DETROIT&nbsp;–&nbsp; Chengxuan HAN, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with smuggling goods into the United States and false statements, according to the United States Attorney's office.

According to the complaint, Han&nbsp;is a citizen of the People's Republic of China who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b41b4141-755c-4cb2-b6ad-bfc1965400c7">2 charged last week</a>&nbsp;over conspiring to smuggle toxic fungus into U.S.

 In 2024 and 2025, Han sent four packages to the United States from the China containing concealed biological material. These packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. On June 8, 2025, Han arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa. Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection of Han, during which Han made false statements about the packages and the biological materials she had previously shipped to the United States.

 CBP officers also found that the content of Han’s electronic device had been deleted three days prior to her arrival in the United States. At the conclusion of the border inspection, Han was interviewed by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ICE HSI. During this interview, Han admitted to sending the packages, admitted that the packages contained biological material related to round worms, and admitted to making false statements to the CBP officers during her inspection.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.

United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “The alleged smuggling of biological materials by this alien from a science and technology university in Wuhan, China—to be used at a University of Michigan laboratory—is part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security. The American taxpayer should not be underwriting a PRC-based smuggling operation at one of our crucial public institutions.”&nbsp; &nbsp;

“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who violate federal law and remains unwavering in our mission to protect the American people,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The alleged smuggling of biological materials by Chengxuan Han is a direct threat to public safety and national security, and it severely compromises the integrity of our nation’s research institutions. I applaud the relentless efforts of the FBI Detroit Counterintelligence Task Force, working in close coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Detroit. The FBI in Michigan will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to harm our country and will deploy every available resource to defend the United States and protect our communities.”

“The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars,” said CBP Acting Director of Field Operations John Nowak. “We will not tolerate the smuggling of regulated biological materials through our ports of entry, and this interdiction is another recent example of our commitment—along with that of our law enforcement partners—to preventing potentially dangerous goods from harming the American people.”

“ICE HSI is proud to work with our partners at the FBI and CBP to keep Americans and Michiganders safe from biological threats,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This case should serve as a reminder that multiple law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to provide for our shared national security from malicious foreign actors.”

The FBI, CBP and ICE HSI are investigating this case.

DETROIT&nbsp;–&nbsp; Chengxuan HAN, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was arrested and charged in a criminal complaint with smuggling goods into the United States and false statements, according to the United States Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749510967150.png" alt="Photo of Petri Dishes where prosecutors say biological materials were kept&nbsp;from the Criminal Complaint filed against Chengxuan - by FBI Detroit, US Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Photo of Petri Dishes where prosecutors say biological materials were kept&nbsp;from the Criminal Complaint filed against Chengxuan - by FBI Detroit, US Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>According to the complaint, Han&nbsp;is a citizen of the People's Republic of China who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, China.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Yesterday, <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDetroit?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBIDetroit</a> arrested a second Chinese national on charges of smuggling biological materials into the U.S. and lying to federal agents. This individual is Chengxuan Han, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China and a Ph.D. student in Wuhan, China. Han is the third… <a href="https://t.co/TE4tJgtJQi">pic.twitter.com/TE4tJgtJQi</a>&mdash; FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) <a href="https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1932214047300079655?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/b41b4141-755c-4cb2-b6ad-bfc1965400c7">2 charged last week</a>&nbsp;over conspiring to smuggle toxic fungus into U.S. In 2024 and 2025, Han sent four packages to the United States from the China containing concealed biological material. These packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. On June 8, 2025, Han arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa. Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection of Han, during which Han made false statements about the packages and the biological materials she had previously shipped to the United States. CBP officers also found that the content of Han’s electronic device had been deleted three days prior to her arrival in the United States. At the conclusion of the border inspection, Han was interviewed by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ICE HSI. During this interview, Han admitted to sending the packages, admitted that the packages contained biological material related to round worms, and admitted to making false statements to the CBP officers during her inspection.A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Trial cannot be held on felony charges in a complaint. When the investigation is completed, a determination will be made whether to seek a felony indictment.United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “The alleged smuggling of biological materials by this alien from a science and technology university in Wuhan, China—to be used at a University of Michigan laboratory—is part of an alarming pattern that threatens our security. The American taxpayer should not be underwriting a PRC-based smuggling operation at one of our crucial public institutions.”&nbsp; &nbsp;“The FBI has zero tolerance for those who violate federal law and remains unwavering in our mission to protect the American people,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The alleged smuggling of biological materials by Chengxuan Han is a direct threat to public safety and national security, and it severely compromises the integrity of our nation’s research institutions. I applaud the relentless efforts of the FBI Detroit Counterintelligence Task Force, working in close coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Detroit. The FBI in Michigan will aggressively pursue anyone who seeks to harm our country and will deploy every available resource to defend the United States and protect our communities.”“The guidelines for importing biological materials into the U.S. for research purposes are stringent, but clear, and actions like this undermine the legitimate work of other visiting scholars,” said CBP Acting Director of Field Operations John Nowak. “We will not tolerate the smuggling of regulated biological materials through our ports of entry, and this interdiction is another recent example of our commitment—along with that of our law enforcement partners—to preventing potentially dangerous goods from harming the American people.”“ICE HSI is proud to work with our partners at the FBI and CBP to keep Americans and Michiganders safe from biological threats,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “This case should serve as a reminder that multiple law enforcement agencies are working around the clock to provide for our shared national security from malicious foreign actors.”The FBI, CBP and ICE HSI are investigating this case.

Alien from Wuhan, China charged with smuggling bio materials into U.S. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749506420206.png" alt="Photo Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Photo Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines from Camp Pendleton are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order. We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin…&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1932202105361612994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Marines will be deployed to LA to respond to immigration protests

CAMP CROFT, Hungary—U.S. Military officials are investigating a fatal training accident

On Thursday,&nbsp; 24-year-old Sergeant Aaron Cox from Mabank, Texas, who was serving in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division died after a training exercise near Camp Croft, Hungary, according to a media release from the U.S. Army.

&nbsp;Cox was assigned to the “Strike” 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team and was injured during a vehicle crash while preparing for the upcoming Exercise Saber Guardian 25.

The “U.S. Army Europe and Africa” said it was a rollover crash that took place during regularly scheduled training. Cox was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries.

A second soldier with potentially serious injuries was also taken to a hospital, where he was kept overnight and determined to be stable. The remaining soldiers involved were evaluated and returned to duty.

“The loss of Sgt. Cox is a tragedy for all of us on the Strike team,” said Col. Duke Reim, a commander, 2MBCT for the 101st Airborne Division. “He was a strong Soldier and leader, who quickly rose through the ranks while serving. We are in direct contact with his family, for care and support that they need during this difficult time. We would like to thank our Hungarian Allies for their prompt response and support to our Soldiers.”

Cox joined the Army in 2021 and arrived at Fort Campbell in 2022, after completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was a graduate of the Army Basic Leader Course and the Combat Lifesaver Course. This was his second deployment; he previously deployed to Poland in 2022.

Cox had earned the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge and Air Assault Badge, according to the release.

The incident is under investigation by Hungarian authorities and the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749479880649.png" alt="Sergeant Aaron Cox courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sergeant Aaron Cox courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMP CROFT, Hungary—U.S. Military officials are investigating a fatal training accidentOn Thursday,&nbsp; 24-year-old Sergeant Aaron Cox from Mabank, Texas, who was serving in the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division died after a training exercise near Camp Croft, Hungary, according to a media release from the U.S. Army.&nbsp;Cox was assigned to the “Strike” 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team and was injured during a vehicle crash while preparing for the upcoming Exercise Saber Guardian 25.The “U.S. Army Europe and Africa” said it was a rollover crash that took place during regularly scheduled training. Cox was airlifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition, but he succumbed to his injuries.A second soldier with potentially serious injuries was also taken to a hospital, where he was kept overnight and determined to be stable. The remaining soldiers involved were evaluated and returned to duty.“The loss of Sgt. Cox is a tragedy for all of us on the Strike team,” said Col. Duke Reim, a commander, 2MBCT for the 101st Airborne Division. “He was a strong Soldier and leader, who quickly rose through the ranks while serving. We are in direct contact with his family, for care and support that they need during this difficult time. We would like to thank our Hungarian Allies for their prompt response and support to our Soldiers.”Cox joined the Army in 2021 and arrived at Fort Campbell in 2022, after completing training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He was a graduate of the Army Basic Leader Course and the Combat Lifesaver Course. This was his second deployment; he previously deployed to Poland in 2022.Cox had earned the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge and Air Assault Badge, according to the release.The incident is under investigation by Hungarian authorities and the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

U.S. soldier dies during military training accident in Hungary

Church &amp; Dwight Co., Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots within expiry of Zicam® Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam® Nasal AllClear Swabs, and Orajel™ Baby Teething Swabs to the consumer level, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The products are being recalled due to potential microbial contamination identified as fungi in cotton swab components. Swabs found to contain microbial contamination can potentially present a significant risk to the health and safety of consumers including serious and life-threatening blood infections in users whose nasal mucosa may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries. 

The risk is highest (potentially severe or life-threatening) among children and individuals with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical conditions. To date, no serious adverse events associated with the affected product have been reported.&nbsp;

The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the United States and in Puerto Rico.

Consumers who have purchased any of the recalled products should stop using the product immediately. Please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.churchdwightrecall.com/">www.churchdwightrecall.com</a><a href="http://www.fda.gov/about-fda/website-policies/website-disclaimer">External Link Disclaimer</a>&nbsp;or call its Consumer Relations team at (800) 981-4710 for a full refund. Any additional questions can also be directed to its Consumer Relations team Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm ET.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.&nbsp;

Complete and submit the report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">Online</a>

Regular Mail or Fax:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/medwatch-forms-fda-safety-reporting">Download form</a>&nbsp;or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

This recall is limited exclusively to Zicam and Orajel swab products. All other Zicam and Orajel products, including Zicam RapidMelts, are not affected by this recall.&nbsp;

Church &amp; Dwight Co., Inc. is a leading manufacturer of consumer household and personal care products. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.churchdwight.com/">www.churchdwight.com</a><a href="http://www.fda.gov/about-fda/website-policies/website-disclaimer">External Link Disclaimer</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749464678607.png" alt="USDA image" />
 <figcaption>USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>Church &amp; Dwight Co., Inc. is voluntarily recalling all lots within expiry of Zicam® Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, Zicam® Nasal AllClear Swabs, and Orajel™ Baby Teething Swabs to the consumer level, according to a statement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.The products are being recalled due to potential microbial contamination identified as fungi in cotton swab components. Swabs found to contain microbial contamination can potentially present a significant risk to the health and safety of consumers including serious and life-threatening blood infections in users whose nasal mucosa may be compromised due to inflammation and mechanical injuries. The risk is highest (potentially severe or life-threatening) among children and individuals with compromised immune systems or other underlying medical conditions. To date, no serious adverse events associated with the affected product have been reported.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749464659892.png" alt="USDA image" />
 <figcaption>USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>The recalled products were distributed nationwide in the United States and in Puerto Rico.Recalled Product Information<ul>
 <li>Zicam® Cold Remedy Nasal Swabs, with UPC 732216301205, all lots:&nbsp;A zinc-free, homeopathic cold remedy swab designed to shorten the duration of the common cold.</li><li>Zicam® Nasal AllClear Swabs, with UPC 732216301656, all lots:&nbsp;A nasal cleansing swab product (discontinued in December 2024).</li><li>Orajel™ Baby Teething Swabs, with UPC 310310400002, all lots:&nbsp;Pre-moistened swabs designed to soothe teething discomfort in infants and toddlers.</li>
 </ul>What Consumers Should DoConsumers who have purchased any of the recalled products should stop using the product immediately. Please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.churchdwightrecall.com/">www.churchdwightrecall.com</a><a href="http://www.fda.gov/about-fda/website-policies/website-disclaimer">External Link Disclaimer</a>&nbsp;or call its Consumer Relations team at (800) 981-4710 for a full refund. Any additional questions can also be directed to its Consumer Relations team Monday through Friday, 9am – 5pm ET.Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax.&nbsp;Complete and submit the report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medwatch-fda-safety-information-and-adverse-event-reporting-program/reporting-serious-problems-fda">Online</a>Regular Mail or Fax:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/medical-product-safety-information/medwatch-forms-fda-safety-reporting">Download form</a>&nbsp;or call 1- 800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.This recall is being conducted with the knowledge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.This recall is limited exclusively to Zicam and Orajel swab products. All other Zicam and Orajel products, including Zicam RapidMelts, are not affected by this recall.&nbsp;About Church &amp; Dwight Co., Inc.Church &amp; Dwight Co., Inc. is a leading manufacturer of consumer household and personal care products. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.churchdwight.com/">www.churchdwight.com</a><a href="http://www.fda.gov/about-fda/website-policies/website-disclaimer">External Link Disclaimer</a>.

Baby swabs and nasal swabs recalled  over risk of life-threatening blood infection

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of a suspect as shown in the wanted poster.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office is seeking the public's assistance in identifying the individual responsible for assaulting a federal officer and damaging government property near Alondra Boulevard in the city of Paramount, California.

On June 7, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the suspect threw rocks at law enforcement vehicles on Alondra Boulevard in Paramount, California, injuring a federal officer and damaging government vehicles.

If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/" target="_blank">local FBI office</a>, the nearest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/legat/" target="_blank">American Embassy or Consulate</a>, or <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">click here to submit a tip</a> online.

<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/?fugitive_name=ASSAULT+ON+A+FEDERAL+OFFICER+AND+DAMAGE+TO+GOVERNMENT+PROPERTY&amp;fugitive_type=fbi" target="_blank">&nbsp;Click here to submit an anonymous Tip online</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749433582580.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of a suspect as shown in the wanted poster.The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Los Angeles Field Office is seeking the public's assistance in identifying the individual responsible for assaulting a federal officer and damaging government property near Alondra Boulevard in the city of Paramount, California.On June 7, 2025, at approximately 3:30 p.m., the suspect threw rocks at law enforcement vehicles on Alondra Boulevard in Paramount, California, injuring a federal officer and damaging government vehicles.If you have any information concerning this case, please contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), your&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field/" target="_blank">local FBI office</a>, the nearest&nbsp;<a href="http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/legat/" target="_blank">American Embassy or Consulate</a>, or <a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/home">click here to submit a tip</a> online.<a href="https://tips.fbi.gov/?fugitive_name=ASSAULT+ON+A+FEDERAL+OFFICER+AND+DAMAGE+TO+GOVERNMENT+PROPERTY&amp;fugitive_type=fbi" target="_blank">&nbsp;Click here to submit an anonymous Tip online</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749464450327.png" alt="Homeland Security" />
 <figcaption>Homeland Security</figcaption>
 </figure>___

ICE riots: Reward for info on suspect who assaulted federal officers

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a>

Over the past few months, Celina Damian’s phone has been ringing off the hook with one bewildered, anxious question after another: “What kind of loan is this?” “Am I in default?” “Will the government really take my wages?”

“Sometimes they just don’t know where to start,” said Damian, California’s student loan servicing ombudsperson.

“I’m talking to borrowers from all ages, from new borrowers to — I have 80-, 90-year-old borrowers,” she said.

The federal government last month restarted collections on defaulted loans. State student loan ombudspersons such as Damian have become some of the only sources of contact for worried borrowers lost in a tangle of conflicting information at the federal level about their loan status and repayment options.

The U.S. Department of Education began collecting on defaulted student loans in May for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Federal student loans issued by the U.S. Department of Education come with&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-101" target="_blank">fixed rates, set repayment plans and borrower protections</a>. Private servicers handle billing, repayment-plan enrollments and defaults.

More than 5 million borrowers are in delinquency, and nearly 10 million — about 25% of the federal student loan portfolio — are at risk of default within months, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.

States can’t cancel that debt, but they do register and oversee servicers operating in their states, run ombuds offices, tweak tax rules and offer outreach or limited grants — actions aimed at reducing defaults and the economic fallout.

When borrowers default, states will likely feel the economic impact. They might lose tax revenue as homebuying stalls. They could end up paying more for Medicaid and social services if borrowers need to rely on them. And students with loan debt may be reluctant to go into lower-paying public-sector work, leading to staffing shortages at state agencies.

A borrower is considered delinquent after missing a payment to the servicing companies that handle billing, repayment plan enrollments, and defaults.

Damian’s office, established under California’s Student Borrower Bill of Rights, began as a narrow statutory role but now serves as a hub for outreach, “Student Loan 101” workshops and escalated complaints to federal agencies.

Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/state-ombudsman" target="_blank">16 states</a>&nbsp;plus the District of Columbia have followed suit, creating ombuds offices to guide borrowers through confusing paperwork and misinformation. Damian believes these ombuds offices should be in every state, as borrowers across the country will likely have similar questions and little help at the federal level.

“If you don’t have an ombudsperson or even just a person at the state level who can educate borrowers, that will make a difference,” Damian told Stateline. “These borrowers are trying to pay, but the system is broken. No other financial product works this way.”

Student loans became a key issue during last year’s election race, with President Joe Biden blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court in his effort to offer relief to 40 million Americans. In its waning days, his administration did forgive loans for some 150,000 borrowers under previous programs.

But President Donald Trump opposes most loan forgiveness programs, and&nbsp;in May, the U.S. Education Department issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-05-05/request-institutions-provide-repayment-information-former-students-prevent-defaults" target="_blank">“Dear Colleague” letter to higher education institutions</a>, reminding them of their legal obligations to help former students understand repayment responsibilities and access support.

Some conservative economists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/testimony/state-higher-education#affordability:~:text=There%20is%20considerable%20evidence%20that%20colleges%20raise%20their%20prices%20and%20reduce%20institutional%20aid%20when%20federal%20financial%20aid%20is%20available.%20This%20phenomenon%20is%20referred%20to%20as%20the%20Bennett%20Hypothesis." target="_blank">say</a>&nbsp;that federal loan forgiveness and financial aid hurt all students, offering colleges an incentive to raise tuition or lower their own institutional aid.

Winston Berkman-Breen, the legal director at the Student Borrower Protection Center, a nonprofit aimed at protecting borrowers and improving the repayment system, said that more than 2 million borrowers are stuck in a backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">unprocessed applications</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentloanplanner.com/idr-pslf-application-delays/" target="_blank">income-driven repayment</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">IDR) plans</a>&nbsp;— calculated pay structures meant to keep payments affordable based on a borrower’s income.

Other borrowers have called federal agencies for help only to find that U.S. Education Department staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">including servicer-oversight teams</a>, have been laid off as the Trump administration works toward dismantling the department entirely.

“There was an expectation to repay,” Berkman-Breen said. “But there was also an expectation that people would have access to affordable plans. That promise has broken down.”

States now have three primary tools to address student loan debt, Berkman-Breen said: enforcement actions to protect consumers, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/12/nx-s1-5110124/navient-lawsuit-settlement-student-loans#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20Navient%20reached%20a,Navient%20faced%20two%20serious%20allegations." target="_blank">39-state lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against servicer Navient; legal oversight by suing to uphold or challenge federal policy; and direct outreach to help public servants access Public Service Loan Forgiveness and similar programs.

Nineteen states now require registration for companies that service student loans, he said. And more than a dozen states align with federal policy to exempt forgiven loan balances from state income taxes.

Connecticut state Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, a Democrat, calls student debt “a drag on the economy,” and said states can’t afford to wait for Congress — mired in partisan gridlock over student loan forgiveness — to find common ground.

“[Student debt] is stopping people from buying homes, starting families and fully participating in the economy,” she told Stateline. “That hurts us as a state, as a city, and we can’t wait for Washington to figure it out.”

Last year, Connecticut created a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.housedems.ct.gov/fortier/student-loan-reimbursement-program#:~:text=Starting%20January%201%2C%20Connecticut%20college,jointly%20or%20a%20surviving%20spouse." target="_blank">reimbursement program</a>&nbsp;that provides up to $20,000 for graduates of local colleges who make payments and complete community service. The state has distributed more than $2 million so far.

Kavros DeGraw hopes the program can serve as a model, and has already talked with lawmakers in other states on possibly developing their own versions of it.

“These were people who were already paying,” Kavros DeGraw said. “It just made sense. I think it’s something that other states could explore this session, and it would provide an immense deal of relief.”

Lawmakers in other states also have considered student loan legislation. This year, New Jersey introduced bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S4500/4011_I1.PDF" target="_blank">register education lenders</a>&nbsp;and cap interest rates. Lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/house/HB0224.HTML?utm_" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3772" target="_blank">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S426" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have proposed Borrower Bill of Rights legislation. Arizona has a registration bill for private servicers. None of these measures has advanced far.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 20 states have enacted laws expanding loan forgiveness, repayment programs and servicer oversight in recent years.

Several states are also investing directly in workforce-aligned loan forgiveness: Georgia expanded its service-cancelable loan&nbsp;<a href="https://healthcareworkforce.georgia.gov/dentist-loan-repayment-programs" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to cover dental students working in rural areas. Idaho created a loan repayment&nbsp;<a href="https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/rural-health-and-underserved-areas/loan-repayment-and-grants" target="_blank">incentive</a>&nbsp;for rural nurses. Kentucky now offers $5,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1688009" target="_blank">stipends</a>&nbsp;to attract new teachers. Maryland authorized Anne Arundel County to launch a local&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0541?ys=2024RS" target="_blank">forgiveness</a>&nbsp;program for public school educators.

Student loan stress is not&nbsp;<a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2025/05/student-loan-delinquencies-are-back-and-credit-scores-take-a-tumble/" target="_blank">evenly distributed</a>. Seven states, all with Republican‐controlled legislatures, report delinquency rates above 30% among borrowers required to make payments.

Mississippi leads the nation with a conditional delinquency rate of nearly 45% — meaning borrowers who should be making payments are late. That’s just ahead of Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, all of which have rates above 31%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

By contrast, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire maintain delinquency rates below 15%.

Experts say this chasm reflects deeper systemic differences, such as lower median incomes in higher delinquency states, along with weaker consumer protections and a higher share of students attending for-profit institutions or leaving college without a degree.

States also have promoted the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, established in 2007, that offers help to public service professionals. New Mexico has an outreach campaign that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://hed.nm.gov/financial-aid/loan-repayment-programs/teacher" target="_blank">prospective teachers</a>&nbsp;and health care workers. Maine has provided&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/pds/sites/maine.gov.pds/files/inline-files/Contractor%20Eligibility%20PSLF%20August%202023.pdf" target="_blank">guidance</a>&nbsp;to public defenders on how they can take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and touts a related state tax credit on a marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liveandworkinmaine.com/opportunity-maine" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to lure new residents.

“States can regulate and enforce, but they can’t fix the structural problems in how repayment is administered,” said Michele Zampini, senior director of college affordability at The Institute for College Access &amp; Success, a research organization that advocates for students. “They’re helping around the edges, but the core system is still broken.”

A November&nbsp;<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_2024-annual-student-loan-ombudsmans-report_2024-11.pdf?utm" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau found at least 3.9 million borrowers received misleading or inaccurate bills from servicing companies.

“The repayment system is not in a good place to provide the services and repayment options borrowers are legally entitled to,” Zampini said.

The Student Loan Borrower Survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, found that 61% of borrowers who received debt relief made a beneficial life change earlier than they otherwise could have. Yet borrower awareness remains dangerously low: Nearly 42% of federal borrowers have only been on the standard repayment plan, and 31% of those didn’t know other options, such as an income-based plan, existed.

In California, a major part of Damian’s job in the past few months has been to help borrowers access existing forgiveness programs.

Meanwhile, new federal policy proposals could reshape repayment entirely. The Trump-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdf" target="_blank">One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a>&nbsp;would consolidate existing IDR plans into a single tiered structure, with lower-income borrowers paying flat monthly rates and higher earners contributing 8% of their income. The bill also proposes extending standard repayment terms to 30 years — raising concerns it could delay forgiveness and inflate total interest costs.

The bill passed the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate.

Andrew Gillen, a Cato Institute research fellow who recently testified before Congress, argues that any meaningful fix must address the incentives driving rising tuition — namely, federal aid being tied directly to college sticker prices.

“The link between rising tuition and increasing aid is what drives the Bennett Hypothesis, where federal student aid, in the form of loans, can lead to higher tuition costs at colleges and universities,” Gillen said in an interview. “If we instead use the median cost of attendance to calculate aid eligibility, we remove colleges’ incentive to hike prices just to capture more aid.”

Even without agreement on blanket forgiveness, experts agree on smaller bipartisan steps: streamlined repayment, stronger servicer oversight and targeted help for borrowers with the greatest need.

“We don’t want people defaulting. We don’t want payments that are too high for people just out of school. That should be the bipartisan starting point,” Zampini said.

Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.

<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749295781301.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Northwestern University graduation video 2024" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Northwestern University graduation video 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/robbiesequeira/">Robbie Sequeira</a>Over the past few months, Celina Damian’s phone has been ringing off the hook with one bewildered, anxious question after another: “What kind of loan is this?” “Am I in default?” “Will the government really take my wages?”“Sometimes they just don’t know where to start,” said Damian, California’s student loan servicing ombudsperson.“I’m talking to borrowers from all ages, from new borrowers to — I have 80-, 90-year-old borrowers,” she said.The federal government last month restarted collections on defaulted loans. State student loan ombudspersons such as Damian have become some of the only sources of contact for worried borrowers lost in a tangle of conflicting information at the federal level about their loan status and repayment options.The U.S. Department of Education began collecting on defaulted student loans in May for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.Federal student loans issued by the U.S. Department of Education come with&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/repaying-101" target="_blank">fixed rates, set repayment plans and borrower protections</a>. Private servicers handle billing, repayment-plan enrollments and defaults.More than 5 million borrowers are in delinquency, and nearly 10 million — about 25% of the federal student loan portfolio — are at risk of default within months, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.States can’t cancel that debt, but they do register and oversee servicers operating in their states, run ombuds offices, tweak tax rules and offer outreach or limited grants — actions aimed at reducing defaults and the economic fallout.When borrowers default, states will likely feel the economic impact. They might lose tax revenue as homebuying stalls. They could end up paying more for Medicaid and social services if borrowers need to rely on them. And students with loan debt may be reluctant to go into lower-paying public-sector work, leading to staffing shortages at state agencies.A borrower is considered delinquent after missing a payment to the servicing companies that handle billing, repayment plan enrollments, and defaults.Damian’s office, established under California’s Student Borrower Bill of Rights, began as a narrow statutory role but now serves as a hub for outreach, “Student Loan 101” workshops and escalated complaints to federal agencies.Roughly&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman/disputes/state-ombudsman" target="_blank">16 states</a>&nbsp;plus the District of Columbia have followed suit, creating ombuds offices to guide borrowers through confusing paperwork and misinformation. Damian believes these ombuds offices should be in every state, as borrowers across the country will likely have similar questions and little help at the federal level.“If you don’t have an ombudsperson or even just a person at the state level who can educate borrowers, that will make a difference,” Damian told Stateline. “These borrowers are trying to pay, but the system is broken. No other financial product works this way.”Student loans became a key issue during last year’s election race, with President Joe Biden blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court in his effort to offer relief to 40 million Americans. In its waning days, his administration did forgive loans for some 150,000 borrowers under previous programs.But President Donald Trump opposes most loan forgiveness programs, and&nbsp;in May, the U.S. Education Department issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-05-05/request-institutions-provide-repayment-information-former-students-prevent-defaults" target="_blank">“Dear Colleague” letter to higher education institutions</a>, reminding them of their legal obligations to help former students understand repayment responsibilities and access support.Some conservative economists&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cato.org/testimony/state-higher-education#affordability:~:text=There%20is%20considerable%20evidence%20that%20colleges%20raise%20their%20prices%20and%20reduce%20institutional%20aid%20when%20federal%20financial%20aid%20is%20available.%20This%20phenomenon%20is%20referred%20to%20as%20the%20Bennett%20Hypothesis." target="_blank">say</a>&nbsp;that federal loan forgiveness and financial aid hurt all students, offering colleges an incentive to raise tuition or lower their own institutional aid.Winston Berkman-Breen, the legal director at the Student Borrower Protection Center, a nonprofit aimed at protecting borrowers and improving the repayment system, said that more than 2 million borrowers are stuck in a backlog of&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">unprocessed applications</a>&nbsp;for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.studentloanplanner.com/idr-pslf-application-delays/" target="_blank">income-driven repayment</a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/" target="_blank">IDR) plans</a>&nbsp;— calculated pay structures meant to keep payments affordable based on a borrower’s income.Other borrowers have called federal agencies for help only to find that U.S. Education Department staff,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force" target="_blank">including servicer-oversight teams</a>, have been laid off as the Trump administration works toward dismantling the department entirely.“There was an expectation to repay,” Berkman-Breen said. “But there was also an expectation that people would have access to affordable plans. That promise has broken down.”States now have three primary tools to address student loan debt, Berkman-Breen said: enforcement actions to protect consumers, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/09/12/nx-s1-5110124/navient-lawsuit-settlement-student-loans#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20Navient%20reached%20a,Navient%20faced%20two%20serious%20allegations." target="_blank">39-state lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against servicer Navient; legal oversight by suing to uphold or challenge federal policy; and direct outreach to help public servants access Public Service Loan Forgiveness and similar programs.Nineteen states now require registration for companies that service student loans, he said. And more than a dozen states align with federal policy to exempt forgiven loan balances from state income taxes.<h2>‘Can’t wait for Washington’</h2>Connecticut state Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw, a Democrat, calls student debt “a drag on the economy,” and said states can’t afford to wait for Congress — mired in partisan gridlock over student loan forgiveness — to find common ground.“[Student debt] is stopping people from buying homes, starting families and fully participating in the economy,” she told Stateline. “That hurts us as a state, as a city, and we can’t wait for Washington to figure it out.”Last year, Connecticut created a bipartisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.housedems.ct.gov/fortier/student-loan-reimbursement-program#:~:text=Starting%20January%201%2C%20Connecticut%20college,jointly%20or%20a%20surviving%20spouse." target="_blank">reimbursement program</a>&nbsp;that provides up to $20,000 for graduates of local colleges who make payments and complete community service. The state has distributed more than $2 million so far.Kavros DeGraw hopes the program can serve as a model, and has already talked with lawmakers in other states on possibly developing their own versions of it.“These were people who were already paying,” Kavros DeGraw said. “It just made sense. I think it’s something that other states could explore this session, and it would provide an immense deal of relief.”Lawmakers in other states also have considered student loan legislation. This year, New Jersey introduced bills to&nbsp;<a href="https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/Bills/2024/S4500/4011_I1.PDF" target="_blank">register education lenders</a>&nbsp;and cap interest rates. Lawmakers in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/25%20Regular/bills/house/HB0224.HTML?utm_" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S3772" target="_blank">New York</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/S426" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;have proposed Borrower Bill of Rights legislation. Arizona has a registration bill for private servicers. None of these measures has advanced far.According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, more than 20 states have enacted laws expanding loan forgiveness, repayment programs and servicer oversight in recent years.Several states are also investing directly in workforce-aligned loan forgiveness: Georgia expanded its service-cancelable loan&nbsp;<a href="https://healthcareworkforce.georgia.gov/dentist-loan-repayment-programs" target="_blank">program</a>&nbsp;to cover dental students working in rural areas. Idaho created a loan repayment&nbsp;<a href="https://healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/providers/rural-health-and-underserved-areas/loan-repayment-and-grants" target="_blank">incentive</a>&nbsp;for rural nurses. Kentucky now offers $5,000&nbsp;<a href="https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1688009" target="_blank">stipends</a>&nbsp;to attract new teachers. Maryland authorized Anne Arundel County to launch a local&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/HB0541?ys=2024RS" target="_blank">forgiveness</a>&nbsp;program for public school educators.<h2>Repayment</h2>Student loan stress is not&nbsp;<a href="https://libertystreeteconomics.newyorkfed.org/2025/05/student-loan-delinquencies-are-back-and-credit-scores-take-a-tumble/" target="_blank">evenly distributed</a>. Seven states, all with Republican‐controlled legislatures, report delinquency rates above 30% among borrowers required to make payments.Mississippi leads the nation with a conditional delinquency rate of nearly 45% — meaning borrowers who should be making payments are late. That’s just ahead of Alabama, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana, all of which have rates above 31%, according to recent data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.By contrast, Illinois, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire maintain delinquency rates below 15%.Experts say this chasm reflects deeper systemic differences, such as lower median incomes in higher delinquency states, along with weaker consumer protections and a higher share of students attending for-profit institutions or leaving college without a degree.States also have promoted the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, established in 2007, that offers help to public service professionals. New Mexico has an outreach campaign that includes&nbsp;<a href="https://hed.nm.gov/financial-aid/loan-repayment-programs/teacher" target="_blank">prospective teachers</a>&nbsp;and health care workers. Maine has provided&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/pds/sites/maine.gov.pds/files/inline-files/Contractor%20Eligibility%20PSLF%20August%202023.pdf" target="_blank">guidance</a>&nbsp;to public defenders on how they can take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and touts a related state tax credit on a marketing&nbsp;<a href="https://www.liveandworkinmaine.com/opportunity-maine" target="_blank">site</a>&nbsp;to lure new residents.“States can regulate and enforce, but they can’t fix the structural problems in how repayment is administered,” said Michele Zampini, senior director of college affordability at The Institute for College Access &amp; Success, a research organization that advocates for students. “They’re helping around the edges, but the core system is still broken.”A November&nbsp;<a href="https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_2024-annual-student-loan-ombudsmans-report_2024-11.pdf?utm" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau found at least 3.9 million borrowers received misleading or inaccurate bills from servicing companies.“The repayment system is not in a good place to provide the services and repayment options borrowers are legally entitled to,” Zampini said.The Student Loan Borrower Survey, conducted between October 2023 and January 2024, found that 61% of borrowers who received debt relief made a beneficial life change earlier than they otherwise could have. Yet borrower awareness remains dangerously low: Nearly 42% of federal borrowers have only been on the standard repayment plan, and 31% of those didn’t know other options, such as an income-based plan, existed.In California, a major part of Damian’s job in the past few months has been to help borrowers access existing forgiveness programs.Meanwhile, new federal policy proposals could reshape repayment entirely. The Trump-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://waysandmeans.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-One-Big-Beautiful-Bill-Section-by-Section.pdf" target="_blank">One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a>&nbsp;would consolidate existing IDR plans into a single tiered structure, with lower-income borrowers paying flat monthly rates and higher earners contributing 8% of their income. The bill also proposes extending standard repayment terms to 30 years — raising concerns it could delay forgiveness and inflate total interest costs.The bill passed the U.S. House and is pending in the Senate.<h2>‘Incentive to hike prices’</h2>Andrew Gillen, a Cato Institute research fellow who recently testified before Congress, argues that any meaningful fix must address the incentives driving rising tuition — namely, federal aid being tied directly to college sticker prices.“The link between rising tuition and increasing aid is what drives the Bennett Hypothesis, where federal student aid, in the form of loans, can lead to higher tuition costs at colleges and universities,” Gillen said in an interview. “If we instead use the median cost of attendance to calculate aid eligibility, we remove colleges’ incentive to hike prices just to capture more aid.”Even without agreement on blanket forgiveness, experts agree on smaller bipartisan steps: streamlined repayment, stronger servicer oversight and targeted help for borrowers with the greatest need.“We don’t want people defaulting. We don’t want payments that are too high for people just out of school. That should be the bipartisan starting point,” Zampini said.Stateline reporter Robbie Sequeira can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rsequeira@stateline.org">rsequeira@stateline.org</a>.<a href="https://stateline.org/" target="_blank">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>.

As feds resume student loan collections, states try to catch borrowers before they sink

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</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>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump late Wednesday ordered the White House legal counsel and U.S. attorney general to investigate when Biden administration staff used an autopen to sign the former president’s name on official documents, alleging that Biden might not have known or approved of their actions.

The inquiry represents an escalation in Trump’s animosity toward and legal action against former President Joe Biden, who vehemently denies the allegations that he didn’t know what executive orders or pardons were signed during his term.

Trump has repeatedly suggested that Biden wasn’t fully cognizant during the end of his administration. Similar concerns were reported on by dozens of news organizations following Biden’s answers and behavior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-and-trump-trade-insults-accusations-lying-acrimonious-presidential-debate" target="_blank">during a debate</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.

Biden’s apparent confusion during some of the debate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-calls-new-nominee-ramp-biden-camp-pledges-stay-course" target="_blank">raised alarm bells among fellow Democrats</a>&nbsp;and eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/president-joe-biden-bows-out-reelection-campaign-harris-vows-win-nomination-8" target="_blank">led him to withdraw</a>&nbsp;from his reelection campaign, later endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/reviewing-certain-presidential-actions/" target="_blank">memorandum</a>&nbsp;alleges “Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority.

“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.”&nbsp;

The memo stated that if Biden staff used an autopen, a mechanical device that mimics a person’s signature, “to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency, a circumstance that would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name.”

Trump said Thursday during an appearance in the Oval Office that he hadn’t discovered any evidence that Biden aides violated the law.

“No, but I’ve uncovered the human mind,” Trump said. “I was in a debate with the human mind and I didn’t think he knew what the hell he was doing. So it’s one of those things, one of those problems. We can’t ever allow that to happen to our country.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden released a written statement rejecting the claims Trump laid out in the memo, arguing the investigation “is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”

“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” Biden wrote. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</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>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump late Wednesday ordered the White House legal counsel and U.S. attorney general to investigate when Biden administration staff used an autopen to sign the former president’s name on official documents, alleging that Biden might not have known or approved of their actions.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">ICYMI 🖊️ <a href="https://t.co/1WVXvSjXLv">pic.twitter.com/1WVXvSjXLv</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1930282954523087179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The inquiry represents an escalation in Trump’s animosity toward and legal action against former President Joe Biden, who vehemently denies the allegations that he didn’t know what executive orders or pardons were signed during his term.Trump has repeatedly suggested that Biden wasn’t fully cognizant during the end of his administration. Similar concerns were reported on by dozens of news organizations following Biden’s answers and behavior&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-and-trump-trade-insults-accusations-lying-acrimonious-presidential-debate" target="_blank">during a debate</a>&nbsp;in June 2024.Biden’s apparent confusion during some of the debate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democratic-calls-new-nominee-ramp-biden-camp-pledges-stay-course" target="_blank">raised alarm bells among fellow Democrats</a>&nbsp;and eventually&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/president-joe-biden-bows-out-reelection-campaign-harris-vows-win-nomination-8" target="_blank">led him to withdraw</a>&nbsp;from his reelection campaign, later endorsing then-Vice President Kamala Harris.Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/06/reviewing-certain-presidential-actions/" target="_blank">memorandum</a>&nbsp;alleges “Biden’s aides abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden’s cognitive decline and assert Article II authority.“This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history. The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden’s signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts.”&nbsp;The memo stated that if Biden staff used an autopen, a mechanical device that mimics a person’s signature, “to conceal this incapacity, while taking radical executive actions all in his name, that would constitute an unconstitutional wielding of the power of the Presidency, a circumstance that would have implications for the legality and validity of numerous executive actions undertaken in Biden’s name.”Trump said Thursday during an appearance in the Oval Office that he hadn’t discovered any evidence that Biden aides violated the law.“No, but I’ve uncovered the human mind,” Trump said. “I was in a debate with the human mind and I didn’t think he knew what the hell he was doing. So it’s one of those things, one of those problems. We can’t ever allow that to happen to our country.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Biden released a written statement rejecting the claims Trump laid out in the memo, arguing the investigation “is nothing more than a distraction by Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans who are working to push disastrous legislation that would cut essential programs like Medicaid and raise costs on American families, all to pay for tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and big corporations.”“Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations,” Biden wrote. “Any suggestion that I didn’t is ridiculous and false.”

Trump opens investigation into Biden autopen use

SEATTLE —The body of a deceased ski mountaineer was recovered on Wednesday, according to a statement form the National Park Service.

 Alex Chiu, 41 of Seattle, died as a result of a 3,000-foot fall from the Mt. McKinley West Buttress climbing route on to the Peters Glacier. After recovery, rangers returned to Denali National Park and Preserve headquarters where his body was transferred to the state medical examiner.

On Monday, the other two members of Chiu’s expedition reported that the un-roped ski mountaineer fell at a location known as Squirrel Point towards the Peters Glacier, an exposed rocky and serac covered 3000-foot face.

After witnessing the fall, the reporting party lowered over the edge as far as possible but was unable to see or hear Chiu.&nbsp;They then descended the West Buttress route for additional help before proceeding to Camp 1.

Due to high winds and snow, ground and air search was unable to access the accident site until the early morning hours of June 4. Clearing weather on the north side of the Alaska Range provided the opportunity for two mountaineering rangers to depart Talkeetna for an ariel helicopter search to locate and recover the body.

In 2010, an un-roped French mountaineer fell to his death near this same location towards the Peters Glacier.&nbsp;His body was never recovered.

There are currently 500 climbers on the mountain. The climbing season typically begins in early May and ends in early July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749225512809.png" alt="Photo National Park Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Park Service</figcaption>
 </figure>SEATTLE —The body of a deceased ski mountaineer was recovered on Wednesday, according to a statement form the National Park Service. Alex Chiu, 41 of Seattle, died as a result of a 3,000-foot fall from the Mt. McKinley West Buttress climbing route on to the Peters Glacier. After recovery, rangers returned to Denali National Park and Preserve headquarters where his body was transferred to the state medical examiner.On Monday, the other two members of Chiu’s expedition reported that the un-roped ski mountaineer fell at a location known as Squirrel Point towards the Peters Glacier, an exposed rocky and serac covered 3000-foot face.After witnessing the fall, the reporting party lowered over the edge as far as possible but was unable to see or hear Chiu.&nbsp;They then descended the West Buttress route for additional help before proceeding to Camp 1.Due to high winds and snow, ground and air search was unable to access the accident site until the early morning hours of June 4. Clearing weather on the north side of the Alaska Range provided the opportunity for two mountaineering rangers to depart Talkeetna for an ariel helicopter search to locate and recover the body.In 2010, an un-roped French mountaineer fell to his death near this same location towards the Peters Glacier.&nbsp;His body was never recovered.There are currently 500 climbers on the mountain. The climbing season typically begins in early May and ends in early July.

Body of climber recovered after fall from Mount McKinley

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Trump says Secretaries Bessent, Lutnik &amp; U.S. Trade Rep. Greer will go to China: &quot;We had a very good conversation with President Xi...we&#39;ve straightened out any complexity. It&#39;s very complex stuff...I think we&#39;re in very good shape with China and the trade deal.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ArCjye5lzs">pic.twitter.com/ArCjye5lzs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1930657595754262608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi, of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, Trade Deal...&quot; - President Donald J. Trump <a href="https://t.co/vo9QO7IOWD">pic.twitter.com/vo9QO7IOWD</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1930639232164311149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump describes phone call with Chinese leader on tariffs

Full text of the travel ban including exemptions is below

During my first Administration, I restricted the entry of foreign nationals into the United States, which successfully prevented national security threats from reaching our borders and which the Supreme Court upheld.&nbsp; In Executive Order 14161 of January 20, 2025 (Protecting the United States From Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats), I stated that it is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.&nbsp;

I also stated that the United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests.&nbsp; More importantly, the United States must identify such aliens before their admission or entry into the United States. &nbsp;The United States must ensure that admitted aliens and aliens otherwise already present in the United States do not bear hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles, and do not advocate for, aid, or support designated foreign terrorists or other threats to our national security.

I directed the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, to identify countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries pursuant to section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8&nbsp;U.S.C. 1182(f).&nbsp; After completing that process, the Secretary of State determined that a number of countries remain deficient with regards to screening and vetting.&nbsp; Many of these countries have also taken advantage of the United States in their exploitation of our visa system and their historic failure to accept back their removable nationals.&nbsp;

As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people.&nbsp; I&nbsp;remain committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing and identity-management procedures, and to address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks. &nbsp;Nationals of some countries also pose significant risks of overstaying their visas in the United States, which increases burdens on immigration and law enforcement components of the United States, and often exacerbates other risks related to national security and public safety.

Some of the countries with inadequacies face significant challenges to reform efforts.&nbsp; Others have made important improvements to their protocols and procedures, and I commend them for these efforts.&nbsp; But until countries with identified inadequacies address them, members of my Cabinet have recommended certain conditional restrictions and limitations. &nbsp;I&nbsp;have considered and largely accepted those recommendations and impose the limitations set forth below on the entry into the United States by the classes of foreign nationals identified in sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United&nbsp;States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the INA, 8&nbsp;U.S.C. 1182(f) and 1185(a), and section 301 of title 3, United&nbsp;States Code, hereby find that, absent the measures set forth in this proclamation, the immigrant and nonimmigrant entry into the United States of persons described in sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, and that their entry should be subject to certain restrictions, limitations, and exceptions.&nbsp; I therefore hereby proclaim the following:

Section&nbsp;1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Policy and Purpose.&nbsp; (a) &nbsp;It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks and other national security or public-safety threats.&nbsp; Screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with visa adjudications and other immigration processes play a critical role in implementing that policy. &nbsp;These protocols enhance our ability to detect foreign nationals who may commit, aid, or support acts of terrorism, or otherwise pose a safety threat, and they aid our efforts to prevent such individuals from entering the United States.

(b) &nbsp;Information-sharing and identity-management protocols and practices of foreign governments are important for the effectiveness of the screening and vetting protocols and procedures of the United States. &nbsp;Governments manage the identity and travel documents of their nationals and residents. They also control the circumstances under which they provide information about their nationals to other governments, including information about known or suspected terrorists and criminal-history information.&nbsp; It is, therefore, the policy of the United States to take all necessary and appropriate steps to encourage foreign governments to improve their information-sharing and identity-management protocols and practices and to regularly share their identity and threat information with the immigration screening and vetting systems of the United States.

(c) &nbsp;Section 2(b) of Executive Order 14161 directed the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence, within 60 days of the date of that order, to jointly submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, a report identifying countries throughout the&nbsp;world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full or partial suspension on the entry or admission of nationals from those countries pursuant to section 212(f) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1182(f)).

(d) &nbsp;On April 9, 2025, the Secretary of State, with the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, presented the report described in subsection (c) of this section, recommending that entry restrictions and limitations be placed on foreign nationals of several countries.&nbsp; The report identified countries for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a full suspension of admissions and countries that warrant a partial suspension of admission.

(e) &nbsp;In evaluating the recommendations from the Secretary of State and in determining what restrictions to impose for each country, I consulted with the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, appropriate Assistants to the President, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.&nbsp; I considered foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism goals.&nbsp; And I further considered various factors, including each country’s screening and vetting capabilities, information sharing policies, and country-specific risk factors — including whether each country has a significant terrorist presence within its territory, its visa-overstay rate, and its cooperation with accepting back its removable nationals.&nbsp;

I also considered the different risks posed by aliens admitted on immigrant visas and those admitted on nonimmigrant visas.&nbsp; Persons admitted on immigrant visas become lawful permanent residents of the United States.&nbsp; Such persons may present national security or public-safety concerns that may be distinct from those admitted as nonimmigrants.&nbsp; The United States affords lawful permanent residents more enduring rights than it does to nonimmigrants.&nbsp; Lawful permanent residents are more difficult to remove than nonimmigrants, even after national security concerns arise, which increases the costs and aggravates the dangers of errors associated with admitting such individuals.&nbsp; And although immigrants are generally subject to more extensive vetting than nonimmigrants, such vetting is far less reliable when the country from which someone seeks to emigrate maintains inadequate identity-management or information-sharing policies or otherwise poses risks to the national security of the United States.

I reviewed these factors and assessed these goals, with a&nbsp;particular focus on crafting country-specific restrictions.&nbsp; This approach was designed to encourage cooperation with the subject countries in recognition of each country’s unique circumstances. &nbsp;The restrictions and limitations imposed by this proclamation are, in my judgment, necessary to prevent the entry or admission of foreign nationals about whom the United States Government lacks sufficient information to assess the risks they pose to the United States.&nbsp; The restrictions and limitations imposed by this proclamation are necessary to garner cooperation from foreign governments, enforce our immigration laws, and advance other important foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives.

(f) &nbsp;After reviewing the report described in subsection (d) of this section, and after accounting for the foreign policy, national security, and counterterrorism objectives of the United States, I have determined to fully restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 12 countries:&nbsp; Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.&nbsp; These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants.

(g) &nbsp;I have determined to partially restrict and limit the entry of nationals of the following 7 countries: &nbsp;Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.&nbsp; These restrictions distinguish between, but apply to both, the entry of immigrants and nonimmigrants.&nbsp;

(h) &nbsp;Sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation describe some of the identity-management or information-sharing inadequacies that led me to impose restrictions.&nbsp; These inadequacies are sufficient to justify my finding that unrestricted entry of nationals from the named countries would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.&nbsp; Publicly disclosing additional details on which I relied in making these determinations, however, would cause serious damage to the national security of the United States, and many such details are classified.

Sec.&nbsp;2.&nbsp;&nbsp;Full Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Identified Concern.&nbsp; The entry into the United States of nationals of the following countries is hereby suspended and limited, as follows, subject to the categorical exceptions and case-by-case waivers described in section 5 of this proclamation:

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;The Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) group, controls Afghanistan.&nbsp; Afghanistan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.&nbsp; According to the Fiscal Year 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry/Exit Overstay Report (“Overstay Report”), Afghanistan had a&nbsp;business/tourist (B-1/B-2) visa overstay rate of 9.70 percent and a student (F), vocational (M), and exchange visitor (J) visa overstay rate of 29.30 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Afghanistan as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Burma had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 27.07 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 42.17 percent.&nbsp; Additionally, Burma has historically not cooperated with the United States to accept back their removable nationals.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Burma as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Chad had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 49.54 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.64 percent.&nbsp; According to the Fiscal Year 2022 Overstay Report, Chad had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 37.12 percent.&nbsp; The high visa overstay rate for 2022 and 2023 is unacceptable and indicates a blatant disregard for United States immigration laws.&nbsp;&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Chad as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, the Republic of the Congo had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 29.63 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.14 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of the Republic of the Congo as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Equatorial Guinea had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 21.98 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 70.18 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Equatorial Guinea as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;The United States questions the competence of the central authority for issuance of passports or civil documents in Eritrea. &nbsp;Criminal records are not available to the United States for Eritrean nationals.&nbsp; Eritrea has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp; According to the Overstay Report, Eritrea had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 20.09 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 55.43 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Eritrea as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Haiti had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 31.38 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 25.05 percent.&nbsp; Additionally, hundreds of thousands of illegal Haitian aliens flooded into the United States during the Biden Administration.&nbsp; This influx harms American communities by creating acute risks of increased overstay rates, establishment of criminal networks, and other national security threats. &nbsp;As is widely known, Haiti lacks a central authority with sufficient availability and dissemination of law enforcement information necessary to ensure its nationals do not undermine the national security of the United States.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Haiti as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism.&nbsp; Iran regularly fails to cooperate with the United States Government in identifying security risks, is the source of significant terrorism around the world, and has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Iran as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby suspended.

(i)&nbsp; &nbsp;There is no competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents in Libya.&nbsp; The historical terrorist presence within Libya’s territory amplifies the risks posed by the entry into the United States of its nationals.

(ii)&nbsp; The entry into the United States of nationals of Libya as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;Somalia lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.&nbsp; Somalia stands apart from other countries in the degree to which its government lacks command and control of its territory, which greatly limits the effectiveness of its national capabilities in a variety of respects.&nbsp; A persistent terrorist threat also emanates from Somalia’s territory.&nbsp; The United States Government has identified Somalia as a terrorist safe haven.&nbsp; Terrorists use regions of Somalia as safe havens from which they plan, facilitate, and conduct their operations.&nbsp; Somalia also remains a destination for individuals attempting to join terrorist groups that threaten the national security of the United States.&nbsp; The Government of Somalia struggles to provide governance needed to limit terrorists’ freedom of movement.&nbsp; Additionally, Somalia has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Somalia as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;Sudan lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.&nbsp; According to the Overstay Report, Sudan had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 26.30 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 28.40 percent.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Sudan as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

<a>(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;</a>Yemen lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.&nbsp; The government does not have physical control over its own territory.&nbsp; Since January 20, 2025, Yemen has been the site of active United States military operations.

(ii) &nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Yemen as immigrants and nonimmigrants is hereby fully suspended.

Sec.&nbsp;3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Partial Suspension of Entry for Nationals of Countries of Identified Concern.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Burundi had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 17.52 percent.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Burundi as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Burundi to the extent permitted by law.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism.&nbsp; The Government of Cuba does not cooperate or share sufficient law enforcement information with the United States.&nbsp; Cuba has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp; According to the Overstay Report, Cuba had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 7.69 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 18.75 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Cuba as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Cuba to the extent permitted by law.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Laos had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 34.77 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 6.49 percent.&nbsp; Laos has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Laos as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas, is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Laos to the extent permitted by law.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Sierra Leone had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.43 percent and an&nbsp;F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.83 percent.&nbsp; Sierra Leone has historically failed to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Sierra Leone as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Sierra Leone to the extent permitted by law.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Togo had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 19.03 percent and an F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 35.05 percent.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Togo as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B‑2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Togo to the extent permitted by law.

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;According to the Overstay Report, Turkmenistan had a B-1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 15.35 percent and an&nbsp;F, M, and J visa overstay rate of 21.74 percent.&nbsp;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Turkmenistan as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B-1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Turkmenistan to the extent permitted by law.

(i)&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;Venezuela lacks a competent or cooperative central authority for issuing passports or civil documents and it does not have appropriate screening and vetting measures.&nbsp; Venezuela has historically refused to accept back its removable nationals.&nbsp; According to the Overstay Report, Venezuela had a B‑1/B-2 visa overstay rate of 9.83 percent.

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;The entry into the United States of nationals of Venezuela as immigrants, and as nonimmigrants on B‑1, B-2, B-1/B-2, F, M, and J visas is hereby suspended.

(iii) &nbsp;Consular officers shall reduce the validity for any other nonimmigrant visa issued to nationals of Venezuela to the extent permitted by law.

Sec.&nbsp;4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Scope and Implementation of Suspensions and Limitations.&nbsp;&nbsp;(a) &nbsp;Scope.&nbsp;&nbsp;Subject to the exceptions set forth in subsection (b) of this section and any exceptions made pursuant to subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the suspensions of and limitations on entry pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation shall apply only to foreign nationals of the designated countries who:

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;are outside the United States on the applicable effective date of this proclamation; and

(ii) &nbsp;do not have a valid visa on the applicable effective date of this proclamation.

(b) &nbsp;Exceptions.&nbsp; The suspension of and limitation on entry pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation shall not apply to:

(i) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any lawful permanent resident of the United States;

(ii) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any dual national of a country designated under sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation when the individual is traveling on a passport issued by a country not so designated;

(iii) &nbsp;&nbsp;any foreign national traveling with a valid nonimmigrant visa in the following classifications:&nbsp; A-1, A-2, C-2, C-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, NATO-1, NATO‑2, NATO-3, NATO-4, NATO-5, or NATO-6;

(iv) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives, traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State;

(v) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;immediate family immigrant visas (IR-1/CR-1, IR-2/CR-2, IR-5) with clear and convincing evidence of identity and family relationship (e.g., DNA);

(vi) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;adoptions (IR-3, IR-4, IH-3, IH-4);

(vii) &nbsp;&nbsp;Afghan Special Immigrant Visas;

(viii) &nbsp;Special Immigrant Visas for United States Government employees; and

(ix) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;immigrant visas for ethnic and religious minorities facing persecution in Iran.

(c) &nbsp;Exceptions to the suspension of and limitation on entry pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation may be made for certain individuals for whom the Attorney General finds, in her discretion, that the travel by the individual would advance a critical United States national interest involving the Department of Justice, including when individuals must be present to participate in criminal proceedings as witnesses.&nbsp; These exceptions shall be made only by the Attorney General, or her designee, in coordination with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security.

(d) &nbsp;Exceptions to the suspension of and limitation on entry pursuant to sections 2 and 3 of this proclamation may be made case-by-case for individuals for whom the Secretary of State finds, in his discretion, that the travel by the individual would serve a United States national interest.&nbsp; These exceptions shall be made by only the Secretary of State or his designee, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security or her designee.