All posts tagged: New Jersey

Faith leaders keep ministering at Delaney Hall

Faith leaders keep ministering at Delaney Hall

(RNS) — Moments before Department of Homeland Security agents fired a hail of pepper balls at the feet of demonstrators outside the Delaney Hall detention center in Newark, New Jersey, last Monday (May 25), faith leaders say they were frantically working to calm things down. Kathy O’Leary, coordinator of the Catholic group Pax Christi New Jersey, said she was helping to push the crowd back. Rabbi Rachel Kahn-Troster, executive vice president of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, said she and a Christian pastor had placed themselves between agents and demonstrators, raising their hands aloft. And the Rev. Robin Tanner, a Unitarian Universalist minister in Summit, New Jersey, said she was conversing with DHS agents as she stood beside U.S. Sen. Andy Kim, who had come to visit Delaney amid reports of a hunger and labor strike staged by detainees alleging inhumane conditions inside.  Then, unexpectedly, DHS agents unleashed the volley of pepper balls. All three faith leaders — along with Kim — were exposed, some left coughing and sputtering as bystanders rushed to help. “We got …

Frankie Valli Cancels the Remainder of the Four Seasons’ Farewell Tour, Citing Health Concerns

Frankie Valli Cancels the Remainder of the Four Seasons’ Farewell Tour, Citing Health Concerns

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Frankie Valli, whose legendary falsetto defines the sound of the 1960s rock group the Four Seasons, has cancelled the remainder of the band’s 2026 tour dates, citing health concerns. “I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows, but I have decided to take the rest of the year off from touring to focus on my health,” the 92-year-old singer wrote on social media Friday. Valli, the frontman and only original member still performing with the Four Seasons, launched an extended farewell tour billed “The Last Encores” in October 2023. Shows scheduled for April of this year were rescheduled to dates in summer and fall. Now, all eight performances remaining for 2026 in cities from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Detroit have been called off entirely. The Four Seasons found fame in the 1960s, but the band’s hits –- from “Sherry” to “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” –- span decades. The Four Seasons sold 100 million records worldwide and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall …

New Jersey State Police Assert Control Outside Migrant Detention Center

New Jersey State Police Assert Control Outside Migrant Detention Center

By Steve Gorman and Maria Tsvetkova May 29 (Reuters) – New Jersey’s governor on Friday ordered state ⁠police ⁠to assume control outside a migrant detention center ⁠in Newark that has become a weeklong flashpoint for clashes between protesters and federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Governor ​Mikie Sherrill, a Democrat, said she was acting to quell escalating tensions and episodes of violence outside Delaney Hall, the 1,000-bed jail operated by the private company Geo Group ‌on behalf of ICE. Sherrill, who has repeatedly called ‌for the closure of Delaney Hall, said the aim was to ensure both freedom of assembly and public safety. “I will not give ICE the pretext to expand operations ⁠in our state,” ⁠Sherrill told a press conference, joined by state Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and acting state police Superintendent ​Jeanne Hengemuhle. Other U.S. cities have experienced mass deployments of ICE agents, with President Donald Trump claiming that federal immigration officers needed reinforcements to safely do their jobs. State police moved in on Friday to set up “protected protest zones” beyond the …

Airlines urge Trump not to curb international flights ‘sanctuary cities’

Airlines urge Trump not to curb international flights ‘sanctuary cities’

United Airlines planes sit on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on March 18, 2026. Kena Betancur | AFP | Getty Images Airline, hotel and other industry groups are urging the White House and top Trump administration officials to abandon a proposal that would cut off immigration processing at major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, a United Airlines hub. United CEO Scott Kirby was set to discuss the proposal with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to convey the disruptions the policies could cause to travelers, according to two people familiar with the previously unreported call who spoke on condition of anonymity to talk about a private conversation. Airlines for America, a trade association whose members include American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines told White House officials this week that reducing Customs and Border Protection service at Newark, New Jersey’s airport would “create havoc” for U.S. citizens, which make up the bulk of the 20,000 passengers flying in internationally to the airport, according to a document that was seen …

Trump weighs pulling immigration, customs in ‘sanctuary city’ airports

Trump weighs pulling immigration, customs in ‘sanctuary city’ airports

Passengers at the international arrival gate of JFK Airport in New York on June 16, 2025. Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images Groups representing the largest U.S. airlines and hotel chains slammed the Trump administration’s potential halt of customs and immigration processing at “sanctuary city” airports, warning such a move could have “devastating” consequences on the industry. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in an interview on Fox News’ “Hannity” on Tuesday night that if “radical left Democrats” aren’t allowing the government to “enforce federal laws … we shouldn’t be processing international flights into their cities either.” The secretary’s comments came just ahead of the FIFA World Cup next month that is expected to bring millions of visitors to host cities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, drawing alarm from the travel industry. Mullin said the Trump administration is “drawing up plans” but isn’t putting anything into place yet. The timing of the idea being floated raises questions about whether the administration is using its leverage to try to persuade cities whose immigration policies …

Prediction markets regulation by CFTC eyed by White House

Prediction markets regulation by CFTC eyed by White House

A proposal for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to regulate prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket is under review by the White House, a filing from Tuesday shows. Details of the proposal, which are being reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget, are not visible on the filing. CNBC has requested comment from the CFTC on the filing, which Bloomberg reported earlier Wednesday. A spokeswoman for Kalshi had no comment on the filing. Polymarket did not immediately respond to a request for comment. CFTC Chairman Michael Selig on Jan. 29 said the agency planned to write rules for governing prediction markets as he scrapped a proposed rule that would have prohibited trades on sports and politics on those platforms. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission headquarters in Washington, Dec. 23, 2022. Ting Shen | Bloomberg | Getty Images The agency has argued in public statements and in courts that it has exclusive authority to regulate the growing prediction market sector, rather than individual states, some of which are seeking to exercise such authority. Tuesday’s …

Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil to Appeal to US Supreme Court to Avoid Re-Arrest

Pro-Palestinian Activist Mahmoud Khalil to Appeal to US Supreme Court to Avoid Re-Arrest

May 22 (Reuters) – A lawyer for Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil vowed ⁠on ⁠Friday to take his case to the U.S. ⁠Supreme Court after a federal appeals court declined to reconsider a ruling that opened the door to President ​Donald Trump’s administration re-arresting and deporting the pro-Palestinian activist. The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals split 6-5 along ideological lines to leave in place a ruling holding ‌that U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz lacked ‌jurisdiction when he ordered Khalil’s release from immigration detention last year.  Khalil had appealed after a three-judge 3rd Circuit panel in a 2-1 ruling decided that his ⁠claims could not be ⁠heard by a district court judge like Farbiarz. Khalil was among the most prominent of a ​number of foreign students detained last year by Trump administration immigration authorities after engaging in pro-Palestinian activism on their college campuses. If the 3rd Circuit’s ruling is allowed to take effect, Khalil could face the prospect of being arrested again and deported, after the Board of Immigration Appeals in April rejected his …

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

Two Men Charged With Creating AI-Generated Porn Under New Law Targeting ‘Deepfakes’

NEW YORK (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged two men with using artificial intelligence to create nude videos and photos of female celebrities under a newly enacted law meant to halt the spread of deepfake pornography. Cornelius Shannon, 51, and Arturo Hernandez, 20, were both arrested Tuesday for generating sexually explicit AI content that drew millions of views online, according to criminal complaints. The men — who do not appear to be connected — are among the earliest defendants to face charges under the Take It Down Act, a law signed last year by President Donald Trump that adds stricter penalties for publishing AI-created deepfakes and “revenge porn.” The bill drew bipartisan support, as well as the public backing of first lady Melania Trump. Under the new law, the men now face up to two years in prison. Attorneys for Shannon and Hernandez did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement, Joseph Nocella, the U.S. attorney in Brooklyn, said the men had ”used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded …

Lawsuit Accuses Massachusetts Schools of Segregating Students of Color in Low-Opportunity Districts

Lawsuit Accuses Massachusetts Schools of Segregating Students of Color in Low-Opportunity Districts

A lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of students and community organizations in Massachusetts argues the state is illegally maintaining schools that are racially segregated, concentrating Black and Latino students in high-poverty districts with fewer opportunities. The lawsuit challenges the state’s practice of assigning students to schools based solely on where they live, which can lead to patterns of housing segregation being replicated in school systems. The case is the latest example of efforts to address segregation and funding inequities through state-level litigation. Even before the Trump administration began taking steps to release districts in the Deep South from court-ordered desegregation efforts, integration efforts had fallen far from their peak decades ago when the federal government intervened in school systems around the U.S. The plaintiffs include nine students and four community organizations from segregated school districts across Massachusetts, including Springfield, Holyoke, Boston, Lawrence, Brockton, Lynn, and Worcester. The districts border more affluent, predominantly white districts where the plaintiffs are unable to enroll. In response to the lawsuit, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said …

Cameron Diaz, 53, welcomes third baby in surprise announcement

Cameron Diaz, 53, welcomes third baby in surprise announcement

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Cameron Diaz, 53, has welcomed her third baby with husband Benji Madden, 47, the Good Charlotte rocker announced Monday. “Cameron and I are Happy, Excited, and feeling so BLESSED to announce the birth of our third Child, Nautas Madden,” Benji shared on Instagram alongside an image of a ship — a nod to his son’s nautical name. “Welcome to the world Son!!” In the comments section, Diaz herself replied with five heart emojis. Benji’s post also included a meaning behind the name Nautas, which read: “Sailor, navigator, voyager. One who embarks on a journey and fears not the unknown.” Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden have welcomed their third child together: Nautas Madden (Getty) The famous couple married in 2015 and have kept their children …