One Million Displaced by Harvey
A week after Harvey, cities deluged and one million displaced. Reuters: "A week after Hurricane Harvey came ashore in Texas, no let-up in rescue efforts was expected on Friday as large pockets of land remained under water after one of the costliest natural disasters to hit the United States. The storm has displaced over a million people, with 44 feared dead from flooding that paralyzed Houston, swelled river levels to record highs and knocked out the drinking water supply in Beaumont, Texas, a city of about 120,000 people."
Houston's Muslims Volunteer on Holy Day
Houston’s Muslims volunteering post-Harvey, even on holy day. CBS News: "Houston's Muslim community has opened many of its community centers to people seeking shelter from Harvey and sent hundreds of volunteers to serve food and deliver donations. Some have rescued neighbors from high water. Their efforts continue, even as mosques welcome congregants for Eid al-Adha, also known as the festival of sacrifice and one of Islam's holiest days, from Thursday evening through Friday evening. An Islamic Society of Greater Houston leader insists evacuees won't be displaced even if people have to pray in the parking lot during the festival's Friday morning prayer. 'They are the No. 1 priority. They will not be disturbed, they will not be displaced, they will not be moved,' said M.J. Khan, the president of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston, which operates the Champions mosque and several others that are providing shelter."
Hurricane Irma Poised to Hit Tampa Bay
Powerful Hurricane Irma could be next weather disaster. CNN: "While much of the United States' focus is still on Texas and the destruction left behind by Hurricane Harvey and its historic rainfall, powerful Hurricane Irma is rapidly intensifying in the open Atlantic and poses a major threat to the Caribbean and potentially the United States next week. Irma was named as a tropical storm on Wednesday morning and by Thursday afternoon it had strengthened into a large Category 3 hurricane, with winds of 115 mph."
DACA Repeal Would Cost Taxpayers Billions
DACA repeal will cost taxpayers billions. WaPo: "What would a complete termination of DACA mean? It would mean, in essence, that those 787,000 or so people who’d received protection under the rule could be subject to deportation. Earlier this year, the Arizona Republic asked ICE how much it cost to deport someone who’d immigrated to the country illegally and learned that, on average, the agency spent $10,854 per deportee... In other words, ending DACA and moving toward deportation of approved applicants would run up a bill of over $8.5 billion. That’s enough to fund the National Endowment for the Arts (which Trump’s budget proposed eliminating) for 56 years. It’s enough to fund 40 percent of Trump’s proposed border wall."
Fascist Milwaukee Sheriff Clarke Resigns, Eyes Trump Post
Fascist Milwaukee sheriff David Clarke resigns, eyes Trump post. New York Magazine: "Milwaukee County rejected Donald Trump’s brand of politics last November by an overwhelming margin. But until Thursday, the area’s top law-enforcement official was a figure so audaciously authoritarian and radically reactionary... Politico reported late on Thursday that Clarke is expected to take a job in the Trump administration, though he 'likely won’t be offered a Senate-confirmed role because his nomination would face opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.' A White House spokesman said they have 'no announcement at this time,”' and Clarke said in a text message to Politico, 'Will talk about my future plans next week.'"
