American Passport, global assignments — Photo by Vinta Supply Co. | NYC: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-putting-a-passport-on-bag-842961/

by Mitti Hicks

March 26, 2025

Trump Administration Pauses Green Card Processing To ‘Do More Vetting’

The Trump administration began pausing the processing of some green card applications in January to comply with President Donald Trump's executive order.

The Trump administration will pause processing some green card applications in January to comply with President Donald Trump’s executive order.

Trump signed the executive order, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” on Jan. 20. The executive order calls for agencies to “identify all resources that may be used to ensure that all aliens seeking admission to the United States, or who are already in the United States, are vetted and screened to the maximum degree possible.”

As a result, CBS News first reported that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) under the Department of Homeland Security has quietly stopped processing some green card applications to conduct more vetting of the applicants. The request will hurt permanent residency applications submitted by immigrants granted refugee or asylum status.

Concerns about Pausing Green Card Processing

How does this pause impact those seeking a fresh start? Many immigrants were granted refugee status in the U.S. after proving they could be persecuted in their home countries. Refugees are granted entry into the U.S. after an extensive process that begins overseas. The method includes security checks, medical screenings, and interviews that can take several years.

Ayslees are foreigners in the U.S. to whom immigration judges or asylum officers grant protection. However, they have to prove that they could face persecution because of specific characteristics such as race, religion, and political views.

“USCIS is placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain Adjustment of Status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting to identify potential fraud, public safety, or national security concerns, in alignment” with Mr. Trump’s executive actions, the DHS told CBS News in a statement. “Adjustment of status” is the official name of the green card process.”

It’s unclear how long the halt will last. Meanwhile, this latest move from the Trump administration fulfills a campaign promise to restrict legal immigration in America.

Atlanta Hawks, State Farm Arena, Job Fair — (Photo: Adam Hagy/NBAE via Getty Images)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 26, 2025

Atlanta Hawks Pay Tribute To Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Halftime Performance

And the crowd loved it.

During a second quarter break during Saturday’s game against the Golden State Warriors, the Atlanta Hawks paid tribute to Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl halftime show.

The Hawks’ tribute featured a rendition of Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us” as performed at the big game. The Atlanta team’s mascot, Harry the Hawk, took on the role of Lamar with a fake “a” chain and outfit. The dance team followed his steps in recreating the iconic scene.

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The tribute also featured an emcee wearing an “Uncle Sam” outfit like the one actor Samuel L. Jackson donned in the halftime show. The Hawks crowd dug the performance, with Hot97 reporting that the audience also echoed the popular “A minor” line.

Lamar’s performance and set of diss tracks against Drake have become an ongoing cultural phenomenon. The show set a viewership record for the Super Bowl. “Not Like Us” also scored five wins, including Record and Song of the Year, at the 2025 Grammy Awards.

The cultural impact has led to further speculation that the rapper will continue his victory lap. Casey Wasserman, an organizing leader for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, hinted at Lamar’s inclusion in the festivities.

“Fortunately, in my day job, I represent Kendrick Lamar,” Wasserman told the Associated Press. “He is truly an LA icon. So I think it would be a pretty fair bet that Kendrick will be involved in the Olympics in Los Angeles in some way.”

Drake, Lamar’s musical adversary, wants to move past the historic rap beef. The rapper released his joint project, Some Sexy Songs 4 U, with Partynextdoor on Valentine’s Day. The album reached #1 on the Billboard 200.

Lamar, on the other hand, will promote his hit song and accompanying album independently. His Grand National Tour with Sza begins April 19 in Minneapolis.

Housing market, Gen z, equities, wealth building, homeownership — (Photo: gopixa/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 26, 2025

DHS And HUD Join Forces To Prevent Housing Funds From Going To Illegal Immigrants

'American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,' said Secretary Turner

The Trump administration announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are joining forces to ensure that money appropriated for American citizens for the benefits of housing isn’t being misdirected toward people who are considered illegal aliens in the country.

The secretaries of both HUD and DHS, Secretary Scott Turner and Secretary Kristi Noem, signed the “American Housing Programs for American Citizens” Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The agreement was implemented to “end the wasteful misappropriation of taxpayer dollars” to benefit people labeled as immigrants instead of American citizens.

“American tax dollars should be used for the benefit of American citizens, especially when it comes to an issue as pressing as our nation’s housing crisis,” said Secretary Turner in a written statement. “This new agreement will leverage resources, including technology and personnel, to ensure American people are the only priority when it comes to public housing. We will continue to work closely with DHS to maximize our resources and put American citizens first.”

The agencies will utilize a HUD employee to help with the Incident Command Center (ICC) operations. This will make it easier for the agencies to facilitate data sharing between the units while also ensuring that taxpayer-funded housing programs are being used properly and not being used to harbor or benefit immigrants.

“The Biden Administration prioritized illegal aliens over our own citizens, including by giving illegal aliens taxpayer-funding housing at the expense of Americans. Not anymore. The entire government will work together to identify abuse and exploitation of public benefits and make sure those in this country illegally are not receiving federal benefits or other financial incentives to stay illegally. If you are an illegal immigrant, you should leave now. The gravy train is over,” said Secretary Noem.

Former Security Guard, Jasmine Crockett, Police Standoff, Dallas — (Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 26, 2025

Disability Advocates Weigh In On Jasmine Crockett’s Viral ‘Governor Hot Wheels’ Remark

The video of Crockett’s remarks went viral leading to major backlash from President Donald Trump and MAGA supporters.

A number of disability rights groups are speaking out about Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s (D-TX) “Governor Hot Wheels” comment toward Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s wheelchair.

The verdict, according to Politico: some are disappointed and some consider Crockett an ally.

“Governor Abbott sometimes has policies that are harmful to people with disabilities, and that’s terrible,” said Josie Byzek, senior communications and digital experience director at the United Spinal Association. “Representative Crockett has a history of protecting the programs and rights of people with disabilities, and that’s wonderful. At the same time, the stigma is real.”

At a speech for a Human Rights Campaign, Crockett teed off on Abbott. “Y’all know we got Governor Hot Wheels down there,” Crockett said. “Come on now. And the only thing hot about him is that he is a hot ass mess, honey.”

Abbott was paralyzed after a tree fell on him while on a run over 40 years ago.

The comments went viral, causing major backlash from President Donald Trump and MAGA supporters. They also sparked moments of praise and remarks of hypocrisy, reminiscing on the days when Trump mocked a disabled journalist, former President Joe Biden, and more.

https://twitter.com/ArtCandee/status/1904569512218730515

“If the Democrats want to be as inclusive as they claim they and ensure that people with disabilities are actually recognized as being welcome under their political umbrella, then you have to be thoughtful about your words,” author and disability rights advocate Emily Ladau told Politico. “And when Crockett made that joke, she was really punching down, and she knew that she would get a laugh.”

Following the backlash, Crockett defended herself on X, stating she wasn’t referring to Abbott’s condition but “the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable. At no point did I mention or allude to his condition.”

“So, I’m even more appalled that the very people who unequivocally support Trump—a man known for racially insensitive nicknames and mocking those with disabilities—are now outraged,” Crockett said.

I wasn’t thinking about the governor’s condition—I was thinking about the planes, trains, and automobiles he used to transfer migrants into communities led by Black mayors, deliberately stoking tension and fear among the most vulnerable.

Literally, the next line I said was that…
— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) March 25, 2025

But GOP lawmakers aren’t going for it. According to CNN, Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) announced plans to introduce a resolution to censure Crockett over her comments. If its goes through, Crockett will be the second Black lawmaker that Republicans tried to censure in March 2025 after Rep. Al Green (D-TX).

Diddy, Hip-Hop, Off The Grid Movie — Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 26, 2025

Parts Of Lil Rod Lawsuit Accusing Diddy Of Sexual Assault, Racketeering Dismissed

"We view this as a win. Defendants wanted a total dismissal and they failed to get it," said Lil Rod's attorney, Tyrone Blackburn

Sean “Diddy” Combs scored a partial legal victory on March 24, when a New York City federal judge dismissed the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act allegation and other charges the entertainment mogul was accused of. Yet, other parts of the lawsuit will proceed.

According to USA Today, in the lawsuit that music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed against Diddy for $30 million, he accused the former Bad Boy Records label owner of sexual assault, harassment, and running a racketeering and conspiracy enterprise that involved sex trafficking. Attorneys for Diddy filed a motion to dismiss, but the judge stated that the charges of RICO, breach of contract, and infliction of emotional distress would be dismissed. Still, the sexual assault allegations levied against Diddy would proceed. Those allegations were against Diddy, his business enterprise, and his chief of staff, Kristina Khorram.

Lil Rod made the accusations when he filed the lawsuit in February 2024, claiming the acts took place while he was recording Diddy’s project, “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” which was released in 2023.

The attorney representing Lil Rod, Tyrone Blackburn, submitted a written statement to the media outlet saying, “We view this as a win. Defendants wanted a total dismissal, and they failed to get it.”

However, Judge J. Paul Oetken admonished Blackburn for his conduct, describing it as “unsettling.” The judge criticized the lawyer and stated that Blackburn’s attempt to use separate legal claims against Diddy as evidence of doing what he is accused of cannot be used to prove that he may be guilty of Lil Rod’s claims.

“That any licensed member of the bar would espouse such an absurd understanding of the law is not just disturbing, but shocking,” he wrote in his declaration. Judge Oetken also chastised Blackburn for insulting the attorneys for Combs in his filings and using “schoolyard taunts” toward them.

50 Cent,Jim Jones, studio — (Photo: Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic, small image)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 26, 2025

50 Cent Pulls Up To Shreveport City Council Meeting Ahead G-Unit ‘Legacy Project’ Vote

50 Cent thanked the local officials for approving the extension of his lease on Millennium Studios.

50 Cent recently asserted his own “Power” when the media mogul pulled up to a city council meeting in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson III made the unexpected appearance to discuss the extension of his partnership with Shreveport and his G-Unit entertainment brand. His entrance sparked applause before he began detailing what this “legacy” project means to him and the residents it helps.

“This project is a legacy project for me,” expressed the rapper. “I don’t think I’ve done anything that directly affected as many people as this project will here in Shreveport. I’m just excited to get to it.”

According to KEEL, the “Legacy Project” is Jackson’s lease of Shreveport’s Millenium Studios for his G-Unit Film & Television Louisiana LLC. The production company has numerous documentaries and films under its belt but remains most known for its “Power” television franchise. The Power universe has spawned multiple spin-offs with STARZ since its original flagship show ended in 2020.

Jackson arrived at the civic meeting ahead of the officials’ vote to continue their deal. Their approval would also allow him to lease the Stageworks building in the city’s downtown. The discussions over the lease lasted for nearly a year.

However, the 49-year-old wants to continue making films and television using the Shreveport soundstages for decades. He also mentioned his upcoming birthday and wants to begin this new era with more projects underway.

Jackson added, “You know, creatively, I haven’t had an opportunity to affect more people than I have at the moment, because film and television, there’s no age range. You know, hip-hop is a youth culture thing, and I’m going to turn 50 this year. 50 turns 50. Gotta do bigger things. Got to do bigger things.”

Following his brief but praised speech, the civic leaders unanimously voted for his multi-decade lease of the studios and the Stageworks building. After the approval sparked applause from attendees, Jackson walked back to the stand to thank the council.

“I just wanted to say ‘thank you’. You know, I’ve been a lot of places, with a lot of people and I’ve never been this nervous before,” he shared as the crowd laughed.

Now, Jackson may begin expanding his film and television empire in Shreveport. In the lucrative deal, he will also cover all operational expenses.

NYC mayor Eric Adams, trial, Trump, — (Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 26, 2025

Mayor Eric Adams Pushes For Child Safety By Expanding Free Swim Lessons Program To Underserved Communities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal Black children are 1.5 times more likely to die from drowning in comparison to white children.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced a $5.5 million expansion of the city’s free swim lesson program for children in underserved communities to learn the life-saving skill, ABC 7 NY reports.

The addition will allow almost 18,000 students to be served, targeting those the program doesn’t reach. The lessons will occur at city public school pools in select third-party locations. Approximately 4,800 second graders will also be allowed to participate.

In a statement, Adams referred to the Big Apple as a city that can be “the best place to raise a family” and feels the lessons will expand on that narrative. “To make New York City the best place to raise a family, we must continue to invest in the services that families need and deserve, and that includes swim safety,” the mayor said.

“Expanding free swimming classes will enrich our young people’s lives and keep them safe.”

Programs such as this are looked at as important, given the number of child deaths due to drowning. New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay says close to 11 people drown every day in the U.S., leading up to 1 in 4 children dying.

“So we’re losing 4,000 people a year to drowning. It’s the leading cause of death of children from 1 to 4,” Gay said, according to Rhode Island PBS.

Most of the numbers are due to segregation and disparities in African American communities. Gay highlighted how slavery and segregation contributed to the majority of minorities never having the opportunity to learn how to swim.

“It goes really deep. So, Black Americans, many people know we’re not allowed to learn how to read during slavery,” she said. “Many times, they also weren’t allowed to learn how to swim, and that’s because it would’ve made it easier to escape to freedom. Dogs couldn’t track your scent in water, which was known among enslaved Americans.”

During the Jim Crow era, city officials would often choose to fill in, destroy, or close public pools rather than give Black people the chance to swim in them.

“During segregation, you had public pools that were not open to Black Americans. So, white, wealthier Americans were able to start forming their own clubs, their own neighborhood associations that were, of course, segregated, and the rest of America was shut out,” Gay said.

“Because of that history, there are generations not only of Black Americans who can’t swim but of poor white Americans, too.”

Numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal that Black children are 1.5 times more likely to die from drowning in comparison to white children.

Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeffrey Roth touched on the safety element NYC’s expansion provides to young kids as the 2025 summer months approach.

Adams and his team members have made moves to guarantee the safety of all New York City children, their families, and visitors at city pools and beaches. “We’re starting kids early, in second grade, providing free swim safety classes so kids build skills that will follow them for the rest of their lives,” Roth said.

reggie Barlow. Tennessee State University,, football coach, — Extreme Footbal League D.C. Defenders coach Reggie Barlow speaks with U.S. Air Force Col. Catherine "Cat" Logan and Command Chief Master Sgt. Clifford Lawton, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and 11th Wing commander and command chief, on JBAB, Washington, D.C., at the JBAB Fitness Center on Dec. 16, 2022. Engagements with sports teams in the greater D.C. area are one of many ways JBAB connects with the surrounding communities. Strong community partnerships foster trust and support, bridging the military-civilian gap in experience and understanding. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kayla White)

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

March 26, 2025

Former Super Bowl Champ Reggie Barlow Returns To HBCU Roots As New Football Coach At Tennessee State University

Barlow recently coached in the UFL's D.C. Defenders, where he earned Coach of the Year in 2023.

NFL Super Bowl Champion Reggie Barlow will return to his HBCU roots to coach football at Tennessee State University.

Barlow was recently announced as TSU’s 23rd head football coach. He will take over the position from Eddie George, who led the Tigers to their first playoff appearance in over a decade.

Before this newly appointed role, the former NFL player coached the DC Defenders of the United Football League. Barlow shared the news at a media conference in Nashville, promising fans and the HBCU community that a new era has begun.

“This is a beginning of a new Tennessee State Day,” he said, as reported by HBCU Gameday. “God has given us this day to use as we will… and we’re going to use it to move forward.”

Barlow first made history at Alabama State University, where the receiver caught 58 passes for 1,267 yards his senior year. This performance made him a fourth-round pick in the 1996 NFL draft. He played for the Jacksonville Jaguars for four years, still ranking as a career leader for the franchise’s most punt returns. In 2002, he began his two-year stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, securing a championship ring during Super Bowl 37.

He hopes to acquire new assets to the roster and coaching staff at TSU for another championship run. Moreover, he wants the football team to showcase their support for the HBCU’s athletic program.

He added, “We’re going to recruit. We’re going to get good players, good coaches. We’re going to support all sports. You’ll see the football team at volleyball games, basketball games—we’re part of the whole TSU experience.”

Barlow has also coached at other HBCUs, including his alma mater, Alabama State. TSU’s Athletic Director, Dr. Mikki Allen, shared that Barlow’s vision for the program made him the best choice for the open role.

“Reggie Barlow brings a wealth of experience and proven track record of success across all levels of football. I am confident that he will continue building upon the strong foundation and momentum that TSU football has gained in recent years, driving this storied program toward sustained success and championship contention for years to come,” said Allen in TSU’s press release.

Barlow will begin his new tenure as he prepares to make history at a new HBCU.

“I’m humbled, blessed, and beyond excited! A huge thank you to Director of Athletics Dr. Mikki Allen, President Tucker, and the student-athletes who’ve remained committed through uncertainty. And to Big Blue, I’m ready to get started! So, let me ask you…Do you like football?”

Kendrick Lamar — (Photo: Pierre Suu/Getty Images)

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 26, 2025

Kendrick Lamar’s ‘GNX’ First Hip-Hop Album To Sell 1 Million Units In 2025

chart data says 'GNX' is the first hip-hop album to reach platinum status in 2025.

Kendrick Lamar is on quite the winning streak. He performed in the Super Bowl halftime show, lives in Drake’s mind rent-free, and has sold a million copies of his latest album in a shade under three months.

Lamar is the first hip-hop recording artist to sell over one million units of his album, GNX, in 2025, according to chart data.

The album was released on Nov. 22, 2024, on Lamar’s boutique label, PGLang, with distribution under the Interscope banner (parent company is Universal Music Group).

.@kendricklamar‘s ‘GNX’ becomes the first hip-hop album to sell over 1 million units in the US in 2025. pic.twitter.com/mRGuZNzFjP

— chart data (@chartdata) March 23, 2025

The Compton native has seen a resurgence in his hip-hop recording career after engaging in a highly-contested rap battle with his nemesis, Canadian rapper Drake.

After several back-and-forths between the two rappers, Lamar’s single, “Not Like Us,” set the bar so high that many rap aficionados consider it the best diss record ever. The knockout punch was so severe that not only did Drake suffer, perhaps the greatest loss in hip-hop history, he filed a lawsuit against the label, which both artists records for, that released the song, Universal Music Group (UMG).

UMG recently filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit that Drake. He alleges that the label, along with iHeartMedia, artificially inflated the numbers and participated in a pay-per-click scheme to help promote the single. After finding out that iHeartMedia proved it did nothing wrong, Drake agreed to drop them from the lawsuit.

However, UMG responded to the “Push Ups” rapper’s suit by calling him a sore loser in a “rap battle that he provoked” against Lamar. The label also claimed that Drake’s “unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Lamar.”

drivers,, text no-hands — (Photo: Hispanolistic/Getty Images)

by Kandiss Edwards

March 26, 2025

Georgia One Step Closer To Banning Cellphones In K-8 Schools

The bill will now go to the governor's desk for approval.

Georgia is one step closer to passing legislation that would ban cellphones in schools, the Associated Press reports. On Tuesday, March 25, the state Senate approved House Bill 340 (the “Distraction-Free Education Act”) with a 54-2 vote.

If signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp, cellphones would be banned in K-8 classrooms as well as any personal electronic devices capable of “transmitting, receiving, or accessing communications, data, or media.” So pretty much any device with wireless communication, internet access, messaging, video recording, gaming, social media access, or data transmission.

“This bill isn’t just about academics. It’s about students’ well-being,” said Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R), who introduced the bill, during its debate. “Studies link excessive phone use to mental health issues, decreasing social skills, and an increase in bullying. We want students engaged in school, socializing with friends during lunch, and focusing in the classroom.”

Currently, nine states have enacted cellphone bans in schools. Others are conducting pilot programs or proposing similar legislation. Georgia has not allocated any funding for the implementation of such programs. Some states, like New Mexico, have set $10 million in funding aside to help schools purchase secure phone pouches and other resources necessary to enforce phone bans.

Some parents are not in favor of such a ban, citing the need to contact their children during emergencies. School shootings are a significant concern. In 2024, there were 83 documented school shootings, averaging nearly two incidents per week during a standard 180-day school year.

“What if that phone could save lives in an active-shooter situation?” Senator Rasaan Kemp, who supports the ban, asked. “These are true concerns as a parent that all of us will typically think about. What if that phone is the last opportunity for my child to communicate with me?”

While the argument that limiting cellphone use could improve student educational opportunities is widely supported, other debates surrounding the issue are more contentious.

Recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed a similar ban, but his reasoning has raised eyebrows. Kennedy, the Health and Human Services Secretary, in an interview on Fox & Friends, said that cellphone usage in children “produces electromagnetic radiation, which has been shown to do neurological damage to kids when it’s around them all day, and to cause cellular damage and even cancer.”

However, neither the National Cancer Institute nor the World Health Organization has found credible evidence to support these claims, despite years of research, according to NBC News.