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Tag: duffy

  • California to revoke 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses issued to immigrants

    California will cancel 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses that had been issued to immigrants after officials said they extended beyond the date the drivers were allowed to work in the country — a violation of state law.

    California requires driver’s licenses and work permits to have the same expiration dates, officials said. Notices were sent out on Nov. 6 to affected drivers warning their licenses would expire in 60 days.

    The move comes amid an ongoing clash between the Trump administration and Gov. Gavin Newsom over California’s non-domiciled commercial driver’s licensing program. It also follows a nationwide audit of such programs after officials said a truck driver living in the U.S. illegally made a U-turn and caused a crash in Florida that killed three people.

    “This is just the tip of the iceberg. My team will continue to force California to prove they have removed every illegal immigrant from behind the wheel of semi-trucks and school buses,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a written statement.

    State officials, however, said the drivers were not “illegal immigrants” and that they were authorized to work in the country by the federal government.

    “Once again, Sean ‘Road Rules’ Duffy fails to share the truth — spreading easily disproven falsehoods in a sad and desperate attempt to please his dear leader,” said Brandon Richards, a Newsom spokesman.

    California is one of 19 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., that issues driving licenses to immigrants without legal status. Doing so allows people to work and travel safely, immigrant rights advocates argue.

    But California — along with six other states, including Texas — came under scrutiny after an audit conducted by the Department of Transportation’s Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the agency responsible for preventing commercial motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

    That audit found irregularities in the issuance of non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses.

    Duffy said the audit found 25% of the licenses issued in California violated federal rules, including by extending well beyond an individual’s work permit end date.

    In October, following the audit, Duffy withheld more than $40 million in transportation grants and claimed California was not only continuing to issue commercial driver’s licenses to immigrants living in the country illegally, but was also not enforcing new English language requirements for truckers.

    Officials have refuted Duffy’s claims and said the state has complied with federal laws and regulations. California’s Department of Motor Vehicles said on its website that it was not issuing or renewing non-domiciled commercial driver’s licenses as of Sept. 29.

    Proposed new federal rules that would include mandatory federal immigration status checks, limiting the duration of the license and limiting eligibility to certain immigration visas, were temporarily put on hold by a federal appeals court this week.

    The ruling provided relief for thousands of immigrants who were at risk of losing their licenses.

    Ruben Vives

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  • Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket set for Mars mission from Florida’s Space Coast

    Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.The launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. and closes at 4:25 p.m., following delays due to space weather conditions.Over the last hour and a half, crews have begun loading propellant onto the New Glenn.The launch was postponed on Wednesday due to highly elevated solar activity, which can be hazardous for rockets. This activity is a result of geomagnetic storms that also produce the aurora, also known as the northern lights. Sunday’s launch was also scrubbed due to adverse weather conditions on the ground.This mission is pivotal for Blue Origin, as Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy hinted that NASA might select a different company for its Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the moon. Duffy suggested that Blue Origin could potentially replace SpaceX for this mission.Dr. Ken Kremer, a research chemist, said, “I think they have an excellent chance to get this contract.”Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech emphasized the importance of the mission’s success, stating, “The most important thing is to make sure the escapade spacecraft is on the trajectory to Mars and so they’re able to put that into the proper orbit. Anything short of that is not a success.”Blue Origin will also monitor recovery weather conditions, as they aim to land the booster, a feat they did not attempt during their first launch in February. >> WESH 2 will stream the launch in the video player above.

    Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Thursday.

    The launch window opens at 2:57 p.m. and closes at 4:25 p.m., following delays due to space weather conditions.

    Over the last hour and a half, crews have begun loading propellant onto the New Glenn.

    The launch was postponed on Wednesday due to highly elevated solar activity, which can be hazardous for rockets.

    This activity is a result of geomagnetic storms that also produce the aurora, also known as the northern lights. Sunday’s launch was also scrubbed due to adverse weather conditions on the ground.

    This mission is pivotal for Blue Origin, as Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy hinted that NASA might select a different company for its Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the moon.

    Duffy suggested that Blue Origin could potentially replace SpaceX for this mission.

    Dr. Ken Kremer, a research chemist, said, “I think they have an excellent chance to get this contract.”

    Dr. Don Platt from Florida Tech emphasized the importance of the mission’s success, stating, “The most important thing is to make sure the escapade spacecraft is on the trajectory to Mars and so they’re able to put that into the proper orbit. Anything short of that is not a success.”

    Blue Origin will also monitor recovery weather conditions, as they aim to land the booster, a feat they did not attempt during their first launch in February.

    >> WESH 2 will stream the launch in the video player above.

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  • FAA expected to list airports getting reduced flights during government shutdown

    Travelers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they’ll see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month.The Federal Aviation Administration will announce the “high-volume markets” where it is reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said.Experts predict hundreds, if not thousands, of flights could be canceled.“I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference.“We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declined during the news conference to name the cities and airports where they will slow air traffic, saying they wanted to first meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.Duffy warned on Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paycheck next week.Duffy said some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more. And he has said some controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work.Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.During weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.___Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller contributed from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    Travelers through some of the busiest U.S. airports can expect to learn Thursday whether they’ll see fewer flights as the government shutdown drags into a second month.

    The Federal Aviation Administration will announce the “high-volume markets” where it is reducing flights by 10% before the cuts go into effect Friday, said agency administrator Bryan Bedford. The move is intended to keep the air space safe during the shutdown, the agency said.

    Experts predict hundreds, if not thousands, of flights could be canceled.

    “I’m not aware in my 35-year history in the aviation market where we’ve had a situation where we’re taking these kinds of measures,” Bedford said Wednesday. “We’re in new territory in terms of government shutdowns.”

    Air traffic controllers have been working unpaid since the shutdown began Oct. 1. Most work mandatory overtime six days a week, leaving little time for side jobs to help cover bills and other expenses unless they call out.

    Mounting staffing pressures are forcing the agency to act, Bedford said Wednesday at a news conference.

    “We can’t ignore it,” he said, adding that even if the shutdown ends before Friday, the FAA wouldn’t automatically resume normal operations until staffing improves and stabilizes.

    Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy declined during the news conference to name the cities and airports where they will slow air traffic, saying they wanted to first meet with airline executives to figure out how to safely implement the reductions.

    Major airlines, aviation unions and the broader travel industry have been urging Congress to end the shutdown, which on Wednesday became the longest on record.

    The shutdown is putting unnecessary strain on the system and “forcing difficult operational decisions that disrupt travel and damage confidence in the U.S. air travel experience,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman in a statement.

    Duffy warned on Tuesday that there could be chaos in the skies if the shutdown drags on long enough for air traffic controllers to miss their second full paycheck next week.

    Duffy said some controllers can get by missing one paycheck, but not two or more. And he has said some controllers are even struggling to pay for transportation to work.

    Staffing can run short both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they don’t always lead to flight disruptions. Throughout October, flight delays caused by staffing problems had been largely isolated and temporary.

    But the past weekend brought some of the worst staffing issues since the start of the shutdown.

    From Friday to Sunday evening, at least 39 air traffic control facilities reported potential staffing limits, according to an Associated Press analysis of operations plans shared through the Air Traffic Control System Command Center system. The figure, which is likely an undercount, is well above the average for weekends before the shutdown.

    During weekends from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30, the average number of airport towers, regional control centers and facilities monitoring traffic at higher altitudes that announced potential staffing issues was 8.3, according to the AP analysis. But during the five weekend periods since the shutdown began, the average more than tripled to 26.2 facilities.

    ___

    Associated Press journalist Christopher L. Keller contributed from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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  • Air traffic controller shortages lead to broader US flight delays as shutdown nears one-month mark

    Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.“Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.“For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.

    Continued staffing shortages in air traffic control facilities around the country were again causing delays at airports on Friday as the government shutdown neared the one-month mark.

    U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has been warning that travelers would start to see more flights delayed or canceled as the nation’s controllers continue to work without pay during the shutdown, which began Oct. 1.

    “Every day there’s going to be more challenges,” Duffy told reporters Thursday outside the White House after a closed-door meeting with Vice President JD Vance and aviation industry leaders to talk about the shutdown’s impact on U.S. travel.

    The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, New York City, Nashville, Houston, Dallas, and Newark, New Jersey. Airports in Boston, Nashville, and New York City were experiencing delays averaging two hours or longer.

    Staffing shortages can happen at regional control centers overseeing multiple airports, as well as in airport towers, but they don’t always result in flight disruptions.

    Aviation analytics firm Cirium says flight data showed a “broader slowdown” Thursday across the U.S. aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading.

    On Thursday, many major U.S. airports reported below-average on-time performance, with fewer flights departing within 15 minutes of their scheduled departure times, according to Cirium. The data does not distinguish between the different causes of delays, such as staffing shortages or bad weather.

    Staffing-related delays at Orlando’s airport on Thursday, for example, averaged nearly four and a half hours for some time, according to the FAA.

    Most controllers are continuing to work mandatory overtime six days a week during the shutdown without pay, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association has said. That leaves little time for a side job to help cover bills, mortgage, and other expenses unless controllers call out.

    Duffy said controllers are also struggling to get to work because they can’t afford to fill up their cars with gas. Controllers missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday.

    “For this nation’s air traffic controllers, missing just one paycheck can be a significant hardship, as it is for all working Americans. Asking them to go without a full month’s pay or more is simply not sustainable,” Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, said Friday in a statement.

    Last weekend, a shortage of controllers led to the FAA issuing a brief ground stop at Los Angeles International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. Flights were held at their originating airports for about two hours Sunday until the FAA lifted the ground stop.

    Some U.S. airports have stepped in to provide food donations and other support for federal aviation employees working without pay, including controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents.

    Before the shutdown, the FAA was already dealing with a shortage of about 3,000 air traffic controllers.

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