Good morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m Nicole Fallert. Even penguin-filled islands get tariffs.
Here’s the rundown of Friday’s news:
Despite Trump error, a Maryland man is still held in El Salvador
It seemed liked Kilmar Abrego Garcia was living the American dream. He landed a job as a sheet metal apprentice, married and had a son, and moved into a white-brick house in a Maryland middle-class neighborhood.
But then it all changed. Federal immigration agents pulled Abrego Garcia over on March 12 and arrested him as his 5-year-old autistic son watched from the back seat.
- Abrego Garcia is now in a notoriously violent prison in El Salvador. The Trump administration admitted this week his deportation was an “administrative error” but says it has no jurisdiction to order his return.
- Maryland District Court Judge Paula Xinis will hear motions on the case on Friday. Abrego Garcia, 29, who fled El Salvador as a teenager to escape gang violence, was expelled and sent back to his native land even though he had won a court order six years earlier barring his removal.
- A community in fear: Abrego Garcia’s arrest and deportation sparked alarm and outrage in Beltsville, a fast-growing Latino community.
Trump says ‘boom.’ Stocks say tumble. Is it a good or bad time to invest?
It may not be the best day to look at your 401(k), but is it a good time to invest in the stock market? Experts advise caution after global markets nosedived following the announcement of President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs and investors braced for the possibility of a recession. Some economists may say it’s a good idea to buy right now as stocks are low, but if stocks continue to fall leading to a bear market and the country heads towards a recession, investing early in an economic downturn can lead to further losses. Trump and his administration urged the American public to be patient, saying “the markets are gonna boom.”
More news to know now
What’s the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Seven dead amid relentless spring storms
“It’s like the sky opened up inside.”
Misty Vincent huddled in a bathtub with her four children and two pets in Kentucky as a massive spring storm ramped up overnight. The roof of her home was ripped off, and rain began to pour onto them. Forecasters warned of worsening conditions on Friday after widespread flooding across the central U.S. left tens of thousands without power and a climbing death toll.
Quiet (and anxiety) at your local library
Stephanie Matthews, 58, comes to the Carroll County Public Library in Mount Airy, Maryland, every other day. She attends a knitting club while her adult daughter brings her own child to toddler play time. That’s why Matthews is so worried. This week, libraries across the country were informed that grants approved last year ‒ and in many cases already spent ‒ are being terminated. The change comes after the Institute of Museum and Library Services was effectively shuttered by the Trump administration earlier this week, and all work on approving federal grants for state, local and academic libraries was immediately halted. Now, libraries are considering cost-cutting measures concerning library loyalists like Matthews.
Today’s talkers
Why are the Final Four players so … old?
If you’re looking for a collection of players who are, shall we say, unusually mature to still be in college, you’ve come to the right place. Twenties are the new teens for college basketball, with Duke the only team remaining in the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a teenager in its starting lineup. It wasn’t always like this: Players used to try to leave their college teams early. But that all changed in 2021 when the NCAA rescinded its longstanding rule that prevented players from profiting off their name, image and likeness. Now, players have economic incentive to stay as long as possible.
Photo of the day:Â Cute at CinemaCon
The biggest names in Hollywood are unveiling their buzzy new movies at CinemaCon 2025, the Las Vegas convention for theater owners. Blockbuster casts took to the stage to reveal exciting sneak peeks at the biggest flicks to come.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at [email protected].