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5 things to know for April 15: Presidential power, Deportation, Harvard, Pennsylvania arson, Whooping cough

CNN

Jade Walker, CNN

(CNN) — Hungary’s parliament has passed a constitutional amendment that allows the government to ban all LGBTQ+ events. The amendment, which states that the constitution recognizes just two sexes — male and female — also codifies a law that allows authorities to use facial recognition tools to identify people who attend such events and to monitor political protesters. “It is definitely and purely and strictly about humiliating people and excluding them,” Dánel Döbrentey, a lawyer with the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union, said. “Not just from the national community, but even from the community of human beings.”

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Presidential power

President Donald Trump wants to be able to deport US citizens and imprison them abroad. “If it’s a homegrown criminal, I have no problem,” Trump said on Monday during an Oval Office meeting with El Salvador’s leader Nayib Bukele, adding that Attorney General Pam Bondi was studying the laws “right now.” Trump also urged Bukele to build more mega-prisons, like the country’s notorious Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), where deportees are kept in communal cells holding up to 100 men each for 23½ hours a day. El Salvador has already offered Trump the option to house deportees of any nationality for a fee. Although the president is keen to accept such an offer, it would likely face significant legal pushback. “The US is absolutely prohibited from deporting US citizens, whether they are incarcerated or not,” Leti Volpp, a law professor at UC Berkeley, told CNN in February.

2. Deportation

Efforts to return a Maryland man to the US after he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador last month hit another serious roadblock on Monday. Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, is being held in the CECOT mega-prison even though an immigration judge barred his deportation years ago and the Trump administration admitted that the father of three was deported due to “an administrative error.” Despite a Supreme Court ruling saying that the US must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, Attorney General Bondi claimed the decision was out of the US’s hands. “That’s up to El Salvador if they want to return him,” she said. “That’s not up to us.” Asked directly by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins if he plans to return Abrego Garcia, President Bukele said he has no intention of doing so. “How can I smuggle a terrorist into the United States? Of course I’m not going to do it. The question is preposterous,” he said.

3. Harvard

Harvard University has rejected the Trump administration’s demands that it eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion policies, audit the viewpoints of students, faculty and staff, and alter rules for on-campus protests or face major losses of federal funding. In a statement, Harvard President Alan M. Garber said the university would not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights. “No government — regardless of which party is in power — should dictate what private universities can teach, whom they can admit and hire, and which areas of study and inquiry they can pursue,” he said. The Trump administration responded by freezing $2.2 billion in multi-year grants to the school. Similar punitive actions also have been taken against Princeton, Cornell and Northwestern and considered against Brown. Columbia University was the first higher education institution to see its funding slashed. It decided to acquiesce to the administration by changing its curriculum and admission guidelines, enacting new policies and empowering law enforcement to identify protesters on and off-campus.

4. Pennsylvania arson

Authorities are attempting to determine how a suspect was able to enter the governor’s residence in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and set it on fire over the weekend without being apprehended. “This individual was able to easily defeat multiple layers of defense,” Jonathan Wackrow, a former US Secret Service agent and security consultant, told CNN. “First, starting with the perimeter fencing, then the electronic surveillance and detection system, gaining access into the residence and then launching the attack — all while the state police that was providing the protective resource there was unable to locate him.” Gov. Josh Shapiro, his family and another family were safely evacuated from the home, which sustained a “significant amount of damage” in the blaze. A security review of the incident is now underway. On Monday, authorities charged Cody Balmer, 38, with attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes. He was denied bail. A motive for the attack is unknown at this time.

5. Whooping cough

The ongoing measles outbreak has topped 700 cases and caused at least two deaths. But that’s not the only preventable disease spreading through the US at the moment. Cases of pertussis — also known as whooping cough — have skyrocketed by more than 1,500% nationwide since hitting a recent low in 2021. In the past six months, two babies in Louisiana have died from pertussis. Washington, Idaho and South Dakota have each reported a death from the disease this year. And with vaccination rates on the decline and the Trump administration slashing spending on public health funding and staffing, such outbreaks could get much worse. Dr. Susan Kressly, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said pediatricians across the country are concerned about the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. “Many of us are losing sleep. If we lose that progress, children will pay the price,” she said.

THIS JUST IN

How DOGE led a ‘hostile takeover’ at the IRS to use taxpayer data for immigration crackdowns
After being repeatedly blocked by career officials at the IRS, DOGE demoted the agency’s legal advisers and sidelined senior IT staffers.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Paige Bueckers is No. 1
The 2025 National Player of the Year was the top overall pick by the Dallas Wings in Monday night’s WNBA draft. Bueckers is the sixth UConn player to be taken No. 1 overall, joining Breanna Stewart (2016), Maya Moore (2011), Tina Charles (2010), Diana Taurasi (2004) and Sue Bird (2002).

Back as Burr on Broadway
One of the original cast members of the hit musical, “Hamilton,” is returning for another shot. Leslie Odom Jr., who played Aaron Burr, will once again tackle his Tony Award-winning role this fall.

Don’t fly off the handle
After years of disruption, air traffic is once again surpassing pre-pandemic levels. If you’re planning to fly in the future, be sure to pack some patience, particularly at these 10 busy airports.

This diet may benefit your bones
Many people who try to lose weight, primarily through diet alone, can experience a reduction in bone density. Exercising without dieting doesn’t solve the problem either. But, new research shows that older women who adopted the nutrient-rich Mediterranean diet and continued to exercise were able to lose weight and prevent bone loss.

Food is so fancy — and fashionable
Would you spend $88 for a lamp made from real croissants? How about $1,500 for a purse that looks like a box of Barilla pasta? The trend of food on home decor and in fashion is apparently hitting the luxury sector.

TODAY’S NUMBER

400,000
That’s how many people were displaced on Sunday from Sudan’s Zamzam refugee camp after it was seized by the Rapid Support Forces following a four-day assault. At least 300 civilians were killed in the fighting, including 10 humanitarian personnel from Relief International who were operating one of the last functioning health centers in the famine-stricken camp.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Everybody has insecurities.”

Olympic medalist and rugby star Ilona Maher sharing why she posts messages on social media about body positivity.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Let’s get ready to fumble!
Vice President JD Vance dropped the bottom half of the college football national championship trophy while meeting with the Ohio State University football team at the White House.

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