Hard-left Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsvDPn4WtSM">spoke about</a> dismantling the Department of Homeland Security at a town hall on Wednesday night, escalating her criticism of federal immigration enforcement.
An audience member asked, “How do we get ICE out of America?”
“What I will say is that there is a [sic] easier conversation happening today than six, seven years ago, when I got to Congress, about what we need to do with ICE, which is to abolish it,” Omar replied. “There is a lot of conversation about what the dismantlement [sic] of the Department of Homeland Security should look like, because right now, the agencies that are put together — do not have accountability in the way that that formation exists. And it&#8217;s very important for us — if we&#8217;re not going to go back, to pre-2002, in looking at how these agencies used to operate, without this level of brutality that we are seeing — then we need to figure out a different system, and that can work for people where little children are not afraid of federal agents trying to carry out the duties they were designated to carry out but instead ended up terrorizing whole communities.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Ilhan Omar says Democrats don’t just want to abolish ICE, they’re already planning how they will dismantle DHS entirely.
OMAR: “There is a lot of conversation about what the dismantlement of the Department of Homeland Security should look like.” <a href="https://t.co/XxPXUUuSPq">pic.twitter.com/XxPXUUuSPq</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/2024325644478218553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, marking the most significant federal reorganization since 1947. The coordinated attacks killed nearly 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000. The Islamic extremist attack on America was orchestrated by Osama bin Laden and the al-Qaeda network.
The attacks involved 19 hijackers — primarily Saudi nationals — seizing four commercial aircraft. Two planes struck the World Trade Center in New York City, and a third hit the Pentagon. A fourth crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attempted to retake control from the hijackers. The attacks exposed critical vulnerabilities in domestic intelligence and aviation security, prompting President George W. Bush to establish the Office of Homeland Security just one month later.
In 2002, the Homeland Security Act formally authorized the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which began operations on March 1, 2003. The new department consolidated 22 federal agencies and roughly 180,000 employees under a single umbrella to centralize:
<ul style="font-weight: 400;">
<li>Counterterrorism: Addressing the specific threat of radicalized extremism.</li>
<li>Border Security: Unifying the CBP and ICE to monitor points of entry.</li>
<li>Intelligence Sharing: Bridging the gaps that allowed the 9/11 plot to go undetected.</li>
<li>Emergency Response: Integrating FEMA for disaster resilience.</li>
</ul>
Today, DHS employs about 260,000 people. While it was created in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, its mission has expanded to include cybersecurity as well as responsibilities related to election integrity.
Despite ongoing political debates over immigration and asylum policies, the DHS remains the federal government’s central agency for integrated homeland defense, ensuring the United States is better prepared for both foreign and domestic threats.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Members Speak To The Press About A Possible Government Shutdown

Ilhan Omar Calls To Abolish ICE, Says DHS ‘Dismantlement’ Is Being Discussed

9/11

Department of Homeland Security

Ilhan Omar

The White House says “the parties are pretty far apart” on reaching a deal to end the lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS is enduring a shutdown confined to its own department, which started on Friday after a continuing resolution expired. The debate moving forward centers on federal immigration enforcement tactics, even though ICE is still largely funded through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” signed by President Donald Trump last year.
“In terms of the written offer that was transmitted from the Democrats, the parties are still pretty far apart. The administration remains interested in good-faith conversations to end the Democrat shutdown before more Americans feel the impacts,” a White House official told The Daily Wire in a statement on background Tuesday.
“But the administration also remains committed to carrying out the President’s promise to enforce federal immigration law,” the official added.
Not only are Democrats and Republicans not seeing eye to eye on how to move forward, Congress is on recess this week, which means that agencies like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard will be without funding for the time being – meaning those essential workers are at risk of going without a paycheck even if they show up to work.
The exact details of the offers sent between Democrats and the White House have been largely private, as Democratic leadership went public with their original list of requests earlier this month, ranging from using judicial warrants for arrests to no longer permitting officers to wear masks while conducting operations.
“This is why there must be a full, independent investigation of every incident that ICE has been involved in,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) posted to X on Friday in response to a Politico article headlined, “ICE says federal agents appear to have lied about confrontation that led to shooting.”
“DHS and this administration cannot be trusted to carry out investigations on their own. And it’s why Democrats are fighting to rein in ICE,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL) blasted Democrats on the Senate floor on Friday, as a second continuing resolution was rejected to keep immigration talks going without risking the department’s funding.
“We want to continue this conversation, but yet you’re penalizing a TSA agent. A TSA agent is gonna go without a paycheck. Why? So that you can posture politically. I’m over it. Everybody on that side of the aisle knows that ICE and CBP will continue to be funded,” the Republican said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homeland-security-shutdown-likely-as-schumer-accuses-trump-admin-of-thuggery?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Homeland+Security+Shutdown+Likely+As+Schumer+Accuses+Trump+Admin+Of+%E2%80%98Thuggery%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
In the fall, the government faced a 43-day shutdown that resulted in a high number of TSA agents calling out, as they were working without pay.
“This one’s very different than the first. First, air traffic controllers are paid. They’ve been funded through the first appropriations bill a couple of weeks ago. That was the big linchpin concern for us in the first one,” President and CEO of Airlines for America, Chris Sununu, told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/could-the-homeland-security-shutdown-impact-your-travel-plans?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Could+The+Homeland+Security+Shutdown+Impact+Your+Travel+Plans%3F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> last week.
There was a second brief government shutdown earlier this month that was averted as part of a deal to split DHS funding from the rest of the spending package, as the rest of the federal government except for DHS remains fully funded through the end of the fiscal year in September.

Senators Meet For Their Weekly Policy Luncheons

Homeland Security Shutdown Continues As ‘Parties Are Pretty Far Apart’ On Deal

Congress

Immigration

Politics

White House

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin will soon leave the Trump administration, a source familiar with her plans told The Daily Wire on Tuesday.
McLaughlin had planned to leave the department in December, but according to POLITICO, stayed on board in the wake of the two fatal shootings in Minneapolis last month.
<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/17/dhs-spokesperson-tricia-mclaughlin-to-leave-trump-administration-00783378" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLITICO</a> first reported the news of McLaughlin&#8217;s departure, saying that she intends to inform colleagues on Tuesday. She will be leaving the department next week.
McLaughlin was a top communications aide on Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s 2024 presidential campaign and on Ohio GOP Governor Mike DeWine&#8217;s, according to POLITICO. She also served in the first Trump administration, working for Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and at the Department of State, where she was tasked with arms control issues.
Lauren Bis, who currently serves as the deputy assistant secretary for media relations at DHS, will step into McLaughlin&#8217;s role as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, according to a source.
News of McLaughlin&#8217;s exit comes just days after the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/chaos-kristi-noem-homeland-security-f095ac95?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdoqYAY21iva280uFyu3A60ncSOX1BQJSGo1epU2ckT5CJ-582aSSTr_-JX3nc%3D&amp;gaa_ts=69948e43&amp;gaa_sig=GQBU8pYBpMhkx6bfWgg5bZbZhXRqZAdcSDV3OPWHNZfIMHBELgMXCt2baAvO42MN94XVLDgGlRe32SPwje2zfA%3D%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> a culture of &#8220;constant chaos&#8221; enduring at DHS under Secretary Kristi Noem, &#8220;who has attempted to burnish her personal stardom at every turn.&#8221; The report also highlighted a purported incident in which a Coast Guard pilot was fired by longtime Trump aide Corey Lewandowski for misplacing the secretary&#8217;s blanket.
It also comes amid a government shutdown largely targeting DHS, as Congressional Democrats attempt to force the Trump administration to meet a laundry list of demands to reform Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
McLaughlin <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dhs-shutdown-drags-4th-day-senate-democrats-block-funding-over-ice-reforms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> on Fox News Sunday to discuss the funding freeze, saying ICE won&#8217;t stop operations during the shutdown because it is a critical federal law enforcement agency.
&#8220;Our immigration enforcement efforts will not be hampered by this in any way,&#8221; McLaughlin said.
The lapse in funding, however, will significantly impact other DHS subagencies, such as TSA, she said.
&#8220;The Democrat politicians here, Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, they are holding the American people&#8217;s national security hostage just in the name of scoring cheap political points, it&#8217;s really nonsensical,&#8221; she said.
When <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2026/01/17/tricia-mclaughlin-dhs-ice-homeland-security-leads-the-nations-immigration-conversation/87185578007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> by the Cincinnati Enquirer recently if she intended to run for office, McLaughlin said she &#8220;wouldn&#8217;t rule anything out.&#8221;
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s going to be a year from now or that&#8217;ll be five years from now,&#8221; McLaughlin said. &#8220;I love Cincinnati. It&#8217;s my home and I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s any place like it.&#8221;
Several top officials at DHS have recently left their posts. That includes former deputy ICE director Madison Sheehan, who resigned last month and subsequently launched a bid for Congress in Ohio.
ICE&#8217;s former spokeswoman, Emily Covington, also recently moved to the Department of Justice.

Tricia McLaughlin

Top DHS Spokeswoman To Leave Trump Administration

Kristi Noem

Trump Administration

Border Czar Tom Homan responded forcefully on Sunday to questions about Department of Homeland Security funding, arguing that Democrat demands on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are unreasonable.
Appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” Homan was asked about which demands from the Democrats he and the Trump administration would consider as the White House and Congress battle over DHS funding.
“Among other things, they&#8217;d like to require immigration agents to show identification, wear body cameras, take off their masks, stop racial profiling, and seek judicial warrants to enter private property. Which, if any, of those asks is the president, are you willing to consider adopting?” host Ed O’Keefe asked.
After noting that he’s not part of the ongoing negotiations, Homan shut down the notion that ICE is racially profiling and argued that many of the requests are non-starters.
“When they say, ‘stop racial profiling,’ that&#8217;s just not occurring. ICE will detain, briefly detain, and question somebody based on reasonable suspicion — [it] has nothing to do with racial profiling,” Homan said.
“As far as a mask … I don&#8217;t like the masks either, but because [assaults] against ICE officers are up over 1,500%, and threats are up over 8,000%, these men and women have to protect themselves,” the border czar added.
Homan further noted that while immigration agents do identify which agency they’re from, they simply don’t provide their names.
“Why don’t they talk about maybe passing legislation to make it illegal to dox agents or something like that,” Homan said. “But the masks right now are for officer safety reasons.”
O’Keefe pressed, noting that law enforcement elsewhere don’t wear masks.
“You know, cops go out every day, everywhere across the country,&#8221; he said, asking why ICE has to &#8220;wear all that and protect themselves when there are others out there wearing badges that don&#8217;t have to do that?”
Homan pushed back strongly.
“I don&#8217;t know of another law enforcement agency in the country that has an 8,000% increase in threats. Just yesterday, the director of ICE, his wife was filmed walking to work, his home address has been doxed, his kids have been doxed and filmed,” Homan said. “And look, let&#8217;s remember why we&#8217;re here. We&#8217;re here because the last four years, over ten million illegal aliens crossed that border, released into this country unvetted. ICE has to do a law enforcement response to deal with the last four years of open borders, where they claim the border was secure every day and it wasn’t.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump administration border czar Tom Homan says some demands by congressional Democrats to reopen the Department of Homeland Security are “unreasonable.”
“They want to say, &#8216;stop racial profiling.&#8217; That&#8217;s just not occurring,” Homan says. He adds “I don’t like the masks” on ICE… <a href="https://t.co/pT5xnHaWf1">pic.twitter.com/pT5xnHaWf1</a>
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/FaceTheNation/status/2023067944717070671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Tom Homan Joins White House Press Briefing

Homan Dismisses Democrat Demands About ICE: ‘These Men And Women Have To Protect Themselves’

Deportations

Illegal Immigration

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Tom Homan

An Irishman who has become the center of the Left&#8217;s campaign against the Trump administration&#8217;s deportations reportedly &#8220;abandoned&#8221; his twin daughters back in Ireland, where he also apparently faces drug charges.
The twin daughters of Irish illegal immigrant Séamus Culleton made the shocking claim in a recent interview with the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15561001/Hes-Irish-illegal-immigrant-claims-hes-victim-Trumps-ICE-crackdown-twin-daughters-home-say-abandoned-toddlers-return-face-drug-charges.html">Irish Daily Mail</a> and are now advocating for his deportation from the United States.
Culleton has become the center of the immigration debate in the United States after he called in to RTE radio to <a href="https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0209/1557514-seamus-culleton-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">decry</a> his conditions in ICE detention as &#8220;torture,&#8221; adding: &#8220;I just don&#8217;t know how much more I can take.&#8221;
His 18-year-old twin daughters, Melissa and Heather Morrissey, told the Irish Daily Mail Sunday that Culleton &#8220;is not the man he seems&#8221; and that his claims of doing &#8220;no wrong&#8221; aren&#8217;t true since he reportedly has drug charges awaiting him in Ireland.
&#8220;I think he should come back here and he should get arrested,&#8221; Heather said.
The girls said Culleton left them in the dust to build a new life in the United States without ever giving &#8220;a penny&#8221; to their mother to support them.
In 2008, Culleton was charged with drug possession with intent for sale or supply, drug possession for personal consumption and obstructing authorities, the Irish Daily Mail recently reported.
Culleton failed to appear in court and he fled the area before a warrant could be issued, according to the report.
He appeared in the same court in April 2008 for being &#8220;extremely drunk&#8221; in public, the paper reported.
&#8220;He was making himself out to be a saint like he’s done nothing wrong, like he knows that there are warrants here for his arrest and that was going to come out,&#8221; Heather said.
&#8220;How did he not know that? He went to the news. People [can] go and find this. … It’s public knowledge.&#8221;
In response to Culleton&#8217;s recent radio call-in, Heather said she felt &#8220;shocked.&#8221;
&#8220;I am sorry now but I just think it’s so funny how he can ring the news and Tiffany [Culleton’s wife] and his sister but couldn’t ring me or my sister,&#8221; Heather said. &#8220;He rang me the first day he got locked up because I asked his sister to ask him to ring me. I had to ask him to ring me.&#8221;
&#8220;He told me that he got detained by ICE … he doesn’t know when he’s going to get out. That was about it. I haven’t heard from him since then,&#8221; she added.
Heather also said she asked Culleton&#8217;s sister to inform him that Melissa was pregnant, but &#8220;my sister hasn&#8217;t heard from him,&#8221; she said.
&#8220;I feel that we were born and he just up and left. He did abandon us. That’s what he did,&#8221; Heather said.
The twins were told that Culleton was their father when they were 12 years old, Heather said.
They were able to text him since they didn&#8217;t receive a reply to their Facebook messages.
&#8220;We then texted him and basically said, &#8216;You never reached out, and we never heard from you&#8217; and all that kind of stuff,&#8221; Heather said.
She continued: &#8220;He just said that he thought we wouldn’t want to hear from him and all that kind of just silly stuff, really. And then we got afraid, in case our mom would see it on our phone. So we just blocked him.&#8221;
When they were about 15 or 16, the twins tried again to reach Culleton, Heather said.
&#8220;He’d be texting on and off, he’d be texting, &#8216;how are you&#8217; and all this. He asked us if we were coming to see him and then I asked him if he was going to come over to see us instead, instead of us going all the way over there, and he said &#8216;no&#8217; and that he was never coming back here,&#8221; she said.
Culleton &#8220;gave us €1,000 each&#8221; for their 18th birthday last year, Melissa said, adding that it was &#8220;only because we contacted him first and asked for a birthday present as a joke.&#8221;
The girls were outraged when they saw Culleton&#8217;s latest fundraising campaign, which has raised more than $30,000 for his legal fees, they said.
They also decried statements from Culleton&#8217;s wife, Tiffany Smyth, an American citizen, who said she wanted her husband home with her and her dogs, which she referred to as her &#8220;babies.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re dogs. I understand people love animals and all that, but he has children. His dogs aren’t his children,&#8221; Heather said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 In today’s Irish Mail on Sunday, we tracked down the estranged daughter’s of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ICE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ICE</a> detainee Seamus Culleton. 
They say he abandoned them as babies, never gave their mother a cent and should come home to face drugs charges. <a href="https://t.co/I3u9vJRIt4">pic.twitter.com/I3u9vJRIt4</a>
— Garreth MacNamee (@garmacnamee) <a href="https://twitter.com/garmacnamee/status/2022952583674106301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
ICE arrested Culleton on Sept. 9, a day before an immigration judge issued him a final deportation order, <a href="https://x.com/8USC12/status/2021375736976900472?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
He entered the United States in 2009 under a visa waiver program that allowed him to stay for a period of 90 days. Culleton, however, never left.
Federal authorities &#8220;offered&#8221; Culleton &#8220;the chance to instantly be removed to Ireland,&#8221; but instead he &#8220;chose to stay in ICE custody,&#8221; DHS said.
&#8220;Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to use the CBP Home app to take control of their departure. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now,&#8221; Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote on X of Culleton&#8217;s case.
&#8220;We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return,&#8221; she added.

96446119_1763056179941270_r

Irish Illegal Alien Claiming ‘Torture’ In ICE Custody Abandoned His Family, Twin Daughters Say

Ireland

World

An illegal immigrant from El Salvador with half a dozen criminal convictions in California was one of the many illegals with serious criminal records arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. 
ICE arrested Jose Lopez-Arevalo, who has convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, vehicle hit-and-run, false imprisonment, grand theft, evading police, and driving under the influence in the San Francisco area. The arrest comes as Democrats look to slash ICE’s ability to combat illegal immigration. 
“Yesterday, the brave men and women of ICE arrested heinous criminal illegal aliens convicted for sex crimes against children, felony battery, and one monster convicted for SIX offenses, including a hit-and-run and grand theft,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told The Daily Wire.
Funding for DHS is set to expire at midnight unless Congress makes a deal. Democrats have issued a series of demands, including changing the warrants used for immigration arrests and banning agents from wearing masks.
Despite the impending funding lapses, ICE has continued to make arrests. According to DHS, others arrested on Thursday included: 
<ul>
<li>Juan Eulises Garcia-Alvarado, an illegal alien from El Salvador, convicted of possessing sexual performance by a child less than 16-years-old in Suffolk County, New York</li>
<li>Martin Rodriguez-Hernandez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Hidalgo County, Texas</li>
<li>Jose Garcia-Acevedo, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of felony battery in Wildwood, Florida</li>
<li>Juventino Madrigal-Oseguera, an illegal alien from Mexico, convicted of conspiring to traffic cocaine in Guilford County, North Carolina</li>
</ul>
“There is absolutely no reason these violent criminals should remain in this country,” McLaughlin said. “While sanctuary politicians and activist judges release criminals into our communities, our law enforcement officers are risking their lives to remove public safety threats from American neighborhoods.”

MixCollage-13-Feb-2026-01-08-PM-8715

ICE Nabs Illegal Alien ‘Monster’ With Six Convictions In California

Illegal Immigation

The Department of Homeland Security will experience a lapse in funding starting at midnight, which will have the most impact on agencies under the DHS umbrella, such as TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard – and it may have a slight impact on American travelers.
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who currently serves as the president and CEO of Airlines for America, told The Daily Wire that he believes this shutdown will not have as drastic of an impact on air travel as the one in the fall, as air traffic controllers are already funded as part of the rest of the government spending package already approved earlier this month.
“This one&#8217;s very different than the first. First, air traffic controllers are paid. They’ve been funded through the first appropriations bill a couple of weeks ago. That was the big linchpin concern for us in the first one,” Sununu said, noting how the system had to “slow” down for safety reasons due to a high number of callouts during the 43-day shutdown last year, saying this now mostly centers on TSA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
“No one&#8217;s going to get an empty paycheck or anything like that, at least until maybe a half paycheck at the end of the month, empty paycheck into March, because the conversations are actually happening between Democrats and the White House, that really wasn&#8217;t happening back in October,” he noted, saying that he’s “very optimistic that they are going to work this thing out.”
For those traveling, he recommends that people “keep an eye” on their upcoming flight plans, especially with Presidents Day on Monday.
“So give yourself a little extra time because it is a holiday week, but right now we don&#8217;t anticipate any significant delays,” Sununu said. “And if there are, the good news is the technology’s there and the public information is there so folks can be given a heads up if they need to give themselves a little more time.”
The former governor did encourage Congress to “find the middle ground” and “stop holding the American people hostage over political disputes,” noting proposed legislation floating that would keep TSA agents and air traffic controllers paid through shutdowns to minimize disruptions for Americans.
Although the department’s shutdown has centered on a push for federal immigration enforcement reforms, much of the funding needed for ICE’s deportation efforts was already secured through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” signed by President Donald Trump in July.
Congress is scheduled to be on recess for the next week as negotiations have moved at a fairly slow pace on Capitol Hill to figure out funding for DHS before the continuing resolution expires on Friday. Democrats have put forth a list of demands for federal immigration enforcement reforms, and the White House has made a counterproposal with few known public details yet.
Meanwhile, some lawmakers of both political parties have flown off to the Munich Security Conference in Germany, although fewer House members were able to go, given that an official taxpayer-funded congressional delegation is unable to occur with the shutdown, according to <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/12/gop-munich-security-conference-shutdown-00779083" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Politico</a>.
“That&#8217;s a little frustrating in itself,” Sununu said. “I mean, look, as a former governor … there are times you can&#8217;t find that middle ground in time, and this is one of them, but you don&#8217;t leave the city. You don&#8217;t leave the country.”
“You can go into your own corners and kind of maybe take a breath, but I don&#8217;t know about this whole everyone running off to Europe thing,” he added, saying that he hopes they will find a compromise on DHS funding when they return.

Travelers At Detroit Metro Airport As TSA Experiences Staff Shortages

Could The Homeland Security Shutdown Impact Your Travel Plans?

Air Travel

Transportation

U.S.

Anti-ICE protests spread to the Winter Olympics in Italy, Nancy Guthrie’s family agrees to pay $6 million in ransom, and The Washington Post staff sees a dramatic downsizing and a shakeup at the top.
It’s Monday, February 9, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-anti-ice-olympics-guthrie-family-will-pay-2-9-26/id1576594336?i=1000748882785" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Anti-ICE Olympics</h2>
The 2026 Winter Olympics have kicked off in Milan, and it has already become a stage for anti-ICE demonstrations by protesters and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/olympians-say-they-have-mixed-emotions-representing-america-under-donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">athletes alike</a>. There has been some unrest and performative activism in Italy regarding ICE agents assigned to the Olympic Games. Homeland Security officers are routinely deployed at major international events to support security and protect Americans. But ICE’s presence this year has been met with <a href="https://x.com/Devin_Heroux/status/2017597319609225512">protests</a> from local left-wing activists. Local officials have been upset, as well. Milan’s mayor referred to ICE as a “militia that kills.” At least one protest in Italy has <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/07/europe/italy-protests-rail-damage-latam-intl">devolved</a> into violence, with agitators firing fireworks and officers responding in force. Opposition to ICE extended beyond locals and reached the Olympic Village. Team USA renamed its camp from the “ICE House” to the “Winter House” to distance itself from the agency. Several athletes used their platforms to condemn ICE worldwide, <a href="https://x.com/Reuters/status/2019867442273460379">including</a> freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis, and figure skater <a href="https://x.com/apinionsvary/status/2020194977930744117">Amber Glenn</a>. President Donald Trump responded directly to Hess on Truth Social. The president <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116035760619414211">called</a> Hess a “real Loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">The Search For Nancy Guthrie: Day 9</h2>
The search for Nancy Guthrie enters its ninth day with an active weekend at both the 84-year-old’s home and her daughter&#8217;s house nearby. On Sunday afternoon, authorities returned to Guthrie’s home. There were two Pima County sheriff’s deputies searching the grounds, focusing on the backyard. It appeared they were searching a septic tank. On Saturday, law enforcement spent at least three hours at Annie Guthrie&#8217;s home, where Nancy ate dinner the night of her disappearance. Officials say they don&#8217;t have any suspects or any persons of interest. But Savannah Guthrie <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/guthrie-says-family-received-message-will-pay-ransom-for-mother-nancy">released</a> a new video over the weekend. “We received your message, and we understand,” she said in a video released on Saturday night. “We beg you now to return our mother to us, so we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.” She added that the family “will pay” a ransom.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">WaPo Bloodbath</h2>
Former Washington Post employees protested outside the legacy outlet’s headquarters after mass layoffs left them unemployed. Over the weekend, the company saw another high-profile departure – its publisher has now <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/washington-post-ceo-steps-down-days-after-mass-layoffs">stepped down</a> days after the media company cut roughly 30% of its staff, about 300 employees. The Post announced Saturday that its publisher, Will Lewis, is out. He wrote a short note to staff in which he said all the changes he had helped make were intended to ensure a “sustainable future” for the outlet. He also made a point of praising owner Jeff Bezos, who is being criticized by many of the terminated employees. Bezos has been hammering the same sustainability message, and framing this moment as an “extraordinary opportunity” to fulfill the Post’s “essential journalistic mission.” He said, “Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus.”

MRN_260209_V3

Morning Brief: Anti-ICE Olympics, Nancy Guthrie Search Day 9, & WaPo Layoff Fallout

Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Morning Wire

Nancy Guthrie

Olympics

Washington Post

Federal immigration agents in several areas of the country have been instructed to stop conducting &#8220;roving patrols,&#8221; where they approach individuals to inquire about their immigration status, multiple Department of Homeland Security sources told The Daily Wire.
In recent days, some Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers making arrests across the country have been told to no longer conduct what are known as &#8220;consensual encounters,&#8221; where feds initiate a voluntary conversation with an individual to determine if they&#8217;re in the country illegally. ICE began employing the tactic as the Trump administration ramped up its mass deportation campaign.
Border Patrol has long used it along the border to catch contraband, illicit goods, or illegal immigrants smuggled into the country.
Ending the tactic is a key demand of congressional Democrats amid ongoing negotiations over funding the Department of Homeland Security. It also comes as President Donald Trump admitted this week that his immigration enforcement efforts may need a “softer touch” following the recent fatal shootings of two anti-ICE activists in Minneapolis.
A formal sweeping policy change on &#8220;roving patrols&#8221; has yet to come down.
ICE sources gave mixed reviews after receiving the orders.
&#8220;Consensual encounters work because we can talk to anyone, and a lot of people that we &#8216;encountered&#8217; are illegal with criminal records,&#8221; one ICE source told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;Targeted arrests are the norm for ICE operations. The consensual encounter approach was hard for a lot of officers who don&#8217;t have the prior Border Patrol experience and [for] quickly determining alienage. I have no problem doing either,&#8221; a second ICE source said.
Another ICE source explained that while &#8220;targeted&#8221; arrests are &#8220;fine,&#8221; they only help track down the illegal immigrants officers &#8220;know about&#8221; since they&#8217;re already on their target lists, adding, &#8220;What about the ones we don&#8217;t [know about]?&#8221;
The Daily Wire reached out to DHS for comment and received a statement from a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson, who said &#8220;no such order was given,&#8221; and that &#8220;CBP will continue to enforce the law in Minneapolis, just as they do across the country.&#8221;
&#8220;Authority under 8 USC [United States Code] 1357 and of course reasonable suspicion are protected by the U.S. Constitution,&#8221; the spokesperson added.
However, the question was about ICE, an agency separate from CBP.
DHS later responded to a follow-up question about any orders given to ICE officers, saying that ICE &#8220;conducts targeted operations to remove public safety threats from this country — any individual illegally in the country is on the table.&#8221;
“There is only one page: the President&#8217;s page. Everyone&#8217;s on the same page,&#8221; the department said.
On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said ending roving patrols was a key demand of Democrats.
&#8220;You can&#8217;t just pick someone up on the street and put them in a dark prison without any kind of warrant. You can&#8217;t bust someone&#8217;s door down without any kind of warrant. That&#8217;s the Constitution, yet that&#8217;s what&#8217;s going on despicably on the streets of Minnesota and other places,&#8221; Schumer <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V6sNYB7ORI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> MSNOW&#8217;s Morning Joe.
Among Democrats&#8217; long list of demands is for federal immigration agents to wear body cameras.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced this week that all federal immigration agents in Minneapolis would receive body-worn cameras and that the Trump administration hopes to do the same nationwide, pending funding.
Federal agents drew backlash for conducting &#8220;consensual encounters&#8221; in Los Angeles when Border Patrol agents showed up at a Home Depot in the City of Angels over the summer. What followed were days of violent protests, where anti-ICE activists blocked highways, set cars ablaze, and hurled concrete blocks at the feds.
A legal battle erupted over the action, which ended with the Supreme Court ruling that ultimately <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/supreme-court-ends-restrictions-on-la-immigration-stops-set-after-agents-swept-up-u-s-citizens" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lifted</a> a lower court&#8217;s restraining order against the roving patrols in Los Angeles.
<div id="attachment_1039867" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1039867" class="size-medium wp-image-1039867" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2249201230-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2249201230-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2249201230-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2249201230-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/02/GettyImages-2249201230.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />(Photo by Madison Thorn/Anadolu via Getty Images)</div>
In Minneapolis, similar changes have been made with the arrival of border czar Tom Homan last week. Trump put Homan at the helm of Minneapolis immigration raids, replacing Border Patrol&#8217;s Gregory Bovino, who was known for conducting aggressive &#8220;roving patrols.&#8221;
Homan directed federal agents operating in the Twin Cities to focus on &#8220;targeted&#8221; arrests of illegal immigrants with the worst rap sheets. He has also said that the directive doesn&#8217;t exempt people whose sole crime is being in the country illegally.

Federal Agents Descend On Minneapolis For Immigration Enforcement Operations

Some ICE Agents Ordered To Cut Back On Deportation Tactic Targeted By Dems, Sources Say

Some ICE Agents Told To Stop Conducting Roving Patrols, A Key Demand Of Democrats

Border Patrol

Negotiations on potential restrictions for federal immigration enforcement are already off to a rocky start in Congress, as they face a Feb. 13 deadline or a lapse in funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
On Wednesday night, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) released their list of ten requests: “targeted enforcement,&#8221; ending of masking for officers, more public identification of authorities, “body cameras for accountability,” use of force restrictions, and greater “state and local coordination and oversight” are among the asks. Much of the funding for the administration&#8217;s goals on immigration was already approved in the &#8220;One Big Beautiful Bill Act&#8221; last year, but Democrats are hoping to use the recent tensions as leverage to shift policy – as DHS also holds other key agencies that are not immigration-related, including FEMA and TSA.
Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL), who’s considered a key negotiator in the Senate, slammed some of the suggestions as outlandish.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEWS — Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries release 10 policy demands in ICE funding fight, in letter to GOP leaders: <a href="https://t.co/M3cInciKYT">pic.twitter.com/M3cInciKYT</a>
— Stephen Neukam (@stephen_neukam) <a href="https://twitter.com/stephen_neukam/status/2019236836636500411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
“Democrats’ newest proposal is a ridiculous Christmas list of demands for the press. This is NOT negotiating in good faith, and it’s NOT what the American people want,” Britt posted to X on Wednesday.
“They continue to play politics to their radical base at the expense of the safety of Americans,” she added. “DHS, FEMA, Secret Service, and the Coast Guard run out of money in 9 days. Democrats don’t seem to care one bit.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) also brushed off the demands made by Democratic leadership.
“It’s totally unrealistic, their demand list went from 3 items to 10 items,” Thune told <a href="https://x.com/BillMelugin_/status/2019431486307406008?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>. “It just shows you they’re not serious. There’s a bunch of stuff in there that’s a non-starter, and they know it. Maybe they had to put it in there to satisfy MoveOn or some of their left-wing special interest groups.”
The original requests included a move away from administrative warrants to judicial warrants for arrests, no more roving patrols, an end to masking for officers, and more rules as it pertains to how force is used. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-how-democrats-could-cripple-ice-without-defunding-dhs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported that a change in the type of warrants used could make some immigration arrests exceedingly difficult.
The government dealt with a brief shutdown that ended Tuesday, as the House had to go back and pass amended appropriations bills after the White House and Senate Democrats agreed to split DHS funding from the rest of the federal government’s funding.
The push for the funding split came after the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, which resulted in numerous other changes made in how the Trump administration approached the end of Operation Metro Surge in the region, leading to the arrests of thousands of people in the country illegally. White House Border Czar Tom Homan announced on Wednesday that 700 agents are headed out as part of a “drawdown” effort.
“We currently have an unprecedented number of counties communicating with us now and allowing ICE to take custody of illegal aliens before they hit the streets, unprecedented cooperation. And I’ll say it again, this is efficient, it requires only one or two officers to assume custody of a criminal alien target rather than eight or ten officers going into the community and arresting that public safety threat,” Homan said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/homan-strikes-deal-in-minnesota-yanks-hundreds-of-immigration-officers?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Homan+Strikes+Deal+In+Minnesota%2C+Yanks+Hundreds+Of+Immigration+Officers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“More officers taking custody of criminal aliens directly from the jails means less officers on the street doing criminal operations. This is smart law enforcement, not less law enforcement. This is safer for the community, safer for the officers, and safer for the alien,” he said.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-mass-deportation-campaign-could-use-softer-touch-after-minneapolis-shootings?author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+Mass+Deportation+Campaign+Could+Use+%E2%80%98Softer+Touch%E2%80%99+After+Minneapolis+Shootings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Donald Trump</a> told NBC News on Wednesday night that he “learned that maybe we can use a little bit of a softer touch” after the sky-high tensions in Minneapolis amid anti-ICE protests.
“But you still have to be tough. These are criminals. We’re dealing with really hard criminals,” he added.

U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-AL)

Homeland Security Negotiations Off To Rocky Start In Congress: ‘Ridiculous Christmas List’

U.S. Senate

An expected Senate vote on a package to avert a government shutdown was scrapped on Thursday night after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) objected to the removal of a provision allowing senators to sue if their phone records were snooped on. 
Graham’s opposition came after the White House and Senate Democrats <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-and-senate-dems-strike-deal-ahead-of-government-shutdown?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=White+House+And+Senate+Dems+Strike+Deal+Ahead+Of+Government+Shutdown">reached a deal</a> to separate out funding for the Department of Homeland Security from five appropriation bills previously approved by the House. As senators prepared to vote, Graham met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to discuss the agreement. 
“We’re not voting tonight,” Graham said Thursday night after leaving Thune’s office, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/5714316-senate-government-funding-shutdown/">reported</a>. 
Part of Graham’s objection stemmed from the House vote to repeal a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shutdown-deal-packs-a-surprise-as-republicans-strike-back-after-phone-snooping">provision tucked</a> into the continuing resolution passed in November that allowed senators to sue for damages if the government accessed their records without their knowledge. That provision was added after it was revealed that the FBI had analyzed the metadata of phone calls from several congressional Republicans as part of the investigation into President Donald Trump following the January 6 attack. 
“What senator wouldn’t want notification that they’re looking at your phone?” Graham said. 
“I fixed the problem that people had. I’m not going to ignore what happened. If you were abused, you think you were abused, your phone records were illegally seized — you should have your day in court,” he added. “Every senator should want to make sure this never happens again.”
After the passage of the continuing resolution in November, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) promised a vote on repealing the provision, saying that it should apply to all Americans, not just senators. The House followed through earlier this month, repealing the measure as part of the appropriations package it passed. 
Graham also said he opposed separating out funding for DHS.
“The cops need us right now,” he said. “They’re being demonized. They’re being spat upon. They can’t sleep at night.“
Thune said Thursday that he was hopeful that the Senate would be able to vote on the White House-backed deal. The government will shut down at midnight on Friday without any further funding. 
“Hopefully by sometime tomorrow we’ll be in a better spot,” Thune <a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/01/30/congress/shutdown-deal-lindsey-graham-dhs-00756840">said</a> on Thursday. “Tomorrow’s another day, and hopefully people will be in a spirit to try and get this done.”
Trump urged lawmakers on Thursday to support the deal with Democrats to pass the appropriations bill and a two-week extension of Homeland Security funds to allow time for negotiations.
“Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before),” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”

Senate Works On Passage Of Government Spending Bill To Avert Longterm Government Shutdown

Senate Delays Shutdown Deal After Lindsey Graham Objects

Government Shutdown

John Thune

Lindsey Graham

Senate

The White House and Senate Democrats have struck a deal on funding on the eve of a partial government shutdown.
The agreement hit a snag on Thursday night, however, as senators did not hold a vote and they went home around 11 pm. According to POLITICO, the chamber hopes to pass the deal on Friday, but there are no votes scheduled yet.
The deal includes separating funding for the Department of Homeland Security from five other appropriations bills, all previously approved by the House, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) office told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-news-01-29-26?post-id=cmkzuzwml000f3b6p8b0rkied">CNN</a>. The passage of the other five appropriations bills will ensure that almost all of the government remains funded through September.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security will be approved on a short-term basis in a continuing resolution due to run out after two weeks. In that two weeks, lawmakers are expected to negotiate over reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-says-democrats-are-getting-close-deal-resolve-shutdown-fight-rcna256507">NBC News</a>.
President Donald Trump urged lawmakers to pass the reformed spending package in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115980912926614287">post</a> on Truth Social on Thursday evening.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay,” the president said.
“Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before). Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan &#8216;YES&#8217; Vote,” he continued.
After the deal was reached between the White House and Schumer, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) began to take steps to vote on the package on Thursday night. Funding for the portions of the government under the six appropriations bills is set to run out on Friday at 11:59 p.m. EST.
The government is still expected to fall into a partial shutdown on Friday at midnight even with the deal, though the impact of the partial shutdown should be minimal as it is expected to only last the weekend. The new spending package must be passed again in the House, which is not scheduled to be back in session until Monday.
The fight over Homeland Security funding exploded this week, spurred on by <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/alex-pretti-attacked-immigration-enforcement-days-before-fatal-shooting-video-shows?author=Tim+Pearce&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Alex+Pretti+Attacked+Immigration+Enforcement+Days+Before+Fatal+Shooting%2C+Video+Shows">controversy</a> over immigration enforcement in Minnesota after the shooting deaths of two Americans, Renee Goode and Alex Pretti. Senate Democrats have refused to pass funding for the department that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border and Customs Protection without reforms.
The last government shutdown lasted a record-breaking 43 days, from the beginning of October to mid-November 2025. The primary issue that led to the shutdown was the renewal of Affordable Care Act subsidies. The House passed an extension in early January, but the Senate hasn&#8217;t voted on the issue yet, while health care premiums for many Americans have increased.

Chuck Schumer, Donald Trump

White House And Senate Dems Strike Deal Ahead Of Government Shutdown

Donald Trump

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