State Dept. condemns arrests, repression in Russia

Biden and the president of Mexico spoke over the phone on Friday.

According to the the White House's readout, the Biden administration plans on "reversing the previous administration’s draconian immigration policies." Biden said he wants to increase the number of lawful immigration pathways, reduce migration by addressing its root causes, and improve processing asylum requests at the border. The two presidents agreed to work closely to together to both stem the flow of migration as well as coordinate the fight against COVID-19.

According to Mexico's readout, the conversation unfolded in a "cordial tone."

Biden's work in the White House and in the country is just beginning.

ABC reported that while Biden has been in office for only three days, he has already made significant tweaks to the Oval Office. 

In a wall next to his desk he hung a portrait of Benjamin Franklin. 

He also hung up portraits of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson.

Apart from that, he added busts of Latino civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt and former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. 

The portrait of controversial President Andrew Jackson, which Donald Trump previously hung in the office, is long gone.

This Saturday, the president will hold a private meeting with advisors in his new office, according to the White House.

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this entry incorrectly referred to Alexander Hamilton as a former president. He was a founding father and the first treasury secretary of the United States. The entry has been updated.

-ABC's Michelle Stoddart and Adia Robinson

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared details of his phone conversation Friday with President Joe Biden.

The two discussed "ending the pandemic, growing the middle class, fighting climate change, and creating good jobs for people on both sides of the border," among other issues, Trudeau tweeted, along with a photo of himself smiling while on the phone.

The two leaders "agreed to work shoulder to shoulder" to address the issues, Trudeau added, before congratulating Biden -- whom he referred to as "Joe" -- on the inauguration.  

According to a readout of the conversation from Trudeau's office, the prime minister also raised Canada's "disappointment" over Biden's cancelation of the Keystone XL pipeline and urged the removal of softwood lumber duties that Trump imposed.

In its own readout of the conversation, the White House said that Biden "acknowledged" Trudeau's "disappointment" about the Keystone XL pipeline, and that the president "reaffirmed his commitment to maintain an active bilateral dialogue and to further deepen cooperation with Canada."

Trudeau and Biden agreed to meet next month "in order to advance the important work of renewing the deep and enduring friendship between Canada and the United States," the prime minister's office said. 

-ABC News' Kirit Radia and Benjamin Siu

Former President Donald Trump's acting Department of Homeland Security secretary is urging the Senate to confirm Joe Biden's nominee for the post.

In a letter Friday to the Senate Homeland Security Committee that was obtained by ABC News, Kevin McAleenan argued that due to the ongoing pandemic, immigration issues and U.S. national security interests, the Senate should vote to confirm Alejandro Mayorkas.

"There has been a long-standing, bipartisan commitment to ensure that a duly-elected President receives swift confirmation of the national security positions in his Cabinet. There should be no exception to this commitment today, when multi-faceted challenges and threats face our nation, and effective responses from our Federal Government are essential," wrote McAleenan, who also noted that domestic terrorism is an "increasing concern."

McAleenan also vouched for Mayorkas' credentials in his letter.

"After serving under his leadership during the Obama Administration, I know that Ali Mayorkas has the character, intellect, and integrity to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security," he wrote. "He has the humility to listen to his operational component leaders and has the character to make difficult decisions."

-ABC News' Luke Barr