The Election That Has Republicans on Edge, and How One College Student Was Deported

0:02From the New York Times, it's the headlines. I'm Tracy Mumford. Today's Tuesday, December 2nd. Here's what we're covering.

0:14The whole world is watching Tennessee right now, and they're watching your district. The whole world. It's a big vote. In Tennessee today, voters will go to the polls for a special House election that was barely on the radar a few months ago, but has become a crucial test of the political mood in the country. If you can go Matt Van Epps, he's a winner. He's going to be great. Yesterday, President Trump spoke to supporters of the Republican candidate over a phone held up to the mic by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who'd flown down from Washington for a last-minute rally. The show of high-profile support underscores how nervous Republicans are that the district, in and around Nashville, could flip from red to blue.

0:58Last year, Trump won the area by more than 20 points, but a recent survey showed that Matt Van Epps, the Republican, is ahead by just two points. Even if the seat stays red, a close finish would be a warning sign for Republicans ahead of next year's midterm elections. Johnson himself said today's election is a bellwether, and Trump's super PAC has poured more than a million dollars into the race. We have a Republican trifecta at the state level. We have a Republican trifecta at the federal level. And groceries aren't cheaper, utilities aren't cheaper, rent isn't cheaper. And so what is the option?

1:31It's a candidate who's been fighting for affordability for the past decade. The Democratic candidate, State Representative Afton Bain, has focused her campaign on the cost of living. And in an interview with The Times, a local Republican Party official acknowledged that that message might be resonating with voters, saying, quote, We understand certain issues like tariffs and the shutdown have played a negative role against Republicans and excited Democrats to roll out the vote. And we're concerned that Republicans won't turn out.

2:08At the Department of Homeland Security yesterday, Secretary Kristi Noem called for an expanded travel ban, equating immigrants to foreign invaders. She didn't specify what any new restrictions would cover or how broad they could be, but said she'd urged President Trump to enact a, quote, full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies. The president re-shared her statement on social media. He didn't offer any details either, but it comes as his administration has escalated its crackdown on immigration, following the shooting of National Guard members in D.C.

2:46by a gunman authorities have identified as an Afghan national. Overall, the administration's more aggressive stance has swept up even those who'd traditionally been considered exceptions, like people who were brought to the U.S. as children. Last month, a college freshman who was trying to fly home to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving was detained when she tried to get on her flight and then deported, despite a court order saying she should not be removed from the U.S. According to her lawyer, she'd lived in the U.S. since she was seven when her family came from Honduras, and she had no criminal record.

3:20A DHS spokeswoman said she was in the U.S. illegally and received full due process. One former ICE official who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations said that in the past, this kind of case might have been handled less aggressively, but that the student's immediate deportation shows that, the elements of discretion in how this was conducted appear to be gone. Meanwhile, the Trump administration fired eight immigration judges in New York City yesterday, a significant downsizing that one of the judges who was dismissed said basically eviscerated the court. In all, about 100 immigration judges have been fired this year across the country out of a system of roughly 600.

4:03A spokeswoman from the Justice Department declined to answer questions about the dismissals, But other judges who were previously let go suggested the administration was targeting those who were considered too lenient.

4:21Now, two more quick updates on the Trump administration. The TSA has announced that starting in February, anyone trying to fly without a real ID will be hit with a new$45 fee. The enhanced IDs were required starting back in May, after more than a decade of delays. And the TSA says that so far, the vast majority of travelers have been in compliance. If you don't have a real ID, a passport or a permanent residence card will also work to meet the more strict requirements that the government says are necessary to keep airline travel safe. Also. What part of your body was the MRI looking at? I have no idea.

5:01It was just an MRI. What part of the body? It wasn't the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it. President Trump continues to face questions about his health after he said weeks ago that his latest physical included an MRI. That kicked off a lot of speculation since he didn't say why the test had been done. Several medical experts told The Times that while an MRI could be part of a routine exam, it's typically not done unless the patient has symptoms of some kind. An MRI can be used to detect a wide range of health issues from cancer to aneurysms. In response to the continued questions, the White House released a letter yesterday from Trump's doctor saying advanced imaging had been done to assess his cardiovascular system and abdominal region, but didn't specify if it was an MRI.

5:52The letter said Trump, quote, remains in excellent overall health.

6:06Across South and Southeast Asia this week, rescue and recovery efforts are underway after three devastating cyclones battered the region simultaneously. In Thailand, troops and helicopters have been deployed to rescue people who've been stranded in floodwaters. Officials in Indonesia say over half a million people have been displaced from their homes. And the president of Sri Lanka says the country is facing the largest and most challenging natural disaster in its history. The total death toll has now climbed to over 1 ,300 people, with hundreds still missing. The cyclones, which are the same as hurricanes, are part of a series of destructive storms that have swept through the region.

6:47Experts say that this year's monsoon season has been particularly strong because of the weather phenomenon known as La Nina. But that global warming has also made it more unpredictable and intense.

7:06And finally, GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovi have been an absolute blockbuster for pharmaceutical companies. Now they've got their eyes on a new set of target customers. Overweight pets. Today, a company out of San Francisco is set to announce it's begun a pilot study specifically for cats, where they get an injectable implant, slightly larger than a microchip, that slowly releases the drug. You come back six months later and the cat has lost weight, said the veterinarian leading the study. It's like magic. The study's been dubbed Meow One, a very rough acronym of Management of Overweight Cats.

7:46The full results are expected next summer. In the U.S., veterinary experts say pets' weight is a real issue. Recent estimates suggest roughly 60 % of cats and dogs are obese, and they can have associated health problems. In limited cases, some vets have already been giving human GLP-1 drugs off-label to diabetic cats. Now, any pet-specific GLP-1 is likely a ways off given the time needed for a full study, government approval, etc. And some are skeptical that there will really be a market for it. There was a previous weight loss drug for dogs approved almost 20 years ago that reduced pets' appetite.

8:29But pet owners didn't always like that, one vet nutritionist told the Times, because the main way that people interact with their pets is by feeding them and seeing them all excited and happy about snacks. That drug was later discontinued. Those are the headlines. Today on The Daily, inside the Times investigation into how the global demand for car batteries has fueled a dangerous recycling industry that's caused widespread lead poisoning. You can listen to that in the New York Times app or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Tracy Mumford. We'll be back tomorrow.