A federal judge has scheduled a hearing for Friday after the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to “facilitate” the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a Maryland man deported to El Salvador by mistake last month.
U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis, in an order filed late Thursday, directed officials to take all available steps to bring Abrego Garcia back to the U.S. “as soon as possible.” The administration must also submit a declaration confirming his current location and detailing the steps being taken to secure his immediate return.
Facade of the United States Supreme Court in Washington D.C. STOCK PHOTO/Adobe Stock
“The order properly requires the Government to ‘facilitate’ Garcia’s release from custody in El Salvador and to ensure that his case is handled as it would have been had he not been improperly sent to El Salvador,” the high court stated.
Despite having legal protections against deportation due to fleeing political violence in 2011, Abrego Garcia was mistakenly sent to El Salvador, where he was detained in the notorious CECOT mega-prison.
Government Pushes Back on Court Intervention
The Trump administration claims Abrego Garcia is a member of the MS-13 gang—an accusation his attorneys and wife deny. Officials argue that because he is no longer in U.S. custody, courts cannot compel his return.
The Supreme Court, while upholding the lower court’s order, acknowledged the government’s role in foreign affairs and instructed Judge Xinis to clarify her ruling with respect to executive authority.
Legal Battle Over Deportation Mistake
The Justice Department defended the administration’s position, stating, “It is the exclusive prerogative of the President to conduct foreign affairs.” A department spokesperson criticized judicial intervention, calling it an overreach into executive authority.
Meanwhile, Abrego Garcia’s attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision. “The rule of law prevailed,” he told ABC News. “Now they need to stop wasting time and get moving.”
With the federal hearing set for Friday, pressure mounts on the administration to correct its deportation mistake swiftly.
Keep up with this development on Abrego Garcia with us on Que Onda Magazine.
Siemens executive Agustin Escobar, his wife, Merce Camprubi Montal, and their three children—ages 4, 8, and 10—were among the victims of the crash, while they were celebrating the wife’s 40th birthday, just a day before the 8-year-old’s birthday, according to NYC Mayor Eric Adams. The 36-year-old pilot, whose identity has not been publicly released, also perished.
Tragic Incident Over the Hudson
The Bell 206 helicopter, operated by New York Helicopter Tours, crashed into the Hudson River between Lower Manhattan and Hoboken, New Jersey, on Thursday afternoon—just over 15 minutes after taking off from the Wall Street Heliport.
“We are devastated,” a company representative told ABC News. “My staff hasn’t stopped crying.”
Crash Details and Investigation
The aircraft, on its sixth flight of the day, was found upside-down in the 50-degree water near the New Jersey side of the river. Video footage captured the helicopter plunging into the water without a tail rotor or main rotor blade.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported that four victims died at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. Jersey City Medical Center staff worked tirelessly to save the injured, according to Mayor Steven Fulop.
Witnesses Describe the Horror
Dani Horbiak, who saw the crash from her apartment, described hearing loud noises “like gunshots in the sky” before watching the helicopter fall. Another witness likened the sound to a “sonic boom,” adding that the helicopter split in two mid-air.
Calls for Safety Reforms
Mayor Fulop emphasized concerns about air traffic safety over the Hudson, hoping the tragedy sparks stricter regulations. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez called the incident an “unimaginable tragedy,” while former President Donald Trump described the crash footage as “horrendous.”
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the crash.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A Houston med spa owner is under arrest after police found fake fillers at her Westchase office.
The doors at Lilac Touch Med Spa on South Gessner were locked on Thursday, a day after Aseel Al-Tameemi’s arrest for violating the Texas Medical Practice Act.
Court documents accuse her of practicing without a license and purchasing counterfeit medication, which a law enforcement source confirms included counterfeit Juvederm fillers.
Al-Tameemi wasn’t at her Cypress home Thursday, and her adult son didn’t seem to know much about his mother’s business.
“I’m not really sure to be honest with you,” he told Eyewitness News.
Posts on Lilac Touch Med Spa’s Facebook page offer liquid rhinoplasty and touts their $7-per-unit Botox injections.
“That’s crazy,” said board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Franklin Rose after reviewing the posts.
Rose said Botox is commonly priced at $14 to $15 per unit and that Al-Tameemi’s prices should have tipped off clients that something wasn’t right.
“You don’t know what they’re injecting. You don’t know what it is,” he said.
Rose suggests researching the medical staff before committing to a procedure and asking to inspect anything that’s being injected into them.
“Just ask: Who’s injecting me? Can I see what is being injected into me?” he said.
Al-Tameemi was released from jail on a $100 bond.
Police are asking anyone who’s visited her business to reach out.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A weak cool front arriving Friday will keep the sunny weather going through the weekend ahead, but we still might have to deal with ozone pollution problems for part of the weekend.
An abundance of sunshine will rapidly warm temperatures into the upper 80s. The humidity will be so low behind the front that the “feels like temp” might be below the actual air temperature.
An Ozone Pollution Watch is in effect as unhealthy levels of ozone could get develop in the afternoon hours and persist into the early evening. Ozone is a lung irritant that can trigger coughs and asthma attacks in sensitive individuals.
What can we expect for the weekend?
Friday’s front will keep the sunshine going through the weekend ahead! Saturday starts off in the mid 50s and warms into the mid 80s with low humidity and a gentle southeast wind. An Ozone Pollution Watch is also in effect for Saturday as unhealthy levels of ozone could develop in the afternoon hours and persist into the early evening. Ozone is a lung irritant that can trigger coughs and asthma attacks in sensitive individuals. The Gulf breeze kicks up another notch on Sunday to bring a milder morning and a warmer afternoon. There could also be another round of morning fog to start the day, but most of Sunday will be filled with sunshine.
Are anymore cool fronts on the way?
Another weak front is now scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. This front will bring us one morning in the 50s before the sticky Gulf air returns.
When does rain return to the forecast?
It won’t be until late next week that we have enough moisture back for some rain chances to return. We’ll be keeping a watchful eye on an upper-level Pacific storm that should approach the state of Texas around Easter weekend. At this time it looks like the low will track just north of the state, giving us warm, humid, and breezy weather with just a 20% chance for the holiday weekend.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has scheduled a special election for Nov. 4 to fill the congressional seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner.
Turner passed away on March 5, just two months into his first term representing Texas’ 18th Congressional District. With the seat left unfilled for at least seven months, Democrats have criticized Abbott for delaying the vote, accusing him of trying to protect the slim Republican majority in the U.S. House.
Without Turner, Republicans hold a 220-213 advantage in the House, meaning they can afford up to three defections and still pass legislation. If a Democrat wins the seat, as expected in the solidly blue district, the margin narrows, leaving Republicans with less room for internal dissent.
Democrats, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Harris County officials, had urged Abbott to hold the election sooner, with some threatening legal action. Christian Menefee, acting Harris County attorney and a Democratic candidate for the seat, called the delay unacceptable, noting the district will go without representation during critical events like hurricane season and budget negotiations.
Abbott defended the decision, citing past election issues in Harris County and arguing that the county needs time to prepare. He said rushing the process could compromise election integrity. However, local officials, including Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth, disputed that claim, pointing to recent improvements under her leadership.
Turner was elected last year after the death of longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee. Among the Democrats running to replace him are former City Council member Amanda Edwards, who narrowly lost the party nomination to Turner, and Isaiah Martin, a former staffer for Jackson Lee.
Critics noted that Abbott moved more swiftly to fill seats in past cases, such as after the deaths of U.S. Reps. Ron Wright and Jackson Lee, and following the resignation of Rep. Blake Farenthold. They argue the delayed timeline for this election reflects partisan decision-making, not logistical concerns.
Texas has struggled to keep up with soaring numbers of inactive and orphaned wells for decades.
More than 150,000 oil and gas wells remain idle and unplugged across Texas, often outlasting their financially struggling owners who abandon them after dying, going bankrupt, or shutting down their companies. A bill proposed by Republican state Sen. Mayes Middleton—a Galveston oilman—aims to change that by requiring companies to seal inactive wells while they’re still in business. Currently, operators can leave these wells open indefinitely. Middleton’s legislation would mandate that wells be plugged after 15 years of inactivity, addressing a growing number of aging wells that pose increasing risks to public health and the environment.
The Texas Senate May Vote Soon on Controversial University Bill
Texas lawmakers may vote this week on Senate Bill 37 (SB 37) — a bill that could heavily change how public universities teach about history, race, and inequality. Critics say it might limit academic freedom and create fear among professors about what they can teach.
What’s Changing in the Bill:
1. Control Over What’s Taught
The bill would require universities to review courses every 5 years to make sure they don’t:
Distort major historical events,
Claim one race is better or responsible for others’ actions,
Teach that racism or inequality is built into U.S. institutions.
Critics worry this could lead to censorship, like banning lessons about LGBTQ history or systemic racism.
2. Complaint System
Anyone could file a complaint if they believe a university is breaking the law.
An ombudsman (a new position) would investigate. If schools don’t fix issues within 30 days, the state could sue them or cut their funding.
Experts warn this could flood schools with unfair complaints and scare off top professors.
3. Faculty and Hiring Rules
The bill originally limited who could serve on faculty councils, but that’s changed.
Now, any member using their role for “political advocacy” can be removed.
Also, university presidents must personally hire key leaders (like deans), and the board of regents can still override them.
4. Focus on Job-Ready Degrees
The bill pushes universities to cut degree programs that don’t lead to clear job outcomes.
The state could stop funding programs that don’t show a good “return on investment.”
Some experts agree with the job focus but warn not to cut valuable programs like philosophy, which still lead to meaningful careers after grad school.
In honor of National Burrito Day, Que Onda Magazine had the privilege of speaking with Nelly Quijano, a pioneering entrepreneur in the food industry. Alongside her late husband, Dominic Quijano, she played a key role in co-inventing the McDonald’s Sausage Burrito in Houston during the 1980s. In this exclusive interview, she shares her journey from Cuba to the United States, the obstacles she overcame, and the impact she made on the fast-food industry.
A Journey of Resilience
Born in 1962, Quijano was among the 18,000 children flown to the United States as part of an effort by the U.S. government, the Department of State, and a Christian organization in Miami to provide freedom from Fidel Castro’s communist regime.
“For me, it was a very challenging time not being able to be with my parents,” Quijano recalls. “At the same time, it was terrifying, but it was also exciting. I arrived in a new country. I needed to learn the culture. I knew English, so that helped me a little bit. But trying to adapt to the new customs, it was kind of hard at the beginning—very, very hard. But I always lived by the words persistence and determination, so that really helped me get through, even at that age.”
From Entrepreneurial Spirit to McDonald’s Success
Quijano went on to own 30 McDonald’s locations.
“We were really busy,” she says. “I always had that entrepreneurial spirit, and my husband too, so we were both the same. We worked together.”
They initially ran a textiles business in New Jersey, but when it burned down in 1982, they sought new opportunities.
“When it happened, and we got the opportunity to get into McDonald’s, we figured McDonald’s is the American dream. What better company to get associated with?” she says. “So we took the opportunity and started training, and about a year and a half later, we became operators.”
In 1983, they moved to Houston and opened their first McDonald’s restaurant in 1984 in the heart of Magnolia. “The first few months were kind of hard because every business is different, and it’s hard at the beginning,” Quijano explains. “Even though it was McDonald’s, we had tough times at the beginning. But, like I said, hard work—that did it all.”
Overcoming Challenges
Challenges were inevitable, but Quijano was never one to back down.
“Challenges were many, but to me, there’s nothing that stops me,” she says. “The harder the challenge, the harder I work. So that’s how I was able to go through all of that. Don’t forget, there were also two of us, so it was easier between the two of us to go through all of that together and succeed.”
The Birth of the McDonald’s Sausage Burrito
Dominic Quijano, Ronald McDonald and Nelly Quijano.
Quijano and her husband introduced a breakfast item that millions of people enjoy daily—the McDonald’s Sausage Burrito.
“Being Cuban and being used to Latin flavors, coming from New York and getting into Houston, we saw so many Hispanics in the community and realized that McDonald’s had nothing to cater to our customers,” Quijano says. “My husband actually was the one that thought, ‘We need something for the Hispanic community here.’”
They experimented with different ingredients, working with their team and gathering feedback from customers. “Every day, we tried something different. We made burritos with hash browns because we didn’t want to bring new products to the restaurant. We wanted to do it with the products we already had. We made them with hash browns, with sausage, even with chorizo to try to bring a different flavor.”
They took their creations straight to the customers.
“We came out to the lobby every day, shared with them, and they would say, ‘A little more salt, less salt, more of this, more of that.’ So actually, it was a group effort, including our customers.”
A National Staple
Quijano never imagined the burrito becoming a national menu item.
“No, I didn’t, but I was hoping for it,” she says. “Every year when we celebrate another year, I know it’s a milestone. And I wish my husband was here to see it, but it just didn’t work that way.”
Though it was initially developed with the Hispanic community in mind, the burrito has gained widespread popularity. “It’s actually not only a Hispanic product. Many, many people of different nationalities enjoy it.”
The Influence of Cuban Heritage
Quijano’s Cuban roots played a major role in shaping her approach to food.
“In my house, food was the key,” she says. “In any Spanish house, really. We always got together with our family, and it all revolved around food. We cook food with love, and we celebrate traditions with food.”
While the Sausage Burrito isn’t specifically Cuban, the rich spices and flavors reflect her upbringing.
“It started with my Cuban roots,” she explains. “Although we don’t eat anything too hot, we eat very spicy—flavorful.”
Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Seeing the McDonald’s breakfast menu still fills Quijano with pride. “It is an incredible feeling when I see that McDonald’s breakfast menu and I know that we created those products,” she says. “I feel very proud, not only because of the burrito itself, but because of the road that led me here. It’s a reminder that no matter where you come from, with hard work and passion, you can leave a lasting mark in everything you do.”
Words of Wisdom for Latinas and Hispanic Youth
Quijano encourages Latinas to dream big while understanding that success requires effort.
“I always say, no matter where you come from, don’t ever forget where you’re going. That’s the most important part,” she says.
“Don’t be afraid to dream big, but remember that dreams are built with effort. Surround yourself with good people, look for mentors, and never stop learning. And don’t be afraid to take risks. We took a lot of risks.”
She urges Hispanic youth to stay persistent. “Set your goals. Don’t get disappointed if you fall. If you fall, pick yourself up again. You will get there. If you have your goals and you are persistent about them, eventually you will get there. It’s just a matter of time.”
A Message to the Latino Community
Quijano highlights the abundance of community resources, from business mentors to financial advisors, that can help Latinos achieve their goals.
“People sometimes don’t know where to start. Look for help. There are a lot of people in our community willing to help. Getting help, looking for a mentor—that is key. And again, persistence.”
Final Thoughts
As the conversation concluded, Quijano expressed gratitude for the opportunity to share her story.
“Thank you for inviting me. It’s been great.”
When asked about her go-to meal at McDonald’s, Quijano shares, “I love our classic Quarter Pounder, but I have to say that the Sausage Burrito has a special place in my heart. It’s a little bit of my story in every bite.”
Watch the full interview on YouTube. Keep up with more exclusive interviews featuring Houston’s Latino community with us on Que Onda Magazine.
Boston Court Weighs Block on Controversial Deportation Policy
A federal judge in Boston is set to review the Trump administration’s policy of deporting migrants to third countries where they have no prior connections, without allowing them to contest their safety concerns. The decision could determine the fate of many noncitizens at risk of deportation.
Lawsuit Challenges Risky Removals
A group of noncitizens with final removal orders filed a federal lawsuit last month, arguing that deportations to countries like El Salvador, Honduras, or Panama—where they have no ties—put their lives in danger. U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who temporarily blocked the policy, will consider extending his order and certifying a class of noncitizens to protect them from such removals.
Plaintiffs Fear Persecution, Torture
Lawyers for the plaintiffs stress the urgency of halting the policy, stating that it “may be the difference between safety and torture, life and death.” The lawsuit claims that migrants are being removed without a chance to express fears of persecution or torture. In one case, a Guatemalan man was sent to Mexico despite prior rape and threats against him there.
Allegations of Violating Court Orders
The Trump administration is accused of defying Judge Murphy’s order by deporting over a dozen migrants to El Salvador. Among them was Maiker Espinoza Escalona, allegedly linked to Tren de Aragua, a charge his family denies. Escalona was separated from his partner and infant and detained at El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison. His family insists he was wrongfully targeted.
Government Defends Policy, Critics Call It Inadequate
The Department of Justice argues that the court lacks jurisdiction over final removal orders and insists new policies ensure deported migrants will not face harm. They claim DHS now seeks diplomatic assurances and screens migrants for protection eligibility under the United Nations’ Convention Against Torture. However, plaintiffs’ lawyers call these safeguards “woefully inadequate,” citing recent deportations as evidence.
Families Demand Justice
Families of deported individuals continue to push for accountability. “They are liars,” said Raida, Escalona’s mother-in-law, rejecting claims that many Venezuelans are gang members. “We’re distraught—I don’t wish this on anyone.”
As Judge Murphy weighs his decision, the case underscores ongoing battles over U.S. immigration policies and human rights protections.
Keep up with this federal judiciary development on deportations with us on Que Onda Magazine.
