Six minutes of news from around the nation.

Supreme Court refuses to allow National Guard deployment in Chicago; Immigration advocates press for limits on ICE in hospitals; Medicare drug talks bring major savings for Ohio seniors; Indiana Guard member fears missing child's birth.

TRANSCRIPT

The Public News Service Daily Newscast, December the 24th, 2025.

I'm Mike Clifford.

The Supreme Court Tuesday refused to allow President Donald Trump to deploy hundreds of National Guard troops in the Chicago area over the objection of Illinois officials.

That from the New York Times.

They report in Louisiana where the administration has the support of Governor Jeff Landry, about 350 National Guard troops are expected to arrive in New Orleans before New Year's Eve.

Meantime, the increasing presence of immigration agents and hospitals has patients, nurses and advocates searching for ways to keep ICE from invading patients' privacy or interfering with delivery of health care.

According to reporting from KFF Health News, ICE agents have the right to stand guard but not to listen to conversations with medical providers or legal representatives.

Attorney Sarah Houston with the Immigrant Defenders Law Center in Los Angeles says when a person needs medical attention after a violent or gets sick while in detention, ICE sometimes makes it hard for families to find them.

We've heard reports about how ICE will tell doctors and staff, you're not allowed to give the arrestee a phone, they can't contact their family, you can't tell their family they're here.

So they're just by themselves in this basically detention environment when it could be a life or death situation.

This fall, California passed a law that medical establishments cannot allow federal agents into private patient care areas unless they have a valid court order or search warrant.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

This story was produced with original reporting from Claudia Boyd Barrett for KFF Health News.

And prescription drug costs are set to drop sharply for many Ohio seniors starting in 2026 after Medicare negotiated prices for the first time on some of the program's most expensive medications.

A new analysis from AARP shows the first 10 drugs selected for Medicare negotiation will see significant reductions in what older adults pay out of pocket.

The lower prices take effect January 1st, 2026 and apply to medications used to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart failure and cancer.

AARP Ohio State Director Jenny Carlson says the impact for Ohioans could be substantial.

This is an historic moment.

These are historic savings that are starting January 1 of 2026 when this new lower price is going to affect.

Here in Ohio, about 382,000 people use these medications, so the savings are real.

According to AARP's analysis, out-of-pocket costs for the first 10 negotiated drugs will drop by more than 50 percent on average, and seven of Sadiki reporting.

The Medicare drug price negotiation program was authorized by the 2022 prescription drug law and is expected to save enrollees 1.5 billion dollars nationwide in 2026 according to federal estimates.

This is public news service.

An Indiana National Guard member says new federal travel restrictions could keep him from witnessing the birth of his first child.

We get the story from our Joe Ulori.

Walter Moyo serves in the Indiana International Guard and works full-time as a nurse.

He married his wife five months ago and has followed every legal step to bring her to the United States.

But a federal proclamation issued this month expanded travel restrictions to dozens of African countries, stopping her visa process midstream.

Boyle says the timing is devastating.

"It's emotionally challenging to know that I will not be permitted, basically, to be there for the birth of my child."

The administration says the restrictions target countries with high visa overstay rates and are meant to strengthen immigration enforcement.

The proclamation notes the policy is not based on violence or terrorism concerns.

Immigration advocates argue the broad approach can still harm families who have complied with the law.

This story was produced with original reporting from Jaden Reeves for Wish TV.

And some black farmers say they won't participate in President Donald Trump's new $12 billion federal farm aid program, concerns about racial bias.

The Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association in Memphis represents more than 20,000 heirs of black landowners and ranchers across the country.

Its president Thomas Burrell says the aid excludes those who grow tobacco and sugarcane, crops many black farmers rely on.

He adds his group is preparing a lawsuit arguing the payments violate equal protection and due process rights.

It is geared toward the larger scale what we call high roller row crop farmers to the exclusion which by the way would be most of the white farmers to the exclusion of your specialty crop or small crop black farmers.

The Trump administration plans to announce crop specific payment rates by month's end with funds released by late February.

Danielle Smith reporting.

Finally For kids this Christmas Eve, children's advocates are urging parents in Missouri and around the country to think twice about toys that use artificial intelligence.

Some dolls, action figures and stuffed animals now use chat box technology that can talk with children like a trusted friend, mimicking human conversation and emotions.

Rachel Franz with the non-profit organization FairPlay says those toys are often marketed as safe and educational despite growing concerns about their potential harm.

Right now there is no research and no regulations that are in place to protect kids from the multitude of potential harms that can come from AI toys.

A recent safety report found some AI toys are capable of discussing sexually explicit topics with children or offering advice about dangerous items.

Crystal Blair reporting.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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