NYC NOW - Morning Headlines: New York Schools Face Smartphone Ban Deadline, States Sue Trump Over Immigrant Services, and Two Arrested in Shooting of Off-Duty Customs Agent

Episode Date: July 22, 2025

School districts across New York have less than two weeks to figure out how to ban smartphones from classrooms after Governor Kathy Hochul pushed for the measure as part of this year’s state budget. Meanwhile, New York and New Jersey are among several states suing the Trump administration over rules that block undocumented immigrants from accessing social services. Plus, federal officials say two men have been arrested in the shooting and attempted robbery of an off-duty Customs and Border Protection agent.

Welcome to NYC now, your source for local news in and around New York City from WMYC. It's Tuesday, July 22nd. Here's the morning headlines from Michael Hill. School districts across New York State have less than two weeks to figure out how to ban smartphones from the classroom. WNYC's Jimmy Bealkind reports. Governor Kathy Hochle says more than 150 school districts have already submitted their plans to separate students from their phones. Each district needs to develop rules about where cell phones will be kept during the school day. Hoke will push for the measure as part of this year's state budget.

She says the state gave districts a model policy to follow and expects everyone will meet the August 1st deadline. I encourage all the parents to start having conversations with their children this summer. This is going to be like breaking an addiction. Some school districts already have cell phone bans in place. School leaders in New York City say they will be ready to implement the ban when classes start. States including New York and New Jersey are suing the Trump administration over new rules that prevent undocumented immigrants from accessing social services. WN.MRIC's Caroline Lewis reports. The Trump administration issued new guidance earlier this month, blocking undocumented immigrants from accessing federally funded services such as food banks, head start programs, and health clinics.

Trump officials say the new rules are needed to protect the integrity. of public services. But New York and other states argue in their lawsuit, not all affected programs can easily check immigration status, and this puts their funding at risk. They also argue the federal government did not follow the proper procedures in implementing the policy change. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said it does not comment on ongoing litigation. In other news this morning, federal authorities say they've arrested two men in a shooting an attempted robbery of an off-duty customs and border patrol agent. The Department of Homeland Security says it arrested Michael Francisco Moran Nunez on Sunday

and accused him of shooting the agent. TheHS says it also arrested Christian E. Barbaroa yesterday. An agency officials say he drove the moped used in the crime. Attorney information for the two men was not immediately available and federal officials did not specify the charges against them. Police say the agent was relaxing by the Hudson River when two. been approached and tried to robin. Officials say the officer is in stable condition in the hospital.

69 and partly sunny, slim chance of late morning showers, mostly sunny in 79, tomorrow, mostly sunny 87, hot on Thursday and Friday. Thanks for listening. This is NYC now from WMYC. Catch us every weekday, three times a day for your top news headlines and occasional deep dives. And subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. More soon. Thank you.