Monday, March 17, 2025

Trump targets Biden pardons; deportations scrutinized

12:30 REPORT

March 17, 2025 | By Cate Martel

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Happy St. Patrick's Day! ☘️ I have corned beef cooking on the stove and will definitely be making soda bread later.

In today's issue:

Trump tries deeming Biden's pardons void
Schumer postpones his book tour
Conor McGregor visits the White House
Trump's high-profile deportations
St. Paddy's Day specials

🖊️ NEWS THIS MORNING

Why everyone on Biden's pardon list has a pit in their stomachs:

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

President Trump kicked off his ninth week in office bright and early with a new claim that is certain to raise eyebrows. He tried to deem former President Biden's pardons of Jan. 6 committee members and others "void" because he signed them with an autopen.

Trump posted on Truth Social: "The 'pardons' that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen."

Trump's reasoning: He alleges that Biden did not know about these pardons, making them void. But as NBC News notes, the Constitution does not include provisions for pen choice.

The president also argued Biden "did not know anything about them," and called for the Jan. 6 panel to be "subject to investigation at the highest level."

🔎 Read Trump's full post

📹 Watch Trump discuss the pardons while on Air Force One

Keep in mind: Right before Trump's inauguration, Biden pardoned people he thought could be perceived as Trump's political enemies to protect them from any retaliation.

That included the House lawmakers who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol riot, members of the Biden family, Anthony Fauci and Gen. Mark Milley.

Trump told reporters on Sunday evening he'll let a court decide if Biden signing the pardons using an autopen represents a loophole to challenge the pardons themselves.

📝 Refresher: Here's a list of Biden's pardons

➤ GUESS WHO'S AT THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY?:

The White House invited former UFC fighter Conor McGregor to the White House today for St. Patrick's Day.

📹 White House posts video of McGregor walking through the complex

📸 Doug Mills's photo of McGregor at the podium

📸 McGregor takes questions

Keep in mind about McGregor: He was recently found liable in a sexual assault case in Ireland and was ordered to pay more than $250,000.

Trump ramps up immigration policy with high-profile deportations:

One of President Trump's biggest campaign priorities was to crack down on illegal immigration. Since taking office in January, it's been off to a relatively slow start. In fact, Trump deported fewer people in February than his predecessor did the February prior, while border crossings have dropped significantly.

Two months into his second term, Trump is ramping up his immigration policies in a very public way, while challenging the reaches of his executive authority in the courts.

Over the weekend, Trump invoked the centuries-old Alien Enemies Act to begin mass deportations of Venezuelan immigrants the White House says are members of a gang.

A judge blocked the White House from implementing the effort to deport those immigrants.

Deportation flights continued, despite the order: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday that hundreds of members of the Tren de Aragua gang were deported, despite the judge ordering a pause.

📹 Watch the video Trump shared of deportees headed for El Salvador

What the White House is saying: The White House argues it did not ignore the judge's ruling, claiming the planes had already left U.S. air space and therefore weren't subject to the judge's order, per Axios.

Still, administration officials argue the judge overstepped by issuing the order. Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) even said he will file impeachment articles against the judge.

➤ CASES TO WATCH:

A case that's getting a lot of attention: Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia University graduate and prominent pro-Palestinian activist, was arrested last week by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) because he participated in recent Gaza war demonstrations. He is a green card holder — and is being detained and fighting deportation without being charged with a crime. 📹 Watch Khalil's arrest

Plus, more cases at Columbia: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced last week it revoked the visa of Columbia University doctoral student Ranjani Srinivasan and arrested another person involved in the pro-Palestinian protests.

This is worth the read: The New York Times published a fascinating story on the Columbia student whose visa was revoked. Read: 'How a Columbia Student Fled to Canada After ICE Came Looking for Her'

FWIW: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared surveillance footage of Srinivasan at LaGuardia Airport, calling her a "terrorist sympathizer" and arguing she "self-deported." The student's lawyers called those allegations false, per the Times. 📹 Watch the surveillance footage

And the Brown University doctor's case escalated: A Brown University assistant professor and doctor was deported over the weekend despite having a valid visa. Rasha Alawieh was detained when returning from a trip abroad. A judge had allowed her to stay, but she was then quickly put on a flight to Lebanon this weekend. Her attorneys argue the government disobeyed the order.

➤ ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT TO WATCH:

The New York Times obtained a list of 43 countries the Trump administration is considering for a new travel ban to the United States.

⏱️ON CAPITOL HILL

The 26 most vulnerable House Democrats:

^ in the eyes of Republicans, at least. The National Republican Congressional Committee unveiled a list of 26 vulnerable House Democrats that it plans to target in the 2026 midterms.

Who made the list?: Five Democrats from California, three from Nevada and two from Florida. Democratic Reps. Jared Golden (Maine), Chris Pappas (N.H.) and Henry Cuellar (Texas) also made the list. 📝 Full list

➤ DEMOCRATS HAVE SOME REBUILDING TO DO:

CNN released a survey on Sunday showing the Democratic Party's favorability at a record low.

It's not just one poll: A recent NBC News poll showed a similar finding.

➤ SCHUMER REALLY TICKED OFF DEMOCRATS:

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) has postponed his book tour this week over the intense backlash he's received over backing House Republicans' bill to fund the government. A spokesperson said it has been postponed over "security concerns."

COMING UP

The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington.
(All times EST)

1 p.m. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt briefs reporters. 💻 Livestream

2 p.m. A State Department press briefing. 💻 Livestream

2:30 p.m. A Defense Department press briefing.💻 Livestream

3 p.m. Trump attends Kennedy Center board meeting and tour. 💻 Livestream

🐝 INTERNET BUZZ

🥬🥔 Celebrate: Today is National Corned Beef and Cabbage Day.

🍀 More ways to celebrate the Irish: Krispy Kreme is giving out free green doughnuts to customers who wear green today and Arby's has a special on corned beef Reubens. Here's a list of deals today

^ By the way, the Dubliner near Capitol Hill had 51 cent Guinness pints from 9-10 a.m. this morning. 📹 Check out the massive line

🚀 News that will make you smile: A new astronaut crew arrived in space to replace the crew that was stuck in space since last June. The new crew commander surprised them by greeting them in an alien mask. The International Space Station's X account livestreamed the greeting. The alien moment happens around the 5-minute 30-second mark. 📹 Watch

👋 AND FINALLY…

To end this on a happy note, here's a reminder that pandas must have some luck of the Irish. It's incredible these goofy, clumsy creatures are still around.

Stay Engaged

📺 Catch up on the latest headlines with The Hill on YouTube here. Send feedback & tips to cmartel@thehill.com. And check out more newsletters here. See you next time!