Thursday, December 5, 2024

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1/ The Biden administration is in the process of extending contracts for private immigration detention centers, expanding capacity ahead of Trump’s promised “largest deportation operation in American history.” Despite Biden’s campaign promises to end for-profit detention centers, his administration has or is renewing contracts to add at least 4,850 additional detention beds, increasing the capacity beyond the approximately 39,000 individuals already in federal immigration custody. The incoming Trump administration, meanwhile, is preparing to deport migrants to third-party countries, where they have no cultural, linguistic, or familial ties, when their home countries refuse to accept them. (The Guardian / NBC News)

2/ Biden and his staff have discussed whether to grant preemptive pardons to current and former public officials who could be targeted by Kash Patel and the incoming Trump administration. Patel has publicly vowed to pursue retribution against Trump’s adversaries and critics. Among those being considered for potential pardons include Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley, Adam Schiff, and Liz Cheney. At this same time in 2020, Trump and his team discussed but didn’t grant preemptive pardons to Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, and Rudy Giuliani. The consideration follows Biden’s full pardon for his son, Hunter Biden. (Politico / ABC News / Washington Post / CNN)

3/ Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy met with House and Senate Republicans about Trump’s plans to “dismantle” the federal government. Trump tapped the two to head his “Department of Government Efficiency,” tasked with firing federal workers, cutting government programs and spending, and paring back federal regulations. The group is dubbed the “Department of Government Efficiency” because it’s not an actual government department. Nevertheless, Musk and Ramaswamy believe they can achieve a 75% reduction in the federal workforce, a $2 trillion cut to federal spending, and the elimination of entire agencies. They have not provided specific details about these policy proposals. “We have long lamented the size and scope of the government, that it has grown too large. And let me be frank about this: Government is too big. It does too many things and it does almost nothing well,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said. (NPR / Associated Press / Wall Street Journal / Bloomberg /

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