State Department Firings Will Hit Trump Admin’s Ability To Tackle Its Own Priorities

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July 18, 2025

Demonstrators hold signs outside the U.S. Department of State, as recently laid-off employees exit the Harry S. Truman Federal Building on July 11, 2025, in Washington DC. (Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

By Jennifer Hansler, Kylie Atwood and Annie Grayer, CNN

(CNN) — The mass firing of State Department employees could significantly impact the Trump administration’s ability to address the priorities it has said it values, multiple former and current department officials told CNN.

Scores of personnel focused on issues the administration has said are no longer priorities were cut last week, including teams dealing with climate change, global women’s issues, educational exchanges, refugees and Afghan resettlement.

But Friday’s reductions in force (RIFS) also impacted offices working on issues prioritized by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including counterterrorism, stopping drug trafficking, energy diplomacy and mitigating passport and visa fraud.

Political leadership has said the functions will be carried out by other parts of the State Department and were “carefully tailored” to avoid impacting core functions. However, officials warn that a lack of continuity and loss of expertise could be dangerous.

“The loss of so much experience will make it harder for the United States to stop terrorists from successfully launching a major terrorist attack on American soil,” one former State Department official said.

There was also a sense of chaos as the cuts were implemented. Although some of the Washington, DC, offices hit by layoffs had been identified for elimination under the State Department’s reorganization plan, sources who spoke with CNN said many of the firings came as a surprise to even managers.

Others said they had been given little to no guidance from political leadership on how to transition the work of the more than 1,300 fired personnel. A few people received notices they were being fired, only to have those notices rescinded hours later.

The office that assists the families of US citizen employees who die overseas had its entire staff fired, sources told CNN, leaving at least one grieving family in limbo.

Even some personnel from the office that helped to plan the logistics for collecting electronic devices from fired employees – and were doing so on Friday – got notices that they were being laid off.

Numerous personnel who were fired had worked at the agency for decades. Nearly 250 were foreign service officers, including some who already were set to serve in other offices.

“I had one friend who found out while she was midair” and checking something on the airplane Wifi, one former State Department official told CNN.

A senior State Department official said last week that the reorganization “looked at the functions that were being performed, not at individuals.”

In a memo Friday announcing the start of the firings, the State Department said the cuts had been “carefully tailored to affect non-core functions, duplicative or redundant offices, and offices where considerable efficiencies may be found from centralization or consolidation of functions and responsibilities.”

However, sources say it is impossible to isolate the cuts to “non-core functions.”

Impact on issues crucial to administration

On issues like consular affairs, personnel processing visas and passports were not fired. However, cuts to other offices may have an impact, sources said.

Rubio had previously said that the State Department might expand the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which is responsible for visas and passports and helping citizens overseas, in order to meet demand for upcoming events in the US like the Olympics and the World Cup.

Top State Department official Michael Rigas on Wednesday told lawmakers that people who “are adjudicating passports, who are doing the customer service work that we want to see continue were not reduced or eliminated.”

However, there were offices within the Consular Affairs bureau that had people fired on Friday.

The cuts come as the administration has applied new levels of scrutiny for those seeking student and exchange visas to the US.

The Bureau of Consular Affairs’ Office of Fraud Prevention Programs saw significant cuts, sources said. That unit works “to protect the integrity of all consular services from fraud,” according to a State Department article from October 2023.

“Effective fraud detection and prevention contributes to U.S. border security, facilitates legitimate travel, and protects U.S. citizens,” the article said.

“It’s hard to square any of this with what the administration has been saying,” another former State Department official said.

They questioned how the bureau would be able to meet demand “when you’re cutting all of the support elements,” like cutting staff on the fraud prevention unit and contract management, as well as canceling assignments for people on their way to fill key posts.

They fear that if the remaining workforce is able to meet the increased demands in the short term by doing multiple jobs, “it’ll just reinforce the idea that we didn’t need any of these positions,” they said, “but in the long term, the amount of damage it’s going to do is real concern to me.”

“The disconnect between what they’re saying and what they’re doing – it’s a gulf,” they said.

Counterrorism impact

Another bureau handling counterterrorism was significantly impacted by the reorganization. Some of its functions are being moved to other parts of the State Department, like bureaus that focus on regional or multilateral issues. Those bureaus may not prioritize counterterrorism, officials warn. Other functions are being eliminated entirely.

The office that focused on countering violent extremism had all of its workforce fired. This included those working to reintegrate foreign terrorist fighters in places like Syria or targeting racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism, such as White supremacist groups.

“Given how this administration loves designating new groups as terrorist organizations, you’d think that counterterrorism would’ve been relatively safe, but it was instead gutted,” another former State Department official said, noting that what remains will be a “watered down” version without the ability to develop strategic plans.

The first former State Department official said that although terrorist designations will continue, the pivot to naming Latin American drug cartels as terrorist groups will increase the workload of those who make such designations.

On energy diplomacy, former officials say there is another disconnect.

Rubio earlier this year testified before Congress that energy will “be at the forefront of policy for the next 100 years.” He said one of the reasons for that is that artificial intelligence requires tremendous energy, which means there will be “strategic opportunities” for nations.

“We need to be at the table to have conversations about not just what our role in energy is but how we help invest or partner with countries that have a supply of energy,” Rubio said.

Rubio acknowledged that the Bureau of Energy Resources would be rolled into the economic bureau at the department as part of the restructuring.

However, another former State Department official who was fired from that office said that the number of people working on energy diplomacy at the department will decrease from about 100 people to 35 people and handicap the department’s ability to deliver on an administration priority.

“Not showing up at international energy conferences will be one repercussion. That means losing out on real business deals. At those meetings we bring the asks of US companies to raise with senior officials from other countries. And at these conferences there is major Chinese participation. If the countries don’t talk to us, they talk to China,” the former official said.

Anger mounting within department

Meanwhile, anger is mounting within the department over the cuts and the way they were handled.

At one employee town hall for one of the impacted bureaus Tuesday, hundreds of anonymous – and angry – questions and comments poured in.

“Colleagues were RIF’d based solely on the position held on a certain day, merit played no role. How do you plan to regain our trust going forward?” one asked.

“It’s hard to hear you ask for patience and team effort, when you decimated our teams and it does NOT sound like there was any advocacy involved to protect us,” another said.

During the town hall those questions from anonymous State Department employees were public for participants to see, but the leadership answering questions largely ignored them before ending the session, officials explained.

A number of townhalls for various branches of the State Department have been held in the days since Friday’s mass firings.

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TSA Expands Security Checkpoint Lanes For Families With Children And Military Members

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

A family rushes to a TSA screening checkpoint at Orlando International Airport. The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for families traveling with children and military members on July 17. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images/File via CNN Newsource)

By Alexandra Skores, CNN

Washington (CNN) — The Department of Homeland Security announced an expansion of Transportation Security Administration checkpoints for families traveling with children and military members on Thursday.

TSA will add a dedicated family lane at security checkpoints under a program called “Families on the Fly,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced at a press conference at Nashville International Airport. The project began with a pilot program in Orlando because of its close proximity to Disney World, she said, and it will be rolled out first in areas where families often travel with children.

“There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos,” Noem said.

Families will also get a $15 discount if they enroll in TSA’s Trusted Traveler program, PreCheck.

The special lane for uniformed military members, called the Honor Lane, is currently available at 11 different airports, and will expand nationwide.

Noem also highlighted initiatives announced earlier this month including providing Gold Star families, the immediate family members of a service member who died while serving in the military during a time of conflict, access to the PreCheck free of charge.

“We want everybody to know that we’re extremely grateful for their service to our country and recognize the sacrifice that their families have made,” she said Thursday.

Military spouses will also be offered $25 PreCheck enrollment discounts and mobile units will be sent to military bases to sign people up.

Current members of the military and civilian Defense Department staff already have access to PreCheck benefits by including their DOD ID number as their “known traveler number” when making a reservation.

The announcements come after Noem announced last week that TSA would no longer require passengers to take off shoes at airport security checkpoints and she hinted on Wednesday that changes in what liquids passengers are able to carry on planes could come next.

“Remember every single thing that happens at a checkpoint today is being evaluated,” Noem said.

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Advocacy Groups Condemn Termination Of LGBTQ+ Services In 988 Lifeline

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Trump administration ends 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized service for LGBTQ+ youth. (Lenin Nolly/NURPHO/Associated Press via CNN Newsource)

By Jacqueline Howard, CNN

(CNN) — The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth have officially ended operations, meaning people contacting 988 for help no longer have the option to “press 3” to reach counselors specifically trained to respond to the needs of this group.

The lifeline included a subnetwork for LGBTQ+ youth soon after its launch in July 2022. But the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced last month that those services would be coming to an end.

“The Press 3 option was established as a pilot program in Fiscal Year 2022 under a government agreement with a third party. The Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus included a Congressional directive for $29.7 million to fund the specialized services. Federal funding in FY24 for the Press 3 services increased to $33 million,” SAMHSA said in a statement in June.

“As of June 2025, more than $33 million in funds have been spent to support the subnetworks, fully expending the monies allocated for 988 Lifeline LGB+ subnetwork services,” the statement said. “Everyone who contacts the 988 Lifeline will continue to receive access to skilled, caring, culturally competent crisis counselors who can help with suicidal, substance misuse, or mental health crises, or any other kind of emotional distress.”

The lifeline has two other subnetworks, which both remain in operation: a “Press 1 option” to be connected to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline and a “Press 2 option” to be connected to Spanish-speaking services.

According to the latest data from SAMHSA, nearly 16.5 million people have called, texted or sent chats to the 988 Lifeline and have been transferred to a crisis contact center since July 2022. It’s estimated that nearly 1.5 million of those were routed to the LGBTQ+ specialized service.

Many LGBTQ+ youth advocacy groups, including the Trevor Project, say the move to end the specialized services puts many young people at risk.

“This administration has made a dangerous decision to play politics with real young people’s lives,” Jaymes Black, CEO of the nonprofit The Trevor Project, said in a news release Thursday. “The 988 Lifeline’s Specialized Services Program was created to serve Americans at highest risk for suicide — including veterans and LGBTQ+ youth — with best-practice crisis care that meets these populations’ unique needs.”

The Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ youth, has been a subcontractor to the specialized service since 2022, serving as one of seven call centers.

“I am heartbroken that this administration has decided to say, loudly and clearly, that they believe some young people’s lives are not worth saving,” Black said.

“I want every LGBTQ+ young person to know that you are worthy, valued, and loved exactly as you are. No matter what the federal government says or does, you have millions of people — all across the country — in your corner, and we are here to support you, always,” he said in part. “We are also immeasurably grateful to the crisis counselors and staff members — whom we are being forced to let go in the wake of this news — for their tireless efforts supporting and protecting LGBTQ+ youth.”

In October 2020, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan bill to make 988 the universal telephone number to reach the national suicide prevention hotline.

The bill, which became the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, said, “It is the sense of Congress that youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (referred to in this section as ‘LGBTQ’) are more than 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide than their peers, with 1 in 5 LGBTQ youth and more than 1 in 3 transgender youth reporting attempting suicide.”

About two years later, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launched under the Biden administration, transitioning what was a 10-digit number to an easier-to-remember three-digit number. People seeking emotional and mental health support can dial 988 for help in the same way they might dial 911 for medical emergencies.

Since 2022, the federal government has invested some $1.5 billion in the 988 project.

Black Women Often Need More Help Fighting Postpartum Depression

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

by Jennifer Porter Gore

No one could understand what was happening in Kay Matthews’ head, and she struggled to tell them. All she knew was that, in 2013, the stillborn birth of her daughter was an emotionally crippling blow.

But the treatment Matthews and her partner, who later became her husband, received at the hospital in the aftermath of the tragedy made matters worse.

From caregivers constantly asking if she was giving birth alone — “As if the Black man sitting in the chair next to me was not my partner,” Matthews says — to being released with only the clothes she wore the day she thought she was giving birth, Matthews got the message that she was on her own.

“I was not receiving the care that I feel like you should receive,” she says. “It should be more than just, ‘You lost a baby — move on.’ I got no pamphlets, no follow up information, nothing.”

Traumatized and grieving from the stillbirth, and feeling abandoned by the medical system, Matthews slipped into the emotional abyss of postpartum depression. Experts say the condition is common among new mothers, but is commonly overlooked if the mom is a Black woman, like Matthews.

“I knew I was different, but I didn’t know why,” she says. “I knew I wasn’t this person that I was in the postpartum period, before I lost my daughter.”

Though she clearly was grieving, no one diagnosed her with postpartum depression “simply because they looked at my birth outcome,” Matthews says. “So I figured out ways to save myself.”

A Family Affair

Research shows the number of U.S. women with postpartum depression has reached an alarming level, jumping from 9.4% in 2010 to roughly 19% in 2021. For Black women, the increase nearly tripled, from just over 9% to almost 25%.

Experts say several factors — from high pre-pregnancy body mass index among women to mothers-to-be living in underserved neighborhoods, and even long-term exposure to air pollution — are believed to contribute to the increased rate of PPD.

Despite increased risk, studies show Black mothers are 46% less likely to be screened for PPD. Fewer than 37% of Black women received treatment for maternal mental health disorders like PPD compared to 67% of white women, according to a Columbia University survey.

Postpartum depression has been linked to emotional detachment between the birthing mother and her partner, poor maternal attachment between a newborn and its mother, difficulty starting or continuing breast-feeding and stunted infant growth.

The primary culprit, experts say, is stress.

Experts say PPD can also disrupt a newborn’s sleep — affecting an entire household — as well as delaying the child’s cognitive and language development.

A few years later, after recovering from her trauma, Matthews founded the Shades of Blue Project a nonprofit dedicated to helping others experiencing PPD.

“I will always share that the work chose me. I did not choose it,” Matthews says. The experience, she says, “made me realize how prevalent racism is within the healthcare system.”

Mental Health and Maternal Death

Dr. Joy Baker, an obstetrician practicing in rural Georgia, also was inspired to work with postpartum women because of a patient’s unforeseen, PPD-related tragedy.

“I had a patient who had a lot of health issues during pregnancy and I was very involved in maternal morbidity and mortality work,” says Baker. “I was so focused on this patient’s medical conditions, I completely missed the fact that she actually had a mental health disorder.”

Although Baker helped safely deliver the baby, her patient’s mental health nosedived. “She died by suicide, and it just wasn’t on my radar,” Baker said.

A member of Georgia’s maternal mortality review committee, Baker found that mental health is a key driver of maternal deaths during or after childbirth. Conditions like depression and anxiety account for 23% of maternal deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Moreover, those conditions have been linked to preterm birth and low infant birth weight, as well as increased chance of potentially dangerous hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy.

The primary culprit, experts say, is stress, which releases the hormone cortisol.

Constant stress during pregnancy creates “a hostile, traumatic environment within the womb,” Baker says. “That can lead to an increased [chance] of preterm birth” and danger for the mother.

“We cannot forget mental health when it comes to changing the statistics in our state with regards to severe morbidity and mortality for moms.”

Georgia has the second-highest rate of maternal mortality in the nation. The state is working with national health organizations to create a set of directives hospitals can use to handle patients specifically at risk for postpartum depression.

One of those risks include depending on Medicaid, health insurance for low-income people. Socioeconomic status “is the big stressor that can lead to depression and anxiety,” Baker says.

Medicaid also helps cover prescription costs for patients who are prescribed Zurzuvae, a drug that specifically treats PPD. Without insurance, however, the standard two-week course of treatment can cost roughly $8,700.

The Shades of Blue Project is based in Houston but serves women nationwide by offering support services and essential baby supplies. The nonprofit also has events planned in conjunction with Black Maternal Mental Health Week, July 19-25.

A Rough Road Ahead

Both Baker and Matthews are bracing for how the Trump administration’s sweeping tax and spending bill will affect nonprofits and rural hospitals.

Since roughly 40% of the nation’s births are covered by Medicaid insurance the future looks grim.

“In Georgia, [it’s] a little higher — probably closer to 50%. I don’t know what we’re going to do,” says Baker. “I’m hoping that we can dodge that bullet, but if we can’t, I really am so concerned for the progress that we made. We will go backwards.”

“There’s going to be a lot of shut-down when it comes to social support services in serving communities across the board,” Matthews says. “The impact for what’s to come is going to be having an astronomical impact on this work, and all we can do is stay in position. Not ‘Get in position,’ but ‘Stay in position,’ because this was one of those things [bound] to come — and now it’s here.”

Kansas City Chiefs’ Rashee Rice Pleads Guilty In Street Racing Incident

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Rashee Rice was sentenced to jail time following his involvement in a 2024 street racing incident. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

By David Close, CNN

(CNN) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was sentenced to five years probation and 30 days of jail time on Thursday following a multi-car crash last year, according to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

Rice pleaded guilty to third-degree felony charges – collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury. It is unclear when Rice would serve time in jail.

The Super Bowl winner was driving a Lamborghini Urus SUV at more than 119 mph on Dallas’ North Central Expressway before losing control and hitting the center median wall, triggering a chain reaction collision involving other vehicles, six in total, according to the Dallas Police last year. According to the DA, Rice fled the scene on foot and “failed to check on the welfare of the victims.”

Previously, Rice said he took “full responsibility” for the incident.

He issued a statement Thursday through his attorney Royce West, stating in part that he was “profoundly sorry for the physical damages to person and property. I fully apologize for the harm I caused to innocent drivers and their families.”

A spokesperson for the Chiefs told CNN, “The club is aware of the reports. With it being an ongoing legal matter, we won’t have a comment at this time.”

An NFL spokesperson said the matter “remains under review.”

“When someone with Mr. Rice’s public platform chooses to drive so recklessly, there is a responsibility to acknowledge the danger posed to others and take accountability,” Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in a statement.

“We are extremely fortunate that no lives were lost that day, and Mr. Rice is fortunate to have walked away unharmed.”

According to the DA, Rice paid restitution to all of the victims for “out-of-pocket medical expenses.”

Rice, 25, is entering his third season with the Chiefs after the team selected him in the second round of the 2023 player draft.

In 2024, Rice suffered an ACL tear and played in only four games after a dominant rookie season.

As a rookie, he established himself as the team’s most reliable wide receiver, tallying 79 catches for 938 yards and a team-high of seven touchdowns.

In four playoff games, he added another 26 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown, setting the rookie record for playoff receptions. His production and trustworthy hands helped the Chiefs and star quarterback Patrick Mahomes win the Super Bowl in February 2024, the franchise’s fourth championship.

Rice played college football at nearby Southern Methodist University and grew up in North Richland Hills in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

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How Will The ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impact Black Children?

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Group of elementary children sitting in a circle on the grass while talking, playing together at a park. Credit: Nitat Termmee via Getty Images

by Anissa Durham

It’s been two weeks since Congress passed the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” — a sprawling tax measure that reaches deep into the nation’s social and environmental safety nets. The bill reshapes programs like Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, rewrites housing tax policy, and quietly eliminates a host of grants once earmarked for climate resilience, equity initiatives, and affordable housing.

Some provisions took effect immediately after President Donald J. Trump signed it, while others — such as cuts to Medicaid — are set to take effect after the 2026 midterm elections. According to KFF news, the legislation is projected to increase the uninsured rate of 16 states, with an estimated 16 million more Americans likely to lose coverage as a result.

As states prepare for the fallout of Medicaid, it’s still unclear what exactly will happen in the next year or so. But historically speaking, Black and Brown communities tend to suffer the most when access to health insurance and programs like SNAP are cut. What happens to America’s youngest and most vulnerable population — its children?

According to a report from UnidosUS, 45% of all children in the United States rely on Medicaid, SNAP, or both for health care and food.

In a statement, the organization said “The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to turn its back on the American people by advancing a deeply harmful and extreme budget. Members of Congress who passed this bill have once again betrayed the trust of their constituents — including the Latino community — and chosen cruelty over common sense. This budget makes the largest cuts to health programs and food assistance in U.S. history.”

In the wake of the bill’s passage, Word In Black wanted to know what children’s advocacy organizations across the country are doing to respond. We spoke with Mike Odeh, senior director of health policy at Children Now, an Oakland-based nonprofit organization focused on improving children’s health and education, and Mary Coogan, President and CEO of Advocates for Children of New Jersey, a nonprofit organization working with local, state, and federal leaders to support children in the state.

Word In Black: How will the “Big Beautiful Bill” impact marginalized families and Black children who rely on Medicaid in your state?

MIKE ODEH: The budget reconciliation bill that was signed will create significant problems for California’s health care system. While some of the most impacted will be marginalized children and families who rely on Medicaid (called Medi-Cal in California) and those who seek coverage on the Covered California marketplace, ALL families who use the health care system will be impacted by longer ER wait times and less support for hospitals and clinics.

The bill not only puts up new eligibility barriers and enrollment restrictions that make it harder for families to get and keep coverage, it makes significant and unprecedented cuts to Medicaid that will destabilize the state’s health care financing and delivery systems, restrict access to providers and care especially in rural or underserved areas, and undercut advancements in positive health outcomes for children and youth.

MARY COOGAN: Changes in eligibility requirements for NJ FamilyCare, funded by Medicaid, and the new requirement for redeterminations to occur every 6 months will cause marginalized families to lose coverage, unless the state can create a seamless way for people to report their work and/or community service or education hours. A similar issue will cause families to lose their SNAP benefit.

WIB: What is can and is your state doing to make sure children and families can still access health care?

MO: California has more children and youth on Medicaid (nearly 5.5 million statewide) than any other state, and 97% of kids in California are enrolled in some type of health coverage. This is a vast improvement in a relatively short time; in 1998, nearly 20% of our kids were uninsured.

California policymakers should make sure that access to care for children does not erode and that no child in California loses health coverage. To keep kids covered, California lawmakers will have to maintain, if not increase, the state’s investment in children’s health.

MC: Nonprofits that work with marginalized families and the disabled community are working collaboratively to understand what needs to be done to comply with the changes in the law and discussing ways that we can help the state ensure that families and individuals currently receiving health coverage through NJ FamilyCare stay enrolled in the program.

WIB: Is your nonprofit organization planning to do anything differently, in terms of data tracking or providing resources since this bill has passed?

MO: Since the bill was rushed through Congress and debated in the middle of the night, Children Now and our partners are still unpacking all the provisions in the bill and how they interact to understand the full impact on California and our families.

For example, cuts to food assistance will hurt the same families as these Medicaid cuts, making it even harder for families to make ends meet while caring for their kids. We will be diligently working to understand the impacts on real families and urging the state to implement this horrific law in the least harmful way possible.

MC: ACNJ will continue to educate our network and the community about the changes and the potential impact of those changes. We will continue to collaborate with other advocates and the state to help families understand what they need to do to comply with the new law. We will continue to track data through our Kids Count Project to assess the impact and share that data with the general public and policymakers so that they can make informed decisions and continue to work to improve outcomes for children and youth.

WIB: Anything else you’d like to add?

MO: Health coverage is extremely important to the health, development, and well-being of children and youth. To risk any child losing health coverage is irresponsible policymaking since we know that health insurance yields dividends – children who have Medicaid, for example, do better in school, miss fewer school days, are more likely to graduate high school and less likely to drop out, are more likely to go to college, and have fewer emergency room visits and hospitalizations as adults.

MC: The process is just beginning.

Warnock Leads Senatorial Effort To Even The Playing Field In Home Appraisals

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Senator Raphael Warnock (above) says the goal of the legislation, the Appraisal Modernization Act, is to fight appraisal bias in the country, especially in Georgia. Photo by Julia Beverly/The Atlanta Voice

This post was originally published on Atlanta Voice

By Donnell Suggs

The old saying goes, “Home is where the heart is.” For many Americans, their homes are where everything in their lives rests: families, history, future, and finances. The personal and spiritual value of one’s home is immeasurable. However, the financial value tends to fluctuate depending on who you are and where your home is located.

For many Black families, the financial value of their homes has been devalued. A recent Brookings study broke down the bias toward Black-owned homes, their valuations, and the racial bias pointed directly towards Black neighborhoods. Metro Atlanta has many such neighborhoods.

Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock, whose church, Ebenezer Baptist Church, is located in the Sweet Auburn District, where Black homeownership remains strong generations after segregation forced families to move, live, and thrive there, wants to do something about how Black-owned homes are appraised.

“Home valuations are a critical part of the mortgage lending process and ensuring families can build generational wealth through homeownership,” Warnock told The Atlanta Voice during a recent interview. “But we know appraisals do not always protect or benefit everyone equally, particularly Black people and communities of color.”

Earlier this year, Warnock introduced a legislative package that addressed housing affordability and availability across the country. Today, Warnock and five other Senators introduced new legislation that will address appraisal biases in both home buying and home selling. That legislation will undoubtedly have an immediate impact on Black homeowners and future homeowners.

“My legislation is an important next step in helping Georgia families and all Americans realize the full value of their homes,” he said. “It empowers Georgians with more data and tools to fight bias that would lower their homes’ values. It is no silver bullet, and more work must be done, but it is an important step forward in helping families build generational wealth through homeownership.”

Warnock says the goal of the legislation, the Appraisal Modernization Act, is to fight appraisal bias in the country, especially in Georgia. The act can educate Georgians with data that will hopefully increase transparency while empowering consumers.

“Several studies have identified a clear relationship between lower valuations and Black neighborhoods and revealed overt references to race in appraisals,” Warnock said. “One study found that homes in majority-Black neighborhoods are around two times more likely to be undervalued than homes in majority-white neighborhoods. And another report shows racial inequality in appraised values has increased 75% over the last decade.”

Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland), Cory Booker (D-New Jersey), Andy Kim (D-New Jersey), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) have co-sponsored the Appraisal Modernization Act.

“For most Americans, the largest driver of wealth is their home. This makes it important to have accurate, unbiased home valuations, and that is why I am proud to champion this legislation to level the playing field and put more money back into the pockets of hardworking Georgians,” Warnock said.

The legislation is also being endorsed by the Southern Poverty Law Center, National Fair Housing Alliance, National Association of Mortgage Brokers, the NAACP, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc., and the National Action Network (NAN).

The legislation is personal to Warnock, a native of Savannah.

“Housing is a personal issue for me, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it can be for hardworking people to build generational wealth through homeownership,” Warnock said. “My parents were no strangers to hard work, and despite the fact that my parents worked hard every day, they weren’t able to buy a home and build generational wealth until much later in their lives.”

The post Warnock leads Senatorial effort to even the playing field in home appraisals appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.

Revitalized Pier 58 Opens With Family Fun Event On Seattle’s Waterfront

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

After several years of construction and renovation efforts, Pier 58 along the Seattle waterfront is set to officially reopen to the public on Friday, July 25. This revitalized waterfront park, strategically located between the Seattle Aquarium and the Seattle Great Wheel, enhances the iconic Seattle waterfront by adding nearly 50,000 square feet of new green space. The city of Seattle has announced that the community is invited to join in a free, family-friendly celebration from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on that day, which will follow the official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The newly designed park boasts a captivating sea life-themed play area, featuring an impressive 25-foot-tall climbing tower and an 18-foot slide, along with a variety of engaging play structures. The design incorporates architectural lighting throughout the park, illuminating the play features, railings, and seating areas, creating an inviting atmosphere for visitors at all hours. The city emphasizes that Pier 58 has been crafted with families in mind, providing easy access to the newly opened public restrooms along the waterfront, which became available in March.

Pier 58 has faced a tumultuous journey leading up to this reopening. The pier was closed for an extended period after a significant portion collapsed in September 2020 during ongoing construction. This unfortunate incident resulted in two workers falling into Elliott Bay, with one requiring hospitalization for injuries sustained during the collapse.

In May 2022, the city of Seattle awarded a $34.5 million construction contract aimed at building the new Pier 58 and demolishing Pier 63. However, the project has not been without its challenges. In September 2024, the contractor filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming that changes made to the work order resulted in “irreparable damage” to the project and alleging that they were owed compensation for necessary repairs.

As the reopening date approaches, excitement is building within the community. Residents and visitors alike are eager to experience the newly renovated Pier 58, which promises to be a vibrant addition to Seattle’s waterfront, fostering connection, recreation, and enjoyment for individuals and families for years to come.

Washington Gov. Ferguson Warns Of Medicaid Cuts Affecting 250,000 Residents

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Governor Bob Ferguson issued a stark warning on Wednesday, stating that hundreds of thousands of residents in Washington will lose their health care coverage due to cuts to Medicaid included in the spending bill signed by President Trump last week.

The legislation is projected to reduce Medicaid funding nationwide by approximately $930 billion over the next decade, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office. The new law, which Trump has referred to as the “big, beautiful bill,” also allocates additional funding for immigration enforcement and extends existing tax cuts.

The legislation introduces new work requirements for Medicaid recipients, further complicating access to health care for vulnerable populations. Ferguson’s office estimates that at least 250,000 Washington residents will lose their Medicaid coverage as a result of these changes. Furthermore, approximately 150,000 individuals may find it impossible to afford plans on the state insurance exchange due to the elimination of certain federal subsidies.

The governor emphasized the serious implications of these cuts, warning that both urban and rural hospitals may face closure due to the loss of Medicaid reimbursements. “It’s difficult to overstate how devastating these cuts will be to Washingtonians,” Ferguson told reporters on Wednesday.

While the new work requirements for Medicaid will not take effect until 2027, many other changes within the law will be implemented sooner, including the expiration of health care premium subsidies scheduled for January. An analysis conducted by KFF, a health policy research organization, indicates that Washington could receive about $41 billion less in federal Medicaid funding over the next ten years, which represents roughly a 19% reduction compared to what the state would have received without the new law.

In response to the legislation, White House spokesperson Kush Desai characterized it as a “historic effort to protect Medicaid for future generations by eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse within the program,” in an email to Axios. However, the potential repercussions for countless individuals relying on Medicaid in Washington remain a significant concern for state leaders and health care advocates.

What Ida B. Wells Would Say About Trump And The Epstein Files

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Seattle Medium

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July 18, 2025

Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, was at the center of a vast network of sexual abuse, trafficking, and powerful connections. President Donald Trump continues to face backlash from his MAGA supporters over his administration’s handling of files related to Epstein’s case and death while in custody. (Photo by Stephanie Keith/Getty Images)

by Mustafa Ali

Let’s not pretend America isn’t fluent in silence. We’ve perfected the art. Generations of whispers have been buried beneath courthouse stairs, inside Black churches burned for daring to breathe, in the hush that follows every time the powerful are caught with blood on their hands and the courts say, “There’s nothing to see here.”

But Ida B. Wells never honored silence. She dragged truth through the front door and nailed it to the front page. She named names. She published evidence. And if she were alive today — watching the shadowy evasions surrounding Donald Trump and the Epstein files — she would not be polite. She’d grab the rotting roots of this hypocrisy and hold them to the light.

She’d start, no doubt, with a question that still slices deep: Whose lives matter enough to seek justice?

Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes were not rumor. They were not internet conspiracy. They were documented patterns — flights, photos, testimonies, names. Girls, many of them underage, many of them vulnerable, trafficked through a network that dressed itself in wealth and power. And now, as the files gather dust, and accountability is dissolved in distraction, the question lingers like stench: Why haven’t we seen the full truth?

Let’s be clear — when Ida documented the lynchings of Black men across the South, she knew what kind of America she was confronting. She wrote, with fire in her typewriter, that these were not acts of spontaneous violence, but orchestrated spectacles — rituals of control. The mob didn’t just want blood. They wanted silence from everyone who dared to demand due process or ask questions. And that’s what’s happening again.

Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes were not rumor. They were not internet conspiracy.

Because Trump’s America isn’t just about politics — it’s about power that performs above the law. It’s about a nation where truth is selectively prosecuted, and memory is manipulated like currency. And now we have Epstein — a man whose crimes implicated princes, presidents, billionaires. We have a dead man in a cell, a so-called suicide that reads more like a script. We have a client list that should’ve shaken Washington to its knees. But instead, we get sealed documents, broken chain-of-custody, and a public too exhausted to scream.

Wells would scream.

She would not be seduced by partisan spectacle. She wouldn’t care if the abuser wore red or blue, if they donated to Democrats or dined with Republicans. She would follow the facts. And she’d remind us, again and again, that justice delayed is justice denied.

So what would she do with the Epstein files?

What makes this moment all the more grotesque is how familiar it feels. For centuries, America has built monuments to men while burying the victims. Ida knew this. That’s why she kept records. That’s why she printed the names of sheriffs and mayors, why she risked her life to publish testimonies no one wanted to hear.

She’d publish them. Every name. Every page. Every alias. Every co-conspirator.

She’d call him what he is: a man who’s spent a lifetime dodging accountability, whether in real estate, elections, insurrections — or, now, the quiet implication that his name may be nestled among the worst of the worst. A man who brags of sexual assault on tape and still walks freely through halls of power. Donald is a man who’s more symptom than anomaly—a reflection of a country that still measures justice on a scale tilted by money, race, and fear.

This isn’t just about Trump, of course. It’s about every institution that looked the other way. Every prosecutor who declined to push. Every network that buried the story. Every citizen who decided not to ask, “Why are the victims always expected to forget before the perpetrators are ever named?”

Ida would not forget.

There is no justice without truth.

She would remind us that injustice is not just a crime against the victims — it is a public wound. And the longer we pretend not to see it, the deeper it festers.

She would also remind us that the silence around Epstein is not just about protecting powerful men. It is about what we teach our daughters. It is about what we demand from our press. It is about what kind of country we are willing to be.

Because in the end, the question isn’t just what happened? It’s why don’t we care enough to find out?

There is no justice without truth. No healing without reckoning.

If Ms. Ida B. Wells were here today, she’d be typing in all caps:

UNSEAL THE FILES.

NAME THE NAMES.

TELL THE DAMN TRUTH.

Because until we do, every flag we wave is just camouflage, and every courtroom oath is just theater.

And the silence?

That silence becomes complicity.

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What Ida B. Wells Would Say About Trump And The Epstein Files

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