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Michelle Obama Fears Trump Deportation Policy: ‘It Keeps Me Up at Night’

Matzav -

Michelle Obama voiced deep concern about President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement policies during her appearance on the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast.

Speaking alongside her brother, Craig Robinson, Obama reflected on the challenges they faced regarding racial issues growing up. When asked about the most difficult recent moment tied to those fears, she pointed directly to the current climate surrounding immigration.

“In this current climate, for me it’s, you know, what’s happening to immigrants,” she said, noting that while her own safety is less of a concern today due to her public profile, she remains worried for those without such protection.

“I drive around in a four-car motorcade with a police escort. I’m Michelle Obama. I do still worry about my daughters in the world even though they are somewhat recognizable,” she shared. “So, my fears are for what I know is happening out there in streets all over the city.”

Obama went on to accuse the Trump administration of unfairly deciding “who belongs and who doesn’t” based on subjective criteria.

“And we know that those decisions aren’t being made with courts and with due process,” she said, suggesting that appearances, rather than legality or criminal background, have become the deciding factor for immigration authorities.

“And you know that it’s being made like this cop that pulled my brother over when he was twelve. You don’t look like somebody that belongs. I can determine just by looking at you that you’re a good person or you’re not a good person,” she claimed.

She also warned that “so much bias and so much racism and so much ignorance that fuels those kinds of choices” plays a role in shaping these outcomes, adding that she fears for the safety of “people of color all over this country.”

“And I don’t know that we will have the advocates to protect everybody,” Obama said. “And that makes me, that frightens me. It keeps me up at night.”

She described often scanning the faces of strangers while traveling through Los Angeles, contemplating the fear many must experience. “And I know that there are, and I see that when I’m driving around L.A. I’m just looking in the faces of folks who could be victim, and I’m wondering, how are you feeling? How do you feel standing on the bus stop? Do you how do you feel comfortable going to work, going to school when you know that there could be people out here judging you and who could up end your life in a second?” Obama asked. “You know, that’s who I worry for right now.”

Meanwhile, the reality on the ground reflects that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has mainly focused on arresting illegal immigrants with criminal records. To highlight its efforts, the White House displayed around 100 mugshots of individuals ICE had detained, with offenses ranging from child sexual assault to murder and rape, committed by nationals from Mexico, El Salvador, and Laos.

It is worth noting that during President Barack Obama’s time in office, estimates indicate that approximately 5.3 million deportations took place, combining removals from the interior of the country and at the border.

{Matzav.com}

Chareidi Draft-Age Youth Seeks to Enlist — and Is Sent to Military Prison Instead

Matzav -

A young chareidi man who had been classified as a deserter for the past two years recently showed up at an IDF draft office seeking to enlist, but instead of being inducted, the IDF placed him under arrest and sent him to a military prison.

According to a report by journalist Yinon Shalom Yitach for i24news, the young man comes from a community where the idea of joining the IDF is virtually unimaginable. Nevertheless, when he voluntarily presented himself at the draft office in an attempt to enlist, the IDF refused to immediately process his induction and insisted that standard procedures be followed.

For now, the young man has been serving his sentence in a military prison for nearly a week and is expected to remain in detention for at least another 12 days before his case is reviewed again.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed the details, stating: “The draft-age individual has been held in detention at the incarceration base since April 23, 2025, due to his unauthorized absence from military service for over 650 days. His detention has been extended by the District Military Court until May 4, 2025.”

The IDF further explained, “On April 24, 2025, at his request, he was referred for an evaluation to determine his suitability for integration into service and to assign him a medical profile. If he is found suitable, he will be released from custody under conditions that include a commitment to serve in the IDF. Should he meet the conditions for one year, he will avoid a criminal record and will not face additional imprisonment. The IDF encourages the return of deserters to military service and gives significant consideration to this in determining the appropriate course of action in each case.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

House Democrat Shri Thanedar Introduces Impeachment Articles Against Trump

Matzav -

Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-MI) has formally introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, who was decisively reelected by the American people to advance his platform, accusing him of a series of offenses ranging from obstruction of justice to abuse of power.

On Monday, Thanedar announced via a post on X that he had officially submitted a resolution seeking the impeachment of President Trump.

Fox News Senior Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram shared on X that one of his colleagues had verified Thanedar’s submission of the impeachment articles.

The charges outlined in the impeachment resolution reportedly include “obstruction of justice/violation of due process, usurpation of appropriations power, abuse of trade powers and international aggression, violations of the First Amendment, creation of an unlawful office, bribery and corruption, and tyranny.”

Thanedar’s move to introduce impeachment articles comes just as President Trump nears the milestone of completing his first 100 days in office during his historic second nonconsecutive term, following his overwhelming victory in November 2024, when he carried the Electoral College, the popular vote, and swept all battleground states.

Since returning to the White House, President Trump has prioritized immigration enforcement, invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expedite the deportation of migrants, leading to the removal of several alleged gang affiliates to prisons in El Salvador, even as courts have attempted to push back against his efforts.

In a related development, the FBI last week arrested Judge Hannah Dugan of Wisconsin, who stands accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade detention.

“No one is above the law,” stated FBI Director Kash Patel in a post Friday on X.

Democrats expressed outrage following the FBI’s unexpected arrest of the liberal judge, prompting White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to highlight that Democrats “spent the last 8 years stripping Americans of due process to jail them for protected political activity” and were “illegally spying on the Trump Campaign.”

Miller continued by alleging that Democrats had “using the FBI and intelligence apparatus to pursue political enemies” and “launching a coup against President Trump and his Administration,” among other serious accusations.

He went further, accusing Democrats of orchestrating “a mass invasion of the United States by foreign cartels and enemy terrorists, resulting in immense casualties and suffering across the nation.”

“And now these same Democrats howl with rage when the invasion is returned and those who criminally harbor the invaders and feloniously obstruct their removal are held accountable under law,” Miller declared.

Meanwhile, Tom Homan, who serves as Trump’s border czar, issued a stern warning on Monday, cautioning that any official or judge found sheltering illegal migrants would face prosecution.

“Protest all you want, but when you cross that line — I’ve said this one thousand times — when you cross that line to impediment or knowingly harboring or concealing an illegal alien migrant, you will be prosecuted, judge or not,” Homan said.

In his first few months back in the Oval Office, President Trump has also been aggressively reshaping America’s trade policies to secure more advantageous deals for the country.

Earlier this month, President Trump introduced a broad range of tariffs that targeted almost every nation exporting goods to the United States, including a significant 34 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

Shortly after the announcement, every targeted nation except China entered negotiations with the U.S., leading the administration to delay tariffs on those negotiating countries for a 90-day period, according to the White House.

While talks with other countries moved forward, the Trump administration raised tariffs on Chinese imports to 145 percent and eliminated a long-standing loophole that Chinese businesses had been using to bypass American trade laws.

Last week, President Trump revealed in an interview with Time magazine that China’s leader Xi Jinping, often criticized for his brutal rule, reached out to him to initiate discussions over trade.

{Matzav.com}

REVEALED: The Letter Rav Shmuel Wrote Rav Chaim About the WZO Elections – And His Response

Yeshiva World News -

A historic letter has been obtained from a correspondence in 2020 between Hagaon Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva of Philadelphia, and Hagaon Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, regarding participation in the World Zionist Organization (WZO) elections. Rav Kamenetsky explains that he had heard from reliable sources that Rav Chaim had encouraged to take part in the WZO elections, “specifically to protect and preserve the kedusha of Eretz Yisroel.” In his letter, Rav Kamenetsky addresses all the concerns that have been raised regarding taking part in the WZO elections. The letter mentions the concerns that were raised regarding this guidance, as it seems to contradict the long-standing tradition of the gedolei hador to distance oneself from the Zionist movement and its ideology. Moreover, the letter points out that in order to vote in the WZO elections, one must become a member of the organization – through the now-well-known Jerusalem Program – thus affirming allegiance to its principles. Rav Kamenetsky asks about the concern that such participation could lead to a chillul Hashem, and asks whether Rav Chaim truly issued such an instruction or if he relied on others for this opinion. The letter goes on to emphasize the gravity of the matter, stating that since it concerns the broader Klal Yisroel, it is necessary to clarify Rav Chaim’s stance and to ensure that the report regarding his opinion is accurate. Rav Chaim’s response to the letter from Rav Shmuel was brief and succinct: “יש לעשות כנ”ל One should act as mentioned” thereby confirming his guidance to participate in the election even under these exceptional circumstances. This letter is being released now, during the final days when people can still vote in the Zionist Congress elections. It comes after reports that Conservative Movement members Yizhar Hess and his assistant Eyal Ostrinsky funded a large campaign and paid Charedi contacts to stir up controversy against the “Eretz Hakodesh” group. “Throughout this time, I’ve kept this letter private,” says someone who has possessed the letter for several years. “I didn’t share it with anyone because the religious leaders (gedolei yisroel) decided that voting instructions for Eretz Hakodesh should remain private guidance shared person-to-person rather than through a public campaign. However, now that we’ve discovered that outside groups deliberately created controversy to upset the Charedi community in the United States, there’s no reason to let them benefit from our discretion. Therefore, I’ve received permission from our religious authorities (Da’as Torah) to make these instructions public.” (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Tefillos in Germany at the Kever of the Korban Nesanel for the Release of the Hostages

Matzav -

On the yahrtzeit of the tzaddik Rav Nesanel Weil zt”l, author of the Korban Nesanel commentary on the Rosh, Jews from various communities gathered at his gravesite in Karlsruhe, Germany to offer tefillos.

Organizers of the event described the atmosphere as deeply emotional and spiritually uplifting.

“The pilgrimage to the kever was filled with excitement and a unique sense of kedusha. The participants recited tefillos and words of hodaah, thanking Hashem for blessing Klal Yisroel with the light of Rav Nesanel’s Torah, and they pleaded that his great merit serve as a protection for all of Klal Yisroel. Many candles were lit and the heartfelt recitation of Tehillim could be heard from the assembled crowd,” organizers said.

One participant noted that the tefillos included special supplications for the success of Israel’s security forces “until the complete victory and the release of all the hostages.”

Throughout the gathering, rabbonim spoke about the towering stature of the Korban Nesanel — his greatness in Torah, his humility, and his unwavering dedication to Klal Yisroel. They described how he authored his profound commentary on the Rosh, illuminating the path of Torah learning for generations of talmidei chachomim.

Chabad emissary Rabbi Mordechai Mendelson, who serves in Karlsruhe, welcomed the visitors, many of whom had traveled from across Europe and from Eretz Yisroel. Among the groups was a large contingent of bochurim from the Satmar Yeshiva of Antwerp.

{Matzav.com}

How To Save For Short-Term Goals While Keeping Long-Term Ones In Mind

Yeshiva World News -

You shouldn’t have to cross your fingers and hope for a strong stock market to coincide with your short-term goals. And right now, you probably wouldn’t want to. Because you’re working within a short time frame—think two to six years—investing for shorter-term goals like buying a house or paying for a wedding should look different from the portfolio you build for retirement. But don’t stop putting away money for your long-term goals while you’re working toward your short-term ones. So, how do you balance saving for both? How to think about funding short-term and long-term goals Don’t forgo saving for the long term to meet your short-term goals. Thanks to the power of compounding over time, saving early can have a large impact on your long-term outcomes. The longer the time frame, the greater the potential impact. You should put retirement front and center, especially as you approach your midcareer. Earlier in your career, you might shift your savings somewhat to shorter-term goals, but retirement should still be part of the equation. At least, take advantage of any retirement match that your employer might offer. To some extent, what you’re saving for can tip the balance as well. You might direct more of your savings away from retirement if you’re saving for a house than if you’re saving for a vacation. Account types that work for short-term investing It’s helpful to separate your short-term portfolio from your retirement portfolio, but there are some accounts that you can use to multitask. Depending on your situation, you might use a tax-deferred account, like a Roth IRA, or a taxable brokerage account. Traditional IRAs are less appealing for short-term investing because there are tax penalties when you withdraw from the account before age 59 and a half. Unlike traditional IRAs, Roth IRA contributions can be withdrawn at any time and for any reason without taxes or penalties. That makes a Roth IRA a perfect “multitasking” account for younger investors who need to build up both an emergency fund and retirement assets. Roth IRAs also allow you to withdraw up to $10,000 of earnings (in addition to any contributions) to help pay for a down payment on a first home if the account has been open for at least five years. Finding the right investments to meet near-term goals Unlike a long-term portfolio, which has a timeline of 10-plus years, the main goal of a short-term portfolio should be to outpace inflation while protecting what you’ve saved. Maximizing portfolio growth is less of a priority because the added risk likely isn’t worth the reward. Being able to buy a home in three years feels very different from affording it in seven because your investments lost value in the interim. Common mistakes that investors make are either in taking on too much risk or not enough. Some investors might assume that because stocks have beaten other asset classes over long time periods, they’re also a good choice for the short term—but they aren’t. Other investors might stick with guaranteed products, like CDs or money market accounts, because they’re concerned about protecting their savings. This approach leaves them at a disadvantage because inflation will eat into the value of those savings. Holding cash-type investments is a good idea if your timeline is super short—less than two years. Short-term investment portfolio examples Explore model portfolios […]

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