Trump administration resumes funding to groups that provide legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children
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(WASHINGTON) — The Trump administration has rescinded a stop-work order it issued earlier this week that cut off funding to organizations that provide pro bono representation and other legal assistance to unaccompanied migrant children, according to a memo obtained by ABC News.
“This letter cancels the Stop Work Order issued February 18,2025,” according to the memo, which was sent to organizations by the Department of Interior.
Earlier this week, the Acacia Center for Justice and its subcontractors were told to halt “all activities” related to the work they do to support migrant youth facing deportation. The organization serves about 26,000 migrant children.
Groups like Acacia and Kids in Need of Defense had called the stop-worker “devastating.”
“To expect a child, you know, especially a five- or six-year-old, to try and figure out their immigration case and how to navigate that system in a language that they don’t speak, it’s virtually impossible,” Wendy Young, president of Kids in Need of Defense, told ABC News.
There are still thousands of unaccompanied minors representing themselves at immigration courts across the country.
In 2023, only 56% of unaccompanied minors in immigration courts were represented by counsel, according to data from the Department of Justice.
Photo by Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump‘s “trust” in Russia’s Vladimir Putin now faces a major test as the world waits for Moscow to respond to a 30-day ceasefire proposed by the U.S. and accepted by Ukraine.
Trump said after Tuesday’s breakthrough in Saudi Arabia that he would speak with Putin soon, though declined to comment on Wednesday when asked if anything had been scheduled.
“I’ve gotten some positive messages, but a positive message means nothing,” he said from the Oval Office, where he was peppered with question on what comes next. “This is a very serious situation.”
The Kremlin has cautiously said it is reviewing the proposal and it will not be pushed into anything.
The Trump administration placed significant pressure on Ukraine in recent weeks in stopping military aid and pausing some intelligence sharing — both resumed only after Ukraine agreed to the ceasefire on Tuesday.
U.S. officials, including Trump himself, have also set limited expectations amid broader negotiations on Ukraine’s borders and expressly ruled out NATO membership for the Eastern European ally.
Meanwhile, they’ve not publicly demanded any concessions from Putin — and it’s not clear how far Trump is willing to go in pressuring Russia to accept the 30-day ceasefire.
“We can, but I hope it’s not going to be necessary,” Trump said on Wednesday when asked about that very issue.
“There are things you could do that wouldn’t be pleasant in a financial sense,” he added without divulging any specifics. “I can do things financially that would be very bad for Russia. I don’t want to do that because I want to get peace.”
Trump last Friday threatened sanctions on Russia until it reached an agreement with Ukraine. The Biden administration imposed hundreds of sanctions on Moscow over the course of the conflict.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio earlier on Wednesday noted that Russia is already “pretty sanctioned up” as he was asked what pressure the administration would be ready to apply.
“As far as I am aware, the United States has not provided armaments to Russia,” Rubio said as he largely sidestepped the inquiry. “The United States is not providing assistance to Russia. Every single sanction that has been imposed on Russia remains in place … So my point being is that there’s been no steps taken to relieve any of these things, these things continue to be in place.”
“We don’t think it’s constructive for me to stand here today and begin to issue threats about what we’re going to do if Russia says no, let’s hope they say yes,” Rubio said.
Trump has also often praised his relationship with Putin, saying he knows him “very well” and declining to call him a dictator despite using the term to describe Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
“I think he wants peace. I think he would tell me if he didn’t,” Trump said of the Russian leader in mid-February. “I trust him on this subject. I think he’d like to see something happen.”
Just last week, in an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed Putin was “more generous” and easier to work with than Ukraine.
Now, the administration is saying the ball is in Russia’s court after Ukraine agreed to an immediate, monthlong stoppage in hostilities should Moscow do the same.
“We’ll see what their response is,” Rubio said. “If their response is yes, then we know we’ve made real progress and there’s a real chance of peace. If their response is no, it will be highly unfortunate and then it’ll make their intentions clear.”
ABC News’ Patrick Reevell and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.
(WASHINGTON) — President-elect Donald Trump said his inauguration will move indoors Monday and he’ll be sworn in inside the Capitol Rotunda due to the freezing weather expected in Washington, D.C.
“The various Dignitaries and Guests will be brought into the Capitol,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience!”
“We will open Capital One Arena on Monday for LIVE viewing of this Historic event, and to host the Presidential Parade,” Trump said. “I will join the crowd at Capital One, after my Swearing In.”
This inauguration is forecast to be the coldest in 40 years.
A quick-moving storm could bring some snow to D.C. on Sunday afternoon.
When Trump is sworn in at noon on Monday, the temperature will be about 18 or 19 degrees. Due to the wind, the wind chill — what temperature it feels like — will be between 5 and 10 degrees.
President Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was also moved inside due to the weather.
The temperature that morning fell to a low of 4 degrees below zero. The temperature was just 7 degrees at noon, marking the coldest January Inauguration Day on record. Reagan’s parade was also canceled.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(NEW YORK) — Steve Bannon, the confidant of President Donald Trump, pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding New Yorkers who donated to “We Build the Wall,” an online fundraiser for Trump’s signature project during his first term, in exchange for a sentence without prison time.
“The parties have worked out a plea agreement. Mr. Bannon will plead guilty to count 5 of the indictment, which is scheme to defraud in the indictment. He will receive a conditional discharge,” prosecutor Jeffrey Levinson said.
The guilty plea to the felony charge represents Bannon’s second criminal conviction after he served prison time for contempt of Congress.
Bannon showed up to court in a brown barn jacket, his brushed-back gray hair spilling over the upturned collar. He sat at the defense table signing papers before Judge April Newbauer affirmed that Bannon now wanted to plead guilty.
“Is that what you wish to do?” Newbauer asked.
“Yes, your honor,” Bannon replied, before acknowledging he acted to defraud multiple donors.
“Do you now plead guilty to count 5, scheme to defraud?” the court clerk asked. “Yes,” Bannon responded.
The judge imposed the agreed upon sentence of a three-year conditional discharge, during which time Bannon cannot serve as a director of a charity or fundraise for a nonprofit. He is also barred from using data gathered from “We Build the Wall” donors.
Bannon said after the hearing that he would call on new Attorney General Pam Bondi to prosecute New York Attorney General Letitia James and investigate Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, both of whom brought successful cases against Trump.
“Letitia James is the existential threat to the Trump administration,” Bannon said.
Defense attorney Arthur Aidala said he counseled Bannon to plead out because he did not think Bannon could get a fair shake from jurors in Manhattan.
“This is a spectacular disposition with him,” Aidala said, noting the conditional discharge puts no real limitations on Bannon other than charitable work.
Bragg released a statement after the plea agreement, saying, “This resolution achieves our primary goal: to protect New York’s charities and New Yorkers’ charitable giving from fraud. With this felony plea, the defendant will not be able to serve as an officer, director, or in any fiduciary position, or fundraise for, any charitable associations with assets in New York State, nor can he use or sell WBTW donors’ information. New York has an important interest in rooting out fraud in our markets, our corporations, and our charities, and we will continue to do just that.”
“We Build the Wall” promised 100% of donations would fund a wall along the U.S. southern border, but Bannon redirected money elsewhere.
Bannon, who served as a senior adviser to Trump during his first term, was indicted in September 2022. He previously pleaded not guilty and the trial was scheduled to begin on March 4.
Bannon was initially charged in federal court with three co-defendants. However, Trump pardoned Bannon, but not the co-defendants, whose asset forfeitures through prosecution recouped money for defrauded donors.
Bannon defrauded donors to the nonprofit by falsely promising that none of the money they donated would be used to pay the salary of “We Build the Wall” president Brian Kolfage, while secretly funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to him by laundering it through third-party entities, prosecutors said.
The campaign represented that “We Build the Wall” would use the money to privately construct the border wall, and prosecutors said a “central piece of the public messaging in support of this fundraising effort was that Kolfage was not taking a penny of compensation.” Financial records show Kolfage was paid, according to a secret salary arrangement, an upfront payment of $100,000 and monthly payments of approximately $20,000.
