WORLD BRIEFLY Senate Democrats join Republicans in voting to advance Laken Riley bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly in the minority, Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to advance legislation that would require federal authorities to detain unauthorized immigrants who have been accused of certain crimes — signaling that they will try and find spots to work with President- elect Donald Trump while simultaneously trying to block much of his agenda.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and most other Democrats voted to proceed with the legislation, advancing the bill 84-9. Trump and Republicans have pushed the bill and made it a priority since Georgia nursing student Laken Riley was killed last year by a Venezuelan man who entered the U.S. illegally and was allowed to stay to pursue his immigration case.

Still, Schumer hasn’t promised to vote for the final bill — and he made clear that Democrats want Republicans to work with them on bipartisan amendments. Thursday’s procedural vote will allow that process to begin.

Judge scraps Biden’s Title IX rules

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration’s Title IX rules expanding protections for LGBTQ+ students have been struck down nationwide after a federal judge in Kentucky found they overstepped the president’s authority.

In a decision issued Thursday, U.S. District Judge Danny C. Reeves scrapped the entire 1,500-page regulation after deciding it was “fatally” tainted by legal shortcomings. The rule had already been halted in 26 states after a wave of legal challenges by Republican states.

President-elect Donald Trump, whose inauguration is days away, previously promised to end the rules “on day one” and made anti-transgender themes a centerpiece of his campaign.

The decision came in response to a lawsuit filed by Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called it a rejection of the Biden administration’s “relentless push to impose a radical gender ideology.”

“Because the Biden rule is vacated altogether, President Trump will be free to take a fresh look at our Title IX regulations when he returns to office,” Skrmetti said in a statement.

The Education Department did not immediately comment on the decision.

Some civil rights groups called the ruling a step backward. GLAAD, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said transgender and nonbinary students are among the most bullied and harassed.

“Protections for the most vulnerable students make the entire school safer and stronger for everyone,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD.

The Biden administration ignited controversy when it finalized the new rules last year. The regulation expanded Title IX, a 1972 law forbidding discrimination based on sex in education, to also prevent discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation. It also widened the definition of harassment to include a broader range of misconduct.

Civil rights advocates hailed it as a victory, saying it gave LGBTQ+ students new recourse against discrimination. But it drew outrage from conservatives who said it could be used to protect transgender athletes in girls’ sports.

Vice Presidentelect JD Vance resigns from Senate

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Vice President-elect JD Vance is resigning from his seat in the U.S. Senate, effective Friday.

Vance made his intentions known in a letter Thursday to Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, who will choose his successor.

“To the people of Ohio, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the privilege of representing you in the United States Senate. When I was elected to this office, I promised to never forget where I came from, and I’ve made sure to live by that promise every single day,” Vance wrote.

“As I prepare to assume my duties as Vice President of the United States, I would like to express that it has been a tremendous honor and privilege to serve the people of Ohio in the Senate over the past two years,” Vance said.

DeWine has the sole duty of appointing a successor to Vance, who was elected to a six-year term in 2022.