Federal Judge Rules Trump Administration Unlawfully Halted EV Charger Funding 
South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok Meets U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Advance Trade and Security Talks 
U.S. Steps Aside as Syria Reclaims SDF-Held Territory in Power Shift 
Somaliland President Meets Eric Trump and Israeli President at Davos to Seek Recognition and Investment 
U.S. Vice President JD Vance to Visit Azerbaijan and Armenia Following Historic Peace Deal 
Trump Calls for Prosecution of Jack Smith After Congressional Testimony 
New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District 
Pentagon Signals Reduced U.S. Role in Deterring North Korea as South Korea Takes Lead 
Russian Drone Attack Hits Kyiv and Kharkiv Amid Ongoing Peace Talks 
Trump Reverses Course on Greenland After Diplomatic Backlash 
Colombia Suspends Electricity Exports to Ecuador as Trade and Security Dispute Escalates 
Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks in Abu Dhabi Stall as Energy Crisis Deepens 
U.S. Backs Iraq’s Move to Detain ISIS Fighters, Urges Global Repatriation 
Taiwan President Offers Cooperation With Ukraine to Combat Sanctions Evasion 
NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats 
Haiti Transitional Council Pushes to Remove Prime Minister Despite U.S. Warnings 
Trump Explains Bruised Hand, Cites High Aspirin Intake During Davos Trip 
Joe Biden is announcing his nominations for key positions in other agencies and this week he has announced his picks for two immigration agencies. Biden is nominating Chris Magnus and Ur Jaddou to lead the CBP and the USCIS respectively.
Biden is set to nominate Magnus, police chief of Tucson, Arizona to lead the US Customs and Border Protection, and Jaddou to lead the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Jaddou has already been speculated to lead the agency that oversees the country’s immigration system. Jaddou served under the Obama administration as the agency’s chief counsel and led the Biden-Harris DHS transition review team.
Magnus previously served as the police chief of Richmond, California for 10 years. Prior to that, Magnus also served as police chief of Fargo, North Dakota. If he is confirmed, Magnus would be in charge of the country’s largest law enforcement agency and second-largest revenue collecting department in the federal government.
Magnus would be taking over the duties from acting CBP head Troy Miller if he is confirmed. The CBP has 60,000 employees. The agency has not had a confirmed commissioner since Kevin McAleenan, who was eventually appointed as Acting Homeland Security Secretary.
Magnus is also known to have been critical of the Trump administration, writing an op-ed piece for NYT back in 2017 when he was still serving as police chief. Magnus criticized the Trump administration for its stance against “sanctuary cities.”
“Washington is trying to retaliate against them by withholding funding for things like crime prevention, drug treatment, and mental health programs,” wrote Magnus. “When crime victims and witnesses are unwilling to testify because they’re afraid and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent will be waiting to arrest them at the courtroom doors, real criminals go unpunished.”
In other news, Biden will be joining his former colleague and predecessor Barack Obama in an hour-long tv special on NBC to promote COVID-19 vaccinations. This is part of the efforts to get reluctant Americans to receive their vaccine. The special also comes following the news of the halt of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine distribution after six cases of a “rare and severe” type of blood clot were reported.
