Here is how events are unfolding. All times Eastern.
Feb 12, 2021, 1:00 PM EST
Biden, Harris meet with bipartisan group of governors, mayors
Biden and Harris met with a bipartisan group of governors and mayors in the Oval Office Friday morning, with the president saying the most important part of the American Rescue plan is giving the local leaders the resources they need to combat the virus at home.
“The most important piece in my view is making sure we give them enough capacity to deal with the virus in their states, and how we're going to do that," Biden said. "But equally consequential is the need to help the states economically in terms of employment, to be able to make sure that they get kids back in schools and what role the federal government should play in helping getting that done.”
Biden also praised governors and mayors for being “on the front lines” of tackling the coronavirus in their respective states or cities.
“The federal government has a major role to play here. But these are the folks that are on the ground dealing with it every single solitary day… And so whenever I want to know what’s really happening, I want to talk -- and I’m not being solicitous -- to governors and mayors.”
-ABC News' Justin Gomez
Feb 12, 2021, 12:16 PM EST
Special enrollment period for Obamacare begins Feb. 15
Open enrollment for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is set to begin Monday and remain open for the next three months.
Biden administration to begin admitting migrants forced to wait in Mexico
The Biden administration plans to begin processing and admitting migrants forced to wait in Mexico under the Trump administration's "Migrant Protection Protocols" (MPP) starting next week, according to three administration officials.
The officials said "phase one" of the new admission program will start at three ports of entry and involve identifying and processing currently active MPP cases of asylum seekers who have been designated to wait for their U.S. immigration court date on the Mexico side of the border. This group is estimated to include about 25,000 people.
Asylum seekers from El Salvador wait at a bus station after they were released from U.S. immigration authorities, Feb. 8, 2021, in Brownsville, Texas. Since the inauguration of President Joe Biden, increased numbers of asylum seekers, most from Central America, have begun crossing the Rio Grande into Texas, and immigration authorities have been releasing them to stay in the U.S. pending court hearings. The new policy is a reversal of former President Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy, where immigrants had to wait in Mexico during the legal asylum process.
John Moore/Getty Images
Asylum seekers will be brought to a U.S. port of entry, released and monitored after their information is taken and they pass a COVID-19 test in Mexico. It remains unclear how migrants will be tracked once they are admitted back into the U.S.
Officials estimated that about 300 people could be processed per day at each port of entry once the admission program is up and running.
-ABC News' Quinn Owen
Feb 12, 2021, 9:05 AM EST
First lady installs giant Valentine's Day messages outside White House
First lady Jill Biden had giant Valentine's Day messages installed on the north lawn of the White House.
The large, heart-shaped cutouts featured words like "unity," "kindness" and "healing."
First Lady Jill Biden has installed giant Valentine’s messaged on the North Lawn of the White House early on Feb. 12, 2021.
Evan Vucci/AP
"Overnight, the First Lady’s surprise Valentine messages to the country were installed on the north lawn for the weekend, hearkening back to the days of sharing candy hearts between friends and family," the Office of the First Lady said in a statement Friday morning. "As you may know, the First Lady is known for her sense of humor, love of surprises, and celebrating traditions, especially with her family. Valentine’s Day has always been one of her favorite holidays. Sending messages of healing, unity, hope and compassion, this is her Valentine to the country."
First lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden look at the Valentines Jill Biden had installed overnight on the White House lawn, early Feb. 12, 2021. The Office of the First Lady stated that Valentine’s Day is the first lady's favorite holiday and she wanted to send out messages of healing, unity, hope and compassion as her "Valentine to the country.”
ABC
The first lady appeared outside with the president, along with their dogs Champ and Major, to view the installation and speak with reporters.
"We hope this lifted your spirits," Jill Biden said, with a mug of coffee in hand.
First lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden look at the Valentines Jill Biden had installed overnight on the White House lawn, early Feb. 12, 2021. The Office of the First Lady stated that Valentine’s Day is the first lady's favorite holiday and she wanted to send out messages of healing, unity, hope and compassion as her "Valentine to the country.”
ABC
When asked about his message to Americans who may be feeling down or discouraged amid the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed over 475,000 people in the United States, the president said to "stay strong" and referenced his own experience with losing loved ones.
“There is hope," Biden said. "You just have to stay strong. A lot of people have gone through unbearable suffering. They’ve lost their families, lost their children, lost their husbands, wives, moms, dads, and it’s almost unbearable. The only thing I can say to them is that they’re still in your heart."
"They really are," he added. "I can tell you from experience, they’re in your heart."
