Auto Tariffs Pump Brakes On Jeep Owner; Stellantis Pauses Canada, Mexico Plants

 President Trump's 25% tariffs on imported vehicles took effect overnight, with the first signs of impact materializing Thursday morning—i.e., shares of U.S. carmakers tumbled in the early cash session, and Stellantis NV announced plans to temporarily suspend production lines in both Canada and Mexico.

Bloomberg reported that the global automaker overseeing 14 car brands will pause production at its Windsor, Ontario plant for two weeks starting next Monday. Details about how long production lines in Mexico would remain offline were not disclosed.

"With the new automotive sector tariffs now in effect, it will take our collective resilience and discipline to push through this challenging time," Antonio Filosa, head of the company's North American operations, told employees in a memo earlier. He said the move will affect employees at "several" of the company's U.S. powertrain and stamping facilities supporting Canada and Mexico operations. 

Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska warned clients that a "25% automotive imports lasting beyond four to six weeks would likely have a chilling effect on the entire sector as [automakers] need to grapple with significant impact to the bottom line." 

TD Cowen's Itay Michaeli described the tariffs as "close to the worst case outcome vs. recent expectations," while Barclays' Dan Levy warned: "there are no 'winners' in the absolute – only relative winners."

Upcoming production changes at some of Stellantis' factories in Canada and Mexico are some of the first effects of Trump's 25% tariffs on auto imports. The administration's move is to revive America's industrial base, and the only way to do that is to use tariffs to force companies to re-shore operations. 

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told clients that "the concept of a U.S. carmaker with parts all from the U.S. is a fictional tale that does not exist and would take years to make this concept a reality." 

CNBC noted, "Parts that are currently compliant with the USMCA trade deal will be tariff-free, but only until the secretary of commerce and Customs and Border Protection establish processes to impose levies on non-U.S. content." 

In markets, automakers were pressured lower with broader main equity indexes. General Motors dropped 2.4%, Ford -2.2%, Rivian -3%, Lucid -4%, and Tesla -3.5%

An analysis we shared with readers on Tuesday, "Trade War Hits The Gas: Trump's Auto Tariffs To Reshape Global Manufacturing," provides more color into how the repercussions of the auto tariffs could be far more impactful than initially appear—impacting everything from dealership showrooms to global supply chains.

The move to restore America's hallowed industrial core begins.

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/auto-tariffs-pump-brakes-jeep-owner-pauses-canada-mexico-plants

'Over 350K Health Workers Face Deportation Risk'

 

• In the U.S., over 350,000 undocumented immigrants and nearly 700,000 documented immigrants work in healthcare, researchers estimated.
• Noncitizen immigrants, both documented and undocumented, made up some 4% of personnel in hospitals and outpatient settings.
• Worker shortages due to deportations could reverberate through emergency departments and hospitals, the study authors suggested.

More than 350,000 noncitizen healthcare workers in the U.S. may be at risk of deportation as part of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, researchers estimated.

Based on the Current Population Survey (CPS) from March 2024, there were over 20 million individuals making up the workforce across formal and informal healthcare settings nationwide, of whom an estimated 16.7 million were U.S.-born citizens, 2.3 million naturalized citizens, nearly 700,000 documented noncitizens, and over 366,500 undocumented immigrants.

"More than 1 million noncitizen immigrants (one-third of them undocumented) work in healthcare in the U.S. Their ranks include skilled personnel who would be difficult to replace, especially if legal immigration is further restricted," according to a group led by Lenore Azaroff, MD, ScD, of Edward M. Kennedy Community Health Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, writing in JAMAopens in a new tab or window.

Azaroff and colleagues reported that noncitizen immigrants, both documented and undocumented, made up some 4% of personnel in hospitals and outpatient settings, 7% of nursing home workers, and at least 10% of personnel in home care agencies and nonformal settings in their study. In particular, the bulk of the undocumented healthcare workforce were working as nursing aides and assistants at the time of the survey.

If these healthcare workers without U.S. citizenship are deported, the consequences would be felt by America as a whole, they suggested. "Deportations could especially compromise long-term care, where immigrants play a large role. The resulting shortages could reverberate through emergency departments and hospitals, leading to the inability to discharge patients and tying up nurses and other staff."

Outside the study, a report showed that in the first 6 full weeks of the second Trump administration, there were 27,772 immigrants removedopens in a new tab or window from the country, according to data published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and analyzed by the nonpartisan Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse.

Despite this pace of deportations being lower than it had been under President Biden, healthcare workers now find themselves newly exposed to an immigration crackdown.

Before President Trump returned to office this year, federal law enforcement agents had been told to honor a longstanding humanitarian parole program that exempts sensitive locations such as schools, hospitals, and health centers from immigration raids. This was endedopens in a new tab or window as one of the new Trump administration's earliest actions.

"The Trump administration's plans to deport undocumented immigrants and some with temporary protected status -- which allows some migrants from countries with unsafe conditions to live and work in the U.S. -- and increase legal barriers even for skilled immigrants, could worsen workforce shortages," they warned. "A (currently stayed) court ruling ending DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) could affect additional personnel, including some physicians and nurses."

Study authors estimated that in formal healthcare settings in the country, there were 607,713 documented and 328,470 undocumented workers. Documented noncitizens accounted for 6.1% of physicians, whereas they made up 4.3% of registered nurses.

Informal healthcare settings were said to have 89,871 documented noncitizens and 38,093 undocumented noncitizens employed.

Azaroff's group acknowledged the limitations of basing their study on a survey administered by the Census Bureauopens in a new tab or window, through both personal and telephone interviews, using a probability selected sample of about 60,000 occupied households.

"The CPS is known to undercount undocumented immigrants and nonformal workers, and the CPS-supplied weights may not fully adjust for sampling of persons with different immigration statuses. The algorithm used to impute documentation status yields estimates of the overall undocumented population that are consistent with official estimates, but may be imprecise for subpopulations," the authors cautioned.

Disclosures

Azaroff's group had no disclosures.

Primary Source

JAMA

Source Reference: opens in a new tab or windowAzaroff LS, et al "Deporting immigrants may further shrink the health care workforce" JAMA 2025; DOI: 10.1001/jama.2025.3544.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/workforce/114947

5 offices being merged at HHS

 The restructuring plans

opens in a new tab or window announced by HHS last week included folding five offices into one entity: the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), and the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH).

The new Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) will aim to "more efficiently coordinate chronic care and disease prevention programs and harmonize health resources to low-income Americans," HHS stated. Divisions of the AHA will include primary care, maternal and child health, mental health, environmental health, HIV/AIDS, and workforce, and will be supported by the U.S. Surgeon General and policy team.

Though experts acknowledged there may have been redundancies in the consolidated entities, they also expressed concerns, such as the swift and sprawling nature of workforce cuts, and the potential for fewer resources to negatively affect important services.

Former CMS Administrator Tom Scully, JD, told MedPage Today that although he believes HHS has grown too large and that some areas "could be trimmed back," he also feels workforce cuts being reported across HHS could have been undertaken more gradually and with greater consideration of individual experience and expertise.

Here is a look at the key functions of each entity set to be consolidated under the new AHA.

SAMHSA

The agency -- organized into various offices and centersopens in a new tab or window with 10 regional officesopens in a new tab or window -- aims to improve the delivery of behavioral health services through grantsopens in a new tab or window.

A key function of SAMHSA is supporting the 988 suicide and crisis lifelineopens in a new tab or window. Other centers are focused on behavioral health statistics, mental health services, and substance abuse prevention and treatment.

Brian Hurley, MD, MBA, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), said in a statement that his organization is "deeply concerned about the possible domino effects of SAMHSA's restructuring and its potential to deprioritize addiction care services nationwide."

"Any weakening of centralized substance use disorder (SUD) expertise within HHS would be cause for alarm, especially amidst the ongoing deadly addiction and overdose crisis," the statement continued.

ASAM further implored HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "to appoint a dedicated leader within AHA to helm SUD initiatives, coordinate across these divisions, and importantly, work directly with CMS on improving coverage and reimbursement for addiction treatment."

SAMHSA's budget request for fiscal year 2025 was $8.1 billionopens in a new tab or window.

HRSA

HRSA programs are aimed at providing healthcare to individuals facing geographic challenges and who are financially or medically vulnerableopens in a new tab or window.

Notably, HRSA oversees the 340B drug pricing programopens in a new tab or window that provides discounts on prescription drugs to safety net providers. Additional areas of focus include organ transplantation, compensation for individuals injured by vaccination, and data on medical malpractice payments.

The administration proclaims to "support health infrastructure, including through training of health professionals and distributing them to areas where they are needed most, providing financial support to healthcare providers, and advancing telehealth."

Indeed, some of HRSA's officesopens in a new tab or window include those for the advancement of telehealth, special health initiatives, and women's health. And bureaus include those focused on health workforce, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, health systems, and provider relief.

Awards from HRSA have reached billions of dollars in grantsopens in a new tab or window -- including those given to health centers -- as well as loans and scholarshipsopens in a new tab or window.

HRSA's budget request for fiscal year 2025 was a substantial $16.3 billionopens in a new tab or window.

NIOSH

Earlier this week, it was reported that layoffs tied to the HHS restructuring have hit NIOSH especially hardopens in a new tab or window.

NIOSH -- which, like ATSDR, is part of CDC -- focuses on research and recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illnessopens in a new tab or window.

It has nine centers that assist with collaboration and research across NIOSH and its partners. These centers include those for direct reading and sensor technologies, maritime and motor vehicle safety, and nanotechnology and occupational robotics research.

NIOSH also has management offices and a variety of divisions and branchesopens in a new tab or window, including a health effects laboratory division, respiratory health division, compensation analysis and support division, and the World Health Center Trade Program.

ATSDR

For ATSDR, the focus is on determining and thwarting human health effectsopens in a new tab or window of exposure to hazardous substances. It claims to be the "only federal health agency that works directly with concerned citizens to address environmental hazards and responds to requests for assistance from communities across the nation."

Its staff respond to threats from emergencies, such as natural disasters and chemical spills. Specific health hazards that are addressed by the agency include dioxins/furans, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, radiation, lead, and trichloroethylene exposure.

ATSDR is headquartered in Atlanta -- along with CDC, under which it resides -- and also has regional offices within the Environmental Protection Agency's 10 regional offices and headquarters in Washington, D.C.

OASH

This HHS office is known for housing the Office of the Surgeon General, but it also has other officesopens in a new tab or window for disease prevention and health promotion, infectious disease and HIV/AIDS policy, population affairs, research integrity, and minority and women's health.

Specific programs and initiatives within OASH encompass areas like behavioral health, kidney disease, long COVID, vector-borne diseases, the mother-infant dyad, and Parkinson's disease.

Additionally, its Office of Regional Health Operationsopens in a new tab or window focuses on approaches to "address health disparities to improve access to healthcare and human services, to increase the capacity of the public health infrastructure and workforce, and to provide resources that address the needs of our state, Tribal, local, and territorial partners."

OASH offers grants, contracts, and other agreements for certain services under its purview.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/114953

Elevated' risk of data leak from SEC surveillance tool, watchdog says

  A recent audit showed an "elevated" risk of a data leakage from the comprehensive market data surveillance system used by Wall Street's top regulator, according to a watchdog report made public this week.

While the Office of Inspector General at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said the agency had taken recent steps to address the problem, the findings may bolster criticism from Republicans and lobby groups, who say the so-called Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) system threatens the security of private individuals' data.

According to the audit report, during the review period the SEC did not take steps to detect and prevent data leakage or regularly ensure that users complied with data safeguards. Officials were unable to monitor and block emails containing CAT data, for example.

Another of the audit's findings was redacted for security reasons.

The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment but said in a written response published with the report that SEC data security was in transition during the audit period of January 2023 to August 2024.

It said officials had since adopted enhanced security controls that exceed federal requirements. The SEC also accepted all of the report's recommended fixes.

The Commission in February ended the requirement to supply users' names, addresses and years of birth into the CAT.

The report's findings come as Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, which has drawn Democrats' ire over its access to sensitive government data, is in the early stages of accessing SEC systems. SEC officials say this will be subject to conditions.

In 2012, the SEC mandated the creation of the CAT as a response to the so-called "flash crash" of two years earlier, when a sudden plunge on major Wall Street indices temporarily erased nearly $1 trillion in market value.

The CAT, which is operated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, an industry-funded self-regulatory organization overseen by the SEC, began operating in phases starting in 2020.

It contains transaction and customer data using anonymous identifiers and ID numbers. As of last year, more than 200 SEC staff members had access to it, according to the report.

Officials have cited CAT data in the prosecution of an alleged $47 million front-running scheme, the exposure of alleged fraudulent trading and a review of the 2021 GameStop fiasco.

https://www.marketscreener.com/news/latest/Elevated-risk-of-data-leak-from-SEC-surveillance-tool-watchdog-says-49525298/

U.S. DOE Identifies 16 Federal Sites for AI Data Centers, Energy Projects

 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled plans to repurpose federal land and assets for the development of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and co-located energy infrastructure, part of a broader effort to position the U.S. as a global leader in AI and energy innovation.

The agency has released a Request for Information (RFI) to gather public and industry input on a plan to develop infrastructure on 16 federal sites. The selected locations, which are spread across the country, were chosen for their access to in-place energy infrastructure and potential to support fast-tracked permitting for new power generation—including nuclear.

The initiative aligns with President Trump’s executive orders aimed at boosting American leadership in AI and unleashing domestic energy capabilities.

“The global race for AI dominance is the next Manhattan project, and with President Trump’s leadership and the innovation of our National Labs, the United States can and will win,” said Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “With today’s action, the Department of Energy is taking important steps to leverage our domestic resources to power the AI revolution, while continuing to deliver affordable, reliable and secure energy to the American people.”

White House science advisor Michael Kratsios also emphasized the significance of the initiative: “President Trump is committed to ensuring American leadership in artificial intelligence and Secretary Wright is delivering.”

The DOE's RFI invites responses from data center operators, energy developers, and other stakeholders to help shape development approaches, technology solutions, operational models, and financing strategies. The goal is to begin construction of AI-ready energy hubs on DOE sites, with an operational target date of 2027.

The proposed locations offer a unique opportunity to partner with DOE’s national laboratories, enabling joint research on next-generation power systems and data center technologies.

Public details about each of the 16 sites—including size, location, and infrastructure status—are included in the RFI appendices.

https://pgjonline.com/news/2025/april/us-doe-identifies-16-federal-sites-for-ai-data-centers-energy-projects

Maryland Lawmakers Pass Reparations Bill While Financial Crisis Looms

 Far-left Maryland lawmakers, sitting high in their Annapolis castle, are completely detached from reality. They masquerade as public servants but are merely progressive activists who cannot govern properly. Instead of addressing the state's incoming financial crisis and worsening power crisis, these woke lawmakers have focused on condoms for kids and other disastrous left-wing policies. It's as if these politicians are sabotaging the state... 

Democrats in the state have been spending taxpayer monies like drunken sailors, driving the state to the brink of a financial crisis marked by a $3.2 billion deficit, heightened credit downgrade risk, and a worsening power crisis. Compounding the situation, DOGE-related cuts to the bloated federal bureaucracy threaten to trigger a devastating recession in the state, whose economy is mainly dependent on the federal government and produces little value in the private economy. 

On Wednesday, instead of addressing the mounting problems, Democratic lawmakers passed a bill in a 101–36 vote to establish a commission tasked with studying and recommending potential reparations for slavery and the lasting effects of racial discrimination in the state.

The bill now heads to far-left Gov. Wes Moore's desk, who has previously said he will consider signing the statewide reparations commission. Remember, Moore is being primed by the Democratic Party for a presidential bid in the upcoming elections. However, he has already been accused of stolen valor. 

"I have said and long stated that the history of racism in this state is real," Moore previously stated, adding that the impacts "are still very much being felt and they've been structurally felt within the state of Maryland."

The governor and Democratic leadership in Annapolis are in over their heads when it comes to effectively managing the state. The reason is simple: they're activists, not managers. 

Instead, these activist leaders are steering Maryland like a drunk driver on a busy highway—crashing into everything in sight while barreling toward a cliff. That cliff is a looming financial crisis, driven by reckless spending and further compounded by DOGE-related cuts.

The Democrats in Annapolis have no solutions to save the state. Actually, they do - it's taxes, taxes, and more taxes, such as a proposed service tax, and, more recently, a "sleeping tax," as we joked. "Is a Thinking Tax Next? "

Instead of addressing real crises—while tens of thousands, if not over 100,000, residents struggle with skyrocketing power bills caused by backfiring green policies—these lawmakers recently thought it was a good use of time to debate about installing vending machines filled with condoms for children. 

Maryland's current direction is disastrous and will likely spark an exodus of residents and businesses.

A large asset manager based in the state has already told us they're advising clients against investing in Maryland municipal bonds—and are encouraging clients living in the imploding state to relocate.

If the solution to an imploding state is reparations, condoms for kids, and a tax on sleep, then Maryland voters are in dire need of a wake-up call. Honestly, it might already be too late.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/far-left-maryland-lawmakers-pass-reparations-bill-while-financial-crisis-looms

Watch: Sen. John Kennedy Destroys Nationwide Injunctions

 by Matt Margolis via PJMedia.com,

By now, you know that I’m a big fan of Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and his unmatched ability to dismantle weak arguments with his signature Southern wit. On Monday, during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, he was at the top of his game, systematically exposing the complete lack of legal authority for district judges to issue universal injunctions — a favorite tactic of the left to block President Trump’s agenda.

Questioning Assistant Attorney General nominee Brett Shumate, Kennedy systematically dismantled any justification for these sweeping judicial orders.

"Mr. Shumate, what's a universal injunction?" Kennedy asked.

Shumate explained, "Senator, a universal injunction is an order from a court enjoining the government in a way that goes beyond the parties to the case but applies nationwide or in some cases universally."

Kennedy pressed further, asking, "What's the statutory basis for a federal judge issuing an order that affects people other than the parties before the court?"

"I'm not aware of a statutory basis, Senator," Shumate admitted.

"There is no statutory basis, is there?" Kennedy reiterated.

"No, Senator," Shumate confirmed.

Kennedy then challenged Shumate to name a Supreme Court ruling that interprets the Constitution to allow such injunctions. 

"Can you name me that case?" he asked.

"I'm not aware of one, Senator," Shumate responded.

"There isn't one, is there?" Kennedy pressed.

"I'm not aware of one, Senator," Shumate repeated.

Kennedy then laid out the fundamental issue: 

"You have a plaintiff and a defendant, and the plaintiff files a lawsuit in federal court. The judge has jurisdiction over those parties. How can a federal judge issue an order that affects everyone else outside of that courtroom?"

"Uh, it shouldn't be possible, Senator, but district courts do it all the time," Shumate admitted. 

"I think on the theory that courts need to enjoin a federal policy from going into effect, and they often will enjoin it nationwide so that all non-parties are protected."

"I thought that if you wanted to affect parties who aren't in court, you had to file a class action," Kennedy countered.

"That's correct, Senator," Shumate agreed.

Kennedy pointed out that instead of filing class-action suits, plaintiffs often seek universal injunctions, which have no legal foundation. 

"Does this encourage forum shopping?" he asked.

"Yes, Senator. Not only does it encourage forum shopping, but also district shopping and filing multiple strategic lawsuits to find one judge who will enjoin a single policy nationwide," Shumate said. "If you have five lawsuits, only one of those cases needs to be successful."

Kennedy then turned to historical precedent. 

"Universal injunction is basically an equitable remedy. Did this exist in common law courts in England?" he asked.

"I don't believe so, Senator," Shumate responded, citing Supreme Court precedent that equitable relief was traditionally limited to the parties in a case.

Kennedy then pointed out that judges issued only about 27 universal injunctions in the entire 20th century.

"But 86 of them were issued against President Trump in his first term. Is that correct?" Kennedy asked.

"I don't know the specific number, but it was a high number," Shumate conceded.

"And so far in President Trump's second term, 30 universal injunctions have been issued against him. Have they not?" Kennedy continued.

"Senator, I don't have the specific number, but that sounds about right," Shumate said.

"The universal injunction has become a weapon against the Trump administration, has it not?" Kennedy asked.

"Yes," Shumate affirmed.

In his closing remarks, Kennedy highlighted the constitutional issue at hand: "Tell me the basis for universal injunction in Article III. Where does it mention universal injunction?"

"It does not, Senator," Shumate said. "It says courts are to decide the case or controversy before them, which is based on the parties to the case."

Kennedy concluded, "So Congress could act and say, 'Look, federal judges, you render a decision to a plaintiff or a defendant, but you can't impact people outside of your courtroom other than through a class action.' That's why God created class actions, isn't it?"

"Yes, Senator," Shumate agreed.

Kennedy’s questioning explained that universal injunctions lack any basis in statutory law, Supreme Court precedent, or historical common law and exposed their use as a judicial overreach that disproportionately targets President Trump’s policies.

The left's weaponization of universal injunctions against Trump continues unchecked, but Senator Kennedy just exposed their game. 

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/watch-sen-john-kennedy-destroys-nationwide-injunctions