Free Republic

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) on Sunday shared a video showing him being barred from entering an immigration detention facility in Texas. "I’m going to try to enter a facility in Brownsville, TX run by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. I am told that this former Walmart may currently be housing hundreds of refugee children who have been separated from their parents," Merkley said in a Facebook post. Merkley posted a video of his attempt to enter the facility, where he is seen asking for a tour of the facility that he said his team set up last week. "The reason...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Garrett Smith, the 21-year-old son of Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith, died at his home in Utah, the senator's office said Tuesday. Garrett Smith committed suicide on Monday, Gordon Smith's office said in a statement. The senator's chief of staff, John Easton, called Garrett Smith "a wonderful young man who brought joy into the life of his family and friends. Garrett suffered from severe depression for many years. We wish the Smith family peace and comfort as they grieve this terrible tragedy." Garrett Smith was adopted, as are the two other children of Sen. Smith and his wife,...