What Trump Cabinet Picks Mean For Immigration, Foreign Policy
Plus, the President-elect is looking to challenge Congressional Republicans
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Good morning,
Love and marriage… “they go together like a horse and carriage.” But, sometimes the carriage breaks down. The end of a Massachusetts couple’s engagement has changed how the state decides who gets to keep the diamond after a broken engagement.
Following a break-up, Bruce Johnson sued to have Caroline Settino return the $70,000 Tiffany & Co. engagement ring he bought her.
For 65 years, in a similar situation, judges were required to figure out who was at fault for the relationship’s end to determine who got to keep the diamond. It’s called the “fault standard.”
Johnson called off the engagement, accusing Settino in court filings of not being supportive during his cancer treatment, berating him, and texting another man with the intention of cheating.
Lower courts disagreed: One court ruled that Johnson was mistaken about Settino cheating, and she could keep the ring since he called off the engagement. But, an appeals court sided with him.
💍 On Friday, Massachusetts’s highest court ruled that an engagement ring must be returned to the buyer — overturning the “fault standard” rule. The court called it a “conditional gift.”
…Sounds tricky to us.
Have a good one!
Mosheh, Jill, Sari, & Lauren
PS: Are you a California Democrat who has thoughts about your state’s rejection of progressive policies in regards to crime, homelessness, and drugs? Or about the double recall in Oakland? Call 1-800-711-MOSH or email info@mo.news with a short message about your take. (Please include your first and last name – we’d like to feature your voice in the newsletter and podcast, but can keep your name private if requested.)
📌 TRUMP NAMES BORDER CZAR TO HELP LEAD MASS DEPORTATION PLAN
One week after Election Day, President-elect Donald Trump is wasting no time announcing key White House senior advisers and several cabinet appointments. One of his administration’s biggest initiatives will be executing the largest deportation in US history, and he’s brought back two key figures from his first administration to assist.
On Sunday, he named Tom Homan, the former head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), as the “border czar” to oversee deportation policy. Stephen Miller, one of his longest-serving top immigration advisers, is expected to become Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy to help with the initiative.
HOMAN’S HISTORY
Homan was the acting director of ICE from 2017 to 2018, but never got US Senate confirmation. Before that, he was a New York state police officer and Border Patrol agent. In 2013, the Obama administration tapped him to lead ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations arm, leading to a record number of deportations in those years. Obama awarded Homan a Presidential Rank award – the highest civil service recognition – for his work.
As part of the first Trump administration, Homan scrapped an Obama-era policy that limited deportations to undocumented immigrants with serious criminal histories.
As the acting ICE director under Trump, Homan oversaw the controversial “Zero Tolerance” policy, which separated several thousand children from their parents at the border.
Trump stopped the family separation policy shortly after it began, in response to criticism from lawmakers and the public. These new leading men have talked about reviving it. However, a judge ruled last year that it’s unlawful to separate migrant families. Homan still defends the policy. He told 60 Minutes in October that an alternative is to just deport entire families together.
THIS ROUND
Homan and other Trump allies have said the mass deportation plan would first focus on undocumented immigrants with criminal records. They have not clarified if the 3.6 million DACA recipients, aka “Dreamers,” who came to the US as children (and went on to go to school and have careers and families in the US), will then be targeted. Homan hasn't ruled anyone out.
Homan told “Fox & Friends” on Monday that he plans to conduct workplace raids — which ICE increased under his watch.
The deportation of one million undocumented immigrants would cost over $88 billion dollars a year, an American Immigration Council report found. Asked by 60 Minutes reporter Cecilia Vega if that’s what taxpayers should expect, Homan replied, “What price do you put on national security? Is it worth it?”
Leaders of blue cities and states (some of which are sanctuary areas) have said they won’t cooperate. Homan’s response: “We may have to double the number of agents we send in… because we're going to do the job. We're going to do the job without you or with you.”
Sanctuary cities (red), counties (orange), states (green). Via: CIS
OTHER PICKS
Trump also announced that Susie Wiles, his 2024 co-campaign manager, will be his chief of staff — the first women in US history to hold the role. Of note, Trump went through four chiefs of staff during his first term.
📌 TRUMP’S APPROACH TO FOREIGN POLICY & THE UN
Trump also intends to name Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) as his pick for secretary of state. Rubio was a finalist for VP, and has been a loyal supporter of Trump’s ever since he lost to Trump in the contentious 2016 GOP presidential primary. Remember Little Marco!?
Rubio takes a hard line on Hamas, Iran, China, Venezuela and Russia. He used to fall on the more interventionist wing of the GOP, however he has fallen in line with Trump on issues like the war in Ukraine. Like Trump, Rubio has been calling the conflict a stalemate, arguing that it is time for the country to negotiate for a ceasefire even if it means giving up some of their territory to Vladimir Putin.
Trump also named Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) to be the next ambassador to the United Nations. She is currently the fourth-ranking House Republican and made headlines late last year for challenging university presidents during a congressional hearing on antisemitism.
Stefanik has repeatedly attacked the UN as antisemitic. Last month, she called for a "complete reassessment of US funding of the United Nations.”
WHAT THE MOVE SIGNALS
The Trump administration is expected to take a much more critical approach to the UN and is expected to cut funding to multiple UN agencies and programs.
The US sends about $18 billion annually to the UN, funding nearly 30% of the organization. That is almost double China’s contribution — the second closest nation.
In Trump’s first term, then-Ambassador Nikki Haley was also critical of the UN.
Speaking of Haley, Trump publicly announced that she and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — two top foreign policy leaders in his first administration — would not get Cabinet posts this round. He is signaling to the MAGA wing that he will not bring in national security leaders who are from the more traditional interventionist wing of the GOP.
📌 TRUMP’S SENATE POWER PLAY
Over to the Senate, Republicans are expected to vote tomorrow on who will lead the chamber as Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) retires after decades in leadership. The contenders: Senators Rick Scott (FL), John Thune (SD) and John Cornyn (TX).
Trump has already weighed in, posting over the weekend that the new majority leader must “agree to Recess Appointments.”
WHAT THAT MEANS
The president appoints 1,300 positions that require Senate confirmation, including major cabinet members and UN ambassador. It appears Trump wants to circumvent that with recess appointments, which would allow him to appoint cabinet secretaries while the chamber is on break. This would allow his desired appointees to assume office immediately and deal with a hearing later.
All three senators quickly agreed to Trump’s request.
✔︎ Mo News Reality Check: GOP Senators have recently opposed recess appointments when a Democrat was in the White House. And, a 2014 Supreme Court ruling found that President Obama had exceeded his constitutional authority by making appointments after declaring the Senate was in recess. Though, the ruling still gives presidents wide latitude to make appointments during recess.
Bottom line: Going on recess for long enough for Trump to make appointments would require Senate Democrats’ approval. That is unlikely.
⏳ SPEED READ
🚨NATION
📌 Historic drought fuels blazes across Northeast as wildfires burn on both coasts (NBC)
📌 Most election postmortems neglect a key determinant of how people vote — where they get their news. (POLITICO)
📌 25 monkeys caught, but more still missing after escape from research facility in SC (USA TODAY)
📌 Trump warns Putin in call not to intensify war in Ukraine (AXIOS) Kremlin rejects reports of the conversation (AP)
📌 Shapiro, Newsom look toward presidential runs in 2028 (POLITICO)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
📌 Spirit Airlines flight from Florida to Haiti hit by gunfire while trying to land, diverts to Dominican Republic (CBS)
📌 ICC announces investigation into chief prosecutor (BBC)
📌 Dutch tram set on fire while tensions are high after violence targeting Israeli fans (AP) Israel tells citizens to avoid upcoming Paris soccer match & other events in Europe (TIMES OF ISRAEL)
📌 First emperor penguin known to reach Australia found on tourist beach (AP)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
📌 Bitcoin has topped $87,000 for a new record high. What to know about crypto’s post-election rally (AP)
📌 FTX sues crypto exchange Binance and its former CEO Zhao for $1.8 billion (CNBC)
📌 Over 1.4 million Honda, Acura vehicles subject of US probe over potential engine failure (USA TODAY)
📌 LA Times owner to create a new editorial board in light of Trump presidency – and ‘the newsroom is pissed’ (THE WRAP)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
📌 Mattel faults print error for porn site listed on "Wicked" doll packaging (CBS)
📌 Megan Fox pregnant, expecting baby with Machine Gun Kelly (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
📌 Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver 'devastated' as children's book is pulled amid criticism from Indigenous Australians (PEOPLE)
📌 Blake Shelton announces new singing competition show after leaving The Voice (E!)
🗓 ON THIS DAY: NOVEMBER 12
1927: Joseph Stalin became the head of the Soviet Union after Leon Trotsky was expelled from the Communist Party. He would lead the country until his death in 1951.
1954: After processing more than 12 million immigrants since 1892, Ellis Island officially closed as an immigration station and detention center.
1980: NASA’s Voyager 1 reached Saturn.
2003: Britney Spears released her fourth studio album ‘In the Zone,’ with songs ‘Me Against the Music,’ ‘Toxic,’ and ‘Outrageous.’
2021: A Los Angeles judge ended her conservatorship which had controlled her life and money for nearly 14 years.