Several witnesses who testified in the House impeachment inquiry this week chose to highlight their immigrant backgrounds, sharing their families’ stories in highly personal opening statements. They drew a connection to how those experiences led them to public service and a strong desire to safeguard U.S. national security. Their stories offered a sharp counterpoint to President Donald Trump, who has often derided immigrants as a threat to American national security.

Former President Barack Obama warned Democrats on Thursday against adopting “purity tests” in the presidential primary and said any adversity the candidates face in the contest will make whoever emerges an even stronger nominee.

Obama spoke to about 100 donors during a question-and-answer session with Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez in Los Altos Hills, California. The event came a day after the fifth Democratic presidential primary in Atlanta and as the 17-person field continues to expand, with the expected entry of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in the coming days.

Transportation Security Administration officials have decided to reopen a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport checkpoint it closed earlier this week claiming it was underused. The move to close the checkpoint linked to the Intercontinental Hotel riled airport officials who feared longer passenger wait times as holiday travel approached.

The closure came just a year after airport operators spent $24 million to build a connecting walkway from the hotel to the entry point. The Metropolitan Airports Commission met with TSA Administrator David Pekoske on Thursday and agreed to reimburse the agency for related costs. The agreement will be reviewed within 12 to 18 months to determine whether traffic has increased enough for the TSA to again pick up the screening costs.

Kate Nechanicky can be reached at nech9997@stthomas.edu