NPR News Now - NPR News: 05-05-2025 5PM EDT

Episode Date: May 5, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jack Spear. The Homeland Security Department announced it will be giving a stipend to people who quote self-deport. As NPR's Amanda Bastillo explains, the administration has invested millions into encouraging people in the U.S. without legal status to leave. DHS said it will give $1,000 to people who use the CBP Home app to return to their home countries. The money will allegedly be paid after they confirm their arrival through the app.

They say this is a way to make it cheaper to remove people from the US. According to DHS, it costs $17,000 to arrest, detain, and remove one person. But questions remain on the effectiveness of the program. Immigrant rights advocates say there isn't incentive for immigrants to trust the administration will follow through on payments or the promise that they can return Currently someone may have to wait 10 years before trying to return an illegal entry could adversely affect a future immigration application Jimena bustio npr news, washington. Today is the day the department of education Says it will begin collections on defaulted federal student loans. More from NPR's Cory Turner.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said late last month that today the Education Department would resume what's known as the Treasury Offset Program. That means the roughly five million borrowers who are now in default on their federal student loans and haven't made a payment in at least 270 days could soon see the federal government seize a portion of their tax refunds or social security benefits. The department says this summer it will also begin garnishing the

wages of borrowers in default. These measures are not unprecedented, they've just been paused for five years since the pandemic began. Borrowers can learn more about how to get out of default at studentaid.gov. Corey Turner, NPR News. Roman Catholic cardinals will begin the process of selecting a new pope Wednesday. That's when the conclave gets underway at the Vatican to choose a successor to Pope Francis. NPR's Jason DeRose in Rome reports on the final days leading up to the selection process. The cardinals have been gathering in meetings called congregations.

Among the issues they're discussing, sexual abuse within the church, war and peace, and how the church can be less insular. Cardinal Michael Czerny says these meetings are key to getting to know each other and the needs of the church throughout the world. Learning to be church in our diversity is a real calling. Czerny calls global Catholicism's diversity a challenge but also a gift. He's among the 133 cardinal electors who will enter the Conclave Wednesday to determine the next leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

Jason DeRose, NPR News, Rome. Francis died of heart failure last month following a stroke. He was 88 years old. Stocks closed lower on Wall Street breaking a nine-day winning streak. The Dow fell 98 points to 41,218. The Nasdaq dropped 133 points. The S&P was down 36 points. This is NPR. ChatGBT maker OpenAI says it intends to continue operating as a not-for-profit entity. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Chair of OpenAI's nonprofit board Brett Taylor saying the board

made the decision for the nonprofit to retain control of OpenAI instead of privatizing it. The nonprofit has a for-profit arm, but that arm instead would be converted to a public benefit corporation. Some of the most fashionable people in the country will be at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York tonight. The Met Gala is held annually on the first Monday in May. Empress Jennifer of Inesco has a preview. It's known as the party of the year,

filled with celebrities in creative and beautiful clothes. NBA star LeBron James is the honorary chair. The host committee includes luminaries like gymnast Simone Biles, director Spike Lee, and the singer Usher. As always, the gala supports the museum's Costume Institute. The dress code this year is tailored for you. Inspired by the museum's spring show, which is centered on suiting and menswear and focuses on black style.

Individual tickets for the gala start at $75,000. Jennifer Vanasco, NPR News, New York. A strong showing this weekend for the new Marvel movie Thunderbolt, the box office where the unconventional superhero flick took in an estimated $76 million in domestic ticket sales. That was a bit shy of some of the more spectacular Marvel movie launches, though still a solid start. Other weekend openings included the Alec Baldwin Western Russ, best known for the on-set accidental shooting that claimed the life of its cinematographer.

This is NPR News.