When Rich Pagano speaks about his son, Nick, the adoration is palpable. Alongside his love, however, is a fierce determination to ensure that other families do not suffer the same fate.

"There was no way that I could have prepared for losing a child," Pagano said.

Nick left behind a legacy as a talented triple-threat performer in theater and as a young man eager to help others in the LGBT community get sober. Tragically, his family watched as he transformed over the course of five years.

"He said to me, 'I get the same feeling from smoking pot as I do from acting,'" Pagano recalled.

By age 15, Nick was consuming marijuana and pills daily.

"With that comes stealing and dealing. By maybe 17 to 18, he discovered heroin," Pagano added.

RELATED STORY | Fentanyl: The Silent Toll

This marked the beginning of a painful cycle involving treatment centers, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and sober living arrangements, drastically affecting their family dynamics and finances.

"Your life becomes not about where is he going to college, or who is his roommate going to be, or what are his interests?" Pagano said. "It was about how can we keep him alive?"

Despite living in a sober house and making progress in 2021, Nick's life was cut short by a fentanyl overdose.

"I asked the coroner, and he said it was less, less than you could fit on the head of a pin," Pagano recalled.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that just two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one gram can kill up to 500 people. In 2023, 107,000 overdose deaths were attributed to opioids, predominantly fentanyl.

RELATED STORY | How a 5-year-old ingested fentanyl in her kindergarten classroom

David Manheim has operated a podcast solo since 2018, following the sudden death of his co-host and best friend, Chris, who died after relapsing. The two had met during their recovery from heroin addiction.

"It was totally traumatic," Manheim said. "It was brutal. I had been a drug addict for almost 20 years, and I had not lost anybody close to me."

The "Dopey Podcast" has developed a loyal following, serving as a support network for people navigating the challenges of addiction.

"The more stories that are told about real drug addicts, real consequences, real deathI think that helps," Manheim said.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Portland under 90-day state of emergency to tackle fentanyl crisis

Encouragingly, trends show a decrease in drug overdose deaths. All but five states witnessed declines in overdose fatalities last year, with a significant 23.8% drop from September 2023 to September 2024.

Meanwhile, DEA lab testing revealed that in 2024, half of the recovered pills contained potentially lethal doses of fentanyl, a decrease from 70% in 2023.

For years, individuals battling addiction faced a grim choice: get clean or die. Pagano and Manheim now see a third option harm reduction which may include using things like marijuana, methadone, or safe injection sites.

"Four years ago, I would have said, 'No, you use, you don't have you don't get me in your life.' I no longer have him in my life," Pagano said. "The idea of sitting and having a meal with him with the agreement that he stays with injection sites as a parent who lost a child? I take that back in a second.

RELATED STORY | Country singer Jelly Roll testifies at Senate hearing on fentanyl bill

Dr. Ruben Olmedo, an emergency room physician at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said he sees 1-2 patients each day suffering from complications related to drug use. He views harm reduction as a critical aspect of his role.

"Using it safely with different kinds of syringes, decreasing the amount of drug that they use so that they don't overdose, making sure that they're using it in a safe place make sure that they have Naloxone on hand," Olmedo said.

He advocates for a shift in the understanding of addiction as a disease, emphasizing the need for a change in mindset.

"If you are a drug addict, all you can really do is use or be sick," Manheim said. "If you're not a drug addict, you can do anything you want."

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Columbia University is dealing with the fallout from a weekend arrest of one of its alumni, who was still living in school-owned housing just blocks from campus.

The Associated Press says Mahmoud Khalil was stopped by ICE agents Saturday evening with his wife, who is a U.S. citizen. One of the agents reportedly told his lawyer Amy Greer by phone they were executing an order to revoke his student visa. When Greer clarified he was actually a green card holder, she was reportedly told they were revoking that, too.

The Department of Homeland Security says Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.

Khalil has been one of the most prominent faces on Columbia's campus since protests began, serving as lead negotiator during protests last spring.

He reportedly told the BBC he was suspended during last April's protests, but had it reversed.

Video shows Khalil was on campus during recent protests, despite graduating last semester and Columbia having a strict policy allowing only students on campus.

According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied in Lebanon before coming to the United States and also worked for UNRWA, the UN's agency that supports Palestinian refugees.

Various organizations have already expressed outrage over Khalil's arrest, saying he's being punished for political speech.

"The remarks by government officials, including the President, on social media only confirm the purpose and illegality of Mahmoud's detention," his attorney said in a statement Monday. "He was chosen as an example to stifle entirely lawful dissent in violation of the First Amendment."

RELATED STORY | ICE arrests Palestinian activist who helped lead Columbia University protests, his lawyer says

All of this comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday foreign nationals who voice support for terrorist organizations face visa denial, revocation and deportation, following Trump's January 29th executive order stating the same. The administration has been hitting Columbia University hard for what it says has allowed free speech to turn into antisemitism. The government withdrew $400 million in grants to the school Friday.

Former ACLU National Director Burt Neuborne says if the arrest is about the content of the protest it would be a violation of the First Amendment.

"As with so much of what Trump does, there's a murkiness to it, because he will be saying, 'Oh no, no, no, I'm not doing this because I disagree with content. I'm doing it because I disagree because the protests that they are tolerating and permitting are keeping other Columbia students from enjoying their rights on the college campus,'" Neuborne said.

Trump posted on social media, saying to the protestors "your presence is contrary to our national and foreign policy interests, and you are not welcome here. We expect every one of America's Colleges and Universities to comply."

He warned Monday that Khalil's arrest and possible deportation would be just the first "of many to come."

We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, Trump wrote on social media. We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country never to return again.

A federal judge on Monday ruled that Khalil could not be deported due to the ongoing legal challenge by his attorneys. A hearing has been set for Wednesday.

Khalil was initially thought to have been brought to downtown Manhattan and then to Elizabeth, New Jersey. But a search on ICE's detainee locator system shows a man with his name and origins in Syria where he was born and raised being detained in Louisiana.

Khalil's attorney confirmed he was held in Louisiana on Monday, calling his transfer there "blatantly improper."

RELATED STORY | White House cuts $400M in grants to Columbia University, claims campus protests were illegal

The Trump Administration is considering having the so-called Department of Government Efficiency give some of its savings to the American people.

The idea was originally proposed by a user on X. DOGE head Elon Musk responded, saying he would check with the President.

"I love it, Trump said of the idea while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. 20% dividend, so to speak, for the money that we're saving by going after the waste and fraud and abuse and all the other things that are happening, I think it's a great idea."

During a speech in Miami Wednesday, Trump said the idea would include giving 20% of DOGE's savings to the American people, and 20% towards paying down the national debt.

How much DOGE is actually saving taxpayers is up for debate.

The group claims it has saved $55 billion, but the savings listed on their website Wednesday only accounted for $16.6 billion, and that's before factoring in a mislabeled ICE contract.

DOGE claimed it was worth $8 billion. It's actually worth $8 million. That error has since been fixed on the DOGE website.

RELATED STORY | In first joint interview, Trump and Musk outline goals for DOGE

But would handing it back to taxpayers be beneficial to the U.S. economy? Judge Glock, director of research at the Manhattan Institute, doesn't think so.

"It would increase the deficit, it would increase immediate consumer spending, and that would have inflationary consequences which is something we don't want right now, said Glock. We do have an over $1 trillion a year budget deficit. So, if we're looking at savings in the federal government, we should certainly focus on trying to reduce that deficit first before handing out any extra money to our citizens. And second, one of the things that we should focus on if we're returning taxpayer dollars to taxpayers is just reducing taxes."

This is not the first time the government has proposed giving out money to the American people.

During COVID, the Trump and Biden administrations handed out trillions of dollars in stimulus checks, which according to Glock, had a hand in exacerbating inflation.

With the possibility of an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education looming, President Donald Trump's pick for the department's head, Linda McMahon, appeared before members of the Senate Thursday, where she voiced her determination to put Trump's plan into motion.

"November proved that Americans overwhelmingly support the President's vision, and I am ready to enact it," McMahon said.

Trump has been vocal about his plan to dismantle the education department for some time now. Just this week, he commented on the issue to reporters, saying he wanted the department closed immediately and labeled it a con job.

The abolition of a federal department cannot be accomplished without congressional approval. In Thursday's hearing, Linda McMahon acknowledged this and said she plans to work with Congress.

Still, steps have already been taken to make Trump's goal a reality. On Monday, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency slashed almost $900 million in contracts from the Education Department's Institute of Education Sciences, which tracks the progress of students in the U.S.

RELATED STORY | DOGE cuts target Department of Education research

It's unclear what a future without a federal education department would look like, but Trump has said he wants to send education back to the states.

Sean Spiller, President of the New Jersey Education Association and candidate for governor disagrees.

"It works best for us, the people, when government at all levels is functioning to make your lives better, said Spiller. Not obstructing, not ignoring, and certainly not going after our kids."

There are also concerns that without a federal education department, America's education system could be privatized.

The Trump administration has been a fierce advocate to expand school choice, saying it provides students more options. Spiller sees the effort differently.

"It's an effort to take money out of our pockets, public dollars, to put it into all of these big private corporations that want a standardize education and profit from it."

RELATED STORY | Trumps Education nominee Linda McMahon faces senators amid calls to dismantle department

St. Paul & St. Andrew United Methodist Church on the Upper West Side of Manhattan has high foot traffic for those in need for clothing, food and guidance.

Now clergy are preparing in case this safe space is impacted by the Trump Administration rounding up undocumented immigrants.

"It's scary and unfortunate to think that that now this space might be another space that they need to fear coming to," said Assistant Pastor Andrea Steinkamp.

The federal government this week issued a new directive rescinding longstanding policy of churches and schools as "protected areas." It's part of President Trump's day one promise to carry out mass deportations.

"I don't want to say when, but it's going to happen, has to happen, or we're not going to have a country left," President Trump said.

New York City is a designated sanctuary city. Mayor Eric Adams has tried to quell some concerns, stating the city will coordinate with ICE and will stand up for all New Yorkers.

But it doesn't make Steinkamp feel any safer. Now, a sign is clearly marked on the front door of the church, stating that ICE personnel cannot enter the space without a judicial warrant.

"We understand both what our rights are under the Constitution and what the rights of the people that we're serving are under the Constitution as well," Steinkamp said.

RELATED STORY | What's the potential financial cost of Trump's immigration policies?

Church staff have consulted lawyers, had trainings and are ready should someone from ICE come knocking.

"We will ask if they have a judicial warrant, if they do have a judicial warrant, we will communicate to them, you know, they need to speak with our senior pastor and our legal counsel," Steinkamp said.

The White House says ICE is looking specifically for criminals, but some fear others will get swept up in the process.

"This is a targeted enforcement operation," said White House Borer Czar Tom Homan. "The president's been clear on this. We're going to concentrate on public safety threats."

Until they're met with agents at their doors, Steinkamp will continue to leave them open for those who really need them.

"The message of Jesus was one of radical welcome," Steinkamp said. "So as a Christian faith community, as a Christian religious community, it is our belief that all are welcome. All should feel safe. There's enough for everyone."

Border Czar Homan says these are targeted operations specifically looking at criminals, but he says if sanctuary cities give them difficulty and they have to look for these people on their own and they happen to find other undocumented immigrants in the process, he says ICE will not turn a blind eye.