Trump admin releases new documents on wrongly deported man

A back-and-forth has emerged between the courts and the Trump administration regarding a man mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Also, more federal funding cuts are likely for Harvard, as its president refuses to change its policies per the Trump administration’s demands. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, April 17, 2025.

Trump admin releases new documents on wrongly deported man

The Trump administration has released new documents in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador in March.

President Donald Trump’s team made the documents public on Wednesday, April 16, after weeks of pressure on the government to prove that Abrego Garcia was formerly a member of the MS-13 gang.

The Justice Department records detailed how Maryland police officers assessed Abrego Garcia as a member of the MS-13 gang during a 2019 arrest. The police report noted gang-symbolic clothing and a source identifying Abrego Garcia as an active MS-13 member.

At that time, he had no criminal record, as indicated by the documents, and his lawyers have denied any affiliation with gangs.

After his 2019 arrest, an immigration judge barred his return to El Salvador due to gang retribution fears. Abrego Garcia held legal status in the U.S. and was still under protection when the Trump administration deported him by sending him to a prison in El Salvador.

The DOJ has now filed notice that it will appeal a federal judge’s order that the government must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return to the U.S.

Attorney General Pam Bondi remained adamant.

“He is not coming back to our country, President [Nayib] Bukele said he was not sending him back. That’s the end of the story. If he wanted to send him back, we would give him a plane ride back. There was no situation ever where he was going to stay in this country, none, none. He would have come back, had one extra step of paperwork, and gone back again, but he’s from El Salvador; he’s in El Salvador and that’s where the president plans on keeping him.”

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi

Meanwhile, another federal judge warned that he could prosecute some Trump administration officials for violating his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to the El Salvador prison. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Keenan has more details here.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg did not specify which official or officials might be held in contempt. However, he’s giving the government until next Wednesday, April 23, to avoid contempt charges if it explains its actions and complies with the original order issued in March.

Harvard could lose ability to enroll international students

The Trump administration has threatened to ban Harvard University from enrolling international students. Harvard’s international student population represents over a quarter of its students this year, according to BBC.

The Department of Homeland Security said that if the Ivy League university fails to meet the demands to share information on certain visa holders, the school will also forfeit two DHS grants totaling nearly $3 million.

The federal government froze more than $2 billion in funding for Harvard on Monday, April 14, after the university’s president refused to comply with the government’s demands for changes to hiring, admissions and teaching practices. The Trump administration claimed the changes would help fight antisemitism on campus.

Since then, the government has also threatened to strip Harvard of its tax-exempt status.

U.S. Army delivers armored vehicles to southern border

On April 5, the U.S. Army delivered over 50 armored Stryker fighting vehicles to Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas.

It comes after Trump authorized the military to take control of a 700-mile-long and 60-foot-deep federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border, stretching from California to New Mexico.

The vehicles lack weapons systems; instead, they are equipped with thermal and infrared cameras, enabling soldiers to monitor movements along the southern border.

The establishment of a so-called “buffer zone” means the land within those zones is considered a “National Defense Area.”

As a result, soldiers can detain anyone who sets foot in the area, just as they would a trespasser on a military base.

Earlier this week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection released numbers for March. Agents apprehended 7,181 migrants at the southern border, a 95% decrease from March 2024.

Federal reserve chair warns tariffs likely to lead to higher inflation

The chair of the Federal Reserve said Trump’s unprecedented tariffs, affecting over 150 countries worldwide, will likely have a significant impact on U.S. consumers and the economy.

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell made the remarks during an event hosted by the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday, April 16.

“The level of tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated, and the same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth,” Powell said. “Tariffs are highly likely to generate at least a temporary rise in inflation. Inflationary effects could also be more persistent.”

Popular China-founded e-commerce sites Temu and Shein have already said they plan to raise prices for U.S. customers starting next week, as China faces the highest tariffs of any country under the Trump administration. Neither company gave specific details on how much.

The 145% tariff that Trump imposed on most products made in China, along with his decision to end a customs exemption allowing goods worth less than $800 to enter the U.S. duty-free, has affected Shein and Temu’s business models.

As many as 4 million low-value parcels — most of them originating in China — arrive in the U.S. every day under the soon-to-be-canceled provision.

Also, on Wednesday, Trump announced on Truth Social that he met with the Japanese delegation on trade at the White House, and there was big progress.

Puerto Rico hit with another island-wide power outage

Puerto Rico is grappling with another power blackout, which coincides with the influx of tourists for Holy Week and Easter weekend.

A spokesman for the energy company Luma, said that 1.5 million customers were initially left in the dark, with crews restoring just over 10% of electricity by Wednesday night.

Now, there is outrage directed at the power company. Puerto Rican Gov. Jennifer Gonzalez said it is unacceptable to have a failure of this magnitude. She vowed to cancel the government contract with Luma, but noted that it would take time to find a replacement.

Dozens of people were forced to walk on the overpass near the rapid transit system in the capital of San Juan. Traffic came to a halt as the lights were out.

Power outages have marred Puerto Rico since September 2017, when Hurricane Maria battered the island. Puerto Rico Rep. Pablo Jose Hernandez said the power grid has deteriorated following years of blackouts.

Fyre Festival 2 likely postponed after event loses venue

Efforts to revive the notorious Fyre Festival seem to have stalled.

Event organizer Billy McFarland announced that “Fyre Festival 2,” originally set for May 30 to June 2, will not occur in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

This comes after the event’s website briefly announced that it had been postponed, causing confusion among ticket holders.

McFarland told NBC News that the festival’s dates depend on the location.

However, organizers said the event will proceed and mentioned that, unlike the first Fyre Festival in 2017, it will be an “electrifying celebration of music, arts, cuisine, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports and treasure hunting.”

McFarland was convicted of wire fraud in connection with the unsuccessful 2017 festival and served time in prison.

Tickets for Fyre Festival 2 range in price from $1,400 each to $1.1 million. The company responsible for ticket sales for the event states that anyone who has already purchased a ticket is eligible for a full refund in light of this new development.