Trump orders declassification of all JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr., assassination records – National & International News – THU 23Jan2025
Trump orders release of all JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr., assassination records.
ICE launches first major immigrant raids; Ag leaders warn of higher food prices.
Trump orders release of all JFK, RFK, MLK, Jr., assassination records
Earlier today, President Trump signed an executive order for the release of all remaining government records pertaining to the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The wording of the order suggested that this included all records previously labeled as classified, and even those which, during his previous administration, Trump had withheld due to what he said were “national security” concerns.
Additionally, Trump also ordered the release of all government records pertaining to the 1968 assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., saying that the release of these records was also in the public interest.
Researchers of the JFK assassination believe that there are only a few thousand records that have not yet been declassified, most of them originating with the CIA.
The order did not give a deadline for a release date. Instead, it directs the relevant officials to present Trump with a plan to release the JFK records within 15 days and plans to release the RFK and MLK, Jr., records in 45 days.
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ICE launches first major immigrant raids
Immigration and customs Enforcement has made 538 arrests across the country in the first major enforcement action since the beginning of Trump’s second term. This first wave of operations has targeted sanctuary cities including New York, Denver, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston, Atlanta, Miami, and Washington DC.
The term sanctuary city is not a legal or official designation. It refers to cities who have ordinances limiting cooperation with federal authorities on immigration enforcement actions to various degrees. This could apply to local law enforcement, or local officials.
It’s impossible to get a full picture of the arrestees at this stage. According to ICE, this action targeted individuals with criminal charges against them. Some were alleged to be members of the Central American gang MS-13.
These arrests were apparently planned during the Biden administration, according to sources who spoke to the ABC affiliate in New York. Earlier this week, the Acting Deputy Attorney General issued directives for federal agents to gather “identifying information” on individuals suspected of being in the country illegally.
According to Newark, NJ, Mayor Ras Baraka, ICE raided an establishment in his city and detained “both undocumented residents as well as citizens” without producing a warrant. One of the men arrested was a US military veteran “who suffered the indignity of having the legitimacy of his military documentation questioned”.
Fear and food prices
Officials and industry leaders across the country have expressed concerns about the climate of fear being promoted by the Trump administration among migrants. Specifically, they are worried that undocumented workers who work in key industries such as construction, food service and agriculture will be afraid to show up for work.
This was evident even days before Trump took office. On January 7, the day after Congress certified Trump’s election win, Border Patrol agents conducted unannounced raids in the agricultural areas around Bakersfield, CA. Agents were seen stopping day laborers and field workers in parking lots and pulling over vehicles on local highways asking for papers.
The anxiety and uncertainty caused many agricultural workers to skip work during the height of the citrus-picking season. According to Casey Creamer, president of the industry group California Citrus Mutual, 75% of the workers in the area didn’t show up in the following days.
The agricultural sectors remain heavily dependent on undocumented workers. Growers and agricultural business leaders across the country have warned that the threat of arrests, raids and mass deportations could create havoc in the nation’s food supply, leading to shortages and higher food prices.
