NPR News Now - NPR News: 04-19-2025 2PM EDT

Episode Date: April 19, 2025

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Noor Aram, NPR News. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Noor Aram. The Supreme Court issued an order early this morning that the Trump administration may not, until further notice, deport Venezuelans now being held in a Texas detention center under a rarely used wartime law. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented from the decision. The court acted after the American Civil Liberties Union filed multiple documents warning the government was moving quickly to restart deportations despite previous Supreme Court restrictions and

how it can use the law. An ACLU lawyer says migrants were being loaded under buses last night for deportation. NPR's Jimena Bustillo has more. The Justice Department argued that notices comply with previous Supreme Court's guidance on the issue. And I reached out to the Homeland Security Department last night and they declined to comment on quote counter-terrorism operations, but they did say that they believe they are complying with the Supreme Court's original ruling. Still, the ACLU argues that they're not. They have since been suing the administration in each individual district court since that first ruling, and judges in several districts have blocked the deportations of people using

the Alien Enemies Act. NPR's Jimena Bustillo, immigration officials in Arizona had detained a U.S. citizen for nearly 10 days. Arizona public media's Danielle Kamara reports. Court documents say on April 8th, border patrol agents arrested 19-year-old Jose Hermosillo without proper immigration documents. His girlfriend's aunt, Grace Leyva, says he lost his ID and that his family provided officials

with his birth certificate and Social Security card. He did say he was a U.S. citizen, but they didn't believe him. Yeah, I think they would have kept him. I think they would have, if they would have not got that information yesterday in the court and gave that to ICE and the Border Patrol, he probably would have been deported already to Mexico. A magistrate judge in Tucson dismissed his case on Thursday, and he was released. For NPR News, I'm Danielle Kamara in Tucson.

The Health Ministry in Yemen says more than 70 people died in a U.S. airstrike on a Red Sea port this week. The strikes are in response to Houthi rebels' attacks on ships. NPR's Hadil El-Shelchi reports. The airstrikes targeted the Ras Issa oil port along the Red Sea, which is controlled by the Yemeni Houthi rebel group. The port is important because it receives fuel shipments that power Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.

In a statement released this week, the US military's central command said the strikes on the Houthis aimed to quote, degrade their economic source of power. Yemen's health ministry said ambulance workers and medics were among the killed and injured. The Iran-backed rebel group has been firing missiles at merchant shipping and U.S. warships since the beginning of the war in Gaza. The U.S. has carried out an intense bombing campaign targeting the Houthis for a month now. Hadeel Al-Shalchi, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

This is NPR News. Negotiators from the U.S. and Iran met in Rome today. They're attempting to make progress towards a deal that would lift economic sanctions against Iran in exchange for Tehran curtailing its nuclear program. The two parties agreed to meet again next week. The International Jousting Tournament is underway in the northern English city of Leeds. Vicki Barker reports from London. Galloping at your opponent at a combined 50 miles per hour, your lance poised to do its worst. Jousting is no sport for the gutless. The two-member mixed-sex

teams compete in full replica armor, weighing 70 pounds for the women, a hundred pounds for the men. Reigning champions Britain are up against rivals from Germany and the US, the latter represented by UK-based Vince Todd, an equine stunt performer, and Kyle Vandola Evans, who works for a British construction company. Competitors aren't just judged by brute force, but by precision, too. One event has them slicing cabbages placed at head height with a sword while on horseback. For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

It was 250 years ago today the American Revolution against Britain began. Thousands gathered in Massachusetts this morning to watch the reenactment of the battles of Lexington and Concord. The reenactors with 18thth century muskets, recreated the shot heard around the world in Lexington and the battle in Concord. Organizers expect hundreds of thousands of visitors will attend the events throughout the weekend. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News in Washington.