Por Devan Cole y Tierney Sneed, CNN

Una jueza federal en Minnesota declaró en desacato civil a un abogado del Gobierno de Trump por “desobediencia flagrante de órdenes judiciales” en el caso de un no ciudadano detenido en el marco de la ofensiva inmigratoria emprendida a principios de este año.

La decisión de la jueza federal de distrito Laura Provinzino, emitida el miércoles, parece marcar la primera vez que un abogado del Gobierno federal enfrenta sanciones impuestas por un tribunal durante el segundo mandato del presidente Donald Trump.

La medida se produce en momentos en que jueces en el área metropolitana de Minneapolis-Saint Paul y en otras partes del país han mostrado creciente impaciencia ante reiterados incumplimientos de órdenes judiciales por parte del Gobierno, especialmente en casos inmigratorios que se resuelven con rapidez.

La jueza, designada por el expresidente Joe Biden, determinó que a partir del viernes, el abogado Matthew Isihara deberá pagar US$ 500 por cada día que el inmigrante no reciba sus documentos de identificación, los cuales no le fueron devueltos cuando fue liberado la semana pasada de un centro del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, por sus siglas en inglés), tal como ella había ordenado.

Al imponer la sanción, Provinzino desestimó el intento de Isihara de explicar que la infracción no fue intencional, sino consecuencia de que el caso “quedó rezagado” en medio de un “enorme volumen de casos” derivados de la Operación Metro Surge.

“La falta de personal y la alta carga de trabajo del Gobierno es un problema de su propia creación y en absoluto justifica una desobediencia flagrante de órdenes judiciales”, dijo la jueza durante una audiencia el miércoles, según una transcripción obtenida por CNN.

“No creo que necesite dar más indicaciones detalladas sobre esto. Creo que está claro lo que debe ocurrir”, agregó. “El solicitante debe recibir sus documentos de inmediato, y habrá una sanción de US$ 500 por cada día, más allá de mañana, en que no sean entregados a su abogado”.

CNN se comunicó con el Departamento de Justicia para solicitar comentarios.

Isihara es un abogado militar que se trasladó al área metropolitana de Minneapolis-Saint Paul para ayudar al Departamento de Justicia a gestionar una avalancha de casos migratorios presentados por no ciudadanos que buscan ser liberados de la custodia de ICE, lo que había desbordado al equipo local y derivado en problemas de incumplimiento en otros casos.

El 9 de febrero, Provinzino ordenó al Gobierno liberar al hombre, un ciudadano mexicano que vivía en Minnesota desde 2018, tras determinar que estaba detenido de manera ilegal. Su orden exigía que fuera liberado en Minnesota a más tardar el 13 de febrero y que se le entregaran todas sus pertenencias. Sin embargo, el Gobierno incumplió esa orden de tres maneras distintas, dijo la jueza, entre ellas al liberarlo en Texas, donde estaba detenido, y no devolverle sus documentos de identidad.

“Es muy preocupante, según la revisión de este espediente por parte del tribunal”, dijo la jueza al enumerar las distintas infracciones. Más adelante señaló que Isihara y sus colegas no habían realizado ninguna gestión en el caso hasta esa misma mañana.

“Es un problema de capacidad, su señoría, y ese es el problema subyacente fundamental”, dijo Isihara a la jueza. “No se trata de ningún intento deliberado de desafiar al tribunal”.

Provinzino y otros jueces federales en Minnesota habían advertido en semanas recientes que podrían declarar en desacato civil a abogados del Departamento de Justicia o a funcionarios de inmigración, mientras continuaban acumulándose problemas de incumplimiento en decenas de casos derivados de la Operación Metro Surge. No obstante, la imposición

The post The Growth of Indigenous Solidarity in Support of Immigrant Rights appeared first on The Santa Barbara Independent.

By Brian Todd, CNN

(CNN) — The Department of Veterans Affairs is halting enforcement of a new rule for determining disability payments after veterans across the US expressed outrage for what they said would likely reduce benefits for many.

The rule said a veteran’s disability level would be based on how well they function while on medication for an injury or illness and not simply having the impairment itself.

For example, if a veteran has a service-related knee injury but medication they take helps them function better, that would be taken into account when determining how much they receive in benefits. It was published Tuesday in the Federal Register and was effective immediately.

“If medication or other treatment lessens the functional impairment a disability causes and thereby improves a veteran’s earning capacity, that is the proper disability level for which the veteran should be compensated,” the so-called interim rule states.

But the VA said Thursday it will halt enforcement of the rule after veterans quickly and loudly opposed it.

“While VA does not agree with the way this rule has been characterized, the department always takes Veterans’ concerns seriously. To alleviate these concerns, VA will continue to collect public comments regarding the rule, but it will not be enforced at any time in the future,” VA Secretary Doug Collins said in a statement on X.

Before the VA halted enforcement of the rule, the Veterans of Foreign Wars criticized it saying it risked penalizing those who follow doctors’ orders.

“VA’s disability compensation system exists to compensate veterans for the average impairment in earning capacity resulting from service-connected conditions,” said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore in a Wednesday letter to the VA. “It should not penalize veterans for seeking treatment.”

A former Navy helicopter pilot running for Congress as a Democrat in New Jersey called the rule “insane” and said she has already been contacted by veterans who told her they would stop taking their medication.

“They’re worried about their disability ratings getting impacted,” Rebecca Bennett said in a video posted on X. “If you are diagnosed with cancer and you are getting chemotherapy, you still have cancer.”

The VA’s rating system is on a scale up to 100%, based on the combined severity of the veteran’s injuries and illnesses. The higher the disability rating a veteran has, the more compensation they receive from the VA.

Beyond criticism, the rule seemed to attract confusion as well.

Both Collins and VA press secretary Peter Kasperowicz said earlier the new rule would “have no impact on any Veteran’s current disability rating,” indicating that veterans who have received disability payments before the rule was imposed would continue to have disability ratings that do not take the effects of medication into account.

Kristofer Goldsmith, an Army combat veteran who often advocates publicly for veterans and has been a critic of the VA under the Trump administration, told CNN before

By Jackie Wattles, CNN

(CNN) — The botched test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft — a protracted saga that kept two astronauts in space months longer than expected — was a debacle in league with US space shuttle disasters that cost crew members their lives, according to newly revealed findings from a NASA investigation about the ordeal.

While the crewed Starliner mission did not end in tragedy, the myriad issues discovered with the Boeing-built spacecraft “revealed critical vulnerabilities in the Starliner’s propulsion system, NASA’s oversight model, and the broader culture of commercial human spaceflight,” according to a report the agency published Thursday.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman discussed the incident in scathing terms at a news conference Thursday, noting that the Starliner should not have flown with crew on board when it did.

“It’s decision-making and leadership that, if left unchecked, could create a culture incompatible with human spaceflight,” Isaacman said.

Officially, the Starliner test flight is now considered a “Type A” mishap — a designation that NASA defines as an incident that results in more than $2 million of damage, the loss of control or destruction of a vehicle, or a loss of life. The Columbia and Challenger Space Shuttle disasters were also classified as “Type A” incidents.

Isaacman said the report and Thursday news conference were geared toward “doing the right thing” and properly investigating the Starliner mission. Initially, NASA had permitted its Commercial Crew Program, which oversees Boeing’s Starliner development, to self-investigate, agency officials said.

Isaacman said that decision was “inconsistent with NASA safety culture.”

“I think setting the record straight, classifying this as a Type A mishap, ensures what happened here with this mission is appropriately recorded and can be referenced for future learning,” Isaacman said. “We’re trying to send a message about what is the right and wrong way to handle situations like this so that they do not reoccur.”

Isaacman, who took NASA’s top job after his Senate confirmation in December, did not say whether any NASA managers would lose their positions over the incident.

Boeing designed and built Starliner, though NASA holds a roughly $4 billion contract with the company to use the spacecraft for ferrying space agency astronauts to and from the International Space Station.

Starliner has been under development for more than a decade, and problems with the vehicle’s thrusters also cropped up during uncrewed test flights flown prior to NASA’s inaugural Boeing Crew Flight Test in 2024, which included NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.

Isaacman said that it’s now clear that the root causes of Starliner’s issues were never found — and still have not been determined.

Previous investigations into Starliner’s issues “often stopped short of the proximate or the direct cause, treated it with a fix, or accepted the issue as an unexplained anomaly,” Isaacman said.

‘Unprofessional conduct’

Starliner ran into problems shortly after embarking on its first crewed mission in June 2024. The astronauts helming the test flight, Wilmore and Williams, expected to fly the spacecraft to the International Space Station and dock for about a week before returning home.

Those plans were quickly dashed, however, when the Starliner spacecraft endured helium leaks and thruster outages en route to the orbiting laboratory. Ultimately, NASA determined the spacecraft was not safe enough t

Below is a press release from Discover Buellton regarding the annual Buellton Wine & Chili Festival taking place next month!

BUELLTON, CA – The Central Coast’s most flavorful celebration returns when the Buellton Wine & Chili Festival takes over Flying Flags RV Resort on Sunday, March 15, 2026, from 12:00-4:30 pm, celebrating the bold flavors and festive fun with this year’s theme, “Uncorking the Heat.” The beloved annual community favorite brings together the best in wine, craft beverages, and mouthwatering chili and salsa showcase right in the heart of Buellton.

Setting the tone for the day is a dynamic lineup of live entertainment, led by Maclovia, an Ojai-based band known for their electrifying mix of Latin rock, psychedelic influences, and emotionally driven sound. Guests can also enjoy performances by Salty Strings, a Santa Barbara string band that blends traditional bluegrass with coastal inspiration, and DJ F.I.U., a veteran DJ with more than 20 years of experience spinning across California and Nevada.

Alongside the music, attendees can explore a wide selection of wine, craft beer, seltzers, ciders, and spirits while sampling unlimited chili and salsa throughout the afternoon. Attendees are also encouraged to watch and take part in the Chili Cook-Off, a friendly competition where local businesses, residents, and bold home cooks go head-to-head for bragging rights and the title of best chili and salsa in the area. Restaurants, nonprofit groups, community members, and those eager to showcase their culinary skills can register at https://buelltonwineandchilifestival.com/.  

With so much to sip, taste, and experience throughout the afternoon, guests can choose from the following ticket options to join the celebration:

• The Hot Chili Ticket ($65): General Admission for guests 21 and over; includes a souvenir wine glass, unlimited wine tasting, craft beer, seltzers, ciders, and spirits, along with unlimited chili and salsa. 
• The Mild Chili Ticket ($25): Available for guests 20 and under; includes unlimited chili and salsa with no alcohol consumption. 
• Children ages 6 and under: Enter for free.
• At-the-Door Tickets: $75 for the Hot Chili Ticket and $35 for the Mild Chili Ticket. (Chili and salsa available while supplies last.) 

For added convenience, the festival offers the Brew Bus, a round-trip shuttle from Santa Barbara, Goleta, Lompoc, and Santa Maria for $30. Shuttle tickets must be purchased in advance, and full pickup and drop-off details are available at https://buelltonwineandchilifestival.com/. Nearby parking will also be available at Pea Soup Andersen’s, with clear signage directing attendees. The festival grounds are a short walk from the designated lot. 

Festivalgoers can make the most of their day at the festival by turning it into a complete weekend getaway. Buellton offers a variety of accommodations to suit every preference, from modern and c