Tesla arson defendants to face ‘full force of law,’ AG Bondi says
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(NEW YORK) — Tesla arson defendants will face the “full force of the law” for allegedly using Molotov cocktails to set fire to the electric vehicles and charging stations, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement on Thursday.
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Bondi said in a statement. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
Bondi is referring to the three people charged for their alleged involvement in recent attacks in Salem, Oregon; Loveland, Colorado; and Charleston, South Carolina.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also said Thursday the company has increased security nationwide after reports of vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations.
“Tesla has ramped up security and activates Sentry Mode on all vehicles at stores,” Musk said in a post shared on X.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
School districts prep students and families for possible mass deportations. ABC News
(SOUTH TEXAS, Texas) — President Donald Trump has threatened mass deportations of immigrants, potentially expanding the “expedited removal” program to conduct raids in neighborhoods and workplaces. This program would allow for the quick deportation of individuals who entered the U.S. without proper documentation and have been here for less than two years.
Trump has pledged to tighten immigration laws and roll back Biden-era policies that he believes have encouraged a rise in undocumented immigration.
On Monday, Trump signed executive orders enhancing operations of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in sensitive areas, expanding expedited deportations for undocumented immigrants, and aiming to end birthright citizenship.
Educators and organizers are grappling with what this means for their communities, and schools are determining the best way to support students and families.
ABC News visited a school in South Texas to meet with students and faculty preparing for the potential impacts of President Trump’s immigration policies.
While in South Texas, a student named Maria, a high school junior, shared with ABC News that she came to America from Mexico on a special visa last fall. Born and raised in Mexico, the 15-year-old lives with her grandmother, who is her legal guardian, in South Texas.
“It’s an honor for me to study here,” Maria said. “And my parents, more than anything, they did it in search of something better for me and my future…to have more opportunities and be able to speak a second language.”
When Maria first arrived, she knew very little English and was placed in a special set of classes to help integrate her into the Texas public school system.
She expressed that she misses her family in Mexico but wants to become a Spanish teacher. She must stay in America to do that, but with Trump’s plan, her goals may be cut short.
“We found out through TikTok, later on Instagram or things like that,” Maria said. “And just like in anything else, there are people who find ways to make the news entertaining…even if it’s something bad. We try to focus on the positive to drown out the negative.”
In 1982, the Supreme Court ruled that all children, regardless of immigration status, can access public education.
While students like Maria are here legally on unique accommodation, there is growing concern about the potential impact an immigration crackdown could have on educational institutions.
The boundary lines for Maria’s school district run along the U.S.-Mexico border. The debate over immigration is finding its way into the classroom, as administrators in Southern Texas believe many of their students come from mixed-status families — some in the household have documentation allowing them to legally reside in the U.S., while others do not.
“When you come to our school district, you will be asked the name, of course, and some type of identification of your child and what can we do to service your child? Our business will never be to ask ‘what is your status in this nation?'” Norma Garcia, director of multi-language at Harlingen Consolidated Independent Schools, said.
District leaders are enhancing mental health support for students and organizing informative sessions for families. These sessions will connect families with experts, such as immigration attorneys and local border patrol agents, to help address their questions and concerns.
However, not all school districts share the same outrage. In Oklahoma, the Department of Education Superintendent Ryan Walters supports the incoming administration’s push for more decisive immigration action.
He claims that the influx of non-English-speaking students has strained the education system. As a solution, he proposes a rule requiring schools to collect information about a student’s or their parent’s immigration status and then share that information with federal authorities.
“Right now, our schools are being required by the federal government to educate all those children of illegal immigrants and never ask them if they’re here legally, never ask them where they’re from,” Walters told ABC. “Never collect any of this information. And so what happens is, is we have situations where one district, we had over 100 students a week that came in in the middle of the school year that we believe are illegal immigrants.”
Oklahoma is suing the former Biden administration and federal agencies for millions of dollars to recover those alleged costs. So far, no other states have joined this newly filed lawsuit.
“We’ve got to do what’s best for the American people, the American taxpayer, and shut down the border, send illegal immigrants back home,” Walters said. “And the best way for us to do that right now is to work with the Trump administration, get them the information they need.”
(NEW YORK) — Over 85 million Americans are under cold weather alerts over the next few days as arctic air plunges south across the country.
Portions of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin have an extreme cold warning in effect as wind chills may reach as low as -50°F.
While it won’t be quite that cold farther south, wind chills may be dropping into the teens in cities like Houston and New Orleans early next week.
On Sunday, a developing coastal storm will bring the chance for moderate to heavy snow in several major cities.
Winter storm watches and warnings are in effect for more than 28 million people from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast on Sunday.
A wide swath of 4 to 8 inches of snowfall is expected from West Virginia to Maine.
New York City is currently forecast to pick up around 3 to 6 inches of snow on Sunday afternoon and into the evening, which could make this the biggest snowstorm in nearly three years for NYC.
As for timing, the bulk of it will be during the afternoon and evening on Sunday, with much of the I-95 corridor from Baltimore to Boston seeing the potential for slick roads.
As the cold snap progresses into the south, there will also be a winter weather potential in cities along the Gulf Coast that don’t often see frozen precipitation, including Houston and New Orleans.
Starting Monday night and continuing through Tuesday, there may be measurable snowfall in Houston, which could create numerous travel issues.
The last time Houston saw 1 inch of snow was back in 2021, but 2008 was the last time they picked up more than 1 inch of snow. New Orleans hasn’t recorded any measurable snow since 2009, and the city hasn’t topped 1 inch of snow since 1963.
It’s too early to determine if they’ll break that streak, but the chance for winter precipitation along the Gulf Coast is real enough that preparations need to be done this weekend ahead of the storm.
(LOS ANGELES) — A sheriff’s deputy died in a police chase after his patrol car crashed into a bystander’s car and then slammed into a light pole, splitting the vehicle in half, police said.
The chase began on Monday morning shortly before 11 a.m. in San Bernardino, California, when law enforcement received a call about a possible stolen vehicle that was spotted by a deputy on duty from the Victorville City Station, according to ABC News’ Los Angeles station KABC.
“Deputies attempted a traffic stop but the suspect, Ryan Turner, failed to yield and a pursuit ensued,” according to a statement from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department. “During the pursuit, Deputy Hector Cuevas, Jr. was involved in a traffic collision with another vehicle.”
During the police pursuit, Cuevas crashed near the intersection of El Evado and Seneca roads, where his patrol car struck a bystander’s vehicle before slamming into a light pole, causing his car to be severed in half.
“Cuevas succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene,” police said. “The female driver of the other vehicle was transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.”
The suspect, named as Ryan Dwayne Turner, Jr. — a 22-year-old resident of San Bernardino – continued to flee before stopping his car at El Evado Road and Zuni Lane and attempting to escape on foot, law enforcement said.
The pursuit didn’t last long, and Turner was subsequently caught and taken into custody, police said.
Cuevas was a six-year veteran of law enforcement who worked at the Victorville station for the last three years, according to KABC.
Turner was booked on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and evading a peace officer and causing death or serious injury, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said during a news conference on Monday.
“I really have no words to describe this tragedy. Hector is the type of law enforcement officer that we all want to be,” Dicus said. “He was a grand and great protector and a great father, and we will be suffering his loss and supporting his family for quite some time.”
Vehicles from multiple law enforcement agencies escorted the deputy’s body in a solemn procession across local freeways to the San Bernardino County Coroner’s Office following the incident, KABC said.
“We currently do not know the exact circumstances surrounding the collision as of yet,” Dicus said, confirming that an investigation on the crash is underway.
“We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of a San Bernardino County deputy,” the San Bernardino Police Officers Association said in a statement on social media. “Our thoughts and prayers are with their family, friends, and the entire agency during this difficult time. They made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community, and their bravery will never be forgotten.”
