NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-23-2025 12AM EST

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

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Okay, so does this sound like you? You love NPR's podcasts, you wish you could get more of all your favorite shows, and you want to support NPR's mission to create a more informed public. If all that sounds appealing, then it is time to sign up for the NPR Plus bundle. Learn more at plus.npr.org. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dan Ronan. Border czar Tom Homan has said that deportation actions are underway, focusing on migrants considered a public safety threat. But he warned migrants without legal status could be arrested. In Chicago, a sanctuary city, immigrant communities are bracing.

NPR's Jasmine Garz reports. In Chicago's Little Village neighborhood, in a restaurant on the main street, every time someone opens the door, a waitress named Caridad looks up in fear. She says she worries that it's immigration agents. Caridad doesn't want her last name used. She's in the U. the US without legal status. The potential raids have turned this immigrant neighborhood into a ghost town. People stay home out of fear. Earlier this week, Mayor Brandon Johnson told NPR, the city will stand by its sanctuary policies which prohibit Chicago police from enforcing

immigration law. Jasmine Garst, NPR News, Chicago. Employees of the Department of Health and Human Services have been told to halt all public communications. That's according to a memo obtained by NPR. NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin reports. The memo was sent by Acting Health Secretary Dr. Dorothy Fink. It instructs all health agencies to institute an immediate pause on external communication, including social media, until items can be reviewed by an appointee of the Trump administration. It asserts such a pause

is quote, consistent with precedent. The freeze on communications was first reported by the Washington Post. Dr. George's Benjamin is the president of the American Public Health Association and says he's giving the HHS team the benefit of the doubt. They're simply trying to get their hands around the government. This is a big government, but it creates enormous confusion. He believes the communications pause could have been avoided if there had been a smoother transition between the Biden and Trump administrations. Salinas and Stephen Stuffen, NPR News. In Southern California, another wildfire is burning. It's

called the Yuse fire. It has consumed more than 9,000 acres, Steve Futterman reports. The fire began here just past 10 o'clock Wednesday morning. Buffeted by wind gusts of around 50 miles an hour, it spread rapidly. For a while, a number of homes and apartment buildings were in danger, but help came from above. We had a very robust helicopter and fixed wing retardant LA County Fire Chief Anth

they use tens of thousands and retardant. It was rea which allowed us to get t officials say they are ho over. Evacuation orders r the fire has moved away from homes and other structures. Interstate 5, which connects northern and southern California, was briefly closed. It is now reopened.

For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Castaic, California. A rare winter storm still has its grip on the Deep South with frigid temperatures and record snowfall. This is NPR. frigid temperatures, and record snowfall. This is NPR. Following multiple delays due to wildfires in Los Angeles, the nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be announced Thursday morning. NPR's Chloe Weiner reports on the story from Los Angeles.

The LA fires have upended Hollywood's award season this year. Nominations were originally going to be announced last week, but the voting window was extended, so Academy members had a few extra days to select their picks. The annual luncheon honoring nominees was also cancelled. The Academy Awards ceremony remains scheduled for its original date, Sunday, March 2nd, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with Conan O'Brien set to host. In a letter to members obtained by NPR, Academy leaders said this year's ceremony

will acknowledge wildfire first responders, as well as the resilience of Los Angeles. Chloe Weiner, NPR News, New York. President Donald Trump is threatening Russia with what he calls high levels of tariffs and new economic sanctions if there is no agreement to end the three-year-old war in Ukraine. In a social media post, Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin by name and said the two men have always had a good relationship, but he said it is time to end this, quote, ridiculous war. It's time to make a deal. No more lives should be lost.

During the campaign, Trump said that he could end the war between Russia and Ukraine in one day if he was elected. He also claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine had he been elected president. Markets closed the day in all positive territory. The Dow gained 131, the NASDAQ up 252, the S&P gained 37 points. From Washington, this is NPR News.