Top Items:
New York Times:
Surge in Immigration Cases in Minnesota Pushes Prosecutors and Judges to Brink — Remarks by a prosecutor opened a revealing window onto how the courts in the state are buckling under the weight of a deluge of cases arising from the Trump administration's campaign.
Discussion:
Esquire, Reason, New York Post, Politico, Associated Press, Washington Examiner, The Independent, Raw Story, CNN, NBC News and Washington Times
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Chris Geidner / Law Dork:
The unfathomable Minnesota transcript that must be read, as it tells the reality of America today — On Tuesday in Minnesota, a lawyer made headlines — including at Law Dork — for her shocking statement in court representing that government that the “system sucks.”
Discussion:
Balls and Strikes, Law and Chaos, KARE-TV, MPR News, New Republic and The Daily Caller
Kyle Cheney / Politico:
Top Minnesota prosecutor says ICE cases are sidelining ‘pressing priorities’ … In a filing accompanying Rosen's statement, Justice Department attorneys emphasized that the “crushing burden” caused by immigration cases had led U.S. attorneys offices to “shift resources away from other critical priorities, including criminal matters.”
Andrew Solender / Axios:
“Needs to get the hell out”: House Dems fume at Schumer … - “I'm gonna continue to tell you that Schumer needs to get the hell out over and over and over until he does,” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) told Axios. — “He continues to demonstrate to us that he can't meet the moment,” she added.
Discussion:
New York Post, PoliticusUSA, Washington Examiner and Politico
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Arthur Delaney / HuffPost:
Democrats Soften Their Demand To Ban Masks For ICE
Discussion:
Scripps News, NewsMax.com, MS NOW, Raw Story, Breitbart, OutKick, Fox News, The Hill, New York Times and New York Daily News
NBC News:
Read the extended transcript: President Donald Trump interviewed by ‘NBC Nightly News’ anchor Tom Llamas — Trump spoke about immigration, the Fed, artificial intelligence, the economy and more in the February 2026 interview. — Add NBC News to Google — 50:08 — TOM LLAMAS:
Discussion:
emptywheel, Straight Arrow News, New Republic, CBS News, HuffPost, Breitbart, The Gateway Pundit, The Independent, The Daily Caller, The Daily Wire, The Hill, Mediaite and Grabien
RELATED:
Quinnipiac University Poll:
61% Of Voters Think The Trump Administration Has Not Given An Honest Account Of The Fatal Shooting Of Alex Pretti, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds …
61% Of Voters Think The Trump Administration Has Not Given An Honest Account Of The Fatal Shooting Of Alex Pretti, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds …
Discussion:
Fox News, Emerson Polling, Scripps News, Bloomberg, Politico, ABC News, The Hill, NewsNation, Axios, The Independent, Raw Story, PoliticusUSA, Breitbart, NewsMax.com and Political Wire
New York Times:
Brad Karp Resigns as Paul Weiss Chairman Amid Epstein Fallout — The decision followed the release of a series of embarrassing emails between Mr. Karp and Jeffrey Epstein. — Brad Karp, the longtime chairman of Paul Weiss, one of the nation's top corporate law firms …
Discussion:
PR Newswire, The Hill, Above the Law, CNBC and Semafor, more at Mediagazer »
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Financial Times:
Brad Karp to step down as Paul Weiss chair after Epstein revelations — Files released by US Department of Justice detailed his relationship with the child sex offender — Brad Karp is stepping down as chair of Paul Weiss and will be replaced by top deals lawyer Scott Barshay …
Discussion:
New York Post, Raw Story, NewsMax.com and Bloomberg
CIA:
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell — One of CIA's oldest and most recognizable intelligence publications, The World Factbook, has sunset. The World Factbook served the Intelligence Community and the general public as a longstanding, one-stop basic reference about countries and communities around the globe.
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Simon Willison / Simon Willison's Weblog:
Spotlighting The World Factbook as We Bid a Fond Farewell (via) Somewhat devastating news today from CIA: … There's not even a hint as to why they decided to stop maintaining this publication, which has been their most useful public-facing initiative since 1971 and a cornerstone of the public internet since 1997.
Marist Poll:
The Actions of ICE, February 2026 — Americans Increasingly Disapprove of ICE's Actions — Americans have increasingly grown opposed to the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). About two-in-three Americans now say ICE's actions in enforcing immigration laws have gone too far …
Discussion:
NPR and PBS NewsHour
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Jennifer Rubin / The Contrarian:
Voters Want Massive Changes in ICE
Reuters:
Exclusive: US spy chief's office investigated voting machines in Puerto Rico — A team working for President Donald Trump's spy chief, Tulsi Gabbard, last spring led an investigation into Puerto Rico's voting machines, said Gabbard's office and three sources familiar with the previously unreported events.
Discussion:
CNN, Raw Story and The Guardian
Pascal Sabino / Bolts:
Virginia's New Governor Ends ICE Program. Local Contracts Remain, For Now. — Virginia's then-Governor Glenn Youngkin rushed to assist President Trump's deportation agenda last year, ordering the state agencies under his control to join ICE's 287(g) program, which gave them the power to make civil immigration arrests.
Discussion:
NOTUS, WVTF, Cardinal News, KSTP-TV, The Virginian-Pilot, NewsMax.com, RedState, The Daily Caller, Fox News and Washington Post
Jeff Abbott / El Paso Times:
New Mexico Senate approves bill to ban ICE detention centers — A bill bans Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention centers in New Mexico has been approved by state's 2026 Legislature. — The Immigration Safety Act, or House Bill 9, was approved by the Senate on Tuesday, Feb. 3, in an emotional vote.
Discussion:
Raw Story and NewsMax.com
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Natalie Andrews / Wall Street Journal:
Trump Administration to Make It Easier to Fire 50,000 Federal Workers — A rule expected to be completed on Thursday would create a government-employee category that offers fewer job protections — WASHINGTON—The Trump administration is planning to make it easier to discipline …
Discussion:
Reuters, NewsMax.com and Raw Story
Aaron Blake / CNN:
Trump obliterates an aide's efforts to downplay his comments - again — At this point, when an aide or adviser to Donald Trump offers to translate something the president has said, you should probably assume they have no idea what they're talking about. — Trump on Tuesday laid waste …
Discussion:
Raw Story, New York Daily News, The Independent, New York Sun, Fox News, MS NOW, The Nation, Washington Examiner and New York Times
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Matt Cohen / Democracy Docket:
Steve Bannon says ICE will ‘surround the polls’ as Trump doubles down on taking over elections
Steve Bannon says ICE will ‘surround the polls’ as Trump doubles down on taking over elections
Discussion:
MeidasTouch News, Letters from an American, Townhall, HuffPost, The Nation, The Hill, New York Daily News, MS NOW, Politico, Slate, The Guardian, New Republic, Raw Story, The Independent, The Gateway Pundit, Los Angeles Times, Mediaite, Talking Points Memo, Axios, Newsweek, CNN, Syracuse Post-Standard, Meidas+, New York Times and USA Today, more at Mediagazer »
Wall Street Journal:
Negotiators Say Talks to Restore ACA Subsidies Likely Dead — New, higher health-insurance bills are kicking in for many households — WASHINGTON—Top Senate negotiators said that an effort to renew expired healthcare subsidies had effectively collapsed, likely ending the hopes …
Discussion:
KFF, The Hill, Forbes and Nashville Banner
New York Times:
Nuclear Arms Control Era Comes to End Amid Global Rush for New Weapons — Beijing, Moscow and shaken American allies are seeking new warheads as President Trump ends more than a half century of nuclear arms control with Russia. — The deadline has been looming over Washington and Moscow for years.
Discussion:
CNN, Military and Veteran …, The Daily Wire, Al Jazeera, El País, Metro.co.uk, Bloomberg, Reuters, Christian Science Monitor, The Japan Times, Semafor, Fox News, PBS NewsHour, CBS News, 19FortyFive, France 24, Washington Examiner, Axios, The Independent, The Nevada Independent, San Diego Union-Tribune and The Times of Israel
Jill Lawrence / The Bulwark:
Trump and the Kennedy Center: Renaming, Rebuilding, Revolting — IMAGINE A RENAMING SPREE in your town or state. The Donald Trump-Radio City Music Hall. The Donald Trump-Hollywood Bowl. The Donald Trump-Las Vegas Sphere. The Donald Trump Ryman Auditorium. Donald Trump's Red Rocks.
Discussion:
The Daily Beast and MS NOW
Shane Goldmacher / New York Times:
To Win Back the House, Democrats Take the Fight to Deep-Red Areas … When some of the most promising Democrats running for Congress visited Washington for a “candidate week” last fall, the people besieging one of them for photos or brief introductions weren't the usual lobbyists or lawmakers.
Russell Contreras / Axios:
Why young state lawmakers are weighing the exit — Political violence, stagnant pay and family-unfriendly legislatures are pushing Gen Z and Millennial state lawmakers to consider leaving office — even as many say they still believe in public service, a new report finds.
The Hill:
Watch live: Bessent testifies before House on financial stability — Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will appear before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday morning to deliver the annual report from the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which is tasked with identifying and responding to economic risks.
Discussion:
NOTUS, ABC News, Raw Story, CNBC, NewsMax.com, RedState, The Gateway Pundit, Fox News, Townhall, New York Post, Mediaite, The Post Millennial, Bloomberg and Washington Examiner
New York Times:
Man Convicted of Trying to Assassinate Trump Gets Life Sentence — Federal prosecutors told the judge that Ryan Routh had “plotted painstakingly” to ambush Donald J. Trump in 2024 at his golf course near West Palm Beach. — A man who plotted to kill Donald J. Trump at one of his Florida golf courses during …
Politico:
This Supreme Court decision could upend millions in political spending ahead of the midterms. Here's how the parties are preparing. … The court's pending decision could open the floodgates to even more campaign ads from the national parties and extend the timeline of campaign advertising much earlier into the summer.
Yaroslav Trofimov / Wall Street Journal:
A Wargame Shows Just How Vulnerable Europe Is to a Russian Attack — With America disengaging, Russia might be ready for new war much sooner than previously estimated — MARIJAMPOLE, Lithuania—European governments are preparing for war with Russia. A newly released wargame suggests they aren't ready.
Discussion:
Radio Free Europe/Radio … and CBS News
Julianna Bragg / Axios:
Elon Musk and State Department workers to be deposed over DOGE dismantling USAID … - The big picture: The order is a win for the anonymous USAID employees suing over what they say was an unlawful effort by officials of Musk's Department of Government Efficiency to gut the world's largest humanitarian aid organization.
Discussion:
The Independent and NewsMax.com
Tyler Pager / New York Times:
Trump Says His Unpredictable Style Gives Him Leverage. But It Has a Cost. — A year into President Trump's second term, his threats, retreats, twists and turns appear to be wearing on allies and adversaries. — President Trump, who considers himself a master deal maker …
Discussion:
Raw Story
Allie Canal / NBC News:
Trump says he'll stay out of the Netflix-Paramount fight over Warner Bros. — The president's comments to NBC News were a reversal from his December statement that he would be involved in the approval process for Netflix's deal. — Listen to this article with a free account
Discussion:
The Wrap, Forbes, Techdirt, Variety, NewsMax.com, twitchy.com, Washington Examiner, The Hollywood Reporter, Deadline, Bloomberg, CNBC and GV Wire, more at Mediagazer »
Axios:
Scoop: FBI chief heads to Tucson as Trump pledges help to find Savannah Guthrie's mom — FBI Director Kash Patel is heading to Tucson, Arizona, as President Trump deploys federal resources to find “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, per an Federal Bureau of Investigation source.
Discussion:
The Hill, CBS News, IJR, NewsNation, WLT Report, New York Post, Mediaite, FOX 10 Phoenix, Washington Examiner, The Wrap, Raw Story, New York Times, NewsMax.com, Forbes, NBC News, RADAR, Us Weekly, Variety, Deseret News, UPI, Bangor Daily News, The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Mail and Page Six
Garrett M. Graff / Doomsday Scenario:
Six Ways to Reform ICE and CBP — And why congressional “reform” isn't actually the real problem.... In my testimony to the Illinois Accountability Commission last week about the long-running corruption and abuses by CBP and ICE, I concluded with a basic point:
Discussion:
Mother Jones, The Atlantic and The Maine Wire
Carrie Johnson / NPR:
Newly released court records reveal misconduct inquiry into federal judge — New information is emerging that could complicate the retirement last year of a prominent federal judge. — Mark Wolf, 79, retired from the federal district court in Massachusetts last November, after more than 40 years of service.
Discussion:
Reason and Christian Science Monitor
Chris Bradford / New York Post:
JD Vance finally explains his whereabouts during US raid to capture Venezuela despot Nicolas Maduro — Vice President JD Vance has given new details on exactly where he was while his Trump administration colleagues were monitoring the US special forces operation to capture Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro last month.
Discussion:
HuffPost, Washington Times, WLT Report, Townhall, CBS News, Mediaite and NewsMax.com

