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Immigration arrests in churches? Some clergy say not so fast

WASHINGTON — With the Trump administration declaring that immigration agents are now free to make arrests in places of worship, undeterred faith leaders in Southern California and beyond say they are prepared to aid and even shelter immigrants.

"We have an executive order from God, not from politicians," said Guillermo Torres, who leads immigration campaigns at Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice, a nonprofit advocacy group in Los Angeles. "Do you think we're going to betray the greatest commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself?"

The enforcement policy, announced last week, rescinded a 2011 memo that restricted immigration agents from making arrests in sensitive locations, such as churches and schools.

A group of Quaker congregations on Monday sued the Department of Homeland Security in federal court over the policy change, saying the threat of immigration enforcement deters congregants from attending services, harming religious liberty.

—Los Angeles Times

Cheryl Hines roasted on social media as she supports RFK Jr. in Senate hearing

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” star Cheryl Hines trended on social media Wednesday while sitting front row for her husband Robert F. Kennedy’s Senate confirmation hearing to become the nation’s next Secretary of Health and Human Service.

While Larry David’s TV ex-wife got some support on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, she also survived a healthy dose of criticism.

“I liked Cheryl Hines better when she was married to Larry David,” joked one commenter. Not everyone agreed. “I really like Cheryl Hines,” posted another commenter. “I’m glad she divorced Larry David and married RFK Jr.”

Hines played the famously tolerant Cheryl David on more than 100 episodes of the HBO comedy between 2000 and 2024. Her character finally split from her finicky TV spouse in the eighth season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

—New York Daily News

Illinois EPA opposes proposed toxic waste dump expansion on Southeast Side lakefront

 

CHICAGO — In a letter filed in federal court, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said the proposed expansion of a toxic waste dump on the Southeast Side would go against state law. It’s the latest development in a lengthy battle over the future of a 45-acre disposal site on the Lake Michigan shoreline.

“This is a major win for our community, to have both the Illinois attorney general and the Illinois EPA say that the expansion of this toxic landfill will not be (approved),” said Amalia NietoGomez, executive director of social justice nonprofit Alliance of the Southeast.

Since 1984, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been dumping toxic sediment dredged from the Calumet River into the now-full containment site, which contains mercury, arsenic and polychlorinated biphenyls or PBCs. After reaching capacity or after 10 years, whichever came first, the property was to be returned to the Chicago Park District to restore as a park for the largely Black and Latino community.

Four decades later, the property hasn’t been turned over to the community, and the Army Corps wants to raise the dump 25 feet, piling an additional 1 million cubic yards of toxic sediment over another 20 years. In 2023, the Alliance of the Southeast and Friends of the Parks sued the Army Corps to stop the expansion.

—Chicago Tribune

At least 30 dead in crowd crush at massive Hindu festival in India

NEW DELHI — At least 30 people were killed on Wednesday when a stampede broke out at the world's largest religious festival in India, according to the police. In addition, 60 visitors to the Maha Kumbh Mela were injured, said Vaibhav Krishna, the official responsible for security at the festival in the northern Indian city of Prayagraj.

Wednesday marked one of the festival's "royal bathing" days, when up to 100 million attendees were expected. The Maha Kumbh Mel festival is held on the banks of the Ganges in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.

The incident occurred early in the morning near the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers. Many pilgrims had been waiting to enter the river for a ritual washing when the catastrophe occurred, Krishna said. Barricades set up for safety purposes gave way amid a crowd surge, causing panic as visitors fell to the ground.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sympathy on the platform X for the people who "have lost their family members."

—dpa


 

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