project

After matching his space bet, Jeff Bezos has invested in the other great Elon Musk project: electric cars

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Jeff Bezos is financing under a startup of electric vehicles called Slate Auto, which works since 2022 in a Pickup Compact and affordable with an expected price of $ 25,000, as it has revealed Techcrunch. Why is it important. This investment is a very different approach to the one followed by the majority of electric startups, which have opted for luxury models with high margins. Slate Auto changes the usual strategy when directing directly to the mass market, that of the general public. And just at a time when the growth of some brands has slowed down. In the case of Tesla, has collapsed. Between bambalins. The company was born as part of Re Manufacturing, another company supported by Bezos and co -founded by Jeff Wilke, former CEO of Amazon Consumer. Since then, he has attracted several executives from Ford, GM, Stellantis and Harley-Davidson, in addition to several former Amazon ex-employed. The figures. Slate raised at least 111 million dollars in a series A round in 2023, and according to documents from the state of Delaware mentioned by Motorpasionhas authorized about 500 million preferential shares for a series B $ 2.37 per share. That is, almost 1.2 billion dollars. In addition to Bezos, the company has the investment of Mark Walter, majority owner of the Dodgers, a baseball team, and Thomas Tull, main re manufacturing investor. The strategy. The Pickup of two Slate places follow a minimalist philosophy inspired by the Ford Model T and the Volkswagen Beetle. The company’s plan is to compensate for the low margins of the vehicle with an accessories line for customization, similar to the Harley-Davidson business model or division Mopar of Stellantis. And now what. Slate plans to start production at the end of 2026 in an installation in Indiana. During these days a prototype of the car in Los Angeles has been sighted and photographed, showing a simple and functional design, published in Reddit and collected by Carscoops. Far away from the futuristic lines of a possible rival like the Cybertruck of Tesla. Expected that, after the exclusive Techcrunch And the first photo of the prototype, the company is encouraged to share some more information than until now, where it has been cryptic in its communications. Outstanding image | Reddit In Xataka | The problem of US cars in Europe is not tariffs: they are not interested in the least

The Castor project was the great idea of ​​Spain to self -ability. Now you are selling it by pieces

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Spain always has pursued concern around natural gas. More than 15 years ago its main sources were Algeria and Russia, but not to be energy dependent, the State promoted the Castor project. This initiative It arose as a possible response to face these challenges and reduce the vulnerability of the Spanish nation in the face of possible energy crises. However, a study confirmed That the gas injection of the year 2012 caused the earthquakes of Castellón, so a year later the Minister of Industry at that time ordered its closure. Now the current government has decided to sell it in parts. A little context. THE CASTOR PROJECT It was promoted by the Zapatero government and continued under the Rajoy Executive, being the ACS construction company, controlled by Florentino Pérez, responsible for the execution. The infrastructure was managed by the Concessionaire Escal Ugs, an ACS subsidiary. All this, He explains it Chronologically a citizen association that has denounced the case. How was it going to be? The Castor project consisted of an underwater natural gas warehouse located off the coast of Castellón, designed to store gas in an underwater deposit about 1,700 meters deep. It had the capacity to store approximately 1.9 BCM (billions of cubic meters) of gas and consisted of a marine platform, a gas pipeline of 30.3 kilometers in length, and a land plant in Vinaròs. And the problems came … Just for the earthquakes, was it closed? No, like Eldiario.es explained The initiative had a few challenges from the beginning. The reasons were different, such as their profitability, their environmental impact and the fact that it did not turn out to be as necessary as it had initially raised, given The great capacity of the regasifying of gas in Spain. Given this situation, the project was tried to sell in search of some type of economic solution. However, they did not find a solution to the problem, so finally the ACS company He abandoned it and the dismantling process began. A decade of the castor’s fiasco. Ten years later, the Castor project remains a clear example of billionaire failure. The submarine gas warehouse that ACS built In front of the coast of Castellón and Tarragona, it only operated in tests and never reached its full functionality. The result is known: an unusable infrastructure and a billionaire hole that has ended up paying the taxpayer, accompanied by a waterfall of judicial litigation without those responsible for being identified. Definitive closure. As They have advanced Different media, the third vice president and minister for ecological transition and demographic challenge, Sara Aagesen, has confirmed that the dismantling of the underwater warehouse will begin in May after the sealing of the thirteen underwater wells. In addition, what can be recovered from the project will be sold to reduce losses, which are encrypted by about 260 million euros. Why that figure? It all starts during the Rajoy government in 2014, which It was approved Express compensation of 1,350 million euros for the construction company ACS through a Royal Decree-Law. However, this compensation, which should be paid for 30 years through the gas bill, was declared unconstitutional in 2017, which paralyzed payments to financial entities. Finally, the State had to borrow to compensate the bank. The litigation began. During those years, the facilities have cost more than 100 million euros for more than 11 years, when the Concessionaire Escal Ugs resigned from the project. However, the National Court has forced ESPS, the company controlled by ACS, to return 209.7 million euros in “financial compensation” that charged between 2014 and 2017, after the judgment of the Constitutional Court that annulled the payments. However, it remains to be seen if the company will comply with this obligation, since Escal Ugs entered into a creditors’ contest In 2019. As for the criminal derivative, in 2021 the Castellón audience acquitted on step Already its directors of a crime against the environment and natural resources, a fact that underlines the lack of responsible for the Fiasco. A classic example of loss socialization. The Castor project is an example of “socialization of losses”, where the consequences of failure fell on the taxpayer, while financial entities, which had advanced money in exchange for charging it with interest for 30 years, were compensated by the State. Despite the controversies, the ACS company benefited from this compensation, despite the fact that its president, Florentino Pérez, declared that the project was a “misfortune” For his company, which represented only 1% of the ACS billing. A great legislative error. So it was indicated by the Independent Fiscal Responsibility Authority (Airef)as one of the most expensive in the energy sector, concentrating more than half of the compensation paid by the State in recent years. This case has evidenced the need to carry out more rigorous studies on the technical, economic and environmental viability of the projects, especially when they involve geological risks or impacts in local communities. In addition, it has evidenced the importance of greater transparency in decision -making and public fund management. Image | Zarateman and Albertodv Xataka | 2025 is the beginning of the end for gas boilers in Spain. European regulations have started its long withdrawal

Spain has moved the ‘Rodas Project’

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This year it seems that it will be the year of nuclear fusion in Spain, because as soon as 2025 started they have managed to produce the First plasma in the smart reactor. This advance that placed the country at the forefront of nuclear fusion research, now will take a step further for consolidation. An answer. Spain has decided to focus its efforts on nuclear fusion and will present the Rodas Project. An initiative in which four research centers and five companies participate, which not only promotes the merger industry in the Spanish nation, but is also part of a global strategy in which more than 30 countries participate. A safe and sustainable source. Nuclear fusion has an almost inexhaustible availability of resources and presents great security, so it looks like a Energy solution. However, one of the challenges is in the manufacture of large and complex components that can withstand high temperatures and radiation. The Rodas project. As They explained a few months ago The research head, the Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research (CIEMAT), the initiative will last four years. As The economist advancedthe main project challenge is to create materials that support extreme temperatures and high levels of radiation, while optimizing production processes to make them more efficient and sustainable. They also hope to reduce the production times of components of eight to two weeks and reduce the waste of material by 80%. The consortium. The project It is led For the CIEMAT and has the participation of the University of Granada, the Idonial Foundation and the Hiperbaric, Leading, Innomaq21, Novadep Ndt Systems and Rovalma companies. Each has contributed key elements of their specialization. First, hyperbaric He has worked In the development of a new generation of presses and hot isostatic pressed ovens, essential to improve the mechanical properties of materials. On the other hand, together Leading and Innomaq21 They have focused in the optimization of additive manufacturing processes and in the development of high precision assembly techniques. Third, Novadep Ndt Systems has contributed Your experience in non -destructive inspection systems to guarantee the quality of the components. For his part, Rovalma has specialized in the creation of advanced alloys with optimized properties to withstand extreme conditions. Finally, so much The University of Granada and The Idonial Foundation He has contributed his research modeling and behavior simulation in merger conditions. The closure of nuclear centrals. Between 2027 and 2035, Spain has on its agenda close nuclear plantsthis procedure that is in full controversy. In contrast, the country will invest in fusion because nuclear fission – the technology used in current plants – generates hazardous radioactive waste creating a chain reaction. In addition, in the future, a single fusion center could replace the seven fission reactors currently operating in Spain, reducing the risk of radiation. Forecasts This type of project is has estimated which would take at least 50 years to develop, but the first commercial reactors may be earlier than plan Granada neutron accelerator and The Iter experimental reactor in France. Image | Eurofusion Xataka | China is unstoppable in nuclear fusion: the construction of its own iter is aimed at beating all records

SMR reactors are the great promise of nuclear energy. The United States pilot project has failed

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Fission energy based on small modular reactors (SMR) is the great promise to complement renewables in the energy transition. But the failure of the first pilot project in the United States has highlighted the economic challenges that could stop its development. The advantages of SMR. With nuclear fusion energy in diapers, the promise of a safer, cheap and efficient fission nuclear excites political leaders and technological equally. SMRs have clear benefits regarding conventional fission reactors: they are Compact unitsdesigned to be manufactured in series; Therefore, in theory, they can be transported and assembled rapidly, adapting to different locations to integrate into the electricity grid together with intermittent sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines. The Nuscale case. With their compact size and modular design, SMRs should considerably reduce the cost and construction times of large nuclear reactors. However, reality proved to be more complicated For the first pilot project in the United States. The Nuscale project, developed by the Nuscale Power company for small Utah communities, was canceled at the end of 2023, when it was supposed to be inaugurated, due to its crazy cost overruns. It had been projected in 2015 with 12 reactors capable of generating 600 MW of power for 3,000 million dollars. By 2023, The planned capacity of the plant had been reduced to 462 MW and the estimated project costs had climbed up to 9.3 billion dollars. He became unfeasible. A scale problem. Despite their modular nature and the aspiration to produce them in series, SMRs are an emerging technology that does not have the advantages of the scale economy, as renewables do. A German report He revealed that SMRs remain the most expensive option against renewable technologies, whose costs continue to decrease This already happened with conventional nuclear energy. A 2014 study He revealed that 180 nuclear projects analyzed, 175 had exceeded their initial budget with an average overrun of 117%. The SMR can be expected, at least initially, also raise the cost per megavatio compared to other more settled options. Many interested. Despite these financial challenges,The industry sees potential in SMR. Giants like Google, Microsoft and Amazon They have announced agreements to acquire energy from future projects of modular reactors of companies such as Kairos Power and X-Energy. These investments, driven by the energy consumption of artificial intelligence, could provide the financial impulse that the industry needs to solve long -term economic problems, with the expectation that costs decrease as more projects are built. Image | Nuscale Power In Xataka | Europe does not want to lose the SMR nuclear reactors train. This is your formula to deploy them in 2030

It is such an ambitious project that it cannot be allowed to fail

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The Russo brothers have had a frankly irregular trajectory after the explosion that put them in all the mouths of Hollywood: the last two films of the Avengers, ‘Infinity War‘ and ‘Endey me‘Since then, projects as expensive and very limited, such as’ have stood up, such as’Citadel‘For Prime Video. The credit begins to end, and Before returning to Marvel Redile With the new Avengers films, they have stood up a blockbuster in Netflix, ‘Electric State’, which is not characterized by its modesty. Let’s analyze why it is a company where both they and the platform play a lot. An ambitious project. The Russo brothers bought the rights of Simon Stålenhag’s illustrations book on which the film is based before it was put on sale. It was the time they walked to the neck with the last films of the Avengers, and Universal was interested in the project. Then he went to Netflix, who made him his new blockbuster after that ‘Red alert‘That he beat records but of which no one is remembered. This presumes 320 million budget and a distribution of stars headed by Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt, and in which there are also first row names such as Stanley Tucci, Ke Huy Quan, Giancarlo Esposito, Holly Hunter, Jason Alexander and the voices of Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie and Brian Cox. A very unique science fiction. Stålenhag is a very peculiar illustrator: his style is pure science fiction, with semi -apocalyptic places, with a retro point and populated by robots and large machines. It also seems to share a certain innocent and childish point of view, as amazed by those mechanical mills that are not fully understood. Tremendously atmospheric and melancholic, his work has been adapted in the Prime Video series’Loop stories‘, with different independent stories around a machine built to explore the secrets of the universe. The series, as contemplative as the original work, was something unnoticed, which doubles strangely Netflix’s intention to turn it into a Blockbuster. Many millions. Let’s stop for a moment in your budget: 320 million is more than 50% of what have cost films like most Marvel and only a little less than those of the Avengers of the Russo cost. It is already the most expensive film in history that is not a sequel, and has been about to enter the top 10 of more expensive movies in history. If it looks or will not be a matter of opinions, but knowing the history of Netflix blockbusters, films that are not intended to be exhibited on a large screen or formats such as IMAX, it is still a strikingly high figure. The descending trajectory of the Russo … This ‘electrical state’ is the last layer of a race, that of the Russo-Post Marvel, which has already been characterized not by not getting emulates his Marvel films, but for billing a few failures Barra disappointments. For example, the expensive ‘The invisible agent‘He had a good audience (although not spectacular) and generated a sequel, but did not impress criticism too much. ‘Citadel’ for Amazon was one of the most expensive series in history, but received disastrous criticism and some studies say it was A failure in terms of view. As producers they have given birth to popular series such as ‘from’ or films like ‘Tyler Rake’, but it has been a career full of ups and downs and without clear successes. … and Netflix blockbusters. Netflix has not finished finding that movie to put it at the level of the Majors From Hollywood, an aspiration he had for a time when he insisted on premiere in cinemas films such as ‘The Irish’. It has long abandoned the purpose, but has changed it for the premiere of exclusive, equally very expensive films, but that it can be said that they meet artistic or commercial expectations: they are titles such as ‘Atlas’, ‘Bright’, ‘6 Underground’, ‘Superdetective in Hollywood: Axel F.’ or the aforementioned ‘red alert’ and ‘the invisible agent’. Apple’s reflection. Netflix also has a fearsome mirror to look at: Apple’s intentions of becoming a Major And that they have paid with a series of millionaire losses (‘Napoleon‘,’The Moon Killer‘,’Argylle‘) and that have ended the company leaving alone for the streaming Another very expensive bet (‘Wolfs‘) and announcing that cuts are coming in their productions. ‘Electric state’ does not have to be a failure, but if it were, the paradigmatic beards of the neighbor will be short for the measures that the platform will have to take with theirs. Header | Netflix In Xataka | The streaming economy is completely broken and things will only get worse within the coming years

The project that wants to be reality in 2027

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The minimum separation between Spain and Morocco in the Gibraltar Strait is just 14 kilometers. Such a small space to save that for years there has been talk of Build a tunnel to join Europe with Africa. In fact, the space between the two countries is so concise that they are common helicopter journeys as an alternative to ferry. It has logic for those who want or need Jump between continents as quickly as possible. Although, obviously, the most economical option and used by most people remains the ferry. Only in the 2024 Strait Paso Operation The displacement of 3.4 million people in just three months was recorded, which meant 12,012 ship rotations. With the aim of offering a cleaner alternative, Baleària has announced which will have two electric ferries to save the distance between Tarifa and Tangier, since they have been made with a contract of 15 million euros awarded by the Port Authority Bay of Algeciras (APBA). If they get to fruition, we will have in Spain the first intercontinental corridor operated by electric ferries. An electric ferry that will also transform the ports The project, which was presented in Fitur a few days ago, will serve to move 804 passengers and 225 cars thanks to its 25 meters of manga. This journey will be made without issuing CO2, since it will only be moved by electric motors with a total power of 16 MW. These propellers will start the power of batteries of 11,500 kWh (11.5 MWh) capacity. To make us a better idea, electric cars with greater capacity batteries move in the 100 kWh so we are talking about these electric ferries will carry inside the same batteries as 115 vehicles large. These batteries will be removable by robots that can place the energy accumulators on the ship once it is reached to port. The project contemplates the transformation of the tariff and tangier ports for recharges the batteries that are then used by the ferries. It is about creating a space with a power of 5 MW in rate and 8 MW in Tangier to recharge the huge batteries of 8 MWh. It is estimated that in just 40 minutes the necessary batteries can be recharged to be able to make the next journey again. Among the batteries that are being used and recharged while the ship moves, 39 MWh will be available in electricity The set will have the possibility to move at a speed of up to 26 knots (just over 48 km/h) and will have Four diesel engines (with total power of 11,200 kW) to deal with the possible problems that may arise in the almost 30 kilometers of journey (18 miles). The company already has experience in the construction of electric ferries. In fact, Baleària has active one of them between Ibiza and Formentera although in this case it is a much smaller size. With capacity for 390 passengers and 14 trucks carry out four daily exits per direction. Photo | Baleària In Xataka | The biggest Byd weapon to conquer the world is a gigantic ship. One that transports 7,000 electric cars

has shown a secret project ahead of time

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A few days ago, Apple published in his research blog A video showing Elecnt, an experimental robot-lamina, thus breaking its traditional policy of absolute secrecy on developing products. Why is it important. It is the first time in the recent history that Apple publicly reveals a project before its commercial launch. This change speaks for itself and suggests a new strategy of the company in the race for AI and domestic robotics: a somewhat more public and open. Not without reasons. Between bambalins. The robot shown is an articulated lamp, speaker and integrated projector that responds to gestures and voice commands, reminds a lot of the famous pixar lamp. The device makes expressive movements that emulate human emotions: It moves “curious” when exploring its surroundings. Simulates sadness crouching his head when he receives a “no.” Dance when music sounds. Adjust your position to better illuminate user work. And above all, not only moves, but does it in human, emotional form. In perspective. This movement comes after Bloomberg will reveal that Apple is developing domestic robots With an estimated price of $ 1,000 by 2026-2027, thus entering direct competition with Amazon and Google in the market for intelligent domestic attendees. He also anticipated a somewhat early arrival of domestic devices whose screen would be located on an articulated and motorized arm that “follows” the user in the room. Already common technologies, such as Center Stage or Cented Framego right in that direction. What is happening. Apple seems to be testing the public’s reaction to more “human” and expressive robotic interfaces, moving away from minimalism that has characterized its products in the last decade. On the other hand, this opening and the fact that it has been shown in your blog about Machine Learning They leave another possibility open: that Apple is looking to position themselves in the AI ​​and robotics market to attract talent. A way to proclaim the world that she also has plans in those fields. Deepen. The academic publication that accompanies the video explains that users interact more and better with robots that show expressiveness than with those purely functional, especially in social tasks. And there it seems to be a clear proposal: towards the expressiveness of the robot and not only to cold and functional movements. Outstanding image | Apple In Xataka | The AI ​​already understands the physics of the real world: Nvidia Cosmos is the first step for smart robots

the challenge of finding 500 billion dollars for the largest AI project

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He Project Stargate announcement This week was surprising for many things, but above all it was surprising for one: the 500,000 million dollars that will theoretically be invested in the next four years to achieve its objectives. The figure, absolutely colossalhas generated many suspicions. And rightly so. 100,000 million to start. Of that total figure, the announcement made it clear that the companies that provided the capital would invest “100 billion dollars immediately,” but even that does not seem easily achievable. SoftBank and OpenAI, those who will invest the most. In The Information reveal that SoftBank and OpenAI will contribute $19 billion each for the Stargate project. Bloomberg duck that both will also be the ones that will have the most participation in the final company: each will have a 40% participation. Musk attacks, Altman defends himself. The announcement of the project provoked a quick reaction from Elon Musk, who stated in X that “Actually they (the companies involved) do not have the money). He later added that “SoftBank has less than $10 billion guaranteed. I have good sources.” Sam Altman responded to those allegations hours later indicating that the data that Musk provided was “Incorrect, as you probably know.” Musk and xAI compete with OpeenAI and maintain a long rivalry, but here Altman surprised further telling Musk that “I truly respect what you have accomplished and believe you are the most inspiring entrepreneur of our era.” SoftBank under review. Analyst MG Siegler indicates in your newsletter that SoftBank has about $30 billion in cash. It seems to have room for that initial investment, but there are other data that work against it. As indicated user David Manheim on X, SoftBank’s investment fund has had notable failures in the past. On Wikipedia you can see how SoftBank Vision Fund lost $27.4 billion in 2022 due to several failed investments led by Masayoshi Son, the CEO of SoftBank. Among them is the investment of 100 million dollars in FTX, which then collapsed. OpenAI burning money. There are also questions about OpenAI’s ability to invest that amount. It is true that it has raised significant sums in the latest investment rounds, but the company is a money burning machine. Arab money and debt as exits. As the aforementioned Siegler article reveals, an important part of that investment may come from the United Arab Emirates through MGX, the investment fund. Another option is to resort to debt, which has already been very common in SoftBank’s investments (they have 150,000 million invested with that formula). Meanwhile, OpenAI looks for other girlfriends (Oracle). The project is also revealing other parallel movements. In The Wall Street Journal They highlight how OpenAI is beginning to look for options for its alliance with Microsoft, something that both have admitted. At OpenAI they complain that Microsoft does not give them the computing power they need, and they seem to be testing alternatives like Google. Perhaps Oracle is also among the candidates, especially now that it will be one of the participants (along with NVIDIA) in the creation of the large data center in Texas. It seems clear that OpenAI wants to not depend so much on Microsoft (or anyone) and Stargate may be a vehicle to achieve this. Image | TechCrunch In Xataka | The money invested in Stargate has a basic problem: there is no clear or agreed plan to reach the AGI

US House approves immigration detention law that could be the first that Trump enacts

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The US House of Representatives on Wednesday gave final approval to a bill that requires the detention of migrants who are in the country without permission and who have been accused of theft and violent crimes, the first measure that President Donald Trump can enact it, after Congress—with some bipartisan support—moved quickly in line with the president’s plans to toughen measures against illegal immigration. The passage of the Laken Riley Act, named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan, shows how dramatically the political debate over immigration has shifted to the right following Trump’s election victory. . Immigration policy has often been one of the most entrenched issues in Congress, but a crucial group of 46 politically vulnerable Democrats joined Republicans to pass the strict proposal by a vote count of 263 in favor and 156 against. . “For decades, it has been nearly impossible for our government to agree on solutions to problems at our border and within our country,” said Republican Senator Katie Britt. He noted that it is likely to be the “most significant immigration bill” that Congress has passed in nearly three decades. However, the bill will require a massive increase in the capabilities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but does not include any new funding. Meanwhile, the new president has issued a series of executive orders aimed at sealing the border with Mexico to immigration and ultimately deporting millions of migrants who lack permanent legal status in the United States. On Wednesday, Trump also canceled refugee resettlement and his administration has said it intends to prosecute local law enforcement officials who do not comply with his new immigration policies. Republican congressional leaders have made clear that they intend to follow the same path, although their biggest challenge will be finding a way to approve funding to actually implement Trump’s strict plans. “What he’s doing is starting what will ultimately be our legislative agenda,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson. House Republicans initially passed the legislation last year with the support of 37 Democrats in a move intended as a political rebuke to then-President Joe Biden’s handling of the southern border. He then languished in the Democratic-controlled Senate. This year, Republicans, now in control of both houses of Congress, have made this their top priority. When it came before the Senate, 12 Democrats voted in favor of the measure, and when the House voted on a version of the bill earlier this month, 48 Democrats supported it. A majority of adults in the United States favor deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes, according to a recent poll by the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and The Associated Press. However, only about 37% of U.S. adults favor deporting migrants in the country illegally who have not been convicted of a crime. “While the bill is not perfect, it sends a clear message that we think criminals should be deported,” said Rep. Tom Suozzi, a New York Democrat who has urged his party to support stricter enforcement of the law. immigration law. Under the bill, federal authorities would be required to detain any migrant arrested or charged with crimes such as shoplifting. The scope of the proposal was expanded in the Senate to also include those accused of assaulting a police officer or crimes that injure or cause the death of someone. The bill also gives state attorneys general standing to sue the federal government for damages caused by federal immigration decisions. This gives states new power in immigration policy when they have already been trying to counter presidential decisions under the Trump and Biden administrations. Democrats unsuccessfully tried to have that provision removed from the bill in the Senate, saying it would inject even more uncertainty and partisanship into immigration policy. Ultimately, even the Trump administration will likely struggle to implement the new requirements unless Congress follows up later this year with funding. Republicans are currently planning how to push their priorities through Congress through a party-line process known as budget reconciliation. They have estimated the cost of funding Trump’s border and deportation priorities at approximately $100 billion. Trump has “established the largest domestic logistics undertaking of our lifetimes, which is the deportation of the majority of aliens who are in the United States illegally,” said Ken Cuccinelli, who led U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump’s first term, to a Senate panel recently. Cuccinelli noted that it would require an increase in immigration judges, prosecutors and other staff, but Trump has also paved the way for using military assets, bases and other resources to carry out mass deportations. The Department of Homeland Security has estimated that the Laken Riley Act would cost $26.9 billion in the first year to implement, including an increase of 110,000 ICE detention beds. Most Democrats criticized the lack of funding in the bill as evidence that it is a piecemeal approach that would do little to fix problems in the immigration system but would burden federal authorities with new requirements. “The authors of the bill stated that it would result in the arrest and detention of dangerous criminals, but it will not because it is a completely unfunded mandate,” said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy. Others expressed concerns that the bill would deprive migrants, including minors or beneficiaries of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, of due process rights. Senator Alex Padilla said federal authorities would now be forced to prioritize detaining migrants arrested for minor crimes such as shoplifting, rather than those who commit serious crimes. Overall, there is no evidence that migrants are more likely to commit violent crimes. Several studies have found that immigrants commit crimes at lower rates than those born in the United States. Groups that advocate for restrictive immigration policies dispute or dismiss those findings. But Republicans pointed to the bill’s namesake, Laken Riley, and how she was murdered by a Venezuelan migrant who had previously been arrested by local authorities but released while his … Read more

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