President Donald Trump and some allies claim that many protesters against immigration enforcement are paid agitators and insurrectionists. There is no solid evidence supporting these claims, despite being widely discussed by supporters and officials.
Key Facts
President Trump said that protesters are "paid agitators and insurrectionists" in January 2024.
Protests took place in Minnesota against immigration enforcement.
The White House did not provide evidence to support Trump's claims about paid protesters.
Social media posts claiming to show payment evidence were not verified.
The topic is discussed among President Trump’s allies and supporters.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem commented on the lack of funded protesters in other cities.
Vice President JD Vance questioned the funding of protest materials like bricks.
Senator Markwayne Mullin called for an investigation into the claim of funded protests.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller announced that a review is underway to evaluate Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents' actions in Minneapolis after the shooting of Alex Pretti. The review focuses on whether agents followed proper procedures, amidst increased scrutiny of law enforcement tactics during protests.
Key Facts
Stephen Miller is the White House Deputy Chief of Staff.
Officials are reviewing the actions of Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis.
The review is related to the shooting of Alex Pretti.
There are concerns that agents may not have followed proper procedures.
The White House instructed the Department of Homeland Security to add more personnel in Minnesota.
The focus is on creating a barrier between arrest teams and protesters.
The incident has led to increased scrutiny of law enforcement tactics.
A mother is reconsidering her nanny's employment after a car accident revealed the nanny violated a safety rule about her child’s car seat. The nanny had strapped the child into the seat while wearing a bulky coat, which the mother had specifically instructed her not to do due to safety concerns. No one was hurt in the accident, but the incident has caused the mother to lose trust in the nanny.
Key Facts
A mother posted on Reddit about her nanny breaking a safety rule by putting her child in a car seat with a bulky coat.
The mother had previously told the nanny not to do this because it is unsafe.
The nanny and child were involved in a minor car accident, and the child was wearing a coat in the car seat.
The mother was upset and spoke to the nanny about the issue after the accident.
The nanny's response was that the child was fine, which upset the mother even more.
Reddit users supported the mother's position, saying the nanny's actions were inappropriate.
Safety experts say breaking safety rules like this is a major concern and could be grounds for termination.
The mother is now reconsidering the nanny’s employment due to the safety violation.
President Trump announced a plan to reduce tensions related to his immigration policies in Minneapolis. He stated that the changes should not be taken as a reduction of enforcement. Despite this, many people in the area remain doubtful about the president's intentions.
Key Facts
President Trump is taking steps to ease tensions in Minneapolis related to immigration policies.
Trump emphasized that the policy adjustments do not mean a reduction in enforcement.
The focus is on Minneapolis, where there has been a strong reaction to immigration policies.
Trump attributed some issues to Alex Pretti, who was carrying a legal firearm.
Fred de Sam Lazaro reported that skepticism about the policy shift is widespread in the Twin Cities.
The Trump administration's response to the shootings in Minneapolis is changing. White House reporter Liz Landers covers President Trump's new statements about the event.
Key Facts
The shootings took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
These events have resulted in fatalities.
President Donald Trump has made comments about the shootings.
The administration's stance has shifted over time.
White House correspondent Liz Landers is reporting on this development.
Protests and confrontations in Minnesota, involving federal agencies like ICE and Border Patrol, have become a significant focus. These events are raising concerns about their implications for the United States. A law professor, Claire Finkelstein, discussed how these situations resemble a civil war simulation she led in 2024.
Key Facts
Federal agencies, such as ICE and Border Patrol, are involved in activities in Minnesota.
Protests and clashes are occurring in Minnesota.
The situation in Minnesota is part of a larger federal crackdown.
Claire Finkelstein, a law professor, talked about these events matching a 2024 civil war simulation.
This topic is part of a series called "On Democracy."
The focus is on understanding the broader implications of these conflicts in the U.S.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats warned President Trump to remove Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary or face impeachment proceedings. A significant number of Democrats support impeachment due to the recent killings linked to Homeland Security actions. President Trump stated he supports Noem and has no plans to fire her.
Key Facts
Hakeem Jeffries is the House Minority Leader representing Democrats.
Jeffries and his deputies want President Trump to fire Kristi Noem.
The demand comes after recent killings related to Homeland Security.
More than two-thirds of House Democrats support impeachment articles.
President Trump said he won't remove Noem and believes she is doing well.
Republicans currently control both the House and the Senate.
No Republican lawmakers have supported impeachment actions against Noem so far.
Rep. Robin Kelly is leading the impeachment efforts, with the option to force a vote in the House.
The odds are low that President Donald Trump will send out $2,000 tariff checks by 2026, as per a betting odds tracker. Despite Trump's statements about possibly issuing checks due to tariff revenue, many experts doubt it will happen. They argue there isn't enough extra money from tariffs, and giving out checks could lead to more national debt and inflation.
Key Facts
A betting odds tracker shows only a 28% chance of tariff checks being sent by August 2026.
President Trump mentioned $2,000 payments to Americans from tariff revenue.
Experts say there's no clear evidence that tariffs produced extra money.
The U.S. national debt is projected to exceed $39 trillion by early March.
Distributing checks could increase inflation and national debt.
Some experts argue the proposal needs Congress's approval.
There are discussions about using tariff revenue to reduce the national debt.
The Social Security Administration states that employees from Elon Musk’s DOGE team at the agency accessed and shared important data without authorization. This issue aligns with concerns from a whistleblower complaint filed by the agency’s chief data officer, Chuck Borges.
Key Facts
Employees from Elon Musk’s DOGE team worked at the Social Security Administration.
These employees accessed sensitive data at the agency.
They also shared this sensitive data improperly.
The disclosure was made by the Trump administration.
The concerns were initially raised by Chuck Borges, the agency's chief data officer, in a whistleblower complaint.
Geoff Bennett interviewed Chuck Borges and his lawyer, Debra Katz, regarding the issue.
A recent poll shows that more Republicans now have "very little" trust in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with the percentage doubling from a previous poll. This change in perception is happening as there is increased criticism of immigration enforcement tactics under President Trump's administration, following incidents in Maine and Minnesota.
Key Facts
A new YouGov and The Economist poll shows 16% of Republicans have very little trust in ICE, up from 8% earlier in January.
Overall, 55% of Americans have very little trust in ICE, compared to 49% earlier in January and 45% in December.
Majority of Republicans (60%) still have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of trust in ICE, down from 68% in January.
Only 30% of Americans have high trust in ICE, according to the poll.
51% of Americans believe the federal government should reduce spending on ICE.
There are concerns about potential government shutdown due to disagreement on ICE funding.
Republican senators are calling for an investigation into recent shootings by federal agents.
President Trump's administration is facing criticism from both parties over immigration enforcement tactics.
The U.S. population grew by 0.5% from July 2024 to July 2025, adding 1.8 million people. This slow growth rate is mainly due to a decrease in immigration, as noted by the Census Bureau. Some U.S. states, like South Carolina and Texas, saw higher growth due to domestic moves and natural population changes.
Key Facts
The U.S. population increased by 0.5% from July 2024 to July 2025.
This growth added 1.8 million people to the U.S. population.
The growth rate is the slowest since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slowdown.
Net international migration fell from 2.7 million to 1.3 million.
The growth rate in 2023-2024 was 1%, which was faster than in 2024-2025.
South Carolina, Idaho, and North Carolina experienced the highest growth rates among states.
Texas had a growth of 1.2%, driven by births, deaths, and some immigration.
California, Hawai'i, New Mexico, Vermont, and West Virginia saw population decreases.
A severe winter storm has caused dozens of deaths and widespread power outages across the eastern United States. Freezing temperatures and icy conditions have affected states from Arkansas to New England, with forecasters predicting that the cold weather will continue and worsen later in the week.
Key Facts
A winter storm has caused several dozen deaths in the Eastern U.S.
Three siblings died after falling into an icy pond in Texas.
The storm has caused hundreds of thousands of power outages in the South.
Snow and ice have affected areas from Arkansas to New England.
Freezing temperatures reached states as far south as Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina.
Northern Florida might experience temperatures as low as 25°F (minus 3.9°C).
The National Weather Service forecasts that cold weather will worsen on Friday and Saturday.
Another winter storm could affect the East Coast this weekend.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to stop filing new H-1B visa petitions unless they get written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission. This pause will last until May 31, 2027, and aims to give lawmakers time to review and possibly change rules about hiring foreign workers at state-funded institutions. The decision is part of a wider effort to tighten H-1B visa rules under President Trump.
Key Facts
Governor Greg Abbott ordered a stop to new H-1B visa applications by state agencies and universities in Texas.
Exceptions to this rule require written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The pause on new applications will last until May 31, 2027.
The move aligns with President Trump's push to make H-1B visa policies stricter and follows a new $100,000 fee for certain petitions.
This order affects universities and agencies but does not include K-12 public schools.
Institutions must report their H-1B use and recruiting efforts for Texans by March 2026.
Major universities like Texas A&M and the University of Texas are significant users of the H-1B program.
A judge in Minnesota has ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to appear in court. This is due to issues with how ICE handles bond hearings for immigrants. The order is part of ongoing protests in Minnesota related to immigration actions ordered by President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
A Minnesota judge has instructed ICE's acting director, Todd Lyons, to appear in court.
The issue involves how ICE manages bond hearings for detained immigrants.
Protests in Minnesota are part of a wider response to immigration enforcement under President Trump.
The protests increased after the death of a second person by an immigration officer this month.
President Trump discussed immigration actions with Minnesota's Governor and Minneapolis's Mayor.
The White House blamed Democratic leaders for protests, but videos raised concerns over recent incidents.
Two deceased individuals, involved in the protests, were confirmed as U.S. citizens.
The court order mentioned an immigrant from Ecuador who was denied a timely bond hearing.
Republican Senator Thom Tillis has called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign following a fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minnesota. Key Democrats are also considering impeachment if Noem does not step down. President Trump has not yet made a decision on the matter.
Key Facts
Senator Thom Tillis is from North Carolina.
He wants Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, to resign.
The call for resignation follows a shooting of an ICU nurse in Minnesota by an ICE agent.
Tillis argues that Noem's actions in Minnesota are unacceptable.
Several key Democrats may start impeachment proceedings against Noem.
Tillis often criticizes President Donald Trump’s administration.
Tillis recently criticized the administration for unrelated policies like acquiring Greenland and Trump’s Davos speech.
Two federal officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, during an encounter in Minneapolis. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported the details to Congress, stating that the officers were attempting to detain Pretti when he resisted, leading to gunfire.
Key Facts
Two federal officers were involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti.
The officers were from Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The event took place in Minneapolis.
CBP conducted an analysis using body-worn camera footage and other documents.
The report mentioned that officers attempted to take Pretti into custody.
During the incident, a Border Patrol agent claimed Pretti had a gun.
The CBP is required to report deaths involving its officers to Congress.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated that people cannot legally bring loaded guns to protests. This comment followed a shooting incident involving a concealed carry permit holder, Alex Pretti, during a protest in Minneapolis. An investigation by the Department of Homeland Security is underway.
Key Facts
FBI Director Kash Patel claimed that carrying loaded guns to protests is illegal.
Alex Pretti, who had a concealed carry permit, was shot during a protest in Minneapolis.
Government officials said Pretti intended to harm law enforcement.
Video footage does not show Pretti pointing a gun at agents.
Border Patrol agents found a gun and ammunition on Pretti.
The Department of Homeland Security is conducting an internal investigation.
Gun rights advocates argue that carrying arms is protected by the Second Amendment, even during protests.
President Donald Trump's speech in Clive, Iowa, was interrupted twice by protesters. Supporters of President Trump responded by chanting "U-S-A," and he said the protesters were "paid agitators."
Key Facts
President Trump's speech occurred in Clive, Iowa.
The speech was interrupted twice by protesters.
Supporters of President Trump chanted "U-S-A" to drown out the second protester.
President Trump referred to the protesters as "paid agitators."
The article is described as a breaking news story, suggesting more updates will follow.
President Donald Trump announced that he sent Tom Homan, known as the "border czar," to Minnesota. Trump mentioned that this move aims to "de-escalate" the situation there.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke about sending Tom Homan to Minnesota.
Tom Homan is referred to as the "border czar."
Trump's comments were made during an interview on Fox News.
The goal of sending Homan is to "de-escalate" the situation.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not confirm if this move's purpose was to calm things.
President Donald Trump's approval rating with independent voters has reached its lowest point ever, according to a new poll by The Economist and YouGov. The survey shows that Trump's net approval rating among independents is negative, with low approval and high disapproval scores.
Key Facts
The poll shows Trump has a 39% overall approval rating and a 57% disapproval rating.
Among independents, Trump's approval rating is 27%, while 67% disapprove of his performance.
The poll surveyed 1,684 U.S. adults between January 23 and January 26, with a margin of error of 3.3%.
Trump’s net approval rating with independents is -40, a drop from -31 the previous week.
Independent voters are seen as key to winning competitive political races.
Other national polls also show Trump's approval rating near or below 40%.
Trump criticized polls as "fake" on Truth Social, claiming they misrepresent his achievements.
Polls will continue as the midterm elections approach in 2026.
