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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Thu Mar 21 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

Texas against the president

FILE - Migrants who crossed the Rio Grande and entered the U.S. from Mexico are lined up for processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Sept. 23, 2023.

Who should have power over the border?

President Joe Biden returned to Texas the same day a draconian immigration law was blocked from enforcement. Also in the news: What a trillion-dollar plan means for Congress' stop-gap spending and Presbyterian College won a first-ever March Madness game in the women's First Four.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. What are the happiest countries in the world?

Here we go with Thursday's news.

The fate of Texas immigration law is with the court

A federal appeals court had not ruled as of Thursday morning on the fate of a strict new Texas immigration law that would authorize state and local police to arrest and deport people suspected of being in the United State illegally.

The latest: A hearing was held on Wednesday to determine whether the law can be enforced pending the latest appeal. It came hours after the same court issued a hold late Tuesday on SB 4, which would make crossing into Texas from a foreign country anywhere other than a legal port of entry a misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony after that.

•	Republicans lauded the high court's decision, while Democratic officials and immigration rights activists denounced the law as Draconian and dehumanizing.
•	Do state or federal governments get to control the border? President Joe Biden planned to visit Texas on Wednesday for a campaign event, only to arrive at the scene of the latest immigration legal battle. SB 4 could have significant ramifications not only on the question of who gets to police the nation's borders, but also on this year's presidential race.
•	U.S. cities are grappling with pressure as migrant populations grow. In Chicago, health officials are rushing to vaccinate community members amid a growing measles outbreak in the city's largest migrant shelter.

From USA TODAY Opinion: Voters want solutions, not chaos at border.

A trillion-dollar plan to keep the government open

Lawmakers expect to unveil the text of a $1.2 trillion spending package early Thursday that would avert a government shutdown if approved. The agreement signals the end of the shutdown scares that have dogged Congress for months. Every year, Congress has to pass 12 individual spending bills to fund the government long term. Lawmakers passed six of them earlier this month, but the outstanding bills are related to key issue areas including defense and foreign operations. If lawmakers aren't able to pass the bills in time, a longer funding gap would lead to a government shutdown that could have real effects for many Americans. Read more

•	Ukraine aid has stalled in Congress, but a Trump-backed plan is picking up steam.
•	Netanyahu vowed to Senate Republicans to continue Israel's war in Gaza.
•	Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz slammed Congress for "failing" Maui wildfire survivors.

More news to know now

•	Georgia executed a man for a 1993 murder in the state's first execution since 2020.
•	Age verification to buy alcohol, but not rifle ammo?
•	The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged.
•	Florida Gov. DeSantis signed a bill banning unhoused people from camping in public spaces.
•	On today's The Excerpt podcast, How safe is your drinking water? Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Fourth ex-Mississippi officer sentenced to 40 years for abusing and torturing two Black men

A former Mississippi law enforcement officer who pleaded guilty to abusing and torturing two Black men in 2023 was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison this week. Christian Dedmon, 29, received the longest prison term out of the other ex-"Goon Squad" officers who were sentenced. Dedmon devised the scheme to cover up the involved officers' misconduct. The officers assaulted Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker with stun guns and a sex toy, punched and kicked them, and called them racial slurs. Read more

What does a $8.5 billion boost for semiconductor makers mean?

Intel Corp., already one of Arizona's largest employers, will receive up to $8.5 billion in federal grants as part of a preliminary agreement announced by President Joe Biden and Commerce Department officials during a visit to Arizona on Wednesday. The federal grant, along with Intel's own funding plans, would mark one of the largest-ever semiconductor manufacturing investments. According to the Biden administration, leading-edge chips are essential to advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, and the latest proposal would help to ensure that more of these semiconductors are developed and made in the U.S. while also creating well-paying jobs. Read more

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger (L) and Intel Factory Manager Hugh Green (R) watch as US President Joe Biden (C) looks at a semiconductor wafer during a tour at Intel Ocotillo Campus in Chandler, Arizona, on March 20, 2024.

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI, AFP via Getty Images

Keep scrolling

•	Alabama is the latest state to target diversity and inclusion programs.
•	Reddit stock is about to hit the market, but the platform's users are not thrilled.
•	These are the best deals from Amazon's Big Spring Sale under $40.
•	A UK watchdog addressed a data breach at the hospital where Princess Kate had abdominal surgery.
•	Paris 2024 organizers will provide at least 200,000 condoms to athletes in the Olympic Village.
•	Shohei Ohtani's interpreter was fired amid gambling allegations.
•	Here's how our reporter slept through the world's longest flight.
•	We think Kristen Wiig's star-studded Apple TV+ show "Palm Royale" should be better.

Presbyterian earns first-ever March Madness win

Presbyterian College defeated the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 49-42, in a wire-to-wire victory in Wednesday's women's First Four matchup. Presbyterian College, the smallest D1 school in the nation with an enrollment of less than 1,000 undergraduates, is 19-0 this season when holding its opponents to under 60 points. With the win, Presbyterian secured a first-round matchup with the No. 1 overall seed South Carolina. Tonight, the rest of the women's First Four continues with Auburn against Arizona and Holy Cross playing Tennessee-Martin. Read more

•	The men's round of 64 tips off Thursday with a full slate of 16 contests over 12 hours.
•	The women's NCAA Tournament blew up in 2021 over inequality. It was a blessing in disguise.
•	Who did Joe Biden pick in his NCAA March Madness bracket?

Bryanna Brady of Presbyterian is fouled going for a shot against Sacred Heart in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament in Columbia.

McKENZIE LANGE / USA TODAY NETWORK

Photo of the day: Thank you, Stumpy

Stumpy's days are numbered. The beloved cherry tree – short on height but big on love – in Washington, D.C., is one of at least 140 trees slated for removal during a repair project this spring. Stumpy's underwhelming appearance hasn't stopped it from winning hearts.

A visitor leaves a thank you note as high tide water reaches to the base of a cherry tree nicknamed "Stumpy" at the Tidal Basin on March 20, 2024 in Washington, DC.

Alex Wong, Getty Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.