About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 18, 2020)
WASHINGTON/POLITICS The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Wednesday, March 18, 2020 9A Trump mulls sending all who cross border illegally to Mexico EVAN VUCCII Associated Press President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with tourism industry executives about the coronavirus, in the Cabinet Room of the White House, Tuesday, March 17, in Washington. ‘The administration is using the pandemic as a pretext to advance its long-term goal of curtailing asylum rights for people fleeing persecution.’ Eleanor Acer Human Rights First’s director of refugee protection BY ELLIOT SPAGAT AND COLLEEN LONG Associated Press SAN DIEGO - The Trump administration is considering a plan to turn back all people who cross the border illegally from Mexico, two administra tion officials said Tuesday, using powers they say the president has during pan demics like the coronavi rus outbreak to mount what would be one of the most aggressive attempts to cur tail illegal immigration. The plan is under con sideration and no final decisions have been made, according to the officials, who spoke to The Associ ated Press on the condi tion of anonymity because the plan hasn’t been announced. The officials said the president has authority to take such action in a pan demic and that Mexico’s efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus, along with Venezuela’s, have been the weakest in North and South America. Mexico, which had no immediate comment on the U.S. proposal, has been slow to adopt public-dis tancing policies and cancel events, though that is start ing to change. President Andres Man uel Lopez Obrador finally asked people Tuesday to limit their attendance at an upcoming appearance following criticism that his crowded, touchy-feely public events contradict officials’ admonishments that Mexicans begin social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus. Last weekend, Lopez Obrador was seen hugging, kissing, shaking hands and posing for selfies amid large and packed crowds while touring towns in the southern state of Guer rero. And the same week end, authorities allowed a large-scale pop concert to go ahead in Mexico City. But Mexican authori ties have now announced school closures starting March 20. The Trump adminis tration’s new proposal has echoes of its declara tions in November 2018 that anyone who crossed the border illegally from Mexico would be denied asylum, a measure that has been blocked in court. Last month, an appeals court upheld that decision while a lawsuit moves forward. The ban now being con sidered, which was first reported by The New York Times, would turn back to Mexico all people who cross the border illegally, not just those seeking asylum. Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Heather Swift said the president was focused on protecting Americans from the coronavirus and that “all options are on the table.” Immigrant advocacy groups condemned the pos sible move. “Decisions relating to the pandemic should be guided by public health officials, not by the Trump admin istration’s long-standing agenda to close the bor der to refugees seeking asylum,” said Eleanor Acer, Human Rights First’s director of refugee protec tion. “The administration is using the pandemic as a pretext to advance its long-term goal of curtailing asylum rights for people fleeing persecution.” The proposal would be the administration’s lat est major policy shift to deter asylum and illegal immigration on the Mexi can border. About 60,000 asylum-seekers have been returned to Mexico to wait for hearings in U.S. immi gration court since January 2019 under its “Remain in Mexico” policy, which the Supreme Court ruled last week could stay in effect during a legal challenge. Since November, the administration has denied asylum to hundreds of people from El Salvador and Honduras and flown them to Guatemala with a chance to seek protection there. There were more than 851,000 arrests for cross ing the border during the 2019 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The pro posed rule would appar ently not apply to much smaller numbers who pres ent themselves at ports of entry to seek asylum. Ex-Calif. Rep. Hunter gets 11 months in prison BY JULIE WATSON Associated Press SAN DIEGO — Former California Republican Rep. Dun can Hunter was sentenced Tuesday to 11 months in prison after pleading guilty to stealing campaign funds and spend ing the money on everything from outings with friends to his daughter’s birthday party. The ex-Marine’s attorneys had asked for most or part of his sentence be spent in home confine ment, citing his military service fighting the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his nearly six terms in Congress. Hunter, 43, resigned from Congress in January after representing one of Southern California’s last solidly Republican districts. But U.S. District Court Judge Thomas J. Whelan said given the amount of money Hunter misspent and the number of years he carried out the pilfering, home confine ment was not an option. Prosecutors ahead of Tuesday’s sentencing submitted 87 pages to the judge that showed a corrupt congressman who intentionally and repeatedly stole from his campaign funds for a decade. “Today’s sentence reinforces the notion that the truth still matters, that facts still matter,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Halpern said after the hearing. Hunter’s attorney, Devin Burstein, said the fact that Hunter was sentenced to less than a year instead of the 14 months prosecutors sought was because of his “years of ser vice and dedication to our country.” “Congressman Hunter is ready to put this behind him and to continue helping veterans in every way possible,” Burst ein wrote in an email to The Associated Press. Hunter and his wife Margaret, who was his campaign manager, were accused in a 60-count indictment of stealing more than $250,000 in campaign funds and trying to hide it on financial disclosure records, listing some personal expenses as contributions to wounded warriors. The money bankrolled private school tuition for his children, his wife’s shopping sprees, weekend trips with his mistress and parties in Washington, according to the indictment. Each pleaded guilty to a single count in separate plea agreements last year, and each had faced up to five years in prison. Hunter, who in his plea deal admitted to conspiring with his wife to misspending $150,000, asked the judge Tuesday to spare the mother of his three children jail time. She was not present Tuesday. He said he takes full responsibility. He showed little emotion as his father, former Rep. Duncan L. Hunter, sat behind him. The hearing was held despite many state and federal courts across California and the country all but shutting down or holding hearings by teleconference to curb the spread of the new coronavirus. The judge said the full courtroom did not exceed 50 peo ple, complying with federal recommendations. Whelan noted Hunter wanted the hearing to pro ceed. Hours after the sentencing, the court’s chief judge announced criminal proceedings, including sentencing hearings, would be suspended until April 16. Hunter To keep seniors safe at home, Medicare expands telemedicine EVAN VUCCI I Associated Press President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing with the coronavirus task force, at the White House, Tuesday, March 17, in Washington. BY RICARDO AL0NS0-ZALDIVAR Associated Press WASHINGTON - Medi care said Tuesday it will immediately expand cover age for telemedicine nation wide to help seniors with health problems stay home to avoid the coronavirus. The new option will allow millions of older people to take care of ongoing medical problems as well as new con cerns, while heeding public health advice to stay home during the outbreak. For example, a patient with diabetes wouldn’t have to postpone a regular follow up visit with the doctor to keep safe — he or she could do it via Skype. And people concerned they may have the virus could “see” their doctor or nurse practitioner virtually to find out how to get tested in person. Risk of serious illness from the coronavirus is greater for older people and those with underlying health problems such as lung con ditions, diabetes or heart problems. Many Medicare beneficiaries are managing chronic health issues that put them at heightened risk. The telemedicine expansion is geared directly to this vul nerable group. Current telehealth cover age under traditional Medi care is limited. It’s available in rural areas, and patients need to go to specially-des ignated sites for their visits. Since last year Medicare has also been paying for brief “virtual check-ins.” Tuesday’s announcement goes beyond that, allowing clinicians and hospitals to bill Medicare for visits via telemedicine that previously had to take place in person, at a medical office or facility. The policy change carries out a waiver of Medicare rules recently authorized by Congress, and set in motion under emergency declarations from the Trump admin istration. Expanded tele medicine coverage will remain in effect during the outbreak. Doctors’ groups and hospitals had been urg ing Medicare to make the move. Under Tuesday’s announcement: 1. Patients and clinicians will need a two-way visual and voice connection that allows real-time interac tion. Laptops, tablets and smartphones should work. Penalties for potential viola tions of federal health care privacy laws will be waived for good-faith efforts to serve patients. 2. Hospitals and a range of clinicians, including doctors, nurse practitioners, clini cal psychologists, nutrition professionals, and licensed social workers will be able to offer telehealth. Nursing home residents will also be able to consult doctors via telehealth. 3. Standard Medicare copays and deductibles still apply to telemedicine visits. But there’s flexibility. Nor mally, health care providers such copays for telehealth visits. During the corona virus emergency, health providers will be allowed to waive or reduce cost-shar ing for telehealth visits. 4. Legislation authorizing the waiver required medi cal offices to have an estab lished relationship with a patient to bill for telehealth services. But Medicare said it will refrain from enforcing that requirement via audits during the coronavirus pub lic health emergency. abersham treat 'Assisted Care Community Now Offers a New Assisted Living Home Located <8> 258 Park Ave Baldwin GA The uite Life Come by for a visit. Prebook one of our new rooms that you can make your very own. www.habershamretreat.com Call us @ 706-499-6842 S © HOLD YOUR TICKET NEW DATE Michael Combs» JULY 10 # 2020 7:30 PM The Venue at Friendship Springs Purchase your Tickets at: gainesvilletimes.com/michaelcombs
