1 Most Of California Is Locked Down
Millions of people in California - about 33-million in all - are waking up in lockdown today. The strictest orders apply to folks in Southern California and the San Joaquin Valley, who went under a stay-at-home order starting at midnight last night/this morning. That order was issued after intensive care units in the regions dipped below 15-percent capacity. The orders includes major cities like Los Angeles and San Diego – and will stay in place for three weeks. And yes, that includes Christmas. So what’s entailed? Bars, hair salons and movie theaters are closed; Restaurants are limited to takeout and delivery only...and gathering of people from different household is prohibited. Not everyone’s playing ball, however. Sheriffs in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange Counties say they won’t enforce the orders calling the metrics faulty and arbitrary.
2 Judge Orders Trump Admin. To Restore DACA
The Trump administration is being told to fully restore the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative, or DACA [[DOCK-ah]]. The program protects undocumented immigrants who were brought to America as children from being deported. The Trump administration tried to eliminate it in 2017, but was blocked by the Supreme Court this summer. Now, Judge Nicholas Garaufis’ order will require the program to be open to new applicants for the first time in three years. Experts say the ruling provides an opportunity for over one-million immigrant youth to apply and "secure their future" in the U.S. This may sound great to a lot of people, but it’s also presenting a serious problem for President-elect Joe Biden. It’s been reported that Trump has installed a number of people in posts that don’t turn over with a new administration. But also, there are a number of vacant positions that require Senate approval – and depending on who wins the runoffs in Georgia next month.
3 Azar: Administration Concerned About COVID Spread
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar says the Trump administration is quite concerned about the spread of COVID-19 and the post-Thanksgiving surge. Appearing on ABC's “This Week,” Azar said ‘Team Trump’ is worried about people and their behavior with the Christmas holiday coming up. He added they want to make sure everyone's loved ones are there for Christmas 2021. When it comes to states issuing stay-at-home orders, Azar said the interventions need to be science and evidence-based. He noted the coronavirus is spreading through multi-household gatherings and crowded indoor spaces. Azar said the best thing to do is distance and limit the number of people at gatherings. Speaking of gatherings, Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani says he's feeling good after testing positive for the coronavirus. The 76-year-old former New York City mayor has been crisscrossing the country in recent weeks to raise claims of election fraud in battleground states President Trump lost. Giuliani reportedly admitted to Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. Taking to Twitter, Giuliani says he's getting great care and recovering quickly.