Think Tanks
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America First Policy Institute: Senseless Murder of Virginia Mother by Illegal Alien Exposes Immigration Failures
WASHINGTON, March 25 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 24, 2026:
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Senseless Murder of Virginia Mother by Illegal Alien Exposes Immigration Failures
Richmond, VA--On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Ashley Hayek, Executive Vice President at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), along with other leaders and members of the community, attended a press conference in front of the Virginia Governor's office regarding the brutal murder of Stephanie Nicole Minter, a beloved mother, daughter, and sister. She was murdered by an illegal alien.
Hayek offers
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WASHINGTON, March 25 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement on March 24, 2026:
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Senseless Murder of Virginia Mother by Illegal Alien Exposes Immigration Failures
Richmond, VA--On Tuesday, March 24, 2026, Ashley Hayek, Executive Vice President at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), along with other leaders and members of the community, attended a press conference in front of the Virginia Governor's office regarding the brutal murder of Stephanie Nicole Minter, a beloved mother, daughter, and sister. She was murdered by an illegal alien.
Hayek offersthe following statement:
"Stephanie's murder is not just a personal tragedy for her family. It is a stark reminder of the radical immigration failures in our country that have put innocent Americans at risk. Her killer was here illegally and had over 30 prior charges--including violent felonies--and was allowed back on the streets. Federal immigration authorities issued a detainer, yet Virginia officials have still not committed to honoring it. This is completely unacceptable.
The government's first responsibility is public safety. When officials refuse to cooperate with federal law enforcement or decline to uphold immigration laws, they are making a choice that can carry devastating consequences for Americans--and their families and friends bear the burden.
We stand with Stephanie's family in their grief and in their pursuit of justice and a system that prioritizes the safety of innocent lives over the protection of repeat offenders and illegal immigrants."
Hayek was asked to lead the group gathered in prayer. This is a portion of her prayer:
"Lord Jesus, You who wept with the grieving and defended the vulnerable, comfort Cheryl Minter in her sorrow. Heal the wound no mother should bear, and let her know she is not alone."
"Holy Spirit, give us courage to demand both the sacred dignity of every human life and the fairness that truly protects it."
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/senseless-murder-of-virginia-mother-by-illegal-alien-exposes-immigration-failures
[Category: ThinkTank]
IEEFA: Pakistan's LNG Surplus Crisis: Assessing Evolving Energy Dynamics and the Need for Flexibility
WASHINGTON, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following briefing note on March 19, 2026 by Haneea Isaad entitled "Pakistan's LNG surplus crisis: Assessing evolving energy dynamics and the need for flexibility."
Here are the key findings:
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Global energy markets face rising uncertainty amid shipping disruptions resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the current Middle East conflict. Asian economies, dependent on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), are increasingly exposed to energy security risks.
Pakistan should
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WASHINGTON, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis issued the following briefing note on March 19, 2026 by Haneea Isaad entitled "Pakistan's LNG surplus crisis: Assessing evolving energy dynamics and the need for flexibility."
Here are the key findings:
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Global energy markets face rising uncertainty amid shipping disruptions resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the current Middle East conflict. Asian economies, dependent on imported liquefied natural gas (LNG), are increasingly exposed to energy security risks.
Pakistan shouldexplore alternative energy sources and reduce reliance on LNG for power generation. Rapid growth in solar generation and lower grid consumption in the country provide a hedge against dependence on global LNG.
An over-reliance on long-term, rigid contracts for energy security in Pakistan had led to a surplus of LNG before the current Middle East crisis. High LNG costs and rising solar power led to a surplus of 177 LNG cargoes from 2026 to 2031, threatening the country's gas distribution network with potential damage.
Pakistan's current strategies focus on alleviating short-term supply shortages and price volatility, but without comprehensive reforms, the country may return to an LNG surplus once Middle East tensions ease. The upcoming price review with Qatar Petroleum for 60 cargoes under a 2016 agreement should seek reduced volumes and greater flexibility.
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View full briefing note at: https://ieefa.org/resources/pakistans-lng-surplus-crisis-assessing-evolving-energy-dynamics-and-need-flexibility
[Category: ThinkTank]
ICE Out of Our Airports - "Tell Trump to Pay" TSA Digital Ad Launch at PHL Airport
WASHINGTON, March 24 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Common Cause posted the following news release:
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ICE Out of Our Airports - "Tell Trump to Pay" TSA Digital Ad Launch at PHL Airport
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After President Trump deployed ICE to airports, and multiple reports the President is refusing a bipartisan deal to pay TSA agents, Common Cause launched ads for those waiting in long TSA lines to communicate their frustration.
The initial ads target travelers stuck in long lines at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). If President Trump continues to delay a deal to pay TSA agents, Common Cause will expand
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WASHINGTON, March 24 [Category: ThinkTank] -- Common Cause posted the following news release:
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ICE Out of Our Airports - "Tell Trump to Pay" TSA Digital Ad Launch at PHL Airport
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After President Trump deployed ICE to airports, and multiple reports the President is refusing a bipartisan deal to pay TSA agents, Common Cause launched ads for those waiting in long TSA lines to communicate their frustration.
The initial ads target travelers stuck in long lines at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). If President Trump continues to delay a deal to pay TSA agents, Common Cause will expandthe ad campaign to more airports.
"Everyday travelers want to get where they're going safely and on time, and want ICE out of our airports," said Virginia Kase Solomon, Common Cause President & CEO. "But President Trump would rather manufacture a crisis than pass a bipartisan deal. We're giving the people a chance to let their representatives and senators get an earful and make a choice: work for your people or work for President Trump."
Common Cause is leading the fight to rein in ICE and DHS ' abuses of power, including on the ground in Minneapolis, as well as the successful campaign to Fire Kristi Noem. To read the organization's full list of demands, click here.
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Original text here: https://www.commoncause.org/press/ice-out-of-our-airports-tell-trump-to-pay-tsa-digital-ad-launch-at-phl-airport/
Economic & Social Research Institute: 'Impact of School and Neighbourhood Social Mix on Leaving Certificate Performance'
DUBLIN, Ireland, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Economic and Social Research Institute issued the following research bulletin on March 12, 2026 by Emer Smyth and Merike Darmody entitled "The impact of school and neighbourhood social mix on Leaving Certificate performance."
Here are excerpts:
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Introduction
There has been growing interest internationally in how school and neighbourhood contexts make a difference to academic achievement. However, it can be difficult to disentangle school and neighbourhood effects in countries where all students in a particular area attend their local school. The
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DUBLIN, Ireland, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The Economic and Social Research Institute issued the following research bulletin on March 12, 2026 by Emer Smyth and Merike Darmody entitled "The impact of school and neighbourhood social mix on Leaving Certificate performance."
Here are excerpts:
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Introduction
There has been growing interest internationally in how school and neighbourhood contexts make a difference to academic achievement. However, it can be difficult to disentangle school and neighbourhood effects in countries where all students in a particular area attend their local school. Thedegree of choice among second-level schools in Ireland means that we can provide more precise estimates of school and neighbourhood effects than those available internationally. Using longitudinal data, we can also explore the influence of both the primary and second-level school attended on academic outcomes.
Data and methods
The research draws on data from Cohort '98 of the Growing Up in Ireland study, which has followed a sample of children and their families since they were nine years old. Information on Leaving Certificate (upper secondary) performance is measured in terms of the 'points' used for higher education entry purposes and the information was collected at 20 years of age. Prior academic performance is measured in terms of grade point average achieved in the Junior Certificate (lower secondary) exam.
A multidimensional approach to measuring family socioeconomic background is used, including social class, maternal education, experience of financial strain (difficulty making ends meet) and family type. At the school level, DEIS status[1] is used to proxy a working-class student composition while fee-paying status is used to proxy a middle-class student composition. Neighbourhood composition is based on the proportion in the local electoral division who are unemployed, have lower levels of education and are lone-parent families. In addition, a parent-reported measure of perceived disorder in the local area (e.g. graffiti and visible drinking/drug-taking) is used. Cross-classified multilevel models are used to provide precise estimates of school and neighbourhood effects, taking account of family socioeconomic background.
Results
Leaving Certificate performance varies more between schools than between neighbourhoods. Performance differs significantly by mother's education, social class, family type and experience of financial strain. These differences are sizeable, with a gap of over 100 points between the children of graduate mothers and those whose mothers have junior cycle education or less.
Even taking account of social background, students in DEIS schools have much lower grades than those in socially mixed schools while those in fee-paying schools have higher grades. Those who attended an Urban Band 1[2] DEIS primary school have lower grades, even accounting for second-level school social mix. Neighbourhood characteristics also make a difference to achievement, with lower grades in areas characterised by higher levels of socioeconomic disadvantage and more neighbourhood disorder.
Analyses also took account of prior performance at Junior Certificate, which changed the picture somewhat. Some of the family characteristics influence earlier school achievement but do not have an additional effect when earlier grades are taken into account. However, those from professional and graduate backgrounds make greater academic progress between the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams than those from other social groups. Significant differences by school social mix remain, with lower performance (relative to Junior Certificate grades) among those who attended DEIS second-level or Urban Band 1 primary schools and higher performance among those in fee-paying schools.[3] The effect of living in a more deprived area is reduced in size but is still significant when prior grades are considered.
Conclusions
The findings show the importance of taking a multidimensional approach to measuring family background, as maternal education, social class, financial strain and family type all have independent effects on exam performance. The social mix of the school attended and of the neighbourhood in which young people live makes a difference to their academic achievement, even taking account of their family circumstances. The effects are found to be cumulative, with both the primary and second-level school attended affecting grades.
While schools serving disadvantaged communities are provided with additional supports and resources through the DEIS programme, these do not appear sufficient to bridge the gap in outcomes, at least for this cohort of young people. The findings therefore add to the body of evidence which suggests the need for additional supports for schools serving the most deprived communities, soon to be the basis of a DEIS Plus designation. It is important to note that not all socioeconomically disadvantaged young people live in deprived areas and/or attend DEIS schools, indicating the need for additional supports to enable these students to reach their potential.
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View the full doc at: https://www.esri.ie/publications/the-impact-of-school-and-neighbourhood-social-mix-on-leaving-certificate-performance
[Category: ThinkTank]
CSIS Posts Commentary: Divergence and Tacit Understanding in the China-Philippines Provisional Arrangement at Second Thomas Shoal
WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative posted the following commentary on March 23, 2026, by Liu Xiaobo, director of the Marine Study Center at the Grandview Institution in Beijing, China:
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Divergence and Tacit Understanding in the China-Philippines Provisional Arrangement at Second Thomas Shoal
Second Thomas Shoal has become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines. Since 1999, when the Philippines deliberately grounded the warship BRP Sierra Madre on
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative posted the following commentary on March 23, 2026, by Liu Xiaobo, director of the Marine Study Center at the Grandview Institution in Beijing, China:
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Divergence and Tacit Understanding in the China-Philippines Provisional Arrangement at Second Thomas Shoal
Second Thomas Shoal has become one of the most sensitive flashpoints in the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines. Since 1999, when the Philippines deliberately grounded the warship BRP Sierra Madre onthe shoal, the feature has steadily evolved into a key front line in the broader maritime contest between the two sides. After the sharp confrontation on June 17, 2024, the situation came close to spinning out of control. In July 2024, however, Beijing and Manila reached a provisional arrangement through diplomatic channels regarding resupply operations at the shoal, which the Philippine side described as a "Provisional Understanding." From the conclusion of that arrangement through March 4, 2026, the Philippines carried out 13 rotation and resupply missions--roughly once every six weeks. Philippine officials say these missions have since proceeded without dangerous encounters between the two sides. By that measure, the arrangement has worked: the situation at Second Thomas Shoal has shifted from intense confrontation to a condition of relative manageability.
This provisional arrangement is more than a tactical deconfliction mechanism. It also reflects a limited but meaningful tacit understanding between China and the Philippines on crisis management in the South China Sea.
The core divide: fundamental opposition between sovereignty narratives and legal interpretation
The fundamental disagreement between China and the Philippines over Second Thomas Shoal centers on their competing claims of sovereignty and legality.
China has consistently maintained its sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, including Second Thomas Shoal. From Beijing's perspective, the Philippines' grounding of a warship there constitutes an infringement on Chinese sovereignty and violates the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), especially the commitment to "refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features". China's long-term objective remains clear: the removal of the grounded vessel BRP Sierra Madre and the restoration of the shoal to a condition without personnel or facilities.
The Philippines, by contrast, insists on its claim to parts of the Spratly Islands under what it calls the Kalayaan Island Group. It views the BRP Sierra Madre as a symbolic outpost that preserves its presence at Second Thomas Shoal. Through continued resupply and maintenance, Manila seeks to ensure the ship's long-term viability as a forward position.
Although the United States, as the Philippines' important ally, is not a direct party to the dispute over Second Thomas Shoal, it has made its policy preferences unmistakable. Washington has repeatedly stated that the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty applies to the South China Sea and has characterized Chinese actions around the shoal as coercive. In practical terms, the United States supports maintaining the status quo in which the BRP Sierra Madre remains grounded, and the Philippines can sustain rotation and resupply missions. Preventing China from forcing the removal of the Philippine vessel is therefore part of Washington's near-term objective.
For China, the issue is fundamentally about sovereignty. For the Philippines, it is fundamentally about preserving a de facto occupation on the ground--or, more precisely, on the shoal. That gap is so wide that genuine consensus remains out of reach.
Limited understanding: crisis management to avoid escalation
Yet the very existence of the provisional resupply arrangement suggests that the parties do share a limited tacit understanding on preventing escalation. In effect, the arrangement has produced a fragile modus vivendi centered on one principle: freezing the status quo.
First, both sides recognize the potentially grave consequences of escalation at Second Thomas Shoal. The June 2024 confrontation demonstrated how quickly close-range encounters between maritime forces can generate miscalculation, physical injury, or even a broader crisis. It also underscored the risk that the United States, under its alliance commitments to the Philippines, could become more directly involved, turning a localized maritime standoff into a larger regional security emergency.
Second, the provisional arrangement established a minimal operational framework. China's official position has been that, while it is assumed that the Philippines will ultimately remove the grounded vessel, Beijing may permit the delivery of basic living supplies in the meantime. For Beijing, this arrangement amounts to a short-term acceptance of the BRP Sierra Madre's continued presence, while preserving what it sees as effective monitoring and control.
The Philippines, for its part, has framed the tacit understanding primarily as a mechanism to ensure the basic needs of the troops stationed aboard the vessel and to avoid confrontation. Since July 2024, it has completed multiple rotation and resupply missions without a repeat of earlier dangerous clashes. For Manila, the arrangement secures the survival and rotation of the troops on board, allowing it to maintain its symbolic foothold at Second Thomas Shoal.
From Washington's perspective, as long as the Philippines can continue resupply operations and China and the Philippines avoid direct confrontation, there is no immediate trigger for U.S. intervention. As a result, even while publicly backing Manila, the United States has tacitly accepted this limited management mechanism between the two parties.
This is why, despite their public insistence on incompatible legal and political positions, the parties have in practice arrived at a limited tacit understanding--one that might be described as separate interpretations, shared implementation.
A fragile equilibrium: risks embedded in the arrangement
Still, this tacit understanding is inherently unstable.
To begin with, Beijing and Manila do not interpret the arrangement in the same way. China stresses that Philippine resupply operations must be reported in advance and subjected to on-site inspection. The Philippines has not acknowledged any obligation to comply with such conditions.
Second, there is ongoing disagreement over which supplies are permissible. China says only basic living necessities are allowed and firmly opposes the transport of large quantities of construction materials. But the BRP Sierra Madre has suffered decades of structural deterioration due to corrosion and seawater exposure, making reinforcement an urgent concern for the Philippines. In practice, Manila has a continuing need to bring in structural reinforcement materials to extend the vessel's life.
Third, the two sides have fundamentally different views of the arrangement's end state. China sees it as a transitional measure whose ultimate purpose is to remove the grounded vessel. The Philippines sees it as a practical mechanism for preserving the vessel's presence and, eventually, establishing a permanent garrison.
If either side pushes beyond these still-ambiguous boundaries--for example, if the Philippines transports construction materials to reinforce the vessel and expand its military presence, or if China intensifies maritime controls through more forceful measures--the situation could quickly become tense again.
Conclusion
The provisional resupply arrangement at Second Thomas Shoal illustrates a recurring reality in the South China Sea: when sovereignty disputes cannot be resolved, the parties often resort to temporary mechanisms to manage risk. In that sense, the arrangement reflects both the depth of Sino-Philippine disagreement and their shared desire to prevent escalation.
For the foreseeable future, as long as all sides continue to prioritize crisis avoidance, this uneasy tacit understanding amid unresolved differences may endure. But its durability depends entirely on whether the parties continue to observe the current behavioral boundaries. If those boundaries are broken, Second Thomas Shoal could once again become one of the most dangerous flashpoints in the South China Sea.
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About Liu Xiaobo
Captain Liu Xiaobo (Ret.) is Director of the Marine Study Center at the Grandview Institution, Beijing. He was previously an associate research fellow and director of the World Navy Research Center, National Institute for South China Sea Studies. His research focuses on national maritime security policy, sea power, and the Law of the Sea. Capt. Liu served in the Chinese navy for 25 years, working as a navigation officer aboard the PLAN destroyer Harbin and later as a research associate in the Naval Research Institute.
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Original text here: https://amti.csis.org/divergence-and-tacit-understanding-in-the-china-philippines-provisional-arrangement-at-second-thomas-shoal/
[Category: ThinkTank]
American Enterprise Institute: 'What Does It Mean to Be Madisonian?'
WASHINGTON, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The American Enterprise Institute issued the following report on March 10, 2026 by Jay Cost entitled "What Does It Mean to Be Madisonian?."
Here are the key points:
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Today, the word Madisonian is automatically paired with the American constitutional order, particularly the nexus of Federalist 10 and 51--the popular sovereignty of an extended republic mitigated by institutional mechanisms to temper majority factions.
While that is arguably a fair characterization of the constitutional system, it misrepresents James Madison's political position at the time
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 24 (TNSLrpt) -- The American Enterprise Institute issued the following report on March 10, 2026 by Jay Cost entitled "What Does It Mean to Be Madisonian?."
Here are the key points:
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Today, the word Madisonian is automatically paired with the American constitutional order, particularly the nexus of Federalist 10 and 51--the popular sovereignty of an extended republic mitigated by institutional mechanisms to temper majority factions.
While that is arguably a fair characterization of the constitutional system, it misrepresents James Madison's political position at the timeof the Constitution's drafting. Madison's Federalist 10 defends the Constitution on grounds on which he privately criticized it, and Federalist 51 employs classical republican ideas his original theory did not heavily rely on.
While Madison in retirement praised the Constitution as a whole, a more precise vocabulary would distinguish the "Publian" Madison from the authentically Madisonian position of 1787.
The constitutional system advances Madisonian commitments like democratic governance, deliberation, and consensus--not through the means Madison preferred in 1787 but through the practical accommodations with classical republicanism that he eventually embraced.
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View report at: https://www.aei.org/research-products/report/what-does-it-mean-to-be-madisonian/
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to Washington Examiner: Energy Dominance in Action - Why America's First New Refinery in Decades Matters
WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 23, 2026, by Energy and Environment Director Jason Hayes to Washington Examiner:
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Energy Dominance in Action: Why America's First New Refinery in Decades Matters
After decades of stagnation in America's refining sector, a significant shift may be underway. The newly announced oil refinery at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, could become one of the first major new U.S. refinery projects in almost five decades. More than just another industrial facility, the project represents
... Show Full Article
WASHINGTON, March 24 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on March 23, 2026, by Energy and Environment Director Jason Hayes to Washington Examiner:
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Energy Dominance in Action: Why America's First New Refinery in Decades Matters
After decades of stagnation in America's refining sector, a significant shift may be underway. The newly announced oil refinery at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, could become one of the first major new U.S. refinery projects in almost five decades. More than just another industrial facility, the project representsrenewed confidence that the United States is willing to invest in the infrastructure necessary to sustain its role as a global energy leader.
The refinery, backed by investment connected to Reliance Industries, India's largest privately held energy company, sends a powerful signal to global markets. Large-scale infrastructure projects require long-term policy stability. When regulatory barriers and permitting delays are eased, private investment follows. The Brownsville project illustrates how predictable policy environments can attract billions of dollars in capital to American energy development.
The benefits of such investment extend well beyond construction. A new refinery would create thousands of jobs during development and support permanent high-skilled positions in operations, maintenance, and logistics. With the ability to refine 168,000 barrels of domestic shale oil daily, it would also support American oil and gas producers as it generates billions of dollars in economic activity across regional supply chains--from engineering and manufacturing to shipping and transportation.
To read the full article, click here (https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/4499133/why-new-us-refinery-matters/).
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Jason Hayes serves as the director of Energy and Environment at the America First Policy Institute.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/energy-dominance-in-action-why-americas-first-new-refinery-in-decades-matters
[Category: ThinkTank]
