Irish TV comedy writer Graham Linehan will not face charges after his arrest over social media posts critical of transgender people. British prosecutors announced the decision Monday. Linehan, known for co-creating "Father Ted" and "The IT Crowd," was arrested Sept. 1 at Heathrow Airport. His arrest sparked a debate about freedom of speech and its limits. Supporters, including J.K. Rowling, argued that U.K. laws stifled legitimate comment. Others emphasized the real-world impact of online abuse. London police said as a result of the case that it would no longer investigate non-crime hate incidents.
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The Supreme Court has indicated a willingness to limit race-based districts under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. During 2 1/2 hours of arguments on Wednesday, the court’s six conservative justices seemed inclined to effectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race. The landmark civil rights law has created majority-Black and Latino districts that vote reliably Democratic in some of the nation’s most conservative states. If the high court limits or strikes down Section 2, it would likely benefit Republicans and could open up more than a dozen Democratic-controlled seats for Republicans to target. However, it wouldn't fully start until the 2028 elections and yield may few GOP gains.
AP Wire
The Trump administration has revoked the visas of six foreigners deemed by U.S. officials to have made derisive comments or made light of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk last month. The State Department said it had determined they should lose their visas after reviewing their online social media posts and clips about Kirk. The administration and its supporters have targeted people for their comments about Kirk, leading to firings or other discipline of journalists, teachers and others, and raising free speech concerns. The announcement came Tuesday as Trump was posthumously awarding Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
A Republican attack on a core provision of the Voting Rights Act that's designed to protect racial minorities comes to the Supreme Court this week, more than a decade after the justices knocked out another pillar of the 60-year-old law. In arguments Wednesday, lawyers for Louisiana and the Trump administration will try to persuade the justices to wipe away the state’s second majority Black congressional district and make it much harder, if not impossible, to take account of race in redistricting. The conservative-dominated court could be receptive. At the center of the fight is Chief Justice John Roberts, who has long had the landmark civil rights law in his sights.
Texas quarterback Arch Manning was all smiles after the biggest victory of his career and said he's not bothered by the criticism leveled at him over the first half of the season. Manning said everyone is entitled to an opinion of him and he'll try to keep improving as player. Manning was coolly efficient in a 23-6 win over rival Oklahoma that could save Texas' season after the Longhorns had fallen from No. 1 to unranked.
MIT's president said she “cannot support” a White House proposal that asks MIT and eight other universities to adopt President Donald Trump’s political agenda in exchange for favorable access to federal funding. In a letter to federal officials, MIT President Sally Kornbluth said the proposal includes provisions MIT disagrees with, including some that would limit free speech and the university’s independence. MIT is among the first to express forceful views on the compact either in favor or against it. College leaders face immense pressure to reject the deal from faculty, students and free speech advocates.
AP Wire
Federal officials have reported the arrests of 13 people protesting near an immigration facility outside Chicago. This facility has been frequently targeted during a surge in immigration enforcement. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem met with employees inside the facility on Friday. Protesters gathered outside, upset by newly installed barricades. Some aimed to block vehicles from entering or leaving the area. Federal agents have used tear gas and pepper balls in response to protests. Illinois State Police set up barriers to separate protesters from law enforcement. Critics have raised concerns about the tactics used by federal agents.
DOJ contradicts DeSantis: Some detainees at 'Alligator Alcatraz' likely never in removal proceedings
U.S. government lawyers say detainees at the Florida Everglades immigration detention center, known as "Alligator Alcatraz," likely include people who have never been in removal proceedings. This contradicts Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's claims since the facility opened in July. The U.S. Department of Justice made this admission Thursday in a court filing. They argue that detainees don't have enough in common to be certified as a class in a lawsuit over access to attorneys. Civil rights groups allege detainees have been denied proper access to legal counsel, violating their constitutional rights. DeSantis's office hasn't responded to requests for comment.
AP Wire
Detainees arriving at the immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades are given color-coded uniforms and segregated based on criminal history and flight risk. That is according to a handbook made public as part of a lawsuit over attorney access at the site known as “Alligator Alcatraz.” Civil rights and environmental groups have filed three lawsuits over conditions. In one lawsuit, civil rights groups argued the facility operates outside federal law. They asked a federal judge in Fort Myers this week to stop the facility from holding detainees. A different federal judge ordered it closed in August for environmental reasons, but it remains open pending appeals.
The government shutdown means further disruption for the U.S. Education Department, which has seen half of its employees laid off by the Republican Trump administration. The department says many core operations will continue in a shutdown but civil rights investigations will stop and no new federal grants will be issued. About 87% of the workforce will be furloughed. The department still will manage federal student aid, with Pell grants and loans continuing. Payments will still be due. However, 632 of 747 employees in the Office of Federal Student Aid will be furloughed. The Office for Civil Rights will halt investigations into discrimination by race and disability, adding to an existing backlog of complaints.