Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits Guantánamo Bay as some raise objections to the use of the facility to house deported migrants. And more clarity on Elon Musk’s directive that federal workers list five things they accomplished at work last week becomes available. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
Defense secretary to visit migrant detention facilities at Guantánamo Bay
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will travel to Guantánamo Bay on Tuesday, Feb. 25. He’ll visit where suspected illegal immigrants deported from the U.S. by the Trump administration are held.
The visit comes amid reports the Trump administration has halted its efforts to house migrants in tents at the facility after concerns they do not meet detention standards because they do not have air conditioning or electricity.
The move also comes as a group of Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, sent a letter to President Donald Trump challenging the transfer of migrants to the detention center in Cuba. In the letter, the senators called the move “unprecedented, unlawful and harmful to American national security, values and interests.”
The Democrats said immigration law does not give the federal government authority to detain migrants after they’ve been removed from the U.S. They said once the government deports someone from the U.S., there’s no basis in American law to keep that person in custody.
On Monday, Feb. 24, Defense Department officials confirmed that the Trump administration stationed 200 additional U.S. troops at the base in Cuba to assist with the detention of migrants, raising the total number of troops there to approximately 1,000.
According to the Defense Department website, Hegseth will receive briefings and meet with troops at Guantánamo Bay on Tuesday.
“The secretary’s trip underscores the department’s commitment to ensuring the security and operational effectiveness of Guantánamo Bay Naval Station,” it said.
Judge blocks immigration arrests at certain places of worship
A federal judge temporarily blocked immigration agents from making arrests “in or near” certain places of worship after Trump reversed a Biden-era rule barring immigration arrests at protected locations.
Under the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security’s directive said criminals would “no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
In his ruling Monday, blocking some immigration enforcement actions, the judge wrote that anyone who violates the injunction will be subject to “all applicable penalties, including contempt of court.”
The new ruling, however, is not a complete ban. Straight Arrow News reporter Kalé Carey focuses more on the judge’s order here.
Russia offers rare earth minerals as US and Ukraine work toward deal
As negotiations continue between the Trump administration and Ukraine over continuing American military assistance in exchange for access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, Russia is now offering its own resources and saying it is open to economic cooperation with the United States.
Moscow’s comments came after Trump said he’s in “serious discussions” with Russia about ending the war and is “trying to do some economic development deals,” specifically mentioning the country’s “massive rare earth deposits.”
During a video call Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin urged officials to increase production of rare earth minerals, saying he wants to create a strategic reserve that will be vital for Russia’s future competitiveness and economic development.
Meanwhile, at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at the White House, Trump said he expects Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to agree to give the U.S. access to its minerals. Trump has insisted Ukraine owes the U.S. payback for tens of billions of dollars in aid.
“In fact, [Zelenskyy] may come in this week or next week to sign the agreement,” Trump said. “So, the agreement’s being worked on now. They’re very close to a final deal. It’ll be a deal with rare earths and various other things.”
During his visit to the White House, Macron praised Trump for taking steps to end Russia’s war against Ukraine but urged him to “be careful” in the negotiation process. Macron said the U.S. and France need to work together to determine lasting future security guarantees.
Their meeting came on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution drafted by Ukraine condemning Russia as the aggressor in the war. The U.S. joined Russia and 16 other countries in voting against the resolution.
Trump calls Musk email mandate ‘genius’ as admin says it’s optional
The president defended Department of Government Efficiency Chair Elon Musk’s email to federal employees over the weekend, demanding they list their top five accomplishments on the job last week. He called it “genius” and said it was a great way to ferret out those who do not show up for work.
However, the Office of Personnel Management, which sent the email on Musk’s behalf, informed executive branch officials on Monday that individual agencies can choose how to respond, and participation is voluntary. The OPM emphasized that failing to respond would not be deemed a resignation, despite Musk’s earlier threat that employees who refused could face job loss.
Federal workers initially had until 11:59 p.m. on Monday to respond. However, there is no update yet on the number of workers who actually responded.
Trump says tariffs on Canada, Mexico are ‘going forward’
Trump said the U.S. will impose tariffs against Canada and Mexico next week. He had delayed them by about one month, but the March 4 deadline is approaching.
The president has proposed a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, covering everything from automobiles to energy. He stated that these taxes would create a more equitable trade environment with America’s top two trading partners.
This comes after both Mexican and Canadian leaders announced efforts in the past month to beef up border security and try to halt the dangerous drug fentanyl from coming into the U.S. through their countries. Critics believed a trade war could hurt the U.S. economy and drive up inflation.
During the Monday joint press conference at the White House with Macron, Trump said, “The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule.”
Macron weighed in, saying he hoped a trade war could be avoided.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum hopes to strike a deal with the White House later this week to avoid the tariffs.
‘It’s real’: Fyre Festival 2 tickets on sale for up to $1.1M
It’s real this time, or so Fyre Festival 2 organizer Billy McFarland claimed, and tickets are now on sale. They’ll set you back anywhere from $1,400 a person to $1.1 million each.
As of now, it remains unclear what festival attendees will receive for their money. The festival site promises arts, cuisine, music, comedy, fashion, gaming, sports, and “treasures,” but no musical artists have committed to performing at the three-day event set to take place in Mexico.
That’s raising eyebrows following the notorious Fyre Festival, which turned out to be a scam, and McFarland spent four years in prison for defrauding investors of over $27 million.