Matt Gaetz ethics report released and whooping cough cases rise: Morning Rundown

Immigrants are preparing for the possibility of mass deportations once Donald Trump takes office. Whooping cough cases are at their highest number in a decade. And a look back at the internet trends and memes that defined 2024.

Here’s what to know today.

Immigrants prepare action plans as Trump promises mass deportations

In some immigrant households in the U.S., families are facing a heart-wrenching thought: “A lot of us are honestly celebrating Christmas together thinking, ‘Oh my God, is this the last time we get to spend Christmas with our family members?” said Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, who leads a Florida nonprofit that advocates for immigrants and other underserved communities.

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to carry out what he has called “the largest deportation program in American history” when he takes office next month. The incoming administration reportedly intends to roll back policies that restrict immigration enforcement actions in places like schools, churches and hospitals, as well as their respective surrounding areas.

As a result, immigrant families are spending the holidays having difficult conversations.

This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

NBC News spoke with nearly a half-dozen immigrants’ rights advocates across four states, and they all said they have received an increased number of calls from immigrants asking about their rights. In response, the advocates and groups are conducting know-your-rights trainings and helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.

For example, Hope CommUnity Center, the nonprofit outside of Orlando which Sousa-Lazaballet leads, is helping immigrant families come up with a “dignity plan” that includes legal plans about who will take care of children left behind if an undocumented parent is picked up by authorities.

In Los Angeles, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights has offered 93 know-your-rights presentations at area schools, businesses and organizations that provide community services.

They’re not the only groups working to ensure people are prepared for any possibility — even if it comes at an emotional toll.

Read the full story here.

Gaetz accused of paying women for sex while in Congress

The House Ethics Committee released its final report on its investigation into Matt Gaetz, finding that the former representative from Florida engaged in a long list of conduct that violates House Rules and some actions that could be criminal offenses on the state level. In the 42-page report, the committee said it tracked more than $90,000 paid to 12 women over a four-year period from 2017 to 2020, while Gaetz was a member of Congress, and concluded the payments were most likely connected to sexual activity or drug use. Gaetz has repeatedly denied ever having paid for sex.

In addition to prostitution, the committee said in the report that Gaetz “violated House Rules and other standards of conduct” prohibiting “statutory rape, illicit drug use, impermissible gifts, special favors or privileges, and obstruction of Congress.”

Gaetz vacated his seat in Congress last month, days before the report was expected to be made public and after President-elect Donald Trump announced him as his pick for attorney general Gaetz withdrew his bid after more details about the Ethics Committee investigation and other allegations were reported. He unsuccessfully tried to block the report’s release yesterday morning. Here’s what else to know.

Read more politics news:

• Former President Bill Clinton, 78, has been hospitalized in Washington after he developed a fever. A source close to Clinton said the situation is “not urgent.”

• President Joe Biden signed into law a defense bill that boosts overall military spending to $895 billion despite his objections to language stripping coverage of transgender medical treatment for children in military families.

• Democrats are already looking to the 2026 midterm elections, in which they hope to take back the Senate majority. Here are the key races and battlegrounds to watch.

Whooping cough cases are skyrocketing

Whooping cough cases in the U.S. have reached the highest annual total in a decade, according to data from the CDC. As of mid-September, about 14,500 cases had been recorded nationwide since the beginning of the year. That number climbed to more than 32,000 as of Dec. 14, meaning as many cases have been tallied in the last 12 weeks as in the entire rest of the year. For comparison, more than 5,100 cases were recorded from the same time in 2023, and the total number of cases in 2022 was roughly 3,000.

There are a few possible reasons for the dramatic rise in cases, experts said. Vaccine protection is likely waning as vaccination rates among children are falling. Improved testing has also likely led to more cases being diagnosed.

Here’s what to know about symptoms and who is most at risk.

Read All About It

• Luigi Mangione pleaded not guilty to New York state charges in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

• The IRS plans to issue automatic “special payments” of up to $1,400 to 1 million taxpayers. Here’s who qualifies.

• Three people dropped into the ocean when Santa Cruz Wharf in California partially collapsed. Two people were rescued, the third made it out of the water on their own, an official said.

2024 in memes, from ‘brat summer’ to ‘underconsumption core’

This year, Charli XCX and her fans redefined the word “brat.” The “Hawk Tuah girl” took the internet by surprise — and ran with her new-found fame. And “underconsumption core” encouraged people to rethink microtrends.

Read more about the best viral memes and moments of the year. Caution: We can’t promise you won’t experience brain rot.

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Whether you’re searching for a last-minute gift or are just on the hunt for a good deal, there are plenty of sales to take advantage of this week.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

Thanks for reading today’s Morning Rundown. Today’s newsletter was curated for you by Elizabeth Robinson. If you’re a fan, please send a link to your family and friends. They can sign up here.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com