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AUTO REVIEW: 2019 Lincoln Nautilus review
NNPA NEWSWIRE — “…About those seats. If Lincoln gets out the car business, it should dive head first into the luxury furniture market. These seats were fabulous. The rear seats reclined and the manual controls to do so were so easy to reach it was scary. Why aren’t all automobiles built like this? The comfort level was something special.”
By Winfred Cross, NNPA Newswire Contributor
Lincoln has been busy lately. It reintroduced its flagship Continental sedan a few years back to critical acclaim. The reimagined Navigator ranks with the best of the biggest SUVs available. Now there is this thing called the Nautilus that looks to take on upscale midsize crossovers and trucks.
The Nautilus replaces the MKX which was based on the Ford Edge. The basic chassis has been used with a spanking new body. Gone are most of the sharp edges of the MKX, replaced by a smoother, more buttoned-down appearance. It reminds me of a Brooks Brother’s suit. It’s not quite bespoke tailoring, but close enough. The Nautilus does not scream at you but instead exudes an upscale, luxurious look. It has the corporate face shared by the Continental and Navigator, but for me seems to make the best use of the face.
Open the doors and that tailored look continues. The interior is a masterful blend of leather, wood and metal surfaces. The look depends on what trim you choose. I would suggest either Reserve or Black Label. That’s where the interiors shine. My test vehicle was the Chalet trim level from the Black Label offerings. The silver wood inserts with the Alpine and Espresso colored leathers was really something to behold. The Venetian leather seats bore the Lincoln star pattern logo, while the steering wheel was a two-toned leather wrapped wonder. The combination looked good enough to taste.
About those seats. If Lincoln gets out the car business, it should dive head first into the luxury furniture market. These seats were fabulous. The rear seats reclined and the manual controls to do so were so easy to reach it was scary. Why aren’t all automobiles built like this? The comfort level was something special.
The front seats, as well as the rear, were perforated so they were cooled and heated. My test car had a welcome option – lumbar massage. Yep, both front seats can be adjusted in 22 different ways and can offer massages. It’s a $1,500 option but if you test it before you buy, you will buy.
May I also point out the brilliant audio system by Revel? It is one of the best original equipment sound systems I’ve ever heard. Its highs were breathtaking and the bass, while not the deepest, delivered solid, round notes.
The Nautilus comes with an eight-inch touch screen which handles most of the vehicle’s functions. I think it could be bigger, considering some of the mammoth sizes being found in lesser vehicles. Still, it’s easy to use and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which I think make most other interfaces obsolete with their ease of use.
The Nautilus is powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine that makes 250 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque. That’s’ enough to move the Nautilus around town and on the highway with ease. It’s a quiet engine if not a bit bland. It replaces the MKZ’s 3.7-liter naturally aspirated V6.
My vehicle came with the upgraded 2.7-liter V6 which has twin turbos. This is really an upgrade. It’s used in the Ford F-150 and makes 335 horses and 380 pounds-feet of torque. It is in no way truck-like when used in this vehicle. The power delivery is extremely smooth and is fairly muted when pressed hard. It has a gurgle that sounds more befitting in a luxury vehicle. Combined with a buttery eight-speed transmission, the engine powers the vehicle around town with authority and dare I say with a bit of finesse.
You will not mistake the Nautilus for a sports ute, even with the optional all-wheel-drive and setting the vehicle dynamics to sport. It drives well, really well. It’s not afraid of curved roads or twists and bends. Yet, it’s still more comfortable at whisking you down the road in comfort and silence. There is a bit of wind noise but not enough to really complain.
Do I have complaints? Not many. I’m not a fan of the color blue so my car’s paint job wasn’t appealing. I’m still not crazy about the push-button gear selector, but I don’t hate it. For the money, I think the V6 should be standard.
If this hasn’t convinced you Lincoln is a major player in luxury, how it treats its Black Label customer should. These customers will never have to see the inside of a service bay for four years. Lincoln brings said customer a loner car, picks up the customer car and returns the serviced vehicle the owner. Lincoln customers get some of this perk but must live within 20 miles of the dealership. Black Label customers get a 50-mile radius.
The Nautilus’s base price in Black Label trim is $59,390. This includes a plethora of standard equipment such as the 2.7-liter twin turbo V6, Venetian leather seats, Alcantara headliner, ambient lighting, adaptive headlamps, blindspot detection, 4G modem with Wifi capability, Revel Optima audio, rearview camera, auto climate control, SYNC 3 and all-wheel-drive.
Lincoln added almost $7,000 worth of optional equipment which makes the Nautilus one decked out stud. This includes a driver’s assistance package, technology package and the Ultra Comfort front seats. Curiously, the turbo V6 is listed as an additional cost, though listed as standard for the Black Label. This brought the as-tested price to $67,630.
The Nautilus isn’t perfect, but it is a very worthy entry into the luxury fray. Lincoln wants its revamped line to get noticed and the Nautilus is certainly going to help. You may not have the same cache as the now more established brands, but if you need to be that guy (or gal) who wants something different, you have to look at the Nautilus.
Winfred Cross is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, NC. He studied English and journalism at NCCU and UNC-CH.
Pros:
- Tailored, buttoned-down styling
- Superior front seats
- Optional twin-turbo V6
Cons:
- Blue is not the car’s best colors
- Push button gear selection is odd
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Federal Raids Target Migrant Kids, Split Families
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
The Trump administration has reportedly removed at least 500 migrant children from their homes across the United States and placed them into government custody, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The children, many of whom were living with family members or other vetted sponsors, were taken during so-called “welfare checks” carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies. According to CNN, the operations are part of a larger campaign launched shortly after President Donald Trump returned to office, with federal authorities setting up a “war room” inside the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review data on children who entered the country alone and were later released to sponsors. Officials have used the room to coordinate efforts between agencies, including ICE and the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which oversees the custody of unaccompanied migrant children.
Trump officials claim the effort is aimed at protecting children placed in unsafe conditions or with unqualified sponsors, pointing to cases where children were released to individuals with criminal backgrounds or those involved in smuggling. Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the welfare checks have led to the arrests of some sponsors and the transfer of children into ORR custody. Federal data shows more than 2,500 children are currently in ORR custody. CNN reported that the average stay has grown significantly, from 67 days in December 2024 to 170 days by April 2025. Former Health and Human Services officials say new vetting rules—including income requirements, government-issued ID, and DNA tests—have made it far more difficult for parents and guardians, particularly those who are undocumented, to reclaim their children.
In some cases, reunifications that had already been scheduled were canceled. A recent lawsuit details how two brothers, ages 7 and 14, remain in government care because their mother cannot meet new documentation requirements under the revised policies. Mark Greenberg, a former senior HHS official, stated that the approach puts children in a difficult situation. “To the extent, the goal is to determine whether children are in danger or in need of help, this isn’t a good way to do that because it creates fear that anything they say could be used against their parent or family member,” he said. Immigration enforcement agents reportedly have visited children’s homes and asked about their journey to the U.S., school attendance, and upcoming immigration court appearances. Legal advocates say these visits, which sometimes include the FBI, are not standard child welfare procedures and can create fear and confusion among minors.
An FBI spokesperson confirmed the agency’s role, saying, “Protecting children is a critical mission for the FBI, and we will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to secure their safety and well-being.” Multiple outlets noted that the Trump administration has not provided clear evidence that large numbers of children are missing. Instead, it has referenced a Department of Homeland Security inspector general report from 2023 that noted more than 291,000 unaccompanied minors had not received notices to appear in immigration court. Former officials note that these figures do not necessarily indicate that the children are missing; some lacked updated addresses or were affected by administrative backlogs.
Within HHS, officials were instructed to expedite policy changes. Former ORR Ombudsman Mary Giovagnoli stated that a senior ICE official, Melissa Harper, was temporarily appointed to lead ORR. Her short tenure was followed by Angie Salazar, another former ICE official who now frequently communicates with White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Trump’s team argues the Biden administration allowed thousands of unaccompanied children to enter the country without sufficient oversight. Jen Smyers, a former ORR deputy director, stated that all sponsors underwent thorough vetting, including Department of Justice background checks and reviews of the sex offender registry. “No amount of vetting is a predictor of the future,” she said. The Miami Herald recently reported that a 17-year-old foster child in Florida was removed from his home in shackles and transferred to ICE custody. The boy and his mother had crossed the border without documentation, but he had been living in a state-supervised foster placement. The case raised concerns about the state’s cooperation with federal enforcement and the message it sends to immigrant families. Concerns about federal custody of vulnerable children are not confined to immigration.
In North Carolina, a 7-month-old baby died after being left in a hot minivan by her foster mother, who now faces charges of negligent child abuse and involuntary manslaughter. In Hawaii, dozens of children have been forced to sleep in government offices and hotels due to a shortage of foster placements. In North Dakota, a foster couple has been charged in the death of a 3-year-old after surveillance footage showed the child being repeatedly assaulted. “These cases show what happens when systems meant to protect children fail them,” said Laura Nally, director of the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights Children’s Program. “There’s a growing concern that these welfare checks are being used to carry out mass detentions of sponsors and unnecessarily return children to government custody.”
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Protests of a Costly and Historic Parade
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — President Trump is planning an elaborate and costly celebration for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with his birthday.

By April Ryan
It will rain on President Trump‘s parade on Saturday if most weather forecasts correctly predict the chance of storms. President Trump is planning an elaborate and costly celebration for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army that coincides with his birthday. When asked if he plans to attend the massive D.C. celebration, New York Democratic Congressman Greg Meeks exclaimed,” Heck no!” He elaborated, saying, “It is clear to me that what Donald J. Trump is trying to do is to emulate Vladimir Putin.” Trump and Putin, the Russian president, are friends. Meeks feels “that’s where he initially got the idea from when he saw the tanks going down the street and how people bow down to Vladimir Putin, how…that authoritarian runs his country where no one questions what he does.”
Meanwhile, around the nation 1600 protests are scheduled to coincide with what is happening in Washington, D.C. Democratic Congressman Al Greene confirms he will attend several “No King Day” protest rallies and marches in his home state of Texas. The congressman questions the president’s comments about using “force” for anyone trying to stop the parade. Reverand William Barber plans to be in Philadelphia on Saturday. “We are having a rally bringing people together,” the civil rights leader confirmed. The leader of Repairers of the Breach added, “Those rallies are gonna be massive and multiracial of every race, color, creed, religion, geographic area, so this is not a moment. We must have a constant movement.”
Weeks ago, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser warned the parade, and all its military might, and pageantry would cost “many millions of dollars” just to repair District streets after the heavy artillery tanks rolled down the historic roads in the nation’s capital. Tall gates and other barricades around the White House are part of the parade’s security measures. The Secret Service has warned of a high-security presence in the area for the parade. You can expect to see military tanks, dozens of other military vehicles, and thousands of service members marching along a route stretching nearly four miles from the Pentagon to the White House.
#NNPA BlackPress
Critics Question 2024 Results as Musk Tactics Surface
BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Now, a Wisconsin nonprofit has filed a legal complaint accusing Musk, his America PAC, and a Musk-affiliated group called United States of America Inc. of violating state election laws by bribing voters.

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent
Donald Trump’s return to the White House in 2024 has reignited questions about election integrity, particularly after his remarks thanking Elon Musk for what he called a “landslide” win in Pennsylvania. “He knows those computers better than anybody… all those vote-counting computers,” Trump said. “So, thank you to Elon.” The comment set off alarm, including Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett. “So, Trump is rambling on about he and Elon rigging the election?! Am I missing something or is he confessing to yet another damn crime?!” she posted on social media.
Now, a Wisconsin nonprofit has filed a legal complaint accusing Musk, his America PAC, and a Musk-affiliated group called United States of America Inc. of violating state election laws by bribing voters. The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign and two voters allege Musk handed out $1 million checks and that his PAC paid $100 to registered voters who signed petitions and gave their contact information. Wisconsin law prohibits offering anything of value over $1 to encourage someone to vote. The complaint also cites violations of the state’s lottery ban. The plaintiffs are asking a court to declare the actions illegal, prevent future violations, and award damages if applicable.
The lawsuit follows a failed attempt by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul to block Musk’s actions earlier this year. Kaul argued that Musk’s conduct amounted to illegal inducement, but courts declined to intervene before the April state Supreme Court election. Jeff Mandell, president and general counsel for Law Forward, which represents the plaintiffs, said this new case is being filed under more typical legal timelines. “We’re trying to create … accountability in a more regular timeline, in a way that gives the courts the opportunity to look at this more carefully,” Mandell said.
Musk, who served briefly as a Trump adviser and led a short-lived federal agency focused on cost-cutting, has denied wrongdoing. He initially promoted the giveaways as rewards for early voters but later revised eligibility criteria following legal scrutiny. The controversy has added fuel to growing concerns over anomalies in places like Rockland County, New York, where Vice President Kamala Harris reportedly received virtually no votes despite Democratic victories in other races. “We know exactly what happened and how it unfolded, and we’re asking the court to say this is not acceptable,” Mandel has said.
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