Trump admin must ‘facilitate’ wrongly deported man return: SCOTUS

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling requiring the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Also, China has reciprocated the U.S. in its tariff conflict but said this is it for them and that the Trump administration is “turning itself into a joke.” These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, April 11, 2025.

Trump admin must ‘facilitate’ return of wrongly deported man: SCOTUS

The U.S. Supreme Court said the federal government must “facilitate” the return of a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. The justices affirmed a lower court’s decision Thursday, April 10, requiring the Trump administration to return Kilmar Abrego Garcia to the United States.

The Trump administration deported Abrego Garcia in March during a roundup of alleged Venezuelan gang members.

Currently, Abrego Garcia is being held in a notorious El Salvador prison after the government has acknowledged making an administrative error in deporting him.

However, the administration has repeatedly claimed that Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang, even though he has never been charged with or convicted of a crime. His lawyers and family have insisted there is no evidence that he was in MS-13.

SCOTUS also instructed a Maryland federal district court judge to clarify her order in the case, directing the Trump administration “to facilitate and effectuate the return” of Abrego Garcia.

The justices seek clarification from the lower court regarding the term “effectuate,” as the court may have overstepped its authority.

SCOTUS said that the lower court does not have the authority to direct “the executive branch in the conduct of foreign affairs.” As of now, it’s unclear if or when Abrego Garcia will return to the United States.

Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Keenan has an in-depth look at the SCOTUS ruling here.

Judge to rule on protester’s deportation

A federal judge in Louisiana will decide Friday, April 11, if the Trump administration has a case against Columbia University pro-Palestine demonstrator Mahmoud Khalil.

Federal agents arrested Khalil in March for his roles in campus protests regarding the Israel-Hamas war in the Middle East. The government has kept Khalil in federal custody since his arrest but has not charged him with a crime yet.

The Trump administration wants to deport Khalil for his lead role in the Columbia protests, but the judge said it must prove a valid reason first.

The federal government submitted evidence Wednesday, April 9, to support Khalil’s deportation. A letter from Secretary of State Marco Rubio argued Khalil’s actions harm U.S. foreign policy and undermine efforts to combat antisemitism.

Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Keenan has more on the alleged evidence the Trump administration submitted to the courts here.

Khalil has denied the allegations of antisemitism, instead accusing the Trump administration of targeting him as part of a broader strategy to suppress dissent.

China increases retaliatory tariffs on American goods to 125%

China remains steadfast in the tariff war against the Trump administration. On Friday morning, April 11, the communist nation responded by matching its retaliatory tariffs on American imports to President Donald Trump’s 125% tariffs on Chinese goods.

The new rate will be effective starting Saturday, April 12.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first public remarks Friday on the tariff war with the U.S., asserting that his country is “not afraid” of what he describes as “unjust suppression.”

China’s recent tariff hike from 84% to 125% marks the latest development in the ongoing tit-for-tat battle between the world’s two largest economies.

The Chinese government indicated in a statement that it would not raise tariffs higher, saying that it would be meaningless.

“The successive imposition of excessively high tariffs on China by the U.S. has become nothing more than a numbers game, with no real economic significance,” a spokesperson for China’s commerce ministry said in a statement.

They continued, “It merely further exposes the U.S. practice of weaponizing tariffs as a tool of bullying and coercion, turning itself into a joke.”

Trump asserted that China’s exploitation of the U.S. and other nations is now unsustainable and unacceptable.

Government will know what causes autism by September: RFK Jr.

The country’s leading health organization aims to identify the cause of autism.

During Trump’s cabinet meeting Thursday, April 10, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that his department would soon identify the causes of autism, as diagnoses of the disorder in the U.S. have increased exponentially over the last few decades.

“The autism rates have gone from, our most recent numbers, we think, are going to be about 1 in 31. So, they’re going up again from 1 in 10,000 when I was a kid. And we are going, at your direction, we are going to know by September. We’ve launched a massive testing and research effort that’s gonna involve hundreds of scientists from around the world. By September, we will know what has caused the autism epidemic, and we’ll be able to eliminate those exposures.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Department of Health and Human Services

According to the CDC, about 1 in 36 children now has a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, compared to about 1 in 150 in 2000.

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes autism, but they are researching various environmental, genetic and biological factors, including infections or exposure to chemicals in the environment, issues with brain connections, and challenges with metabolism.

Kennedy has reportedly hired David Geier — a prominent figure in the anti-vaccine movement who has spent years trying to link mercury in vaccines to autism — to lead the research effort.

House approves bill mandating proof of citizenship to vote

In Washington, by a vote of 220-208, the House passed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act. The bill requires anyone registering to vote in a federal election to present documents proving they are an American citizen.

Supporters of the bill argued that requiring voters to present citizenship documents is essential for safeguarding election integrity.

The current federal voter registration form requires voters to swear they are U.S. citizens. Noncitizens who lie can be punished under perjury laws.

“American elections belong to American citizens, and the public’s confidence in those elections is the cornerstone of our republic,” Texas Rep. Chip Roy, R, said.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson previously stated during the 2024 campaign, “We all know intuitively that a lot of illegals are voting in federal elections, but it’s not something that is easily provable.”

Democrats argued that the bill will only make it harder for Americans to vote, including millions of individuals who do not readily possess proof of citizenship.

The proof of citizenship requirement will apply to both new voters and those already registered who update their information, like after changing addresses or names.

Voting rights groups argued that up to 21 million people lack easy access to proof of citizenship documents, such as birth certificates or passports. Additionally, the law would impact many women who have changed their names after getting married.

The bill now goes to the Senate, where it will likely face a filibuster.

3 adults, 3 children killed in sightseeing helicopter crash

The investigation continues into why a sightseeing helicopter broke apart mid-air Thursday afternoon, April 10, in New York. The chopper plunged into the Hudson River, killing the pilot and a family of five from Spain.

Witnesses reported that the helicopter’s rotors somehow broke off, causing the Bell 206 aircraft to crash upside down into the river. The chopper was owned and operated by New York Helicopter, a tour company in New York City.

As of Friday morning, April 11, various reports indicated that the victims included Augustin Escobar, a top executive at the global technology company Siemens, along with his family. They had just arrived in New York from Barcelona.

“Our hearts go out to the families,” Mayor Eric Adams said. “It’s almost reminiscent of the plane going down here on the Hudson River.”

The New York Police Department dive crews recovered all six victims. Four of the individuals were found dead at the scene, while two others died at the hospital, according to the police commissioner.

Top names in golf tee off for Masters Day 2

Friday marks the second day of the 2025 Masters Tournament in Augusta. Many eyes are on the world’s number one golfer, Scottie Scheffler.

He has won two Masters titles in his career, including the 2024 tournament. If he wins this year, he will be only the fourth player to achieve back-to-back victories.

However, Scheffler has some competition in Britain’s Justin Rose, who currently leads the tournament after the first round. Rose shot a seven under par 65. It’s the fifth time in 20 starts Rose has led after round 1.

Straight Arrow News sports reporter Chris Francis has the highlights from day one here.