NPR News Now - NPR News: 11-15-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: November 15, 2025

NPR News: 11-15-2025 8AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump is removing tariffs on a lengthy list of items amid pressure to address high consumer prices. The list includes tariffs on beef, tropical fruits, and other commodities. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One last night, Trump played down his order to reduce tariffs, saying he does not expect any more rollbacks. I don't think it'll be necessary. We just did a little bit of a rollback on some foods like coffee, as an example, where the prices of coffee were a little bit high.

Now they'll be on the low side in a very short period of time. Trump's move to reduce tariffs on food items comes after voters and last week's off-year elections cited economic concerns as their top issue. Democrats scored big wins of Virginia, New Jersey, and in other key races around the country. Immigration lawyers in San Diego say they're seeing a sudden increase in arrest of clients at the offices of U.S. citizenship and immigration services. many in the middle of applying for permanent status or naturalization.

NPR's Martin Costi reports a lawyer say it's a sign of what looks like a new ice policy. U.S. CIS offices are bureaucratic places where detentions are rare, unlike immigration court. But lawyers in San Diego say that suddenly changed this week. Tessa Cabrera says she was with a client who didn't have legal status but was applying for a green card. To have two ice officers storm into an office and immediately order my client to stand up and place them in handcuffs was just unlike anything I've ever experienced. U.S.CIS would not say whether its arrest policy has changed. In a written statement, it says, quote, apprehensions at U.S.CIS offices may occur if individuals are identified as having outstanding

warrants, being subject to removal orders, or committing fraud, crimes, or other violations while in the United States. Martin Kosti, NPR News. The city of Charlotte, North Carolina is preparing for a federal immigration crackdown. The Trump administration has not publicly announced a move, but the Mecklenburg County Sheriff says he was told by federal officials that the operation could begin as soon as today. A national institutes of health employee, it was criticized the Trump administration. Health policies has been put on leave. Here's Empire Rob Stein reporting. The NIH put Jenna Norton on indefinite paid administrative leave on her first day back to work from

the government shutdown. Norton, a program director at the National Institute of Diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases has been a vocal critic of cuts and new policies at the NIH. The NIH should not give Norton an explanation, but, in a statement to NPR, an administration official said, quote, instead of focusing on her actual job

to promote gold standard science, radical leftist Jenna Norton chooses to constantly criticize this administration even when she's supposed to be working, unquote. Rob Stein, NPR News. And you're listening to NPR News. Attorney General Pam Bondi has named a senior federal prosecutor to look into the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's ties to prominent Democrats, including former President Bill Clinton. Bondi says the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan will take the lead. President Trump had publicly called for the investigation after House Democrats released a batch of emails this week that raised new questions about Trump's ties to Epstein.

Disney and YouTube have made up. They've reached an agreement that restores Disney-owned networks like ABC and ESPN back to YouTube following a fee dispute. The contract dispute led to a blackout of news and sports programming from millions of subscribers. It lasted for about two weeks. Alphabet, which owns YouTube television and Google, is a financial supporter of NPR. A Native American general who helped end the civil war has been posthumously admitted to the New York State Bar. Buffalo, Toronto, public media is Emily Watkins, reported. on how he was finally recognized. Ely Parker, a Seneca chief, was denied admittance to the bar in 1847, despite meeting the requirements because he was not considered a citizen. In the face of discrimination, Parker went on to advocate for native land rights, draft the final terms of surrender for the Civil War, become an army general, and was then appointed the first Native American commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

On Friday, he again made history. as the first Native American to be posthumously admitted to the bar, according to the Seneca Nation. Only a few attorneys of color have been posthumously recognized this way. For NPR News, I'm Emily Watkins in Buffalo. And I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News.