The overlooked crisis in the immigration system

THE BIG STORY

The immigration system is set to come to a near halt, and no one is paying attention

The US agency that oversees and administers key facets of the immigration system, including the processing of citizenship, green cards, and asylum applications, has taken its first steps to dramatically roll back its capabilities by issuing furlough notices to more than 13,000 employees.

If Congress does not provide US Citizenship and Immigration Services with emergency funding before Aug. 3, the employees, who make up more than 60% of all staffers, will be furloughed for up to three months due to the budget crisis.

“Backlogs will grow longer. People will wait longer to become citizens, get green cards. Asylum will grind to a halt,” said Amanda Baran, a former immigration policy official at the Department of Homeland Security who is now a consultant. The number of furloughed employees, she said, would lead to “devastating consequences for people trying to enter and for those living here.”

A young man, sitting with other immigrants inside a holding cell, cries as he says he will be killed if he gets sent back to Honduras, June 16, 2019. Rebecca Blackwell / AP

OUTBREAK TODAY

Experts fear the current surge in US COVID-19 cases could cause a rise in deaths

So far, coronavirus deaths in the United States have declined even as cases have surged across the country, with many of the cases being diagnosed in people under the age of 40. But experts say it’s too early to say whether this trend will continue.

There may be a lag of three to four weeks between any rise in confirmed cases and an increase in recorded deaths — due to the disease’s incubation period, the time between diagnosis and death for those who become fatally ill, and a delay before each death shows up in official counts. That means that any rise in deaths may not be seen until around the second week of July at the earliest.

For the latest numbers around the coronavirus, you can check our always-updating charts for the US and for the world.

SNAPSHOTS

More revelations about what witnesses told investigators about Trump and Russia. A new batch of interview summaries from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into the 2016 election was released on Tuesday in response to Freedom of Information Act lawsuits by BuzzFeed News and CNN.

Huxley Stauffer is safe and happy in his new home, according to authorities in Ohio. Deputies have closed the case investigating the family YouTubers after confirming Huxley is "very happy and well taken care of" and his new adoption is legal.

Facebook has been profiting from ads promoting civil war and unrest. Facebook said on Tuesday it was banning content associated with the "Boogaloo" extremist group, after running ads advocating for violence for months.

YouTube has suspended monetization on Shane Dawson's channels after he apologized for "racism.” While Dawson had not publicly addressed this latest news, he went live on Instagram on Tuesday to address fellow YouTuber Tati Westbrook's recent video accusing him of manipulating her.

“THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM ON THE HORIZON”

My landlord is threatening to evict me during a health and economic crisis. What do I do?

The United States is facing a mass eviction crisis as expanded unemployment benefits expire and millions of the newly jobless search for work in an economy that remains debilitated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Facing eviction is undeniably terrifying, but do not freeze up. The most important things to remember: It’s best to act now, before it’s too late. Talk to your landlord and know your rights. Also, breathe.

BuzzFeed News reached out to housing experts about what to do if you’re at risk of being evicted during the pandemic.

PUTTING THE MEN IN MENSTRUAL

Millions of people are laughing at this guy discovering how a menstrual pad works

There comes a time in all our lives when we learn how menstrual products work. Usually this time is in elementary school health class, but we're not all so lucky.

Isaac Turnage is the boyfriend of Arianna Romano, both 18-year-olds in Idaho. Romano told BuzzFeed News she saw a trend going around on TikTok of people asking their boyfriends how pads work, and she decided to try it out on Turnage.

The result is a hilarious mix of blind confidence and utter confusion, and you really just need to watch it.

Courtesy of Arianna Romano

It is Wednesday, my dudes,

Josh

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