, which is a right afforded to both citizens and non-citizens.

However, Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday said that the case is not a free speech issue, but a violation of the student visa that came with specific rules.

POLITICAL DIVIDE
President Trump has said Khalil’s arrest is the “first of many to come,” so we’re watching reactions to this case in Washington.

On the right: Trump border czar Tom Homan referred to Khalil as a "national security threat" on Tuesday. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said anyone on a student visa in America who was “an aspiring young terrorist” should be deported.

On the left: Democrats are being careful with their responses. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in the country, wrote on Tuesday that he abhors many of Khalil’s opinions, but says the administration must prove he is violating a law or else “they are violating the First Amendment protections we all enjoy.”

Other Democrats took a less nuanced view, signing a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to demand Khalil’s release, while expressing support for the pro-Palestinian movement and accusing Columbia of being complicit in Palestinian suffering.

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🚨 ONE THING WE’RE WATCHING

RFK Jr. Pushes Big Food CEOs To Ditch Artificial Dyes

*RFK Jr. posts photo with ‘Big Food’ CEOs.*

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged top executives from ‘Big Food’ companies this week to remove artificial dyes from food before the end of his term.

The FDA, which oversees regulation for about 80% of the nation’s food supply, plans to work with the industry to create a framework on food dyes.

THE ARGUMENTS
During his Senate confirmation hearings, Kennedy argued that the increased consumption of "highly chemical-intensive processed foods" is the primary culprit behind the chronic diseases affecting six in 10 Americans.

This week’s meeting included leaders of PepsiCo, General Mills, Tyson Foods, Smucker’s, Kraft Heinz, and Kellogg’s.
Food companies use dyes to make their products more attractive to consumers. Critics say they make unhealthy food appear more appealing and have negative health effects when consumed in large quantities.

Lawmakers across the aisle have signaled a willingness to support RFK Jr.’s efforts to ban some additives and chemicals.

BEEN HERE BEFORE?
Under the Biden administration, the FDA banned Red Dye No. 3, which will take years to go into effect. Red Dye No. 3 has been linked to cancer in animals, but there has so far been no direct link seen in humans.

Some states have proposed banning titanium dioxide, a compound used to make food look shinier, while other have moved to ban certain colorants from school lunches.

⏳ SPEED READ

🚨NATION

📌 Senate Democratic leader says Democrats will refuse to back a GOP stopgap bill to fund the government through Sept. 30 (NY TIMES)

📌 EPA head says he’ll roll back dozens of environmental regulations, including rules on climate change (AP)

📌 Immigrant detention centers are at capacity, Trump admin officials say (NBC)

📌 Steve Bannon to Gavin Newsom on latest podcast: ‘You Love All the Oligarchs, and Particularly Elon, Until They Flip’ (THE WRAP)

📌 NYC Mayor Eric Adams reveals he stopped reading news (NY POST)

🌎 AROUND THE WORLD

📌 EU retaliates against Trump’s trade moves and hits beef, whiskey, motorcycles with targeted tariffs (AP)

📌 Greenland’s center-right opposition wins closely watched election dominated by Trump’s annexation threat (CNN)

📌 Putin expected to stretch out Ukraine talks to seek better terms (BLOOMBERG)

📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH

📌 Inflation receded in February, here’s the inflation breakdown in one chart (CNBC)

📌 Chuck E. Cheese’s rebrand means no more animatronic band (TODAY)

📌 U.S. budget deficit surged in February, passing $1 trillion for year-to-date record (CNBC)

🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT

📌 Woman who accused Jay-Z of rape heard on recording saying lawyer pushed her to sue (ABC)

📌 Ne-Yo introduces ‘my pyramid,’ the four women with whom he’s in a polyamorous relationship (CNN)

📌 Cheating scandal shocks ski jumping, topples Olympic champions and shakes Norway’s lofty reputation (AP)

📌 Spotify says it paid nearly 1,500 artists $1 million or more in royalties for 2024 streams (CNBC)

ICYMI FROM THE 📲

In case you missed it… Anyone else still missing “Succession”? Well, today — March 12 — is officially Tomlette Day.

Maybe hold off on spamming your boss’ inbox tonight 😉

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