USA 2024: – 229, Biden and Trump win primaries, chaos in Texas over migrants

A mini Super Tuesday without pathos and without history: President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and former President Donald Trump, a Republican, already arithmetically secured in their nominations, achieve expected victories in the states where voting takes place, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, and Ohio.

The day is mainly marked by the judicial chaos over Texas’ law on migrants, in conflict with federal prerogatives: surprisingly, the Supreme Court upholds it, but shortly after, a federal appeals court blocks it. The back-and-forth appears as another sign of a judiciary heavily influenced by political leanings.

In terms of primaries, all eyes were especially on Ohio, where a Trump-backed candidate contested the Republican Senate nomination against two traditional conservatives: Bernie Moreno, a Cleveland businessman, emerged victorious, receiving Trump’s endorsement just days ago; defeated were Secretary of State Frank LaRose and State Senator Matt Dolan.

In November, Moreno will face the incumbent Democratic senator Sherrod Brown, who appears vulnerable: the race in Ohio could be crucial for the future balance of the Senate, where Democrats have a razor-thin majority, 51 to 49.

USA 2024: Migrants, Texas, a battleground for judges
A ruling from the Supreme Court, essentially unexpected, creates chaos over rules at the border between Texas and Mexico, which escalates when a federal appeals court freezes the controversial Texas immigration law just endorsed by the Supreme Court justices.

The Texas migrant law is, in the BBC’s view, one of the strictest of its kind ever issued by a US state in modern times, authorizing the arrest and deportation of undocumented migrants intercepted by state police on US territory.

The law appears to be in conflict with federal prerogatives. However, yesterday, surprisingly, the Court gave it the green light, albeit temporarily, and with a contested decision – six conservative justices for, three progressive justices against – which immediately sparked criticism from the White House. The dissent from progressive judges was motivated by the risk of creating “chaos” at the Union’s borders.

Mexico also spoke out, stating that it will not accept the repatriation of migrants sent back under the new law, which state authorities have not yet enforced. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is an ultra-Trump supporter and favors a “iron fist” approach against migrants, which is, however, contested in court by the federal administration, El Paso County, and civil rights groups.

The Supreme Court has yet to rule on the merits of the law. The migrant issue is central in the 2024 US election campaign: for months, Republicans in Congress have blocked any proposals put forward by the Biden Administration, calculating that the current situation of significant flows benefits them electorally.

USA 2024: Trump to NATO allies, if you pay, we’ll defend you
To reassure EU leaders, who, with few exceptions, are also NATO leaders, meeting tomorrow and Friday in Brussels, the last words of Trump assuring that “he will not leave NATO if Europe pays what it owes” will certainly not be sufficient.

The reassurance reportedly came to Nigel Farage, the Brexit man – and even that seems incongruous -; and it’s only a partial correction from the previous statement, according to which US allies who do not pay will be left to their fate, or even reported to Putin so he can do as he pleases.

According to Politico’s version, Trump told Farage that he feels bound to NATO to the extent that Europe does its part.

USA 2024: Peter Navarro, Trump’s adviser, in prison
Peter Navarro, a former White House adviser to Donald Trump, an outspoken and eccentric economist, began serving his four-month sentence yesterday for refusing to testify before Congress about his role in attempts to overturn the outcome of the 2020 elections.

Navarro has thus become the first Trump associate to go to prison in connection with the post-election turmoil of 2020, culminating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.