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Today’s top stories

Rescuers are continuing their search through rubble for thousands of people who are still missing in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes struck on Wednesday night. The Venezuelan government says that at least 235 people are confirmed dead and thousands have been injured. The quakes struck the capital city of Caracas and surrounding areas, resulting in widespread destruction and overwhelming local response efforts. Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise as the search efforts continue. The last earthquake of comparable magnitude to hit Caracas happened in 1967, when more than 200 people were killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake. Wednesday’s quakes measured at magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

• 🎧 Some people in the capital say that certain areas there resemble a war zone because so many buildings have completely collapsed, reporter Manuel Rueda tells Up First. The destruction has left thousands of people homeless and sleeping in parks at night. Some individuals whose buildings may not have collapsed are also choosing to sleep outside for fear of aftershocks. Hundreds of people trapped in buildings are desperately waiting for a search-and-rescue response, but Venezuela has little experience dealing with major earthquakes, as they don’t happen there often. Humanitarian groups there say that supporting affected individuals will be a lengthy process, as they will need food, shelter and medical assistance. This effort is expected to take several weeks, Rueda says.
• ➡️ The fact that the two quakes struck on land, near major population centers, made them especially deadly, according to geologist William Barnhart. Here’s what experts say made them so different.
• ➡️ See photos of Venezuela’s destruction after the earthquakes.
• ➡️ In Texas and other parts of the U.S., Venezuelans have organized donation drives to help those in their home country.

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday gave the Trump administration a powerful tool that could make it more challenging for asylum seekers to enter the United States. In a 6-3 vote, the high court ruled that federal law permits the government to prevent asylum seekers from physically setting foot into the country, effectively blocking them from applying for asylum. Asylum is a form of legal protection granted to individuals fleeing persecution in their home countries, provided they meet certain criteria. Another decision allows the administration to proceed with revoking temporary legal status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.

• 🎧 This case was specifically about the thousands of recipients of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program from Haiti and Syria, but it has broader implications, NPR’s Ximena Bustillo says. The TPS designation for each country can last from six to 18 months, at the Secretary of Homeland security’s discretion. The court has agreed with the government that the decision to make these designations is up to the secretary and not subject to legal review. Those currently enrolled in this program must either adjust their status — which can only be done in very limited circumstances — or leave the country. Failing to do either puts them at risk of losing their legal status, which could lead to arrest, detention and deportation. Many may also lose their jobs, as employers won’t be able to legally employ thousands of workers without a valid TPS status. Ira Kurzban, an attorney representing the Haitian TPS holders, argues that Haiti, Syria and other countries are not stable enough for people to return.
• ➡️ The Supreme Court also ruled yesterday that states cannot require gun owners to get permission from property owners before bringing guns onto their land, and agreed to shield Monsanto from liability over its popular weed killer, Roundup.