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Trump goes on a day-long racist tirade against immigration; Italy’s populist interior minister proposes creating a racist census.
The latest on the family separation crisis and Trump’s response
- President Trump spent a great majority of a speech to the National Federation of Independent Businesses on a tirade about immigration. [Vox / Dylan Scott]
- He took aim at Republicans in his speech, shooting down Texas Sen. Ted Cruz’s plan to hire more immigration judges to speed up the deportation process. [Washington Post / Mike DeBonis and John Wagner]
- He also accused Democrats of causing the family separation crisis and claimed the migrants were “child smugglers” abusing the system while referring to a speech in which he called Mexicans “rapists.” In a series of dark tweets, he also said Democrats were “infest[ing]” the country with immigrants. [Atlantic / David A. Graham]
- More than 2,000 children were separated from their families at the border over a six-week period in April and May, sparking widespread outrage. New statistics show that an estimated 65 children were removed from their parent’s custody per day from May 5 to June 9. [Vox / Dara Lind]
- It seems Trump policy adviser Stephen Miller is the driving force behind the severity of the situation. He says he’s eager to “trigger libs.” [Vox / Jane Coaston]
- Photos from the Department of Homeland Security were recently released depicting the questionable conditions inside certain detention processing centers for children. [CNN / Susannah Cullinane]
- Audio of crying children who were separated from their families at the border also leaked. A Border Patrol officer can be heard making jokes about the children. It’s hard to listen to. [ProPublica / Ginger Thompson]
- Trump is meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill tonight to discuss immigration reform. Republicans hope he will show support for either of their immigration bills. A concurrent bill proposed by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein to solve the crisis is also making its way to the floor with the support of all the Senate Democrats and no Republicans. [ABC / John Parkinson]
Italy’s interior minister calls for the registration and deportation of Roma living in the country
- Matteo Salvini, Italy’s far-right interior minister, has announced he wants to create a “register” of the Roma people across the country. Eventually, he wants to deport or expel any Roma from other countries. [Guardian / Stephanie Kirchgaessner]
- Italy’s deputy prime minister, Luigi di Maio, eventually debunked the idea, admitting it was “unconstitutional.” [The Local Italy]
- There are around 130,000 to 170,000 Roma living in Italy. Most are living “on the fringes of Italian life.” [BBC / James Reynolds]
- Italy has a long history of discrimination and violence against the Roma. The Axis powers killed around 220,000 Roma in the Holocaust. Eight-two percent of Italians still have a negative opinion of the Roma people. [Pew Research Center and USHMM]
- Salvini’s request doesn’t come from out of left field. Salvini has spent his first three weeks in office following through on campaign promises to decrease immigration rates in Italy. He turned away a boat carrying 600 migrants seeking help after fleeing violence across Africa last week. [NYT / Gaia Pianigiani, Jason Horowitz, and Raphael Minder]
Miscellaneous
- Almost 100% of adults have smartphones or internet access in most Western countries, South Korea, and Israel. This confirms we are well on our way to a Black Mirror-esque future. [Pew Research / Jacob Poushter, Caldwell Bishop, and Hanyu Chwe]
- A diner was treated to an unfortunate surprise when he saw the receipt for his burger listed the instructions “please spit in it too.” The waitress, who was immediately fired, may have crossed a line. But, hey, at least she said please? [Munchies / Jelisa Castrodale]
- The US Patent and Trademark Office has issued its 10 millionth patent since its creation in 1836. Some notable patents filed include for a fake branch and a sideways swing for children. [The Verge / Nilay Patel]
- Actress, writer, and activist Amandla Stenberg has come out as gay, noting she was “overcome with this profound sense of relief when [she] realized.” [Wonderland]
- French President Emmanuel Macron scolded a teen for singing socialist tunes and calling the pro-big business leader “manu” while greeting fans at an official ceremony. “You call me ‘Mr. President,’” Macron retorted. [The Cut / Gabriella Paiella]
Verbatim
“This one was tough for me. As soon as it was over, they were put into a van. I had to stop and take deep breaths. All I wanted to do was pick her up. But I couldn’t.” [Photographer John Moore on taking the now-famous image of a young child crying as her mother is searched by border security / Time]
Watch this: The voices of children separated at the border
More than 2,300 children have been separated from their families at the border. Hear their voices. [YouTube / Ranjani Chakraborty, Mallory Brangan, and Madeline Marshall]
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