President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t have many concrete plans for what he wants to do when he gets into office. His policy list is thin, but there are two things he’s talked about a lot: deportations and tariffs. 

Trump has said he plans to deport millions of people in the U.S. who don’t have legal status. Yesterday, he said he would use the military to carry out this plan. He also wants to use tariffs to develop industry here.

But how will these policy changes affect neighboring countries like Canada and Mexico? Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens joined The Metro on Tuesday to talk about the potential impact in Canada.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Dilkens says Canada has long been impacted by U.S. immigration policy at the Mexico-U.S. border.

“The millions of people who have crossed [the U.S.-Mexico border] in the last four years, many of them have made their way up to Canada, crossed illegally into the country,” he said. “And so in my city today, I’ve got two hotels who overlook the Detroit River and stare at Detroit, full of people who have crossed into our country, waiting for their cases to be adjudicated by our immigration and refugee group in Canada.”

In 2004, the U.S. and Canada entered into a Safe Third Country Agreement, a treaty between the two governments with the goal of better managing the flow of refugees better manage the flow of refugees seeking asylum at the border.

As part of the agreement, individuals seeking asylum in Canada are required to request refugee protection in the first safe country they arrive in, unless they qualify for an exception, Dilkens said.

“If you’re entering Canada to claim refugee status from the United States, you’re now required to wait in the United States to have your case adjudicated,” he said. “We’re no longer going to put you up in hotels and have you hang out here.”

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

More headlines from The Metro Nov. 19, 2024: 

• What is today known as the Knights of Columbus Hall in Clawson, used to be a raucous concert venue called The Hideout from 1966 to 1969. It was the third location in a series of teen clubs in southeast Michigan, where legendary musicians like The MC5, many of Bob Seger’s early groups, and The Subterraneans once played. Martin Hirchak, a Detroit cartoonist and graphic designer, joined the show to talk about the former venue, and an upcoming event at Knights of Columbus, “Tales from the Clawson Comic Book and Toy Show.”
• Educators at the College of Creative Studies (CCS) have made it their mission to stoke the flame of creativity already inside the students they teach. Fiber Flux, a new exhibition on view through Dec. 14 at the Valade Family Gallery on CSS’ campus, pays homage to arts educators across the Midwest through fiber art. Wayne State Associate Professor of Fashion and Fibers Heather Macali and Professor and Section Lead of Fiber and Textiles at CCS, Jeremy Noonan, joined the show to discuss the exhibition.
• Last week, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced he won’t run for another term. WDET’s Senior News Editor Quinn Kleinfelter joined the show to discuss the mayor’s legacy and what the future might hold for both the city of Detroit and Duggan’s political future.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 11 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

President-elect Donald Trump is filling key posts in his second administration, and it’s shaping up much differently than his first. He’s prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate.

Here’s a look at whom he has selected so far.

Cabinet nominees:

SECRETARY OF STATE: Marco Rubio

Trump named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump’s running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

“He will be a strong Advocate for our Nation, a true friend to our Allies, and a fearless Warrior who will never back down to our adversaries,” Trump said of Rubio in a statement.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man” during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump’s plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

ATTORNEY GENERAL: Matt Gaetz

Trump said Wednesday he will nominate Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to serve as his attorney general, naming a loyalist in the role of the nation’s top prosecutor.

In selecting Gaetz, 42, Trump passed over some of the more established lawyers whose names had been mentioned as being contenders for the job.

“Matt will end Weaponized Government, protect our Borders, dismantle Criminal Organizations and Restore Americans’ badly-shattered Faith and Confidence in the Justice Department,” Trump said in a statement.

Gaetz resigned from Congress Wednesday night. The House Ethics Committee has been investigating an allegation that Gaetz paid for sex with a 17-year-old, though that probe effectively ended when he resigned. Gaetz has denied any wrongdoing.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has been tapped by Trump to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party’s 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she’s been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

“I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community,” Trump said in a statement.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

DEFENSE SECRETARY: Pete Hegseth

Hegseth, 44, is a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However, Hegseth lacks senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: Kristi Noem

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms leading South Dakota to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

CIA DIRECTOR: John Ratcliffe

Ratcliffe was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I look forward to John being the first person ever to serve in both of our Nation’s highest Intelligence positions,” Trump said in a statement, calling him a “fearless fighter for the Constitutional Rights of all Americans” who would ensure “the Highest Levels of National Security, and PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH.”

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and then endorsed Trump. He’s the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination of Kennedy to lead the Department of Health and Human Services alarmed people who are concerned about his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Sean Duffy

Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump’s most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.

Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children.

VETERANS AFFAIRS SECRETARY: Doug Collins

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

“We must take care of our brave men and women in uniform, and Doug will be a great advocate for our Active Duty Servicemembers, Veterans, and Military Families to ensure they have the support they need,” Trump said in a statement about nominating Collins to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

INTERIOR SECRETARY: Doug Burgum

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to be Trump’s vice presidential choice this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida on Thursday night. The president-elect’s formal announcement on Friday said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council “that will oversee the path to U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE.” As chairman of the council, Trump said Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

ENERGY SECRETARY: Chris Wright

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on X, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

In a statement, Trump said Zeldin “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.”

White House staff:

CHIEF OF STAFF: Susie Wiles

Wiles, 67, was a senior adviser to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER: Mike Waltz

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida. A former Army Green Beret, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

BORDER CZAR: Tom Homan

Homan, 62, has been tasked with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He served under Trump in his first administration leading U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and he was widely expected to be offered a position related to the border once Trump won the election. Homan said at a July conference in Washington that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”

Democrats have criticized Homan for defending Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy on border crossings during his first administration, which led to the separation of thousands of parents and children seeking asylum at the border.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR POLICY: Stephen Miller

Miller, an immigration hardliner, was a vocal spokesperson during the presidential campaign for Trump’s priority of mass deportations. The 39-year-old was a senior adviser during Trump’s first administration.

Miller has been a central figure in some of Trump’s policy decisions, notably his move to separate thousands of immigrant families. Trump argued throughout the campaign that the nation’s economic, national security and social priorities could be met by deporting people who are in the United States illegally.

Since Trump left office in 2021, Miller has served as the president of America First Legal, an organization made up of former Trump advisers aimed at challenging the Biden administration, media companies, universities and others over issues such as free speech and national security.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Dan Scavino

Scavino was an adviser to all three of the president-elect’s campaigns, and the transition team referred to him as one of “Trump’s longest serving and most trusted aides.” He will be deputy chief of staff and assistant to the president.

He previously ran Trump’s social media profile in the White House during his first administration. He was also held in contempt of Congress in 2022 after a month-long refusal to comply with a subpoena from the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: James Blair

Blair was political director for Trump’s 2024 campaign and for the Republican National Committee. He will be deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs and assistant to the president.

Blair was key to Trump’s economic messaging during his winning White House comeback campaign this year, a driving force behind the candidate’s “Trump can fix it” slogan and his query to audiences this fall if they were better off than four years ago.

DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF: Taylor Budowich

Budowich is a veteran Trump campaign aide who launched and directed Make America Great Again, Inc., a super PAC that supported Trump’s 2024 campaign. He will be deputy chief of staff for communications and personnel and assistant to the president.

Budowich had also served as a spokesman for Trump after his first presidency.

WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt, 27, was Trump’s campaign press secretary and currently a spokesperson for his transition. She would be the youngest White House press secretary in history.

The White House press secretary typically serves as the public face of the administration and historically has held daily briefings for the press corps.

Leavitt, a New Hampshire native, was a spokesperson for MAGA Inc., a super PAC supporting Trump, before joining his 2024 campaign. In 2022, she ran for Congress in New Hampshire, winning a 10-way Republican primary before losing to Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas.

Leavitt worked in the White House press office during Trump’s first term before she became communications director for New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

WHITE HOUSE COUNSEL: William McGinley

McGinley was White House Cabinet secretary during Trump’s first administration, and was outside legal counsel for the Republican National Committee’s election integrity effort during the 2024 campaign.

In a statement, Trump called McGinley “a smart and tenacious lawyer who will help me advance our America First agenda, while fighting for election integrity and against the weaponization of law enforcement.”

Ambassadors and envoys

SPECIAL ENVOY TO THE MIDDLE EAST: Steven Witkoff

The 67-year-old Witkoff is the president-elect’s golf partner and was golfing with him at Trump’s club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15, when the former president was the target of a second attempted assassination.

Witkoff “is a Highly Respected Leader in Business and Philanthropy,” Trump said of Witkoff in a statement. “Steve will be an unrelenting Voice for PEACE, and make us all proud.”

Trump also named Witkoff co-chair, with former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler, of his inaugural committee.

AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: Mike Huckabee

Huckabee is a staunch defender of Israel and his intended nomination comes as Trump has promised to align U.S. foreign policy more closely with Israel’s interests as it wages wars against the Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah.

“He loves Israel, and likewise the people of Israel love him,” Trump said in a statement. “Mike will work tirelessly to bring about peace in the Middle East.”

Huckabee, who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and 2016, has been a popular figure among evangelical Christian conservatives, many of whom support Israel due to Old Testament writings that Jews are God’s chosen people and that Israel is their rightful homeland.

Trump has been praised by some in this important Republican voting bloc for moving the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Huckabee has rejected a Palestinian homeland in territory occupied by Israel, calling for a so-called “one-state solution.”

AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS: Elise Stefanik

Stefanik is a representative from New York and one of Trump’s staunchest defenders going back to his first impeachment.

Elected to the House in 2014, Stefanik was selected by her GOP House colleagues as House Republican Conference chair in 2021, when former Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney was removed from the post after publicly criticizing Trump for falsely claiming he won the 2020 election. Stefanik, 40, has served in that role ever since as the third-ranking member of House leadership.

Stefanik’s questioning of university presidents over antisemitism on their campuses helped lead to two of those presidents resigning, further raising her national profile.

If confirmed, she would represent American interests at the U.N. as Trump vows to end the war waged by Russia against Ukraine that began in 2022.

Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri, Lolita C. Baldor, Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly, Edith M. Lederer, Adriana Gomez Licon, Lisa Mascaro, Chris Megerian, Zeke Miller, Michelle L. Price and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has had few defenders in Congress as reliable as Matt Gaetz, who has thundered at one prosecutor after another for perceived bias against the president-elect and emphatically amplified the Republican’s rallying cry that the criminal investigations into him are “witch hunts.”

That kinship was rewarded Wednesday when Trump named Gaetz as his pick for attorney general, turning to a conservative loyalist in place of more established lawyers who’d been seen as contenders.

In announcing his selection of Gaetz as attorney general and John Ratcliffe a day earlier as CIA director, Trump underscored the premium he places on loyalty, citing both men’s support for him during the Russia investigation as central to their qualifications and signaling his expectation that leaders in his administration should function not only as a president’s protector but also as an instrument of retribution.

The dynamic matters at a time when Trump, who will enter office in the wake of two federal indictments expected to soon evaporate and a Supreme Court opinion blessing a president’s exclusive authority over the Justice Department, has threatened to pursue retaliation against perceived adversaries.

“Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution. We must have Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency at DOJ,” Trump wrote in a social media post about Gaetz, a Florida Republican.

The rhetoric from Trump reflects an about-face in approach from President Joe Biden, who has repeatedly taken a hands-off approach from the Justice Department even while facing a special counsel investigation into his handling of classified information and as his son, Hunter, was indicted on tax and gun charges.

Democrats immediately sounded the alarm, with Sen. Dick Durbin, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying Gaetz “would be a disaster” in part because of Trump’s threat to use the Justice Department “to seek revenge on his political enemies.” The president of Common Cause, a good government group, called the selection “shocking” and “a serious threat to the fair and equal enforcement of the law in our nation.” Even several Senate Republicans expressed concern about the Gaetz pick.

That Trump would openly value Gaetz’s role in “defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization” is not altogether surprising. In his first term, Trump fired an FBI director who refused to pledge loyalty to him at a private White House dinner and an attorney general who recused himself from the Justice Department’s investigation into potential ties between Russia and his 2016 presidential campaign.

“I think this selection indicates that President-elect Trump was looking for an attorney general whose views were closely aligned with him with respect to the appropriate role of the Department of Justice,” said former federal prosecutor Robert Mintz.

Ratcliffe, who served as Trump’s director of national intelligence in the final months of his first term, rose to prominence on Capitol Hill as a staunch defender of Trump. He was a member of Trump’s advisory team during his first impeachment in 2019 and pointedly grilled multiple witnesses about the Russia investigation — including an FBI agent who led the inquiry and also traded anti-Trump text messages with a colleague.

That work was credited by Trump in his selection announcement as he praised Ratcliffe for “exposing fake Russian collusion” and having “been a warrior for Truth and Honesty with the American Public.”

Gaetz would be the first attorney general in 20 years without prior Justice Department experience, and in recent years became embroiled himself in a federal sex trafficking investigation that ended without criminal charges.

Hours before the announcement, Gaetz said in a social media post that there needs to be a “full court press against this WEAPONIZED government that has been turned against our people.” He added: “And if that means ABOLISHING every one of the three letter agencies, from the FBI to the ATF, I’m ready to get going!” If confirmed as attorney general, he would oversee both the FBI and the ATF.

Advancing the theme of vengeance, billionaire Trump supporter Elon Musk weighed in on the Gaetz appointment with a post that said: “The Hammer of Justice is coming.”

Gaetz has used the seat in Congress he first won in 2016 to rail against the Justice Department, repeatedly decrying what he — and Trump — contends is a criminal justice system biased against conservatives. He has blasted law enforcement officials he has perceived as being either overtly anti-Trump or ineffective in protecting Trump’s interests.

When Robert Mueller visited Capitol Hill to discuss the findings of the Russia investigation, Gaetz condemned the prosecutor for leading a team that the congressman said was “so biased.” The Trump Justice Department appointed a special prosecutor, John Durham, to examine errors in the Russia investigation, but Gaetz scolded Durham too for failing to uncover enough damaging information about the FBI’s inquiry into Trump.

“For the people like the (committee) chairman who put trust in you, I think you let them down. I think you let the country down. You are one of the barriers to the true accountability that we need,” Gaetz told Durham.

He’s directed outright fury at FBI Director Christopher Wray, snapping at him last year that FBI applicants in Florida “deserve better than you” and at the current attorney general, Merrick Garland, who appointed special counsel Jack Smith to investigate Trump’s hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

Both investigations ended in indictments expected to wind down before Trump takes office. Smith, too, is also likely to be gone by the time Gaetz arrives, and a new FBI director is also expected to be appointed given Trump’s lingering discontent with Wray, his own appointee.

“None of us can predict exactly what will happen there,” said Ryan Fayhee, a former Justice Department national security prosecutor.

He added: “I think it’s just more of a question of the department continuing to be independent and largely resting on the broad shoulders of the career prosecutors and agents that have held themselves to the highest standards.”

The Sept. 9 debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump took place at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. It’s not far from Independence Hall, where the first Constitutional Convention delegates signed the document on Sept. 17, 1787.

The United States observes Constitution Day every Sept. 17. To mark the occasion, WDET hosts and reporters read two key parts of the Constitution — the Preamble and the Bill of Rights. Some also shared what certain amendments mean to them.

As the 2024 election approaches, we hope this will spark your interest in American history and the democratic process.

Preamble

Read by Pat Batcheller, host of Morning Edition; senior news editor

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Amendment I

Read by Tristan McFolley, WDET intern

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

What Tristan said about it:

“The First Amendment is a cornerstone of democracy. The right to freely express oneself is how diverse societies are nurtured. Progressive ideas develop more rapidly when people may publicly represent their beliefs and cultures. The First Amendment —and ideas similar to it — are all crucial principles in moving the world forward.”

Amendment II

Read by Alex McLenon, reporter

A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.

What Alex said about it:

“Possibly the most talked about amendment in popular culture, the Second Amendment grants U.S. citizens the constitutional right to purchase and own firearms. It justifies private gun ownership by stating that a “well-regulated militia” is a necessary part of protecting the fundamental freedoms granted in the First Amendment.  The wording stems from the days of the Revolutionary War, when citizen armies – known as “militias” – were formed to fight the British. Those militia groups were the basis for what would eventually become the organized United States Armed Forces that we know today. Therefore, legal experts say the amendment does not allow for modern-day militant groups — with rules against the formation of such outfits now baked into most state constitutions. Nevertheless, the amendment continues to function today on the weight of the latter part of its text — ‘the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.’ Modern day debates over gun control center around how far that protection should go.”

Amendment III

Read by Nargis Rahman, civic reporter

No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Amendment IV

Read by Annelle Scott, WDET intern

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Amendment V

Read by Cary Junior II, producer of Created Equal

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Amendment VI

Read by Karen Brundidge, WDET intern

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defense.

What Karen said about it:

“It is imperative that we have due process, including the right to counsel, an impartial jury, and so forth. There should be checks on the power of the government and a fair procedure for handling criminal cases in this country. In times where some — especially African Americans or low-income people — have had issues with their rights being violated or have had to contend with inequities in the criminal justice system, adhering to the stated terms of the sixth amendment is crucial to uphold the liberty and future of all people.”

Amendment VII

Read by Amanda LeClaire, reporter and CuriosiD producer

In Suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Amendment VIII

Read by Sydney Waelchli, WDET intern

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted.

What Sydney said about it:

“While the United States criminal justice system still needs a lot of improvements, the Eighth Amendment keeps me hopeful that fair and equal punishments are enacted. To me, the Eighth Amendment brings me peace of mind that individuals who have acted wrongfully or made unlawful mistakes are treated with a degree of respect in the system.”

Amendment IX

Read by Jack Filbrandt, assistant producer of The Metro

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Amendment X

Read by Bre’Anna Tinsley, reporter

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Use the featured media player above to hear the full Preamble and Bill of Rights read together.

Read more:

• The right to vote wasn’t included in the Constitution. Why not?
• The man who lived according to the constitution — literally
• Our immigration system is broken. What does the Constitution say about it? 
• Two new Americans reflect on immigration stories on Constitution Day 

President Biden personally thanked more than 100 members of the U.S. government earlier this month for their help in negotiating the recent prisoner exchange with Russia.

The massive deal brought Michigan native Paul Whelan back to the U.S after being held in Russia since the end of 2018 on charges of espionage that both he and federal officials say are bogus.

Some experts believe the exchange could set a model for how nations engage in such so-called “hostage diplomacy” in the future.

Northwestern University Assistant Professor Danielle Gilbert works with the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) on matters concerning wrongful detentions.

She says duplicating the kind of deal that gained Whelan’s release will not be easy.

Listen: Why the deal that freed Whelan, Gershkovich may be hard to duplicate

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Danielle Gilbert: These are extremely difficult negotiations. Not only are we talking about some of the fiercest adversaries that have to come to the table to come to an agreement in terms of the United States and Russia; but also the challenge of bringing together all of these other parties, getting other governments to agree to put their own prisoners on the line to participate in this complex multi-party swap. This was extremely advanced negotiation that took place at the highest levels of government over the course of quite some time. And that all of it was held as such a tight secret until the actual release was also pretty spectacular.

Quinn Klinefelter, WDET News: There are reports that Germany wanted Putin opponent Alexei Navalny as part of any deal that would include Whelan in exchange for a Russian assassin that was held by Germany. And then Navalny passed away a few days after the deal was supposedly struck. Yet it seemed Germany’s willingness to make a deal continued and that seemed to open the pathway to the eventual exchange. Does it surprise you that Germany would actually, finally partake in such an effort?

DG: Vladimir Putin and his government continually pushed for the release of Vadim Krasikov, the FSB assassin who was imprisoned in Germany for murder. But the United States government didn’t have the power to release Krasikov, that was something that was only up to Chancellor Scholz and the government of Germany. So that took some really difficult conversations behind the scenes. President Biden was drawing on the friendship and the alliance with Germany, speaking to Chancellor Scholz and representatives at the highest level of the German government. And not only about the importance of their alliance, their partnership and friendship with the U.S. and opposition to what Russia was doing in this particular case, but also ensuring that the ultimate deal — the prisoner swap — included Russian dissidents, political opponents to Vladimir Putin. That those people would be released from detention and they’d be able to come to Germany. Countries like the United States and its Western democratic partners and allies are being targeted by autocratic states like Russia.

QK: Beyond the number of nations involved in the swap, the sheer multitude of prisoners involved in the exchange seems to be far different from what one would normally think of in a hostage deal, which is sterotypically a one-for-one prisoner swap. Do you think similar hostage deals that could happen in the future are also likely going to have to include many, many more countries and in effect “enlarge the pie” of what is being offered in any exchange?

DG: It’s a great question. It remains to be seen. I think in past prisoner swaps with Russia, we really have seen that one-for-one dynamic. Russia wrongfully detains an American and they demand the specific release of a Russian who was arrested in the United States. And those deals, while they might be controversial, are about as straightforward as they can get in terms of prisoner swaps. This one (involving Whelan) was extremely complicated because of the number of countries involved, the number of prisoners, the complicated choreography. In an ideal world, the countries that are frequent targets of this kind of attack are going to start really working together to deter the practice going forward.

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QK: One of the criticisms of the exchange has been that it rewards Russia and by extension any other country that would follow suit for taking Americans hostage that the government believes could be used as trade bait. How do you think the U.S. can combat that kind of approach?

DG: That requires coordination among allies, drawing on the tools of the international system. How can they punish a state like Russia for engaging in this practice? There might be sanctions on hostage takers, it might result in prosecution or other means of drawing on a country’s own legal system. And thinking about ways to exclude Russia from the things that it might enjoy in the international system.

QK: The U.S. is already involved in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. There’s few other examples that would be testier for governments to be dealing with than an ongoing war. And yet this deal seems to have achieved Russia’s goals. So in the future would actions like sanctions be sufficient? Is there something else that countries can do to try to deter this type of hostage-taking?

DG: That’s the real million dollar question. It’s the question that gets me up in the morning. Government officials in the United States and a lot of other frequent targets, countries like Canada, the U.K. and Australia are putting their best minds to work to figure this out. The commission that I’m a part of at CSIS is also working on this question and hoping to make recommendations to the next U.S. presidential administration on how they might think about deterring this practice going forward. One big part of it has to do with prevention. Let’s say the U.S. government can’t put more sanctions on these countries that are already so heavily sanctioned. Well, what can the U.S. government do to prevent its citizens from traveling to places like Russia in the first place? How can they increase education? How can they engage the private sector that requires employees to travel to make sure that Americans who are going to these places are aware of the risks that they might be facing, understand other countries’ laws and hopefully stop traveling to places that the U.S. government strongly urges Americans not to visit, like Russia.

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