- Hundreds of kids held in Border Patrol station (Axios) – More than 700 children who crossed from Mexico into the United States without their parents were in Border Patrol custody as of Sunday.
- Team Biden taps Asian American groups to help save Tanden (Politico) – As Biden’s choice for budget chief flounders in the Senate, the White House has rallied her allies in the South Asian community to her defense.
- Murkowski undecided on Tanden as nomination in limbo (The Hill) – Murkowski’s decision on Tanden is viewed as crucial in the White House’s uphill bid to salvage her nomination.
- Miscalculating Sinema and Manchin could end up costing Biden (CNN) – The outsized role the centrists will play in Biden’s efforts in Congress have earned them both the attention — and, in some instances, the private ire — of White House officials.
- Biden Reopens Gateway For Green Cards, Work Visas Reversing Trump COVID-19 Freeze (NPR) – “It harms the United States, including by preventing certain family members of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents from joining their families here,” Biden said in a proclamation revoking the measure.
- Biden to nominate 3 to USPS Board of Governors (CNN) – The nominees are Ron Stroman, the former deputy postmaster general who resigned under the previous administration; Anton Hajjar, the former general counsel of American Postal Workers Union; and Amber McReynolds, CEO of the National Vote at Home Institute.
- Should Trump speak at CPAC? Liz Cheney says he shouldn’t be part of the GOP’s future; McCarthy says yes (USA Today)
- Illinois becomes first state to end cash bail as part of criminal justice reform law (NBC News) – “This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation … ,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
- Democratic fury with GOP explodes in House (The Hill) – Democrats now see the GOP as directly putting lawmaker lives on the line with dangerous rhetoric that feeds outlandish conspiracy theories. Many Democrats say it is untenable to work with those GOP lawmakers who voted to overturn the election results even after the deadly attack.
- Many of Biden’s nominees of color run into turbulence in the Senate (Washington Post) – Activists say the concerns raised over Tanden are part of a broader pattern imperiling many of Biden’s nominees of color, making their confirmation process rougher and meaner than in previous years and when compared with their White counterparts.
- A Recall for Newsom in California? Talk Grows as Governors Come Under Attack
- (The New York Times) – Fellow Democrats have defended Gov. Gavin Newsom, lavishly praising his handling of the pandemic. But conservatives say his shutdowns have been destructive.
- Candidate Biden Called Saudi Arabia a ‘Pariah.’ He Now Has to Deal With It. (The New York Times) – In a coming call with King Salman, the president plans to warn him that the United States will soon make public intelligence about the Saudi crown prince’s role in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.
