The Senate advances a plan to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security as President Trump pledges to pay all DHS employees amid a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers face divisions over funding immigration enforcement agencies, with Republicans pursuing a two-track strategy to end the shutdown.
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has rescinded a policy requiring the secretary’s personal review of contracts over $100,000, a change expected to reduce procurement delays that previously hindered agencies like FEMA, CBP, and ICE. Secretary Markwayne Mullin emphasized empowering agency components to make decisions and has also begun reevaluating ICE’s detention facility plans. Meanwhile, amid a partial government shutdown affecting DHS operations, congressional leaders proposed a two-track funding plan to reopen DHS and address immigration enforcement funding separately, though political disagreements continue to stall progress.
American freelance journalist Shelly Kittleson was kidnapped in Baghdad by suspected Iranian-backed militants linked to the militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah, with Iraqi security forces arresting one suspect and continuing efforts to secure her release. Despite multiple warnings from the U.S. State Department about threats to her safety, Kittleson traveled to Baghdad, where surveillance footage showed her abduction. U.S. and Iraqi authorities, including the FBI and counter-terrorism units, are coordinating to resolve the situation amid heightened tensions involving Iranian-aligned militias in Iraq.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to impose stricter mail-in voting rules, including requiring states to use federally approved voter lists and threatening to withhold federal funds from non-compliant states, citing unproven claims of widespread mail-in voting fraud. The order faces significant legal challenges, with experts deeming it likely unconstitutional and lawsuits already underway, while the Justice Department is also using voter data for immigration and criminal investigations. Additionally, a federal judge blocked Trump’s unauthorized White House construction project, and political tensions escalate ahead of the midterms amid concerns over federal interference in state election processes.
A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction halting the Trump administration’s $400 million White House ballroom construction, ruling that the project likely exceeded legal authority and lacked proper congressional approval. The National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the project, citing improper adherence to federal guidelines and questionable funding through private donations funneled via a nonprofit and the National Park Service. Judge Richard Leon criticized the administration’s legal and financial justifications, emphasizing that only Congress can authorize such alterations and funding, and ordered construction to stop unless statutory approval is granted.
The Department of Homeland Security is undergoing the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history due to deep Republican divisions and unclear White House guidance, with Senate and House leaders unable to agree on funding measures. The shutdown has caused operational disruptions at airports and intensified partisan blame, while some Republicans and former President Trump have called for ending the filibuster to pass funding without Democratic support. Meanwhile, tensions in the Middle East escalate as President Trump threatens severe actions against Iran amid stalled peace talks, raising concerns about further military conflict and global economic impacts.
Millions are expected to participate in the nationwide "No Kings" protests against President Trump, with over 3,100 events planned across the U.S. and a flagship rally in St. Paul, Minnesota, drawing significant attention due to recent federal immigration enforcement controversies. The movement, which began with a smaller demonstration in Paris, aims to oppose various Trump administration policies, including immigration enforcement, healthcare cuts, and perceived abuses of power, and features appearances by notable activists and musicians. Despite White House dismissals of the protests as politically motivated, organizers highlight widespread support from diverse regions, including rural and suburban areas, and the movement has gained international traction with events planned globally.
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a civil rights investigation into Ohio State University College of Medicine’s admissions policies, requesting detailed applicant data amid heightened scrutiny of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives following the Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling against affirmative action. Led by Harmeet Dhillon, a conservative activist heading the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, the inquiry reflects a broader crackdown on DEI policies at several universities. Separately, the DOJ and Department of Homeland Security are finalizing a controversial agreement to share sensitive voter registration data for immigration and criminal investigations, raising privacy and legal concerns.