But the states Big City Police chiefs all oppose the law. We will speak to a city councilman in austin who was arrested at a sitin against sb4, plus the chair of the Mexican American legislative caucus in the texas house of representatives. Then we speak to a student at Rutgers University who faces possible deportation. Homeconsider america my number without a doubt. I have been living in the same house for 15 to 16 years. I do consider this my home. Growing up undocumented was challenging because there is a lot of fear and theres also a lot of uncertainty. Amy at the time of this broadcast, Carimer Andujar is headed to an interview with ice. And then we look at how the federal Communications Commission under President Trump is rolling back limits on media consolidation and Net Neutrality. One of the big winners could be the protrump rightwing network sisinclair broadcasting which is attempted to become the nations largest broadcaster. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Former acting attorney general sally yayates testified to the Senate Judiciary subcommittee monday that shed warned the white house less than a week into the Trump Presidency that former National Security adviser Michael Flynn was lying about whether hed discussed u. S. Sanctions with the Russian Ambassador sergey kislyak, and that these public and private lies made him susceptible to blackmail. We were concerned the American People had been misled about the underlying conduct inn what general flynn had done. Additionally, that we were not the only ones that knew all of this. That the russians also knew about what general flynn had done. In the russians also knew that general flynn had misled the Vice President and others. And that created a compromise situation, situation w with the National Security adviser essentially could be blackmailid by the r russians. Amy yates testimony renewed questions about why President Trump disregarded her warning and did not oust flynn until 18 days later after his lies were revealed by the press. Ahead of yates testimony monday, trump launched a tweet storm, including one i in whiche wrote e ask sally yates, under oath, if she knows how classified information got into the newspapers soon after she explained it to w. H. Counsel. Some lawyersrs say trumps s twt constitutes illegal witness intimidatition. Former criminal investigator Seth Abramson tweeted the president is committing a serious felony, witness tampering, in full view of the american public. Whats the media going to do about it . Also on monday, former Obama Administration officials said obama had personally warned trump about flynn, only days after trump was elected. But on monday, White House PressSecretary Sean Spicer tried to shift blame onto the Obama Administration, asking why it hadnt revoked flynns security clearance. The question you have to ask yourself, if president obama was truly concerned about general flynn, why did he suspend is secure to clearance, which they just reapproved a month earlier . Amymy vetting for a White House Position is significantly more extensive than a security clearance, which is held by 4 million people. During sally yates testimony monday, she also clashed with texas senator ted cruz over her refusal to defend President Trumps first muslim travel ban, in a move that cost her job. Move that cost her her job. This is yates. In this particular instance, we were talking about a fundamental issue of religious freedom, not the interpretation of some arcane statute, but religious freedom. It was appropriate f for us to look at the intent behind the president s action in the attempt is laid out the overf question, in 200 years of the department of justice history, are you aware of any instance in which the department of justice formally approved the legality of a policy in three days later attorney general is directed the department not to follow that policy and to defy that policy . Im not, but im also not aware of the situation where the office of Legal Counsel was advised not to tell the attorney general about it until after it was over. Amy meanwhilele, a federal Appeals Court in richmond, virginia, heard arguments over trumps second travel ban, which sought to ban all refugees and citizens of six majority muslim nations from entering the united states. The 13panel of judges appeared to be divided over the ban, with a number of judges saying that trumps own statements showed the second travel ban still sought to unconstitutionally discriminate against people based on their religion. This is judge henry floyd. Shortly after the executive order was signed, sean spicer said the principles remain the same. Trump President Trumps statement concurrent with that time, you know my plans. Spicer, President Trump yesterday continue to deliver on campaign promises. Is there anything other than willful blindness that would prevent as from getting behind those statements . Amy another judge, robert king, pointed out that until monday, yesterday Trumps Campaign , website had continued to call for a total and complete shutdown of muslims entering the united states. The white house removed that page during mondays hearing, after facing questions from rereporters. In syria, the Assad Government sasays the united nationons and other international l groups wil not be allowed to monitor the socalled deescalation zones under a plan brokered by russia, iran, and turkrk that tookok efeffect over ththe weekend. Instead, thehe syrian foreign minister announced mononday the syrian a army would respond to y tential viviolations, raising further skepticism from armed opposition groups who accuse the Syrian Government of carryingg out the majority of attacks against civilians. On wednesday, secretary of state Rex Tillerson will meet with Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss syria and the deescalation zones. Meanwhile, u. S. Airstrtres coinue in syriaia in and around rocco. The journalistic Monitoring Group says multiple u. S. Led airstrikes on may 4 and may 5 killed betetween a dozen and two dozen syrian civilians. In washington, d. C. , members of the Trump Administration and pentagon officials are pushing for the deployment of at least 3000 more u. S. Troops to afghanistan and to relax restrictions on launching airstrikes there. The r recommendation comes after the top u. S. Commander in afghanistan, general john nicholson, warned the war has reached a stalemate. The United Nations says last year saw a Record Number of afghan civilian deaths and displacement. President trump is expected toto decide whetherer to approve the deployment of additional troops later this month. There are currently about 8400 u. S. Troops in afghanistan. In somalia, a car bomb explosion killed at least eight people in the capital mogadishu monday. The militant Group Al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the targets were police, milititary and , intelligence officials. The World Health Organization says at least 25 people have died in yemen from a cholera outbtbreak, as thehe u. S. Backed sasaudiled war r in yem cononts to destroy the countrys health and sanitation infrastructure. The United Nations has also warned the ongoing war alsoo threatens to pusush yemen into famine. In libya, the bodies of several refugees, including one infant, have washed up onto the shore, as hundreds more are feared to have drowned in the mediterranean over the weekend. This is the spokesperson from the united natations high commissision on refugees. Still trying to get more information from the people to see if there are survivors of this incident, but this tragically brings the total number of people dead and missing since the beginning of 1150. Ar to more than amy in south korea, voters are heading to the polls today for a special election to fill the seat of former President Park geunhye, who was ousted and jailed on charges of bribery, extortion, and abuse of power after massive street demonstrations in march. The frontrunning candidate moon jaein has pledged to challenge the thaad Missile Defense system the u. S. Recently installed in south korea. The most leftleaning candidate in the race, sim sangjung, has campaigned on a platform of wealth redistribution, universal basic income, lgbt rights, andnd other progressive causes. In indonesia, a court has ruled to sentence former jakarta governrnor Basuki Tjahaja purnaa to two Years Imprisonment after being convicted of religious blasphemy. Supporters of the governor, who is known as ahok, gathered outside the courtroom tuesday to protest the verdict and sentence. Disappointed. The law is blind. It can no longer tell between right and wrong. Ahok has sacrificed being governor, and we have accepted that. Were disappointed in the law in indonesia. Amy go to democracynow. Org to see our full interview with journalist allan nairn about how backers of donald trump have joined Army Officers and a vigilante Street Movement linked toto isis to orchestrate the massive street demonstrations that brought down governor ahok and jakarta in jakarta and eventually sought to bring down the indonesian presidedent. In france, hundreds of activists marched to the Party Headquarters of president elect Emmanuel Macron to deliver a petition signed by more than 30,000 people demanding macron support workers rights and progressive programs. This is activist laurent berthet. Today we want to tell Emmanuel Macron that a lot of people in france did not vote in his fafavor, but first and foremost come against marine le pen, and he does not reflect our hopes for real transition and ecological, economic, and social level. Dealing thing he has for us is his openness to europe. Amy back in the united states, the interior department froze all meetings and work for than 200 Advisory Boards and committees last week about a third of which were related to science. The interior Department Says the committees have been frozen until interior secretary ryan zinke can review them. The freezings came as, on friday, environmental prototectn Agency Head Scott Pruitt dismissed half of the members of an epa scientific review board, including Michigan StateUniversity Professor robert richardson, who tweeted, today i was trumped. In mississippi, the American Civil Liberties union has filed a lawsuit accusing the Sheriffs Department of Madison County of imposing a permanent state of siege on the countys African American residents. The lawsuit says the sheririffs department has set up series of the Sheriffs Department has maintained a series of roadblockcks and checkpoioints n majorityblack neighborhoods, where African American residents are subjected to illegal searches. The suit represents 10 black residents s the countnty, including quinnetta manning, whose husband was attacked and beaten by sheriff deputy officers and who says i am scared all the time that the Sheriffs Department wilill hurt me or family. And in texas, the family of 15yearold jordan edwards has sued the Balch SpringsPolice Department over the murder of their son. Police body cam Video Shows Police officer roy oliver fired his Assault Rifle into a car carrying five black teenagers as they drove away from the officer. One of the cars passengers says the officer never even ordered the boys to stop driving before opening fire. Oliver has been fired from the Police Department and charged with mururder. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. I am amy goodman back in new york. Juan and im juan gonzalez. Welcome to allll of our listenes and viewers from around the country and around the world. The state of texas is facing growing criticism after the republican Governor Greg Abbott who signed one of the nations harshest i Immigration Laws. Abbott signed the bill, sb4, sunday night during a Facebook Live event with no advance public warning. The state bans sanctuary cities and allows Police Officers to check the immigration status of anyone they detain. Governor abbott spoke about the new law in an interview monday with fox friends. I i was crowd last night to sign this law. This law effectively bans sanctuary cities in the state of tetexas. What it meanans is no county, no city, nono governmental body in the state of texas can adopt any policy that provovides sanctuar. Second what it means, Law Enforcement officials such as sheriffs, will be required to comply with ice detainer requests. Amy the law was opposed by many powerful forces in texas including the Police Chiefs of , every big city in the state as well as major religious leaders. Catholic Cardinal Daniel dinardo of houston said Immigration Law should be enforced in a way that is targeted, proportional and , humane. This bill does not meet the standadard. San Antonio Police chief William Mcmanus warned the law will result i in increased racial profiling and undocumented residents who are afraid of reporting crimes or coming forward as witnesses because they fear deportation. Police chiefs, sheriffs, and jail administrators are also targeted in the new bill, which allows for the state to fine or remove any official who does not comply with immigration detention requests from federal authorities. The state of texas is expected to face numerous legal challenges to the bill before it goes into effect in september. Some critics of sbsb4 have compared the law to arizonas sb1070, the socalled show me your papers law, parts of which were deemed to be unconstitutional. Juan we go now to austin to speak to two guests. Gregorio casar is a member of the Austin City Council member. He was arrested last week after taking part in a sitin at the State Capitol protesting sb4. We are also joined by texas state representative Rafael Anchia, who serves as chairman of the Mexican American legislative caucus in the texas house of representatives. Gregorio casar and Rafael Anchia welcome to democracy now you talk casar, could about your arrest last week and the movement of Public Officials opposed to sb4 . Sure. The governor is clearly trying to c coerce our communities and coururse local elected officials into betraying immigrants, akin to during our police into turning our police into trumps deportation foforce. Wewe are going to refuse to do. We had a sit in at the Governors Office last week. We sat for nine hours,s, group f clergy, community leaders, and we were ultimately arrested. More portly, we sent a strong message to the governonor that e are not scared, that were not afraid and he is not the king. Instead of caving in to his demands, were going to double down on are pro immigrant policies here in austin and across the state. Were also we sued, i personally and my colleagues here in austin, were sued for the audacity of questioning bill four not senate is constitutional. Instead of being silenced by his threats, i am calling that only on my colleagues, but county commissioners across texas to rise up and speak truth to power and to sue to stop senate bill fofor before i it