Trump’s inauguration, a new Bears head coach and an apparent leak for ICE’s plans for Chicago
plus, a recommendation for a film likely to be snubbed at the Academy Awards
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! It’s your newsletter team Lauren, Claire, Emily, Sam, Annabelle, Jenna, Meredith and Audrey. We’ve got a good one for you today.
To start, we have a summary of the executive orders that President Donald Trump has signed into law in just his first few hours in the position. Then, we have information on some upcoming DePaul events, school closures in Chicago and the death of the former president of Planned Parenthood, Cecile Richards. Finally, we have information on a statement made by new “border czar” Tom Homan regarding Chicago and a review of the film “Nickel Boys.”
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With that, let’s get into it!
Trump’s First Few Hours
By Lauren Sheperd
President Donald J. Trump was sworn in for his second term today at 12 p.m. EST, making him the second president to serve two non-consecutive terms. In the weeks leading up to his inauguration, Trump made promises to sign executive orders — unobjectionable, signed statements that can impact government management, policy and more — within the first few hours of his presidency. So far, he has signed close to 200 executive actions, memoranda and proclamations. Here are some notable ones:
January 6 Pardons
The first executive order Trump signed when he arrived at the Oval Office just after 7 p.m. EST grants clemency to about 1,500 defendants charged with crimes related to the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump referred to the defendants as “hostages,” and most who were pardoned were convicted of nonviolent misdemeanors. However, the pardons appear to be sweeping. It is possible a pardon will be granted to individuals such as Enrique Tarrio, the former head of the far-right group the Proud Boys, who is serving a 22 year sentence for seditious conspiracy.
Of the over 1,600 individuals charged with crimes related to the insurrection, at least 1,100 have received sentences or had their cases adjudicated. 700 people have either completed their sentence or did not receive one, and more than 170 people have been accused of using some sort of deadly or dangerous weapon. According to the New York Times, nine people died on January 6 or due to injuries from that day. Five of those deceased were Capitol police officers.
The Paris Climate Treaty
President Trump signed an executive action officially withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Treaty — something Trump did during his first term. However, membership was quickly restored by former President Joe Biden. By withdrawing again, Trump has pushed back against progress being made against climate change and further isolated the U.S. from some of its closest allies.The U.S. is one of the top carbon polluting nations According to the executive action, the goal is to put America first as “these agreements steer American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not require, or merit, financial assistance in the interests of the American people.”
The goal of the treaty adopted by 196 countries is to limit long-term global warming. It allows different countries to set their own goals to limit emissions, and countries are meant to update their plans later this year.
TikTok and Tech
After popular social media app TikTokwas shut down in the U.S. overnight from Saturday to Sunday, Trump has hit pause on the ban of the app. The ban is an initiative Trump started in his first term. Despite this, the order states that the law banning the app will be paused for 75 days and that companies who work with TikTok during that time will not be held liable. During the pause, the Trump administration will work to get TikTok purchased by a non-Chinese company in "a joint venture.”
According to a law signed Sunday that Trump has now blocked, a stiff fine would be imposed on any company in the U.S. that worked with TikTok so long as it is owned by ByteDance, a Beijing-based tech company. The law was signed in April by lawmakers who were concerned that the Chinese government was using the app to collect data for “spying or nefarious” purposes, according to NPR.
Immigration
As of right now, Trump has yet to sign executive orders involving immigration. However, he has declared a national emergency at the United States-Mexico border. He also declared cartels as terrorist organizations and took steps to block citizenship for those born in the U.S. to parents who entered illegally, according to Reuters.
Shortly after the inauguration, Biden’s CBP One entry program was also shut down — which made it much easier for immigrants to enter the U.S. legally through immigration appointments made through the app.
DePaul News
By Claire Rooney
University closed for MLK Day — DePaul was closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day today, but the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity is hosting a prayer breakfast tomorrow “honor[ing] the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” DeHub has more.
Self Care Events in Lincoln Park — Additionally, Take Care DePaul is hosting numerous self care events throughout the week including a “Relaxation Station” from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and a screening of “School of Rock” on Thursday in the LPC Student Center. On Friday, the LGBTQIA+ Resource Center is hosting a RuPaul’s Drag Race Watch Party at 7 p.m. in O’Connell room 350. DeHub has more.
Free Professional Clothing Pop-Up hosted by students — DePaul’s Women in Business is hosting a free Professional Clothing Pop-up tomorrow on the 8 Floor of the Loop DePaul Center. Many items are available tailored to a professional business attire and the pop-up will be open from 3-5. DeHub has more.
Chicago Headlines
By Emily Diaz
Undocumented immigrants prepare for Trump’s ICE crackdown — With Donald Trump officially sworn into office, plans to enact major Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in populated U.S. cities will begin. According to MSN, Trump's new Border Czar, Tom Homan, plans to target Chicago first, followed by Boston, New York and Miami. The Chicago City Council has blocked a proposal allowing law enforcement to collaborate with ICE on deportation initiatives, making it more difficult to conduct such raids. Additionally, Homan told ABC News he will reconsider his crackdown after details of the plans were leaked. Nonetheless, neighborhoods like Pilsen and Little Village are hosting council meetings to support the immigrant communities, providing legal assistance and resources for addressing possible contact with ICE agents. Barb Markoff, Christine Tressel, Tom Jones, Lizette Nunez, Liz Nagy and Sarah Shulte have more here.
Chicago Bears hire former Detroit Lions coordinator Ben Johnson as new head coach — Former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson will join the Chicago Bears as new head coach, according to NFL Network. The news comes after the recent firing of Matt Ebeflus as the Chicago Bears’ head coach. Following an intense losing streak and “disastrous Thanksgiving day” game against the Detroit Lions last November, the team has recruited Johnson in hopes he will integrate quarterback Caleb Williams, the number one pick in last year’s NFL draft, as the key to the Bears’ success. Johnson will lead the team with over 10 years of experience coaching teams like the Miami Dolphins and with a resume that includes “helping revive the career of Jared Goff,” the quarterback of the Detroit Lions. According to NFL News, plans are finalizing today regarding Johnson’s contract with the Chicago Bears. Rohan Nadkarni has more here.
Chicago schools close amid freezing temperatures lower than Antarctica — Chicago schools will cancel in-person classes and opt in for e-learning sessions tomorrow due to low temperatures reaching the negatives. According to CBS News, the city’s weather has been significantly lower than Alaska and Antarctica, both of which have high 20’s and 30’s right now. With wind chills as low as 25 degrees below zero, a cold weather advisory will be in place in Chicago until noon tomorrow. Jeramie Bizzle has more here.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
Trump is sworn into office — Donald Trump was sworn into office as the 47th president on Monday at noon EST. Trump pledged to “completely and totally reverse” the actions of his predecessor, promising to clamp down on border crossings, increase fossil fuel developments, and end diversity, equity and inclusion programs in the federal government. The inauguration was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, where billionaires and tech titans – including Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai and Elon Musk – and Trump supporters gathered to watch the transfer of power. Trump is the first person convicted of a felony to serve as president. Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Michelle L. Price from the Associated Press have more information.
Former Planned Parenthood President, Cecile Richards, dies — Cecile Richards, a former president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, died on Monday at 67 years old. She spent 2006 to 2018 overseeing the country’s largest provider of reproductive healthcare and fending off Republican-controlled efforts to pass laws that restrict access or funding. “My mom used to say, paraphrasing Edna St. Vincent Millay, ‘Life isn’t one thing after the other; it’s the same damn thing over and over again,” Richards told Vogue magazine in 2017. “I think you have to realize: Just when you get sick of saying something is just when other folks are beginning to hear it.” Her final project – Abortion in America – used social media apps, like Instagram and TikTok, to share stories about abortion beyond traditional news media. Richards was diagnosed in 2023 with a type of brain tumor called glioblastoma. She died at home, according to her family. Remy Tumin from the New York Times has more information.
Biden pardoned Fauci, Milley and the January 6 committee — On Monday before Trump was sworn into office, former President Joe Biden pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, Gen. Mark Milley and members of the January 6 House committee to protect against the possible retaliation of the Trump administration. The decision comes after Trump released an enemies list with those who crossed him politically or tried to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. Trump’s Cabinet nominees have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him. “The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.” Colleen Long and Zeke Miller of the Associated Press have more information.
Senior diplomats are leaving their posts as Trump takes office — President Trump’s transition team asked senior career diplomats to resign from their positions. While departures are common during a transition, it is now happening more quickly and on a larger scale, according to U.S. officials. The Trump transition team – which is led by aides to Florida Senator Marco Rubio – asked for the resignations on Friday, with many senior diplomats agreeing to do so. Some department officials had already planned to step down, including Daniel J. Kritenbrink, a longtime diplomat who served as assistant secretary of East Asian and Pacific affairs in the Biden administration and was also the former ambassador to Vietnam. Ambassadors – like Jeffrey Prescott, who represented the United States at United Nations agencies in Rome – have also been announcing their departures. Edward Wong from the New York Times has more.
14 East Pueblo: Trump’s “border czar” says no decision has been made about immigration raids
By Annabelle Rivera
Tom Homan, the former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and President Donald Trump’s “border czar,” has denounced a leak saying that Chicago would be raided with immigration officers during Trump’s first week in office.
The news, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times on Saturday, claimed that the incoming administration would send 150-200 immigration agents to Chicago as early as Tuesday. But according to Homan, he hasn’t made a decision yet on what will happen.
“We’re looking at this leak and will make a decision based on this leak,” Homan told the Washington Post. “It’s unfortunate because anyone leaking law enforcement operations puts officers at greater risk.”
Homan also expressed confusion at Chicago being mentioned specifically, saying that the incoming administration would focus far wider than one city.
The plan was slated to begin on Tuesday and run until the following Monday. Homan said that undocumented immigrants with a criminal record or those who have evaded deportation would be the focus of a “nationwide” effort. The Trump administration said this will be the largest mass-deportation operation in the country’s history.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Jenna Muehleck
As the biggest night for the film industry approaches, a select collection of films, filmmakers and actors continue to campaign for a coveted nomination for the 97th Academy Awards. The official nomination announcement ceremony is slated for January 23 and is predicted to include box office hits like “Wicked” to festival winners like “Anora.”
RaMell Ross’ film “Nickel Boys” has been left out of the majority of awards conversations despite being one of the most emotionally evocative and technically unique films of this season. Following an intelligent and hopeful young boy named Elwood, audiences take on the perspective of Elwood as he endures time at a brutal correctional facility in the Jim Crow South. Utilizing point-of-view style cinematography can often feel like a gimmick, but this technique in “Nickel Boys” feels immersive and empathetic.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor delivers an utterly harrowing performance as Elwood’s grandmother which has seldom been discussed at nomination ceremonies. A scene in which Ellis-Taylor tries to visit Elwood is particularly impactful– her microexpressions make her character feel so lived in and warm that the character becomes so much more devastating when she’s met with the tragedy that ensues in the film’s final act.
Despite its majorly impactful cinematography and performances, “Nickel Boys” has hardly made shortlists for Oscar predictions. It’s a film that feels hugely monumental, and it’s a shame it has not received the attention it deserves for its effortless poignancy and vulnerability.
Resources
Need resources regarding cooling centers, rental assistance, abortion access, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
That’s it for today! See you next Monday.
The 14 East Newsletter Team