BROWNSVILLE, Texas-Title 42 immigration restrictions have been lifted, leaving many migrants gathered along the U.S.-Mexico border concerned about their chances of claiming asylum in the United States. Others faced uncertainty in crowded shelters or holding facilities.

Kansas Senator Roger Marshall spoke to the media and criticized the Biden administration for the chaos at the border.

Under Title 42, millions of migrants were returned back over the border and denied the right to seek asylum. But there were no real consequences when someone illegally crossed. So migrants were able to try again and again to cross and make their case.

U.S. authorities have now unveiled strict new measures, which crack down on illegal crossings while also setting up specific legal pathways for migrants who apply online, seek a sponsor and undergo background checks.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report

BROWNSVILLE, Texas-Title 42 immigration restrictions have been lifted, leaving many migrants gathered along the U.S.-Mexico border concerned about their chances of claiming asylum in the United States. Others faced uncertainty in crowded shelters or holding facilities.Kansas Senator Roger Marshall spoke to the media and criticized the Biden administration for the chaos at the border.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In Brownsville, Texas, to get a first-hand look at the impacts of Biden’s border crisis. The number one immediate threat to our national security is the Biden Admin’s open border. That is why I called for the impeachment of <a href="https://twitter.com/SecMayorkas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecMayorkas</a>. <a href="https://t.co/lZTvgvSr4V">pic.twitter.com/lZTvgvSr4V</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1657040232380768256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Under Title 42, millions of migrants were returned back over the border and denied the right to seek asylum. But there were no real consequences when someone illegally crossed. So migrants were able to try again and again to cross and make their case.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683898080756.png" alt="Migrants attempt to cross razor wire on Thursday-photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>Migrants attempt to cross razor wire on Thursday-photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. authorities have now unveiled strict new measures, which crack down on illegal crossings while also setting up specific legal pathways for migrants who apply online, seek a sponsor and undergo background checks.-The Associated Press contributed to this report

🎥Kansas Senator at the U.S.-Mexico border as Title 42 ends

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A 68-year old Wichita woman lost over $15,000 last week when someone called saying they were from Amazon and that her account shows she just purchased a cellphone, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

 When the woman told the caller she did not buy a cellphone, the “Amazon representative” told her she was being transferred to her bank. 

There, a caller said he was transferring her to the Federal Trade Commission to report the scam. This is where the scammers convinced the woman to move everything in her bank account to cryptocurrency.

District Attorney Marc Bennet reminded consumers,"Don’t allow anyone to transfer you to your bank. Call your bank directly by using the phone number on your statement or the back of your debit or credit card.

The government will never ask you to move money into cryptocurrency.

If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, please report it to local law enforcement."

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A 68-year old Wichita woman lost over $15,000 last week when someone called saying they were from Amazon and that her account shows she just purchased a cellphone, according to a statement from the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. When the woman told the caller she did not buy a cellphone, the “Amazon representative” told her she was being transferred to her bank. There, a caller said he was transferring her to the Federal Trade Commission to report the scam. This is where the scammers convinced the woman to move everything in her bank account to cryptocurrency.District Attorney Marc Bennet reminded consumers,"Don’t allow anyone to transfer you to your bank. Call your bank directly by using the phone number on your statement or the back of your debit or credit card.The government will never ask you to move money into cryptocurrency.If you believe you have been a victim of a scam, please report it to local law enforcement."

District Attorney: Kan. woman lost $15,000 in Amazon scam

By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A Republican lawmaker running for governor next year held up all action in the Missouri Senate Thursday night, arguing one of his top legislative priorities was being held hostage in negotiations over legalizing sports wagering.&nbsp;

Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, spent much of the evening reading aloud from a biography of Ronald Reagan and from the Missouri GOP’s platform, blocking any action on legislation.&nbsp;

Shortly before 7 p.m., the Senate recessed until morning. The legislature is required to adjourn by 6 p.m. Friday.

Eigel says his top legislative priority, a bill cutting personal property taxes, has become embroiled in disagreement over legalized sports betting, inspiring his one-man filibuster. The bill is only one vote away from being sent to the governor, he noted.&nbsp;

“The reason we aren’t going to that motion,” he said, “is because some powerful special interests in this building are also hoping to try to add sports betting to the personal property tax bill, or maneuver another bill that may include a sports betting provision prior to moving a personal property tax cut.”

As Eigel continued his filibuster, a litany of bills hung in the balance, running from changes to the initiative petition process to a ban on foreign ownership of farm land to tax credits to improve access to child care.&nbsp;

Prior to Eigel seizing control of the Senate floor, the chamber had returned to normal functions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/10/gridlock-plagues-missouri-senate-once-again-with-just-days-to-go-before-adjournment/">after three days of gridlock</a>, as GOP lawmakers blocked or slowed progress.&nbsp;

It started Monday, when Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, blocked all action in retribution for the Senate approving a postpartum Medicaid bill days earlier while he was absent dealing with a family illness.&nbsp;

He returned Tuesday and once again slowed down proceedings. He was assisted on Wednesday by other senators who made up the now-defunct conservative caucus, each of whom had a list of bills they wanted approved in order to allow the chamber to function normally.

When the Senate returned Thursday morning, it began passing bills and sending them to the governor, including one banning texting while driving and another requiring fingerprint background checks for cannabis industry employees.&nbsp;

After several hours, Eigel began his filibuster, claiming that no other legislation should pass if the Senate wasn’t going to focus on bills “that are actually important to this state.”

He said there is no deal on sports wagering, and holding up other bills like his property tax cut in the hopes of finding a compromise is pointless.&nbsp;

“There is no deal on sports betting,” he said. “It’s not going to happen no matter what we do on personal property tax in the next 24 hours.”

If no sports wagering bill is passed this year, it would be the fifth year lawmakers have failed to act since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down federal laws banning sports betting nationally. Sports wagering has since been legalized in every state adjoining Missouri except Oklahoma.&nbsp;

Casino companies and professional sports teams are eager for the revenue from sports wagering, and last year agreed on a proposal that slices up the market to their liking. It set the tax rate at 10%, allowed a deduction from gross revenue for promotional costs and allowed players to bet from any location on a smart device.

But that bill – any other bill authorizing sports wagering – has faced stiff opposition in the Senate.&nbsp;

The main obstacle is Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican who has insisted on also legalizing a new form of lottery game for people to play in bars, truck stops and fraternal halls.&nbsp;

The machines in question operate similarly to what you’d find in a casino. Players insert money, select a game and decide how much they wish to wager. Winners get paid by the store cashier.

The Missouri Gaming Commission has deemed the machines gambling devices, which are prohibited outside of licensed casinos, and the state highway patrol considers them illegal.

The companies that own the machines disagree, saying they reveal the outcome of the wager before the player moves forward. Thus, the company argues, they are not a game of chance and therefore not illegal.

Hoskins has argued that revenue is far greater from legalizing video lottery machines, potentially, than the taxes from sports wagering and therefore the two should be done together. He also believes legalizing them will result in more regulation and consumer protections.&nbsp;

Sports wagering legislation has been attached to several of Hoskins’ bills over the last week, though he’s shown few signs of relenting from his opposition.&nbsp;

“What would you choose: personal property tax cuts or sportsbook?” Hoskins&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DLHoskins/status/1656794840472879107">tweeted as Eigel spoke in the Senate</a>. “I choose tax cuts.”

The Independent’s Annelise Hanshaw contributed to this story.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://missouriindependent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/051123_Eigel1-1024x640.jpg" alt="Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, holds the Missouri Senate floor alone Thursday evening, just over 24 hours from the legislative deadline (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, holds the Missouri Senate floor alone Thursday evening, just over 24 hours from the legislative deadline (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A Republican lawmaker running for governor next year held up all action in the Missouri Senate Thursday night, arguing one of his top legislative priorities was being held hostage in negotiations over legalizing sports wagering.&nbsp;Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, spent much of the evening reading aloud from a biography of Ronald Reagan and from the Missouri GOP’s platform, blocking any action on legislation.&nbsp;Shortly before 7 p.m., the Senate recessed until morning. The legislature is required to adjourn by 6 p.m. Friday.Eigel says his top legislative priority, a bill cutting personal property taxes, has become embroiled in disagreement over legalized sports betting, inspiring his one-man filibuster. The bill is only one vote away from being sent to the governor, he noted.&nbsp;“The reason we aren’t going to that motion,” he said, “is because some powerful special interests in this building are also hoping to try to add sports betting to the personal property tax bill, or maneuver another bill that may include a sports betting provision prior to moving a personal property tax cut.”As Eigel continued his filibuster, a litany of bills hung in the balance, running from changes to the initiative petition process to a ban on foreign ownership of farm land to tax credits to improve access to child care.&nbsp;Prior to Eigel seizing control of the Senate floor, the chamber had returned to normal functions&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/05/10/gridlock-plagues-missouri-senate-once-again-with-just-days-to-go-before-adjournment/">after three days of gridlock</a>, as GOP lawmakers blocked or slowed progress.&nbsp;It started Monday, when Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, blocked all action in retribution for the Senate approving a postpartum Medicaid bill days earlier while he was absent dealing with a family illness.&nbsp;He returned Tuesday and once again slowed down proceedings. He was assisted on Wednesday by other senators who made up the now-defunct conservative caucus, each of whom had a list of bills they wanted approved in order to allow the chamber to function normally.When the Senate returned Thursday morning, it began passing bills and sending them to the governor, including one banning texting while driving and another requiring fingerprint background checks for cannabis industry employees.&nbsp;After several hours, Eigel began his filibuster, claiming that no other legislation should pass if the Senate wasn’t going to focus on bills “that are actually important to this state.”He said there is no deal on sports wagering, and holding up other bills like his property tax cut in the hopes of finding a compromise is pointless.&nbsp;“There is no deal on sports betting,” he said. “It’s not going to happen no matter what we do on personal property tax in the next 24 hours.”If no sports wagering bill is passed this year, it would be the fifth year lawmakers have failed to act since the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018 struck down federal laws banning sports betting nationally. Sports wagering has since been legalized in every state adjoining Missouri except Oklahoma.&nbsp;Casino companies and professional sports teams are eager for the revenue from sports wagering, and last year agreed on a proposal that slices up the market to their liking. It set the tax rate at 10%, allowed a deduction from gross revenue for promotional costs and allowed players to bet from any location on a smart device.But that bill – any other bill authorizing sports wagering – has faced stiff opposition in the Senate.&nbsp;The main obstacle is Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican who has insisted on also legalizing a new form of lottery game for people to play in bars, truck stops and fraternal halls.&nbsp;The machines in question operate similarly to what you’d find in a casino. Players insert money, select a game and decide how much they wish to wager. Winners get paid by the store cashier.The Missouri Gaming Commission has deemed the machines gambling devices, which are prohibited outside of licensed casinos, and the state highway patrol considers them illegal.The companies that own the machines disagree, saying they reveal the outcome of the wager before the player moves forward. Thus, the company argues, they are not a game of chance and therefore not illegal.Hoskins has argued that revenue is far greater from legalizing video lottery machines, potentially, than the taxes from sports wagering and therefore the two should be done together. He also believes legalizing them will result in more regulation and consumer protections.&nbsp;Sports wagering legislation has been attached to several of Hoskins’ bills over the last week, though he’s shown few signs of relenting from his opposition.&nbsp;“What would you choose: personal property tax cuts or sportsbook?” Hoskins&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/DLHoskins/status/1656794840472879107">tweeted as Eigel spoke in the Senate</a>. “I choose tax cuts.”The Independent’s Annelise Hanshaw contributed to this story.&nbsp;

Sports wagering impasse upends the Missouri Senate

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — McDonald’s and a franchise holder are at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget from a Happy Meal fell on a little girl's leg and caused second-degree burns, a jury in South Florida has found.

A second jury will determine how much McDonald's USA and its franchise owner, Upchurch Foods, will pay the child and her mother, the South Florida SunSentinel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/05/11/mcdonalds-found-liable-for-broward-girls-burns-from-chicken-nuggets-next-up-jury-to-determine-how-much-company-will-pay/">reported</a>.

Thursday's decision was split, with jurors finding the franchise holder liable for negligence and failure to warn customers about the risk of hot food, and McDonald’s USA liable for failing to provide instructions for safe handling of the food. McDonald's USA was not found to be negligent, and the jury dismissed the argument that the product was defective.

“This was an unfortunate incident, but we respectfully disagree with the verdict,” McDonald’s USA said in a statement. “Our customers should continue to rely on McDonald’s to follow policies and procedures for serving Chicken McNuggets safely.”

The jury heard two days of testimony and arguments about the 2019 episode that left the 4-year-old girl with a burned upper thigh before finding McDonald's to blame.

Philana Holmes testified that she bought Happy Meals for her son and daughter at a drive-thru window at a McDonald's in Tamarac, near Fort Lauderdale, the SunSentinel reported. She said she handed the food to her children, who were in the back seat.

After she drove away, her daughter started screaming. The mother testified she didn't know what was wrong until she pulled over to help the girl, identified in court as Olivia, the newspaper reported. She saw the burn on the girl's leg and took photos on her iPhone, which included audio clips of the child's screams.

The sound of the girl's screams were played in court.

The child, who is autistic, did not testify, the newspaper reported.

Lawyers for McDonald’s noted that the food had to be hot to avoid salmonella poisoning, and that the nuggets were not meant to be pressed between a seat belt and human flesh for more than two minutes.

The girl's parents sued, saying that McDonald's and the franchise owner failed to adequately train employees, failed to warn customers about the “dangerous” temperature of the food, and for cooking the food to a much higher temperature than necessary.

While both sides agreed the nugget caused the burns, the family's lawyers argued the temperature was above 200 degrees (93 Celsius), while the defense said it was no more than 160 degrees (71 Celsius).

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — McDonald’s and a franchise holder are at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget from a Happy Meal fell on a little girl's leg and caused second-degree burns, a jury in South Florida has found.A second jury will determine how much McDonald's USA and its franchise owner, Upchurch Foods, will pay the child and her mother, the South Florida SunSentinel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2023/05/11/mcdonalds-found-liable-for-broward-girls-burns-from-chicken-nuggets-next-up-jury-to-determine-how-much-company-will-pay/">reported</a>.Thursday's decision was split, with jurors finding the franchise holder liable for negligence and failure to warn customers about the risk of hot food, and McDonald’s USA liable for failing to provide instructions for safe handling of the food. McDonald's USA was not found to be negligent, and the jury dismissed the argument that the product was defective.“This was an unfortunate incident, but we respectfully disagree with the verdict,” McDonald’s USA said in a statement. “Our customers should continue to rely on McDonald’s to follow policies and procedures for serving Chicken McNuggets safely.”The jury heard two days of testimony and arguments about the 2019 episode that left the 4-year-old girl with a burned upper thigh before finding McDonald's to blame.Philana Holmes testified that she bought Happy Meals for her son and daughter at a drive-thru window at a McDonald's in Tamarac, near Fort Lauderdale, the SunSentinel reported. She said she handed the food to her children, who were in the back seat.After she drove away, her daughter started screaming. The mother testified she didn't know what was wrong until she pulled over to help the girl, identified in court as Olivia, the newspaper reported. She saw the burn on the girl's leg and took photos on her iPhone, which included audio clips of the child's screams.The sound of the girl's screams were played in court.The child, who is autistic, did not testify, the newspaper reported.Lawyers for McDonald’s noted that the food had to be hot to avoid salmonella poisoning, and that the nuggets were not meant to be pressed between a seat belt and human flesh for more than two minutes.The girl's parents sued, saying that McDonald's and the franchise owner failed to adequately train employees, failed to warn customers about the “dangerous” temperature of the food, and for cooking the food to a much higher temperature than necessary.While both sides agreed the nugget caused the burns, the family's lawyers argued the temperature was above 200 degrees (93 Celsius), while the defense said it was no more than 160 degrees (71 Celsius).

Jury: McDonald's  liable for hot Chicken McNugget that burned girl

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The family of a man killed by police officers in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit Thursday, accusing the officers of shooting the man without justification.

The lawsuit on behalf of Tyrea Pryor's relatives names two officers and the city of Independence. It seeks at least $25 million in damages.

In March 2022, police were called to a disturbance and began following a car that left the scene. The car crashed a short time later. Pryor, 39, and a woman were in the car.

Police found a rifle in the vehicle but the lawsuit said Pryor was not brandishing it. Video footage released by the family's attorneys showed that officers also believed Pryor had a pistol. No pistol was found.

“Tyrea was shot approximately 15 times while he was unarmed, defenseless and trapped in a wrecked vehicle,” it states.

Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker announced in March that the officers would not be charged, citing the “reasonable belief” that they faced a threat.

Phone and email messages left Thursday with a spokeswoman for the city of Independence were not immediately returned.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683833682961.png" alt="Thursday news conference announcing the lawsuit- photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Thursday news conference announcing the lawsuit- photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The family of a man killed by police officers in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit Thursday, accusing the officers of shooting the man without justification.The lawsuit on behalf of Tyrea Pryor's relatives names two officers and the city of Independence. It seeks at least $25 million in damages.In March 2022, police were called to a disturbance and began following a car that left the scene. The car crashed a short time later. Pryor, 39, and a woman were in the car.Police found a rifle in the vehicle but the lawsuit said Pryor was not brandishing it. Video footage released by the family's attorneys showed that officers also believed Pryor had a pistol. No pistol was found.“Tyrea was shot approximately 15 times while he was unarmed, defenseless and trapped in a wrecked vehicle,” it states.Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Jean Peters Baker announced in March that the officers would not be charged, citing the “reasonable belief” that they faced a threat.Phone and email messages left Thursday with a spokeswoman for the city of Independence were not immediately returned.

Federal lawsuit filed over deadly KC-area police shooting 

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican legislators on the State Finance Council pushing Thursday to settle a lawsuit filed by owner of a Wichita fitness gym temporarily closed in early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic were thwarted by Gov. Laura Kelly’s opposition to the deal.

Attorney General Kris Kobach’s staff recommended the State Finance Council, which includes the governor as well as GOP and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, endorse a financial solution to the case brought by Omega Bootcamps and owner Ryan Floyd.

Floyd filed a Sedgwick County District Court lawsuit in December 2020 demanding compensation for directives compelling certain businesses close to avoid spread of the virus. In 2021, the state filed a motion for dismissal of the lawsuit.

The six Republicans on the State Finance Council voted to pay Floyd several thousand dollars to avoid a trial, but the two Democrats and Kelly voted against the arrangement. Despite a majority in favor of the arrangement, the governor relied on her unilateral authority to kill the deal.

The vote occurred after the State Finance Council conducted a closed-door executive session to hear from attorneys who have working on the case.

“Governor, I’ve got a question,” said Sen. Rick Billinger, a Goodland Republican and chairman of the Senate budget committee. “So, we had this meeting here today and you voted no. I don’t understand that.”

“It’s very clear,” Kelly replied. “I voted no.”

Kelly issued an emergency declaration in March 2020 at outset of the pandemic that shut down some Kansas businesses for about five weeks. In the lawsuit, Floyd attorney Ryan Kriegshauser argued the state government took over private property for benefit of the general public and owners of those businesses ought to be compensated.

Before the executive session, House Minority Leader Vic Miller of Topeka attempted to engage peers on the council in a discussion of the Floyd case. Miller said he wasn’t interested in violating attorney-client privilege, but felt it appropriate to share with the public broad strokes of the issue at hand.

“I see no harm in a briefing, if you will, for the public’s benefit,” Miller said. “I think matters of public record could be discussed.”

Instead, the State Finance Council voted to proceed with an executive session and a vote on the settlement offer without publicly discussing the case.

The precise settlement amount proposed by Kobach for consideration by the State Finance Council wasn’t shared with the public at the meeting

In the past, the Kansas Department of Administration released documents revealing monetary terms of settlements approved by State Finance Council members. It’s not clear whether the agency would disclose the same documents due to rejection of the deal.

More than 10,000 Kansans have died of COVID-19 since March 2020, while more than 1.1 million in the United States perished from the virus.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/P2022948-1024x576.jpg" alt="Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly used her unilateral authority to block approval by Republican legislators settlement of a COVID-19 lawsuit filed by a Wichita business. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly used her unilateral authority to block approval by Republican legislators settlement of a COVID-19 lawsuit filed by a Wichita business. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican legislators on the State Finance Council pushing Thursday to settle a lawsuit filed by owner of a Wichita fitness gym temporarily closed in early weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic were thwarted by Gov. Laura Kelly’s opposition to the deal.Attorney General Kris Kobach’s staff recommended the State Finance Council, which includes the governor as well as GOP and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate, endorse a financial solution to the case brought by Omega Bootcamps and owner Ryan Floyd.Floyd filed a Sedgwick County District Court lawsuit in December 2020 demanding compensation for directives compelling certain businesses close to avoid spread of the virus. In 2021, the state filed a motion for dismissal of the lawsuit.The six Republicans on the State Finance Council voted to pay Floyd several thousand dollars to avoid a trial, but the two Democrats and Kelly voted against the arrangement. Despite a majority in favor of the arrangement, the governor relied on her unilateral authority to kill the deal.The vote occurred after the State Finance Council conducted a closed-door executive session to hear from attorneys who have working on the case.“Governor, I’ve got a question,” said Sen. Rick Billinger, a Goodland Republican and chairman of the Senate budget committee. “So, we had this meeting here today and you voted no. I don’t understand that.”“It’s very clear,” Kelly replied. “I voted no.”Kelly issued an emergency declaration in March 2020 at outset of the pandemic that shut down some Kansas businesses for about five weeks. In the lawsuit, Floyd attorney Ryan Kriegshauser argued the state government took over private property for benefit of the general public and owners of those businesses ought to be compensated.Before the executive session, House Minority Leader Vic Miller of Topeka attempted to engage peers on the council in a discussion of the Floyd case. Miller said he wasn’t interested in violating attorney-client privilege, but felt it appropriate to share with the public broad strokes of the issue at hand.“I see no harm in a briefing, if you will, for the public’s benefit,” Miller said. “I think matters of public record could be discussed.”Instead, the State Finance Council voted to proceed with an executive session and a vote on the settlement offer without publicly discussing the case.The precise settlement amount proposed by Kobach for consideration by the State Finance Council wasn’t shared with the public at the meetingIn the past, the Kansas Department of Administration released documents revealing monetary terms of settlements approved by State Finance Council members. It’s not clear whether the agency would disclose the same documents due to rejection of the deal.More than 10,000 Kansans have died of COVID-19 since March 2020, while more than 1.1 million in the United States perished from the virus.

Governor scuttles deal on COVID-19 lawsuit filed by Wichita business

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in Missouri's largest city approved a resolution Thursday to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults</a>.

Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas praised the 12 to 1 vote, saying the city is committed to being a “welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community.”

Kansas City’s new, sanctuary status sets it apart as a Democratic-leaning city in a state with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature. Similar actions have been taken in cities that oppose state actions to restrict rights for transgender people, as in Austin, Texas.

GOP Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign into law the ban on gender-affirming care, joining at least 16 other states that have enacted similar laws restricting or banning such care for minors.

The resolution also comes as a judge considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">a proposed emergency rule</a>&nbsp;from Republican state Attorney General Andrew Bailey that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy — and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatment.

A committee signed off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sanctuary-city-lgbtq-kansas-city-resolution-bccdd5c33818bf9c1270ef2af63e393e">Wednesday</a>&nbsp;on the resolution, which says the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery.

It also says that if the state passes a law or resolution that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, personnel in Missouri's largest city will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”

Republican state lawmakers across the U.S. who've attacked gender-affirming care as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">a larger effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;have argued that they're protecting children from decisions they may later regret. But gender-affirming care for minors has been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-transition-treatment-guidelines-9dbe54f670a3a0f5f2831c2bf14f9bbb">endorsed by major medical associations.</a>

“This is an important first step in Kansas City’s commitment to trans and nonbinary people,” Merrique Jenson, founder of Transformations KC, said in a written statement after the vote. “I look forward to trans leaders and Kansas City working together to address the health disparities in our communities and ways we can have sustainable funding &amp; programming reaching all trans people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683837347410.png" alt="Photo courtesy Justice Horn, Chair of the Kansas City LGBTQ Commission&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Justice Horn, Chair of the Kansas City LGBTQ Commission&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials in Missouri's largest city approved a resolution Thursday to declare it a sanctuary for people seeking or providing gender-affirming care, defying state lawmakers who voted a day earlier to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-nonbinary-hormone-puberty-missouri-lawmakers-5a8922430ffab9e43cf9b7ce254bff9f">ban such care for minors and restrict it for some adults</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kansas City will always be a city that fights for what’s right. ⛲️ <a href="https://t.co/7FoAkmpSqF">pic.twitter.com/7FoAkmpSqF</a>&mdash; Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JusticeHorn_/status/1656787250917806080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Democratic Mayor Quinton Lucas praised the 12 to 1 vote, saying the city is committed to being a “welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">HISTORY: In a move to defy the state, the Kansas City Council just pass a resolution making Kansas City a sanctuary city for gender-affirming healthcare! In an 11-1 vote, Kansas City sent a strong single of which side we’re on in the fight for human rights. <a href="https://t.co/gZE6r8DdAx">pic.twitter.com/gZE6r8DdAx</a>&mdash; Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JusticeHorn_/status/1656768144885821445?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kansas City’s new, sanctuary status sets it apart as a Democratic-leaning city in a state with a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature. Similar actions have been taken in cities that oppose state actions to restrict rights for transgender people, as in Austin, Texas.GOP Gov. Mike Parson is expected to sign into law the ban on gender-affirming care, joining at least 16 other states that have enacted similar laws restricting or banning such care for minors.The resolution also comes as a judge considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">a proposed emergency rule</a>&nbsp;from Republican state Attorney General Andrew Bailey that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy — and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatment.A committee signed off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sanctuary-city-lgbtq-kansas-city-resolution-bccdd5c33818bf9c1270ef2af63e393e">Wednesday</a>&nbsp;on the resolution, which says the city will not prosecute or fine any person or organization that seeks, provides, receives or helps someone to receive gender-affirming care such as as puberty blockers, hormones or surgery.It also says that if the state passes a law or resolution that imposes criminal or civil punishments, fines, or professional sanctions in such cases, personnel in Missouri's largest city will make enforcing those requirements “their lowest priority.”Republican state lawmakers across the U.S. who've attacked gender-affirming care as part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">a larger effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;have argued that they're protecting children from decisions they may later regret. But gender-affirming care for minors has been available in the U.S. for more than a decade and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gender-transition-treatment-guidelines-9dbe54f670a3a0f5f2831c2bf14f9bbb">endorsed by major medical associations.</a>“This is an important first step in Kansas City’s commitment to trans and nonbinary people,” Merrique Jenson, founder of Transformations KC, said in a written statement after the vote. “I look forward to trans leaders and Kansas City working together to address the health disparities in our communities and ways we can have sustainable funding &amp; programming reaching all trans people.”

Kansas City declares itself a LGBTQ+ sanctuary city

By Danielle Prokop <a href="https://sourcenm.com/2023/05/11/waiting-on-the-day-before-title-42-ends/">Source NM</a>&nbsp;an affiliate of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/17/state-ag-officials-push-for-on-time-farm-bill-to-fund-slew-of-programs/">States Newsroom</a>

EL PASO — Under the shadow of Gate 42, Elizabeth Ramirez repeated “I didn’t want it to be like this,” as she crossed over the Rio Grande, low and sluggish over algae.

She was one of a group of two dozen people surrendering to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol on Wednesday. The people crossing would say where they were from – Colombia, Peru, Venezuela – children waved, people threw thumbs up or made hearts with their hands to the cameras and members of the media.

Ramirez walked nearly last, crying. She said that coming to the U.S. was a shared dream, between herself and her 13-year old daughter. She told reporters that her daughter was killed in Hermosillo, Sonora, where Ramirez was from.

“I’m holding her right here,” she said, carrying her daughter’s ashes in a bag to the bus waiting below the embankment.

Ramirez is one of the thousands of people to surrender to the border patrol in recent days, as a massive shift in immigration policy looms on the U.S. Southern border.

Title 42, a policy enacted in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, ends midnight Eastern time on May 11, expiring with the federal emergency order. It refers to a section in a 1994 public health law that allows curbing migration in the name of public health. Initially ordered under the Trump administration, it continued under President Biden.

The policy allowed authorities to immediately expel people seeking asylum at the border into Mexico, or to their country of origin, billing it as a way to limit the spread of the coronavirus. National medical experts joined with human rights groups to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://phr.org/news/title-42-has-no-basis-in-public-health-amicus-asylum-seekers/">object</a>&nbsp;to the policy, saying it has no basis in public health.

Over three years, authorities expelled people more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters">2.8 million times</a>. Unaccompanied children were exempt from the rule.

After the policy expires, the U.S. returns to federal immigration code Title 8, which restarts the legal processes to remove or deport people from the United States for entering the country illegally. Seeking asylum, like what Ramirez others are attempting, in the United States is a legal method of entering the country.

Customs and Border Patrol Agent Fidel Baca called the return to Title 8 a return to normalcy.

“We’ll be seeing an implementation of consequences for entering illegally,” he said. The consequences can be steep including a five-year ban on reentry and the possibility for prosecution for repeated attempts.

CBP agents at Gate 42 estimated that between 1,500 to 2,000 people were expected to enter Wednesday. More than 300 people were waiting to turn themselves into border patrol agents at 6:30 a.m.

Thousands of people have been sleeping on the streets of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez in recent weeks. In that time, people have been making the crossing. Tensions are high between migrants and authorities after a detention center fire in Juárez caused the deaths of 40 people&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2023/04/12/juarez-fire-migrants-lost-keys-mexico-immigration-venezuela-honduras/70082344007/">left behind locked</a>&nbsp;doors by guards.

Area shelters have been serving higher numbers of people since August 2022, organizers said, and that they’re focused on maintaining day-to-day operations

“We are just trying to keep our shelter open and care for people,” Father Rafael Garcia told&nbsp;Source NM&nbsp;in a sidewalk interview before the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

The city announced a plan last week to open&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2023/04/12/juarez-fire-migrants-lost-keys-mexico-immigration-venezuela-honduras/70082344007/">temporary shelters</a>&nbsp;at vacant schools. Three Texas border cities – El Paso, along with Brownsville and Laredo&nbsp; – declared a state of emergency in the lead up to Title 42’s expiration.

Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said local groups and officials made policy changes around people entering the country after hundreds of people were essentially stranded in towns near the border.

In 2019, the Department of Homeland Security dropped off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2019/04/18/more-than-1-000-migrants-have-now-been-dropped-off-las-cruces/3513372002/">more than 1,000 people</a>&nbsp;and the city was partially involved in sheltering them. Now that responsibility lies with local nonprofits, he said such as El Calavario United Methodist Church or Border Servant Corps.

“For the most part, they have replaced the city and the county in taking care of migrants,” Miyagishima said.

A lot has changed in intervening years, said El Calavario Pastor George Miller in a phone interview, saying that people from all over the world, not just Central and South America, need accommodations.

He said the nonprofit now receives some reimbursement for shelter and food from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and appliances from parent organization Church World Services, rather than purely through donations.

El Calavario&nbsp; allows people to stay overnight and for two days, offers food, clothing and arrangements for transportation to meet with family or other sponsors. Staff includes legal advisor and a social worker.

The capacity for the shelter is 50 to 60 people a day, five days a week. While the numbers fluctuate, the past week immigration authorities brought five busloads, totaling about 250 people.

“Everybody is anticipating that we are going to probably be at full capacity for over the next month or two,” Miller said.

Border Servant Corps did not respond to requests for comment.

Local nonprofits are not driving the emergency plan, said Stephen Lopez, the emergency manager for Doña Ana and Las Cruces.

Since he said the shelters in Las Cruces are voluntarily receiving people, and El Paso has more capacity, there’s no need to enact emergency measures, which could include building a temporary shelter at the Doña Ana fairgrounds.

“Right now, there are no indicators that the capacity for processing in El Paso will be overwhelmed,” Lopez said.

Lopez said he is in contact sometimes daily or weekly with emergency officials in El Paso, and federal agencies.

El Paso officials at the Office of Emergency Management did not respond to requests for comment.

The federal government made assurances in recent meetings that people were not just going to be dropped off in area cities, such as Deming or Las Cruces, said Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart.

Stewart echoed the sentiment that El Paso nonprofits are expected to provide the services to people crossing the border.

“We believe the NGO setup in El Paso will handle this quite well,” Stewart said.

This story was produced by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sourcenm.com/2023/05/11/waiting-on-the-day-before-title-42-ends/">Source NM</a>, an affiliate of States Newsroom.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_Gate42-8819-1024x683.jpg" alt="- A woman cries as she is allowed through Gate 42 after days of waiting on the south side of the border wall to be accepted for processing. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>- A woman cries as she is allowed through Gate 42 after days of waiting on the south side of the border wall to be accepted for processing. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Danielle Prokop <a href="https://sourcenm.com/2023/05/11/waiting-on-the-day-before-title-42-ends/">Source NM</a>&nbsp;an affiliate of&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/17/state-ag-officials-push-for-on-time-farm-bill-to-fund-slew-of-programs/">States Newsroom</a>EL PASO — Under the shadow of Gate 42, Elizabeth Ramirez repeated “I didn’t want it to be like this,” as she crossed over the Rio Grande, low and sluggish over algae.She was one of a group of two dozen people surrendering to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol on Wednesday. The people crossing would say where they were from – Colombia, Peru, Venezuela – children waved, people threw thumbs up or made hearts with their hands to the cameras and members of the media.Ramirez walked nearly last, crying. She said that coming to the U.S. was a shared dream, between herself and her 13-year old daughter. She told reporters that her daughter was killed in Hermosillo, Sonora, where Ramirez was from.“I’m holding her right here,” she said, carrying her daughter’s ashes in a bag to the bus waiting below the embankment.Ramirez is one of the thousands of people to surrender to the border patrol in recent days, as a massive shift in immigration policy looms on the U.S. Southern border.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_Gate42-8889-scaled.jpg" alt="-Elizabeth Ramirez weeps as she tells how her 13-year-old daughter was murdered in their home state of Sonora, Mexico. Ramirez carried the ashes of her daughter into the United States on Wednesday. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>-Elizabeth Ramirez weeps as she tells how her 13-year-old daughter was murdered in their home state of Sonora, Mexico. Ramirez carried the ashes of her daughter into the United States on Wednesday. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>Title 42, a policy enacted in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, ends midnight Eastern time on May 11, expiring with the federal emergency order. It refers to a section in a 1994 public health law that allows curbing migration in the name of public health. Initially ordered under the Trump administration, it continued under President Biden.The policy allowed authorities to immediately expel people seeking asylum at the border into Mexico, or to their country of origin, billing it as a way to limit the spread of the coronavirus. National medical experts joined with human rights groups to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://phr.org/news/title-42-has-no-basis-in-public-health-amicus-asylum-seekers/">object</a>&nbsp;to the policy, saying it has no basis in public health.Over three years, authorities expelled people more than&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/nationwide-encounters">2.8 million times</a>. Unaccompanied children were exempt from the rule.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_Gate42-8763-scaled.jpg" alt="-A Texas National Guardsman observes as Border Patrol agents pat down migrants who have surrendered themselves for processing at Gate 42, some after waiting near the wall for days, May 10, 2023. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>-A Texas National Guardsman observes as Border Patrol agents pat down migrants who have surrendered themselves for processing at Gate 42, some after waiting near the wall for days, May 10, 2023. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>After the policy expires, the U.S. returns to federal immigration code Title 8, which restarts the legal processes to remove or deport people from the United States for entering the country illegally. Seeking asylum, like what Ramirez others are attempting, in the United States is a legal method of entering the country.Customs and Border Patrol Agent Fidel Baca called the return to Title 8 a return to normalcy.“We’ll be seeing an implementation of consequences for entering illegally,” he said. The consequences can be steep including a five-year ban on reentry and the possibility for prosecution for repeated attempts.CBP agents at Gate 42 estimated that between 1,500 to 2,000 people were expected to enter Wednesday. More than 300 people were waiting to turn themselves into border patrol agents at 6:30 a.m.Thousands of people have been sleeping on the streets of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez in recent weeks. In that time, people have been making the crossing. Tensions are high between migrants and authorities after a detention center fire in Juárez caused the deaths of 40 people&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2023/04/12/juarez-fire-migrants-lost-keys-mexico-immigration-venezuela-honduras/70082344007/">left behind locked</a>&nbsp;doors by guards.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_MigrantsElPaso-8923-scaled.jpg" alt="-David, left, and Anthony, both migrants from Venezuela, show the papers that contain their respective court dates after being released from Border Patrol custody. Their next challenge is finding the money to travel on to their destinations in Denver and New York. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>-David, left, and Anthony, both migrants from Venezuela, show the papers that contain their respective court dates after being released from Border Patrol custody. Their next challenge is finding the money to travel on to their destinations in Denver and New York. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>Area shelters have been serving higher numbers of people since August 2022, organizers said, and that they’re focused on maintaining day-to-day operations“We are just trying to keep our shelter open and care for people,” Father Rafael Garcia told&nbsp;Source NM&nbsp;in a sidewalk interview before the Sacred Heart Catholic Church.The city announced a plan last week to open&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.elpasotimes.com/story/news/2023/04/12/juarez-fire-migrants-lost-keys-mexico-immigration-venezuela-honduras/70082344007/">temporary shelters</a>&nbsp;at vacant schools. Three Texas border cities – El Paso, along with Brownsville and Laredo&nbsp; – declared a state of emergency in the lead up to Title 42’s expiration.<h2>Lessons from 2019</h2>Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima said local groups and officials made policy changes around people entering the country after hundreds of people were essentially stranded in towns near the border.In 2019, the Department of Homeland Security dropped off&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2019/04/18/more-than-1-000-migrants-have-now-been-dropped-off-las-cruces/3513372002/">more than 1,000 people</a>&nbsp;and the city was partially involved in sheltering them. Now that responsibility lies with local nonprofits, he said such as El Calavario United Methodist Church or Border Servant Corps.“For the most part, they have replaced the city and the county in taking care of migrants,” Miyagishima said.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_Gate42-0232-scaled.jpg" alt="-Border Patrol agents escort a group of men through Gate 42 for processing, May 10, 2023. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>-Border Patrol agents escort a group of men through Gate 42 for processing, May 10, 2023. (Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>A lot has changed in intervening years, said El Calavario Pastor George Miller in a phone interview, saying that people from all over the world, not just Central and South America, need accommodations.He said the nonprofit now receives some reimbursement for shelter and food from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and appliances from parent organization Church World Services, rather than purely through donations.El Calavario&nbsp; allows people to stay overnight and for two days, offers food, clothing and arrangements for transportation to meet with family or other sponsors. Staff includes legal advisor and a social worker.The capacity for the shelter is 50 to 60 people a day, five days a week. While the numbers fluctuate, the past week immigration authorities brought five busloads, totaling about 250 people.“Everybody is anticipating that we are going to probably be at full capacity for over the next month or two,” Miller said.Border Servant Corps did not respond to requests for comment.Local nonprofits are not driving the emergency plan, said Stephen Lopez, the emergency manager for Doña Ana and Las Cruces.Since he said the shelters in Las Cruces are voluntarily receiving people, and El Paso has more capacity, there’s no need to enact emergency measures, which could include building a temporary shelter at the Doña Ana fairgrounds.“Right now, there are no indicators that the capacity for processing in El Paso will be overwhelmed,” Lopez said.Lopez said he is in contact sometimes daily or weekly with emergency officials in El Paso, and federal agencies.<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/CB_MigrantsElPaso-06-scaled.jpg" alt="Dianyelys Navarro, 19, holds her French bulldog, Maggie, in a shelter for migrants near downtown El Paso on May 10. Navarro, who is from Venezuela, brought Maggie all the way to the U.S.-Mexico border from South America and is now waiting for her brother to be processed by Border Patrol. (Photo by Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)" />
 <figcaption>Dianyelys Navarro, 19, holds her French bulldog, Maggie, in a shelter for migrants near downtown El Paso on May 10. Navarro, who is from Venezuela, brought Maggie all the way to the U.S.-Mexico border from South America and is now waiting for her brother to be processed by Border Patrol. (Photo by Corrie Boudreaux for Source NM)</figcaption>
 </figure>El Paso officials at the Office of Emergency Management did not respond to requests for comment.The federal government made assurances in recent meetings that people were not just going to be dropped off in area cities, such as Deming or Las Cruces, said Doña Ana County Sheriff Kim Stewart.Stewart echoed the sentiment that El Paso nonprofits are expected to provide the services to people crossing the border.“We believe the NGO setup in El Paso will handle this quite well,” Stewart said.This story was produced by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sourcenm.com/2023/05/11/waiting-on-the-day-before-title-42-ends/">Source NM</a>, an affiliate of States Newsroom.

Thousands surrender to Border Patrol as Title 42 ends

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Thursday during a police chase.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the Montgomery County Sheriff's office was in pursuit of a 2010 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Kyle J. Barnes, 29, Truxton, southbound on MO 19 at Industrial Park drive.

The motorcycle struck a 2010 Dodge Ram driven by a 16-year-old boy from High Hill who was attempting a left turn.

Barnes was ejected from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Schlanker Funeral Home in Montgomery City. The teen driver was not injured. Barnes was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The agency did not report what prompted the chase.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 4p.m. Thursday during a police chase.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the Montgomery County Sheriff's office was in pursuit of a 2010 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Kyle J. Barnes, 29, Truxton, southbound on MO 19 at Industrial Park drive.The motorcycle struck a 2010 Dodge Ram driven by a 16-year-old boy from High Hill who was attempting a left turn.Barnes was ejected from the motorcycle and pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Schlanker Funeral Home in Montgomery City. The teen driver was not injured. Barnes was wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP. The agency did not report what prompted the chase.

Missouri man dies after motorcycle crash during police chase

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a Kansas home have identified the man who died as 56-year-old Alonzo E. Mosley of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of North 56th Terrace, according to a media release. Officers found Mosley inside the home. He had been struck by gunfire. First responders attempted life saving measures but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police released no suspect information and have not reported an arrest.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a Kansas home have identified the man who died as 56-year-old Alonzo E. Mosley of Kansas City, Kansas.Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2200 Block of North 56th Terrace, according to a media release. Officers found Mosley inside the home. He had been struck by gunfire. First responders attempted life saving measures but he was pronounced dead at the scene.Police released no suspect information and have not reported an arrest.

Police ID man who died in shooting at Kansas home

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas lawmaker who was convicted of 12 felonies for lying on applications for federal COVID-19 relief was sentenced Thursday to two years and three months in prison, according to online court records.

An attorney for former Republican state Rep. Michael Capps argued for probation in court documents, citing Capps’ Air Force service in a combat zone. But prosecutors asked for a sentence of four years and three months in prison, arguing in court documents that he “continues to show neither remorse nor contrition" over stealing nearly $500,000 in funds meant to help businesses remain afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to the prison time, U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced Capps to two years of supervised release, and he ordered him to pay more than a half-million dollars in restitution and the forfeiture of illegal proceeds, The Wichita Eagle reported.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-fraud-fc1c773c3abcc88eac1fe4a6f2f410aa">A jury convicted</a>&nbsp;the 45-year-old former lawmaker in December of four counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, three counts of making false statements on loan applications and one count of bank fraud. The jury acquitted him of six charges, and another charge was dismissed before his trial.

Capps served a single term in the Kansas House in 2019-20 and lost his 2020 Republican primary race.

Prosecutors said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-small-business-kansas-wichita-fded927c30985c9c0b8c8a586d66423a">Capps filed forms inflating</a>&nbsp;the number of employees he had at two businesses and a sports foundation, then applied for loans to pay the nonexistent employees.

In a court filing ahead of Thursday's hearing, Capps' attorney Kurt Kerns described Capps as a “single father and disabled American veteran who has no criminal history” and called for a sentence of five years of probation.

Capps served in the Air Force in Afghanistan and Pakistan for nearly seven months in 2001-02 under “harsh and dangerous combat conditions” and received multiple decorations, the defense filing said. Capps was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2018, the filing said, and the condition makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior.

The defense filing also said Capps suffers from medical problems such as high blood pressure and would be “at a higher risk of death or serious illness” if he contracts COVID-19, which is more likely in prison.

But Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon argued in the prosecutors' sentencing memo that Capps had engaged in “goal-oriented deceit," using fake payroll numbers, employment data and revenue figures in filling out loan applications.

“This Court should reject the defendant's continued efforts to avoid responsibility, which signal his likelihood to persist in similar conduct in the future,” Gordon wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1581011016098.png" alt="Rep. Michael Capps" />
 <figcaption>Rep. Michael Capps</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas lawmaker who was convicted of 12 felonies for lying on applications for federal COVID-19 relief was sentenced Thursday to two years and three months in prison, according to online court records.An attorney for former Republican state Rep. Michael Capps argued for probation in court documents, citing Capps’ Air Force service in a combat zone. But prosecutors asked for a sentence of four years and three months in prison, arguing in court documents that he “continues to show neither remorse nor contrition" over stealing nearly $500,000 in funds meant to help businesses remain afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.In addition to the prison time, U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren sentenced Capps to two years of supervised release, and he ordered him to pay more than a half-million dollars in restitution and the forfeiture of illegal proceeds, The Wichita Eagle reported.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-wichita-fraud-fc1c773c3abcc88eac1fe4a6f2f410aa">A jury convicted</a>&nbsp;the 45-year-old former lawmaker in December of four counts of wire fraud, four counts of money laundering, three counts of making false statements on loan applications and one count of bank fraud. The jury acquitted him of six charges, and another charge was dismissed before his trial.Capps served a single term in the Kansas House in 2019-20 and lost his 2020 Republican primary race.Prosecutors said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-small-business-kansas-wichita-fded927c30985c9c0b8c8a586d66423a">Capps filed forms inflating</a>&nbsp;the number of employees he had at two businesses and a sports foundation, then applied for loans to pay the nonexistent employees.In a court filing ahead of Thursday's hearing, Capps' attorney Kurt Kerns described Capps as a “single father and disabled American veteran who has no criminal history” and called for a sentence of five years of probation.Capps served in the Air Force in Afghanistan and Pakistan for nearly seven months in 2001-02 under “harsh and dangerous combat conditions” and received multiple decorations, the defense filing said. Capps was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2018, the filing said, and the condition makes people more likely to engage in risky behavior.The defense filing also said Capps suffers from medical problems such as high blood pressure and would be “at a higher risk of death or serious illness” if he contracts COVID-19, which is more likely in prison.But Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly Gordon argued in the prosecutors' sentencing memo that Capps had engaged in “goal-oriented deceit," using fake payroll numbers, employment data and revenue figures in filling out loan applications.“This Court should reject the defendant's continued efforts to avoid responsibility, which signal his likelihood to persist in similar conduct in the future,” Gordon wrote.

Ex-Kan. legislator going to prison for COVID relief fraud 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest with the help of citizens near the scene.

Just 7:00 pm. on Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the area of Rutan and Sunnybrook in Wichita, according to Officer&nbsp;Kristopher Gupilan.

First responders located 31-year-old Chance Martin who had suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body. Officers began life saving measures. Martin was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased, according to Gupilan.

The investigation revealed that 24-year-old Angel Lara and another individual had an altercation with Martin which led to Lara brandishing a gun and shooting Martin. Witnesses on scene provided information on Lara’s vehicle.&nbsp; The information and the&nbsp;FLOCK system, allowed police to locate Lara's vehicle in the 900 block of W. 47th Street South in Wichita.

Officers took him into custody without incident. He is being held on a requested charge of 2nd degree murder.

This investigation would not have been solved so quickly without the help of the vigilant citizens on scene, according to Gupilan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683821359235.png" alt="This blurry booking photo is the only one available early Thursday from Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>This blurry booking photo is the only one available early Thursday from Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest with the help of citizens near the scene.Just 7:00 pm. on Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the area of Rutan and Sunnybrook in Wichita, according to Officer&nbsp;Kristopher Gupilan.First responders located 31-year-old Chance Martin who had suffered a gunshot wound to the upper body. Officers began life saving measures. Martin was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased, according to Gupilan.The investigation revealed that 24-year-old Angel Lara and another individual had an altercation with Martin which led to Lara brandishing a gun and shooting Martin. Witnesses on scene provided information on Lara’s vehicle.&nbsp; The information and the&nbsp;FLOCK system, allowed police to locate Lara's vehicle in the 900 block of W. 47th Street South in Wichita.Officers took him into custody without incident. He is being held on a requested charge of 2nd degree murder.This investigation would not have been solved so quickly without the help of the vigilant citizens on scene, according to Gupilan.

Police: Witnesses on scene led to Kansas murder arrest

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo.—Two people died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Jackson County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Honda Accord driven by Crystle N. Brown, 35, Belton, Missouri was northbound on on Blue Ridge Blvd. at 72nd Street.&nbsp;

The car crossed the center line and was struck by a 2010 Dodge Charger driven by Christian A. Hinson, 21, Kansas City, Kansas.

Brown and a passenger in the Honda Zeraieh N. Bland, 18, Kansas City, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the county medical examiner's office. Hinson was not injured. All three&nbsp;were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

JACKSON COUNTY, Mo.—Two people died in an accident just after 8a.m. Thursday in Jackson County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Honda Accord driven by Crystle N. Brown, 35, Belton, Missouri was northbound on on Blue Ridge Blvd. at 72nd Street.&nbsp;The car crossed the center line and was struck by a 2010 Dodge Charger driven by Christian A. Hinson, 21, Kansas City, Kansas.Brown and a passenger in the Honda Zeraieh N. Bland, 18, Kansas City, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the county medical examiner's office. Hinson was not injured. All three&nbsp;were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Two dead after 2-vehicle Kansas City-area crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a sweeping bill Thursday to build more U.S.-Mexico border wall and impose new restrictions on asylum seekers, creating a hard-line counter to President Joe Biden's policies just as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-8c239766c2cb6e257c0220413b8e9cf9">migrants are amassing along the border</a>&nbsp;with the end of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.

The bill has virtually no chance of becoming law. Democrats, who have a narrow hold on the Senate, have decried the aggressive measures in the bill as “cruel” and “anti-immigrant," and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-immigration-biden-d62168665ba1581fc75651abc0409071">Biden has already promised</a>&nbsp;he would veto it.

The legislation passed 219-213, with all present Democrats and two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and John Duarte of California, voting against it.

The House GOP pointedly voted on the bill the same day as the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">Title 42</a>, a public health emergency rule that allowed border authorities to quickly return many migrants who crossed the border illegally. Biden has conceded that the southern border will be “chaotic for a while” as migrants weigh whether to cross and U.S. officials use a new set of policies that aim to clamp down on illegal immigration while offering more legal pathways.

Republicans have sought to slam Biden for the increase in illegal immigration during his tenure. Passing the bill would ensure House GOP lawmakers can say they did their part to deliver on a campaign promise to secure the border.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called the package “the strongest border security bill this country has ever seen," saying in a speech on the House floor that "meanwhile, we are seeing a very different record from President Biden.”

It took months, however, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-immigration-house-republicans-border-security-0e19f7f27ef15c6edd73532c3813656a">Republicans to push the bill</a>&nbsp;through the House amid sometimes public feuds between GOP lawmakers over the legislation. Even as the legislation neared final form Wednesday, it had to be amended to appease concerns from the House Freedom Caucus and other lawmakers.

The 213-page bill represents a compromise in the Republican conference between mainstream lawmakers, who wanted to focus on beefing up border enforcement, and hardline conservatives, who want to see drastic changes to U.S. asylum and immigration law.

U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum from political, religious or racial persecution, but conservatives say many people take advantage of the current system to live and work in the U.S. while they wait for their asylum claim to be processed in court.

The package would return to many of the same&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">policies pursued by former President Donald Trump</a>, such as building walls along the border. It would also restrict asylum by requiring migrants to cross legally, pay a $50 fee and meet more stringent requirements to show in initial interviews that they have a credible fear of persecution in their home country.

“This extreme MAGA Republican piece of legislation will throw out children who are fleeing, in many cases, extreme violence and persecution," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, said at a Thursday news conference. “It will build a medieval border wall that is a 14th-century solution to a 21st-century problem.”

The bill would also scrap a program that has allowed U.S. officials to accept or quickly turn away some migrants from Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua. The program is a cornerstone of Biden’s immigration efforts, allowing migrants from those countries to apply to come to the U.S. for two years legally and work.

The unwieldy nature of immigration legislation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">befuddled Congress for decades</a>, but there is a growing conversation in the Senate on the issue.

A small group of House and Senate lawmakers hopes the House bill could give momentum for a separate package in the works that would incorporate aggressive border enforcement with expanding legal immigration through work visas, as well as potentially a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.

“The bill that we’re getting, I think, is a good starting point,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican. “It, by itself, would not get 60 votes to get out of here.”

Any final bill would need bipartisan support to pass the Senate and agreement from House Republicans on significant changes.

Some House lawmakers were already raising concerns about whether agriculture businesses would be disrupted by the bill's requirement that agriculture businesses verify the immigration status of employees.

In explaining his vote against the bill, Duarte, who represents a district comprised of farmland in California's Central Valley, said in a statement that the bill would “harm many families that work in our Valley and create difficulties for our food producers.”

Massie, the other Republican to oppose the legislation, made a libertarian argument against a system that tracks people's immigration status.

Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, is introducing legislation that would assist border officials and speed up the asylum application process. And Tillis joined with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who accepts committee assignments from Democrats, to push a bill that would resurrect the government's power to quickly expel migrants, without processing their asylum claims, for another two years.

“It’s clear that the Biden administration, while it had two years to prepare for the end of Title 42, failed to do so,” Sinema told reporters. “And in the last several weeks, I’ve had the unfortunate job of communicating on a daily basis, sometimes even hourly basis, with the sheriffs, the Border Patrol agents, mayors and even the governor of Arizona to figure out how we can prepare to deal with this crisis.”

Biden has received countless barbs from Congress, but one Texas Republican key to immigration negotiations, Rep. Tony Gonzales, is already thinking of how to get the president on board.

“Until the president of the United States signs a bill into law, all of this is theater,” said Gonzales, who represents a large swath of border country. “A lot of people are good at political theater. Meanwhile, back in my district, we’re dealing with a real crisis.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671578098154.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans passed a sweeping bill Thursday to build more U.S.-Mexico border wall and impose new restrictions on asylum seekers, creating a hard-line counter to President Joe Biden's policies just as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-8c239766c2cb6e257c0220413b8e9cf9">migrants are amassing along the border</a>&nbsp;with the end of coronavirus pandemic restrictions.The bill has virtually no chance of becoming law. Democrats, who have a narrow hold on the Senate, have decried the aggressive measures in the bill as “cruel” and “anti-immigrant," and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-immigration-biden-d62168665ba1581fc75651abc0409071">Biden has already promised</a>&nbsp;he would veto it.The legislation passed 219-213, with all present Democrats and two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and John Duarte of California, voting against it.The House GOP pointedly voted on the bill the same day as the expiration of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-border-title-42-mexico-asylum-be4e0b15b27adb9bede87b9bbefb798d">Title 42</a>, a public health emergency rule that allowed border authorities to quickly return many migrants who crossed the border illegally. Biden has conceded that the southern border will be “chaotic for a while” as migrants weigh whether to cross and U.S. officials use a new set of policies that aim to clamp down on illegal immigration while offering more legal pathways.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecMayorkas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecMayorkas</a>: &quot;Tonight at 11:59pm ET, the pandemic-era Title 42 public health order will end...We are clear-eyed about the challenges we are likely to face in the days and weeks ahead and we are ready to meet them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/i57aPyNNov">pic.twitter.com/i57aPyNNov</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1656721082739466243?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republicans have sought to slam Biden for the increase in illegal immigration during his tenure. Passing the bill would ensure House GOP lawmakers can say they did their part to deliver on a campaign promise to secure the border.House Speaker Kevin McCarthy called the package “the strongest border security bill this country has ever seen," saying in a speech on the House floor that "meanwhile, we are seeing a very different record from President Biden.”It took months, however, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-immigration-house-republicans-border-security-0e19f7f27ef15c6edd73532c3813656a">Republicans to push the bill</a>&nbsp;through the House amid sometimes public feuds between GOP lawmakers over the legislation. Even as the legislation neared final form Wednesday, it had to be amended to appease concerns from the House Freedom Caucus and other lawmakers.The 213-page bill represents a compromise in the Republican conference between mainstream lawmakers, who wanted to focus on beefing up border enforcement, and hardline conservatives, who want to see drastic changes to U.S. asylum and immigration law.U.S. and international law give migrants the right to seek asylum from political, religious or racial persecution, but conservatives say many people take advantage of the current system to live and work in the U.S. while they wait for their asylum claim to be processed in court.The package would return to many of the same&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-politics-f106b3351f6148a98f8f24c536f464ed">policies pursued by former President Donald Trump</a>, such as building walls along the border. It would also restrict asylum by requiring migrants to cross legally, pay a $50 fee and meet more stringent requirements to show in initial interviews that they have a credible fear of persecution in their home country.“This extreme MAGA Republican piece of legislation will throw out children who are fleeing, in many cases, extreme violence and persecution," Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top House Democrat, said at a Thursday news conference. “It will build a medieval border wall that is a 14th-century solution to a 21st-century problem.”The bill would also scrap a program that has allowed U.S. officials to accept or quickly turn away some migrants from Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua. The program is a cornerstone of Biden’s immigration efforts, allowing migrants from those countries to apply to come to the U.S. for two years legally and work.The unwieldy nature of immigration legislation has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-asylum-trump-biden-gang-of-eight-3d8007e72928665b66d8648be0e3e31f">befuddled Congress for decades</a>, but there is a growing conversation in the Senate on the issue.A small group of House and Senate lawmakers hopes the House bill could give momentum for a separate package in the works that would incorporate aggressive border enforcement with expanding legal immigration through work visas, as well as potentially a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children.“The bill that we’re getting, I think, is a good starting point,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican. “It, by itself, would not get 60 votes to get out of here.”Any final bill would need bipartisan support to pass the Senate and agreement from House Republicans on significant changes.Some House lawmakers were already raising concerns about whether agriculture businesses would be disrupted by the bill's requirement that agriculture businesses verify the immigration status of employees.In explaining his vote against the bill, Duarte, who represents a district comprised of farmland in California's Central Valley, said in a statement that the bill would “harm many families that work in our Valley and create difficulties for our food producers.”Massie, the other Republican to oppose the legislation, made a libertarian argument against a system that tracks people's immigration status.Meanwhile, Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, is introducing legislation that would assist border officials and speed up the asylum application process. And Tillis joined with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who accepts committee assignments from Democrats, to push a bill that would resurrect the government's power to quickly expel migrants, without processing their asylum claims, for another two years.“It’s clear that the Biden administration, while it had two years to prepare for the end of Title 42, failed to do so,” Sinema told reporters. “And in the last several weeks, I’ve had the unfortunate job of communicating on a daily basis, sometimes even hourly basis, with the sheriffs, the Border Patrol agents, mayors and even the governor of Arizona to figure out how we can prepare to deal with this crisis.”Biden has received countless barbs from Congress, but one Texas Republican key to immigration negotiations, Rep. Tony Gonzales, is already thinking of how to get the president on board.“Until the president of the United States signs a bill into law, all of this is theater,” said Gonzales, who represents a large swath of border country. “A lot of people are good at political theater. Meanwhile, back in my district, we’re dealing with a real crisis.”----------

House Republicans pass new asylum restrictions as Title 42 ends

SHAWNEE, Ks. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb's rule prohibiting more than three unrelated roommates from living together is being challenged in court.

A property management company that wants to be able to rent homes to several roommates and a homeowner who said that Shawnee's ban made her living arrangement illegal last year because her son's girlfriend was living with the family at the time filed the lawsuit.

The rule that Shawnee passed last year prohibits more than three unrelated people from living together in a single residence. The only exception for more people living together is if they are all related. If even one person in a home isn't related to everyone else in the household, the city considers everyone in the household to be unrelated.

“As Americans, who we choose to live with is none of the government’s business,” David Deerson, attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a news release. “There is a serious housing affordability crisis and Shawnee is making it worse. This unconstitutional ordinance would even outlaw the living arrangement of television’s ‘Golden Girls.’ ”

City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit and said they haven’t yet received a copy of it.

But when Shawnee approved the ban last year, officials said they were trying to eliminate situations where homeowners were treating their homes like apartment buildings and renting rooms to several people.

Critics of the ban said the rule just made it harder for people to afford to live in the upscale suburb.

The company that filed the lawsuit, HomeRoom Inc., said it tries to make housing more affordable by renting homes to people who want to be roommates. After the ban passed, the company said it had to evict some of its tenants at the two homes it owns in Shawnee.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683822717022.png" alt="Apartments in the 7400 Block of Flint Street in Shawnee-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Apartments in the 7400 Block of Flint Street in Shawnee-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE, Ks. (AP) — A Kansas City suburb's rule prohibiting more than three unrelated roommates from living together is being challenged in court.A property management company that wants to be able to rent homes to several roommates and a homeowner who said that Shawnee's ban made her living arrangement illegal last year because her son's girlfriend was living with the family at the time filed the lawsuit.The rule that Shawnee passed last year prohibits more than three unrelated people from living together in a single residence. The only exception for more people living together is if they are all related. If even one person in a home isn't related to everyone else in the household, the city considers everyone in the household to be unrelated.“As Americans, who we choose to live with is none of the government’s business,” David Deerson, attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, said in a news release. “There is a serious housing affordability crisis and Shawnee is making it worse. This unconstitutional ordinance would even outlaw the living arrangement of television’s ‘Golden Girls.’ ”City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit and said they haven’t yet received a copy of it.But when Shawnee approved the ban last year, officials said they were trying to eliminate situations where homeowners were treating their homes like apartment buildings and renting rooms to several people.Critics of the ban said the rule just made it harder for people to afford to live in the upscale suburb.The company that filed the lawsuit, HomeRoom Inc., said it tries to make housing more affordable by renting homes to people who want to be roommates. After the ban passed, the company said it had to evict some of its tenants at the two homes it owns in Shawnee.