Molly O'Toole, Los Angeles Times

Molly O'Toole

Los Angeles Times

Washington, DC, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • Los Angeles Times
  • The Union-Tribune
  • Foreign Policy
  • Defense One
  • GovExec

Past articles by Molly:

Kamala Harris heads to U.S.-Mexico border facing heat on immigration — from left and right

The vice president travels to El Paso to visit the American side of the border with Mexico, in perhaps her most politically charged trip since taking office. → Read More

Asylum seekers with cases closed under Trump to begin entering U.S.

The Biden administration will begin a delayed second phase of winding down Trump’s controversial immigration policy → Read More

Biden has quietly deployed an app for asylum seekers. Privacy experts are worried

Officials have quietly deployed a mobile app relying on facial recognition technology to collect data on asylum seekers before they cross the border. → Read More

ICE to close Irwin detention center in Georgia where immigrant women alleged widespread medical abuse

Biden administration directs ICE to end contracts with two immigration detention centers in Massachusetts and Georgia that are under federal investigation. → Read More

Biden's border closure cracks under pressure from lawsuits, advocates and the easing pandemic

Even as Biden officials call Title 42 a "source of pain" and stop expelling asylum seekers to Mexico late at night or far from where they crossed the border, they're defending the Trump-era pandemic-policy. → Read More

A mother and son separated by the Trump administration meet again — finally

The family was among the earliest separated under the Trump administration. More than a thousand families remain separated. → Read More

Biden Title 42 policy fuels migrant family kidnappings at border, extortion in U.S.

Biden said he wanted to expel more migrant families under Title 42. The policy is fueling border kidnappings and extortion of U.S. relatives. → Read More

Biden's border czar Roberta Jacobson is stepping down

President Biden's border coordinator Roberta Jacobson is stepping down as the administration struggles to deal with an increase in migrants at the southern border. → Read More

Amid border outcry, Biden keeps Trump Title 42 immigration ban

The Biden administration says migrants can still get protection under a Trump-era pandemic policy. But in a year, fewer than 1% have been able to do so. → Read More

Biden reopens program for some Central American children to join parents in U.S.

The White House restores the Central American Minors program to allow some youths to join parents who are in the U.S. legally. → Read More

Biden administration to give temporary protected status to thousands of Venezuelans in U.S.

The White House will announce a temporary protected status decree that could allow tens of thousands of Venezuelans who fled their homeland to remain in U.S. → Read More

A Guatemalan asylum seeker may lose both hands to Texas frostbite. The U.S. wants to send him back

A Texas hospital said a 21-year-old’s hands may need to be amputated after he was found unconscious in the historic winter storm. Border Patrol agents told him he’d be sent back to Guatemala when he was discharged. → Read More

Immigrant asylum seekers begin reentering U.S.

Some immigrants kept waiting across the border by Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy will be allowed to enter the U.S. while awaiting court dates. San Diego began processing them Friday; two Texas sites will follow next week. → Read More

Biden directs ICE to focus raids and removals on security threats

While Biden's deportation pause is challenged in court, he directs ICE to focus on 'significant threats,' such as suspected terrorists and felons. → Read More

Biden takes swing at immigration reform with bill on citizenship path for 11 million

Democratic lawmakers will introduce Thursday a broad immigration reform bill Biden touted on his first day in office, part of a years-long effort. → Read More

Biden administration to start processing asylum seekers in California forced by Trump to 'Remain in Mexico'

After Trump forced some 70,000 asylum seekers back across the border to Mexico under a controversial policy Biden pledged to end, officials are set to start processing in California and Texas next week. → Read More

Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed as Biden Homeland Security secretary over GOP opposition

Mayorkas becomes the first Latino and immigrant to serve as Homeland Security secretary but faces political battles over immigration and security. → Read More

Biden’s early immigration orders largely limited to reviewing, not undoing, Trump policy

Biden on Tuesday will establish a task force to reunite separated families, but officials say his early executive actions on immigration remain constrained by Trump's. → Read More

Biden inherits border chaos from Trump but begets uncertainty and false hope

Hate from Trump gives way to hope in Biden at the border, but caravans, ongoing wall construction and thousands of asylum seekers already there collide for an early test of his resolve. → Read More

Braced for clashes, Washington is mostly empty and quiet for Biden inauguration

Washington, D.C., was prepared for the worst ahead of Inauguration Day. But the worst stayed home. → Read More