Wednesday, February 4 | By Cate Martel |
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White House yanks 700 immigration officers from Minn. Trump's extraordinary call to nationalize elections Government reopens, but the tricky part begins Latest on Nancy Guthrie's abduction
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700 immigration officers are packing up: |
President Trump's border czar Tom Homan announced today he will pull roughly 700 federal immigration enforcement officers from Minnesota. For context: Homan says roughly 2,000 officers will remain. As of late last month, there were roughly 3,000 immigration officers in the state. Homan clarified: "If you are in the country illegally, you are not off the table," he said. "Let me be clear: President Trump fully intends to achieve mass deportations during this administration, and immigration enforcement actions will continue every day throughout this country." 💬 Follow today's live blog |
➤ PLUS — MINNESOTA SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE SUING TRUMP: |
It's a sad day in DC journalism: |
The Washington Post is laying off hundreds of journalists as part of its major newsroom restructuring. In total: The company is removing about 30 percent of its employees, which amounts to more than 300 staffers, according to The New York Times. What we know: The Post's executive editor says it will end its sports department and move some sports writers to its features department to cover sports as a cultural phenomenon. It will also cut back on its local news coverage. One editor reportedly requested to be laid off once he knew the scope of the cuts: "Peter Finn, the [international] section's editor, requested that he be laid off rather than be involved in the planning the cuts once he learned about their scope, according to two people with knowledge of his decision." (The New York Times) 📸 Screenshot of the email that staffers who were not laid off received The Post, in a statement to The Hill, defended Wednesday's cuts, saying, "These steps are designed to strengthen our footing and sharpen our focus on delivering the distinctive journalism that sets The Post apart and, most importantly, engages our customers." Tidbit: The Washington Post Guild has begun fundraising for the journalists who have been laid off. |
Trump is even making Republicans feel uncomfy: |
Trump has doubled down on his call to nationalize voting in the U.S., arguing the federal government should take over local elections in some states. Why?: He gave unsubstantiated claims that "horrible corruption on elections" is occurring in some Democratic-run cities. Which states?: Trump said Republicans should take over voting in "15 places" but did not elaborate on the jurisdictions. Are Republicans on board?: Republican and Democratic lawmakers are wildly uncomfortable with this idea. Democrats have expressed outrage, while some Republicans have simply dismissed the idea, reports The Hill's Alexander Bolton. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) balked at the idea, citing it as a "constitutional issue." "That's not what the Constitution says about elections," Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told MS NOW when asked about Trump's proposal. How this could affect the filibuster: Republicans would need to reform the filibuster to get around Democratic opposition to pass a bill to nationalize federal elections. Some Senate Republicans are debating it, but it's already getting *strong* pushback from some senior Republicans. |
Now, the hard part begins: | The partial government shutdown came to an end on Tuesday when Trump signed the funding package into law. Now, all federal agencies are funded through September, (wooo!) except for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Lawmakers funded DHS through Feb. 13 to give them time to negotiate reforms for the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Think: Should immigration officers be allowed to wear face coverings? What about body cameras? Technically, the deadline is Feb. 13, but …: That's an extremely tight timeframe. To move it through both the House and the Senate without special time agreements, some believe a deal would need to be reached by Thursday, per The Hill's Al Weaver — and that feels very unlikely to happen. |
➤ HAPPENING TODAY ON CAPITOL HILL: |
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is on Capitol Hill today to call for reforms to a law that protects companies from lawsuits over user-generated content. |
The latest on the Nancy Guthrie investigation: |
The search for Nancy Guthrie, "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie's mom, has stretched into the fourth day. A possible ransom note?: At least three media outlets say they have received ransom notes from someone claiming to have abducted Nancy Guthrie. The ransom notes, which have not been confirmed as legitimate, demand millions of dollars in bitcoin and describe evidence in Guthrie's home. Authorities say they are taking "all tips and leads very seriously." Is there a person of interest?: No, the Pima County Sheriff's Department posted an update this morning, saying it does not have a suspect or person of interest. A blood trail was found: NewsNation discovered a blood trail leading from the front door of Nancy Guthrie's home. NewsNation also reports that a Ring doorbell camera had been removed and investigators are examining whether the perpetrator removed it. Warning, the photos are graphic. |
The Wall Street Journal: How Stephen Miller Stokes Trump's Boundary-Pushing Impulses The Washington Post: Why nobody really knows the scale of the U.S. housing crisis The Hill: Why the Clintons reluctantly reversed course on contempt strategy Wired: The Tech Elites in the Epstein Files Politico: Why Trump's Federal Reserve Pick May Surprise Him NBC News: Lindsey Vonn's latest Olympic quest isn't perfect, but it's her own |
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The House and Senate are in. President Trump is at the White House. (All times EST) |
1:15 p.m. First lady Melania Trump meets with freed American Israeli hostage Keith Siegel. 💻 Livestream 2:15 p.m. Two Senate votes. 📆 Today's agenda 3:30 p.m. First and last House votes. 📆 Today's agenda 4 p.m. Trump participates in a policy meeting. Later today: Vice President Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio travel to Italy for the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Tonight: Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) speaks at the Washington Press Club Foundation's 80th annual Congressional Dinner. 💻 Livestream |
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🍲 Celebrate: Today is National Homemade Soup Day. 🥶 The cold weather is starting to get us: NBC News posted footage of a man appearing to sail on the frozen Potomac River using a ladder and posterboards. 📹 Video to prove it 🐘 A squishy new elephant!!: A baby elephant was born at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington. This is the first baby elephant born at this zoo in 25 years (!) |
And before I nominate this pup to be on "America's Got Talent," I first want you to see this dog's party trick. |
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