NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-19-2025 12PM EDT

Episode Date: April 19, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. The Supreme Court overnight took issue with the Trump administration's use of the Alien Enemies Act, as NPR's Jimena Bustillo reports an early morning order temporary blocks President Trump from deporting Venezuelans under the Wartime Act who are being held in the Blue Bonnet Detention Center in Texas. In a brief order issued after midnight Eastern, the justices wrote that the government is directed to not remove any member of the putative class of detainees from the United States until further order from this court.

These would be some of the Venezuelan migrants being held at the Blue Bonnet facility in Texas. Justice Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented. The move comes after the Supreme Court previously ordered that the administration could remove people but that they had to get due process first. The ACLU argues that the administration violated that order when it gave some people less than a day's notice that they would be removed under the act. Homeland Security said it's complying with the Supreme Court's original ruling.

Jimena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington. The Trump administration is taking steps to make it easier to fire federal workers by stripping away their civil service protections. NPR's Shannon Bond has more. The Office of Personnel Management proposed a new rule on Friday, reclassifying many federal jobs as quote, at will employees. OPM estimates 50,000 positions or about 2% of the federal workforce will be reclassified. President Trump said on social media that if government workers, quote, refuse to advance the policy interests of the president or are engaging in corrupt behavior, they should no longer have a job. The Trump administration is pushing to shrink the federal

government and exert more control over it. The American Federation of Government Employees says this latest action will, quote, undermine the professional civil service that Americans rely on. Shannon Bond, NPR News. The Trump administration has canceled the construction of a multibillion-dollar offshore wind project near Long Island that's being designed to supply electricity to half a million customers. The Interior Secretary said the project needs more study that its approval by the Biden administration

had been rushed. Today marks 30 years since the deadliest homegrown attack in US history. A truck bomb exploded outside of federal building in Oklahoma City. 168 people were killed, including 19 children. A remembrance ceremony was held this morning. The president at that time, Bill Clinton,

delivered the keynote address. The domestic terrorists who did this awful thing believed that it would spark a nationwide upheaval against the American government. Instead, Clinton said, the people of Oklahoma City came together. They figured out how to make it better, how to build something instead of tearing it down. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Vice President J.D. Vance and his family are spending Easter weekend in Rome. Today he

met with senior Catholic officials at the Vatican. A statement after the meeting said they had cordial talks on issues relating to migrants, refugees, and prisoners. The church has criticized Trump administration policies such as deporting millions of migrants from the U.S. and slashing foreign aid and domestic welfare programs. In Massachusetts, festivities are underway to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, marking the start of the Revolutionary War.

From member station WBUR, Miriam Wasser reports. -♪ Banging on drumsticks, whistling, and drumming on piano, and drumming on piano, and drumming on piano, and drumming on piano, to B.U.R. Miriam Wasser reports. Every year, reenactors in full costume and with 18th century muskets recreate the so-called shot heard around the world in Lexington and the battle at the Old North Bridge in Concord. But this year's celebrations are gonna be different and a whole lot bigger. Local officials are expecting hundreds of thousands of history buffs from around the

country to attend. There will also be a live reenactment of Paul Revere's famous horse ride, big parades, several Fife and Drum Corps, and a skydiving performance by the U.S. Army's Golden Knights Parachute Team. For NPR News, I'm Miriam Wasser. In basketball, the first round of the NBA playoffs begins this weekend. There are four games today and four more tomorrow. The team with the best record is the Oklahoma Thunder, the number one seed in the West.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lead the Eastern Conference. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.