NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-22-2025 2AM EDT

Episode Date: March 22, 2025

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There's a lot of news happening. You want to understand it better, but let's be honest, you don't want it to be your entire life either. Well, that's sort of like our show, Here and Now Anytime. Every weekday on our podcast, we talk to people all over the country about everything from political analysis to climate resilience, video games. We even talk about dumpster diving on this show. Check out Here and Now Anytime, a daily podcast from NPR and WBUR. Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C., I'm Dale Willman. At a hearing Friday in Washington, a federal judge appeared deeply skeptical of how President Trump used an 18th century wartime law this week to deport more than 100 Venezuelans to El Salvador. As NPR's Adrian Florita reports,

Judge James Boesberg called the Trump administration's interpretation of the Alien Enemies Act troublesome. A lawyer for the Trump administration argued before Judge James Boesberg that the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 gives the president broad authority to detain and deport people without due process. The president declared that members of Venezuela's Tren de Agua gang are invading and therefore subject to immediate deportation under the wartime law. A lawyer for the ACLU said the government overstepped because the U.S. is not at war with Venezuela.

He also said anyone targeted under the law should be allowed to challenge their expulsion. Judge Boasberg said he agreed the president's use of the law is unprecedented and concerning. He'll decide whether to block the government from using it for more deportations. Adrian Flaherido, NPR News. Toward the end of the Biden administration, officials sought to protect a fund that compensates workers who develop black lung disease while working for coal companies that later go bankrupt. As Wyoming Public Radio's Chris Clemens reports, House Republicans are now asking the Trump-appointed secretary of labor to get rid of the rule that guarantees those protections.

Advocates say the rule closed a loophole that let bankrupt companies push the costs of their workers' black lung treatments onto the taxpayer-backed trust fund, which is more than $30 billion in debt. Rebecca Shelton with the Appalachian Citizens Law Center says eliminating the rule would steer the fund deeper into debt, which might lead Congress to lower miners' monthly disability payments. Miners really feel that these companies that they gave so much for, now they need to get back when they're sick.

A spokesperson said in an email that the Secretary of Labor is eager to, quote, find common-sense solutions that will boost our economy and put American workers first. For NPR News, I'm Chris Clements in Laramie. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was in Colorado on Friday as part of what he's calling his Fighting Oligarchy Tour. He said Trump administration cuts to the federal workforce and efforts to change government programs, including those that provide food support to children at risk, is immoral. You tell me in what world, in what universe, in what religion is taking food away from

hungry children and giving tax breaks to the rich vaguely moral. Sanders pushed for stronger safety net programs rather than removing those already in place. Local health officials in Texas say they expect the measles outbreak in the western part of that state to continue for several more months. The number of cases continues to rise with 309 cases in Texas and another 42 in neighboring New Mexico. There's been one measles-related death and 42 people across both states have been hospitalized. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The U.S. is barring Argentina's former president and another top ex-official from entering the country because of what the State Department says was their abuse of power and corruption.

The visa bans were announced by the Secretary of State late Friday. NPR's Kerry Kahn reports. The U.S. has Argentina's former president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, and her former planning minister were involved in significant corruption and bribery schemes that netted them millions of dollars. Kirchner is a polarizing and leading figure in Argentina's leftist opposition. She was convicted of corruption and sentenced to six years in prison. She denies any wrongdoing and is not in prison.

The current president, a far right libertarian, Javier Millay is a close ally of President Trump. Millay is facing tough midterm elections. His party is new and needs more lawmaker support to pass his cost-slashing agenda through Congress. Carrie Cahn, NPR News, Rio de Janeiro. Columbia University has agreed to implement a number of policy changes, including the overhaul of its rules for protests. the announcement came one week after the Trump administration threatened to remove federal funding from the school. The government ultimatum was widely viewed on college campuses as a stunning attack on

academic freedom. All references to diversity have been removed from the careers home page of Major League Baseball's website. That move follows an executive order from President Trump that could lead to possible federal action against organizations using DEI programs. The Trump administration has indicated such programs are in conflict of its interpretation of civil rights law. Stocks finished the week higher on Wall Street.

The S&P 500 gained four points. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.