Brussels Changes CourseThe European Parliament has backed a tougher deportation plan that aims to move irregular migrants out faster and with fewer delays. The big change is speed, which is always a surprise in a place where paperwork often behaves like a permanent resident. Supporters say the new system closes loopholes that let people stay for months or longer even after final expulsion orders. Critics see something darker. Either way, the message from Brussels is hard to miss: the old habit of talking tough and moving slowly is being pushed aside.What The New Plan DoesThe plan puts more weight on border security and gives member states more power to detain and return people who enter irregularly. It also shortens detention times and makes removals to home countries or safe third countries easier to carry out. That may sound like common sense to many voters, which is exactly why it took so long to get here. For years, Europe has tried to square the circle of open borders, strict law, and generous promises. The circle, as it turns out, did not cooperate. Now lawmakers say the goal is to create a cleaner, faster system that leaves less room for delay and…

What The Court HeardJose Medina-Medina, the 25-year-old accused in the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman, appeared in court Friday as his attorney described a troubled medical and educational history. According to the defense, he is illiterate, has severe brain damage, and struggles with memory problems. The attorney said he attended school only until age seven in Venezuela and later suffered a gunshot wound to the head during a 2018 robbery while living in Colombia. Those claims do not change the central fact that a young woman is dead, and a family is grieving. They do, however, raise a hard question about how a man with such a history moved through multiple countries and multiple systems before this case reached a courtroom in Chicago.Custody, Release, And The Usual ExcusesMedina-Medina is charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder, unlawful weapon possession, and aggravated discharge of a firearm. Prosecutors say he was arrested before and later released from local custody, which is the kind of public safety policy that tends to look wise only in press releases. His public defender is asking that he remain detained while the case moves forward, saying he could face ICE action if released. That…