This week in politics: Title 42 ends; Trump loses defamation case; Santos indicted

The crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border could turn into a humanitarian and political crisis for President Joe Biden after a 3-year-old pandemic-era immigration policy ended this week.

Title 42 blocked thousands of migrants from entering the country during the Trump administration on the grounds of preventing the spread of the coronavirus. The Biden administration fought to turn back the rule despite criticism from political allies over a perceived lack of preparation.

Now Biden and the Democrats are facing renewed pressure from Republicans, who've been vocal about immigration since he took office and who took steps to address the complex border crisis in Congress.

Former President Donald Trump's character stains are becoming harder for Republicans to ignore. This time it's because a federal jury found him liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of E. Jean Carroll, a professional writer, in 1996. The situation wasn't helped by Trump comments during a town hall on CNN the day after the jury decision, which became an inflection point in the 2024 presidential contest.

Republican's political woes also continued thanks to Rep. George Santos, whose scandal-plagued career reached a new phase after federal prosecutors indicted him with 13 different counts, including wire fraud, money laundering and lying to Congress.

The clock continues to tick for Biden and Congress in terms of whether America will raise the debt ceiling before the country runs out of money to pay its bills. That could happen as early as June 1.

Biden met with the top four congressional leaders to discuss ways to end a brinksmanship that could hurtle the U.S. economy into unknown territory should the country default. And Sen. Dianne Feinstein finally returned to Capitol Hill after a nearly three-month absence that created a rift among Democrats due to demands she resign.

What happened this week in politics?

• The Republican-controlled House passed a major border security measure to bolster an expected surge at America's southern border as immigration reform leaps to the forefront of political debate.

• Former President Trump is appealing a $5 million judgment against him in a sexual abuse and defamation civil suit, but his controversial CNN town hall may ignite a second case.

• Congressman George Santos pled not guilty to more than a dozen criminal charges in what marks a significant escalation in the New York Republican's many legal and ethical probes.

• White House and congressional staffers are meeting over the weekend to further discuss how Washington's leaders can reach an agreement on how to pay the country's bills.

• California Democrat Dianne Feinstein is back, which could unclog some of Biden's judicial nominees and help Democrats put a focus back on forcing the conservative-leaning Supreme Court to embrace ethics reform.

Chaos at the southern border

For years Republicans warned that the southern border is a crisis that cannot be ignored, and that concern could be multiplied due to an expected wave of migrants seeking to enter the U.S. with Title 42's end.

The Pentagon is deploying 1,500 active-duty troops to help U.S. Customs and Border Protection manage the expected surge, and Biden admits it will be a "chaotic" period.

But now the Biden administration is facing criticism from fellow Democrats too, who says it is shameful that the White House did't have a better plan ahead of time.

House Republicans passed a measure that would restore construction on a southwest border wall and hinder asylum access while slashing a program that lets U.S. officials quickly accept or turn back some migrants.

"More than 11,000 migrants were caught yesterday crossing the border illegally, the highest single day total ever," House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said. "This is President Biden's record on the border. Record crossings. Record carelessness. Record chaos."

The Democratic-controlled Senate has its own bipartisan bill, which would give the Biden administration a two-year extension on the functions of Title 42 without it being tied to a public health emergency.

Trump's troubles: Civil suit to CNN town hall

Donald Trump once again stretched how far Republicans are willing to put up with questions about his character after a tumultuous week.

It started with the former president losing a $5 million sexual abuse and defamation judgment brought by columnist E. Jean Carroll.

Then there was the CNN town hall the next day, which generated heavy criticism of the cable news network where Trump chastised the moderator, continued to peddle lies about the 2020 election and refused to say who he wanted to see win the Ukraine-Russia war. He also called Carroll a "whack job," which drew chuckles from the pro-Trump crowd assembled in New Hampshire.

Now Carroll and her attorney are considering a new lawsuit due to the former president's caustic comments.

Trump remains the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary field, but all of this is giving some GOP officials a reason to pause.

Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, told reporters he would not support Trump for the GOP nomination for president in 2024.

Will Santos survive a federal prosecution?

Embattled Rep. George Santos has been in the headlines for months with multiple scandals, but being arrested by federal authorities is a bit different.

Santos pleaded not guilty to 13 federal charges including fraud and lying to Congress. He faces seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of lying to the House of Representatives, according to an unsealed indictment.

If convicted, Santos—who was released from custody on a $500,000 bond—could face up to 20 years in prison.

"I'm going to fight the witch hunt, I'm going to take care of clearing my name and I look forward to doing that," Santos said.

The charges mark a significant escalation in the many legal and ethical probes the fabulist Republican lawmaker has faced since taking office.

Breon Peace, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that the charges against Santos aim to hold the freshman lawmaker accountable for numerous alleged "fraudulent schemes and brazen misrepresentations."

But beyond that Santos is losing political support, including from Ed Cox, head of New York's Republican Party, who said in a statement to USA TODAY that the "story of George Santos is over."

Debt talks reaching critical moment

Every so often Democrats and Republicans reach an impasse how to pay America's bills. Recall the 2011 tussle between President Barack Obama and GOP lawmakers fueled by the Tea Party movement.

But those who were involved in past talks say this time around Biden and McCarthy don't just appear miles apart but have done very little direct negotiating.

“I’m much more scared now,” Neil Bradley, a former aide to McCarthy, told USA TODAY. “Negotiations in 2011 went right up to the 11th hour (but) it was very clear that both sides understood that default is not an option.”

The Congressional Budget Office issued a stark warning on Friday, saying if the debt limit remains unchanged, "there is significant risk that at some point in the first two weeks of June, the government will no longer be able to pay all of its obligations."

Everyone keeps saying default is not an option, but as White House and House GOP aides meet over the weekend, it's uncertain when and how the two parties will cut a deal.

Feinstein's return boosts Biden's judicial picks

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) returned to Congress this week following a near three-month absence due to shingles. Immediately her votes in a Senate Judiciary Committee get three of Biden's stalled judicial nominees through the tightly divided panel.

This had been an ongoing dilemma for Democrats, with some progressives demanding the 89-year-old liberal lion step down and others arguing such calls were sexist.

“I know that she’s been through some significant health challenges, and we all wish her the very best,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the committee’s chair, said.

Feinstein, who is not seeking re-election next year, had asked to be temporarily replaced, but Senate Republicans rejected that idea as progressives grew restless over the inability to usher through more liberal-leaning nominees.

Now liberal groups, such as the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, are calling on Durbin to issue subpoenas as part of an investigation into concerns over Supreme Court corruption.

But other political observers, such as writer Sarah Joes for the New York Intelligencer, said seeing the California Democrat looking "fragile, stooped over in a wheelchair" was a "ghoulish spectacle" that underscores the country's political rot.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: This week in politics: Title 42 ends; Rep. George Santos indicted