Records of more than 100 emergency calls and interviews reveal serious medical, mental health and safety concerns at Camp East Montana, the nation’s largest ICE detention facility in El Paso, Texas. Detainees report overcrowding, inadequate food and medical care, and repeated suicide attempts, while federal officials dispute claims of poor conditions.
Category: POLITICS
Posted inBaltimore News
Baltimore inspector general challenges city over limited access to records
By Megan SaylesAFRO Staff Writermsayles@afro.com Baltimore City Inspector General (IG) Isabel Mercedes Cumming has filed suit against Mayor Brandon M. Scott and the Baltimore City Council after the city denied her office access to certain records and provided heavily redacted information in response to subpoenas. The suit seeks a court declaration confirming the Office of […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
President, allies said to be creating executive plan to steal the 2026 midterms
Activists who support the 47th president are said to be drafting a proposed executive order claiming, without evidence, that China interfered in the 2020 election and seeking expanded federal authority over voting systems ahead of the 2026 midterms, according to The Washington Post. Voting rights advocates warn the move would challenge states’ constitutional control over elections.
Posted inMaryland Government
Maryland leaders request tariff reimbursement following Supreme Court decision
Maryland’s governor, comptroller and treasurer are pressing the White House to repay money they say the state lost after the 48th president’s tariffs drove up costs for businesses and consumers. They point to a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the administration’s authority under IEEPA and cite an estimated $4 billion impact in Maryland.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to lie in state in South Carolina after Capitol Hill dispute
The Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. will lie in state at the South Carolina State House on March 2, following a decision by Governor Henry McMaster to honor the Greenville, S.C. native and civil rights leader. The state-level tribute follows a dispute in Washington after House Speaker Mike Johnson denied a request for Jackson’s casket to lie in honor at the U.S. Capitol. A memorial caravan is currently traveling from Chicago to Columbia, South Carolina, where public and private services will be held to honor Jackson’s lifelong legacy of activism and political influence.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Activists, politicians and celebrities hold alternatives to State of the Union address
In a historic display of legislative dissent, a coalition of more than 80 lawmakers bypassed the official presidential address to convene an “alternative union” on the National Mall, framing their absence as a rejection of executive rhetoric. The atmosphere inside the Capitol remained volatile, punctuated by the forced removal of a congressman protesting racial imagery and verbal clashes over the domestic consequences of immigration enforcement.
Posted inPOLITICS
US president says he’ll raise tariffs to 15 percent after unfavorable Supreme Court ruling
The 47th U.S. president announced plans to raise a newly proposed global tariff to 15 percent, just one day after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down many of his previous import taxes as unconstitutional. Despite the ruling, No. 47 signaled he will pursue alternative legal avenues to continue imposing tariffs, while Democrats criticized the move as harmful to American consumers.
Posted inNational News
Video evidence undercuts ICE accounts in multiple recent shootings
Federal authorities are investigating two immigration officers accused of making untruthful statements under oath in a January 2026 Minneapolis shooting after video evidence contradicted their account. The case is the latest in a series of at least five incidents in which initial descriptions by immigration officials were later challenged or undermined by video footage, leading to dismissed charges and heightened scrutiny.
Posted inBaltimore Government
Mayor Scott announces property tax relief, tax sale reforms for Baltimore homeowners
Baltimore homeowners could see property taxes drop below $2 under a new city plan announced by Mayor Brandon M. Scott. The initiative includes revising the Homestead Property Tax Credit, increasing the Targeted Homeowners Tax Credit, and reforming the city’s annual tax sale to offer payment plans and raise the minimum bid to the property’s assessed value. City leaders say the changes aim to make Baltimore more affordable, keep residents in their homes and encourage new homeownership.
Posted inCongressional Black Caucus (CBC)
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation kicks off 50th anniversary year
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has launched a yearlong celebration of its 50th anniversary under the theme “Rooted. Ready. Rising,” highlighting five decades of work advancing equity, leadership development and policy solutions for Black communities. The milestone will feature signature events, service initiatives in 50 cities, mini legislative conferences, and recognition of the AVOICE digital archive, all culminating in the Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., in September.
Posted inEducation
Ed. Dept. dismissed 90 percent of discrimination cases, report says
A Government Accountability Office report found that the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights dismissed about 90 percent of discrimination complaints in 2025 after the Trump administration laid off nearly half its staff. Advocates warn the cuts have left students unprotected, allowed serious cases of racial and disability discrimination to go unresolved, and cost taxpayers up to $38 million while employees were paid but barred from working.
Posted inMaryland Government
Moore calls White House snub ‘blatant disrespect’
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, the nation’s only Black governor, said the White House disinvited him from the annual bipartisan National Governors Association dinner, calling the move disrespectful and partisan. The 47th president’s administration limited the event to Republican governors, a break from longstanding tradition that NGA leaders criticized as undermining cooperation.
