Monday morning news: May 15, 2023

Border update » Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas says the situation at the southern border has calmed down somewhat since an initial surge last week as the Title 42 immigration rule expired.

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS: The United States Border Patrol has experienced a 50% drop in the number of encounters.

Down from 10,000 per day earlier last week to 4,200 arrests on Saturday.

Despite the recent drop, the Border Patrol predicts arrests will soon spike as high as 14,000 a day.

Republican Texas Congressman Tony Gonzales says the border was already out of control … and it’s worse now. He described a migrant processing center in El Paso, Texas.

TONY GONZALEZ: It’s meant to house a thousand people. It’s housing over 3,000. In one of these rooms, it’s meant to house 120 people. There were over 700 people in there.

Border/immigration debate » Authorities also say the number of migrants in custody at the border could spike from 27,000 to 45,000 by the end of the month.

With that in mind, the Biden administration plans to ask an appeals court today for permission to release migrants inside the United States without orders to appear in court.

Authorities say it takes up to six times longer to process migrants to appear in court than to simply release someone with instructions to report to an immigration office in 60 days.

Republicans continue to blast the administration over the border crisis. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds:

BYRON DONALDS: What’s happening now is because of Joe Biden’s recklessness, his desire when he became president to just rip up all of the Trump-era policies that actually had our border secure. And now they’re scrambling to create a solution to the crisis the Joe Biden created.

The administration is touting new legal immigration pathways in an effort to deter illegal crossings. It is offering parole for up to 30,000 migrants who apply online with a financial sponsor and arrive at an airport.

Democrats say Republicans are to blame for the border crisis over what they say is a lack of willingness to work together on immigration reform.

Severe Weather » Migrants trying to cross the Rio Grande into the United States could be taking an even greater risk than normal after massive rainfalls this weekend in parts of Texas.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tony Fracasso:

TONY FRACASSO - We've seen numerous reports of flash flooding warning now has been sitting for a little while, it’s kind of evolved. And you'll see a couple more days’ heavy rain moving through, especially Texas. also up into basically central plains.

The deluge is expected to swell the Rio Grande along the border.

Hundreds of migrants have died trying to cross the river in recent years.

Debt ceiling » President Biden is set to meet with top lawmakers at the White House again this week to discuss raising the debt ceiling.

Most Democrats insist that Republicans agree to raise the debt limit without reducing overspending at the same time. Sen. Chris Murphy:

CHRIS MURPHY: There’s an opportunity to talk about their really unpopular agenda of cuts, but the time to do that is when we’re negotiating the budget.

Talks were cut short last week and postponed until this week. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy:

KEVIN MCCARTHY: President Biden and Sen. Schumer are stuck on “no.” They have no plan, no proposed savings and no clue.

Even a House GOP bill passed last month would see Washington continue to overspend, just at a slower rate. It has been projected to add $14 trillion dollars to the national debt over a decade instead of the $20 trillion now expected.

Officials say without a debt ceiling deal, Washington could begin to default on its debts next month.

NC abortion » The Republican supermajority in North Carolina’s state legislature is gearing up to override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a new pro-life bill that would protect unborn children from abortion after 12 weeks of pregnancy down from 20 weeks right now.

The Democratic governor vetoed it at a rally on Saturday:

ROY COOPER - Tell them to sustain this veto! Ask the Republican leadership to stop it!

Republicans have just enough votes to override the veto if there are no defections.

The bill allows exceptions for medical reasons and in cases of rape and incest.

Gaza ceasefire » Air raid sirens blared in Israel over the weekend, but for the most part a fragile cease-fire between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding on Sunday.

In an early test for the truce, Palestinian militants fired a rocket that landed in an open area of southern Israel last night. Palestinian media claimed the launch was caused by a technical error as militants were trying to deactivate the rocket.

I’m Kent Covington.

The U.S. Supreme Court considers the way laws that protect people from stalkers. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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