Emails: Breitbart editor pledges to do 'dirty work' for Bannon, smears Ivanka

Emails: Breitbart editor pledges to do 'dirty work' for Bannon, smears Ivanka

A self-described "email prankster" seemingly fooled top editors at Breitbart over the weekend into believing he was Steve Bannon, the fired White House chief strategist who returned to the right-wing website as executive chairman on Friday.

In the emails, Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow pledged that he and several other top editors would do Bannon's "dirty work" against White House aides. The emails were shared with CNN by the prankster.

In other emails, Marlow suggested he could have Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump ousted from the White House "by end of year" and shared a personal smear about their private lives, perhaps an indication of how low the website is willing to go to achieve its agenda.

This is not the first time the anonymous email prankster, who tweets under the name @SINON_REBORN and describes himself as a "lazy anarchist," has pulled a stunt like this. In July, the person fooled top White House officials into thinking he was other officials, causing a stir in the West Wing. At the time, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House was "looking into" the incidents.

The editor in chief was unrepentant, telling CNN,"The obsession with Breitbart News is simply a result of our effectiveness. This time, an imposter deceitfully obtained and shared with CNN tongue-in-cheek emails that revealed that we feel Globalists present an existential threat to the agenda that got President Trump elected.

" Marlow suggested, "If people want to know our thinking, they don't need to judge us on illicitly obtained comments that were intended to be private, they can simply read our front page. "

The email exchanges began with the prankster writing Breitbart editors a simple message from an account masquerading as Bannon's.

"Reading online about how i'll be bringing forth my wrath on Ivanka and Jared," read an email sent Sunday from the fake Bannon account to Marlow. 

"I'd be doing this great nation a service if I did."

"I spooked em today,"

 replied Marlow. "Did five stories on globalist takeover positioning you as only hope to stop it."

"You need to own that, just have surrogates do the dirty work. Boyle, Raheem, me, Tony have been waiting for this," 

Marlow added, referring to Washington editor Matthew Boyle, Breitbart London Editor-in-Chief Raheem Kassam, and reporter Tony Lee.

The prankster, posing as Bannon, emailed Marlow a link to a Sunday Breitbart post that aggregated a Daily Mail report to suggest Ivanka Trump was instrumental in pushing Bannon from the White House.

"This was a fun read," the fake Bannon account said.

Marlow then shared a personal smear about the private life of Ivanka Trump, and her husband, Kushner. CNN has chosen not to repeat the smear because it is unfounded and unsubstantiated.

"Haha.. lovely stuff," 

replied the fake Bannon account. "So do you think you'll have them packed and shipping out before Christmas?"

"Let me see what I can do... hard to know given your description of them as evil,

" Marlow replied. "I don't know what motivates them. If they are semi normal, then yes, they out by end of year."

Marlow added: "You saying no admin is more divided is more important thing you said all weekend... let's talk about it in person."

A White House spokesperson declined to comment on the emails about Ivanka Trump and Kushner. Bannon also did not respond to CNN's requests for comment.

The prankster did not stop the emails and continued to bait Marlow, sending the Breitbart editor messages that were increasingly absurd.

In another email thread, the prankster seemed to fool Joel Pollak, Breitbart's senior editor-at-large.

"No one can figure out what [Ivanka Trump and Kushner] do," Pollak wrote in an email to the fake Bannon account.

"Had a good chat with Alex," the prankster replied, referring to Marlow. "Seems he's already aligning the crosshairs and making me the masked puppeteer."

"Excellent. I just tried calling," Pollak wrote back. "Not sure if you have the same number. I'm at 847-XYZ-XXXX. Available anytime."

The prankster told CNN that the latest stunt was inspired by Bannon's ouster and how Breitbart was "literally falling over itself to attack those he sat drinking coffee with days before."

"It all seemed very duplicitous and littered with nuance and righteousness," the prankster said. 

"I don't much care for the Trump administration or Breitbart so I didn't really do much but see what happened."

After the Breitbart editors realized they had been hoodwinked, Breitbart president and CEO Larry Solov wrote a cautionary note to staffers.

"For the moment, be especially careful of emails from this address," Solov wrote in the company's internal Slack channel, a copy of which was obtained by CNN.

Solov added: "They are fake."

Bannon served as executive chairman of Breitbart before he joined the Trump campaign last August and later took the role as chief strategist in the White House. On Friday, mere hours after being fired by Trump, Bannon returned to Breitbart as executive chairman.

Immediately after Bannon's return, Breitbart started to prepare stories critical of people in the Trump White House, a person at the website told CNN on Friday. It's most likely the site will not -- for now, at least -- directly attack the president. Instead, it will likely focus its ire on people in Trump's circle who had clashed with Bannon, or who are viewed as Democrats or "globalists." On Monday, for instance, the website savaged Trump's speech on Afghanistan, placing much of the blame for the strategy on National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster.

Bannon, for his part, has strongly hinted at a war with members of the White House. He told the Weekly Standard on Friday that he felt "jacked up" to be back at Breitbart and once again have his hands "back on my weapons."

"Someone said, 'it's Bannon the Barbarian.' I am definitely going to crush the opposition," he said. "There's no doubt. I built a f***ing machine at Breitbart. And now I'm about to go back, knowing what I know, and we're about to rev that machine up. And rev it up we will do."

Top Things To Do In New York City

Top Things To Do In New York City...

New York City is larger than life: in population, in square feet (think of the five boroughs), in culture and food, in arts and entertainment. Visitors to New York have the world at their fingertips, from Uptown to Downtown and beyond. There’s so much to do and see, no two visits will ever be quite the same. Whether it’s your first visit to Gotham or your fifteenth, these top things to do in New York capture the energy, spirit and style of the city.

Empire State Building Experience

Empire State Building

No visit to New York City would be complete without a stop at this masterpiece of Art Deco design, and perhaps the most famous office building in the world. From its magnificent lobby — now sporting a re-creation of its original spectacular ceiling mural — to the 86th-floor observatory perched more than 1,000 feet (305 meters) above the city streets, this National Historic Landmark gives visitors plenty to admire.

What to Do

Open past midnight 365 days a year, it’s a romantic spot for a late-night kiss. Take the audio tour to learn more about everything you can see from the observation deck. The 80th floor is home to the Dare to Dream exhibit, featuring original documents, sketches, reproduction photos and other artifacts that capture the building's history.

What to See

On a clear day, the view encompasses five states. You'll get a clear view of many famous New York landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, The Hudson and East River, and more. It's no wonder why this is one of the top places to visit in New York.

Highlights

Look out on New York City from 1,050 feet above the bustling streets below.

See panoramic views of up to five states from the surrounding open-air promenade or from climate controlled viewing galleries.

Get the details about what you’re viewing from every vantage point with The Empire State Building Experience Official Multimedia Guide, free for download on Apple and Android devices.

Take in the whole Empire State Building Experience, including the newly renovated art-deco lobby and the sustainability and historical exhibits.

The Empire State Building is a trademarked image and used with permission by ESRT.

Statue of Liberty

A stirring symbol of freedom, the Statue of Liberty has been a beacon in New York Harbor since 1886. A gift from the people of France, the Statue was designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi and built by Gustave Eiffel.

Statue of Liberty

What to Do

Once on Liberty Island, free National Park Service tours fill in the details about the copper-sheeted masterpiece. For an extra fee, upgrade to a Crown Ticket and go into the statue itself.

What to See

With her torch ablaze more than 300 feet (91.5 meters) above the ground, "Liberty Enlightening the World" (the statue’s official name) is only accessible via commercial ferries, which offer amazing vantage points for the perfect vacation snapshot.

Highlights

Feel the splendor of Lady Liberty as you walk in the shadow cast by her 151-foot tall figure.

Learn about the experience of over 12 million immigrants who entered the United States through the now quiet halls of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Explore the grounds of Liberty and Ellis Islands and enjoy an audio tour for both islands.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Ellis Island, the portal through which millions of immigrants entered the United States, is a must-see for anyone interested in the personal stories of those who came to America in search of a new beginning.

Ellis Island Immigration Museum

What to Do

Walk in the footsteps of the nation’s newest citizens as they traveled through the baggage, registry and hearing rooms — in some cases, leaving with new, "American" names. Scan the Wall of Honor and see if you can find the name of an ancestor among the 700,000 inscribed names.

What to See

For those whose ancestors made the journey, the American Family History Center offers computerized genealogical records. Stop and watch the interactive American Flag of Faces™, a "living" digital exhibit featuring images submitted by individuals and families.

Highlights

Feel the splendor of Lady Liberty as you walk in the shadow cast by her 151-foot tall figure.

Learn about the experience of over 12 million immigrants who entered the United States through the now quiet halls of the Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

Explore the grounds of Liberty and Ellis Islands and enjoy an audio tour for both islands.

American Museum of Natural History

Dinosaur fossils? Check. Theories of evolution? Check. Planetarium space show and IMAX theater? Double-check. It's no wonder the American Museum of Natural History was voted #1 attraction in New York City by the Zagat Survey "U.S. Family Travel Guide."

American Museum of Natural History

What to Do

At the American Museum of Natural History, more than 32 million specimens and cultural artifacts await exploration. Catch a show in the Hayden Planetarium and explore the rest of the Rose Center for Earth and Space to learn more about the 13-billion-year history of the universe.

What to See

Thanks to its starring role in the film Night at the Museum, AMNH draws enthusiastic young fans eager to see the 94-foot (28.6 meters) blue whale, the fossilized skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex (the dinosaur that loved to play fetch), and the gum-chewing Easter Island head.

Highlights

Feel the drama of the undersea world in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life, featuring models of more than 750 sea creatures, including the 94-foot-long, 21,000-pound model of a blue whale suspended from the ceiling.

See more than 130 scientifically significant meteorites in the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites and learn what the rocky space fragments may tell us about the formation and evolution of the Sun and planets.

Spend time exploring the museum’s famed series of fossil halls, including the dinosaur halls that feature the largest collection of dinosaur fossils in the world, including imposing mounts of Tyrannosaurus rex and Apatosaurus, as well as the 122-foot-long cast of a Titanosaur, a species so new it has not yet been formally named by the paleontologists who discovered it.

Learn about the evolutionary story of the human family and travel the world in the Human Origins and Cultural Halls, with halls examining the cultures of Asia, Africa, North and South America and the Pacific.

Don’t miss the renowned dioramas in the Mammal Halls, with precise depictions of geographic locations and anatomically correct specimens from around the globe.

Visit the spectacular Hayden Sphere and explore the 13-billion year history of the Universe at the Rose Center for Earth and Science.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Known simply as "the Met," this museum offers an unparalleled view of the world, all under one roof. In total, the Met's collections include more than two million works of art that span over five thousand years of history.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

What to Do

Enjoy its wide-ranging collection including Greek and Roman art, European and Asian paintings and sculptures, artifacts from Africa and the Americas, and more. Make time to head over to The Cloisters museum and gardens, a branch of the Met dedicated to the art of medieval Europe.

What to See

Of particular note are the ancient Egyptian collection — a special department for the collection was established in 1906 — and the arms and armor holdings, which include examples from both Europe and Japan. The Met's collection of Egyptian art ranges from 300,000 B.C. to the 4th century A.D.

Highlights

Experience the grandeur of the Great Hall, the majestic main entry of the The Met.
Take your time as you explore The Met’s incredible collections, comprising more than two million works of art in areas such as Modern Art, European Paintings, Asian Art, Arms and Armor, Photographs, American Art and more.

Guggenheim Museum

Known as much for what’s on the outside as what’s on the inside, the Guggenheim Museum is simply stunning. Devoted to the art of the 20th century and beyond, the Guggenheim Museum is a must-see for anyone looking to see art from contemporary artists.

Guggenheim Museum

What to Do

Notice everything - architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s revolutionary mid-20th-century design resulted in one of the most recognized buildings in the world. Inside, an exemplary gathering of modern and contemporary art awaits.

What to See

The collection, originally conceived by business magnate Solomon R. Guggenheim, showcases works by Camille Pissarro, Vasily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.

Highlights

Discover this impressive collection of modern art housed in one of the most significant architectural achievements of the 20th century.
Explore the great spiral rotunda, featuring critically-acclaimed special exhibitions.
Learn more about the world-renowned collection with free daily educator-led tours and a free multimedia guide with architecture and collection tours in five languages.

Trump cites dubious story about Muslims in apparent comment on Barcelona attack

Trump cites dubious story about Muslims in apparent comment on Barcelona attack...

Donald Trump recently told crowds a story about U.S. Gen. John Pershing executing Muslim insurgents with bullets dipped in pig's blood. It's a gruesome story, and it is also not true. Time

In an apparent response to the Barcelona terrorist attack on Thursday, President Trump cited an apocryphal story about turn-of-the-20th-century American Gen. John Pershing – and missed its context.

"Study what General Pershing of the United States did to terrorists when caught," Trump tweeted shortly after condemning the attack in Spain. "There was no more Radical Islamic Terror for 35 years!"

Trump, following up on another tweet condemning the attack in Barcelona, was referring to a story he told on the campaign trail, a legend that began after Pershing served as governor of a heavily Muslim province in the Philippines from 1909 to 1913.

"He caught 50 terrorists who did tremendous damage and killed many people," Trump said during a rally in Charleston, S.C., in February of 2016:

"And he took the 50 terrorists, and he took 50 men and he dipped 50 bullets in pigs’ blood ... And he had his men load his rifles, and he lined up the 50 people, and they shot 49 of those people. And the 50th person, he said: You go back to your people, and you tell them what happened. And for 25 years, there wasn’t a problem. Okay? Twenty-five years, there wasn’t a problem."

Yet there's no evidence this ever happened, and Pershing certainly didn't stop violence in the Philippines.

Historians have found only a single letter from a soldier who said Pershing had a local chieftan buried with a bloody pig, a claim written decades after the alleged incident. A memoir by Pershing cited a letter from another U.S. officer who said several Filipinos were buried in a grave with a bloody pig.

"Of the eight historians we checked with, all were at least skeptical that what Trump said actually happened, and some expressed disbelief even more forcefully than that," reported the Politifact website in 2016.  

In any event, Pershing's administration did not end attacks by Filipinos who opposed U.S. occupation in the wake of the Spanish-American War.

"The historians took issue with Trump’s suggestion that the tactic – if it was even used at all – actually worked to end tensions, noting that unrest persisted for years," Politifact said. "In all, Trump’s claim is ridiculous, so we rate it Pants on Fire."

President Trump 'considering his options' on Afghanistan after Camp David meeting

President Trump 'considering his options' on Afghanistan after Camp David meeting

President Trump holds a national security meeting at Camp David Friday to decide on a new strategy for the conflict in Afghanistan.

President Trump boards Air Force One on Friday.

(Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP)

WASHINGTON – President Trump will soon decide on a new strategy for the conflict in Afghanistan that could involve sending a few thousand more U.S. troops, the White House said Friday after a national security meeting at Camp David.

"This afternoon the President was briefed extensively by his national security team on a new strategy to protect America's interests in South Asia," press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement following the session.

"The President is studying and considering his options," she said, "and will make an announcement to the American people, to our allies and partners, and to the world at the appropriate time." 

The Camp David conference capped a volatile week in which Trump drew criticism for his comments about racially charged violence in Charlottesville, Va., and dismissed senior White House strategist Steve Bannon.

Neither the president nor his aides spoke in public after the Camp David meeting that lasted most of the afternoon.

En route to the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains, Trump also vowed tougher domestic security in the wake of Thursday's terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain. "Homeland security and law enforcement are on alert & closely watching for any sign of trouble," he tweeted. "Our borders are far tougher than ever before!"

The Camp David meeting included Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who said Thursday that the Trump administration is close to finalizing a strategy for Afghanistan.

Mattis and other members of the national security team planned to outline a variety of options about the way forward, including proposals to send roughly 3,000 to 5,000 more U.S. troops to a conflict that stretches back to the 9/11 attacks in 2001. More than 2,400 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan.

The top commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, has said several thousand additional troops are needed to help break the stalemate in the war against the Taliban, the Islamic State and other insurgent groups there. Mattis has said he wanted to delay the troop level decision until a broad strategy for the region is finalized.

Any additional U.S. and coalition troops would remain in a support role in Afghanistan, helping to advise Afghan forces, which have suffered high numbers of casualties in the fight against insurgents. The coalition is also providing limited air support for Afghan government forces.

The administration is also weighing a proposal from Erik Prince, the former head of the private security firm Blackwater, who has advocated using private contractors to advise and provide air support for Afghan forces.

Trump was supposed to have made a decision about troop levels by now, but delayed it amid dissatisfaction with his options regarding Afghanistan.

"It's our longest war," Trump said in July.  "We’ve been there for now close to 17 years."

During his presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized the length of the Afghanistan conflict, saying he wanted to "win" and then prevent future efforts at "nation building." Since becoming president, Trump has sought ways to help U.S. companies mine and extract valuable minerals from the sands of Afghanistan.

Reporters were kept away from Camp David during the national security meeting that may also have included a discussion about how to cope with nuclear-armed North Korea.

Vice President Mike Pence cut short a trip to South America to attend the Camp David conference.

The meeting began as the White House announced that senior strategist Steve Bannon had left his position.

Trump has still not shaken off the political firestorm he ignited for his comments earlier this week that "both sides" were responsible for last weekend's violence between white supremacists and protesters in Charlottesvile, Va. One alleged white nationalist has been charged with murder in connection with a hit-and-run car attack that left one 32-year-old woman dead and 19 injured.

Republicans have been themselves from the president, saying his suggestions of moral equivalence gave cover to the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who staged the rally to protest the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue.

The fallout could have serious implications for Trump's policy agenda.

Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has influence over Afghanistan policy, said "the president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful."

The latest national security meeting came a month after Trump criticized the military's inability to "win" in Afghanistan.

President George W. Bush authorized a U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 to topple the ruling Taliban for harboring al-Qaida terrorists who organized the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Bush and President Barack Obama both wrestled with how to meet the ongoing insurgency in Afghanistan by remnants of the Taliban and a growing number of Islamic State militants. 

While Obama formally ended combat operations in Afghanistan at the end of 2014, there remain some 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan in a security capacity.

During his morning tweet storm about domestic security, Trump accused "obstructionist Democrats" of using "the courts" to stymie counter-terrorism efforts.

In another tweet, Trump said: "Radical Islamic Terrorism must be stopped by whatever means necessary! The courts must give us back our protective rights. Have to be tough!"

Contributing: Jim Michaels

Future Lifestyle arm raises Rs 250 crores

Future Lifestyle arm raises Rs 250 crores

NEW DELHI: Future Lifestyle Fashions has raised Rs 250 crore in a subsidiary that houses the Lee Cooper brand of clothing, valuing the brand at Rs. 1000 crores. The funds have been raised from a group of investors including Nomura, Barclays and Adani Capital, said people directly aware of the matter. 

Future Specialties Retail, a newly created subsidiary, has issued compulsorily convertible preference shares (CCPS) to the investors who have the option of converting these instruments into a 26% stake in the company after three years. 

The investment agreement is structured to provide a 20% assured return to the investors over a three year period and allows them to partake in any upside that emerges from the increase in the valuation of the company due to its financial performance when the option to convert the instruments is exercised, according to a person in the know. 

Spokespersons for Adani Capital and Barclays declined comment, while Nomura also did not respond to emailed queries. 

Future Lifestyle has exclusive rights to sell the Lee Cooper brand in a clutch of countries including India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal. 

The company announced in a stock exchange filing on October 1, 2016, that it was transferring the business of Lee Cooper into a wholly owned subsidiary and had plans to raise funds. It also notified in a stock exchange filing that it had signed a term sheet with Barclays Bank PLC, India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal. 

The company announced in a stock exchange filing on October 1, 2016, that it was transferring the business of Lee Cooper into a wholly owned subsidiary and had plans to raise funds. It also notified in a stock exchange filing that it had signed a term sheet with Barclays Bank PLC, India, for the proposed transaction.

Healthy Travel : 12 Tips

12 Tips for Healthy Travel

Traveling for business or pleasure can easily derail your health and fitness regime. It’s easy to fall into the trap of high calorie meals and little exercise because “I’m on vacation” but, with a little research, some smart packing, and a bit of prioritization, you’ll be on your way to the healthiest trip of your life.  These 12 healthy travel tips will keep you in optimal health both in transit and once you reach your destination.

1.  Research the Food and Stock Up Upon Arrival

The more you can research and investigate prior to your trip, the easier it will be to maintain a healthy lifestyle while traveling.  To stay on track with your food, try to find a nearby grocery store or health food store, look up a couple of well rated restaurants that offer some healthy choices, and try to stay somewhere with a fridge (bonus for a kitchenette or full kitchen).  Knowing the lay of the land gives you an advantage as you’ll have an easier time finding healthy options for eating in and out.

2. Keep your Breakfasts and Lunches Healthy

Structuring your days as making breakfast, packing lunch, and going out for dinner allows you to explore the local food scene while getting in some solid nutrition throughout your days away.  If you have the capacity to make some of your meals, you can exert control over your food choices which can help you stay on track while on vacation.  Even if you don’t have access to a fridge or a kitchen, you can still find some healthy packaged options that can make meals.  Since exploring a new country means sampling exciting and exotic new foods, don’t completely deprive yourself – check out some new restaurants and be sure to try something new, just don’t eat out breakfast, lunch, and dinner for your entire trip or you might hurt your waistline and your wallet…

3. Get as Much Sleep as You Can

Both in transit and once you arrive; try to get at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep every night while away.  Sometimes work and play gets in the way of sleep, but if you make it a priority, you can easily achieve your sleep goals.  If you are adjusting to a new time zone, try to stay awake on the first day until your usual bedtime in your new place, and then go for a full night’s sleep to quickly adjust.  Adequate sleep helps your immune system stay strong and promotes recovery, so prioritize accordingly!

4. Scope Out the Local Fitness Scene

Try to find healthy activities that you are excited about at your destination.  If you are a crossfitter, look up a local box.  If you are a yogi, find a nearby yoga studio.  At a beach?  Grab a surf or stand up paddle board lesson.  Some fitness institutions allow free drop-ins or have promotions for out-of-towners.  Not only is it a great way to maintain your exercise regimen while traveling, it can be an authentic way to connect with those in your temporary community and feel a part of something while in transit.  Who knows?  You might make some lifelong friends or learn something new.

5. Make your Own Workouts

If you want to get your sweat on but don’t want to spend any money, make up your own workout!  If you’re staying somewhere with a fitness facility, make yourself a hotel workout using their equipment, head to a park for a bodyweight workout using the playground equipment, hit up the pool, and remember that you can get in a good workout just about anywhere by combining things like pushups, sit-ups, squats, and sprints!

6. Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated is key to feeling your best.  Pack an empty water bottle while flying that you can fill up once you’ve passed through security, and stay ahead of dehydration by drinking plenty of fluids.  If you are exercising while traveling or headed somewhere hotter or more humid than your usual climate, make sure to take in extra water.  As an added bonus, staying fully hydrated prevents your body from confusing being thirsty with being ravenous and accidentally consuming too much!

7. Pack Meals and Snacks

Avoid unhealthy, greasy, processed food while traveling by packing your own meals and snacks.  Bringing healthy food from home ensures you know exactly what goes into your food and prevents you from spending money on food that doesn’t even taste good!  Before you pack a Tupperware of sloppy soup, make sure you check out the rules to make sure you don’t get hassled at airport security. Also be cautious about traveling with fresh fruits, vegetables or meat and dairy products as there are many restrictions about bringing these into other countries. Make sure you declare any food products upon arrival! If you have some favorite packaged snacks like protein bars, beef jerky, or nuts, you could stash some extras in your checked luggage to have once you arrive at your destination.

8. Walk Every Day

Exploring your destination on foot is an amazing way to sneak in some exercise while traveling.  Grab a map, get lost, get found, and take in the sights, smells, and sounds of where you are.  This is a great way to find hidden gems that aren’t in the travel guides.  Depending on where you travel, you may want to consider restricting walking and exploring to daylight and enlisting a travel companion to be your walking buddy to double up on safety.

9. Rent a Bike

Cover more ground while torching calories by renting a bike.  Many major cities have bike share programs, or you could contact a local bike store to inquire about bike rentals.  Grab a bike map of the city, research day trips and pack a picnic, and get exploring.  If you’re traveling for fun and have an open schedule, you could even research bike tours – many cities offer them and are a great way to cover a large distance in a short amount of time while avoiding motorized vehicles.

10. Pack your Gym Gear, Vitamins, and Supplements

It is a lot harder to find motivation to work out while traveling if you don’t have the gear that you need!  Always pack gym gear so that you have no excuse not to exercise, and consider bringing some light weight equipment like a skipping rope to boost your workouts on the road.  If you regularly take vitamins and supplements, pack yourself a supply for the duration of your travel so that you can maintain your routine while you are away.  Keeping up with healthy habits can have a snowball effect where if you maintain healthy aspects of your regular routine, you are motivated to make other healthy choices with respect to your food and exercise while on vacation.

11. Plan Ahead for Special Dietary Needs

If you’re gluten-intolerant, celiac, or have other food allergies, consider printing a card that lists your dietary needs in the local language.  This way, you can communicate your requirements to the staff in a way that they understand so that you get what you want to stay healthy while traveling.  Sometimes in the service industry, the staff is so eager to please the customers that they will assure them that something is possible without fully understanding the implications, so if you are risking a health problem, this could be a low fuss solution.

12. Keep a Dictionary on Hand

If you are traveling somewhere with a different language, pack a dictionary and keep it close to help you navigate the menu and make healthy food choices.  You can’t avoid deep fried food and rich sauces if you don’t know that they’re in there!  Look up the words that you don’t understand to help you learn about cooking methods and ingredients so that you can choose healthy food.

10 Best Cities to Retire in the US

The 10 Best Cities to Retire in the US

Choosing where to retire in the US can be very overwhelming – so many great options and factors to consider!  Regardless of whether you’re seeking an action-packed retirement or looking instead for a peaceful escape from hectic city life, you’ll find here the 10 best cities to retire in the US.

1. Prescott, Arizona

If you love the outdoors and a vibrant cultural scene, you should consider retiring in Prescott, Arizona.  Located in the north of Arizona, this old mining town experiences a cooler summer than southern Arizona, helping you steer clear of sweltering summer temperatures.  A booming economy, rich history, and low housing prices make this place a real contender for retirement.

2. Venice, Florida

Venice is a small retirement community found on the Gulf of Mexico in Florida.  Named after Venice, Italy, this community has many canals and rivers that run through it and has been designed with architectural influence from Italian renaissance.  Calm traffic and low prices mean peaceful retirement and it’s particularly well suited to slightly older retirees.  Parks, beaches, golf, tennis, and proximity to the beach will keep you busy, and proximity to nearby Sarasota will mean you have everything you need. 

3. St. Augustine, Florida

The historic community of St. Augustine, Florida, is a perfect retirement location for history buffs.  The local economy is driven by tourism, so if you’re keen to volunteer and stay an active part of your community, this might be the city for you.  On the north east coast of Florida, this city experiences cooler temperatures than other options in the state.

4. Beaufort, South Carolina

The quaint, charming southern community of Beaufort, South Carolina, is a prime retirement spot.  This old river town offers plenty of golfing and fishing during the mild winters and hot summers. The military installations in the city solidify the economy and diversify the population – while Beaufort is home to a growing retirement community, there are lots of families here as well.

5. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Whatever you are looking for in your retirement locale, from downtown living to a planned community, Myrtle Beach has what you need.  Some of the highlights are the Grand Stand – a huge stretch of pristine sandy beach, trendy shopping and restaurants, low cost of living, great theater, excellent medical care, and enough golf courses to keep things exciting. All these reasons will make you love your retirement life in sunny Myrtle Beach.

6. Abilene, Texas

If you’re looking for an affordable retirement, head to Abilene, Texas.  With cost of living over 10% below national average, this old railroad shipping town has a growing retirement community.  Year round warm weather and excellent recreational and social opportunities for senior citizens of Abilene will keep you entertained and in good company all year round.

7. Austin, Texas

This big city offers plenty of activities to keep the retiree busy and engaged.  Home to the University of Texas, this cultural hub boasts a terrific economy, warm weather, plenty of volunteering opportunities, open air art markets, galleries, museums, performing art theatres, low crime, and it’s the live music capital of the world.  With so much going on, this city would be best suited for energetic retirees who aren’t looking for too much peace and quiet!

8. Boise, Idaho

Boise, Idaho makes a great retirement destination for active adults.  Into biking?  This city was rated one of the best cities to live and ride.  Love the outdoors?  The mountains are at your doorstep, and the river offers whitewater adventures for the daredevil retirees out there.  In downtown Boise, there are many shopping, eating, and cultural opportunities.  Walking paths and low crime rates mean that you will feel confident stepping out into this great retirement city.

9. Palm Springs, California

Located in the Coachella Valley, Palm Springs is one of world’s most famous retirement communities.  The breath taking landscape and rich culture draw people from all around the globe to retire here.  Active retirees can enjoy the golf scene and the nearby Joshua Tree Park, and everyone can enjoy the 350 days of sunshine a year.  Watch out though – summers here are so hot you’ll have to retreat to the air conditioned indoors!

10.  Salt Lake City, Utah

Nestled into the Wasatch Mountains of Utah and next to the Great Salt Lake, the beautiful Salt Lake City is a picturesque place to retire.  Perfect for the active adult, you can enjoy golf and winter sports galore.  Clean air, booming economy, plenty of volunteering opportunities, and an above average doctor per capita rate make this city a prime retirement spot!  Salt Lake experiences cold winters and hot, dry summers, so skip this city for retirement if you can’t take the cold!

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UK position paper opposes Irish border posts : Brexit

Brexit: UK position paper opposes Irish border posts

The future management of the Irish border is one of three main priorities in UK-EU Brexit talks

The government has said it does not want any border posts between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in its new position paper on Brexit.

The paper is part of its negotiations with the European Union and the broad ideas in the document appear familiar.

It suggests a "new customs partnership" or a "highly streamlined customs arrangement".

Brexit critics have complained that the UK's proposals lack credible detail on how that aim could be achieved.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK which will share a land border with an EU member state when the UK leaves the EU in March 2019.

The future management of that border is a highly sensitive issue and is one of three main priorities in UK-EU Brexit negotiations.

UK proposes 'untested' customs system

Government to unveil Irish border plan

Brexit: What is at stake in EU-UK talks?

Analysis: Is UK leaving the customs union?

The paper says the government does not want to see any physical infrastructure at the Irish border.

As revealed on Tuesday, Brexit Secretary David Davis wants a limited transition period to implement any new customs arrangements, including considerations relating to the "unique circumstances" of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The government ruled out suggestions of concentrating border checks at Irish Sea crossings

The government has repeated its desire to maintain the Common Travel Area and the rights of UK and Irish citizens, and to uphold the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Both the UK and Irish governments have repeatedly stated their opposition to a hard border, but the situation is complicated as the UK intends to leave the EU's customs union.

The position paper sets out two "broad approaches" to future customs arrangements that the UK hopes will help to prevent physical customs posts along the Irish border.

The suggestions are a "new customs partnership" or a "highly streamlined customs arrangement".

The partnership model would "align" customs approaches between the UK and the EU, resulting in "no customs border at all between the UK and Ireland," the paper claims.

The paper suggests the second, "highly-streamlined" arrangement could include:

a continued waiver on submitting entry/exit declarations;

continued membership of the Common Transit Convention to help Northern Ireland and Irish companies transit goods

a new "trusted trader" arrangement for larger businesses

a "cross-border trade exemption" which would mean no new customs processes at all for smaller traders

The paper also dismisses the idea of a customs border in the Irish Sea, saying it would be economically and constitutionally unviable.

It recognises that all this needs to be negotiated with the EU, in the hope that the border between the EU and the UK will be as "seamless" as possible.

The government has repeatedly said it does not want to go back to the borders of the past

Northern Ireland Secretary James Brokenshire said he did not accept that the EU would be unwilling to facilitate the government's proposals.

"If you look at what [EU chief negotiator] Michel Barnier has said and others within the EU, there is a recognition that there will need to be specific arrangements in relation to customs and other elements in terms of creating that frictionless border," he said.

"I think there is a shared objection that we have, that the EU has and the Irish government has, in finding that solution."

An Irish government spokesperson welcomed the position paper as "timely and helpful" as it offers more clarity on the UK's strategy.

Customs union, free trade area and single market - an explainer

Reality Check: What is a customs union?

A quick guide to the Brexit negotiations

Brexit: All you need to know

However, they warned: "Protecting the peace process is crucial and it must not become a bargaining chip in the negotiations."

The spokesperson said leaders in Dublin would analyse the ideas in detail and discuss them with the European Commission and the EU's Mr Barnier.

Campaigners who oppose Brexit say the re-introduction of a so-called "hard border" would severely damage the Northern Ireland peace process and have a negative economic impact.

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UK-Irish trade in numbers

£13.6bn worth of goods exported to the Republic of Ireland from Great Britain in 2016

£9.1bn worth of goods exported to Great Britain from the Republic of Ireland in 2016

£10.7bn worth of goods from Northern Ireland were sold in Great Britain in 2015

£2.7bn worth of goods from Northern Ireland were exported to the Republic of Ireland in 2015

More than 80% of cross-border trade on the island of Ireland is by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)

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Labour MP Conor McGinn, who grew up in Northern Ireland, accused the government of "vagueness and posturing".

"These proposals on a light touch border are lighter still on detail," he said.

Earlier this year, residents from border communities held a protest at Stormont

"They don't outline how a frictionless or seamless border can be achieved when the UK leaves the EU and won't reassure anybody about the impact of Brexit on Northern Ireland."

Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), said the government seemed to be "effectively playing for more time".

"The British government is still not ready, or at least unwilling, to publish serious or credible proposals on Brexit," he said.

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What is the customs union?

Countries in the customs union do not impose tariffs - taxes on imports - on each other's goods.

Every country inside the union levies the same tariffs on imports from abroad.

So, for example, a 10% tariff is imposed on some cars imported from outside the customs union, while 7.5% is imposed on roasted coffee.

Other goods - such as soap or slate - have no tariffs.

The UK has said it is leaving the EU's customs union because as a member it is unable to strike trade deals with other countries.

Immigration policy of Donald Trump

Immigration policy of Donald Trump

Illegal immigration was a signature issue of US President Donald Trump's presidential campaign, and his proposed reforms and remarks about this issue generated much publicity.[1] A hallmark promise of his campaign was to build a substantial wall on the United States-Mexico border. Trump has also expressed support for a variety of "limits on legal immigration and guest-worker visas",[1][2] including a "pause" on granting green cards, which Trump says will "allow record immigration levels to subside to more moderate historical averages".[3][4][5] Trump's proposals regarding H-1B visas frequently changed throughout his presidential campaign, but as of late July 2016, he appeared to oppose the H-1B visa program.[6] Trump has questioned official estimates of the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States (between 11 and 12 million), insisting the number is much higher (between 30 and 34 million).

Positions on immigration

Trump has questioned official estimates of the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States (between 11 and 12 million), asserting that the number is actually between 30 and 34 million.[7] PolitiFact ruled that his statement was "Pants on Fire", citing experts who noted that no evidence supported an estimate in that range.[7] For example, the Pew Research Center reported in March 2015 that the number of undocumented immigrants overall declined from 12.2 million in 2007 to 11.2 million in 2012. The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. labor force ranged from 8.1 million to 8.3 million between 2007 and 2012, approximately 5% of the U.S. labor force.[8]

Birthright citizenship

Trump proposes rolling back birthright citizenship – a historically broadened interpretation of the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that all persons born on U.S. soil are citizens - so as not to grant citizenship to US-born children of undocumented immigrants (whom he refers to as "anchor babies"). The mainstream view of the Fourteenth Amendment among legal experts is that everyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of parents' citizenship, is automatically an American citizen.

Kate's Law

Trump during his campaign promised to ask Congress to pass Kate's Law to ensure that criminal aliens convicted of undocumented reentry receive strong, mandatory minimum sentences. The law is named after Kate Steinle who was allegedly shot and killed in July 2015 by Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, who was deported by the US a total of five times.[11]

A Senate version of the bill was previously introduced by Ted Cruz in July 2016 and was filibustered by the senate.

Border security

Trump has emphasized U.S. border security and undocumented immigration to the United States as a campaign issue.[16][17] During his announcement speech he stated in part, "When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems.... They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people."[18] On July 6, 2015, Trump issued a written statement[19] to clarify his position on undocumented immigration, which drew a reaction from critics. It read in part:

The Mexican Government is forcing their most unwanted people into the United States. They are, in many cases, criminals, drug dealers, rapists, etc. This was evident just this week when, as an example, a young woman in San Francisco was viciously killed by a 5-time deported Mexican with a long criminal record, who was forced back into the United States because they didn't want him in Mexico. This is merely one of thousands of similar incidents throughout the United States. In other words, the worst elements in Mexico are being pushed into the United States by the Mexican government. The largest suppliers of heroin, cocaine and other illicit drugs are Mexican cartels that arrange to have Mexican immigrants trying to cross the borders and smuggle in the drugs. The Border Patrol knows this. Likewise, tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border. The United States has become a dumping ground for Mexico and, in fact, for many other parts of the world. On the other hand, many fabulous people come in from Mexico and our country is better for it. But these people are here legally, and are severely hurt by those coming in illegally. I am proud to say that I know many hard working Mexicans—many of them are working for and with me ... and, just like our country, my organization is better for it."[20]

A study published in Social Science Quarterly in May 2016 tested Trump's claim that immigrants are responsible for higher levels of violent and drug-related crime in the United States.[21] It found no evidence that links Mexican or undocumented Mexican immigrants specifically to violent or drug-related crime.[21] It did however find a small but significant association between undocumented immigrant populations (including non-Mexican undocumented immigrants) and drug-related arrests.[21]

In addition to his proposals to construct a border wall (see below), Trump has called for tripling the number of Border Patrol agents.

U.S.–Mexico border wall proposal

Main articles: Executive Order 13767, 2017 Mexico–United States diplomatic crisis, and Mexico–United States barrier

Trump speaking about his immigration policy in Phoenix, Arizona, August 31, 2016.

Trump has repeatedly pledged to build a wall along the U.S.'s southern border, and has said that Mexico would pay for its construction through increased border-crossing fees and NAFTA tariffs.[23] In his speech announcing his candidacy, Trump pledged to "build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words."[24][25] Trump also said "nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively."[25] The concept for building a barrier to keep undocumented immigrants out of the U.S. is not new; 670 miles of fencing (about one-third of the border) was erected under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, at a cost of $2.4 billion.[25] Trump said later that his proposed wall would be "a real wall. Not a toy wall like we have now."[26] In his 2015 book, Trump cites the Israeli West Bank barrier as a successful example of a border wall.[27] "Trump has at times suggested building a wall across the nearly 2,000-mile border and at other times indicated more selective placement."[28] After a meeting with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on August 31, 2016, Trump said that they "didn't discuss" who would pay for the border wall that Trump has made a centerpiece of his presidential campaign.[29] Nieto contradicted that later that day, saying that he at the start of the meeting "made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall".[30] Later that day, Trump reiterated his position that Mexico will pay to build an "impenetrable" wall on the Southern border.[31]

John Cassidy of The New Yorker wrote that Trump is "the latest representative of an anti-immigrant, nativist American tradition that dates back at least to the Know-Nothings" of the 1840s and 1850s.[32] Trump says "it was legal immigrants who made America great,"[33] that the Latinos who have worked for him have been "unbelievable people", and that he wants a wall between the U.S. and Mexico to have a "big, beautiful door" for people to come legally and feel welcomed in the United States.[34]

According to experts and analyses, the actual cost to construct a wall along the remaining 1,300 miles of the border could be as high as $16 million per mile, with a total cost of up to $25 billion, with the cost of private land acquisitions and fence maintenance pushing up the total cost further.[28] Maintenance of the wall could cost up to $750 million a year, and if the Border Patrol agents were to patrol the wall, additional funds would have to be expended.[28] Rough and remote terrain on many parts of the border, such as deserts and mountains, would make construction and maintenance of a wall expensive, and such terrain may be a greater deterrent than a wall in any case.[28] Experts also note that on federally protected wilderness areas and Native American reservations, the Department of Homeland Security may have only limited construction authority, and a wall could cause environmental damage.[28]

Despite campaign promises to Build a full Wall, Trump later stated that he favors putting up some fences.[35]

In February 2017, Reuters reported that an internal report by the Department of Homeland Security estimated that Trump's proposed border wall would cost $21.6 billion and take 3.5 years to build. This estimate is far higher than estimates by Trump during the campaign ($12 billion) and the $15-billion estimate from Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.[36]

Critics of Trump's plan question whether a wall would be effective at stopping unauthorized crossings, noting that walls are of limited use unless they are patrolled by agents and to intercept those climbing over or tunneling under the wall.[28] Experts also note that approximately half of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. did not surreptitiously enter, but rather "entered through official crossing points, either by overstaying visas, using fraudulent documents, or being smuggled past the border".[28]

Mass deportation of undocumented immigrants

Foreign born in US labor-force 1900-2015. Approximately 8 million of the foreign-born in the labor force were undocumented immigrants in 2012.

In August 2015, during his campaign, Trump proposed the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants as part of his immigration policy.[37][38][39] During his first town hall campaign meeting in Derry, New Hampshire, Trump said that if he were to win the election, then on "[d]ay 1 of my presidency, undocumented immigrants are getting out and getting out fast".[40]

Trump has proposed a "Deportation Force" to carry out this plan, modeled after the 1950s-era "Operation Wetback" program during the Eisenhower administration that ended following a congressional investigation.[38][39][41] Historian Mae Ngai of Columbia University, who has studied the program, has said that the military-style operation was both inhumane and ineffective.[39][41]

According to analysts, Trump's mass-deportation plan would encounter legal and logistical difficulties, since U.S. immigration courts already face large backlogs.[38] Such a program would also impose a fiscal cost; the fiscally conservative American Action Forum policy group estimates that deporting every undocumented immigrant would cause a slump of $381.5 billion to $623.2 billion in private sector output, amounting to roughly a loss of 2% of U.S. GDP.[42] Doug Holtz-Eakin, the group's president, has said that the mass deportation of 11 million people would "harm the economy in ways it would normally not be harmed".[38]

In June 2016, Trump stated on Twitter that "I have never liked the media term 'mass deportation'—but we must enforce the laws of the land!"[43][44] Later in June, Trump stated that he would not characterize his immigration policies as including "mass deportations".[45] However, on August 31, 2016, contrary to earlier reports of a "softening" in his stance,[23][46][47] Trump laid out a 10-step plan reaffirming his hardline positions. He reiterated that all undocumented immigrants are "subject to deportation" with priority given to undocumented immigrants who have committed significant crimes and those who have overstayed visas. He noted that all those seeking legalization would have to go home and re-enter the country legally.[31][48]

Proposed Muslim immigration ban

Trump frequently revised proposals to ban Muslim immigration to the United States in the course of his presidential campaign.[6] In late July 2016, NBC News characterized his position as: "Ban all Muslims, and maybe other people from countries with a history of terrorism, but just don't say 'Muslims'."[6] (Rudy Giuliani said on Fox News that Trump tasked him to craft a "Muslim ban" and asked Giuliani to form a committee to show him "the right way to do it legally".[49][50] The committee, which included former U.S. Attorney General and Chief Judge of the Southern District of New York Michael Mukasey, and Reps. Mike McCaul and Peter T. King, decided to drop the religious basis and instead focused on regions where Giuliani says that there is "substantial evidence that people are sending terrorists" to the United States.[50])

In December 2015, Trump proposed a temporary ban on foreign Muslims entering the United States (the U.S. admits approximately 100,000 Muslim immigrants each year)[51] "until we can figure out what's going on".[52][53][54][55] In response to the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, Trump released a statement on "Preventing Muslim Immigration" and called for "a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what the hell is going on".[56] In a December 2015 interview, the host Willie Geist repeatedly questioned Trump if airline representatives, customs agents or border guards would ask a person's religion. Trump responded that they would and if the person said they were Muslim, they will be denied entry into the country.[57]

Trump cited President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's use during World War II of the Alien and Sedition Acts to issue presidential proclamations for rounding up, holding, and deporting German, Japanese, and Italian alien immigrants, and noted that Roosevelt was highly respected and had highways named after him.[58][59][60][61] Trump stated that he did not agree with Roosevelt's internment of Japanese Americans, and clarified that the proposal would not apply to Muslims who were U.S. citizens or to Muslims who were serving in the U.S. military.[62][63]

In May 2016, Trump retreated slightly from his call for a Muslim ban, calling it "merely an idea, not a proposal".[64] On June 13, 2016, he reformulated the ban so that it would be geographical, not religious, applying to "areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies".[64][65] Two hours later, he claimed that ban was only for nations "tied to Islamic terror".[64] In June 2016, he also stated that he would allow Muslims from allies like the United Kingdom to enter the United States.[64] In May 2016, Trump said "There will always be exceptions" to the ban, when asked how the ban would apply to London's newly elected mayor Sadiq Khan.[66] A spokesman for Sadiq Khan said in response that Trump's views were "ignorant, divisive and dangerous" and play into the hands of extremists.[67]

In June 2016, Trump expanded his proposed ban on Muslim immigration to the United States to cover immigration from areas with a history of terrorism.[68] Specifically, Trump stated, "When I am elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world when there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe, or our allies, until we understand how to end these threats."[68] According to lawyers and legal scholars cited in a New York Times report, the president has the power to carry out the plan but it would take an ambitious and likely time-consuming bureaucratic effort, and make sweeping use of executive authority.[69] Immigration analysts also noted that the implementation of Trump's plan could "prompt a wave of retaliation against American citizens traveling and living abroad".[69] In July 2016, Trump described his proposal as encompassing "any nation that has been compromised by terrorism".[70] Trump later referred to the reformulation as "extreme vetting".[71]

When asked in July 2016 about his proposal to restrict immigration from areas with high levels of terrorism, Trump insisted that it was not a "rollback" of his initial proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants.[72] He said, "In fact, you could say it's an expansion. I'm looking now at territory."[72] When asked if his new proposal meant that there would be greater checks on immigration from countries that have been compromised by terrorism, such as France, Germany and Spain, Trump answered, "It's their own fault, because they've allowed people over years to come into their territory."[73][74]

On August 15, 2016, Trump suggested that "extreme views" would be grounds to be thrown out of the U.S., saying he would deport Seddique Mateen, the father of Omar Mateen (the gunman in the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting), who has expressed support for the Taliban.[75][76][77] On 31 August, during a speech in Phoenix, Trump said he would form a commission to study which regions or countries he would suspend immigration from, noting that Syria and Libya would be high on that list.[78][79][80] Jeff Sessions an advisor to Trump's campaign on immigration at the time said the Trump campaign’s plan was “the best laid out law enforcement plan to fix this country’s immigration system that’s been stated in this country maybe forever”.[81] During confirmation-hearing testimony, he acknowledged supporting vetting based on “areas where we have an unusually high risk of terrorists coming in”; Sessions acknowledged the DOJ would need to evaluate such a plan if it were outside the “Constitutional order.”[82]

Other proposals

Trump has proposed making it more difficult for asylum-seekers and refugees to enter the United States, and making the e-Verify system mandatory for employers.

Syrian refugees

Trump has on several occasions expressed opposition to allowing Syrian refugees into the U.S.—saying they could be the "ultimate Trojan horse"[83]—and has proposed deporting back to Syria refugees settled in the U.S.[84][85] By September 2015, Trump had expressed support for taking in some Syrian refugees[84][86] and praised Germany's decision to take in Syrian refugees.[87]

On a number of occasions in 2015, Trump asserted that "If you're from Syria and you're a Christian, you cannot come into this country, and they're the ones that are being decimated. If you are Islamic ... it's hard to believe, you can come in so easily." PolitiFact rated Trump's claim as "false" and found it to be "wrong on its face", citing the fact that 3 percent of the refugees from Syria have been Christian (although they represent 10 percent of the Syrian population) and finding that the U.S. government is not discriminating against Christians as a matter of official policy.[88]

In May 2016 interview with Bill O'Reilly, Trump stated "Look, we are at war with these people and they don't wear uniforms..... This is a war against people that are vicious, violent people, that we have no idea who they are, where they come from. We are allowing tens of thousands of them into our country now." Politifact ruled this statement "pants on fire", stating that the U.S. is on track to accept 100,000 refugees in 2017, but there is no evidence that tens of thousands of them are terrorists.

Executive actions

Travel ban and refugee suspension

On January 27, 2017, Trump signed an executive order (Number 13769), titled "Protecting the Nation From Terrorist Attacks by Foreign Nationals", that suspended entry for citizens of seven countries for 90 days: Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, totaling more than 134 million people.[90] The order also stopped the admission of refugees of the Syrian Civil War indefinitely, and the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days.[91] Refugees who were on their way to the United States when the order was signed were stopped and detained at airports.[92]

Implicated by this order is 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1182 “Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.” 8 U.S. Code § 1182 (Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952).

Critics argue that Congress later restricted this power in 1965, stating plainly that no person could be “discriminated against in the issuance of an immigrant visa because of the person’s race, sex, nationality, place of birth or place of residence.” (8 U.S. Code § 1152) The only exceptions are those provided for by Congress (such as the preference for Cuban asylum seekers).[93]

Many legal challenges to the order were brought immediately after its issuance: from January 28 to January 31, almost 50 cases were filed in federal courts.[94] Some courts, in turn, granted temporary relief, including a nationwide temporary restraining order (TRO) that bars the enforcement of major parts of the executive order.[95][96] The Trump administration is appealing the TRO.[96]

On March 6, 2017, Trump signed a revised executive order, that, among other differences with the original order, excluded Iraq, visa-holders, and permanent residents from the temporary suspension and did not differentiate Syrian refugees from refugees from other countries.

Increased immigration enforcement

On January 25, 2017, Trump signed Executive Order 13768 which, among other things, significantly increased the number of immigrants considered a priority for deportation. Previously, under Obama, an immigrant ruled removable would only be considered a priority to actually be physically deported if they, in addition to being removable, were convicted of serious crimes such as felonies or multiple misdemeanors. Under the Trump administration, such an immigrant can be considered a priority to be removed even if convicted only of minor crimes, or even if merely accused of such criminal activity.[98] Guadalupe Garcia de Rayos, who came undocumented to the United States when she was 14, may have become the first person deported under the terms of this order on February 9, 2017. Garcia de Rayos had previously been convicted of felony criminal impersonation related to her use of a falsified Social Security card to work at an Arizona water park. This conviction had not been considered serious enough, under Obama, to actually remove her from the country, although she was required to check in regularly with ICE officials, which she had done regularly since 2008. The first time she checked in with ICE officials after the new executive order took effect, however, led to her detention and physical removal from the country. Greg Stanton, the Mayor of Phoenix commented that "Rather than tracking down violent criminals and drug dealers, ICE is spending its energy deporting a woman with two American children who has lived here for more than two decades and poses a threat to nobody."[99] ICE officials said that her case went through multiple reviews in the immigration court system and that the "judges held she did not have a legal basis to remain in the US".[100]

The Washington Post reported on 10 February 2017 that federal agents had begun to conduct sweeping immigration enforcement raids in at least six states.[101]

Federal Reserve officials have warned that Trump's immigration restrictions will likely have an adverse impact on the economy. Immigration is a core component of economic growth, they have said.