Prepared for the Office of Public Affairs (OPA)
U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Editorial Note: The DHS Daily Briefing is a collection of news articles related to Department’s mission. The inclusion of particular stories is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse the political viewpoints or affiliations included in news coverage.

The AP [2/1/2026 10:26 PM, Jack Dura, 31753K] reports five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, who were detained by immigration officers in Minnesota and held at an ICE facility in Texas, were released following a judge’s order and returned to Minnesota on Sunday, according to Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro. The boy and his dad, Adrian Conejo Arias, who originally is from Ecuador, were detained in a Minneapolis suburb on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. Katherine Schneider, a spokesperson for the Democratic congressman, confirmed the two had arrived home. She said Castro picked them up from Dilley on Saturday night and escorted them home on Sunday to Minnesota. U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not target or arrest the boy, and repeated assertions that his mother refused to take him after his father’s apprehension. His father told officers he wanted Liam to be with him, she said. CBS News [2/1/2026 4:37 PM, Camilo Montoya-Galvez, 51110K] reports U.S. District Judge Fred Biery on Saturday directed government officials to release Adrian Alexander Conejo Ramos and his son, who were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement earlier this month in Minnesota, from detention "as soon as practicable.". Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Department of Homeland Security Secretary, confirmed the two were released from ICE custody on Sunday. "The facts in this case have NOT changed: ICE did NOT target or arrest a child," she said in a statement, adding: "The Trump administration is committed to restoring the rule of law and common sense to our immigration system, and will continue to fight for the arrest, detention, and removal of aliens who have no right to be in this country.". Rep. Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, posted on social media on Sunday that he had picked up Liam and his father and escorted them back to Minnesota. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar celebrated Liam and his father’s arrival back in Minnesota in a social media post on Sunday. "Welcome home Liam," she wrote in the post that included a photo of her, Liam, his father and Castro. Since their detention, Liam and his father were held at the Dilley ICE detention center, a facility in Texas designed to house immigrant families with underage children who have been accused of violating federal immigration law. Representatives for Liam and his father said the family is from Ecuador and that they entered the U.S. in 2024 under a now-defunct Biden-era system that allowed asylum-seekers to use a phone app to schedule an appointment to be processed at an official border entry. The DHS, which oversees ICE, has said that it has no record of the family using that app, formerly known as CBP One. The agency has called Liam’s father an "illegal alien" and accused him of trying to flee ICE officers when they sought to arrest him on Jan. 20 and abandoning Liam in a vehicle. Reuters [2/1/2026 2:57 PM, Timothy Gardner, 38315K] reports that a photo that went viral last month shows Liam wearing a blue bunny hat outside his house with federal agents standing nearby. He was one of four students detained by immigration officials in a Minneapolis suburb, according to the Columbia Heights Public School District. The Ecuadorean boy and his father, who entered the United States legally as asylum applicants, had been held in a detention facility in Dilley, Texas. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery wrote in a ruling on Saturday the case had its genesis in "the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children." Biery, appointed by former President Bill Clinton, cited the Constitution’s requirement that an arrest warrant must be based on a judge finding probable cause of a crime. The use of "administrative warrants" issued by immigration officials "is called the fox guarding the henhouse," he wrote. The Wall Street Journal [2/1/2026 12:24 PM, Joseph Pisani, 646K] reports that the Trump administration has asserted that an administrative warrant showing the government has probable cause to believe a person is in the country illegally serves as enough of a basis to forcibly enter the homes of people that immigration officials are aiming to arrest. Biery had said the father and son must be released by Tuesday. He acknowledged that they may return to their home country eventually “involuntarily or by self-deportation,” but added: “that result should occur through a more orderly and humane policy than currently in place.”

Reported similarly:
The Hill [2/1/2026 1:38 PM, Sophia Vento, 18170K]
ABC News [2/1/2026 11:47 AM, John Quinones, Laura Romero, James Scholz, 34146K]
NBC News [2/1/2026 12:21 PM, Doha Madani, 42967K]
Daily Wire [2/1/2026 8:04 AM, Virginia Kruta, 2314K]
Houston Chronicle [2/1/2026 10:59 AM, Staff, 2493K]

ABC News [2/1/2026 1:43 PM, Staff, 34146K] Video: HERE reports the child and his father spoke exclusively to ABC News’ John Quinones after their release from an immigration detention center.

FOX News [2/1/2026 7:49 PM, Bonny Chu, 37576K] reports Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday that the 5-year-old boy and his father, who were detained by ICE in Minneapolis last month, did not apply for asylum, as officials announced that the family was released over the weekend. Blanche said there have been conflicting claims regarding the legal status of the boy, Liam Conejo Ramos, and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, who entered the U.S. in 2024, according to public reporting, though officials and the family’s lawyers dispute the circumstances of their entry and asylum processing. Lawyers representing the Ecuadorian family say they have an active asylum claim currently being processed, allowing them to remain in the country pending a court decision. The deputy attorney general denied that they have a pending asylum case, echoing previous claims by the Department of Homeland Security, which described the family as being in the country illegally. "That is not true. There’s a very meaningful dispute about whether they had properly applied for asylum," Blanche said during an appearance on ABC’s "This Week." "I cannot get into the … specifics of this litigation, but you can read the same briefs I can. And what you just said is not true." While some immigrants detained by federal agents do not have prior criminal records, Blanche added that the Trump administration considers unauthorized entry into the U.S. a crime and believes such individuals should be detained.

ABC News [2/1/2026 10:10 PM, Leah Sarnoff, 34146K] reports two people detained at an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, were confirmed to have active measles infections, according to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS said on Sunday the ICE Health Services Corp "immediately" took steps to quarantine the detainees to "control further spread and infection.". The agency said all movement within the facility has ceased and all individuals suspected of making contact with those infected are quarantined. The news of the measles cases at the detention facility comes as at least 588 measles cases have been confirmed so far this year across the United States, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. has seen more cases in about one month than is typically recorded in an entire year. The Houston Chronicle [2/1/2026 8:12 PM, Staff, 2493K] reports two cases of measles have been reported at the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, raising concerns about the spread of infectious disease inside the ICE detention facility, which faced heightened scrutiny after a 5-year-old boy from Minnesota and his father were held there. Federal immigration officials informed U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, of the measles cases, according to a statement from the congressman’s office. Castro’s office said the notification came shortly after his staff informed ICE that Castro and nine other members of Congress planned to inspect the Dilley facility this week. The visit was subsequently canceled. “Shortly after giving notice that Congressman Castro and nine other members of Congress would inspect Dilley on February 6th, 2026, the Congressman and our staff were notified that there were two reported cases of measles at the Dilley detention center,” Castro spokesperson Katherine Schneider said in a statement. Castro and staff members who visited the facility earlier this week are vaccinated against measles, Castro’s office said. On Sunday night, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, confirmed the measles cases and said officials acted immediately to prevent further spread of the disease by “ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected." FOX News [2/1/2026 10:26 PM, Bonny Chu, 37576K] reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has halted "all movement" within the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas due to a measles outbreak, officials announced Sunday. The Department of Homeland Security said two detainees were diagnosed with the disease on Saturday, the same day a 5-year-old boy and his father — whose detention sparked widespread alarm last month — were released from the facility. "On January 31, 2026, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed active measles infections of two detainees at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. She added that ICE health officials are taking measures to quarantine the individuals involved until the situation is fully under control. "ICE Health Services Corps immediately took steps to quarantine and control further spread and infection, ceasing all movement within the facility and quarantining all individuals suspected of making contact with the infected," McLaughlin said. "Medical staff is continuing to monitor the detainees’ conditions and will take appropriate and active steps to prevent further infection. All detainees are being provided with proper medical care.” Despite the reported cases, officials emphasized that the facility provides comprehensive health care, surpassing what many immigrants had previously received. "It is a longstanding practice to provide comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody," McLaughlin said. "This includes medical, dental, and mental health services as available, and access to medical appointments and 24-hour emergency care. This is the best healthcare than many aliens have received in their entire lives." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reported similarly:
NBC News [2/1/2026 11:39 PM, Joe Kottke and Dennis Romero, 42967K]

FOX News [2/1/2026 9:40 AM, Staff, 40621K] reports Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem discusses Tom Homan’s deployment to Minneapolis, deportation operation successes, Democratic calls for her resignation and more. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 11:53 AM, Taylor Penley Fox, 37576K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acknowledged her department could "always do better" when pressed Sunday on alleged mistakes ahead of border czar Tom Homan’s deployment to Minneapolis. "I would say that we can always do better, and we learn from every situation that we’re in," she told "Fox & Friends Weekend.". "We see a very organized, well-funded campaign of violent protests against our law enforcement officers, so we’re going to continue to get as much information as soon as possible to give a strategy to protect people, protect our federal buildings, like the president laid out yesterday, and we’re going to make sure that the American people are safe, that we still continue to go after violent criminals who are trafficking drugs, trafficking our children, and bring them to justice and get them out of our country.". Noem’s comments follow President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy Homan to Minnesota after heated clashes between anti-ICE agitators and federal agents sparked unrest across the Twin Cities. The unrest resulted in the law enforcement-related deaths of two U.S. citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, which only exacerbated the outrage. After a "very productive" meeting with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Homan vowed during a Jan. 29 news conference to stay in Minnesota, leading Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations there "until the problem is gone.". Meanwhile, House Democrats ramped up the pressure on Noem in light of tensions in the Twin Cities, calling for her firing and threatening impeachment if she remains in office. "We will continue to do our work, and this job is an honor to do. I’m very blessed that I get the chance to lead the department," she said, responding to the criticism on Sunday. "It’s an important position to protect our homeland and to make sure that these agencies are responding to people, that we’re stopping terrorists and criminals from harming the American people. I always tell people that the days that you don’t hear about us are the days that we were successful, because that meant that we stopped so many dangerous people from perpetuating violence and have gotten those terrorist threats and criminals out of our country before they had the chance to do something that would have devastated families.". Despite calls for Noem’s removal by Democrats, Trump has praised her performance in the role.

FOX News [2/1/2026 8:12 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports HHS whistleblower Tara Rodas joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss DHS efforts to rescue more than 145,000 missing migrant children who were lost under the Biden administration. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 3:25 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Fox News chief congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports live from Capitol Hill to give the latest on the ongoing partial government shutdown.

FOX News [2/1/2026 11:23 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt discusses President Donald Trump’s efforts to unify Americans, the debate over ICE operations and more on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link] Breitbart [2/1/2026 2:05 PM, Pam Key, 2238K] report Host Maria Bartiromo said, "Do you expect new restrictions on border patrol? Caroline, what can you tell us in terms of the results here as a result of the fact that two people are dead, even though the president is trying to weed out criminality in this country, and you’ve seen this resistance?". Leavitt said, "Well, the White House and the president are open and willing to listen. I know the president said aboard Air Force One last night that those conversations and discussions will continue. Last week, the White House invited moderate Democrat senators to come to the white House and to discuss their concerns so that we could hear them out and at least see what they are trying to put on the table. Unfortunately, that meeting was blocked by their leadership.". Univision [2/1/2026 11:46 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports that Leavitt reiterated that the president will fulfill the commitment made to voters at the beginning of his second presidential term, focused on the deportation of undocumented immigrants with a criminal record. The spokeswoman stressed that President Trump will not depart from the promise made to the nearly 80 million citizens who backed him at the polls. As he explained, the government’s priority is to enforce the law and ensure national security by strictly complying with current immigration regulations. The press secretary also highlighted the role of ICE and Border Patrol agents, who she called “true patriots.” Karoline Leavitt stressed that both bodies need institutional support and respect for the work they perform in immigration control. Leavitt criticized the political sectors that, in his opinion, have contributed to stigmatizing these federal agencies. “ICE and the Border Patrol need respect. Democrats must agree to stop demonizing them,” he said.

The Washington Post [2/1/2026 12:43 PM, Mariana Alfaro, 24826K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said Sunday that he is “confident” he will have enough support from Republicans in the House conference to end the partial government shutdown by Tuesday. In an interview with NBC News’s “Meet the Press,” Johnson said the House will vote to reopen the government “at least by Tuesday.” “We have a logistical challenge of getting everyone in town, and because of the conversation I had with Hakeem Jeffries, I know that we’ve got to pass a rule and probably do this mostly on our own,” Johnson said, referring to the minority leader as he looked to blame Democrats for the second shutdown of President Donald Trump’s second administration, which began early Saturday. After the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis left two U.S. citizens dead, Democrats have said they would not advance government funding measures unless changes were made to a funding bill for the agencies driving the Trump administration’s immigration policies, including the Department of Homeland Security. The department houses U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. On Friday, Congress missed a midnight deadline to approve six new spending bills because the Senate changed DHS funding measures after the House passed them. The Senate, however, quickly approved a bipartisan agreement backed by Trump to pass five major appropriations bills and a temporary two-week funding extension for DHS to buy time for additional policy negotiations. Over the weekend, Johnson remained adamant that the House will move quickly to pass those measures when it returns to Washington on Monday, despite frustrations from conservative members of the Republican caucus and skepticism from House Democrats. Reuters [2/1/2026 8:53 AM, Timothy Gardner, 36480K] reports that the Senate easily passed a spending package on Friday but the House of Representatives is out of town. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been working to ensure a debate over immigration enforcement does not disrupt other government operations. That is a contrast from last autumn, when both parties dug into their positions in a dispute over healthcare, prompting a shutdown that lasted a record 43 days and cost the U.S. economy an estimated $11 billion. The deal approved by the Senate would separate the Department of Homeland Security from the broader spending package. This would allow lawmakers to approve funding for agencies such as the Pentagon and the Department of Labor while new restrictions are considered on federal immigration agents amid uproar after two U.S. citizens were shot dead in Minneapolis. Johnson, whose Republicans have a razor-thin majority in the House, said "our intention" is to fund all agencies except for DHS by Tuesday, "and then we will have two weeks of good faith negotiations to figure it out." The bill contains a two-week stop-gap measure to fund DHS, but legislation on full-year DHS funding is in abeyance pending a deal on changes to ICE practices. Democrats are demanding reforms for ICE such as requiring mandatory body cameras, and ending their roving patrols and use of face masks. Bloomberg [2/1/2026 10:30 AM, María Paula Mijares Torres, 18082K] reports that negotiations on detailed measures may be contentious. Johnson signaled that demands for federal immigration agents to wear identification badges and not cover their faces would be red lines. “Those two things are conditions that would create further danger,” Johnson said on Fox News Sunday. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer during last week’s meeting at the Oval Office that he wouldn’t be able to carry out those measures because they’d endanger agents’ safety, Johnson said. Johnson indicated Homan could agree to ending roving patrols by immigration agents and requiring they wear body cameras.

Reported similarly:
USA Today [2/1/2026 3:36 PM, Kathryn Palmer, 70643K]

AP [2/2/2026 12:25 AM, Lisa Mascaro, 31753K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough days ahead trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement operations. Johnson signaled he is relying on help from President Donald Trump to ensure passage. Trump struck a deal with senators to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a broader package after public outrage over two shooting deaths during protests in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Under the plan approved by the Senate, DHS would be funded temporarily to Feb. 13, setting up a deadline for Congress to try to find consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations. "The president is leading this," Johnson, R-La., told "Fox News Sunday." "It’s his play call to do it this way," the speaker said, adding that the Republican president has "already conceded that he wants to turn down the volume" on federal immigration sweeps and raids. A first test will come Monday afternoon during a committee meeting when Johnson will need his own GOP majority to advance the package after Democrats refused to provide the votes for speedy consideration. Johnson said he is hopeful work can wrap up for a full House vote, at least by Tuesday.

The Hill [2/1/2026 1:50 PM, Max Rego, 18170K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that he supports some of the federal immigration enforcement reforms backed by Democrats. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said Sunday that he supports some of the federal immigration enforcement reforms backed by Democrats. “Some of these conditions and requests that they’ve made are obviously reasonable and should happen. But others are going to require a lot more negotiation,” Johnson told host Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Democratic leaders in both chambers are proposing changes to how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel conduct operations, as the Senate on Friday passed a $1.2 trillion funding package consisting of five regular appropriations bills and a two-week stopgap measure for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE and CBP. The House was in recess Friday, which meant that funding for 78 percent of the federal government lapsed at midnight Saturday. The stalemate is likely to last through at least Tuesday after House Democrats refused to commit to a fast-track approval of the funding package. On Wednesday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) proposed prohibiting roving federal immigration enforcement patrols, expanding warrant requirements for federal law enforcement, adopting a universal code of conduct for federal officers and banning officers from wearing masks while conducting operations.

Washington Times [2/1/2026 10:21 AM, Seth McLaughlin, 1323K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson is signaling that a deal with Democrats on funding the Department of Homeland Security for a full year is within reach. But he’s making it clear that some of the changes Democrats want to make to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are non‑starters for President Trump and Republicans on Capitol Hill. The Louisiana Republican suggested that Mr. Trump and GOP lawmakers are willing to consider certain changes — like expanding body‑worn cameras for ICE agents — but they’re not budging on proposals to ban masks or require agents to display visible identification. “Those two things are conditions that would create further danger,” Mr. Johnson said on Fox News Sunday, adding that White House border czar Tom Homan has told Democratic leaders the same thing. With activists doxxing and targeting agents, “of course, we don’t want their personal identification out there on the streets,” Mr. Johnson said. The debate over DHS funding and ICE operations intensified in January after the on‑camera shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal immigration agent in Minnesota, which sparked widespread protests and complicated spending talks enough to trigger a partial government shutdown over the weekend. The GOP-led House is set Monday to take up a revised spending package that the Senate passed Friday.

AP [2/1/2026 3:40 PM, Lisa Mascaro, 16072K] reports House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday it will be a few days before a government funding package comes up for a vote, all but ensuring the partial federal shutdown will drag into the week as Democrats and Republicans debate reining in the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement operations. Johnson signaled he is relying on help from President Donald Trump to ensure passage. Trump struck a deal with senators to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a broader package after public outrage over two shooting deaths during protests in Minneapolis against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The measure approved Friday by the Senate would fund DHS temporarily, for two weeks, setting up a deadline for Congress to debate and vote on new restrictions on ICE operations. "The president is leading this," Johnson, R-La., told "Fox News Sunday.". "It’s his play call to do it this way," the speaker said, adding that the Republican president has "already conceded that he wants to turn down the volume" on federal immigration operations. Johnson faces a daunting challenge ahead, trying to muscle the funding legislation through the House while Democrats are refusing to provide the votes for speedy passage. They are demanding restraints on ICE that go beyond $20 million for body cameras that already is in the bill. They want to require that federal immigration agents unmask and identify themselves and are pressing for an end to roving patrols, amid other changes. "What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed," said House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said on ABC’s "This Week.". Jeffries said the administration needs to begin negotiations now, not over the next two weeks, on changes to immigration enforcement operations.

NewsMax [2/1/2026 3:43 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports Sen. Ron Johnson on Sunday accused Democrats of trying to weaken immigration enforcement by pushing new limits on federal officers following the killings of two American citizens in Minnesota last month. In an interview on CNN’s "State of the Union," the Wisconsin Republican said immigration enforcement could be improved but that Democrat proposals go far beyond reasonable reforms. "I have a great deal of sympathy for, again, the secretaries, the people charged with cleaning up this enormous mess," Johnson said. "Is it perfect? Absolutely not," he added. "Can things be tightened up? Sure. But the way to tighten it up is not to neuter our ability to enforce our immigration laws.". Democrats have called for changes to immigration enforcement following the death of Alex Pretti, who was shot by Customs and Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown. Pretti’s death followed the killing of another American, Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. In response, Democrat lawmakers have proposed requiring ICE officers and Border Patrol agents to wear body cameras, banning agents from wearing face coverings, and placing new restrictions on the types of warrants that can be used before making arrests or conducting searches. The standoff over DHS funding led to a partial government shutdown over the weekend. Johnson said he was particularly concerned about proposals requiring judicial warrants, noting immigration enforcement has long relied on administrative warrants issued by the Department of Homeland Security. "Demanding judicial warrants is their sneaky way of basically neutering our ability to enforce any immigration laws," Johnson said. "Immigration has always been enforced through administrative warrants.".

CNN [2/1/2026 11:13 AM, Dana Bash, 19874K] reports Republican Senator Ron Johnson tells Dana Bash Democrats’ demands to reform ICE in exchange for funding the Department of Homeland Security would undercut immigration laws. "We have got millions of cases backlogged... so demanding judicial warrants is their sneaky way of basically neutering our ability to enforce any immigration laws." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [2/1/2026 10:33 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports House Democrats on the Homeland Security Committee are urging colleagues to oppose the continuing resolution returned from the Senate this weekend, warning it would expand immigration enforcement and increase DHS resources without sufficient oversight. In a letter dated Feb. 1, 2026, posted on X, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and other Democrats argued lawmakers should "vote NO on the funding package," saying it would give ICE and CBP additional funding "without clear accountability.” They criticized provisions that would allow federal agencies to "unilaterally implement new and strengthened immigration enforcement" operations. The lawmakers also raised concerns about surveillance programs and the deployment of federal law enforcement, writing that "racial profiling" in immigration enforcement "must stop" and calling for an end to "sweeping surveillance systems DHS is using to crack down on protesters.” The push adds pressure on House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as Democrat opposition could force the spending plan to pass with Republican votes alone. The GOP holds a 218-214 majority if Rep.-elect Christian Menefee, D-Texas, is sworn in before Tuesday’s anticipated vote. The bill can pass if all 218 Republicans vote yes.

Newsweek [2/1/2023 7:20 PM, Steve Mollman, 52220K] reports Senator John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania Democrat, on Sunday supported Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents being allowed to wear masks that help conceal their identities. “Some of those agents wearing masks, primarily that’s driven by people who are going to dox those people. That’s a serious concern too, absolutely. They can target their families,” the senator said while appearing on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing. “Don’t ever, ever dox people and target their families too.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, on Wednesday proposed a series of reforms to ICE and CBP that included body camera requirements and a ban on agents wearing masks, among other topics. On Friday, the U.S. Senate voted to keep most of the federal government funded through the end of September after Trump struck a deal with Democrats to temporarily separate Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and allow debate over new limits on federal immigration raids. Schumer and other Democratic lawmakers have laid out demands to reform immigration enforcement practices at the DHS. They include an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents, mandatory identification during arrests, and expanded use of body cameras. In the House, two New York Democrats—Dan Goldman and Adriano Espaillat—are leading a proposed “No Secret Police Act” bill that would ban ICE and other DHS officers from concealing their faces during immigration enforcement and require them to clearly display agency identification. Last week, Fetterman said in a statement that he rejects "calls to defund or abolish ICE," adding "I strongly disagree with many strategies and practices ICE deployed in Minneapolis, and believe that must change." Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said previously in a statement to Newsweek: "Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines arresting terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists. Now, thanks to the malicious rhetoric of sanctuary politicians, they are under constant threat from violent agitators. They are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks against them, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. Publicizing their identities puts their lives and the lives of their families at serious risk.”

Washington Examiner [2/1/2026 7:52 PM, Jenny Goldsberry, 1147K] reports House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was adamant that the Department of Homeland Security will have to be "dramatically reformed" before the House passes funding for the agency. Jeffries appeared on ABC News’s This Week on Sunday, days after the start of a partial government shutdown. The appropriations bill for DHS was the only one that was not passed as is, with senators agreeing on a two-week stopgap funding the agency while negotiations about reform play out. According to Jeffries, the decision to hold on passing the House version of the bill was "a meaningful step in the right direction" after two fatal shootings involving federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. "We’ll meet later on this afternoon as a caucus to discuss what we believe is the best path. What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed," Jeffries said. "We share that view as does leader Schumer and Senate Democrats in a variety of different ways," he added. "Body cameras should be mandatory. Masks should come off. Judicial warrants should absolutely be required consistent with the Constitution in our view before DHS agents or ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people out of their cars.” The two-week extension must pass the House, which could lead to a longer shutdown. ABC News host George Stephanopoulos asked Jeffries if he would vote for funding DHS before the reforms are negotiated. "We’re going to have that conversation later on today and as we return to Washington. But the one thing that we’ve said publicly is that we need a robust path toward dramatic reform," Jeffries said. "The administration can’t just talk the talk. They need to walk the walk. That should begin today, not in two weeks, today.” Still, whether the shutdown continues or not, it would not stop DHS from operating. President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act already funded DHS with over $170 billion. While Jeffries digs in on reform, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) said on Sunday he is "confident" a new bill will pass the House quickly. Johnson predicted the shutdown could end as soon as Tuesday. In the House, the bill would only have to pass with a simple majority, though the GOP’s is slim. Johnson can only afford to lose one Republican in a vote.

CNN [2/1/2026 8:11 AM, Staff, 19874K] reports Mississippi Congressman (D) Bennie Thompson tells CNN’s Victor Blackwell that he expects significant opposition from his fellow Democrats to the funding. He also called Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem "incompetent." [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NPR [2/2/2026 4:45 AM, Kat Lonsdorf and Michel Martin, 34837K] reports a federal judge in Minnesota has ruled the Trump administration can continue its immigration enforcement surge. That’s as a different judge ruled a 5-year-old boy be released from detention. [Editorial note: consult audio at source link]

Washington Examiner [2/1/2026 7:00 AM, Jack Birle, 1147K] reports the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota has led to thousands of illegal immigrants being arrested, but various lawsuits over those detentions have flooded the federal district court in the state. The U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota handles cases, including habeas corpus cases challenging law enforcement’s reasons for their detention, filed by illegal immigrants swept up in the federal immigration operations in the North Star State. Those challenges have been largely successful despite the federal law that Congress passed to keep district courts out of the removal process. The legal saga could make its way to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, which oversees the Minnesota federal district court and has already struck down some adverse rulings for Trump over the operation.

CBS News [2/1/2026 7:00 PM, Staff, 51110K] reports lawmakers are calling for an independent investigation into immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota as members of the Trump administration face scrutiny over claims they’ve made. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Univision [2/1/2026 5:58 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports government records have identified the two federal immigration agents who shot Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti on Saturday, January 24. According to records reported by ProPublica, they are Border Patrol agent Jesús Ochoa, 43, and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutiérrez, 35. Both were part of Operation Metro Surge, a series of immigration raids launched last December that deployed dozens of armed and hooded agents in the city of Minneapolis, where two Americans were killed by federal agents. Pretti, a 37-year-old American citizen and intensive care nurse, was participating in protests against aggressive immigration operations when he was shot dead by officers. Videos shared on social media show Pretti stepping between an agent and a woman who had been pushed to the ground. Agents then sprayed pepper spray, immobilized Pretti, and after a struggle, multiple shots were heard. The initial official version presented by federal authorities claimed that Pretti was armed and "violently" resisted arrest—a narrative that has been questioned after analysis of videos and testimonies. Records show that Pretti legally owned a gun, and according to some videos, a federal agent may have removed it from his waistband before the shooting began. The identification of Ochoa and Gutierrez comes after days of mass protests in Minneapolis and other cities, demanding transparency and justice. Even Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for full and independent investigations into the use of force and the lack of clarity surrounding the agents’ actions. The Justice Department reported that its Civil Rights Division is investigating the case, while the leak of the names has fueled debate about the public’s ability to hold federal agents accountable in operations. This shooting occurred in a climate of tension over the federal government’s immigration policies and enforcement tactics, which have been criticized for their harshness and the use of hooded agents without visible identification. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

NewsMax [2/1/2026 6:47 PM, Eric Mack, 3760K] reports the Department of Homeland Security lashed out Sunday at the "doxing" of the names of Customs and Border Protection agents who are alleged to have fatally shot ICE-watch agitator Alex Pretti. "DHS will never confirm or deny attempts to dox our law enforcement officers," a spokesperson told Newsmax, amid a report claiming to have identified the two CBP agents who fired on Pretti during a violent tussle on a Minneapolis street. "Doxing our officers put their lives and their families in serious danger.” ProPublica, a left-wing outlet, claimed to have viewed federal records identifying 43- and 35-year-old agents from South Texas involved in the shooting of Pretti. Newsmax could not independently confirm the names reported, and is not identifying them, but reached out to DHS, CBP, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for comment. "Our law enforcement officers are on the frontlines arresting terrorists, gang members, murderers, pedophiles, and rapists," the DHS statement added. "Now, thanks to the malicious rhetoric of sanctuary politicians, they are under constant threat from violent agitators. "They are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks against them, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. Publicizing their identities puts their lives and the lives of their families at serious risk. "This matter remains under investigation.” Senate Democrats forced a government shutdown this weekend, pushing legislation that would require federal immigration officers to display visible identification during enforcement operations, arguing that masked agents without clear name tags undermine accountability and public trust. DHS argues, as in the Pretti case, that identifying federal agents just makes them and their families targets of left-wing political violence. Anonymity protections are sometimes necessary for officer safety, according to DHS. The debate highlights the tension between demands for transparency and security needs for law enforcement officers in Democrat-run cities that are openly calling for deportation obstruction or protests. The shooting occurred during a confrontation last weekend amid Operation Metro Surge, a high-intensity immigration enforcement effort that has drawn widespread criticism for masked agents operating in city streets. CBP has declined to publicly confirm the agents’ identities and has released few details, though the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division has opened an investigation and both agents have been placed on leave.

NewsNation [2/2/2026 1:22 AM, Natasha Zouves, 4464K] reports Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem should be fired for the inaccurate comments she made immediately after Alex Pretti’s death in Minneapolis last weekend, Batya Ungar-Sargon tells “NewsNation Prime.” Noem claimed Pretti had brandished a firearm and was intending to harm Border Patrol agents before they fatally shot him. Videos showed several agents taking Pretti to the ground, with one agent appearing to pull a gun from his person and withdrawing before the gunshots. The 37-year-old was legally carrying the weapon, local authorities said. “She lied to our faces. She defamed the dead. She called Alex Pretti a terrorist and said that he had brandished his gun,” Ungar-Sargon said of Noem. “It took her a week to backtrack on that … We saw the footage hours after she made that claim.” Ungar-Sargon has pushed back on efforts to lionize Pretti, a VA nurse. Last week, she noted, a video surfaced showing him in an earlier encounter with federal agents where he acted aggressively, as if “radicalized.” As for the deadly Jan. 24 incident, Ungar-Sargon added, “He was not acting violently. He was resisting arrest. I don’t think he was murdered, but to say that he was brandishing his gun about a very, very delicate, contentious issue, I think that’s horrendous. … I think she should be fired.” Ungar-Sargon praised the Trump administration for at least sending border czar Tom Homan, “a consummate professional,” to Minnesota following Pretti’s death. She credited Democratic Gov. Tim Walz for appearing as if he’ll try to meet Homan “halfway.” Federal authorities killed Pretti and another American citizen, Renee Good, last month during the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration. Critics say the White House is no longer targeting the “worst of the worst” — undocumented immigrants with deep criminal histories — as the feds attempt to meet roundup quotas. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Washington Examiner [2/1/2026 8:00 PM, Hailey Bullis, Christian Datoc, 1147K] reports the Trump administration has been on defense over its immigration enforcement operations since the shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was killed during an altercation with Border Patrol agents. But, after a second video was released showing Pretti in an earlier incident with immigration enforcement officials, Republicans are divided over whether to follow the president’s lead and relitigate the incident politically. The second video of Pretti, recorded by media company The News Movement on Jan. 13, shows the ICU nurse calling agents "f***ing trash" and kicking out the taillight of a vehicle used by the agents. After Pretti kicked out the taillight, the vehicle stopped, and a federal officer exited before grabbing Pretti and tackling him to the ground. After a skirmish, Pretti escaped from the officer and went toward the crowd. The officer did not pursue him. The video also shows what appears to be a gun tucked into Pretti’s waistband. Trump, who has previously said he wants to "de-escalate" the situation and called Pretti’s death a very "unfortunate incident," took to Truth Social at 1:26 a.m. on Jan. 30 to call Pretti an "agitor" and "perhaps, insurrectionist.” "Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces," Trump wrote on Truth Social regarding the second video. "It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer was calm and cool, not an easy thing to be under those circumstances! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN.” Trump’s comments about Pretti came after he shook up his deportation operations in Minnesota, sending in border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis to replace Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who had previously been leading the administration’s on-the-ground operations, in the aftermath of the shooting. Homan’s deployment to Minnesota, in which he will be reporting directly to Trump, was announced after statements from Bonvino, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem referring to Pretti as a "domestic terrorist" and claiming that he wanted to do "maximum damage" were contradicted by video footage of the shooting.

New York Times [2/1/2026 2:11 PM, Hamed Aleaziz, 148038K] reports Tom Homan was livid. It was 2018, not long after Jerry Brown, then California’s governor, had signed a “sanctuary state” law that walled off the jails from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It crippled the jail-to-ICE pipeline Mr. Homan helped perfect during the Obama administration when he oversaw deportation officers at ICE. “There’s no sanctuary from federal law enforcement,” Mr. Homan, by that point the acting director of ICE under President Trump, told Fox News. In his characteristic persona of the gruff lawman, he pledged to “significantly increase our enforcement presence” in the state, adding, “California better hold on tight.” Eight years later, Mr. Homan will get a chance to show that focusing on jails and public safety threats is the best way to meet President Trump’s demand to deport record numbers of migrants. But to do so, he will have to bring along Democrats who have loudly rejected calls to cooperate with ICE. He was dispatched to Minneapolis by Mr. Trump last week to take over an operation from Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol commander whose aggressive tactics that swept up large numbers of noncriminals on public streets had become a liability for the administration. Among Mr. Homan’s assignments is to broker an agreement for more cooperation with local law enforcement. He has said that a deal to allow ICE into more jails in the state would allow the Department of Homeland Security to draw down their forces in Minnesota. It will be a delicate balance; he must keep up the drumbeat for Mr. Trump’s deportation agenda while repairing relations with Democratic officials in Minnesota who have likened ICE’s actions to a federal occupation and demanded agents leave the state. “Tom is a career professional,” said Janet Napolitano, the former homeland security secretary, who worked with Mr. Homan during the Obama administration and is now a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. “He has the demeanor that will be required. The question, to me, is whether he will have the latitude from the White House to do what needs to be done to really de-escalate the situation in Minnesota.” “Tom Homan is an American patriot and career law enforcement officer with decades of experience effectively protecting American communities and deporting criminal illegal aliens,” said Abigail Jackson, a White House spokeswoman. “Any left-wing agitator or criminal illegal alien who thinks Tom’s presence is a victory for their cause is sadly mistaken.” One homeland security official, discussing internal matters on the condition of anonymity, said that immigration operations on the ground had already turned to focus on criminal and public safety threats, much as Mr. Homan outlined in a news conference last week. Under Mr. Bovino, immigration authorities were known for conducting random sweeps, such as raids at Home Depot parking lots.

CBS News [2/2/2026 5:00 AM, Steve Kopack and Allie Canal, 39474K] reports in the wake of Alex Pretti’s death at the hands of federal officers in Minneapolis, a growing number of corporate leaders, employees and Minnesota-based companies are speaking out. Some are condemning the fatal shooting and President Donald Trump’s broader immigration enforcement in the state. But the response has also exposed a familiar tension in corporate America: Powerful executives and public-facing companies often stay quiet until internal and external pressures converge — and until they believe speaking out together matters more than speaking loudly. “What’s really interesting is that the CEOs do engage when they get to a tipping point, and we’re at one again,” said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a Yale School of Management professor and author of the book “Trump’s Ten Commandments.” He pointed to moments such as the deadly 2017 white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 as examples of crises that forced high-profile executives to move collectively. “CEOs have to periodically speak out not on every issue but when there are watershed moments where there is a tipping point where the fabric of society is put at risk,” Sonnenfeld said in a phone interview.

New York Times [2/1/2026 1:28 PM, Mattathias Schwartz, 148038K] reports a high-ranking federal appeals judge dismissed an ethics complaint filed by the Justice Department against Judge James E. Boasberg, whose rulings repeatedly raised questions about the Trump administration’s respect for the rule of law, including regarding the deportation of Venezuelans to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. The seven-page dismissal order found that Chad Mizelle, the former chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi, failed to substantiate allegations that Judge Boasberg had violated the Code of Conduct for United States Judges with comments he was accused of making at a private meeting of judges. Even if the comments had been substantiated, the order said, there was nothing inappropriate about them. The order was signed by Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton, the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which posted it to its website this weekend. Mr. Mizelle, the Justice Department and Judge Boasberg did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday. The complaint, which was filed in July, coincided with a broad and ongoing effort by administration officials and their allies to attack the credibility of judges who rule against the Trump administration, and in some cases to call for their impeachment. Judge Boasberg, the chief of the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia, became a particular focus after he attempted to block the deportations to El Salvador, then attempted to open an inquiry into why planes headed for the prison did not turn around, despite a court order. Ms. Bondi had trumpeted the complaint against Judge Boasberg on social media, where she claimed that he had “undermined the integrity of the judiciary.” Mr. Mizelle’s complaint claimed that, during a closed-door meeting with other judges last March, Judge Boasberg had expressed concern that President Trump might disregard court orders, triggering a constitutional crisis. That, the complaint argued, was evidence of bias against the administration and amounted to an attempt by the judge to “improperly influence” his colleagues. But according to the dismissal from Judge Sutton, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, Mr. Mizelle did not provide evidence that Judge Boasberg had actually made the comments at the heart of his complaint. A footnote in the complaint references an “Attachment A.” That document appears to never have been provided, despite a court’s follow-up request.

Daily Caller [2/1/2026 10:45 AM, Mark Tanos, 803K] reports a 5-year-old boy and his father are back in Minnesota after a Clinton-appointed federal judge ordered their release from immigration detention Saturday while accusing the Trump administration of cruelty and lawlessness. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery issued a three-page ruling that granted habeas corpus to Adrian Conejo Arias and his son Liam, according to court documents filed in the Western District of Texas. The 78-year-old judge wrote that "the perfidious lust for unbridled power and the imposition of cruelty in its quest know no bounds and are bereft of human decency.” "And the rule of law be damned," Biery added. (RELATED: Trump Sends Tom Homan To Minnesota Amidst Anti-ICE Mayhem). The ruling contained several unusual elements that drew immediate criticism. Conservative commentator Dustin Grage called it "legitimately the most unhinged ruling" on X, pointing to the judge’s use of the phrase "judicial finger in the constitutional dike," an impossible date of "February 31, 2026," and the inclusion of a child’s photograph with Bible verse citations. The verses referenced Matthew 19:14 and John 11:35. The first contains Jesus’s words about letting children come to him. The second simply states "Jesus wept.” Biery also compared the Trump administration to King George III by quoting grievances from the Declaration of Independence, according to the court document. He accused the government of needing a "civics lesson" on the Fourth Amendment. The Department of Homeland Security pushed back forcefully. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News that "the facts in this case have NOT changed" and called claims that agents used the child as "bait" an "abject lie.” McLaughlin said the father "fled on foot, abandoning his child" when ICE agents approached on Jan. 20 in Minnesota. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday the administration may appeal the ruling. "Generally speaking, we are complying with the law every single day," Blanche told ABC’s "This Week.” The ruling comes as the White House has voiced support for impeaching judges it considers "rogue," according to Fox News. A White House official told the outlet that "left-wing, activist judges have gone totally rogue" and are "undermining the rule of law.” Biery previously drew conservative criticism when Newt Gingrich called him "an anti-religious, dictatorial bigot" over a 2011 school prayer ruling, the San Antonio Express-News reported. The judge ordered the father and son released by Feb. 3. They were released Saturday night.

Washington Examiner [2/1/2026 7:00 AM, Ramsey Touchberry and Naomi Lim, 1147K] reports President Donald Trump’s deportation crackdown has even Republicans worried that the American people are souring on combating illegal immigration, an issue that propelled the party to control Congress and the White House in 2024. Across the Right, there are Republicans who see the chaotic images of federal agents in Minnesota clashing with protesters and engaging in deadly shootings are eroding the advantage they once held on immigration. These Republicans hold those views even as they lay blame on left-wing "agitators" for the unrest. "Way more than a bit of a fumble," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), a fiscal hawk who is among the most conservative Senate members, told the Washington Examiner of the administration’s tactics. "This is pulling defeat out of the jaws of victory." Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), a centrist retiring from Congress next year, accused embattled Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem of "taking this administration into the ground on an issue that we should own." Tillis wants Noem, whose agency oversees federal immigration operations, to resign or be fired by Trump. "We should own the issue of border security and immigration, but they have destroyed that for Republicans," Tillis continued, also invoking White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller. "Something that got the president elected, they have destroyed it through their incompetence.". In Maine, where Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) is fighting a battleground reelection race, Noem agreed to cease "enhanced" Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations after the centrist Republican urged the administration "to get ICE to reconsider its approach to immigration enforcement in the state." In a statement to the Washington Examiner, the White House doubled down on its strategy, saying Trump "won the election in a landslide based on his promise to carry out the largest mass deportation of criminal illegal aliens." "Our focus remains the same: prioritizing violent criminal illegal aliens while also enforcing the law — anyone who is in the country illegally is eligible to be deported," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said. "Meanwhile, the Democrats continue to slander law enforcement, defend dangerous criminal illegal aliens who harm innocent Americans, and back violent rioters who assault law enforcement.".

ABC News [2/1/2026 12:33 PM, Ford McCracken, 34146K] reports House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Sunday morning that his caucus would meet Sunday afternoon to determine how it would proceed on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, but he said the agency should be "dramatically reformed." "ICE agents should conduct themselves like every other law enforcement agency in the country as opposed to running around -- masked thugs, in many instances unleashing brutality on law-abiding American citizens," Jeffries told ABC News’ This Week anchor George Stephanopoulos. The Senate on Friday passed a package of five funding bills but stripped out a DHS funding bill and passed a two-week continuing resolution to consider reforms to its immigration enforcement operation after the killing of two U.S. citizens by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis. The bills were to be taken up in the House when it returns on Monday but Jeffries said Saturday he informed House Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats would not help Republicans fast-track the package to force a debate on the DHS funding bill, which would push the vote to Tuesday. Jeffries on Sunday called the Senate agreement a "meaningful step in the right direction." "What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed," Jeffries said. "We share that view, as does Leader [Chuck] Schumer and Senate Democrats in a variety of different ways." Jeffries said the Democrats have clear demands for reforming ICE’s immigration operation: requiring agents to wear body cameras, to be unmasked during operations and to require judicial warrants before making any arrests. Asked by Stephanopoulos if he could trust the Trump administration to enforce these changes, even if enacted by Congress, Jeffries said that he would leave enforcement to the courts. "[The Trump administration has] been lawless from the very beginning. It’s one of the reasons why we need to actually build these strict requirements in terms of behavior into the law so that the courts can hold them accountable," Jeffries said.

Breitbart [2/1/2026 10:47 AM, Pam Key, 2238K] reports Sunday on ABC’s “This Week,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said President Donald Trump’s administration was “the most corrupt administration in American history.” Jeffries said, “Donald Trump promised to lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down. They’ve gone up. Housing costs out of control, grocery costs out of control, utility bills, electricity bills totally out of control, health care costs, of course. Childcare costs, all of it out of control. We need to deal with that. We need to fix our broken health care system, particularly in the midst of the assault that Republicans have launched and that one big ugly bill they enacted the largest cut to Medicaid in American history, ripping healthcare away from millions of people.” He continued, “And then that same bill gave the Department of Homeland Security $191 billion, including 75 billion that went to ICE so that taxpayer dollars could be used to brutalize the American people. We also need to clean up corruption wherever it’s found in the Congress, at the Supreme Court, and certainly with the administration. I think the most corrupt administration in American history.” Jeffries added, “Why is Donald Trump focused on enriching himself, his family and his friends, as opposed to focused on driving down the high cost of living? Why is he focused on destroying half the White House, trying to extort $230 billion from the Department of Justice, or promoting his wife’s documentary as opposed to fixing our broken health care system? Why is he focused on brutalizing everyday Americans by unleashing these masked agents in American communities, as opposed to doing his job? The American people, George, have had enough. The question is, when will Republicans have enough with this failed presidency?” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS News [2/1/2026 7:00 PM, Scott Pelley, Nicole Young, Aaron Weisz, and Maria Gavrilovic, 51110K] reports "who can you kill?" and "when can you kill them?" Those are questions Republican Sen. Rand Paul asked last week after the deaths, in Minneapolis, of Renee Good and Alex Pretti — shot by officers of the Department of Homeland Security. Sen. Paul is chair of the Homeland Security Committee and, against the grain of many in his party, he has scheduled a public hearing in Minneapolis. Paul told us he doesn’t trust the Trump administration’s investigation after top officials failed to tell the truth. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Alex Pretti was a terrorist who attacked federal officers, that led Sen. Paul, Republican of Kentucky, to watch video of the killing again and again. Sen. Rand Paul: I saw no evidence. I saw a man that was retreating. I mean, he went to the middle of the street. He didn’t even obstruct traffic. He let a car go through. As the agents advanced on him, he retreated to the side of the street. A woman is violently pushed to the ground, and he turns to help her, and that’s when he is grabbed from behind. I saw no evidence of him assaulting the police. Scott Pelley: Should Secretary Noem be fired?
Sen. Rand Paul: I think we have to get through our hearing February 12th, and I think we have to see what the people who work for her say. But my advice to them, if they’re watching and they come to testify, is if you come in and you’re going to justify that this man was-- aggressively assaulting your police officers. That cannot be acceptable, and that’s why they’re lacking in trust. He also says he’s concerned about the misstatements of others. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS News [2/1/2026 11:33 AM, Staff, 51110K] Video: HERE reports Rep. Michael McCaul, who is on the House Homeland Security Committee, told "Face the Nation" that he believes that Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who had been overseeing the Minneapolis immigration crackdown until being relieved, "crossed the line" during that operation.

FOX News [2/1/2026 12:20 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., joins ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ to discuss the ongoing partial government shutdown amid the debate over DHS funding and the escalating military tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

FOX News [2/1/2026 1:28 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., joins ‘The Sunday Briefing’ to discuss the partial government shutdown, calls for ICE reforms and the U.S. military strategy on Iran.

FOX News [2/1/2026 2:39 PM, Staff, 37576K] Video: HERE reports Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa. joins calls to deport criminal migrants during ‘The Sunday Briefing.’

FOX News [2/1/2026 10:02 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to his take on ICE operations amid a partial government shutdown, local officials working with federal partners and more. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 10:59 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to discuss his new legislation aimed at ending sanctuary city policies and his calls for President Donald Trump to topple the Iranian regime. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Reuters [2/1/2026 3:52 PM, Staff, 38315K] Video: HERE reports U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to "under no circumstances" get involved with protests in Democratic-led cities unless they ask for federal help or federal property is threatened. This video contains graphic content. Alex Cohen has more.

CBS News [2/1/2026 3:03 PM, Zachary Bynum, 51110K] reports protesters are expected to gather in downtown Atlanta Sunday afternoon for a peaceful march and rally opposing federal immigration enforcement policies and what organizers describe as a broader erosion of civil liberties and civil rights. The event, titled "ICE OUT EVERYWHERE," is being organized by the grassroots group 50501 Georgia and is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at Selena S. Butler Park, according to a news release. From there, participants will march to the Georgia State Capitol, where elected officials are expected to speak, before continuing to the Atlanta ICE Field Office, organizers said. Organizers say the rally is intended to protest what they describe as increased government overreach, threats to due process, and the treatment of immigrant communities under current federal policies. "A civilized society cannot survive without both civil liberties and civil rights," the release states, adding that participants plan to exercise their constitutional rights through peaceful assembly and nonviolent protest. According to organizers, several Georgia lawmakers are scheduled to speak at the Capitol, including Kim Jackson, Josh McLaurin, and Ruwa Romman. Organizers say speakers will address legislative efforts in Georgia aimed at protecting civil rights and limiting what they characterize as unlawful federal actions.

Univision [2/1/2026 4:14 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports at least 51 people were arrested in Los Angeles during the second consecutive night of anti-U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) protests, local authorities said. According to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), 47 adults and three minors were summoned and released for not dispersing, while one person was arrested on suspicion of evasion of a felony. The LAPD Central Division said detainees face charges of assault with a lethal weapon against a police officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, vandalism, in addition to not complying with orders of dispersal. Authorities said all charges will be brought before the District Attorney and the City of Los Angeles Attorney. Like Friday’s demonstration, Saturday’s protest began peacefully, but escalated when some participants began throwing bottles, stones and fireworks against law enforcement officers. In the face of the situation, police issued a tactical alert for the entire city and ordered the protesters to disperse. After the riots, the deputy U.S. Attorney, Bill Essayli, requested the sending of more federal agents to Los Angeles. “The violence and destruction of property directed at our federal facilities is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” said Essayli, who authorized immediate arrests of anyone involved in violent acts.

FOX News [2/1/2026 8:55 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports police reportedly fired non-lethal projectiles as they worked to clear a large group of anti-ICE agitators that had surrounded and damaged a federal building in Los Angeles. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 8:55 AM, Staff, 37576K] reports multiple people were arrested after anti-ICE rioters held a standoff with law enforcement and set a construction dumpster on fire outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in downtown Los Angeles. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

The Hill [2/1/2026 9:30 AM, Julia Manchester, 18170K] reports President Trump responded to former CNN anchor Don Lemon’s arrest by federal authorities last week, telling reporters it was probably “the best thing that could have happened to him” “No, I don’t know anything about the Don Lemon thing,” Trump said when asked by The Hill on Air Force One Saturday whether he had any knowledge of Lemon’s arrest before it took place last week. “But he’s a sleazebag. Everyone’s known that,” he continued. “He’s a washup. Probably from his standpoint, the best thing that could have happened to him.” “He had no viewers,” the president said, calling him “a failed host.” “And now he’s in the news. I didn’t know anything about it,” he added. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Daily Wire [2/1/2026 9:43 AM, Virginia Kruta, 2314K] reports former CNN anchor Don Lemon said that he “ain’t even worried” about the possibility that he could end up behind bars following his arrest in Los Angeles — and promised that he planned to be even more outspoken in the days to come. Lemon, who was arrested in connection to a protest in Minneapolis that disrupted a Sunday morning church service, has maintained in the days since that he was only there in his capacity as an “independent journalist” to record what happened during the protest. “I have so many thoughts,” Lemon said on his show, apparently referencing his arrest. “And what this did was really open my eyes to a lot. So if you think that I was outspoken before this …” Lemon trailed off and then let out an exaggerated fake laugh before adding, in ominous tones, “Just wait. Just wait.” “So I know that there are people who think like oh, you know, do this, and I’m going to be locked up or whatever. I ain’t worried about that. You heard the truth, and the truth shall make you free. I ain’t even worried about that. Like not. Don’t even think about it,” he said. The chyron below read, “Republicans better wake up. A dictator doesn’t need Congress.” “So whatever — you know, whatever happens — I am — I always think that something good is going to happen,” Lemon continued. “And something good usually always happens if you have that mindset.” Lemon was arrested after a grand jury found probable cause to indict him. The indictment stated in part that Lemon had “entered the church with the “first wave of agitators,” and “oppressed, threatened, and intimidated the Church’s congregants and pastors by physically occupying most of the main aisle and rows of chairs near the front of the Church, engaging in menacing and threatening behavior, chanting and yelling loudly at the pastor and congregants, and/or physically obstructing them as they attempted to exit and/or move about within the Church.” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Daily Caller [2/1/2026 11:22 AM, Hudson Crozier, 803K] reports sixteen activist groups mobilizing against immigration agents in Minnesota have one thing in common: financial support from a nonprofit backed by the Soros family’s Open Society Foundations. The Minneapolis-based Headwaters Foundation for Justice awarded $3,321,013 in funds and non-cash assistance since 2014 to groups that now seek to monitor Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or protest the agency, according to a Daily Caller News Foundation analysis of tax filings, activists’ websites and their social media posts. One related protest at the Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) airport led to around 100 arrests on Jan. 23 The Headwaters Foundation did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the DCNF. "What we are seeing in the streets of Minneapolis and across Minnesota right now is a fight for collective liberation in real time," the foundation said in a Wednesday Instagram post announcing $120,000 in new grants. Other Headwaters Foundation grants from 2025 are listed on its website with unspecified dollar amounts. "Your support of Headwaters will help us meet the ongoing need of funding organizing on the ground," the post said. Liberal philanthropy nonprofits disclosed millions in donations to the Headwaters Foundation for more than a decade, including $300,000 in 2020 from Open Society Foundations, which George Soros created and his son now leads. The nonprofit did not respond to a request for comment. Several activist groups that coordinated "ICE Out" marches on Jan. 23 were funded by the Headwaters Foundation: Mizna, Unidos MN, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Minnesota, Communities Organizing Latine Power and Action (COPAL), Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL), Jewish Community Action, Voices for Racial Justice, Minnesota Freedom Fund and the LGBTQ groups OutFront Minnesota and Gender Justice. None of the organizations responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment. Jewish Community Action board member Emma Kippley-Ogman was arrested at the MSP airport demonstration after the crowd blocked a roadway and violated conditions of their protest permit, according to police. Kippley-Ogman defended her actions in an op-ed, declaring, "We cannot keep on with business as usual when our federal government is engaged in escalating state terror right here, right now." The Headwaters Foundation has given $183,013 to Jewish Community Action, tax forms show. CTUL told supporters in a post to call its "worker defense hotline" if an employer "threatens you for taking the day off of work" to participate in the Jan. 23 marches. The organization received $1,085,750 from the Headwaters Foundation, tax filings show.

Breitbart [2/1/2026 12:16 PM, Randy Clark, 2238K] reports several hundred protesters — joined by waves of high school students who walked out of class — converged on San Antonio’s Travis Park Friday for the "National Shutdown" demonstration, unleashing a barrage of attacks on ICE, the Border Patrol, President Trump, Israel, and even the city’s Democrat mayor before marching through the streets near the Alamo. The protest was attended by hundreds of protestors, some sporting Palestinian keffiyeh scarves, dyed hair, costumes, body piercings, and vulgar signs as they listened to speeches critical of ICE, the Border Patrol, President Trump, Israel, billionaires, and even their own city’s mayor. The crowd of protesters was sharply augmented by hundreds of high school students who walked out of class to join the protest and listened to several speakers condemn ICE for separating families. Speakers equated the arrest of illegal aliens to kidnapping, saying the Trump administration is detaining people unlawfully in horrid conditions. The speakers focused their rage on immigration enforcement issues, except for one featured speaker who rallied the crowd against the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and alleged complicity by the military industrial complex in the United States in the genocide in Gaza. One speaker criticized San Antonio’s Democrat Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones, saying, "The mayor says’ ICE needs more training, no, we need to abolish ICE altogether," as the crowd cheered. The speakers rallied the crowd of residents and students with stories of the deaths of Rene Good and Alex Pretti, calling the deaths murders before the entire group marched through the downtown streets near the historic Alamo. Texas Governor Greg Abbott weighed in on the issue of students walking out of public schools to attend a similar protest in Austin, saying, "I have directed the Education Commissioner to investigate this. AISD gets taxpayer dollars to teach the subjects required by the state, not to help students skip school to protest.". Breitbart Texas observed the irony at Friday’s protest, where one protester, heavily masked to hide their identity, carried a sign that read, "Unmask ICE". Another protester proudly carried a sign that read, "End ICE Violence, 86-47", a message to end violence that encourages violence against the current President of the United States at the same time.

New York Times [2/1/2026 10:15 PM, Michaela Towfighi, 148038K] reports that, in accepting the Grammy Award for best música urbana album on Sunday, Bad Bunny made a two-word statement the focus of his big moment: “ICE out.” The Puerto Rican superstar, who has won the category three times in its five-year history, gave an impassioned speech that took aim at the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The agency has been the subject of protests for its deportation raids sweeping up Latinos, and has come under particular attack in recent weeks after the killings of two American citizens in Minneapolis. Several other artists in attendance sported pins that read “ICE OUT” including Kehlani, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Billie Eilish, Justin Vernon of the indie band Bon Iver and the jazz singer Samara Joy. “We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens,” he said. “We are humans, and we are Americans.” Bad Bunny’s latest release, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” is up for each of the evening’s the top four prizes. If he takes best album, he would be the first Spanish-language LP to take the award. Next week, his Super Bowl halftime performance is set to make history for the same reason: It will be the first to be delivered entirely in Spanish. In an interview last year, Bad Bunny said he had avoided touring in the United States out of fear of ICE agents at his concerts. Instead, he did a three-month, 30-show residency in Puerto Rico. After he was announced as the halftime performer, President Trump said that Bad Bunny was an “absolutely ridiculous” choice and later said that he would not attend the game. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said that ICE would “be all over” the Super Bowl. “I think it’s a terrible choice,” Trump said. “All it does is sow hatred. Terrible.” With his speech, Bad Bunny made an impassioned call for love being more powerful than hate. “We don’t hate them. We love our people, we love our family and that’s the way we do it,” he said. “We love. Don’t forget that, please.”

New York Times [2/1/2026 9:37 AM, Dave Itzkoff, 148038K] reports “Saturday Night Live” was criticized last week for barely addressing the shooting of Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents in Minneapolis just hours before the show. Instead, “S.N.L.” opened with a blithely satirical sketch that, as had been the norm, featured James Austin Johnson in his recurring role as President Trump. That may provide context for the sketch that led off this weekend’s broadcast, which was set in Minneapolis and which had no role for Johnson’s Trump character. Instead, the show (hosted by Alexander Skarsgard and featuring the musical guest Cardi B) began with Pete Davidson as the White House border czar Tom Homan, taking command of I.C.E. officers to reacquaint them with the purpose of their deployment. “Now I’m sure a lot of you are wondering why Greg Bovino, the last guy, was dismissed,” Davidson said. “I want to stress that it wasn’t because he did a bad job. Or publicly lied about the shooting of an American citizen. Or even — uh-oh — dressed like a Nazi. It was that he was filmed doing these things. And the president no likey that.”

New York Post [2/1/2026 3:54 PM, Alex Oliveira, 40934K] reports Kristi Noem and Stephen Miller — President Trump’s top two lieutenants on immigration policy — arrived at a major MAGA Mar-a-Lago wedding together Sunday in an apparent show of unity after spending the week blaming each other over the fallout from the ICE crackdown in Minnesota. Noem and Miller were all smiles as they arrive at President Trump’s Florida for the wedding of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino Sunday, with no hint that the two had spent recent days pointing fingers for the deadly shootings of two US citizens by immigration agents last month. Homeland Security Secretary Noem last week said that her decision to call anti-ICE protestors Renee Good and Alex Pretti "domestic terrorists" came from Miller after she was pulled from Minnesota in an attempt to quell growing backlash. "Everything I’ve done, I’ve done at the direction of the president and Stephen," she told Axios after calls began to grow – even among some Republicans – for her resignation. Miller, however, blamed agents from Noem’s department for Pretti’s shooting and other violence on the ground in Minnesota. "The White House provided clear guidance to [DHS] that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors," Miller told The Post. "We are evaluating why the [Customs and Border Protection] team may not have been following that protocol,’ he added. "The President’s entire immigration enforcement team are on the same page. They are working together seamlessly to implement the President’s agenda, protect the American people, and deport criminal illegal aliens," White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson previously told The Post.

USA Today [2/1/2026 3:28 PM, Kate Perez, 70643K] reports Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino, a top aide in President Donald Trump’s nationwide immigration enforcement operations, is once again under fire after he allegedly made offensive comments about a Jewish official in Minnesota, the New York Times and CBS News reported. Unidentified sources told the outlets that Bovino allegedly made the comments on a Jan. 12 call with other federal officials to discuss recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement action in Minneapolis. Bovino reportedly made the remarks after learning that Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen, an Orthodox Jew, could not attend the call because he was observing the Sabbath, or Shabbat. The tradition requires rest from Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset. Bovino reportedly was frustrated by Rosen’s absence, allegedly asking if "Orthodox criminals" take Saturdays off and using the phrase "chosen people" in a belittling way. Bovino’s alleged statements come as the federal official has faced increasing pressure and criticism from many Americans and lawmakers, most recently for immigration action in Minneapolis that has turned deadly. Five days before the call, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old mother of three Renee Nicole Good. A little over two weeks later, federal agents shot and killed ICU nurse Alex Pretti. An internal investigation found that two border officers fired their guns during the incident. The Trump administration’s immigration action in Minneapolis has drawn criticism that has grown steadily stronger as tensions and clashes increased between federal officials and protestors. Multiple publications reported last week that Bovino was set to leave Minneapolis following the fatal shootings of Good and Pretti. The White House announced that border czar Tom Homan was being sent to the state as the Trump administration’s new point person for immigration enforcement operations. Still, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin denied reports that Bovino was being removed from his assignment, saying in a previous statement to USA TODAY: "Chief Gregory Bovino has NOT been relieved of his duties.".

Washington Examiner [2/1/2026 1:13 PM, Jenny Goldsberry, 1147K] reports Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) suggested that former Border Patrol "commander-at-large" Greg Bovino may have engaged in "excessive use of force" in Minneapolis. McCaul appeared on CBS News’s Face the Nation days after Bovino was demoted from overseeing embeds with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As a result, Bovino returned to his former station in El Centro, California, on Tuesday. "Actually, you are in violation with U.S. citizens being arrested unlawfully. The American people support the deportation of criminal aliens, violent offenders. What they don’t support is excessive use of force," McCaul said. "I believe Bovino crossed the line. I think the president was correct in telling him to get out of there.". "I would advise the secretary and the president to involve Tom Homan — he should have been there from day one — to utilize his expertise and talent," McCaul said. "I can tell you he is the consummate professional when it comes to ICE removal operations.". McCaul served as the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee from 2013 to 2019 and, more recently, was the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and continues to serve on both of those committees. Tom Homan has since committed to drawing down the number of federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. The border czar confirmed that some officers will still remain. Negotiations between Homan and local leaders are still in process.

New York Times [2/1/2026 9:40 AM, David A. Fahrenthold and Thomas Gibbons-Neff, 148038K] reports in 1980, 19 states did not allow residents to carry concealed firearms. Now, all 50 states do, and 29 of them allow gun owners to do so without a permit. To make that happen, gun rights groups had to reshape more than state laws. They had to change the public perception that carrying a gun in public was something suspicious, a sign of bad intentions. It worked so well that millions of Americans now go through daily life armed. But then President Trump — normally an ally of the gun rights movement — started saying the opposite, spurred by the death of an armed man who opposed his policies. Since Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer on Jan. 24, Mr. Trump and many top aides have blamed Mr. Pretti for carrying a firearm and ammunition during demonstrations against the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. Why would Mr. Pretti do that, they have asked, if he was not looking for trouble? “I don’t like that he had a gun, I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines, that’s a lot of bad stuff,” Mr. Trump said last week at an appearance in Iowa. In another appearance that day, he said, “You can’t have guns, you can’t walk in with guns.” Those statements seemed to contradict Mr. Trump’s past rhetoric, where he said he was in favor of allowing more people to carry concealed weapons. Mr. Trump himself was grazed by a bullet fired by a would-be assassin during the 2024 campaign. His words have — at least briefly — brought about a strange realignment in the debate over gun laws. Groups wanting tighter gun laws have said Mr. Trump is right to warn about the dangers of carrying firearms in public. Gun rights groups have said he is flat wrong. What both sides want to know is: Will Mr. Trump actually change his policies to make it more difficult to carry guns the way Mr. Pretti did?

CNN [2/1/2026 8:00 AM, Harmeet Kaur, 612K] reports several niche, left-leaning gun advocacy groups said that since the killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, they can hardly keep up with the surging demand for firearms training. With President Donald Trump sending armed federal agents into communities around the country, even more once gun-shy liberals and leftists are considering getting armed. And while Americans tend to think of gun owners as leaning more Republican and male, already more women, gay people and people of color have taken up arms in recent years, particularly after 2020. Weekend classes at L.A. Progressive Shooters are sold out through March. Registrations for permit-to-carry courses at Pink Pistols Twin Cities, which serves LGBTQ people in Minneapolis and St. Paul, are up from an average of five people per class to 25 — the group recently added seven more courses to accommodate increased interest, and those are filling up, too. To paraphrase a recent meme: The right is arguing for gun control, and the left is buying guns. "In the past couple of days, there has been a shift," Lara Smith, national spokesperson for the Liberal Gun Club, says. "This changed views on the left.” Alex Pretti, a beloved ICU nurse who cared for ailing veterans and an outdoorsman who was concerned about the environment, was also, like one-third of Americans, a gun owner. He was carrying his lawfully owned weapon in a holster before federal agents disarmed him and then fatally shot him. Jordan Levine, founder of the inclusive gun community A Better Way 2A, says his organization has seen an influx of gun groups and instructors asking to join its resource page in the last few weeks — Ready Rainbow in Chicago, Grassroots Defense in Iowa and Solidarity Defense in Sacramento are a few recent additions. "People are scared and angry and want to equalize the power imbalance that we’re seeing on the news, where you’ve got ICE steamrolling people with no recourse," he adds. Philip Smith, founder and president of the National African American Gun Association, says membership in his organization has grown since Trump’s second term began and since Pretti was killed. "People join when they’re scared," Smith says. "People join when certain people get in office, because it scares them. People join when they see these shootings across the country, and it seems like it’s just madness starting to grow more and more.” Fear and politics are big motivators for gun sales. Gun purchases go up after mass shootings and domestic terror attacks, or when people sense that legislative gun restrictions are on the horizon, as when a Democrat is elected president. The reverse tends to be true when a Republican is president, says Matt Lacombe, a political scientist who studies gun culture and who is the author of "Firepower: How the NRA Turned Gun Owners into a Political Force" — gun sales went down after Trump was first elected in 2016, and they’ve largely stayed down in his second term (the gun industry calls it the "Trump Slump"). But Lacombe says that national data could be obscuring smaller trends that are underway in parts of the country. "It doesn’t seem to be the case anymore that buying guns and carrying guns in response to perceived threats is a solely conservative thing," he adds.

New York Post [2/1/2026 7:59 PM, Staff, 40934K] reports LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said this week that he had no intention of enforcing a new law that bans Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing masks in the state. The law, SB 627, was drafted by Democratic State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco, who comes up with almost every bad idea in Sacramento. (He’s now running for Nancy Pelosi’s seat in Congress.). Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law last September, though he had to know it was unconstitutional. The Supremacy Clause makes clear that states have no power to regulate federal law enforcement. Chief McDonnell gave an even better reason for not enforcing it: having one armed police force confront another armed police force was an incredibly stupid idea. "The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction, it doesn’t make any sense. It’s not a good public policy decision and it wasn’t well thought out in my opinion," he said. Put bluntly: the LAPD isn’t about to start a civil war. McDonnell made clear that his department does not support ICE operations. But he isn’t interested in a law that would require him to trigger a violent clash with federal officers. Democrats called SB 627 the "No Secret Police Act." But there is good reason to protect the identities of ICE agents. Radical activists have been stalking and targeting ICE agents — and people they wrongly believe to be ICE agents, like the air marshals that a mob trapped in a restaurant in Lynwood this week. And the bad behavior isn’t confined to the fringes of politics. Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner vowed this week to "hunt" ICE agents down, calling them "wannabe Nazis.” Effectively, he put a target on their backs — and not just for prosecution, but for vigilantism. Governor Newsom has done the same. He admitted, in a podcast with conservative Ben Shapiro, that it was wrong to call ICE agents "terrorists," as his own press office had done. The very next day, he claimed that ICE was "terrorizing our communities.” Clearly, ICE agents would be in danger if they were forced to reveal their identities. And local police would be forced to defend them.

New York Post [2/1/2026 5:11 PM, James A. Gagliano, 40934K] reports Americans remain bitterly divided over the chaos that’s engulfed Minneapolis as President Donald Trump seeks to deport illegal-immigrant criminals. Some see the protesters thwarting the enforcement of immigration law as "protecting friends and neighbors" — a form of righteous vigilantism. Others contend Trump’s efforts are legal and necessary — despite the tragic deaths of two civilians who unlawfully interfered with federal enforcement action. The tactics and behavior of Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are under deserved scrutiny in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. But what about the anti-ICE provocateurs, agitators and instigators hell-bent on disrupting and impeding immigration enforcement? Just how do they "spontaneously" materialize en masse to scream profanities, blast whistles and block official vehicles? On Saturday, The Post revealed a piece of that puzzle with leaked data from an operation calling itself the "Community of Service.” The group, led by a cadre of dispatchers, uses the secure messaging app Signal and the business-focused scheduling program AirTable to track ICE activity, schedule volunteer patrollers and spy on the license plates of suspected DHS vehicles in one sector of Minneapolis. Dispatchers and patrollers working in round-the-clock shifts can quickly rouse members to the site of any ICE action with emoji-coded text messages. And "Community of Service" appears to be just one of many separate anti-ICE cells taking part in these disturbances, all of them covering their electronic tracks and using aliases to shield their identities. As a career FBI official who specialized in detecting and countering nefarious networks both at home and abroad, it’s all eerily familiar. [Editorial note: consult source link for extended commentary]

New York Times [2/1/2026 7:53 AM, David Litt, 148038K] reports most people — especially public figures — take the responsibility of memorializing the dead seriously. Eulogies should summon our better angels. They can help us grieve, emphasizing our common humanity. They can inspire us to think about what we, the living, hope to leave behind. In Minneapolis in January, two types of eulogy emerged. Where past presidents took care to honor the dead, this president and his top advisers instead besmirched their memories. It was left to ordinary Americans to play the role of public eulogist, extolling a loved one’s virtues not just to celebrate their lives, but also to rebut baseless accusations — made by some of the country’s most powerful people — suggesting that they deserved to die. After Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent on Jan. 7, Vice President JD Vance described her actions before she was shot as “classic terrorism.” The homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, used the term “domestic terrorism.” President Trump himself weighed in, saying, falsely, that Ms. Good “violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer.” Ms. Good’s grieving partner, Becca Good, wrote in the aftermath, “above all else, she was kind.” To express such a sentiment in memoriam was not unusual. But by the time her statement was made public, Becca Good’s task as a eulogist was not merely to memorialize. It was to defend. With false charges as a backdrop, Becca Good’s eulogy reads not as a private remembrance, but as a public plea. With each quality she describes, her subtext is clear and wrenching: No matter what our government says, there’s no way someone this kind, compassionate and loving could be a terrorist. Perhaps Michael and Susan Pretti had Becca Good’s nightmare on their mind when, last weekend, they released a written statement of their own. Less than 12 hours had passed since their son, Alex, had been shot at least 10 times at close range while restrained by Customs and Border Protection agents. Yet Stephen Miller, a White House deputy chief of staff, had already joined Secretary Noem in calling Alex Pretti a “domestic terrorist.” The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, suggested, despite video evidence to the contrary, that Mr. Pretti had attacked the agents who subdued and shot him. Greg Bovino, then the public face of the Trump administration’s Minneapolis surge, said Mr. Pretti wanted to “massacre law enforcement.” “Alex was a kindhearted soul,” his parents declared early in their statement, in an echo of Becca Good’s. By the next paragraph it diverged, making explicit the rebuttal that Ms. Good’s implied. “The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” it says. Where a typical eulogy ends with a note of fond recollection, this one ends with a direct appeal. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”

New York Times [2/1/2026 8:22 AM, Elora Mukherjee, 148038K] reports the arrest and detention of Liam Conejo Ramos, the Minnesota 5-year-old in a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack, has drawn the attention — and the ire — of the nation. As an immigration lawyer who has worked with dozens of families at the immigration detention facility in Dilley, Texas, where Liam and his father were detained but were released Saturday following a judge’s order, I know he is far from exceptional. In March 2025, the Trump administration resumed the long-term detention of families, holding them for weeks or months, a practice that the Biden administration had halted in December 2021. I’ve spent the past seven months trying to restore freedom to these families and to give them a fair opportunity to stay in the United States. Children all across the country are being arrested and detained. They are being arrested at airports, at the border, at immigration courts, at immigration check-in appointments, on their way to and from schools, at parks, on the street and anywhere else they can be found. From January to October 2025, at least 3,800 children under the age of 18, including 20 infants, were arrested and detained by U.S. immigration authorities. Since March 2025, many hundreds of families with children who are minors have been detained in federal immigration custody, with more than 1,700 children in custody since family detention centers reopened. Many have been detained for long periods of time, some for nearly half a year. The children at Dilley with whom I’ve worked over the past year range in age from 2 to 16 years old. They are citizens of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Colombia, Honduras and Russia. A 2-year-old boy was breastfeeding in detention. One 6-year-old boy had leukemia. An 8-year-old girl began wetting the bed. A 14-year-old girl engaged in self-harm. All of these children and their parents were detained despite being eligible for release — ICE has the authority to release these families, who are not flight risks, on parole — and while seeking asylum and other humanitarian protections in the United States. None of these children or their parents had a criminal history anywhere in the world. The family detention facility at Dilley is a hellhole. Children and parents consistently report not having access to sufficient potable water, palatable food (both children and parents have told me they found worms in their meals), adequate medical care or meaningful educational opportunities. Lights are left on 24 hours a day, making it difficult to sleep. Officers have repeatedly threatened to separate families, including those I represent.

Wall Street Journal [2/1/2023 1:22 PM, David Albright and Andrea Stricker, 646K] reports President Trump is reportedly weighing military strikes or other forceful measures in response to Tehran’s deadly crackdown on protesters, and on Thursday he wrote on Truth Social that “a massive Armada is heading to Iran.” Should Mr. Trump opt to destabilize—or help topple—Iran’s repressive regime, the country’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium and operating nuclear reactors could become dangerously unsecured. These “loose” assets risk falling into the hands of rogue actors, militias or nonstate groups. They also pose severe hazards to people in the region through accidental release or abandonment. The international community, led by the U.S. and Europe, with Russian and Chinese buy-in, must develop contingency plans to prevent this. Robust rapid-response operations are vital to securing the most sensitive sites—such as the operational Bushehr nuclear power plant several hundreds miles south of Tehran, a research reactor in the heart of Tehran and hundreds of pounds of highly enriched uranium and tons of low-enriched uranium at nuclear sites bombed during the June 2025 war with Israel and the U.S. Many of Tehran’s nuclear assets are entombed inside bombed facilities or at less-affected sites. The most threatening stockpile is almost 1,000 pounds of uranium enriched to 60%, which without further enrichment could be used to make a crude nuclear weapon. This stock is likely located in tunnel complexes at Esfahan or within the damaged enrichment sites at Natanz and Fordow. Gaining access to such materials could be difficult, but determined actors may try, especially given their high value on the black market and to terrorists and states interested in proliferation. Another concern is the large, operating Bushehr nuclear power reactor and the spent fuel pools adjacent to it. Both contain vast inventories of radiological materials, such as cesium-137, which could be dispersed during an accident over vast areas, exposing tens of thousands of people, including in nearby Gulf states, to potentially life-threatening radiation. Iran also possesses highly radioactive sources for legitimate medical, industrial and agricultural purposes at the Tehran Nuclear Research Center, the Karaj Nuclear Research Center for Medicine and Agriculture, hospitals, and other Atomic Energy Organization of Iran sites. These dangerous sources pose more localized risks but can be deadly if used in a “dirty bomb.” Risks to nuclear and radioactive materials during state collapse aren’t new, and effective prevention depends on proactive planning.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [2/1/2026 12:50 PM, Staff, 582K] reports parts of the government is shut down now because the deadline came and went on Friday. The Senate passed a package that would fund most of the government. House Democratic leader, Jeffries, said that there aren’t enough Democrats to go along with Republicans to keep it open. Representative Jamie Raskin in regards to DHS funding, he is asked what he wants to happen in order to reopen the government. Raskin says that’s the question. "Well, that’s the key question. And the country’s in an uproar over what we have seen in Minneapolis, where they’re shooting U.S. citizens in the face. People are being gunned down simply for exercising their First Amendment rights and their Second Amendment rights. And the whole country’s been able to see that and to catch the administration in the lies and the propaganda and the disinformation they’re telling. What do we want? We want the Constitution to be enforced. We want ICE to obey all of the laws that every other law enforcement entity in America obeys. They should not be masked. Local police are not masked. The county police are not masked, the state police." Raskin states.

CNN’s State of the Union With Jake Tapper and Dana Bash [2/1/2026 12:50 PM, Staff, 582K] reports Senator Ron Johnson says that Democrats are demanding things that are impossible to give them, this he said would neuter immigration enforcement. The question asked is, what is the problem with asking federal law enforcement to wear body cameras, end roving immigration patrols, and be subject to the same use of force standards that local law enforcement tends to be? "what the Democrats were demanding were judicial warrants. Immigration has always been enforced through administrative warrants. You have got millions of cases because President Biden and Democrats opened the border in flooded America with millions of people. Included in those millions are criminals, sex traffickers, human traffickers, drug traffickers, members of transnational criminal organizations, violent gangs. So Democrats create this enormous mess and President Trump’s trying to clean it up. And I have got a great deal of sympathy for those individuals, whether it’s department secretaries or the law enforcement officers on the ground, trying to clean up that mess. How would you like to be an ICE officer or any law enforcement officer where you have got literally Signal chats that are deploying trained activists to surround you in your enforcement actions? You don’t have any idea what these people may do to you. You have already been shot at. You have had your vehicles rammed by these peaceful protesters, by their vehicles. So, again, ICE officers, Customs and Border Patrol, they are at hair-trigger alert because of this activism." Senator Johnson states.

ABC’s This Week With George Stephanopoulos [2/1/2026 11:57 AM, Staff, 2218K] reports the House passed the bill to keep the government open for another couple of weeks as negotiations on Homeland Security funding reforms. "It was a meaningful step in the right direction. Certainly, the separation of the five bipartisan bills which in our view promote the health, the safety and the economic well-being of the American people need to move forward. And we’ll meet later on this afternoon as a caucus to discuss what we believe is the best path. What is clear is that the Department of Homeland Security needs to be dramatically reformed. We share that view as does Leader Schumer and Senate Democrats in a variety of different ways. Body cameras should be mandatory. Masks should come off. Judicial warrants should absolutely be required consistent with the Constitution in our view before DHS agents or ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people out of their cars. We need to make sure that there are complete and independent investigations so that when ICE or DHS agents break the law, they are held accountable not by the Department of Justice, which has no interest in actually conducting a fair investigation in our view, but by state and local authorities." Representative Hakeem Jeffries states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [2/1/2026 11:54 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports we are in a partial government shutdown presently, but Speaker Johnson said on another network this morning, he expects it may end by Tuesday. Some of Representative Michael McCaul Republican colleagues, though, have said that they have conditions for getting on board. Republicans have a one seat majority at this point. Is Speaker Johnson overconfident? Does he have McCaul’s vote? "He has my vote. I mean, we voted for this last time. The Democrats, most of them voted for this. For the Democrats to turn around and vote against it on Tuesday, just to shut down the federal government, makes no sense to me at all. I think the speaker- the trick is getting it through the Rules Committee, and I believe that the speaker would not do that if he didn’t have the votes." McCaul states.

NBC’s Meet the Press [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports that latest updates are that Speaker Mike Johnson has spoken to Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries has made it clear that Johnson doesn’t have Democrat support to reopen the government. Bottom-line question: is Speaker Johnson confident that the government will reopen on Monday with Republican votes? Do he have enough Republican support? "I’m confident that we’ll do it at least by Tuesday. We have a logistical challenge of getting everyone in town and because of the conversation I had with Hakeem Jeffries, I know that we’ve got to pass a rule and probably do this mostly on our own. I think that’s very unfortunate. Here’s what’s happened. You know, the House and Senate appropriators worked very well together bicameral, bipartisan, committee-led process. Especially after the 43-day shutdown, the longest in U.S. history last fall. No one wanted to put that pain on the American people again — the Democrats forced it. We were insistent that we would not allow that to happen. But, you know, I tip my hat to everybody, appropriators in both parties, who got this together. After the Senate acted over the weekend, we will now have 11 of 12 separate appropriations bills approved by both chambers. Because they modified our package, they sent it over a little differently, which means we’ve got to address the bills again. So they’re going to separate the Department of Homeland Security bill. Our intention is by Tuesday to fund all agencies of the federal government except for that one. And then we’ll have two weeks of good-faith negotiations to figure it out." Speaker Johnson comments.

NBC’s Meet the Press [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports on Friday, the Justice Department released what it said were the rest of the Epstein files, a group of Epstein survivors responded with a statement saying it’s not enough, saying, quote, “Epstein’s enablers continue to benefit from secrecy. The Justice Department cannot claim it is finished releasing files until every legally-required document is released and every abuser and enabler is fully exposed.” As long as the survivors say that not enough is being done, has DOJ finished its work? "We all want every abuser and enabler to be fully exposed, we want justice to be done. It’s long overdue. But I do think the Department of Justice is complying with the law, that we have now 3.5 million documents, you have over 2,000 videos and I think 180,000 images out there. And as soon as they finish the final release, they give us the full report to Congress, which is required under the law, and then they issue, I think in the Federal Register, they have to publish why they’ve made any redactions, the DOJ will have fully complied with the law and done their job. But think of the mass, the volume of documents that they’ve had to go through. Remember, they have to go through and make sure that they’re protecting the innocent. So some of these young women who were victimized, we do not want them to endure further harm. And so that’s been the intention, is to make sure that their names are taken out of there." Speaker Johnson states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [2/1/2026 11:54 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports it was just four weeks ago that the U.S. military captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Since then, the U.S. has continued striking alleged drug boats and seizing oil tankers, part of Trump’s plan to coerce what remains of Maduro’s socialist government to make changes. Yesterday, U.S. Ambassador Laura Dogu arrived in Caracas to oversee U.S. efforts. But calls to release political prisoners and end repression persist, and there is a mounting push for a transition to elected leadership in Venezuela. Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado is in Washington meeting with lawmakers and Trump officials to urge support for another nationwide election. Her party won the last election, but was blocked by Maduro from taking office. Maria Corina Machado is asked what she thinks the pressure is off the current regime after President Trump said he had no plans for further military action inside the country. "I do not think that the pressure is being taken away. Actually, everything Delcy Rodriguez is currently doing is because she’s complying with instructions she’s getting from the United States, and important steps are being taken. So, I think that the message has been delivered, and, so far, we’re seeing the results in the actions taken by the regime and also in the mood and energy that is growing within the Venezuelan population." Machado states.

CBS’ Face The Nation [2/1/2026 11:54 AM, Staff, 1292K] reports Maria Corina Machado is asked if she were to return to Venezuela now, would she be imprisoned? And has the American government said that they will protect her, and guarantee her safety? "If they had captured me before I left, I probably would have been disappeared, or worse. Right now, I don’t think they would dare to kill me because of the United States’ presence and pressure and actions. I don’t know how much possibility of moving I would have inside Venezuela. Certainly, they would be very afraid, because the regime knows the connection, the intimate connection we have, you know, the Venezuelan people and the leadership that won the election, the legitimate government." Machado states.

FOX News Sunday [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports that a ‘Fox News Sunday’ panel reacts to rapper Nicki Minaj’s support for President Donald Trump and debates whether the administration’s economic successes can overcome negative immigration polling.

FOX News Sunday [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to discuss his new legislation aimed at ending sanctuary city policies and his calls for President Donald Trump to topple the Iranian regime.

FOX News Sunday [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Fox News senior congressional correspondent Chad Pergram reports on the debate over DHS funding amid a partial government shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson also gives analysis on ‘Fox News Sunday.’

FOX News Sunday [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., joins ‘Fox News Sunday’ to his take on ICE operations amid a partial government shutdown, local officials working with federal partners and more.

FOX News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., joins ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ to discuss the ongoing partial government shutdown amid the debate over DHS funding and the escalating military tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

FOX News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma Barragan joins ‘Sunday Morning Futures’ to discuss author Peter Schweizer’s claims that Mexico is involved with organizing anti-ICE protests in the U.S. and more.

FOX News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, discusses the state’s approach to border security and combating illegal immigration, contrasting it with sanctuary cities. He details Texas’ economic growth and population influx compared to New York and California.

FOX News Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo [2/1/2026 12:30 PM, Staff] reports White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt discusses President Donald Trump’s efforts to unify Americans, the debate over ICE operations and more on ‘Sunday Morning Futures.’

Wall Street Journal [2/1/2023 8:02 AM, Matthew Dalton, 646K] reports a French consulting and information-technology company has decided to sell a division that does business with ICE, after it emerged that the company has a contract with the agency to help track immigrants. Paris-based Capgemini said it would sell a division that provides consulting services to government agencies in the U.S. The move came days after Multinationals Observatory, a nonprofit, highlighted a number of contracts the company has with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including one worth $365 million to identify and find immigrants in the U.S. The decision signals growing concern from Western governments and companies about the Trump administration’s immigration policies, after federal immigration officials shot and killed two people in Minnesota last month. French ministers last week said Capgemini should disclose what it is doing for ICE. “I ask Capgemini to shed light in a very transparent manner on its activities, on this policy and without a doubt to question the nature of its activities,” Economy Minister Roland Lescure said. The $365 million contract is for “skip tracing,” a process of finding a person using online information and other sources. Capgemini Chief Executive Aiman Ezzat last week said that he found out about the contract only recently from public sources; the U.S. division, he said, operates autonomously because of U.S. requirements to protect classified information. The division accounts for around 0.4% of the company’s global revenue, Capgemini said. “The nature and scope of this work has raised questions compared to what we typically do as a business and technology firm,” Ezzat said. In announcing the sale, Capgemini said “customary legal restrictions” for carrying out classified activities in the U.S. “did not allow the Group to exercise appropriate control over certain aspects of the operations of this subsidiary to ensure alignment with the Group’s objectives.” The sale comes after the French government took a step to distance itself from U.S. tech companies: forbidding government agencies from using U.S. videoconferencing services such as Zoom or Microsoft’s Teams. Instead, French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said, agencies should use an application called Visio developed by the French government. “It is necessary to deploy a single videoconference solution, controlled by the state, based on sovereign technologies,” Lecornu wrote in a note to government agencies.

Univision [2/1/2026 10:26 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani will sign a new bill in the coming days that prohibits U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from operating in any of the city’s 19 prisons , including the iconic Rikers Island jail. The initiative, known as the “Safer Sanctuary Act” , seeks to strengthen and expand existing restrictions on cooperation between municipal officials and federal agencies during immigration operations. According to The New York Times , this legislation significantly expands the concept of a sanctuary city . Until now, this status focused primarily on limiting cooperation with ICE; however, the new bill extends those restrictions to other federal agencies involved in immigration enforcement. The central objective is to prevent municipal facilities and resources from being used for immigration operations that affect migrant communities within the city.

NewsNation [2/1/2026 7:19 PM, Spencer Gustafson, Grace Gomez, Emily Rahhal, 4464K] reports federal agents conducted immigration enforcement operations in Jersey City and Hoboken, mayors of both cities said Sunday. “We have confirmed reports that federal immigration enforcement agents are operating in Jersey City and surrounding areas today,” Jersey City Mayor James Solomon said in a statement around 2 p.m. Assemblymember Ravi Bhalla also reported ICE activity in the Heights and in Hoboken around 12:30 p.m. Sunday. Hoboken Mayor Emily Jabbour claimed that she and a councilman spoke with multiple witnesses who “saw unmarked vehicles and several individuals being apprehended from the light rail train and in the area of the [9th Street Light Rail] station” in a social media statement. Jabbour said the Hoboken Police Department wasn’t notified of federal immigration enforcement and did not assist in the operations. Video obtained by PIX11 News showed ICE agents conducting operations in Jersey City. Solomon and Jabbour reminded New Jerseyans of their rights during an interaction with federal agents. “To our immigrant neighbors: You do not have to open your door without a warrant signed by a judge. You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to a lawyer. Do not sign anything you do not understand,” Solomon said in a statement. Bhalla announced an emergency meeting on social media for Sunday night to address community safety and develop an action plan regarding ICE. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CBS New York [2/2/2026 12:09 AM, Naveen Dhaliwal, 51110K] reports tensions are running high in Hudson County, New Jersey, after reports of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arresting several people in Hoboken and Jersey City earlier Sunday. Nearly 200 people packed an emergency meeting at night in Hoboken to learn more about their rights. Mayor Emily Jabbour said cellphone video shows an ICE agent in an unmarked car making an arrest at the light rail station in Hoboken, near the Jersey City border. "Our community is a community of immigrants and it’s scary to have them here," one resident said. Jabbour sent out an alert warning that three people were arrested, two of them local business employees. "These stories are deeply troubling. It makes you feel unsafe in your own community and it makes you worry for your neighbors," Jabbour said. At the emergency meeting, concerned citizens given guidance on their legal rights and how to seek legal help. Some called on local police to take a stronger role.

Univision [2/1/2026 10:42 AM, Staff, 4937K] reports New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill announced that the state will launch an official website allowing residents to upload photos and videos of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducting federal operations within the state. “If you see an ICE agent on the street, take out your phone; we want to know,” Sherrill declared during an interview last week, explaining the purpose of the new digital platform. The governor stated that the portal seeks to counteract the secrecy with which, according to her administration, federal immigration agents operate in New Jersey. “They haven’t been very communicative . They detain people, they don’t tell us who they are, they don’t tell us if they’re here legally, they don’t check anything. They detain U.S. citizens. They detained a five-year-old child. We want documentation and we’ll make sure we get it,” Sherrill said. According to the governor, the website will be managed by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office and will allow residents to alert the community about local immigration operations, as well as provide evidence that can be reviewed by state authorities. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 3:10 PM, Max Bacall, 37576K] reports Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., told District Attorney of Philadelphia Larry Krasner to "lighten up" on Sunday after Krasner came after him during a CNN interview. "He really ought to lighten up, Francis," Fetterman told Fox News host Jacqui Heinrich, in an apparent reference to the 1981 comedy "Stripes.". "A lot of the tough talk coming out of his office, that’s just pandering to people," he continued. Last week, Krasner compared ICE agents to Nazis. "This is a small bunch of wannabe Nazis, that’s what they are, in a country of 350 million. We outnumber them," Krasner said Tuesday in Philadelphia. "If we have to hunt you down the way they hunted down Nazis for decades, we will find your identities, we will find you, we will achieve justice.". Krasner then appeared on CNN and called Fetterman "the favorite Democratic senator of Donald Trump," claiming he "has completely sold out the principles on which he ran for office.". "What [Fetterman] has been doing for quite some time, for whatever reason, and we all know there may be a few reasons, is completely unacceptable for anyone who actually believes in democracy and who actually believes in the rule of law," Krasner said.

New York Times [2/1/2026 3:03 PM, Amanda Holpuch, 148038K] reports a Canadian company said on Friday that it would no longer sell a warehouse in Virginia to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which had planned to use the site as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing facility. The site is one of several planned warehouse purchases by ICE, which has faced resistance in recent weeks as the federal government’s immigration enforcement tactics have set off a backlash and protests. Videos of federal immigration authorities fatally shooting Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota brought new scrutiny to the government’s operations after a year of enforcing anti-immigration policies. The warehouse in Virginia belongs to Jim Pattison Developments, which is based in Vancouver. After its planned sale was made public in January, the company became one of a number of international companies facing questions about their work with ICE. On Jan. 21, the Homeland Security Department wrote to officials in Hanover County, Va., to say that the agency planned to buy a 43.49-acre property in Ashland to support ICE operations. The letter, published by VPM, a Virginia public media company, said the property might be renovated to make holding and processing spaces, offices and cafeterias. The Hanover County Board of Supervisors said in a statement that it opposed the acquisition, but had limited power to stop a federal building from opening, VPM reported.

New York Post [2/2/2026 2:22 AM, Greg Wehner, 40934K] reports Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arrested more than 650 illegal aliens across West Virginia during a two-week statewide operation conducted in coordination with local law enforcement agencies and without protests, federal officials announced. ICE said in a press release Sunday that the operation ran from Jan. 5 to Jan. 19 and involved 14 federal, state and local law enforcement partners. ICE deployed teams to Charleston, Martinsburg, Beckley, Moorefield, Morgantown and Huntington as part of the operation. Law enforcement officials arrested more than 650 illegal aliens, including individuals ICE said pose threats to public safety and national security, as well as others who entered the country illegally. "This operation demonstrates how strong partnerships between ICE and West Virginia law enforcement agencies enhance public safety and the integrity of our immigration system," ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Philadelphia acting Field Office Director Michael Rose said. "By training and supporting our… partners across the state, we’ve expanded local capacity to identify, arrest and process illegal aliens while ensuring these authorities are exercised professionally and consistent with the law.” One individual arrested as part of Operation ICE Wall on Jan. 8 was Sagar Singh, a citizen of India. The operation targeted illegal aliens operating commercial vehicles, and Singh was pulled over for failing to stop at a mandatory brake check station. During the stop, Singh was cited for multiple vehicle infractions, including operating an unsafe commercial vehicle. According to ICE, Singh had previously been ordered removed from the US. Singh was one of more than 25 aliens arrested under Operation ICE Wall during the two-week enforcement surge. Another illegal alien arrested during the operation was Ling Yan, a citizen of China also known as Yang Ning, who was previously convicted of two counts of endangering the welfare of children in Ravenna, Ohio. ICE also arrested a convicted child sex abuser, an individual with drug possession convictions and numerous other offenders during the operation. One of the agencies that worked with ICE was the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, whose top official praised the results of the two-week operation. "The Sheriff’s Office was impressed with the professionalism and work ethic of the agents and how well they interacted with the citizens and local law enforcement officers," Jefferson County Sheriff Tom Hansen said. "Working with such a high-caliber group of agents who were assigned to Jefferson County made the decision to support the initiative worthwhile. "We are also gratified that through this program, we have had the opportunity to remove numerous dangerous criminals from our community," he added.

FOX News [2/1/2026 8:08 PM, Staff, 37576K] reports St. Paul Police Federation president Mark Ross discusses Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s refusal to cooperate with ICE on federal immigration enforcement on ‘The Big Weekend Show.’ [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

Univision [2/1/2026 12:34 PM, Staff, 4937K] reports a Mexican-born family has been locked up in their home for two months in Minneapolis, United States, for fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, whose raids have generated panic among the immigrant community. Ana, Carlos and their son Luis arrived in the northern city of the country more than a decade ago in the hope of building a better life. However, in recent weeks, his so-called “American dream” has been transformed into a nightmare after the intensification of the raids ordered by President Donald Trump. According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency, the family keeps the curtains closed all day and has reinforced the door with a metal bar to prevent ICE agents from entering by force. Ana, 47, declared under pseudonym that living like this is “inhumane,” like being imprisoned within her own home. Luis, 15, born in Mexico, remains locked up with his mother. Her other three children are U.S. citizens, but Ana lives in constant fear that they may still be detained for the color of her skin. Luis attends online classes and spends several hours playing video games to get distracted. He dreams of being able to go out freely, even go to the fast food restaurant at the end of the street, something that today seems unattainable. Carlos, 43, works by installing granite countertops. The family has spent 11 thousand dollars on lawyers to process visas. Although they have work permits, they no longer protect them from detention or deportation.

The Hill [2/1/2026 3:45 PM, Tara Suter, 18170K] reports Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said Sunday that federal immigration operations in Minnesota shouldn’t have “excessive use of forces” amid controversy over the Trump administration’s immigration agenda. “The mission, I think, is to get violent felons out of the country. Most people support that. It’s a president — the number one issue the president won the election on. What I worry about is turning a winning issue into a liability,” McCaul told CBS News’s Margaret Brennan on “Face the Nation.” “I still believe the American people want us to remove dangerous, violent criminals from the streets, but they don’t want to see these images of children and people being dragged out of their cars and U.S. citizens. Those excessive use of forces cases need to stop. And I think Tom Homan will de-escalate the situation, as I’ve been calling for weeks,” he added. Two people, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, were fatally shot in Minneapolis last month by federal immigration authorities. Their deaths escalated widespread anger toward the administration over its immigration agenda that has already been present throughout President Trump’s second term.

CNN [2/2/2026 3:00 AM, Sophia Peyser and Danya Gainor, 19874K] reports the teenagers’ names are Sam and Ben, but to the federal immigration agents they interact with daily, the two boys wielding cell phones and taking down plate numbers are a duo known as "the brothers.". The 16- and 17-year-old Chicago siblings said they have earned an array of nicknames since becoming dedicated witnesses documenting the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz — the turbocharged immigration crackdown that swept through Windy City neighborhoods starting in September. Now, the boys are trailing agents in Minneapolis, following the epicenter of immigration enforcement in the US as it’s shifted north to the Twin Cities. They are part of a ballooning wave of observers across the North Star State, where tensions have soared during encounters between thousands of federal agents and protesters — unwavering and furious — in the wake of the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Sam and Ben Luhmann are trained ICE watchers, documenting federal immigration agents’ actions with cell phone video and quickly warning of agents’ locations with whistles and car horns. Their efforts are reflective of a growing movement across the country as thousands of parents, teachers, clergy members and community organizers have sought training on what they can legally do when they see an immigration arrest. The Trump administration, however, has criticized bystanders recording immigration officials during enforcement operations. In July, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said "violence" against the agents includes "videotaping (ICE officers) where they’re at when they’re out on operations, encouraging other people to come and to throw things, rocks, bottles." Critics of the immigration crackdown say observers are necessary, given what they describe as dangerous tactics by federal agents that put people at risk. Trump administration officials counter that they are taking necessary steps to keep Americans safe and said ICE officers are facing a significant increase in assaults. Federal officials also said officers are exercising restraint despite facing threats and attacks. The brothers now couch surf between family members’ homes and Airbnbs, intent on documenting what some describe as the unprecedented aggressiveness of Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.

ABC News [2/1/2026 10:10 PM, Leah Sarnoff, 34146K] reports two people detained at an immigration detention center in Dilley, Texas, were confirmed to have active measles infections, according to the Department of Homeland Security. DHS said on Sunday the ICE Health Services Corp "immediately" took steps to quarantine the detainees to "control further spread and infection.". The agency said all movement within the facility has ceased and all individuals suspected of making contact with those infected are quarantined. The news of the measles cases at the detention facility comes as at least 588 measles cases have been confirmed so far this year across the United States, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The U.S. has seen more cases in about one month than is typically recorded in an entire year.

Blaze [2/1/2026 2:20 PM, Candace Hathaway, 1556K] reports Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson (D) on Thursday announced several measures to prepare for a potential increase in federal immigration enforcement activities in the city. The mayor’s office aims to "protect city residents" from immigration enforcement activities, a press release from the city reads. Wilson’s office stated that it had "no information indicating a surge" of Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection agents in the area. However, it claimed there is a "critical" need to prepare, citing the "increased activity over the last year" and the "unpredictable, chaotic, and violent behavior of the federal government.". As part of these efforts, Wilson declared that she is directing the Seattle Police Department to investigate, verify, and document immigration enforcement activity with "in-car and body-worn video." Local police will also be required to verify federal agents’ official identification and "secure scenes of potentially unlawful acts to gather evidence for transmittal to prosecutors.". The SPD will share this information for other city departments and "trusted" local organizations "to ensure everyone has the latest and most accurate information.". Additionally, Wilson plans to issue an executive order prohibiting federal immigration agents from using city-owned or controlled property for their law enforcement activities. The mayor has called on other local government bodies to take similar action against ICE. Residents are encouraged to post signs on their properties indicating that federal agents may not enter without a warrant.

AP [2/1/2026 3:45 PM, Staff, 3833K] reports the mayor of Portland, Oregon, demanded U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave his city after federal agents launched tear gas at a crowd of demonstrators — including young children — outside an ICE facility during a weekend protest that he and others characterized as peaceful. Witnesses said agents deployed tear gas, pepper balls and rubber bullets as thousands of marchers arrived at the South Waterfront facility on Saturday. Erin Hoover Barnett, a former OregonLive reporter who joined the protest, said she was about 100 yards (91 meters) from the building when “what looked like two guys with rocket launchers” started dousing the crowd with gas. “To be among parents frantically trying to tend to little children in strollers, people using motorized carts trying to navigate as the rest of us staggered in retreat, unsure of how to get to safety, was terrifying,” Barnett wrote in an email to OregonLive. Portland Mayor Keith Wilson said the daytime demonstration was peaceful, “where the vast majority of those present violated no laws, made no threat and posed no danger” to federal agents. “To those who continue to work for ICE: Resign. To those who control this facility: Leave,” Wilson wrote in a statement Saturday night. “Through your use of violence and the trampling of the Constitution, you have lost all legitimacy and replaced it with shame.” The Portland Fire Bureau sent paramedics to treat people at the scene, police said. Police officers monitored the crowd but made no arrests on Saturday. Trump posted Saturday on social media that it was up to local law enforcement agencies to police protests in their cities. However, Trump said he has instructed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to have federal agents be vigilant in guarding U.S. government facilities. “Please be aware that I have instructed ICE and/or Border Patrol to be very forceful in this protection of Federal Government Property. There will be no spitting in the faces of our Officers, there will be no punching or kicking the headlights of our cars, and there will be no rock or brick throwing at our vehicles, or at our Patriot Warriors,” Trump wrote. “If there is, those people will suffer an equal, or more, consequence.”

Reported similarly:
CBS News [2/1/2026 5:21 PM, Staff, 46783K]
FOX News [2/2/2026 2:01 AM, Landon Mion, 37576K]

New York Post [2/1/2026 7:49 PM, Jeremy Louwerse, 40934K] reports federal agents who defy California’s new mask ban won’t face enforcement from the LAPD, the police chief said. “It wasn’t well thought out,” Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press conference Friday. “The reality of one armed agency approaching another armed agency to create conflict over something that would be a misdemeanor at best or an infraction, it doesn’t make any sense,” McDonnell added. The law, known as the “No Secret Police Act,” mandates visible identification and permits violations to be cited as misdemeanors. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law, it took effect January 1st. The Trump administration has challenged the statute, arguing it interferes with federal operations. The Department of Justice is challenging the “No Secret Police Act” saying it’s unconstitutional, and creates risks for agents, including harassment. Exceptions to the law include masks permitted for undercover operations, medical reasons, or specific protective gear, such as tactical helmets. Masked mobs of people clashed with federal officers outside the Metropolitan Detention Center over the weekend. Protesters were seen throwing water bottles, bottles, rocks, debris and other objects at federal and assisting law enforcement officers. The Chief added he would like to see some tactical changes in the way federal agents operate. “We are in line with our federal partners on everything except immigration enforcement, what we’ve seen since June here in Los Angeles and seen across the country, we’re as frustrated as everybody else — about the way that’s being done,” McDonnell said.

The Hill [2/1/2026 9:43 AM, Ashleigh Fields, 18170K] reports hundreds of Italians took to the street to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) presence in the country ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. ICE officers are expected to help with security at this month’s Milano Cortina Winter Games, which has sparked harsh backlash from residents and officials. On Saturday, protesters gathered at the historic Piazza XXV Aprile, a square that pays homage to the end of Nazi control in Italy 80 years ago. Some demonstrators, however, said current conditions in the U.S. remind them of the fascism present in 1945 and the Gestapo. “I don’t like what’s happening with ICE. I don’t want that to come here to Italy,” demonstrator Francesco Tattoni told NPR. “We believe they are doing the same thing the fascists were doing in the 1930s and 1940s,” he added. Italy’s Democratic party helped organize the large-scale protest and introduced legislation to ensure ICE would be strictly limited to security operations at the Olympic Games in Milan. “It’s not just for the Olympic Games, it’s about justice in the world. We don’t want here ICE,” said Alessandro Capella, head of the Italian Democratic Party’s Milan chapter, per NPR.

CBS News [2/2/2026 12:21 AM, Staff, 51110K] reports immigration advocates are hoping that the judge will rule in their favor. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

FOX News [2/1/2026 7:00 AM, Elizabeth Heckman, 37576K] reports that, from TikTok to OnlyFans, adult content creators are seeking O-1 visas to work in the United States — a move former OnlyFans star Nala Ray told Fox News Digital should not qualify as "extraordinary ability" under U.S. immigration law. Ray, who was once one of the top creators on OnlyFans, left the website two years ago after turning to Christianity. She spoke with Fox News Digital about why she doesn’t think OnlyFans creators should receive visas for their work. "OnlyFans work and adult content is not real work and shouldn’t be allowed, even to cross our borders to get even more infiltrated into our society," said Ray. "I don’t see adult content as good work," Ray continued. However, she added that other kinds of online content creation are legitimate. "I do think that other people from other countries who do come to do real work on social media here, is a good thing. I don’t see why we should ever ban something like that because being on social media is hard work sometimes. It really can be, and great things have actually come of that." Nala Ray told Fox News Digital that adult content creation should not qualify as "extraordinary ability" under U.S. immigration law. (Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The visas are intended for an individual who possesses "extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements," according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A U.S. employer, U.S. agent or foreign employer through a U.S. agent needs to file on the person’s behalf, along with required evidence, the USCIS also says. Ray made it clear that OnlyFans models should not qualify for these visas. "I absolutely would advocate for a ban on that. I think it’s unethical to think that OnlyFans work is actual work and doing anything for our country," she said to Fox News Digital. "A lot of OnlyFans creators do make a lot of money, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going toward the good of our country," Ray said. Ray also spoke to the detriment of OnlyFans, as a former "0.01%" top creator on the platform. "OnlyFans destroys relationships, it destroys friendships," said Ray. "People have changed so much in society, both men and women, because of the effects of OnlyFans and doing adult content." She also shared that the cost of maintaining success on the platform is high. "I felt like I was always taking risks and not always good ones." Ray added to Fox News Digital: "Once you start making a certain amount of money, like, I feel as though it could be kind of downward spiral from even things like your mental health, relationships that you’re building, and you would do anything to maintain that kind of money." "I do understand and know for a fact from being in the industry, a lot of men and women who are doing that kind of work are on drugs or drinking or, you know, some type of substance abuse, and that’s dangerous."

NPR [2/1/2026 3:30 PM, Staff, 28764K] Audio: HERE reports Stephen Cook, the senior pastor of Second Baptist Church in Memphis, has become friends with Latif Salar, the leader of the Christ Community Afghan Church - and since the Trump administration halted asylum processing for all immigrants from Afghanistan last Fall, the two have been working closely together to support members of Salar’s congregation who fear deportation.

CBS Miami [2/1/2026 12:18 PM, Jim DeFede, 51110K] Video: HERE reports on Tuesday, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 400,000 Haitians will come to an end, as the Trump Administration targets them for deportation. Haitian American advocates, like Miami Dade County Commissioner Marlene Bastien, said the move is both cruel and creates a sense of fear in the community. "People are scared to death, they are freaking out," Bastien told CBS Miami during an interview for Sunday’s edition of Facing South Florida. "I’m hearing from TPS recipients who have been living in this country for a long time, some as long as 15 or 20 years. `Commissioner, what am I going to do? What am I going to do with my children? What am I going to do with my business? What am I going to do with my house?’ And I’m also hearing from employers who are gravely concerned.". Bastien said the Haitians here under TPS are "the most vetted group in the US" because they must go through an annual review to maintain their status. Bastien noted that during the pandemic, Haitians, many of whom worked in nursing homes and hospitals, continued to go to work. "They were on the job when a lot of us were allowed to stay home," she said. Bastien stopped short of calling President Trump a racist but said "some of the positions he took showed serious racial animus toward Haitians.". She said it is horrifying to think Haitians who have lived in the United States would be deported to Haiti, a country that is considered one of the most dangerous in the world.

Blaze [2/1/2026 8:00 AM, Joseph MacKinnon, 1556K] reports Springfield, Ohio, featured prominently in 2024 election-time debates as a case study in the fallout of the Biden-Harris administration’s disastrous immigration policies — a place where President Donald Trump suggested migrants were "eating the pets of the people that live there.". The blue-collar city, which had a population of just over 58,000 in 2020, was flooded in subsequent years by tens of thousands of Haitian migrants — migrants whom Springfield Mayor Rob Rue admitted "taxed" the "infrastructure of the city, our safety forces, our hospitals, our schools." According to the city, there are upwards of 15,000 migrants presently residing in Clark County alone. Many of the Haitians who overwhelmed Springfield and other American cities initially entered the U.S. illegally but were spared deportation on account of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status. That status, which Haitian migrants have enjoyed since January 2010 and roughly 350,000 Haitian migrants enjoy today, is set to expire on Tuesday. In anticipation of a potential immigration crackdown following the designation’s expiration date, Mayor Rue and members of the Springfield City Commission approved a resolution on Tuesday urging federal law enforcement to "comply with city policies on masks and officer identification to preserve the public peace within the community.".

AP [2/1/2026 2:52 PM, Staff, 16072K] reports a 23-year-old man was sentenced to four years in federal prison after he admitted throwing a Molotov cocktail at Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies during protests against immigration raids across the region last spring. Emiliano Garduno Galvez, a Mexican national who authorities say is in the U.S. illegally, pleaded guilty in October to possessing an unregistered destructive device and civil disorder connected to his actions June 7 in Paramount, a city near LA. He was sentenced on Friday. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a large protest that day at which demonstrators were throwing rocks and other items outside a Home Depot where U.S. Border Patrol agents had gathered. According to the plea agreement obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Galvez admitted that he went behind a wall, lit the Molotov cocktail and then hurled it toward where he had seen the deputies. The incendiary device landed in a grassy area near the foot of a protester and about 15 feet (4.5 meters) from the deputies, according to the plea agreement. Galvez said he then ran away. Galvez threw the device “intending to obstruct, interfere with, and impede the LASD deputies who were lawfully engaged in performance of official duties,” according to the agreement.

CBS News [2/1/2026 9:42 AM, Staff, 51110K] reports U.S. air travelers who haven’t upgraded to a Real ID can still fly without one, but starting on Sunday, Feb. 1 they’ll be charged a $45 fee, the Transportation Security Administration said. Flyers without a Real ID, a passport or another acceptable form of identification will need to have their identities confirmed through a fee-based verification system called TSA ConfirmID. [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

USA Today [2/1/2026 7:05 PM, Thao Nguyen, 70643K] reports that, at least two people have died after another winter storm brought blizzard conditions to parts of the Carolinas and prolonged cold temperatures along much of the East Coast, as tens of thousands of homes and businesses remained without power in the South on Feb. 1 following last month’s deadly storm. During a news conference on Feb. 1, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein reported that there were more than 1,000 collisions over the weekend, which resulted in two fatalities and a major traffic jam that involved over 100 vehicles on Interstate 85. The governor did not provide additional details on the deaths, but the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said the fatal collisions happened in Robeson and Rutherford counties. The deaths occurred amid a second major winter storm that brought heavy snow, high winds, and risks of coastal flooding from the Carolinas to Virginia, according to the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. The storm also caused frigid temperatures to linger for much of the country as states began to recover from power outages last month. Stein noted that all 100 counties in North Carolina experienced snow conditions, including 16 inches of snow reported in Lexington and 15 inches in Ocean Isle Beach on Jan. 31. State authorities advised residents to stay off the roads on Feb. 1 as crews worked to clear the snow. "But our fear is that with temperatures staying below freezing today and much of tomorrow, many roads will be bad in many places across the state for days to come," Stein said. "In addition, black ice is going to remain a risk throughout the week because of below-freezing nighttime temperatures. For your own safety and for the safety of the people clearing the roads, please stay at home if you possibly can. This is no joke.” The governor added that cold conditions, especially in western North Carolina, where wind chill temperatures could drop below zero, will further strain the electrical grid on Feb. 2. He urged residents to conserve energy and stay warm. Winter storm impacts southern Appalachians to Carolinas, southern Virginia. The Weather Prediction Center previously said a "rapidly deepening storm" would produce widespread heavy snow and wind from the southern Appalachians across the Carolinas and southern Virginia. In anticipation of the storm, Stein had declared a state of emergency and warned of whiteout conditions. The powerful storm brought blizzard-like conditions to portions of the Carolinas and southern Virginia over the weekend, and caused some coastal areas to be buried in snowdrifts, forecasters said. According to AccuWeather, 12 to 16 inches of snow were reported on Jan. 31 from Charlotte, North Carolina, to High Point, North Carolina. Some areas in Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia also saw about a foot of snow, AccuWeather said. Meanwhile, snow flurries were reported in parts of Florida. Winter conditions caused widespread travel disruptions, with over 1,000 crashes reported in North Carolina and more than 300 in Virginia, according to state authorities. Virginia State Police said on Feb. 1 that additional snowfall was impacting parts of the state and advised motorists to clear all snow and ice from their vehicles before traveling. Earlier in the day, state police said a trooper had responded to a crash involving a box truck that was struck by flying ice. "The driver reported that ice flew from another vehicle, shattered his windshield, and entered the cab," state police said in a statement. "Fortunately, he sustained only minor cuts, but this incident could have been far more serious.” [Editorial note: consult video at source link]

CNN [2/1/2026 1:18 PM, Margaret Dawson, 19874K] Video: HERE reports CNN’s Derek Van Dam reports from Virginia Beach, where snow mixed with sand in a town more known for summer beaches than winter storms. Parts of Florida were even colder than notoriously cold climates like Greenland.

Breitbart [2/1/2026 7:00 PM, Amy Furr, 2238K] reports U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Virginia have reportedly nabbed an MS-13 gang member accused of mass murder in El Salvador. Fox News on Saturday cited sources within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who identified the suspect as 27-year-old Edwin Antonio Hernandez. He reportedly claimed to have been involved in five killings and goes by the aliases “Demente” and “Crazy.” President Donald Trump’s administration in February 2025 designated MS-13 a foreign terrorist organization, along with other similar groups. According to the U.S. Department of State’s website: MS-13 is a transnational organization that originated in Los Angeles but shifted to Central America as individuals were deported there from the United States. MS-13 actively recruits, organizes, and spreads violence in several countries, primarily in Central America and North America, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. MS-13 has conducted numerous violent attacks, including assassination and the use of IEDs and drones, against El Salvador government officials and facilities. Additionally, MS-13 uses public displays of violence to intimidate civilian populations to obtain and control territory and manipulate the electoral process in El Salvador. Hernandez claimed that in one of the murders, MS-13 tortured, stabbed, and dismembered an 18th Street gang member while he was still alive, sources told Fox.

ABC News [2/1/2026 8:15 PM, Aaron Katersky, Sasha Pezenik, Alex Stone, Jack Date, and Josh Margolin, 34146K] reports local and federal investigators in Las Vegas are actively working to determine what substances were found inside a home described as a possible biological lab, law enforcement sources told ABC News. Officials searched the scene on Saturday morning, with investigators saying they are currently uncertain exactly what was found. According to sources, the investigation began as a code‑violation call. When authorities began to suspect that illegal medical‑type biological research materials might be stored at the property, the Joint Terrorism Task Force took over the investigation. Investigators removed materials found in vials and plan to transport them to the county’s secure health facility for testing to determine whether they are harmful. Law enforcement has not yet determined what the recovered materials are or whether they pose any danger. The owner of the property is a Chinese national who was arrested and charged in 2023 and is currently in jail.

New York Times [2/1/2026 9:40 AM, Dionne Searcey, Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Ruth Maclean, and Eric Schmitt, 148038K] reports top advisers from the Trump Administration sat at the head of a giant wooden table in an office near the White House in late October listening as religious activists described attacks on Christian churches and pastors in Nigeria. The activists wanted President Trump to do something about it. Three days later, the president threatened to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to avenge what he has called a “Christian genocide.” Then, on Christmas Day, Mr. Trump launched Tomahawk missiles at “terrorist scum” he said were responsible for killing Nigerian Christians. The strike was the explosive outcome of an intense, yearslong push led by Christian activists, Republican lawmakers and American celebrities seeking U.S. intervention in a long-simmering security crisis in Nigeria. Thousands are killed annually in Nigeria, and the victims include large numbers of both Christians and Muslims. The violence involves battles over land, kidnappings for ransom, sectarian tensions and terrorism, but the activists wanted Mr. Trump to see the conflict through a single lens: the persecution of Christians. Now, the activists have seized on his support to orchestrate a rapid shift in American foreign policy toward Nigeria, with major consequences for the West African nation, including the threat of more bombings. “Our challenge,” said Nina Shea, an activist and the former commissioner for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, “was to break through the narrative that this was not religious based.”

Reuters [2/1/2026 5:20 PM, Dave Sherwood, 38315K] reports the United States on Sunday accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives outside the capital. Amid rising tensions between the two countries, the State Department on social media accused the Cuban government of "failed intimidation tactics," and it demanded that Havana stop "sending individuals to interfere with the diplomatic work" of U.S. Charge d’Affaires Mike Hammer. Friction has increased between the long-time foes after U.S. President Donald Trump last week declared Cuba "an unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and said he would slap tariffs on any country that delivered oil to the communist-run Caribbean island. Trump on Sunday said Cuba was "a failing nation" but added: "I think we’re going to make a deal with Cuba.” Hammer, a career diplomat who arrived in Cuba in late 2024, has traveled the island widely to meet with political dissidents, Catholic Church representatives and others. The Cuban government accuses him of seeking to foment unrest. On Saturday, he posted a video describing alleged harassment following a meeting with local church leaders. "When I left the parish, a few communists, surely frustrated by how bad the revolution is going, shouted obscenities at me," Hammer said in the video on social media. Subsequently, several more videos surfaced showing small groups of people in two locations during nighttime blackouts, taunting Hammer with cries of "Assassin!" and "Imperialist!". Reuters could not identify the individuals in the videos, and Cuba’s government has not commented on them. Cuba’s foreign ministry last year complained to Hammer about behavior it said was "interventionist" and alleged he incited Cubans to commit crimes and attack the state. The U.S. Embassy, which produces the videos, has denied those charges and says Hammer is simply doing his job. The two neighboring countries have been at odds since Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution, but a crippling economic crisis on the island and stepped up pressure from the Trump administration have recently brought the conflict to a head.

Reuters [2/1/2026 7:31 AM, Gianluca Semeraro, 36480K] reports Pope Leo said on Sunday he was deeply concerned about rising tensions between the United States and Cuba, and he called for "sincere and effective dialogue" to prevent violence and further suffering for the Cuban people. U.S. President Donald Trump said last week tariffs would be imposed on imports from countries that supply Cuba with oil, ratcheting up the pressure on Washington’s long-time foe after ousting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a key Cuban ally, in early January. Trump said the tariff threat was necessary to protect "U.S. national security and foreign policy from the Cuban regime’s malign actions and policies." Pope Leo said he had received reports "with great concern" of rising tensions between Cuba and the United States. He joined Cuban bishops in "urging those responsible to promote sincere and effective dialogue to avoid violence and further suffering for the Cuban people," in comments after his weekly Angelus prayer. Cuba’s Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez declared an "international emergency" in response to the U.S. tariff warning, which he said constituted "an unusual and extraordinary threat." On Saturday, Trump reiterated his call for Cuba to negotiate with the United States. "It doesn’t have to be a humanitarian crisis," he told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida.

Washington Post [2/2/2026 5:01 AM, Ana Vanessa Herrero and Samantha Schmidt, 24149K] reports American oil traders are poised to descend on Venezuela’s capital — and may soon be able to fly here direct. The Trump administration is preparing to reopen the U.S. Embassy. The socialist government here has made the nationalized oil industry friendlier for foreign investors, and the U.S. Treasury has eased sanctions to allow U.S. companies to buy and sell Venezuelan oil. The dizzying changes here would have seemed unthinkable just a month ago, when U.S. forces were surrounding the country, seizing Venezuelan oil and menacing the authoritarian government. But the U.S. capture Jan. 3 of President Nicolás Maduro, and President Donald Trump’s vow to exploit the world’s largest proven oil reserves, has fundamentally transformed relations between the two countries. The administration is working with Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro’s vice president, rather than María Corina Machado, the popular opposition leader whom Trump previously championed. The economic outlook for Venezuela has improved dramatically; after years of economic collapse, rising unemployment and soaring inflation, some economists say it’s not far-fetched to imagine double-digit growth this year. In the latest surprise move, Rodríguez on Friday proposed a general amnesty for hundreds of political prisoners, some of whom have been held for decades — and promised to repurpose the infamous Helicoide prison, an alleged torture center. Human rights defenders have expressed cautious optimism. But in Caracas, hope is colliding with reality.

NewsMax [2/1/2026 9:53 PM, Staff, 3760K] reports that, more than 30 people in Venezuela considered to be "political prisoners" were released on Sunday, legal rights group Foro Penal said, as part of a prisoner release process that families have said is too slow. The releases come after Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez on Friday announced a proposed "amnesty law" for hundreds of prisoners, and said the Helicoide detention center in Caracas would be converted into a center for sport and social services. A 2022 United Nations report said prisoners in Helicoide were subjected to torture, an accusation the government rejected. Rights group Foro Penal said it had verified that 344 "political prisoners" had been freed since the government announced the new series of prisoner releases in early January, 33 of them on Sunday. Government officials - who deny holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes - have put the total number of releases much higher at more than 600, though that figure appeared to include releases from prior years. Among those freed on Sunday was human rights activist Javier Tarazona, who had been in prison since mid-2021 in the Helicoide center. "After 1,675 days, four years and seven months, the day we’ve so wished for has arrived, my brother Javier Tarazona is free," Jose Rafael Tarazona said on X. "The freedom of one is hope for all.” Tarazona is the director of FundaRedes, which tracks alleged abuses by Colombian armed groups and the Venezuelan military along the countries’ border. He was arrested and accused of terrorism and conspiracy. Prisoner releases have accelerated since Venezuela announced a release policy on Jan. 8, in the wake of the U.S. capture of former President Nicolas Maduro. "Every step towards freedom and the definitive end of repression is important," Gonzalo Himiob, vice president of Foro Penal, said on X. The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles press queries, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Foro Penal has said more than 300 political prisoners have been released in recent weeks and estimated that more than 700 remain jailed. The government has not said how many prisoners will be released or identified them.

Wall Street Journal [2/1/2023 9:51 AM, Lara Seligman, Shelby Holliday, and Michael R. Gordon, 646K] reports President Trump’s promised “armada” has arrived in the Middle East, headed by the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group, and sophisticated F-35 jets have moved closer to the region. Trump has yet to say whether and how he might use force. But American airstrikes on Iran aren’t imminent, U.S. officials say, because the Pentagon is moving in additional air defenses to better protect Israel, Arab allies and American forces in the event of a retaliation by Iran and a potential prolonged conflict. The U.S. military could conduct limited airstrikes on Iran if the president were to order an attack today, U.S. officials say. But the kind of decisive attack that Trump has asked the military to prepare would likely prompt a proportional response from Iran, requiring the U.S. to have robust air defenses in place to protect Israel as well as American troops, the officials say. The military already has air defenses in the region, including destroyers capable of shooting down aerial threats. But the Pentagon is deploying an additional Thaad battery and Patriot air defenses to bases where U.S. troops are stationed across the Middle East, including Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, according to defense officials, flight tracking data and satellite imagery. Thaads can intercept ballistic missiles above the Earth’s atmosphere, while Patriots defend against lower-altitude, shorter-range threats. “The air defense question is key—the extent to which we have sufficient materiel to ensure that our troops and assets in the region are going to be protected from some kind of Iranian retaliation,” said Suzanne Maloney, a former State Department official on Iran policy in both the Bush and Obama administrations. U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East, declined to comment for this article. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Trump “has many options at his disposal with regard to Iran.” “The President has stated he hopes that no action will be necessary, but the Iranian regime should make a deal before it is too late,” Kelly said. Trump told reporters that he believes Iran is negotiating seriously with the U.S. but also warned of “big, powerful ships heading in that direction” if diplomacy were to fail. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei referenced Trump’s threats when speaking to a crowd of loyalists on Sunday. “Now this gentleman [Trump] constantly claims they have brought warships,” he said. “The Americans should know if they start a war, this time it will be a regional war.”

AP [2/1/2026 12:54 PM, Jon Gambrell, 35287K] reports Iran’s supreme leader warned Sunday that any attack by the United States would spark a "regional war" in the Mideast, further escalating tensions as President Donald Trump has threatened to militarily strike the Islamic Republic over its crackdown on recent nationwide protests. The comments from the 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei are the most-direct threat he’s made so far as the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated American warships are in the Arabian Sea, sent by Trump there after Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. It remains unclear whether Trump will use force. He’s repeatedly said Iran wants to negotiate and has brought up Tehran’s nuclear program as another issue he wants to see resolved. But Khamenei also referred to the nationwide protests as "a coup," hardening the government’s position as tens of thousands of people reportedly have been detained since the start of the demonstrations. Sedition charges in Iran can carry the death penalty, which again renews concerns about Tehran carrying out mass executions for those arrested — a red line for Trump. Iran had also planned a live-fire military drill for Sunday and Monday in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil traded passes. The U.S. military’s Central Command had warned against threatening American warships or aircraft during the drill or disrupting commercial traffic.

{End of Report} RETURN TO TOP