President Donald Trump continues to take sweeping executive actions in his second term, including an order this week targeting a senior official from his first administration who became one of his critics.
Focus continues on the legal battle regarding Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a migrant who was living in Maryland when he was wrongfully deported by the administration.
Bukele intends to double size of prison holding US deportees: Officials
During last month's meeting with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele told her he was going to double the size of the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), three officials told ABC News.
This comes as the U.S. has sent at least 200 migrants to the prison, saying they are members of gangs and violent offenders.
President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador meets with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House, April 14, 2025 in Washington.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
-ABC News’ Luke Barr and Aicha Elhammar
Apr 16, 2025, 5:13 PM EDT
Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin, joins White House briefing
Patty Morin, the mother of Rachel Morin, joined the White House press briefing on Wednesday. Press secretary Karoline Leavitt introduced her after defending the administration's stance on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an unrelated immigration case.
Morin emotionally discussed the brutal murder of her daughter, a 37-year-old mother of five who was killed while hiking on a Maryland trail in 2023. Victor Martinez-Hernandez, a migrant without legal status who had previously been deported, was found guilty earlier this week on counts of first-degree murder, first-degree rape and other charges.
"If you're a mother here in the room, can you imagine standing there alive, you're alive, someone comes and puts their hands into your chest and rips out your heart. That's what it feels like," she said.
Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin, speaks during a daily press briefing in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 16, 2025 in Washington.
Win Mcnamee/Getty Images
As she left the room, reporters thanked her for being here and expressed their condolences for her loss.
"Please tell the truth," she told them. "Tell, like, how violent it really is. This is about protecting our children. It's more than just politics or votes or just anything. It's about national security, protecting Americans, protecting our children. Thank you."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, April 16, 2025, in Washington, as Patty Morin, mother of Rachel Morin listens.
Alex Brandon/AP
Apr 16, 2025, 1:47 PM EDT
3rd Pentagon official placed on leave for leak investigation: Officials
A third top official at the Pentagon has been placed on administrative leave, two U.S. officials told ABC News on Wednesday.
The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, Mar. 3, 2022.
Joshua Roberts/Reuters
Colin Carroll, the chief of staff for Deputy Secretary of Defense Stephen Feinberg, was placed on administrative leave in relation to the Defense Department's leak investigation.
-ABC News' Luis Martinez
Apr 16, 2025, 1:45 PM EDT
Trump calls into Gov. Greg Abbott meeting in support of school choice
President Donald Trump called into a meeting Wednesday morning held by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, in which he backed school choice in Texas, according to the governor's post on X.
The state legislature will vote on Senate Bill 2, which would create an education savings account program to allow families to help pay for private school with taxpayer dollars.
"Now, we're going to be leading in education too," Trump said on speaker phone. "So I just think it's a really forward-thinking vote. There's nothing complex about it."
President Donald Trump speaks, as he signs executive orders in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, April 9, 2025.
