Green Card Seekers and Views on Israel
The Trump administration is implementing new guidelines for immigration officers, scrutinizing green card applicants' views on Israel. According to the new guidance, participation in pro-Palestinian protests and criticism of Israel are considered "overwhelmingly negative" factors in the application process.
Labor Secretary's Contentious Exit
Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned as Secretary of the Department of Labor this week amid controversies, leaving the agency in what labor officials describe as a state of "constant turbulence." Chavez-DeRemer faced an investigation into allegations of an affair with a subordinate and misuse of travel funds, as well as claims that her aides steered grants to politically connected figures. Her husband was also banned from the agency's headquarters following allegations of sexual assault by at least two staffers.
"Deep State" Accusations
In her resignation announcement on Instagram and X, Chavez-DeRemer denied the allegations, blaming "high-ranked deep state actors" and the "one-sided news media" for undermining President Trump's mission. Omar Algeciras, vice-president of AFGE Local 2391, criticized Chavez-DeRemer's statement, stating that labeling workers as "deep state" dismisses the mission and the people who carry it out. Algeciras claimed Chavez-DeRemer never signed a required harassment policy statement for the agency.
Department of Labor Under Chavez-DeRemer
Under Chavez-DeRemer, the Department of Labor shed about 20% of its workforce due to buyouts, resignations, and firings, and eliminated millions of dollars in international grants. Cathy Creighton, director of the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations' Buffalo Co-Lab, cited a July 2025 deregulation agenda that included rescinding overtime and minimum wage protections for homecare and domestic workers, rolling back farm worker labor protections, and withdrawing a rule that would prevent employers from paying workers with disabilities a sub-minimum wage. Congressional Labor caucus co-chairs Donald Norcross, Mark Pocan, Steven Horsford and Debbie Dingell jointly criticized Chavez-Deremer's leadership, stating her tenure leaves workers with less protections and greater economic insecurity.
NBA's Rwanda Partnership Under Fire
The NBA's relationship with Rwanda is facing renewed scrutiny following US sanctions targeting Rwanda's military for its role in abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In March 2026, the Trump administration announced sanctions against Rwanda's military and four senior officials. Shortly after, a top team in the Basketball Africa League (BAL), Armée Patriotique Rwandaise Basketball Club (APR), withdrew from the competition.
APR's Military Ties
APR, based in Kigali, is owned and funded by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF). US treasury sanctions freeze any RDF assets within American jurisdiction and prohibit US entities from engaging in transactions with the military. The BAL announced that APR would be replaced by another local team called the RSSB Tigers, owned by the Rwanda Social Security Board.
Kagame's Influence
Paul Kagame, who has been the de facto ruler of Rwanda since 1994, has been accused of human rights abuses. In December 2023, Kagame's former aide and cabinet minister, Claire Akamanzi, was appointed CEO of NBA Africa. In September 2025, Visit Rwanda announced a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers.
"Gold Card" Visa Program
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told lawmakers in April 2026 that the Trump administration has approved only one person for its "gold card" visa program, which grants U.S. residency to foreigners for a $1 million fee. Social media users claimed the recipient was pop star Nicki Minaj, but a Commerce Department spokesperson told Snopes that Minaj's card was a "memento," not a legitimate immigration document. The identity of the actual recipient has not been disclosed. Lutnick said applicants pay a $15,000 DHS processing fee on top of the $1 million contribution to Commerce.
The sources also report that in January 2026, union leaders criticized the Department of Labor's social media posts for echoing Nazi rhetoric, resulting in the staffer's transfer to the Department of Homeland Security.