Day: April 2, 2023

The Biden administration will now allow immigrants applying for benefits through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to mark their preferred gender identity without needing their other documentation to match. 

In a press release Friday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said effective immediately, the agency was updating its policy to accept “the self-identified gender marker for individuals requesting immigration benefits.”

“The gender marker they select does not need to match the gender marker indicated on their supporting documentation,” the release said. “The update also clarifies that people requesting benefits do not need to submit proof of their gender identity when submitting a request to change their gender marker, except for those submitting Form N-565, Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document.” 

Currently, the only gender markers available are “Male” or “Female,” but DHS said it is working on options to include an additional gender marker (“X”) for another or unspecified gender identity.

BIDEN SAYS TRANSGENDER PEOPLE ‘SHAPE OUR NATION’S SOUL’ IN OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION

President Joe Biden seen greeting Homeland Security Secretary (DHS) Alejandro Mayorkas. The DHS adjusted its policy that immigrants can now select a gender marker on benefits applications that does not match other documentation.  (BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“In April 2021, DHS published a Request for Public Input seeking the public’s feedback on barriers to USCIS benefits and services. Responses to this request indicated that the evidentiary requirements associated with gender marker changes created barriers for individuals requesting immigration benefits,” the press release said. 

“Through subsequent listening sessions with DHS, stakeholders have further highlighted how this policy change will remove barriers and reduce burdens for applicants and petitioners, in accordance with President Biden’s Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans. In addition, this furthers DHS efforts under Executive Order 13988, Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation, and Executive Order 14091, Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.” 

The announcement came the same day the White House condemned “MAGA extremists” in a statement from President Biden in honor of “Transgender Day of Visibility.”

NASHVILLE TRANSGENDER SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MESSAGES TO FRIEND SHOW ‘MUCH DEEPER ISSUES,’ SAYS EX-FBI SPECIAL AGENT

People take part in a rally on the occasion of the International Transgender Day of Visibility in the city center of Rome, Italy, on April 1, 2023. The White House also issued a statement condemning “MAGA extremists” for targeting trans kids.  (Andrea Ronchini/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“Transgender Americans deserve to be safe and supported in every community – but today, across our country, MAGA extremists are advancing hundreds of hateful and extreme state laws that target transgender kids and their families,” Biden said in a written statement. “No one should have to be brave just to be themselves.”

“Let me be clear: These attacks are un-American and must end. The bullying, discrimination, and political attacks that trans kids face have exacerbated our national mental health crisis,” he continued. “More than half of transgender youth say they have seriously considered suicide. Loving parents are terrified for their children’s futures.”

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during the United States Conference of Mayors 91st Winter Meeting. The DHS adjusted its policy on transgender markers on immigration applications.  (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

The White House directed any transgender young person who needs help to call 988 to reach the nationwide suicide prevention and crisis hotline and press “3” to speak with a counselor specifically trained to support LGBTQI+ youth. “My Administration will never quit fighting to end discrimination, to stand against these unjust state laws, and to guarantee everyone the fundamental right and freedom to be who they are,” Biden said. “We’ll never stop working to create a world where everyone can live without fear; where parents, teachers, and whole communities come together to support kids, no matter how they identify; and every child is surrounded by compassion and love.”

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“I want every member of the trans community to know that we see you. You’re each made in the image of God, and deserve love, dignity, and respect,” the president added. “You make America stronger, and we’re with you.” 

His comments also come on the heels of a Nashville shooting where a 28-year-old transgender person opened fire in a Christian school, killing six people, including three children. Law enforcement killed the suspect.

President Biden still hasn’t visited East Palestine, Ohio, one month after saying he would visit the town impacted by the toxic chemical spill “at some point.”

On March 2, almost a full month after the Feb. 3 train derailment that dumped toxic chemicals in the Ohio town, Biden said he would be heading to East Palestine sometime in the future.

BIDEN SAYS HE’LL VISIT EAST PALESTINE – BUT WON’T SAY WHEN

One month after saying he would visit East Palestine, President Biden still hasn’t made his way to the Ohio town affected by a train derailment and toxic chemical spill. (AP )

“As the president said, he will go to East Palestine,” a White House official told Fox News Digital Friday. “Today he is in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, a community that has suffered immense loss: 13 lives tragically lost, homes destroyed, businesses leveled.

“We’re committed to helping this community recover just as we’re committed to continuing to support the people of East Palestine, where federal teams at the president’s direction remain on the ground to this day to support response efforts and hold Norfolk Southern accountable.

“The CDC has been going door to door to check in on families and has collected over 1,000 health surveys to date,” the official added. “And the Department of Justice announced that it is suing Norfolk Southern to seek damages and hold them accountable.”

The official said within “about two hours of Norfolk Southern notifying them of the derailment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) sprang into action and were on the scene in East Palestine.”

Ohio EPA and federal EPA contractors collect soil and air samples from the derailment site March 9, 2023, in East Palestine, Ohio.  (Michael Swensen/Getty Images)

Additionally, the official said that with “the state in charge and the EPA leading the federal response, they quickly got to work holding the rail company accountable, containing the damage and monitoring for environmental impacts.

“President Biden reached out to governors (Mike) DeWine and (Josh) Shapiro soon after the train derailed to offer additional federal assistance, and his team has kept members of Congress and state and local leaders updated on response efforts throughout. The president has directed his team to ensure the states have everything they need for as long as they need it.”

Biden made his pledge to visit East Palestine after mounting pressure to do so after the derailment and toxic chemical spill.

Standing alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer after a closed-door meeting with Democrats on Capitol Hill Thursday, Biden was asked by reporters whether he will visit Ohio.

“I’ve spoken with every official in Ohio, Democrat and Republican, on a continuous basis, as in Pennsylvania,” the president replied.

The Environmental Protection Agency has ordered states to stop rejecting waste shipments from East Palestine, Ohio. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, Zsuzsa Gyenes)

He said he “laid out” during his meeting with senators what he thinks “the answers are” to handling the train wreck, adding, “We will be implementing an awful lot to the legislation here.”

That came in reference to a bipartisan bill introduced last month by Ohio’s two U.S. senators aimed at improving rail safety protocols.

“And I will be out there at some point,” Biden said without elaborating on a time frame. 

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Following the spill, Biden reached out to Republican Ohio Governor Mike DeWine to offer federal assistance if needed.

“The president called me and said, ‘Anything you need.’ I have not called him back after that conversation,” DeWine told reporters in February. “We will not hesitate to do that if we’re seeing a problem or anything, but I’m not seeing it.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind contributed reporting.

Seems just like yesterday. Three years ago, March 2020, our nation was locked down for the first time in over a century.  
 
A horrific move that upended our nation, impacted the education of our youth, crushed our thriving economy and ignited the fire of a mental health crisis along with increased substance abuse, violence and drug overdoses. 

It didn’t work in 1918 to flatten the curve during the Spanish flu, so why was it fallaciously instituted again.  

FOX NEWS POLL: MAJORITY SAYS BIDEN TRYING TO COVER UP ORIGINS OF COVID-19
 
After testing, diagnosing and treating thousands of COVID-19 patients on the frontlines of what was once the COVID-19 epicenter of the world, I reflect: What have we done? What have we learned? What did we lose? What wounds have we inflicted upon ourselves and what lessons are worth remembering? 

U.S. President Joe Biden receives his updated COVID-19 booster in the South Court Auditorium at the White House campus on October 25, 2022, in Washington, DC. Biden delivered remarks on the status of Covid-19 in the United States.  (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

 
Most importantly, are we prepared for the future? How can the answer be, yes, if we are still without a definitive diagnosis of the origins of COVID-19 and without answers to guide us in development of practical policy and protocol for a pandemic emergency preparedness plan? We may find ourselves in trouble again.  

Knowing is critically fundamental in future pandemic outcomes, especially in an uphill battle with inflation, supply chain disruptions, antibiotic shortages, baby formula shortages, high health care premiums and massive burnout of healthcare professionals.  
 
The mile-long lines of patients and the sudden outbreak of new variants like Omicron leaving us scrounging for solutions is not a chain of events to be repeated.  

Thoughts of the death of my first COVID-19 patient remain with me. I’ll never forget him. He was in his early 60s and an avid runner. He hobbled in with his wife and nearly collapsed in my arms. He could barely walk. He could barely breathe. He was pale, white as a ghost.  

It was his ninth day of being ill. His temperature was 103, his blood pressure tanking and his oxygen level was extremely low – fluttering in the 70s. Normal oxygen is in the high 90s. I had no COVID-19 tests at the time but I did have an X-ray and so I ordered an X-ray of his lungs because I knew covid had a particular appearance – a patchy white like snow on a TV. Normally a lung chest X-ray should be black, except for the bones & heart.  

I immediately inserted an IV to hydrate him and put him on high-flow oxygen. He perked up beautifully.  

However, I knew I couldn’t take him off the oxygen, otherwise he would quickly deteriorate and go into respiratory distress. So, I told him he needed to be hospitalized. He complied. I recall as the medics rolling him down the hall on a stretcher, he turned his head, looked at me and winked, and I nodded and at that point, I thought to myself he would be OK.  

I was wrong. I called the hospital a few days later to check on him. No answer. I called again the next day and his wife answered. I said, “Hello, this is Dr. Nesheiwat. I’m calling to check on your husband. …”  

Most importantly, are we prepared for the future? How can the answer be, yes, if we are still without a definitive diagnosis of the origins of COVID-19 and without answers to guide us in development of practical policy and protocol for a pandemic emergency preparedness plan? 

There was a cold silence. She couldn’t speak and cried on the phone. I immediately knew it was bad news. She told me he had died later the night he was put on a ventilator. I was deeply saddened. I wondered why. He did have a heart condition, however God took him home early as he did with over a million other Americans.  

But looking back, what truly starved Americans of life was the prolonged shutdown and the social distancing. Avoiding family, friends and loved ones was probably one of the most negligent measures forced upon Americans.  
 
Humans, especially our youth, need social connection and interaction with other people. It’s an innate requirement to thrive, to grow, to develop. The use of technology was an insufficient substitute and fueled the mental health crisis among young female teenagers resulting in a spike in emergency visits by more than 50%. Our country is in dire need of mental health resources. Anxiety, depression, PTSD cannot continue to go unaddressed.  
 
Why do you think a prisoner placed in solitary confinement regresses and becomes more mentally unstable? The punishment defies nature. It’s cruel and inhumane. We sentenced America to the same penalty, but no crime was committed.  

People wait in a line extending around the block to receive free at-home rapid COVID-19 test kits in Philadelphia on Monday, December 21, 2021. (AP/Matt Rourke)

Loneliness suppressed the immune system and was a vulturous precursor to death and disease. We exacerbated that with isolation inflicted upon the masses, including many seniors who died alone.  
 
When the opportunity arose to respect the unknown and allow for change, we did not fastidiously oblige. We knew natural immunity implied protection. We knew children should not be masked, that they were the lowest-risk age group. We knew the high-risk cohorts were seniors and those with underlying diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease or a weak immune system.  
 
We learned mandates were ineffective and allowing options resulted in greater compliance. How do I know this? Because working the frontlines, having cared for more than 20,000 COVID-19 patients, I saw firsthand that even with the mask mandates and vaccine mandates, Americans continued to contract the virus, spread it and some die from it. But with time, the severity decreased most likely due to population immunity and re-infection along with vaccination. 

For most Americans, the collateral damage was worse than the pandemic. The mandate intentions had deleterious impacts – it reduced our military personnel, we lost good firefighters, police officers, teachers, healthcare providers and even athletes who refused to capitulate to the out-of-date, CDC regulations.  

My take-home message: exist in the present, in your best health possible so that if you are ever in the midst of a health emergency, your body is in maximum shape and better prepared to avert disease or trauma or whatever ailment you may abruptly face.  
 
Keeping in mind, if you have a pre-existing condition, such as hyperglycemia/diabetes, obesity, heart disease or a weak immune system, you are at high risk of complication, no matter your age. This is the case for most disease, i.e., influenza, measles, pneumonia or even fungal infections.  
 
The societal upheavals we faced in the spread of disease took their toll. The threat of additional infectious pathogens emerging is imminent. So now, reset. Prepare. Execute.  
 
We await the declassification of the Department of Energy COVID-19 documents that led the organization to say with “low confidence” that a lab leak was the likely origin.  

Students demonstrate during a rally to call on New York Mayor Bill de Blasio to keep schools open, Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in New York.  (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

I completed Army ROTC in college and one thing they taught us as leaders, if there’s a crisis, to be prepared to train for emergency situations. So if we are faced with a deadly pathogen we are prepared and ready to fight it.  

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Preparation is the key to positive outcomes. Preparation and education further solidify success and preservation of life.  

In the meantime, our CDC, FDA and federal government must engage in continuous surveillance of emerging pathogens and prepare for another outbreak of disease of unknown origin. That would include emergency staff deployment capability, PPE, ability to manufacture accurate tests expeditiously, and effective therapeutic development.  

There can be no more learn-as-you-go or make-the-rules-as-you-go.  

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Nothing is definitive in medicine. Science is fluid. We must prioritize the most vulnerable. Options, not mandates, result in greater compliance, and thus better prognosis.  
 
We are a nation of resilience and strength. We have faced many hardships – 9/11, catastrophic deadly natural disasters, economic crisis and COVID-19. We will continue to thrive and persevere, but let’s alleviate the burden now and soften the impacts of the next global disaster with practicality and a realistic plan rather than a foolish one-size-fits-all solution.