#uscongress — Public Fediverse posts

Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas – will it power Republican midterm success?
By David Smith in Dallas

President the star of the show at two-day convention, but party’s plan to treat November elections as referendum on Trump himself poses grave risks

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/12/trump-dallas-midterms-convention-republicans

#DonaldTrump #USpolitics #USnews #Worldnews #Democrats #USCongress #Republicans #Dallas #Texas #TheGuardian #DavidSmithinDallas

Trump personality cult alive and well in Dallas – will it power Republican midterm success? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/12/trump-dallas-midterms-convention-republicans #DonaldTrump #UsPolitics #UsNews #WorldNews #Democrats #UsCongress #Republicans #Dallas #Texas

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer
By Jameel Jaffer

Over the past quarter-century, the US supreme court has repeatedly failed to protect first amendment rights. We are suffering the consequences

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment

#USsupremecourt #USnews #Trumpadministration #September112001 #USCongress #USpolitics #TheGuardian #JameelJaffer

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

The ‘war on terror’ weakened the first amendment. Now we desperately need it | Jameel Jaffer https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/sep/11/9-11-war-on-terror-first-amendment #UsSupremeCourt #UsNews #TrumpAdministration #September112001 #UsCongress #UsPolitics

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case
By Joseph Gedeon in Washington

Democrat Ron Wyden and Republican Warren Davidson tell investigatory powers tribunal that secrecy over encrypted data case is ‘needlessly’ straining US-UK relations

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case

#USCongress #HouseofRepresentatives #USnews #Apple #UKnews #TheGuardian #JosephGedeoninWashington

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

US lawmakers urge secretive British court to open up about Apple case https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/11/congress-uk-court-apple-encrypted-data-case #UsCongress #HouseOfRepresentatives #UsNews #Apple #UkNews

CDC nominee Erica Schwartz pressed on whether she will resist RFK Jr’s vaccine agenda
By Coral Murphy Marcos and agencies

During confirmation hearing Wednesday, Trump’s pick tells Senate health committee she will ‘never betray the science’

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/15/erica-schwartz-cdc-senate-hearing

#USSenate #Trumpadministration #Health #USnews #USCongress #USpolitics #Vaccinesandimmunisation #TheGuardian #CoralMurphyMarcos #agencies

When Theater Breaks

What the Absence of Violence in Congress Tells Us—and What Its Arrival Would Mean

By Cliff Potts
Editor-in-Chief, WPS News

Rhetoric Without Rupture

Since 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives has operated in a state of sustained rhetorical escalation. Members routinely engage in aggressive verbal confrontations, staged outrage, and performative conflict designed for media amplification rather than legislative deliberation. Yet one fact remains decisive: there has been no confirmed physical violence between sitting members on the House floor during this period.

That absence is not trivial. It is predictive.

In unstable legislatures, sustained verbal escalation eventually crosses into physical confrontation. Historically, this has been true both internationally and within the United States prior to the Civil War. The fact that it has not occurred in the modern House indicates that institutional restraint remains intact.

Political Theater as Containment

The highly visible framing of American politics as “Red MAGA versus Blue Resistance” functions primarily as political theater. It reinforces partisan identity, sustains donor engagement, and drives media attention. At the same time, it masks a quieter continuity: broad bipartisan alignment around neoliberal economic structures and the influence of corporate and financial actors within governance.

The conflict is loud. The underlying policy consensus is not.

This does not indicate institutional health. It indicates managed conflict. Members perform anger, but they respect boundaries that protect donor confidence, institutional legitimacy, and personal political survival. The restraint is strategic, not ethical.

Historical Precedent: When Words Turned Physical

There is historical precedent for what happens when rhetorical escalation escapes institutional restraint. In the years immediately preceding the Civil War, congressional debate became increasingly incendiary, personal, and absolutist. The turning point was not merely harsh language, but the moment when political disagreement became physically violent on the Senate floor, signaling that the norms governing conflict had collapsed.

That incident did not cause the Civil War. It revealed that the governing system could no longer contain it.

Violence inside the legislature marked the transition from symbolic polarization to open sectional rupture. Once that line was crossed, compromise was no longer credible, and institutional stability rapidly deteriorated.

Why the Line Has Not Been Crossed—Yet

Physical violence between representatives today would immediately destabilize the institution itself. It would signal loss of control, threaten capital confidence, and undermine the legitimacy of governance. As long as elite political and financial actors maintain leverage through party structures, fundraising mechanisms, and political action committees, internal violence remains unacceptable.

The system tolerates shouting.
It does not tolerate disruption of order.

That distinction is intentional.

January 6 as an Externalized Event

The events of January 6, 2021 do not contradict this analysis. That violence was external to Congress, carried out by non-members, and ultimately absorbed by the system without full accountability for key instigators and enablers. Many retained positions of influence, funding, and institutional support.

The lesson internalized by the political class was not deterrence, but containment.

As long as violence remains externalized—directed outward rather than inward—the institution can continue to function without confronting its own structural fragility.

The Predictor to Watch

The critical indicator of future instability is not rhetoric, polarization, or media outrage. It is loss of restraint among lawmakers themselves.

If physical violence were to occur between representatives—actual assault, not symbolic gesture—it would mark a transition from performative polarization to institutional breakdown. At that point, political theater would no longer be sufficient to manage factional pressure.

Such an event would not be a momentary scandal. It would be an early signal of civil upheaval moving from the public sphere into the governing core.

The Directional Warning

For now, the absence of violence indicates that the system remains controlled, if brittle. The shouting serves a purpose. The restraint serves a higher one.

The danger is not that the performance will continue indefinitely.
The danger is that when it fails, it will fail suddenly—and without a script.

For more social commentary, please see Occupy 2.5 at https://Occupy25.com

References (APA)

Brennan Center for Justice. (2021). The January 6 insurrection and the future of American democracy. https://www.brennancenter.org

Mann, T. E., & Ornstein, N. J. (2012). It’s even worse than it looks: How the American constitutional system collided with the new politics of extremism. Basic Books.

U.S. Capitol Police. (2023). Threat assessment and security trends report. https://www.uscp.gov

ICE fatally shoots 26-year-old Colombian man in Maine during immigration operation – live
By Coral Murphy Marcos (now); Joseph Gedeon, Lucy Campbell and Tom Ambrose (earlier)

Senator Angus King raised concerns that ICE agents were not wearing body cameras; witnesses described the man as being shot in the head

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/jul/13/congress-capitol-lindsey-graham-trump-republicans-democrats-us-politics-latest-news-updates

#ICEUSImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement #USpolitics #USnews #Republicans #USCongress #Democrats #DonaldTrump #Trumpadministration #USimmigration #TheGuardian #CoralMurphyMarcos #JosephGedeon #LucyCampbell #TomAmbroseearlier

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Article Jan 28, 2026

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

• AUTHORS
• Dan Herman
• Allie Preston
• Gréta Bedekovics

Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, +4 More

Media Contact

Sam Hananel Senior Director, Media Relations, [email protected]

Government Affairs

Peter Gordon Senior Director, Federal Affairs, [email protected]

The recent killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are the latest in a pattern of dangerous, reckless law enforcement tactics that are terrorizing communities, costing lives, trampling on Americans’ constitutional rights, violating the law, and undermining actual immigration enforcement.

Since the start of the second term, the Trump administration has launched a series of immigration enforcement operations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal law enforcement agencies. These operations—involving masked, unidentified agents using aggressive tactics against both U.S. citizens and immigrants—have caused chaos across the United States. Many of these operations have been targeted against President Donald Trump’s political opponents, deploying large roving task forces to cities and states run by Democratic officials.

As an immediate next step, the Trump administration must pull ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Minneapolis and fire Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in order to prevent further tragedies in Minnesota. But the problems with this administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are far more widespread and demand meaningful reforms and accountability from Congress.

To immediately reform the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for American Progress recommends the following commonsense measures:

• DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions.
• DHS must reform hiring, screening, and training to remove unqualified personnel.
• DHS personnel must be held accountable for improper uses of force and allegations of misconduct.
• DHS must preserve Americans’ constitutional rights and operate within the rule of law.
• DHS must enhance accountability to Congress and the public.

This militarized, unaccountable behavior by the Trump administration’s DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies is unlawful and unsafe. As their mission becomes increasingly politicized, these agencies are behaving more like regime secret police than federal law enforcement officials protecting the American public. It is critical that Congress, the courts, and a future administration demand and implement real reforms that keep our communities safe, protect rights and freedoms, and prevent overreach and abuse.

DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions

The reckless actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement agencies during these raids have undermined the legitimacy of and public trust in law enforcement more broadly. State and local police from jurisdictions across the country, many of which have spent years building trusted relationships with communities, are seeing those relationships jeopardized by federal deployments that have made people, particularly immigrants, more cautious about engaging with the police and the legal system. Eroding trust in police makes communities less safe because effective public safety depends on cooperation between residents and law enforcement. When trust and law enforcement legitimacy break down, people are less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations—making it harder to solve crimes, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future violence.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Article Jan 28, 2026

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

• AUTHORS
• Dan Herman
• Allie Preston
• Gréta Bedekovics

Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, +4 More

Media Contact

Sam Hananel Senior Director, Media Relations, [email protected]

Government Affairs

Peter Gordon Senior Director, Federal Affairs, [email protected]

The recent killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are the latest in a pattern of dangerous, reckless law enforcement tactics that are terrorizing communities, costing lives, trampling on Americans’ constitutional rights, violating the law, and undermining actual immigration enforcement.

Since the start of the second term, the Trump administration has launched a series of immigration enforcement operations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal law enforcement agencies. These operations—involving masked, unidentified agents using aggressive tactics against both U.S. citizens and immigrants—have caused chaos across the United States. Many of these operations have been targeted against President Donald Trump’s political opponents, deploying large roving task forces to cities and states run by Democratic officials.

As an immediate next step, the Trump administration must pull ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Minneapolis and fire Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in order to prevent further tragedies in Minnesota. But the problems with this administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are far more widespread and demand meaningful reforms and accountability from Congress.

To immediately reform the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for American Progress recommends the following commonsense measures:

• DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions.
• DHS must reform hiring, screening, and training to remove unqualified personnel.
• DHS personnel must be held accountable for improper uses of force and allegations of misconduct.
• DHS must preserve Americans’ constitutional rights and operate within the rule of law.
• DHS must enhance accountability to Congress and the public.

This militarized, unaccountable behavior by the Trump administration’s DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies is unlawful and unsafe. As their mission becomes increasingly politicized, these agencies are behaving more like regime secret police than federal law enforcement officials protecting the American public. It is critical that Congress, the courts, and a future administration demand and implement real reforms that keep our communities safe, protect rights and freedoms, and prevent overreach and abuse.

DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions

The reckless actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement agencies during these raids have undermined the legitimacy of and public trust in law enforcement more broadly. State and local police from jurisdictions across the country, many of which have spent years building trusted relationships with communities, are seeing those relationships jeopardized by federal deployments that have made people, particularly immigrants, more cautious about engaging with the police and the legal system. Eroding trust in police makes communities less safe because effective public safety depends on cooperation between residents and law enforcement. When trust and law enforcement legitimacy break down, people are less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations—making it harder to solve crimes, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future violence.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Article Jan 28, 2026

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

• AUTHORS
• Dan Herman
• Allie Preston
• Gréta Bedekovics

Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, +4 More

Media Contact

Sam Hananel Senior Director, Media Relations, [email protected]

Government Affairs

Peter Gordon Senior Director, Federal Affairs, [email protected]

The recent killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are the latest in a pattern of dangerous, reckless law enforcement tactics that are terrorizing communities, costing lives, trampling on Americans’ constitutional rights, violating the law, and undermining actual immigration enforcement.

Since the start of the second term, the Trump administration has launched a series of immigration enforcement operations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal law enforcement agencies. These operations—involving masked, unidentified agents using aggressive tactics against both U.S. citizens and immigrants—have caused chaos across the United States. Many of these operations have been targeted against President Donald Trump’s political opponents, deploying large roving task forces to cities and states run by Democratic officials.

As an immediate next step, the Trump administration must pull ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Minneapolis and fire Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in order to prevent further tragedies in Minnesota. But the problems with this administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are far more widespread and demand meaningful reforms and accountability from Congress.

To immediately reform the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for American Progress recommends the following commonsense measures:

• DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions.
• DHS must reform hiring, screening, and training to remove unqualified personnel.
• DHS personnel must be held accountable for improper uses of force and allegations of misconduct.
• DHS must preserve Americans’ constitutional rights and operate within the rule of law.
• DHS must enhance accountability to Congress and the public.

This militarized, unaccountable behavior by the Trump administration’s DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies is unlawful and unsafe. As their mission becomes increasingly politicized, these agencies are behaving more like regime secret police than federal law enforcement officials protecting the American public. It is critical that Congress, the courts, and a future administration demand and implement real reforms that keep our communities safe, protect rights and freedoms, and prevent overreach and abuse.

DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions

The reckless actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement agencies during these raids have undermined the legitimacy of and public trust in law enforcement more broadly. State and local police from jurisdictions across the country, many of which have spent years building trusted relationships with communities, are seeing those relationships jeopardized by federal deployments that have made people, particularly immigrants, more cautious about engaging with the police and the legal system. Eroding trust in police makes communities less safe because effective public safety depends on cooperation between residents and law enforcement. When trust and law enforcement legitimacy break down, people are less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations—making it harder to solve crimes, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future violence.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Article Jan 28, 2026

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

• AUTHORS
• Dan Herman
• Allie Preston
• Gréta Bedekovics

Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, +4 More

Media Contact

Sam Hananel Senior Director, Media Relations, [email protected]

Government Affairs

Peter Gordon Senior Director, Federal Affairs, [email protected]

The recent killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are the latest in a pattern of dangerous, reckless law enforcement tactics that are terrorizing communities, costing lives, trampling on Americans’ constitutional rights, violating the law, and undermining actual immigration enforcement.

Since the start of the second term, the Trump administration has launched a series of immigration enforcement operations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal law enforcement agencies. These operations—involving masked, unidentified agents using aggressive tactics against both U.S. citizens and immigrants—have caused chaos across the United States. Many of these operations have been targeted against President Donald Trump’s political opponents, deploying large roving task forces to cities and states run by Democratic officials.

As an immediate next step, the Trump administration must pull ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Minneapolis and fire Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in order to prevent further tragedies in Minnesota. But the problems with this administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are far more widespread and demand meaningful reforms and accountability from Congress.

To immediately reform the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for American Progress recommends the following commonsense measures:

• DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions.
• DHS must reform hiring, screening, and training to remove unqualified personnel.
• DHS personnel must be held accountable for improper uses of force and allegations of misconduct.
• DHS must preserve Americans’ constitutional rights and operate within the rule of law.
• DHS must enhance accountability to Congress and the public.

This militarized, unaccountable behavior by the Trump administration’s DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies is unlawful and unsafe. As their mission becomes increasingly politicized, these agencies are behaving more like regime secret police than federal law enforcement officials protecting the American public. It is critical that Congress, the courts, and a future administration demand and implement real reforms that keep our communities safe, protect rights and freedoms, and prevent overreach and abuse.

DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions

The reckless actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement agencies during these raids have undermined the legitimacy of and public trust in law enforcement more broadly. State and local police from jurisdictions across the country, many of which have spent years building trusted relationships with communities, are seeing those relationships jeopardized by federal deployments that have made people, particularly immigrants, more cautious about engaging with the police and the legal system. Eroding trust in police makes communities less safe because effective public safety depends on cooperation between residents and law enforcement. When trust and law enforcement legitimacy break down, people are less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations—making it harder to solve crimes, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future violence.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Article Jan 28, 2026

The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms

The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security is out of control, endangering the well-being and lives of Americans. DHS must follow the law and fulfill its role to enhance—not compromise—the security of Americans and the homeland.

• AUTHORS
• Dan Herman
• Allie Preston
• Gréta Bedekovics

Restoring Social Trust in Democracy, Domestic Policy, Immigration, +4 More

Media Contact

Sam Hananel Senior Director, Media Relations, [email protected]

Government Affairs

Peter Gordon Senior Director, Federal Affairs, [email protected]

The recent killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis are the latest in a pattern of dangerous, reckless law enforcement tactics that are terrorizing communities, costing lives, trampling on Americans’ constitutional rights, violating the law, and undermining actual immigration enforcement.

Since the start of the second term, the Trump administration has launched a series of immigration enforcement operations involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and other federal law enforcement agencies. These operations—involving masked, unidentified agents using aggressive tactics against both U.S. citizens and immigrants—have caused chaos across the United States. Many of these operations have been targeted against President Donald Trump’s political opponents, deploying large roving task forces to cities and states run by Democratic officials.

As an immediate next step, the Trump administration must pull ICE and U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Minneapolis and fire Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem in order to prevent further tragedies in Minnesota. But the problems with this administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are far more widespread and demand meaningful reforms and accountability from Congress.

To immediately reform the Department of Homeland Security, the Center for American Progress recommends the following commonsense measures:

• DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions.
• DHS must reform hiring, screening, and training to remove unqualified personnel.
• DHS personnel must be held accountable for improper uses of force and allegations of misconduct.
• DHS must preserve Americans’ constitutional rights and operate within the rule of law.
• DHS must enhance accountability to Congress and the public.

This militarized, unaccountable behavior by the Trump administration’s DHS and other federal law enforcement agencies is unlawful and unsafe. As their mission becomes increasingly politicized, these agencies are behaving more like regime secret police than federal law enforcement officials protecting the American public. It is critical that Congress, the courts, and a future administration demand and implement real reforms that keep our communities safe, protect rights and freedoms, and prevent overreach and abuse.

DHS must be held to the same standard as local police and wear uniforms that clearly identify their agency, be unmasked, and be equipped with body-worn cameras during public enforcement actions

The reckless actions of ICE, CBP, and other federal law enforcement agencies during these raids have undermined the legitimacy of and public trust in law enforcement more broadly. State and local police from jurisdictions across the country, many of which have spent years building trusted relationships with communities, are seeing those relationships jeopardized by federal deployments that have made people, particularly immigrants, more cautious about engaging with the police and the legal system. Eroding trust in police makes communities less safe because effective public safety depends on cooperation between residents and law enforcement. When trust and law enforcement legitimacy break down, people are less likely to report crimes or cooperate with investigations—making it harder to solve crimes, hold offenders accountable, and prevent future violence.

Editor’s Note: Read the rest of the story, at the below link.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: The Trump Administration’s ICE and CBP Have Become a Threat to Americans: Congress Must Ensure That DHS Follows the Law and Adopts Commonsense Reforms – Center for American Progress

Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts – Vanity Fair

SCOUT’S DISHONOR

Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts

The Department of Defense won’t comment to VF on the possibly leaked “predecisional” documents, which would push Congress to cut ties with Scouting America

By Kase Wickman, November 25, 2025

Remember the good old days, when men were men and scouts were boys? US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth apparently does, and believes that, in fact, the sun set on those golden days in 2018, when the organization then known as Boy Scouts of America amended its rules to allow girls to join. Things got darker still on February 5, 2025, when the entity officially changed its name to Scouting America.

Hegseth is now reportedly prepared to order the government to cut all ties with the organization, ending a relationship that dates back more than a century.

NPR reported Tuesday that the outlet had received drafts of memos Hegseth intends to send to Congress mandating a severing of ties with Scouting America. Hegseth, who never participated in Boy Scouts, wrote in the draft that the organization now serves to “attack boy-friendly spaces,” accusing the group of being “genderless” and promoting “gender confusion.”

“The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys,” Hegseth reportedly wrote in a memo.

According to the Scouting America website, “The mission of Scouting America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.”

Hegseth, however, reportedly believes that the group’s mission is to “cultivate masculine values,” per one memo, and that they are failing at it.

When contacted by Vanity Fair for comment, an official from the Department of Defense said, “The Department will not comment on leaked documents that we cannot authenticate and that may be predecisional.” Representatives for Scouting America did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s request for further comment.

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Pete Hegseth, No Boy Scout, Reportedly Wants to Put the “Boy” Back in Scouts | Vanity Fair

#adolesecence #boy #boyScout #boyScoutsOfAmerica #departmentOfDefense #girls #growingUpMale #masculinity #meritBadges #nationalPublicRadio #npr #peteHegseth #presidentTheodoreRoosevelt #scoutingAmerica #scouts #teens #uSCongress #vanityFair #youngMen

MidTerm Elections, 2026, Updates, News, and Projections – Monthly Series – September 2025

MidTerm Elections, 2026, Updates, News, and Projections

This is our first expanded monthly analysis of major U.S. trends, events, and projections, featuring original charts and the most current sources. September 2025 edition.

Overview

As the 2026 November midterms approach, American politics is marked by high tension, shifting alliances, and a polarized public. President Trump’s approval stands at 44.9% with 52.4% disapproval, and satisfaction with the nation’s direction dips to new lows.[1][2][3] Bipartisan anxiety is compounded by economic slowdown, tariff uncertainty, and rising crime concerns.[4][5][6][7][8]

Major Political Developments

• Government Shutdown Showdown: Congressional Democrats, led by Schumer and Jeffries, are locked in a high-stakes standoff with President Trump over funding and Obamacare subsidies, with both sides warning of major chaos if compromise fails. The threat of a funding lapse on October 1 looms large.[9]
• Party Platforms and Internal Fights: The GOP is reorganizing around core issues like tariffs, immigration, and public safety. Democratic divisions surface over strategy and leadership, with members pushing for aggressive negotiation and some eyeing new leadership challenges.[9]
• Presidential Rhetoric: Trump ramps up promises of political retribution and hints at new executive actions, from expanded ICE enforcement to the National Guard deployment in Memphis—sparking local protests and mayoral opposition.[10][11]
• 2026 Congressional Map: Latest projections favor Democrats for the House, though the field is competitive and redistricting adds uncertainty. The Senate map is structurally favorable for the GOP, but several toss-ups remain.[12][13]

Economic Trends & Outlook

• Federal Reserve Action: In September, the Federal Reserve cut rates by 0.25 percentage point, citing slower growth, weaker job gains, and persistent inflation.[14][15]
• Growth and Risks: The U.S. economy is now projected to grow 1.8% in 2025, but new OECD research warns that tariffs could reduce growth to 1.5% next year.[7][8]
• Stock Market: Markets welcomed the Fed cut, with the S&P 500 up 13% year-to-date, but analysts remain wary about labor market softness and business investment limits.[16]
• Public Perception: Economic anxiety is rising—especially on inflation and trade—with confidence numbers slipping and polling showing major disapproval of tariff policy.[4][14]

Social Climate

• Crime and National Unity: Violent incidents in August and September (including the killing of Charlie Kirk and recent shootings) have doubled public concern about crime and sharply increased mentions of national unity as a top problem.[2][17]
• Immigration Enforcement: ICE launched the “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago, with Trump threatening further National Guard deployments.[10]
• Health and Culture Wars: The administration’s stance on public health and controversial claims about medication/AQ ties have drawn skepticism from experts.[18]

Key Events Ahead

• Tariff and inflation debates will dominate the fall legislative calendar. Watch for last-minute deals and narratives about economic recovery.[7][14]
• Redistricting and possible retirements will continue to reshape the House battlefield.[12][13]
• Senate toss-ups and new candidate announcements are expected in states like Arizona and Georgia.[12]

MidTerm Charts

President Trump Approval (September 2025)

Odds of Congressional Control (September 2025)

Looking Forward

With historic congressional turnover rates, intense internal party debates, and a volatile international environment, every month brings shifting narratives and fresh surprises. Next month’s update will track the shutdown drama, fresh polling, and campaign announcements.

Article Bibliography

1. Silver, Nate. “Trump Approval Rating: Latest Polls.” Silver Bulletin, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.natesilver.net/p/trump-approval-ratings-nate-silver-bulletin.
2. “U.S. Mood Subdued as Crime, Unity Concerns Rise.” Gallup News, 21 Sept. 2025, news.gallup.com/poll/695519/mood-subdued-crime-unity-concerns-rise.aspx.
3. “Donald Trump’s Approval Rating.” The Economist, 20 Jan. 2025, http://www.economist.com/interactive/trump-approval-tracker.
4. OECD. “Tariffs Will Hit Slowing U.S. Economy Hard in 2026, OECD Says.” The Wall Street Journal, 23 Sept. 2025, http://www.wsj.com/economy/global/u-s-economy-set-to-slow-less-sharply-this-year-but-tariffs-will-hit-hard-in-2026-oecd-says-50f9dfab.
5. “OECD Says US GDP Growth to Slow Next Year as Tariffs, Lower Immigration Weigh on Economy.” Investopedia, 23 Sept. 2025, http://www.investopedia.com/oecd-says-us-gdp-growth-to-slow-next-year-as-tariffs-lower-immigration-weigh-on-economy-11815148.
6. Federal Reserve. “Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement.” FederalReserve.gov, 17 Sept. 2025, http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/monetary20250917a.htm.
7. “America’s economy defies gloomy expectations.” The Economist, 14 Sept. 2025, http://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2025/09/14/americas-economy-defies-gloomy-expectations.
8. CNN Business Staff. “The US economy has a new problem: Democracy is under siege.” CNN Business, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/business/trump-economy-democracy.
9. Todd, Chuck, et al. “It’s a new world with Trump: Inside Democrats’ shutdown gamble.” CNN Politics, 20 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/20/politics/democrats-government-shutdown-schumer.
10. ABC News Staff. “ABC News Live Prime: September 12, 2025.” ABC News Live, 12 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usSvA3A8S0.
11. PBS News Hour Staff. “September 22, 2025 – PBS News Hour full episode.” PBS News Hour, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/september-22-2025-pbs-news-hour-full-episode.
12. “2026 Senate Election Forecast Maps.” 270toWin, 23 July 2025, http://www.270towin.com/2026-senate-election-predictions/.
13. “2026 CPR House Race Ratings.” Cook Political Report, 29 June 2025, http://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings.
14. CNN Business Staff. “Wall Street got the rate cut it wanted. Can the optimism last?” CNN Business, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.cnn.com/2025/09/22/economy/stock-market-record-highs-fed-rate-cut.
15. Williams, John C. “Economic Outlook, Balance of Risks and Monetary Policy.” Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 21 Sept. 2025, http://www.stlouisfed.org/from-the-president/remarks/2025/brookings-institution-economic-outlook-balance-risks-monetary-policy.
16. “Top U.S. & World Headlines — September 23, 2025.” Democracy Now!, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hcs8UrZrvIM.
17. “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir Full Broadcast.” ABC News, 22 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISibRAqG3BM.
18. ABC News Staff. “ABC News Live Prime: September 12, 2025.” ABC News Live, 12 Sept. 2025, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-usSvA3A8S0.

#2025 #America #Democrats #DonaldTrump #Education #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #MidtermElections2026 #November2026 #Opinion #Politics #Republicans #Resistance #Science #Trump #TrumpAdministration #USCongress #UnitedStates

Try and Stop Me – GovTrack.us

1. News From Us
2. Legislative Preview

Try and Stop Me

Sept. 3, 2025 · by Amy West

House and Senate Return

The House has 12 committee meetings scheduled. On Tuesday, there will be a Rules Committee meeting to set debate rules for three resolutions canceling Biden Administration regulations and for the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. House Appropriations will have markup hearings on the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill and the Financial Services and General Government Bill (also for fiscal year 2026). The House has 16 bills on its schedule this week on a wide range of topics.

The Senate returned late Tuesday to, per Craig Caplan on X, “vote at 5:30pm on whether to advance the 2026 defense programs and policy bill. This first floor action on the NDAA needs 60 Yes votes to advance it.” (The National Defense Authorization Act, aka the NDAA, advanced 84-14 on Tuesday evening.) There are nine committee hearings, none on appropriations, five on pending nominations.

Meanwhile

Epstein Files Transparency Act

Rep. Massie (R-KY4) has a resolution demanding the release of all Epstein files. He is filing it as a discharge petition which will need 218 co-sponsors. Currently, he has 134 with three Republicans besides himself.

A discharge petition is a tool for House members not in leadership to force votes on topics that leadership doesn’t want to vote on. The first hurdle is to get 218 co-sponsors. Once the petition has 218 co-sponsors, the member may introduce it which will require that the House vote on it within two legislative days.

Massie’s effort might have been doomed except that releasing the Epstein files is popular with the Republican base. Releasing them is not popular with the President though. Exploiting this intra-Republican conflict appeals to Democrats and so about 130 of them have signed on so far. It will take all of the Democrats signing on as well as a few more Republicans to get to 218. We’ll let you know how far Massie gets.

Government Shutdown?

Even with the appropriations work listed above, Congress will almost certainly not get all 12 regular appropriations bills passed through both chambers by September 30, the last day of the fiscal year. After that, government agencies cannot spend funds and will shut down. (See our post Learn how Congress directs government spending for more details).

Continue/Read Original Article Here: Try and Stop Me – GovTrack.us

#2025 #America #Congress #DonaldTrump #Education #FallTerm #GovTrack #GovTrackUs #Health #History #Libraries #Library #LibraryOfCongress #Opinion #Politics #Resistance #ReturnForCongress #Science #Trump #TrumpAdministration #USCongress #UnitedStates

A few hours ago, @nytimes wrote:

«"It is very clear that, if there is a middle of all of this hot mess of division, Americans want us to work together when we can and find common ground," Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle.»

I'm going to pray that they've been sitting on that quote for weeks and that it's not the evidence of dangerous cluelessness by Klobuchar that it appears to be.

I think Americans want first for Congress to save Democracy, Amy. Because control of the public's attention is easily manipulated in social media, they may not realize it's in mortal danger, but it's Congress' job to know that fact.

If they, Democrats and Republicans alike, aren't describing it as a full-on assault on the Constitution, a coup, a sudden & complete dismantling of Democracy via a prior published & detailed plan, then they aren't solving the right problem and show no evidence of paying attention.

Even 4 years ago, on January 6, it wasn't "business as usual". We needed Congress on that day to continue a Constitutional government but NOT to hear budget debates and such mundane legislative things. We knew we were UNDER ATTACK.

This, now, today, is an ESCALATION OF THAT ATTACK, and she's talking like she wants to ignore it, treating this as an ordinary work day. Work together by IMPEACHING maybe, but nothing less. Do not underestimate the seriousness and urgency of what's going on. Do not get distracted.

If Congressfolk don't see this as an escalation, maybe because it's a "white collar" attack not (yet) involving guns, they can't respond properly. They must stop talking about this as something to legislate their way out of. We in the US are under a real time administrative assault. Stop taking weekends & holidays. This is not a schedulable event. They are preying on your willingness to pretend it can have a leisurely pace.

Congress has long been soft on white collar crime, treating it as a privilege of the elite, the donor class. Perhaps it's become invisible to them, even as it's far more sweeping and hurtful than much street crime. Maybe a white collar coup is then likewise invisible. We need them to wake up and SEE.

This time they're using ID cards to get into buildings they're taking over, but there's more to Constitutional government than right of entry. The Constitution spells out limits on power. They're violating limits so fast they can't all be checked fast enough. A Gish gallop assault on policy & power.

Sadly, I predicted this crisis on the ex-bird site Oct 13, 2016 (before 2016 vote). Talking Points Memo (TPM) had cited USA Today on Trump's propensity for legal challenges. I expected the same with Constitutional challenges. Just as happened. Our system barely handles a few challenges a year, not thousands.

#USPolitics #politics #USCongress #Congress #democracy #coup #TrumpCoup #oligarchy #fascism #authoritarianism #attack #assault #Jan6 #SCOTUS #Constitution #Lawless #Project2025 #TPM #Klobuchar #Senate #WhiteCollarCrime #WhiteCollarCoup #GishGallop

(This post is an expanded form of a thread I just posted to BlueSky.)