| | | | 5 facts to remember about the immigration debate |  | | President Donald Trump and his White House are making -- or contemplating -- a series of moves at the southern US border aimed at addressing (his critics would say escalating) the ongoing immigration crisis.
Trump has threatened to shut the border completely. Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen is sending more Customs and Border Control (CBP) officers to deal with the influx of people trying to cross. The administration is cutting off funding to El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras unless and until those countries do more to discourage migrants trying to cross into the US. And Trump is even considering appointing an "immigration czar" to deal with the growing problem.
Amid all of these actions and Trump's ongoing Twitter focus on the border -- "Our detention areas are maxed out & we will take no more illegals," he tweeted Monday -- it's worth walking through some facts about border crossings, the polling and politics of immigration and what Trump has promised to do on the issue.
1. In February -- the last month figures are available -- the CBP reported apprehending or turning away 76,103 people at the border. That's an increase from 58,295 in January and 60,775 in December 2018. Projections from CBP put the total number at more than 100,000 for March.
2. In a single day last week, 4,100 migrants were detained at the southern border, according to CBP head Kevin McAleenan. That's the single highest number on any day in more than 10 years.
3. In the 2018 midterm elections, one in four people said that immigration was the most important issue facing the country, according to exit polling. Of that group, they voted for Republican candidates over Democratic ones by a 75%-23% margin. Two years earlier, 13% said immigration was the most important issue -- and Trump beat Hillary Clinton among that group by 31 points.
4. Less than four in 10 people approved of how Trump is handling immigration in a March CNN-SSRS national poll, while 58% disapproved of how he is approaching the issue. The partisan split on that question is remarkable: 91% of Democrats disapproved, while 87% of Republicans approved. Just 37% of independents felt favorably about Trump's immigration approach.
5. Here's Trump on the border wall during the 2016 campaign: "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively, I will build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall."
The Point: The Republican base cares deeply about immigration. And Trump has spent his first two-plus years in office serving that base. What that means is that the policy is secondary to the politics here. So expect a lot more focus on the border by Trump and his allies between now and next November.
-- Chris | | "You never know. It's anyone's guess."
-- A White House official's reaction when asked whether President Donald Trump would follow through on his threat to close the southern border with Mexico. | | | Check out this sweet gif, showing how the horse race is unfolding online.
It's not polling data, but Google's Trends Data can be a telling metric in peoples' interest in a would-be candidate -- revealing if a politician is trending more than others, and where/when those spikes (or dips) occur.
The graph shows a healthy bump in interest for Kamala Harris, Beto O'Rourke, Bernie Sanders, Pete Buttigieg and Joe Biden over the first four months of the year, per new data released today.
And if you want to wonk out harder: Dive into the numbers for yourself. | | Lauren Fox on why congressional Republicans can't quit Trump
What brain chemistry can tell us about running for president
Al Gore's unending climate fight by Dan Zak
Amazing NYC food-writing troll here by the LA Times
Where, exactly, is the "Salvator Mundi?"
April Fools' Day is terrible. That said, here are some OK pranks.
How Bryce Harper wound up on the Phillies | | | The National has new music: "You Had Your Soul With You." And the new album is apparently done! | | One group of Iowans is turning a new page in getting to know the bevy of presidential candidates: They're planning to read every 2020 Democrat's biography -- and interview the authors.
The Iowa 2020 Book Club has 14 books on the list. Sen. Cory Booker has already showed up at the club's inaugural meeting, according to The Des Moines Register.
The 583-member strong group plans to plow through the books alphabetically, finishing one every three weeks ahead of next year's Iowa caucuses. | |
LAUREN'S CAMPAIGN TRAIL LATEST | | Pete Buttigieg: Says his campaign raised over $7 million in the first quarter of fundraising for his presidential run. Mayor Pete had a big day: He also officiated a surprise wedding!
Joe Biden: Is defending his conduct after a Nevada politician said Biden made her feel uncomfortable in 2014. Biden's former press secretary says his history shows he championed women. Another woman has since come forward to accuse Biden of unwanted touching.
Elizabeth Warren: Has lost her presidential campaign's finance director because of her decision to not hold high-dollar campaign events.
Beto O'Rourke: Says his top Cabinet secretaries would hold monthly town halls.
Bernie Sanders: Says he'll cut prescription drug prices in half if elected.
Seth Moulton: Still isn't officially running, but said he doesn't want his daughter "growing up in this country the way that it is." | |
LUJÁN AIMS FOR THE SENATE | | He may be near the top of the House's leadership team, but Rep. Ben Ray Luján has his eyes on the upper chamber.
Luján, 46, announced today he is running for New Mexico's open Senate seat in 2020 (vacated by retiring Sen. Tom Udall -- the third senator leaving this chamber at the end of this term).
It could be a crowded Democratic primary. Freshman Rep. Deb Haaland and New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver are both considering the Senate seat, too. | | James Comey nearly made April fools of us all on Twitter this afternoon.
"I'm in. We need someone in the middle. #2020," the former FBI director tweeted, along with a picture of himself looking wistfully at the horizon, apparently hinting at a run for the presidency.
Comey then cleared things up: "But could you imagine a president who used this website to make dad jokes rather than to hurl insults? Happy #AprilFools. #VoteDem2020"
Comey wasn't the only Twitter prankster today. Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady made his debut on the site to announce his retirement ... and that he'd be tweeting in his spare time. "Was this a bad joke?" he tweeted an hour later. | | | | | | |
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