Reuters US Domestic News Summary

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs. Front-runner Biden opens big lead on Sanders in Florida

Joe Biden opened a huge early lead over Bernie Sanders as results rolled in from the Democratic presidential primary in Florida, one of three states defying the coronavirus threat to vote on Tuesday. Biden, the front-runner in the Democratic race, led Sanders by a whopping 59% to 20%, with 42% of Florida's precincts reporting. Voting was still under way in sections of Florida, as well as Illinois and Arizona. New Yorkers may be ordered to stay home as medical supplies run short

New York City may soon compel most people to stay in their homes except in emergencies or when shopping for essentials, Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Tuesday, an order already imposed by San Francisco to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Any decision to issue the "shelter in place" order is likely to be made in the next 48 hours, but even if imposed, it would likely still allow more than 8 million residents to make necessary trips out to buy food or medicine, the mayor said as the number of confirmed cases in the city rose to 814. Washington state governor approves $200 million in coronavirus emergency funds

The governor of Washington signed legislation on Tuesday approving $200 million in emergency funds intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in one of the hardest-hit U.S. states. Governor Jay Inslee said the money, largely drawn from the state's "rainy day fund," would go toward the response to the outbreak by the state Department of Health as well as "social distancing efforts" and aid to the homeless. Coronavirus justifies moving ex-Trump lawyer Cohen home from prison - letter

Michael Cohen, U.S. President Donald Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer, risks catching coronavirus while serving his three-year prison sentence, justifying his release into home confinement, Cohen's attorney said on Tuesday. In a letter to U.S. District Judge William Pauley in Manhattan, Cohen's lawyer Roger Adler accused the Federal Bureau of Prisons of being "demonstrably incapable" of safeguarding inmates who live in close quarters and face an "enhanced risk" of catching coronavirus. U.S. plans to turn back all asylum seekers at Mexican border, cites coronavirus: reports

The United States plans to turn back all asylum seekers and most other foreigners attempting to enter the United States from Mexico illegally, arguing the step is necessary to combat the fast-spreading coronavirus, according to U.S. media reports on Tuesday. The new rule, which is expected to be announced in the next 48 hours, would allow border patrol agents to immediately return to Mexico anyone who tries to cross the southwestern border between legal ports of entry without detainment or due process, the New York Times reported. FAA temporarily closes Chicago Midway air traffic control tower

The Federal Aviation Administration said on Tuesday it was temporarily closing the air traffic control tower at Chicago Midway International Airport after three technicians tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting contingency plans at the airport and other facilities across the country. The FAA closed the tower at 5 p.m. CDT (2200 GMT) and it was going to be cleaned again. It was not clear when it would reopen. Arriving and departing pilots will announce their presence and intentions through airport frequencies. As American Indian casinos close for coronavirus, industry seeks $18 billion aid

The Native American gaming industry on Tuesday requested $18 billion in U.S. federal aid as it shut casinos that are the sole source of commercial revenue for dozens of tribes in a bid to slow the coronavirus epidemic. Tribal governments will be unable to provide health and education services and will default on loans unless they get federal support to make up for lost casino money, the National Indian Gaming Association said in a letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Half of all Americans support aggressive steps to slow coronavirus in the U.S.: Reuters poll

Roughly half of all Americans want the U.S. government to act more aggressively to slow the spread of the coronavirus, such as banning large public gatherings and shutting down all overseas flights, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday. The poll conducted Monday and Tuesday showed public anxieties have spiked over the last two weeks as the virus has rapidly spread, infecting more than 5,890 people in the United State and killing at least 97. From field hospitals to respirator masks, Pentagon wades into coronavirus support role

The Pentagon on Tuesday laid out how the U.S. military would support the medical response to the coronavirus, from using its stockpile of respirator masks to potentially building field hospitals and perhaps even deploying Navy hospital ships to reduce the stress on U.S. emergency rooms. The moves illustrate the massive government effort that will be required to deal with the fast-spreading pandemic, with the number of cases topping 5,800 in the United States and the death toll approaching 100. Trump 'going big' with $1 trillion stimulus as U.S. coronavirus deaths top 100

The Trump administration on Tuesday pursued a $1 trillion stimulus package that could deliver $1,000 checks to Americans within two weeks to buttress an economy hit by coronavirus, while New York said it might order its residents to stay home. With the number of reported U.S. cases of the respiratory illness surging past 6,000 and deaths at 104, millions of Americans hunkered down at home instead of commuting to work or school. Major cities escalated "social distancing" policies by closing schools, bars, restaurants and theaters to fight the spread of the virus.