<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB&nbsp;</a>

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led House advanced a proposed constitutional amendment Tuesday asking voters to repeal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-amendment-ballot-election-f114445b087e77d0cc786d3eeb2eb615">an abortion-rights measure</a>&nbsp;they narrowly approved last year and instead ban most abortions with exceptions for rape and incest.

Democrats and abortion-rights activists denounced the public policy swing as an affront to the will of voters. But Republicans contend they are simply giving voters a second chance — and are confident they will change their minds.

“Missourians deserve to be presented with better options at the ballot box -- options that are more in line with their values,” said Republican Rep. Brian Seitz, who is handling the measure.

The abortion landscape across the U.S. has been shifting since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022, ending a nationwide right to abortion and clearing the way for bans in Missouri and elsewhere to take effect.

Since then, Missouri is the only state where voters have overturned a law barring most abortions at all stages of pregnancy. A constitutional amendment, passed by about 52% in November, guarantees a right to abortion until fetal viability — generally considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy</a>&nbsp;— and allows later abortions to protect the life or health of pregnant women.

A limited number of surgical abortions have since occurred in Missouri, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-planned-parenthood-st-louis-975a18e93c90ae7037dbd359dd7aac18">medication abortions remain on hold</a>&nbsp;while Planned Parenthood wrangles with the state over abortion regulations.

In addition to repealing the abortion-rights amendment, the new measure would allow abortions only for a medical emergency or fetal anomaly, or in cases of rape or incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. It also would prohibit gender transition surgeries, hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors, which already are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">barred under state law</a>.

The proposal won initial House approval by 94-50 vote, with House Speaker Jon Patterson among just two Republicans siding with Democrats in opposition. Another House vote is needed to send the measure to the Senate, where approval would place it on a future Missouri ballot.

Some Republican lawmakers assert that voters are opposed to most abortions but desire options for rape and incest and state regulations setting health and safety standards for abortion providers.

Democratic lawmakers read aloud the written testimony of numerous residents who came to the Capitol last week to testify against the measure but were denied an opportunity to speak during a House committee hearing.

"To repeal what they have already voted on is wrong,” Democratic Rep. Marla Smith said.

Tuesday’s debate came on the same day that a different House committee heard testimony on separate legislation that would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-abolitionists-trump-roe-criminal-homicide-d6d5c7a05419fe9ded04271cb517b001">abortions to be prosecuted as homicide.</a>&nbsp;That bill did not advance, but it generated impassioned testimony.

“Our representatives seem to be sitting up here calling us stupid and saying our opinions don’t matter,” said Chloe Mix, a Springfield resident who backed last year’s abortion-rights amendment and opposes this year’s measures.

The Missouri House debate also came one day after the Legislature gave final approval to a bill limiting the courts' ability to rewrite summaries of ballot measures. That measure, which now goes to Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe, was prompted by Republican frustration that a judge rewrote the original ballot summary prepared for last year’s abortion-rights amendment.

Last year, voters in six other states approved ballot measures to bolster abortion rights, and three rejected them. In Arizona, a judge this year permanently blocked enforcement of a ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, finding it violated the amendment adopted last year.

A ballot measure in Montana last year that ensured the right to abortion didn’t stop lawmakers from introducing several abortion measures this year. But none gained traction in the Legislature.

Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill contributed from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656080662104.png" alt="File photo-Abortion-rights activists rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo-Abortion-rights activists rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB&nbsp;</a>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican-led House advanced a proposed constitutional amendment Tuesday asking voters to repeal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-amendment-ballot-election-f114445b087e77d0cc786d3eeb2eb615">an abortion-rights measure</a>&nbsp;they narrowly approved last year and instead ban most abortions with exceptions for rape and incest.Democrats and abortion-rights activists denounced the public policy swing as an affront to the will of voters. But Republicans contend they are simply giving voters a second chance — and are confident they will change their minds.“Missourians deserve to be presented with better options at the ballot box -- options that are more in line with their values,” said Republican Rep. Brian Seitz, who is handling the measure.The abortion landscape across the U.S. has been shifting since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in 2022, ending a nationwide right to abortion and clearing the way for bans in Missouri and elsewhere to take effect.Since then, Missouri is the only state where voters have overturned a law barring most abortions at all stages of pregnancy. A constitutional amendment, passed by about 52% in November, guarantees a right to abortion until fetal viability — generally considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy</a>&nbsp;— and allows later abortions to protect the life or health of pregnant women.A limited number of surgical abortions have since occurred in Missouri, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-planned-parenthood-st-louis-975a18e93c90ae7037dbd359dd7aac18">medication abortions remain on hold</a>&nbsp;while Planned Parenthood wrangles with the state over abortion regulations.In addition to repealing the abortion-rights amendment, the new measure would allow abortions only for a medical emergency or fetal anomaly, or in cases of rape or incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. It also would prohibit gender transition surgeries, hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors, which already are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">barred under state law</a>.The proposal won initial House approval by 94-50 vote, with House Speaker Jon Patterson among just two Republicans siding with Democrats in opposition. Another House vote is needed to send the measure to the Senate, where approval would place it on a future Missouri ballot.Some Republican lawmakers assert that voters are opposed to most abortions but desire options for rape and incest and state regulations setting health and safety standards for abortion providers.Democratic lawmakers read aloud the written testimony of numerous residents who came to the Capitol last week to testify against the measure but were denied an opportunity to speak during a House committee hearing."To repeal what they have already voted on is wrong,” Democratic Rep. Marla Smith said.Tuesday’s debate came on the same day that a different House committee heard testimony on separate legislation that would allow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-abolitionists-trump-roe-criminal-homicide-d6d5c7a05419fe9ded04271cb517b001">abortions to be prosecuted as homicide.</a>&nbsp;That bill did not advance, but it generated impassioned testimony.“Our representatives seem to be sitting up here calling us stupid and saying our opinions don’t matter,” said Chloe Mix, a Springfield resident who backed last year’s abortion-rights amendment and opposes this year’s measures.The Missouri House debate also came one day after the Legislature gave final approval to a bill limiting the courts' ability to rewrite summaries of ballot measures. That measure, which now goes to Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe, was prompted by Republican frustration that a judge rewrote the original ballot summary prepared for last year’s abortion-rights amendment.Last year, voters in six other states approved ballot measures to bolster abortion rights, and three rejected them. In Arizona, a judge this year permanently blocked enforcement of a ban after 15 weeks of pregnancy, finding it violated the amendment adopted last year.A ballot measure in Montana last year that ensured the right to abortion didn’t stop lawmakers from introducing several abortion measures this year. But none gained traction in the Legislature.___Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill contributed from Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Mo. lawmakers advance proposed repeal of abortion-rights measure approved by voters

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy suffered serious burns just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate identified as 21-year-old James Edward Chavez launched a targeted attack inside the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.

The incident happened while the deputy was speaking with inmates in a housing pod.&nbsp; Chavez obtained a pot of boiling water and threw it on the deputy, causing second and third-degree burns to the back part of his body.

Sedgwick County EMS transported the deputy to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit. The 30-year-old deputy who has served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly two years, remains hospitalized but is expected to fully recover.

Chavez was originally booked into the detention facility in March 2024 on pending juvenile charges and later faced an additional charge for trafficking contraband into a correctional facility He has had 39 documented disciplinary incidents since entering the facility.

Following the attack, a charge of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer has been added to Chavez’s current charges. Sheriff’s detectives are continuing the investigation and will present their findings to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration.

Inmates have traditionally had access to hot water for preparing coffee, tea, and food items like Ramen noodles. The Sheriff’s Office is now reviewing that policy.

“Our office remains committed to the safety of our employees,” Sheriff Jeff Easter said. “We are in close contact with the deputy and his family, and we are praying for his speedy recovery. This type of violence will not be tolerated.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744743778023.png" alt="Chavez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Chavez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Detention Deputy suffered serious burns just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate identified as 21-year-old James Edward Chavez launched a targeted attack inside the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility, according to a media release from the sheriff's department.The incident happened while the deputy was speaking with inmates in a housing pod.&nbsp; Chavez obtained a pot of boiling water and threw it on the deputy, causing second and third-degree burns to the back part of his body.Sedgwick County EMS transported the deputy to a local hospital, where he was admitted to the Burn Unit. The 30-year-old deputy who has served with the Sheriff’s Office for nearly two years, remains hospitalized but is expected to fully recover.Chavez was originally booked into the detention facility in March 2024 on pending juvenile charges and later faced an additional charge for trafficking contraband into a correctional facility He has had 39 documented disciplinary incidents since entering the facility.Following the attack, a charge of aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer has been added to Chavez’s current charges. Sheriff’s detectives are continuing the investigation and will present their findings to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration.Inmates have traditionally had access to hot water for preparing coffee, tea, and food items like Ramen noodles. The Sheriff’s Office is now reviewing that policy.“Our office remains committed to the safety of our employees,” Sheriff Jeff Easter said. “We are in close contact with the deputy and his family, and we are praying for his speedy recovery. This type of violence will not be tolerated.”

Kan. jail deputy attacked with scalding water remains hospitalized

Texas health officials confirmed 20 more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-day-care-lubbock-3d90c3ea9050c12dbc74a8f8142a6355">measles</a>&nbsp;in its nearly 3-month-old outbreak Tuesday, alongside five new cases in New Mexico and six in central Ohio.

Last week, U.S. measles cases topped 700 as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">Indiana</a>&nbsp;joined five others states with active outbreaks. Even as the virus continued to spread and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention redeployed a team to West Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-kennedy-trump-vaccines-rfk-jr-cdc-b66251888f039c80b15beda23c279d5b">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;claimed in a televised Cabinet meeting Thursday that measles cases were plateauing nationally. The U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.

Texas is reporting the majority of measles cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses near&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas</a>. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated also died of a measles-related illness.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Oklahoma and Ohio.

The multistate outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">take hold in other U.S. communities</a>&nbsp;with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas' outbreak began in late January. State health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">561 across 23 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 58 throughout the outbreak, and Reeves County logged its first case.

State health officials estimated Tuesday that about 4% of cases — fewer than 25 — are actively infectious.

Sixty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has logged 364 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.

The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to Kennedy. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February — Kennedy said age 6.

New Mexico announced five new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 63. Three more people are in the hospital, for a total of five since the outbreak started. Doña Ana County reported its first case. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and one in Chaves County.

State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.

<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has 32 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday. Two of the counties, Finney and Ford, are new on the list and are major population centers in that part of the state. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and the rest have five or fewer.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

Cases in Oklahoma remained steady at 12 total cases Tuesday: nine confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.

A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Rogers and Custer counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.

The Knox County outbreak in east-central Ohio has infected a total 20 people as of Tuesday, according to a news release from the county health department, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 measles cases in the state last week: 11 in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, seven in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties. The state updates its count on Thursdays, and it only includes Ohio residents.

The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.

Indiana confirmed six connected cases of measles in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — four are unvaccinated minors and two are adults whose vaccination status is unknown.

The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Wednesday. The first case was confirmed Monday.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">seven clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far in 2025, the CDC's count is 712.

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but experts don't always recommend it and health insurance plans may not cover it.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744745603893.png" alt="Image Texas DPH" />
 <figcaption>Image Texas DPH</figcaption>
 </figure>Texas health officials confirmed 20 more cases of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-day-care-lubbock-3d90c3ea9050c12dbc74a8f8142a6355">measles</a>&nbsp;in its nearly 3-month-old outbreak Tuesday, alongside five new cases in New Mexico and six in central Ohio.Last week, U.S. measles cases topped 700 as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-new-mexico-vaccine-rfk-d5444b3397ac7c4034e63becc219aa33">Indiana</a>&nbsp;joined five others states with active outbreaks. Even as the virus continued to spread and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention redeployed a team to West Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autism-kennedy-trump-vaccines-rfk-jr-cdc-b66251888f039c80b15beda23c279d5b">Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;claimed in a televised Cabinet meeting Thursday that measles cases were plateauing nationally. The U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.Texas is reporting the majority of measles cases.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses near&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas</a>. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated also died of a measles-related illness.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">Other states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>, Oklahoma and Ohio.The multistate outbreak confirms health experts' fears that the virus will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">take hold in other U.S. communities</a>&nbsp;with low vaccination rates and that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that's airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas' outbreak began in late January. State health officials said Tuesday there were 20 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">561 across 23 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 58 throughout the outbreak, and Reeves County logged its first case.State health officials estimated Tuesday that about 4% of cases — fewer than 25 — are actively infectious.Sixty-five percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has logged 364 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to Kennedy. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February — Kennedy said age 6.New Mexico announced five new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 63. Three more people are in the hospital, for a total of five since the outbreak started. Doña Ana County reported its first case. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and one in Chaves County.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Kansas?</h2><a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;has 32 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday. Two of the counties, Finney and Ford, are new on the list and are major population centers in that part of the state. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and the rest have five or fewer.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Cases in Oklahoma remained steady at 12 total cases Tuesday: nine confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.A state health department spokesperson said measles exposures were confirmed in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Rogers and Custer counties, but wouldn't say which counties had cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>The Knox County outbreak in east-central Ohio has infected a total 20 people as of Tuesday, according to a news release from the county health department, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 measles cases in the state last week: 11 in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, seven in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties. The state updates its count on Thursdays, and it only includes Ohio residents.The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana confirmed six connected cases of measles in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — four are unvaccinated minors and two are adults whose vaccination status is unknown.The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Wednesday. The first case was confirmed Monday.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. The agency counted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/">seven clusters</a>&nbsp;that qualified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles. So far in 2025, the CDC's count is 712.<h2>Do you need an MMR booster?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;(MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but experts don't always recommend it and health insurance plans may not cover it.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.<h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<h2>Why do vaccination rates matter?</h2>In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>___

Number of US measles cases climbs with outbreaks in six states

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a statement from the agency.

The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.&nbsp; NORAD reported similar activity in December, January and twice in February.

An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.

NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) detected and tracked Russian military aircraft operating in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on Monday, according to a statement from the agency.The Russian aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace. This Russian activity in Alaskan ADIZ occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.&nbsp; NORAD reported similar activity in December, January and twice in February.An ADIZ begins where sovereign airspace ends and is a defined stretch of international airspace that requires the ready identification of all aircraft in the interest of national security.NORAD employs a layered defense network of satellites, ground-based and airborne radars and fighter aircraft to detect and track aircraft and inform appropriate actions. NORAD remains ready to employ a number of response options in defense of North America.

More Russian war planes detected flying off coast of Alaska

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday a request was submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reinstate more than $22 million in federal funding appropriated to Kansas to help students who fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic catch up with peers and to retrain teachers in the science of reading.

The U.S. Department of Education announced in March that approximately $3 billion in pandemic relief funds would be frozen nationwide.

The Kansas State Department of Education had&nbsp;received an extension on the deadline for expending the funds, but the federal government’s latest maneuver reversed that decision. The state Department of Education requested the administration of President Donald Trump set aside the latest plan to sweep the $22.6 million allocated to Kansas. That request is pending at the federal level.

“Abruptly stripping this funding is a disservice to the Kansas students and teachers who rely on it to excel in the classroom,” Kelly said.

In Kansas, the funding in jeopardy was allocated to supporting student learning recovery and ensuring the education workforce was prepared to assist those students with academic deficiencies. The aid also was used to retrain teachers in reading instruction, support students’ career and college exploration and to lower start-up costs for child care providers.

In addition, a portion of the funds was relied on to cover the cost of&nbsp; licensure, fingerprinting and background check fees for early childhood educators. The Kelly administration began waiving the fees using federal and state funds in 2021. The fees will be reinstated until the Trump administration restores Kansas’ funding allocation, the governor said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744734048435.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education requesting the administration of President Donald Trump reverse a decision to freeze $22.6 million allocated to the state for benefit of students and teachers. This is a 2023 image of Kelly meeting students at Jardine Elementary in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education requesting the administration of President Donald Trump reverse a decision to freeze $22.6 million allocated to the state for benefit of students and teachers. This is a 2023 image of Kelly meeting students at Jardine Elementary in Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday a request was submitted to the U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to reinstate more than $22 million in federal funding appropriated to Kansas to help students who fell behind during the COVID-19 pandemic catch up with peers and to retrain teachers in the science of reading.The U.S. Department of Education announced in March that approximately $3 billion in pandemic relief funds would be frozen nationwide.The Kansas State Department of Education had&nbsp;received an extension on the deadline for expending the funds, but the federal government’s latest maneuver reversed that decision. The state Department of Education requested the administration of President Donald Trump set aside the latest plan to sweep the $22.6 million allocated to Kansas. That request is pending at the federal level.“Abruptly stripping this funding is a disservice to the Kansas students and teachers who rely on it to excel in the classroom,” Kelly said.In Kansas, the funding in jeopardy was allocated to supporting student learning recovery and ensuring the education workforce was prepared to assist those students with academic deficiencies. The aid also was used to retrain teachers in reading instruction, support students’ career and college exploration and to lower start-up costs for child care providers.In addition, a portion of the funds was relied on to cover the cost of&nbsp; licensure, fingerprinting and background check fees for early childhood educators. The Kelly administration began waiving the fees using federal and state funds in 2021. The fees will be reinstated until the Trump administration restores Kansas’ funding allocation, the governor said.

Gov. Laura Kelly urges Trump administration to release $22.6 million in frozen funding

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man accused of intentionally damaging a Tesla was scheduled for a court appearance before Judge William Wooley&nbsp; on Tuesday.&nbsp; The preliminary hearing for&nbsp;30-year-old Johnathan F. Erhart was rescheduled for next month according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On March 27, 2025, the Wichita Police Department presented the results of the investigation into an allegation of intentional damage to a Tesla Model X that occurred on March 20, in northwest Wichita, according to a statement from the District Attorney's office.

After a full review of the investigation, the district attorney charged&nbsp; Erhart of Jefferson County with one count of criminal damage to property, a severity level 9 non-person felony.

Under Kansas law, severity level 9 felony carries a range of sentence of 5 to 17 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, depending on a defendant’s established criminal history (convictions, not arrests).

&nbsp; Earhart is no longer in custody in Jefferson County after meeting the requirement of a $2,500 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743203584353.png" alt="Erhart photo Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Erhart photo Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man accused of intentionally damaging a Tesla was scheduled for a court appearance before Judge William Wooley&nbsp; on Tuesday.&nbsp; The preliminary hearing for&nbsp;30-year-old Johnathan F. Erhart was rescheduled for next month according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On March 27, 2025, the Wichita Police Department presented the results of the investigation into an allegation of intentional damage to a Tesla Model X that occurred on March 20, in northwest Wichita, according to a statement from the District Attorney's office.After a full review of the investigation, the district attorney charged&nbsp; Erhart of Jefferson County with one count of criminal damage to property, a severity level 9 non-person felony.Under Kansas law, severity level 9 felony carries a range of sentence of 5 to 17 months in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections, depending on a defendant’s established criminal history (convictions, not arrests).&nbsp; Earhart is no longer in custody in Jefferson County after meeting the requirement of a $2,500 bond, according to online jail records.

Hearing delayed for Kan. man accused of intentionally damaging a Tesla 

The Hutchinson Fire Department rescued two people from an afternoon house fire on Monday. &nbsp;

Initial units on the scene found heavy smoke coming out of the residence and two female victims self-evacuating out of windows on the second story.  One of the victims was rescued via a ground ladder and the second via a fire apparatus.  The victims were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.

Due to the conditions, a request was made to bring all available fire units to the scene. Two cats were later found while searching the residence and treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. They were taken by animal control for observation. &nbsp;

The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Hutchinson Fire Department Fire Marshals Office&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744727635016.jpeg" alt="Plum Street Fire - Hutchinson Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Plum Street Fire - Hutchinson Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>MARC JACOBS Hutch Post&nbsp;The Hutchinson Fire Department rescued two people from an afternoon house fire on Monday. &nbsp;Initial units on the scene found heavy smoke coming out of the residence and two female victims self-evacuating out of windows on the second story. One of the victims was rescued via a ground ladder and the second via a fire apparatus. The victims were transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.Due to the conditions, a request was made to bring all available fire units to the scene. Two cats were later found while searching the residence and treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. They were taken by animal control for observation. &nbsp;The cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Hutchinson Fire Department Fire Marshals Office&nbsp;

Two hospitalized after rescued from Kansas house fire

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

President Donald Trump on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">reiterated</a>&nbsp;that he’d like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country’s president, Nayib Bukele, that he’d “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.

Trump’s administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-trump-0d3485e0985b9d30d493c9da0adf73ef">deported</a>&nbsp;immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">CECOT</a>, known for its harsh conditions. The president has also said his administration is trying to find “legal” ways to ship U.S. citizens there, too.

Trump on Monday insisted these would just be “violent people,” implying they would be those already convicted of crimes in the United States, though he’s also floated it as a punishment for those who attack Tesla dealerships to protest his administration and its patron, billionaire Elon Musk. But it would likely be a violation of the U.S. Constitution for his administration to send any native-born citizen forcibly into an overseas prison. Indeed, it would likely even violate a provision of a law Trump himself signed during his first term.

Here’s a look at the notion of sending U.S. citizens to prison in a foreign country, why it’s likely not legal and some possible legal loopholes.

If it’s legal to do to immigrants, why not citizens?

Immigrants can be deported from the United States, while citizens cannot. Deportation is covered by immigration law, which does not apply to U.S. citizens. Part of being a citizen means you cannot be forcibly sent to another country.

Immigrants can be removed, and that’s what’s been happening in El Salvador. The country is taking both its own citizens that the United States is sending as well as those from Venezuela and potentially other countries that will not take their own citizens back from the U.S. The Venezuelans sent there last month had no opportunity to respond to evidence against them or appear before a judge.

That’s the deal the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-salvador-tren-aragua-64e72142a171ea57c869c3b35eeecce7">signed</a>&nbsp;with Bukele. The U.S. has sent people to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere even when they are not citizens of those countries. But, under international agreements, people cannot be sent to countries where they are likely to be persecuted or tortured.

Why does the Trump administration want to send people to El Salvador?

Bukele calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator” and has cracked down on human rights during his administration. He’s also turned El Salvador from one of the world’s most violent countries into a fairly safe one. Trump has embraced that example, including during the Oval Office visit Monday.

Sending immigrants from countries like Venezuela to El Salvador sends a message to would-be migrants elsewhere about the risks of trying to make it to — or stay in — the United States.

There’s a second benefit to the administration: People sent to El Salvador are outside the jurisdiction of United States courts. Judges, the administration argues, can’t order someone sent to El Salvador to be released or shipped back to the U.S. because the U.S. government no longer has control of them.

It’s a potential legal loophole that led Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to issue a grim warning in her opinion in a 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court finding that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could not</a>&nbsp;fly alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador with no court hearing, even after Trump invoked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">18th century law</a>&nbsp;last used during World War II to claim wartime powers.

“The implication of the Government’s position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress,” Sotomayor warned. She was writing to dissent from the majority taking the case from the federal judge who had initially barred the administration from any deportations and had ordered planes en route to El Salvador turned around — an order the administration apparently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-boasberg-venezuelans-8c1287a1fec1c026efb2bde51ffdda9a">ignored</a>.

A second case highlights the risks of sending people to El Salvador. The administration admits it sent a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, erroneously to El Salvador. A Salvadoran immigrant, Abrego Garcia, who has not been charged with a crime, had an order against deportation but was shipped to CECOT anyway. On Monday Bukele and Trump scoffed at the idea of sending him back, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return.

Wait, so can they send citizens to El Salvador?

Nothing like this has ever been contemplated in U.S. history, but it seems unlikely. There are other legal barriers besides the fact that you cannot deport U.S. citizens. The United States does have extradition treaties with several countries where it will send a citizen accused of a crime in that country to face trial there. That appears to be the only existing way a U.S. citizen can be forcibly removed from the country under current law.

The Constitution also prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” and one of CECOT’s selling points is that conditions there are far harsher than in prisons in the U.S. As noted above, federal courts have no jurisdiction there, and that may deprive people sent there of the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.

“It is illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime,” wrote Lauren-Brooke Eisen of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York.

She noted that even if the administration tries to transfer federal prisoners there, arguing they’re already incarcerated, it could run afoul of the First Step Act that Trump himself championed and signed in 2018. The provision requires that the government try to house federal inmates as close to their homes as possible so their families can visit them — and indeed transfer anyone housed farther than 500 miles from their home to a closer facility.

There is one potential loophole that the administration could use to send a small group of citizens to El Salvador. They can try to strip the citizenship of people who earned it after immigrating to the United States.

People who were made U.S. citizens after birth can lose that status for a handful of offenses, like funding terrorist organizations or lying on naturalization forms. They would then revert to green card holders, and would be potentially eligible for deportation if convicted of other, serious crimes.

That’s a small, but real, pool of people. Perhaps the most significant thing about it is that it would require loss of citizenship first. In other words, there’s still likely no legal way to force a citizen out of the country. But a few could end up in legal jeopardy anyway.

By NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated PressPresident Donald Trump on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-white-house-el-salvador-kilmar-abrego-garcia-ad338d6b4558a6aba80e8290fd3eece9">reiterated</a>&nbsp;that he’d like to send U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes to prison in El Salvador, telling that country’s president, Nayib Bukele, that he’d “have to build five more places” to hold the potential new arrivals.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">President Trump says he&#39;s open to deporting U.S. citizens who commit violent crimes. <a href="https://t.co/CjhA8QxGL0">pic.twitter.com/CjhA8QxGL0</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1911820223876850160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump’s administration has already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-deportation-venezuela-tren-de-aragua-trump-0d3485e0985b9d30d493c9da0adf73ef">deported</a>&nbsp;immigrants to El Salvador’s notorious mega-prison&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-trump-prison-immigrants-4ab3fc3c0474efb308084604b61f8a37">CECOT</a>, known for its harsh conditions. The president has also said his administration is trying to find “legal” ways to ship U.S. citizens there, too.Trump on Monday insisted these would just be “violent people,” implying they would be those already convicted of crimes in the United States, though he’s also floated it as a punishment for those who attack Tesla dealerships to protest his administration and its patron, billionaire Elon Musk. But it would likely be a violation of the U.S. Constitution for his administration to send any native-born citizen forcibly into an overseas prison. Indeed, it would likely even violate a provision of a law Trump himself signed during his first term.Here’s a look at the notion of sending U.S. citizens to prison in a foreign country, why it’s likely not legal and some possible legal loopholes.<h2>If it’s legal to do to immigrants, why not citizens?</h2>Immigrants can be deported from the United States, while citizens cannot. Deportation is covered by immigration law, which does not apply to U.S. citizens. Part of being a citizen means you cannot be forcibly sent to another country.Immigrants can be removed, and that’s what’s been happening in El Salvador. The country is taking both its own citizens that the United States is sending as well as those from Venezuela and potentially other countries that will not take their own citizens back from the U.S. The Venezuelans sent there last month had no opportunity to respond to evidence against them or appear before a judge.That’s the deal the Trump administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-salvador-tren-aragua-64e72142a171ea57c869c3b35eeecce7">signed</a>&nbsp;with Bukele. The U.S. has sent people to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama and elsewhere even when they are not citizens of those countries. But, under international agreements, people cannot be sent to countries where they are likely to be persecuted or tortured.Advertisement<h2>Why does the Trump administration want to send people to El Salvador?</h2>Bukele calls himself “the world’s coolest dictator” and has cracked down on human rights during his administration. He’s also turned El Salvador from one of the world’s most violent countries into a fairly safe one. Trump has embraced that example, including during the Oval Office visit Monday.Sending immigrants from countries like Venezuela to El Salvador sends a message to would-be migrants elsewhere about the risks of trying to make it to — or stay in — the United States.There’s a second benefit to the administration: People sent to El Salvador are outside the jurisdiction of United States courts. Judges, the administration argues, can’t order someone sent to El Salvador to be released or shipped back to the U.S. because the U.S. government no longer has control of them.It’s a potential legal loophole that led Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to issue a grim warning in her opinion in a 9-0 U.S. Supreme Court finding that the administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-deportations-el-salvador-9988b667199e1b02fc0a6a83570225c1">could not</a>&nbsp;fly alleged Venezuelan gang members to El Salvador with no court hearing, even after Trump invoked an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alien-enemies-trump-immigration-deportations-21a62ede23b8c493b60d00a9c125722f">18th century law</a>&nbsp;last used during World War II to claim wartime powers.Advertisement“The implication of the Government’s position is that not only noncitizens but also United States citizens could be taken off the streets, forced onto planes, and confined to foreign prisons with no opportunity for redress,” Sotomayor warned. She was writing to dissent from the majority taking the case from the federal judge who had initially barred the administration from any deportations and had ordered planes en route to El Salvador turned around — an order the administration apparently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-deportations-boasberg-venezuelans-8c1287a1fec1c026efb2bde51ffdda9a">ignored</a>.A second case highlights the risks of sending people to El Salvador. The administration admits it sent a Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, erroneously to El Salvador. A Salvadoran immigrant, Abrego Garcia, who has not been charged with a crime, had an order against deportation but was shipped to CECOT anyway. On Monday Bukele and Trump scoffed at the idea of sending him back, even though the U.S. Supreme Court ordered the administration to “facilitate” his return.Advertisement<h2>Wait, so can they send citizens to El Salvador?</h2>Nothing like this has ever been contemplated in U.S. history, but it seems unlikely. There are other legal barriers besides the fact that you cannot deport U.S. citizens. The United States does have extradition treaties with several countries where it will send a citizen accused of a crime in that country to face trial there. That appears to be the only existing way a U.S. citizen can be forcibly removed from the country under current law.The Constitution also prohibits “cruel and unusual punishment,” and one of CECOT’s selling points is that conditions there are far harsher than in prisons in the U.S. As noted above, federal courts have no jurisdiction there, and that may deprive people sent there of the constitutional guarantee of due process of law.Advertisement“It is illegal to expatriate U.S. citizens for a crime,” wrote Lauren-Brooke Eisen of the Brennan Center for Social Justice in New York.She noted that even if the administration tries to transfer federal prisoners there, arguing they’re already incarcerated, it could run afoul of the First Step Act that Trump himself championed and signed in 2018. The provision requires that the government try to house federal inmates as close to their homes as possible so their families can visit them — and indeed transfer anyone housed farther than 500 miles from their home to a closer facility.<h2>One last loophole?</h2>There is one potential loophole that the administration could use to send a small group of citizens to El Salvador. They can try to strip the citizenship of people who earned it after immigrating to the United States.People who were made U.S. citizens after birth can lose that status for a handful of offenses, like funding terrorist organizations or lying on naturalization forms. They would then revert to green card holders, and would be potentially eligible for deportation if convicted of other, serious crimes.That’s a small, but real, pool of people. Perhaps the most significant thing about it is that it would require loss of citizenship first. In other words, there’s still likely no legal way to force a citizen out of the country. But a few could end up in legal jeopardy anyway.

🎥Trump says he wants to send American 'criminals' to foreign prisons

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with a drug trafficking related offense, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Otis J. Newton, 58, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744319036629.png" alt="Newton is being held in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Newton is being held in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri man with a drug trafficking related offense, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Otis J. Newton, 58, of Kansas City, Missouri, was indicted on one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Missouri man accused of attempting to sell meth in Kansas

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;and the United States over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.

The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-f37d6c5e878045efd48d3790fe69aef7">suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the U.S.' monthlong campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations.

Questions remain over where the weekend talks between the countries will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-italy-77b07a31957b2cb64bd2c37a9d47dad5">Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman</a>. American officials so far haven't said where the talks will be held.

The stakes of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for the two nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-timeline-nuclear-program-uranium-tehran-118ab7924978559857cceb5a39f711f5">closing in on half a century of enmity</a>. Trump repeatedly has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">to unleash airstrikes</a>&nbsp;targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-dubai-nuclear-d96093efcf1e6b8581138b9db48cbedc">increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon</a>&nbsp;with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

But even Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly described the first round of talks as going “well,” even while still couching his remarks Tuesday.

<a href="https://koff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e/">U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff</a>, who represented America in last weekend's talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-talks-oman-nuclear-program-5813e0814efcd99616428086de6ba0be">Oman</a>, separately signaled that the Trump administration may be looking at terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that the president unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 as a basis for these negotiations. He described the talks last weekend as “positive, constructive, compelling.”

“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night. “That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes the trigger for a bomb.”

He added: “We’re here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue.”

Vinson joins Truman as second US aircraft carrier in Mideast

Satellite photos taken Monday by the European Union's Copernicus program showed the Vinson, which is based out of San Diego, California, operating northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen that sits near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. The Vinson is accompanied by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.

The U.S. ordered the Vinson to the Mideast to back up the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been launching airstrikes against the Houthis since the American campaign started March 15. Footage released by the Navy showed the Vinson preparing ordinance and launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets off its deck in recent days.

The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which oversees the Mideast, declined to discuss details of the Vinson's operations. However, hours after the AP's report, the U.S. military's Central Command posted videos from the two carriers on the social platform X saying there had been “24/7 strikes” on the Houthis by the two carriers.

The Vinson's arrival came as Khamenei, while speaking to high-ranking government officials in Tehran on Tuesday, endorsed the progress of the talks.

“We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," the 85-year-old Khamenei said. "The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully. The red lines are clear — both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it’s worth pursuing.”

He also urged officials “not to tie the country’s affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.

“Of course, we don’t fully trust them — we know who we’re dealing with,” Khamenei added. “But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”

Witkoff suggests 3.67% uranium enrichment for Iran

Meanwhile, Witkoff offered for the first time a specific enrichment level he'd like to see for Iran's nuclear program. Today, Tehran enriches uranium to up to 60% — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

“They do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff told Fox News. "In some circumstances, they’re at 60%, in other circumstances, 20%. That cannot be.

“And you do not need to run, as they claim, a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67%. So this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization.”

The 2015 nuclear deal Iran agreed to with world powers under President Barack Obama saw Tehran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran in exchange received access to frozen funds around the world, and sanctions were lifted on its crucial oil industry and other sectors.

Iran's Javan newspaper, which is believed to be close to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested in an editorial Tuesday that Tehran would be open to reducing its enrichment.

“Something that we have done before, why should we not carry it again and reach a deal?” the editorial asked. "This is not called a withdrawal by Islamic Republic from its ideals anywhere in the world.”

When Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, however, he pointed at Iran's ballistic missile stockpile as one reason to leave the deal. Witkoff said any deal with Iran would have to include “missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”

Iran relies on its ballistic missiles as a hedge against regional nations armed with advanced fighter jets and other American weaponry. Getting it to abandon its missile program likely will be difficult in negotiations.

Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. ___

The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744712636526.png" alt="This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12, 2025. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/U.S. Navy via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This photograph released by the U.S. Navy shows a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter hovering over the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier while operating in the Middle East on April 12, 2025. (Petty Officer 3rd Class Nathan Jordan/U.S. Navy via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/iran">Iran</a>&nbsp;and the United States over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-us-tensions-explains-25acc4bfbbe165a374a58ebfa6a4ab41">Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program</a>, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed.The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-f37d6c5e878045efd48d3790fe69aef7">suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels</a>&nbsp;overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the U.S.' monthlong campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations.Questions remain over where the weekend talks between the countries will be held after officials initially identified Rome as hosting the negotiations, only for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-italy-77b07a31957b2cb64bd2c37a9d47dad5">Iran to insist early Tuesday they would return to Oman</a>. American officials so far haven't said where the talks will be held.The stakes of the negotiations couldn’t be higher for the two nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-timeline-nuclear-program-uranium-tehran-118ab7924978559857cceb5a39f711f5">closing in on half a century of enmity</a>. Trump repeatedly has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-trump-nuclear-weapons-program-702e7dfa4c3609f8cefdcb9f67b8117a">to unleash airstrikes</a>&nbsp;targeting Iran’s nuclear program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-dubai-nuclear-d96093efcf1e6b8581138b9db48cbedc">increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon</a>&nbsp;with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.But even Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly described the first round of talks as going “well,” even while still couching his remarks Tuesday.<a href="https://koff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e/">U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff</a>, who represented America in last weekend's talks in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-talks-oman-nuclear-program-5813e0814efcd99616428086de6ba0be">Oman</a>, separately signaled that the Trump administration may be looking at terms of the 2015 nuclear deal that the president unilaterally withdrew from in 2018 as a basis for these negotiations. He described the talks last weekend as “positive, constructive, compelling.”“This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization,” Witkoff told Fox News on Monday night. “That includes missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there. And it includes the trigger for a bomb.”He added: “We’re here to see if we can solve this situation diplomatically and with dialogue.”<h2>Vinson joins Truman as second US aircraft carrier in Mideast</h2>Satellite photos taken Monday by the European Union's Copernicus program showed the Vinson, which is based out of San Diego, California, operating northeast of Socotra, an island off Yemen that sits near the mouth of the Gulf of Aden. The Vinson is accompanied by the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Princeton and two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, the USS Sterett and the USS William P. Lawrence.The U.S. ordered the Vinson to the Mideast to back up the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been launching airstrikes against the Houthis since the American campaign started March 15. Footage released by the Navy showed the Vinson preparing ordinance and launching F-35 and F/A-18 fighter jets off its deck in recent days.The U.S. Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, which oversees the Mideast, declined to discuss details of the Vinson's operations. However, hours after the AP's report, the U.S. military's Central Command posted videos from the two carriers on the social platform X saying there had been “24/7 strikes” on the Houthis by the two carriers.<h2>Khamenei responds</h2>The Vinson's arrival came as Khamenei, while speaking to high-ranking government officials in Tehran on Tuesday, endorsed the progress of the talks.“We shouldn’t be overly optimistic about this dialogue, nor overly pessimistic," the 85-year-old Khamenei said. "The first steps have been taken well and executed properly. From here on, the process should be followed carefully. The red lines are clear — both for the other side and for us. We may or may not reach a result, but either way, it’s worth pursuing.”He also urged officials “not to tie the country’s affairs” to the talks, which are scheduled to have a second round on Saturday.“Of course, we don’t fully trust them — we know who we’re dealing with,” Khamenei added. “But we are optimistic about our own capabilities.”<h2>Witkoff suggests 3.67% uranium enrichment for Iran</h2>Meanwhile, Witkoff offered for the first time a specific enrichment level he'd like to see for Iran's nuclear program. Today, Tehran enriches uranium to up to 60% — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.“They do not need to enrich past 3.67%,” Witkoff told Fox News. "In some circumstances, they’re at 60%, in other circumstances, 20%. That cannot be.“And you do not need to run, as they claim, a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67%. So this is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program, and then ultimately verification on weaponization.”The 2015 nuclear deal Iran agreed to with world powers under President Barack Obama saw Tehran agree to drastically reduce its stockpile of uranium and only enrich up to 3.67% — enough for its nuclear power plant at Bushehr. Iran in exchange received access to frozen funds around the world, and sanctions were lifted on its crucial oil industry and other sectors.Iran's Javan newspaper, which is believed to be close to its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, suggested in an editorial Tuesday that Tehran would be open to reducing its enrichment.“Something that we have done before, why should we not carry it again and reach a deal?” the editorial asked. "This is not called a withdrawal by Islamic Republic from its ideals anywhere in the world.”When Trump withdrew from the deal in 2018, however, he pointed at Iran's ballistic missile stockpile as one reason to leave the deal. Witkoff said any deal with Iran would have to include “missiles, the type of missiles that they have stockpiled there and it includes the trigger for a bomb.”Iran relies on its ballistic missiles as a hedge against regional nations armed with advanced fighter jets and other American weaponry. Getting it to abandon its missile program likely will be difficult in negotiations.___Associated Press writer Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. ___The Associated Press receives support for nuclear security coverage from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.carnegie.org/">the Carnegie Corporation of New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://outrider.org/">Outrider Foundation</a>. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Another show of US force in Mideast ahead of second round of Iran nuclear talks

COWLEY COUNTY—A Kansas family is celebrating the birth of their fourth child who arrived sooner than expected.

According to a social media report on Monday from the Arkansas City Fire and EMS, shortly after 11:30 a.m. March 31, emergency crews responded to a 911 call reporting an unexpected childbirth at the home of Mary Trenary and Donovan Dean. When responders arrived, they discovered that baby Kyng Kyrie Dean had already made his entrance into the world — a week ahead of schedule — at 11:20 a.m., weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long.

“I was taking care of my toddlers, and then the next thing I know, I was giving birth,” Mary said. “I thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions.”Earlier that morning, Mary experienced back pain, which she attributed to lying on a heating pad. But by 11 a.m., it was clear she needed to get to the hospital. However, Baby Kyng had his own plans. With contractions rapidly intensifying, Donovan found himself playing PlayStation one minute — the next, he was delivering his son.

“I used to play doctor as a kid, but I never guessed I’d actually play one in real life,” Donovan said. “I just knew I had to get him out and make sure he could breathe.

 After I realized what happened, I started shaking. I wanted to make sure she was okay and he was okay. I know complications can happen. Then I heard him crying, and EMS came — and I knew it was going to be okay. I appreciate EMS getting there so quickly.

”For Mary, the experience was a whirlwind.“I just remember the police arriving, then EMS,” she said. “I don’t think it really hit me that I had given birth until they said, ‘Here’s the umbilical cord.’”

Arkansas City Fire/EMS crews transported both mom and baby safely to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilliamNewtonHospital?__cft__[0]=AZX0c4TouQ39qu07s-c2aMxk9anyY2jJxOBIZZWo216YrRDfHqCTMsIk_8CZH5lbIC-I10-xXmeEAF3IgH-A9-u9WbEbbEaiMDzSUtHMhOORapnz4bkILEY0Q1h4Mf9I9OBR8LDgHZhaSz8bBpGuDjUwdj0_cIzCCizdMgTihOKPruMyoLMAcYXpF1b1Rwm0Qtg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">William Newton Hospital</a>. Kyng is Mary and Donovan’s fourth child — and their first boy. Their daughters are 5, 3, and 2 years old.“I’ve had a hospital birth, a water birth, and now a home birth,” Mary said. “Each one has been different, but this was definitely the most unexpected!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744717717084.png" alt="Photo Arkansas City Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>Photo Arkansas City Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY—A Kansas family is celebrating the birth of their fourth child who arrived sooner than expected.According to a social media report on Monday from the Arkansas City Fire and EMS, shortly after 11:30 a.m. March 31, emergency crews responded to a 911 call reporting an unexpected childbirth at the home of Mary Trenary and Donovan Dean. When responders arrived, they discovered that baby Kyng Kyrie Dean had already made his entrance into the world — a week ahead of schedule — at 11:20 a.m., weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces, and measuring 19 inches long.“I was taking care of my toddlers, and then the next thing I know, I was giving birth,” Mary said. “I thought it was just Braxton Hicks contractions.”Earlier that morning, Mary experienced back pain, which she attributed to lying on a heating pad. But by 11 a.m., it was clear she needed to get to the hospital. However, Baby Kyng had his own plans. With contractions rapidly intensifying, Donovan found himself playing PlayStation one minute — the next, he was delivering his son.“I used to play doctor as a kid, but I never guessed I’d actually play one in real life,” Donovan said. “I just knew I had to get him out and make sure he could breathe. After I realized what happened, I started shaking. I wanted to make sure she was okay and he was okay. I know complications can happen. Then I heard him crying, and EMS came — and I knew it was going to be okay. I appreciate EMS getting there so quickly.”For Mary, the experience was a whirlwind.“I just remember the police arriving, then EMS,” she said. “I don’t think it really hit me that I had given birth until they said, ‘Here’s the umbilical cord.’”Arkansas City Fire/EMS crews transported both mom and baby safely to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilliamNewtonHospital?__cft__[0]=AZX0c4TouQ39qu07s-c2aMxk9anyY2jJxOBIZZWo216YrRDfHqCTMsIk_8CZH5lbIC-I10-xXmeEAF3IgH-A9-u9WbEbbEaiMDzSUtHMhOORapnz4bkILEY0Q1h4Mf9I9OBR8LDgHZhaSz8bBpGuDjUwdj0_cIzCCizdMgTihOKPruMyoLMAcYXpF1b1Rwm0Qtg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">William Newton Hospital</a>. Kyng is Mary and Donovan’s fourth child — and their first boy. Their daughters are 5, 3, and 2 years old.“I’ve had a hospital birth, a water birth, and now a home birth,” Mary said. “Each one has been different, but this was definitely the most unexpected!”

Kansas man delivers baby boy at home

MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin teenager charged in the deaths of his parents faces wider allegations that he killed them to “obtain the financial means” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassinate President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and overthrow the government, according to a recently unsealed federal warrant.

Nikita Casap, 17, was charged last month by Waukesha County authorities with first-degree murder, theft and other crimes in the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer. Authorities allege the teenager fatally shot them at their home outside Milwaukee in February and lived with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing with $14,000 cash, passports and the family dog. He was arrested last month in Trego County.

Casap, in custody at the Waukesha County jail on a $1 million bond, is due in court next month to enter a plea. County prosecutors have offered a glimpse of the federal allegations, which were outlined in an FBI warrant unsealed Friday.

Federal authorities accuse Casap of planning his parents’ murders, buying a drone and explosives, and sharing his plans with others, including a Russian speaker. His intentions are detailed in a three-page antisemitic manifesto praising Adolf Hitler. The warrant filed at the federal court in Milwaukee also contains excerpts of communications on TikTok and the Telegram messenger app.

“Casap appears to have written a manifest calling for the assassination of the President of the United States. He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States,” the search warrant says. “The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan.”

In court, prosecutors alleged Casap was in touch with a person who speaks Russian and shared a plan to flee to Ukraine. Authorities found him in Kansas with money, passports, a car and the family’s dog.

Federal prosecutors alleged Casap’s manifesto outlined his reasons for wanting to kill Trump and included ideas about how he would live in Ukraine.

Citing Casap’s writings, the federal warrant said the teenager wanted to spur governmental collapse by “by getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president.”

Phone and online messages seeking comment were left Sunday for Casap’s public defender, Nicole Ostrowski. In court last month, she moved to dismiss some of the charges against her client, including theft, arguing that prosecutors had not laid out their case. She’s also noted her client’s age during court proceedings.

“He is young, he is still in high school,” she said on March 12.

County authorities also charged Casap with hiding a corpse, theft and misappropriating identification to obtain money.

Officers found the bodies of Tatiana Casap, 35; and Mayer, 51, on Feb. 28. Family members requested a well-being check after Mayer didn’t report for work and Nikita Casap skipped school for about two weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744674855261.png" alt="Casp PhotoWaukesha County Sheriff's Department)" />
 <figcaption>Casp PhotoWaukesha County Sheriff's Department)</figcaption>
 </figure>MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin teenager charged in the deaths of his parents faces wider allegations that he killed them to “obtain the financial means” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-assassination-attempt-butler-pennsylvania/">assassinate President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and overthrow the government, according to a recently unsealed federal warrant.Nikita Casap, 17, was charged last month by Waukesha County authorities with first-degree murder, theft and other crimes in the deaths of his mother, Tatiana Casap, and his stepfather, Donald Mayer. Authorities allege the teenager fatally shot them at their home outside Milwaukee in February and lived with the decomposing bodies for weeks before fleeing with $14,000 cash, passports and the family dog. He was arrested last month in Trego County.Casap, in custody at the Waukesha County jail on a $1 million bond, is due in court next month to enter a plea. County prosecutors have offered a glimpse of the federal allegations, which were outlined in an FBI warrant unsealed Friday.Federal authorities accuse Casap of planning his parents’ murders, buying a drone and explosives, and sharing his plans with others, including a Russian speaker. His intentions are detailed in a three-page antisemitic manifesto praising Adolf Hitler. The warrant filed at the federal court in Milwaukee also contains excerpts of communications on TikTok and the Telegram messenger app.“Casap appears to have written a manifest calling for the assassination of the President of the United States. He was in touch with other parties about his plan to kill the President and overthrow the government of the United States,” the search warrant says. “The killing of his parents appeared to be an effort to obtain the financial means and autonomy necessary to carrying out his plan.”In court, prosecutors alleged Casap was in touch with a person who speaks Russian and shared a plan to flee to Ukraine. Authorities found him in Kansas with money, passports, a car and the family’s dog.Federal prosecutors alleged Casap’s manifesto outlined his reasons for wanting to kill Trump and included ideas about how he would live in Ukraine.Citing Casap’s writings, the federal warrant said the teenager wanted to spur governmental collapse by “by getting rid of the president and perhaps the vice president.”Phone and online messages seeking comment were left Sunday for Casap’s public defender, Nicole Ostrowski. In court last month, she moved to dismiss some of the charges against her client, including theft, arguing that prosecutors had not laid out their case. She’s also noted her client’s age during court proceedings.“He is young, he is still in high school,” she said on March 12.County authorities also charged Casap with hiding a corpse, theft and misappropriating identification to obtain money.Officers found the bodies of Tatiana Casap, 35; and Mayer, 51, on Feb. 28. Family members requested a well-being check after Mayer didn’t report for work and Nikita Casap skipped school for about two weeks.

Teen arrested in NW Kansas accused of plotting to kill Trump

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;A detention deputy was seriously injured just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate allegedly threw scalding water on the deputy inside the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Detention facility, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Office.

&nbsp;The deputy sustained serious burns and was transported by Sedgwick County EMS to a local hospital for treatment.

Sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details late Monday.

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;A detention deputy was seriously injured just before 7:30p.m. Monday after an inmate allegedly threw scalding water on the deputy inside the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Detention facility, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;The deputy sustained serious burns and was transported by Sedgwick County EMS to a local hospital for treatment.Sheriff’s detectives launched an investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details late Monday.

Kan. inmate accused of throwing scalding water on deputy

BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it’s freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, since the institution said Monday it won’t comply with the Trump administration’s demands to limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-antisemitism-demands-columbia-84d6265d2fbfcd5534006edff638160e">activism on campus</a>.

In a letter to Harvard Friday, the administration called for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf"> CLICK here to read the letter from the Trump Admin.</a>

The demands, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks — which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. They also pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”

Harvard President Alan Garber, in a letter to the Harvard community Monday, said the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights and “exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI," which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Below is the full letter President Garber sent on Monday

Dear Members of the Harvard Community,&nbsp;

For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.&nbsp;Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.&nbsp;I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf" target="_blank">read the letter</a>&nbsp;to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Harvard-Response-2025-04-14.pdf" target="_blank">we will not accept their proposed agreement</a>. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.&nbsp;The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.&nbsp;Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.&nbsp;We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:&nbsp;

These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community. Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/">enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;hold for our country and our world.&nbsp;

The demands of Harvard are part of a broader push of using taxpayer dollars to pressure major academic institutions to comply with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has also argued that universities allowed what it considered to be antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza; the schools deny it.

Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">University of Pennsylvania</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-grant-funding-antisemitism-2b7fcd9ee708e1fb3cd0beac65ad56a5">Brown</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princeton-trump-federal-funding-9c32a996256849ac00792ef50dbdfb0e">Princeton</a>&nbsp;to force compliance with its agenda. Harvard's demand letter is similar to the one that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">prompted changes</a>&nbsp;at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.

The demands from the Trump administration prompted a group of alumni to write to university leaders calling for it to “legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and university self-governance.”

“Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, one of the alumni behind the letter. "Harvard reminded the world that learning, innovation and transformative growth will not yield to bullying and authoritarian whims.”

It also sparked a protest over the weekend from members of the Harvard community and from residents of Cambridge and a lawsuit from the American Association of University Professors on Friday challenging the cuts.

In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration has failed to follow steps required under Title VI before it starts cutting funds, and giving notice of the cuts to both the university and Congress.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744677178521.png" alt="Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Harvard President Alan Garber- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — The federal government says it’s freezing more than $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts to Harvard University, since the institution said Monday it won’t comply with the Trump administration’s demands to limit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harvard-antisemitism-demands-columbia-84d6265d2fbfcd5534006edff638160e">activism on campus</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.” - President Alan Garber <a href="https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd">https://t.co/6cQQpcJVTd</a>&mdash; Harvard University (@Harvard) <a href="https://twitter.com/Harvard/status/1911835670953214401?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a letter to Harvard Friday, the administration called for broad government and leadership reforms, a requirement that Harvard institute what it calls “merit-based” admissions and hiring policies as well as conduct an audit of the study body, faculty and leadership on their views about diversity.&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf"> CLICK here to read the letter from the Trump Admin.</a>The demands, which are an update from an earlier letter, also call for a ban on face masks — which appeared to target pro-Palestinian protesters. They also pressure the university to stop recognizing or funding "any student group or club that endorses or promotes criminal activity, illegal violence, or illegal harassment.”Harvard President Alan Garber, in a letter to the Harvard community Monday, said the demands violated the university's First Amendment rights and “exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI," which prohibits discrimination against students based on their race, color or national origin.&nbsp; &nbsp;Below is the full letter President Garber sent on MondayDear Members of the Harvard Community,&nbsp;For three-quarters of a century, the federal government has awarded grants and contracts to Harvard and other universities to help pay for work that, along with investments by the universities themselves, has led to groundbreaking innovations across a wide range of medical, engineering, and scientific fields. These innovations have made countless people in our country and throughout the world healthier and safer. In recent weeks, the federal government has threatened its partnerships with several universities, including Harvard, over accusations of antisemitism on our campuses. These partnerships are among the most productive and beneficial in American history. New frontiers beckon us with the prospect of life-changing advances—from treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and diabetes, to breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, quantum science and engineering, and numerous other areas of possibility. For the government to retreat from these partnerships now risks not only the health and well-being of millions of individuals but also the economic security and vitality of our nation.&nbsp;Late Friday night, the administration issued an updated and expanded list of demands, warning that Harvard must comply if we intend to “maintain [our] financial relationship with the federal government.” It makes clear that the intention is not to work with us to address antisemitism in a cooperative and constructive manner. Although some of the demands outlined by the government are aimed at combating antisemitism, the majority represent direct governmental regulation of the “intellectual conditions” at Harvard.&nbsp;I encourage you to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Letter-Sent-to-Harvard-2025-04-11.pdf" target="_blank">read the letter</a>&nbsp;to gain a fuller understanding of the unprecedented demands being made by the federal government to control the Harvard community. They include requirements to “audit” the viewpoints of our student body, faculty, staff, and to “reduc[e] the power” of certain students, faculty, and administrators targeted because of their ideological views. We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2025/04/Harvard-Response-2025-04-14.pdf" target="_blank">we will not accept their proposed agreement</a>. The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights.&nbsp;The administration’s prescription goes beyond the power of the federal government. It violates Harvard’s First Amendment rights and exceeds the statutory limits of the government’s authority under Title VI. And it threatens our values as a private institution devoted to the pursuit, production, and dissemination of knowledge. No government—regardless of which party is in power—should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue.&nbsp;Our motto—Veritas, or truth—guides us as we navigate the challenging path ahead. Seeking truth is a journey without end. It requires us to be open to new information and different perspectives, to subject our beliefs to ongoing scrutiny, and to be ready to change our minds. It compels us to take up the difficult work of acknowledging our flaws so that we might realize the full promise of the University, especially when that promise is threatened.&nbsp;We have made it abundantly clear that we do not take lightly our moral duty to fight antisemitism. Over the past fifteen months, we have taken many steps to address antisemitism on our campus. We plan to do much more. As we defend Harvard, we will continue to:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>nurture a thriving culture of open inquiry on our campus; develop the tools, skills, and practices needed to engage constructively with one another; and broaden the intellectual and viewpoint diversity within our community;&nbsp;</li><li>affirm the rights and responsibilities we share; respect free speech and dissent while also ensuring that protest occurs in a time, place, and manner that does not interfere with teaching, learning, and research; and enhance the consistency and fairness of disciplinary processes; and&nbsp;</li><li>work together to find ways, consistent with law, to foster and support a vibrant community that exemplifies, respects, and embraces difference. As we do, we will also continue to comply with&nbsp;Students For Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which ruled that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act makes it unlawful for universities to make decisions “on the basis of race.”&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>These ends will not be achieved by assertions of power, unmoored from the law, to control teaching and learning at Harvard and to dictate how we operate. The work of addressing our shortcomings, fulfilling our commitments, and embodying our values is ours to define and undertake as a community. Freedom of thought and inquiry, along with the government’s longstanding commitment to respect and protect it, has enabled universities to contribute in vital ways to a free society and to healthier, more prosperous lives for people everywhere. All of us share a stake in safeguarding that freedom. We proceed now, as always, with the conviction that the fearless and unfettered pursuit of truth liberates humanity—and with faith in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.harvard.edu/research-funding/">enduring promise that America’s colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;hold for our country and our world.&nbsp;Sincerely, Alan M. GarberThe demands of Harvard are part of a broader push of using taxpayer dollars to pressure major academic institutions to comply with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;political agenda and to influence campus policy. The administration has also argued that universities allowed what it considered to be antisemitism to go unchecked at campus protests last year against Israel's war in Gaza; the schools deny it.Harvard is one of several Ivy League schools targeted in a pressure campaign by the administration, which also has paused federal funding for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/penn-transgender-swimmer-trump-federal-funding-2416de5d0abee40163a25294e8a72442">University of Pennsylvania</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brown-university-grant-funding-antisemitism-2b7fcd9ee708e1fb3cd0beac65ad56a5">Brown</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/princeton-trump-federal-funding-9c32a996256849ac00792ef50dbdfb0e">Princeton</a>&nbsp;to force compliance with its agenda. Harvard's demand letter is similar to the one that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-funding-trump-fa70143c715df8fd4ef337c0e1ccf872">prompted changes</a>&nbsp;at Columbia University under the threat of billions of dollars in cuts.The demands from the Trump administration prompted a group of alumni to write to university leaders calling for it to “legally contest and refuse to comply with unlawful demands that threaten academic freedom and university self-governance.”“Harvard stood up today for the integrity, values, and freedoms that serve as the foundation of higher education,” said Anurima Bhargava, one of the alumni behind the letter. "Harvard reminded the world that learning, innovation and transformative growth will not yield to bullying and authoritarian whims.”It also sparked a protest over the weekend from members of the Harvard community and from residents of Cambridge and a lawsuit from the American Association of University Professors on Friday challenging the cuts.In their lawsuit, plaintiffs argue that the Trump administration has failed to follow steps required under Title VI before it starts cutting funds, and giving notice of the cuts to both the university and Congress.“These sweeping yet indeterminate demands are not remedies targeting the causes of any determination of noncompliance with federal law. Instead, they overtly seek to impose on Harvard University political views and policy preferences advanced by the Trump administration and commit the University to punishing disfavored speech,” plaintiffs wrote.