2 Feb 2026
A federal judge has ordered the release of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, after their detention in a Texas immigration facility sparked national outrage. The pair returned home to Minnesota following criticism of DHS and the administration’s immigration practices. - MPR News:
Two masked federal immigration agents were identified as the shooters who killed Alex Pretti: Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and CBP officer Raymundo Gutierrez. - ProPublica
AI-altered media of the fatal Minneapolis shooting of Pretti has spread widely online, misleading millions, obscuring fact and fiction, and even driving Dick Durbin to cite an inauthentic image. This highlights how AI “enhancements” are fueling misinformation and skepticism about genuine evidence involving federal officers. - NBC News
Eight more federal prosecutors are preparing to leave the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s Office following a previous departure tied to DOJ demands as unrest grows around immigration enforcement, civil rights decisions, and the fatal shooting of Pretti. Kristi Noem has ordered body cameras for all federal agents in Minnesota, and Pam Bondi has announced new arrests tied to anti-ICE protests. - The Star Tribune:
A public health crisis is evolving in Minneapolis as fear of ICE and federal enforcement has driven many locals - U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents alike - to avoid routine and emergency healthcare, neglect appointments, postpone care, or rely on alternate services like home visits and telehealth.
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ICE agents tear-gassed individuals in Portland, including one seven-year-old girl.
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A partial government shutdown is expected to last until at least Tuesday, after HML Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats will not help pass a GOP-backed funding bill, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson scrambling for votes on a Senate deal brokered by Chuck Schumer and the president that temporarily funds DHS. Negotiations continue over immigration enforcement and ICE leadership. Ro Khanna has said that he is a “firm no” on voting to reopen the federal government unless ICE funding is separated, arguing that Democrats cannot support ICE financing amid scrutiny over fatal shootings of U.S. citizens and broader concerns about the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
Johnson is racing to prevent the shutdown as Congress battles over funding and oversight of ICE. With the president's support, Republicans are advancing a short-term DHS budget extension. Democrats press for stricter limits on ICE procedures, such as ending roving patrols, mandating warrants, and forcing agents to identify themselves.
Around 10,000 FAA employees will be furloughed during the shutdown. Air traffic controllers and other essential staff continue working - without pay - until Congress restores funding amid stalled negotiations.
A whistleblower complaint concerning Tulsi Gabbard is considered so sensitive that it is “locked in a safe.” The administration has spent months trying to determine how to brief Congress. - WSJ:
A coalition of immigration advocates and U.S. citizens has sued Marco Rubio and the USDS to overturn an order suspending immigrant visa approvals for nationals of 75 countries. They argue that the policy - justified by disputed “public charge” claims - amounts to an unlawful, discriminatory, nationality-based ban that violates the Constitution and the INA.
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A measles outbreak forced ICE to suspend all activity at the South Texas Family Residential Center, quarantining detainees after verified infections and heightening concerns about health and safety for detained families - including children - amid a national swell in measles cases and rising criticism of the administration’s detention procedures following high-profile arrests tied to immigration operations in Minneapolis.
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A secret deal has been uncovered, signed just days before the president's inauguration, that gave Abu Dhabi royals - led by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan - a 49% stake in the Trump family crypto venture World Liberty Financial for $500 million. Eric Trump signed the deal, and millions poured into Trump-linked entities and to Steve Witkoff's associates months before the UAE secured access to tightly controlled U.S. AI chips. Todd Blanche was asked about this earlier today, yet he refused to answer. - WSJ
The president warned that if Iran refuses a new nuclear deal, the U.S. may resort to military action - increasing the risk of a regional war - as Washington ramps up its military presence in the Middle East and exchanges escalating threats with Iran’s leadership.
Israel has agreed to open a limited section of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. This will allow a small number of wounded and ill Palestinians to leave each day under security checks, delivering mild relief after months of isolation, as tens of thousands still await medical evacuation and ceasefire talks inch forward. At the same time, Israel plans to seize and redevelop a large historic archaeological site near Sebastia in the occupied West Bank, prompting Palestinian fury that the project - endorsed by far-right ministers - is a guise for land usurpation and territory expansion that would cut residents off from key heritage, tourism earnings, and olive groves.
Claudia Sheinbaum has sworn to continue sending humanitarian aid - and explore fuel shipments - to Cuba regardless of pressure from the president, who threatened tariffs on countries providing oil to Havana. This has sparked a diplomatic conflict as Mexico balances humanitarian support and domestic politics with U.S. economic intimidation and looming trade negotiations.
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Construction has resumed on four offshore wind projects after federal judges refused efforts by the administration to suspend them on national security grounds. When finished, they will allow nearly five gigawatts of clean energy - enough to power about 3.5 million homes - to move forward on the east coast. - The Guardian
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At the GRAMMYs, many of music’s biggest stars openly protested the administration’s immigration policies, donning “ICE OUT” pins and using their acceptance speeches to criticize ICE, share immigrant family stories, and condemn recent enforcement actions and deaths. This event marks a stronger, more collective political stand than previous awards shows and reflects rising cultural backlash against mass deportations.
Turning Point, led by Erika Kirk, has announced an alternative to the "woke" Super Bowl halftime show for viewers looking to avoid Bad Bunny's performance. The alternate show will headline Kid Rock alongside Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, and Gabby Barrett:
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After the FBI seized 2020 election materials in Fulton County, the president held an unusually direct phone call with frontline FBI agents where he interrogated and commended investigators, a move widely condemned by former officials and Democrats as a harsh break from norms that endangers politicizing law enforcement. His behavior also undermines DOJ and FBI autonomy and bolsters claims of inappropriate presidential involvement in a criminal investigation tied to the president's false 2020 election fraud claims. - NYT
Fulton County intends to sue the FBI and the DOJ, arguing a search warrant executed at its election hub improperly seized hundreds of boxes of authentic 2020 election ballots, ballot images, and voter rolls, despite a separate court order allowing only copies. This raises concerns about legality, chain of custody, and voter data security amid an ongoing federal investigation tied to the 2020 election and the president's claims.
Democrat Taylor Rehmet just won a Texas state Senate special election, flipping a long-held Republican district that the president carried by 17 points in 2024. This has dealt a strong blow to the GOP and continued the Democrats’ pattern of vigorous special-election overperformance. The president has downplayed the Democrats flipping the seat, even though he endorsed the Republican candidate. He says he anticipates making an endorsement soon in Texas’ competitive U.S. Senate race:
