WASHINGTON—The partial government shutdown is in full swing after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House agreed to pass five funding bills separate from contentious Department of Homeland Security funding.
The majority of the federal government <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/senate-reaches-funding-deal-with-shutdown-still-set-to-begin-at-midnight?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Senate+Reaches+Funding+Deal%2C+With+Shutdown+Still+Set+To+Begin+At+Midnight">shut down</a> at midnight on February 1, after the Senate voted to carve Homeland Security funding out of its spending bill, which has yet to pass the House of Representatives. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on “Meet the Press” Sunday that he’s confident the shutdown will be brief, and he’s hoping to see it end by Tuesday.
“Our intention is by Tuesday, all agencies of the federal government, except for that one, and then we’ll have two weeks of good faith negotiations, to figure it out,” Johnson said. &#8220;Republicans are going do the responsible thing and fund the government.&#8221;
But it is unclear how many House Democrats will back the spending package, given that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) was not part of the deal between the White House and Schumer, saying in a statement on Friday that the caucus “will evaluate the spending legislation passed by the Senate on its merits and then decide how to proceed legislatively.”
The House Rules Committee is set to meet Monday afternoon in hopes to move the package forward. The new deal swaps DHS funding for a continuing resolution that covers money for the agency through Feb. 13, whereas the other bills covered funds through the end of the fiscal year in September.
Homeland Security funding became a flashpoint for Democrats after the killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis. Democrats are calling for sweeping changes to the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration policies, with some going so far as to call for the total defunding of Homeland Security.
Their defunding efforts may be fruitless, as the immigration agencies were largely funded by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Still, Democrats seem hopeful that they can leverage the entire department’s funding, which includes the budgets of FEMA and TSA, to push for reform. Schumer and other Democrats are asking for sweeping changes to ICE and Border Patrol, including the ending of masking for agents and the use of judicial warrants as opposed to administrative ones, which could make some arrests much more difficult, <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.
“There is currently not a structure in the federal government to add millions of judicial immigration warrants,&#8221; a federal official told The Daily Wire. &#8220;This effort is being pushed to roadblock the deportation agenda of the president.&#8221;
Prior to Pretti&#8217;s death, the House had approved all of the government spending bills and sent them to the Senate. There are 12 appropriations bills in total, six of which President Donald Trump has already signed.

Mike Johnson

Partial Government Shutdown Fully Underway As Congress Takes Up Spending Bills

Chuck Schumer

Congress

Government Shutdown

Immigration

Senate

The Senate could still strike a deal to avert a government shutdown, as reports indicate that Republicans are warming up to the possibility of splitting Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader spending package. As of Thursday morning, lawmakers are also considering a short-term continuing resolution to fund DHS, which would allow negotiations to proceed without triggering an immediate lapse in funding.
The House is currently out of session after passing six crucial spending bills to keep the government open last week, but the debate over DHS funding has become central to a potential shutdown. The issue was thrust into the national spotlight following the fatal Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Democrats are calling for restrictions on the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said “we’re getting closer” to reaching an agreement that would avert a shutdown, according to the <a href="https://x.com/DISivak/status/2016899710854836519?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington Examiner</a>.
“My hope and expectation is that if the White House and Senate Dems, they work this out, that they&#8217;ll be able to produce the votes that are necessary to get it passed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration has been eager to avoid another government shutdown like last year&#8217;s, when Democrats stalled funding negotiations while pushing to extend pandemic-era Affordable Care Act subsidies, a demand that ultimately went unmet.
A White House official told The Daily Wire on background Thursday that “President Trump has been consistent – he wants the government to remain open, and the Administration has been working with both parties to ensure the American people don’t have to endure another shutdown.”
“A shutdown would risk disaster response funding and more vital resources for the American people,” the statement continued.
As of Thursday morning, details of a potential continuing resolution remain scarce, and even if an agreement is reached, a broader fight is likely to erupt in Congress over what conditions, if any, should be attached to DHS funding. The debate would give lawmakers in both parties an opportunity to advance their priorities.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) unveiled his wishlist for immigration policy reforms on Wednesday, calling for an end to masking by federal immigration officers, stopping “roving patrols,” and greater transparency of officers&#8217; identities.
“No more anonymous agents. No more secret operatives,” Schumer said, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schumer-makes-bold-immigration-enforcement-demands-as-shutdown-odds-increase?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Schumer+Makes+Bold+Immigration+Enforcement+Demands+As+Shutdown+Odds+Increase" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“These are common-sense reforms – ones that Americans know and expect from law enforcement,” he further added.
In the House, Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) warned Democrats on Wednesday against forcing a government shutdown, noting that the spending bills have already passed the lower chamber.
“The facts are simple. These bills were fully negotiated and sent to Democrats in both the House and Senate in the exact form they requested. That was the deal they asked for – and that was the deal they received. Do Democrats really want to shut down the government for the second time in three months? And with what result?&#8221; Cole stated.
&#8220;A partial government shutdown or continuing resolution does not achieve their objective. It actually gives Congress less authority – and resources for ICE body-worn cameras and deescalation training are lost. What this moment calls for is reason and responsibility, even if it is politically inconvenient,&#8221; he continued, noting the impact a shutdown will have on FEMA, military, and air travel, saying that &#8220;breaking a negotiated agreement is not leadership – it is abdication.&#8221;

Senators Hold Their Policy Luncheons At The Capitol

Here’s How Congress Could Avert A Shutdown Amid DHS Funding Fight

homeland security

John Thune

A group of protesters clashed with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on Wednesday outside of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement family detention center, where a 5-year-old boy, who has made headlines, is being held with his suspected illegal immigrant father.
At least two protesters were arrested as troopers attempted to clear the crowd of around 150 people who were blocking a road outside of the South Texas Family Residential Center near Dilley, Texas. Law enforcement officers deployed tear gas and shoved the crowd back, a <a href="https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2026/01/28/protesters-detained-hit-by-tear-gas-outside-dilley-family-detention-facility/">video</a> from ABC&#8217;s San Antonio affiliate KSAT shows.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said that it sent troopers to the facility &#8220;at the request of the City of Dilley.&#8221;
“During today’s response, after dispersal orders were given, approximately 150 demonstrators refused to leave and began to breach the established protest barrier and spit on officers,” the department said. “Despite continued orders to disperse, the group remained and DPS took less-lethal action, deploying pepper ball grenades and pepper ball projectiles to ensure officer safety and maintain order. DPS personnel arrested two individuals on various charges, including resisting arrest and interfering with public duties.”
The demonstrators showed up outside the ICE detention facility to protest federal authorities holding a 5-year-old Ecuadorian boy after his father was arrested during the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota. A picture of the boy standing with federal agents went viral last week, with many on the Left pointing to the incident as an example of ICE cruelty.
The Department of Homeland Security said that the young child was &#8220;abandoned&#8221; by his father, Adrian Alexander Conejo Arias, when Conejo Arias allegedly attempted to flee from federal agents.
&#8220;For the child’s safety, one of our ICE officers remained with the child while the other officers apprehended Conejo Arias,&#8221; Homeland Security added. &#8220;Parents are asked if they want to be removed with their children, or ICE will place the children with a safe person the parent designates. This is consistent with past administration’s immigration enforcement.&#8221;
A Minnesota pastor told CNN that the child&#8217;s mother feared going outside to get her child because of ICE&#8217;s presence. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, however, said that federal agents &#8220;assured [the mother] she would NOT be taken into custody.&#8221;
&#8220;The alleged mother refused to accept custody of the child. The father told officers he wanted the child to remain with him,&#8221; McLaughlin added.
On Tuesday, a federal judge <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-blocks-ice-from-deporting-minnesota-man-5-year-old-son">blocked</a> the Trump administration from deporting the boy and his father.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN) blasted ICE and those who support the agency after the story of the 5-year-old boy went viral. Craig claimed that ICE &#8220;used&#8221; the 5-year-old to &#8220;lure his father out.&#8221;
&#8220;This is the worst of the damn worst,&#8221; Craig added. &#8220;This is not humanity in Minnesota, folks. If you can look at this 5-year-old and actually with a straight face still support [ICE] and be silent in the face of what the Trump administration and Kristi Noem [are] doing, I just can&#8217;t even believe this is America. I will not vote for a damn penny to Kristi Noem or ICE in this Congress.&#8221;
Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, who has opposed President Donald Trump on some issues, has defended ICE in recent weeks. When addressing the Camp East Montana ICE facility in El Paso earlier this month, Cornyn said that people “are treated humanely” at the facility.
The controversy over ICE holding the 5-year-old boy has further inflamed tensions in Minnesota over Trump&#8217;s immigration enforcement in the state. Chaos erupted on the streets over the weekend after Border Patrol agents shot and killed anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti. The shooting and the political fallout resulted in President Trump making changes to his strategy in Minnesota, sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to the state to take charge of the operation.
The move effectively sidelined Homeland Security Secretary Noem, and Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino was reassigned after leading the Minnesota enforcement operation for the past month.
During a press conference on Thursday, Homan said the Trump administration was working on drafting a &#8220;drawdown plan&#8221; to reduce the number of immigration agents in Minnesota.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-ice-agent-fatally-shoots-agitator-as-chaos-erupts-in-minneapolis?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+%E2%80%98You%E2%80%99re+Never+Off+The+Table%E2%80%99%3A+Homan+Says+U.S.+Needs+To+Send+Strong+Message+To+Illegals">LIVE UPDATES: ‘You’re Never Off The Table’: Homan Says U.S. Needs To Send Strong Message To Illegals</a>
This article has updated to state that Sen. Cornyn was speaking about an ICE facility in El Paso, not the facility near Dilley, as was previously reported.

Protesters Clash With Troopers Outside Of ICE Family Detention Center Holding 5-Year-Old Boy

Protesters Clash With Troopers Outside Of ICE Family Detention Facility Where 5-Year-Old Boy Is Held

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Minneapolis

Minnesota

Protesters

Texas

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) announced Thursday morning that she is running for governor of Minnesota in hopes of becoming Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s successor.
Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, opted not to seek a third term after being embroiled in Medicaid fraud scandals in the state, which have garnered national attention.
“Minnesota, we’ve been through a lot,” she said in her campaign launch video opening her remarks, highlighting the recent tensions with federal immigration authorities as well as the June 2025 murders of two high-profile Democratic state lawmakers.
“I’m asking Democrats, independents, and Republicans to join our campaign – it is a homegrown one born in a moment like no other. It is for people who believe in something bigger than ourselves,” the senator, who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, continued.
Assuming Klobuchar clinches the Democratic nomination, she could face a general election contest against Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth or MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, both of whom are seeking the Republican nomination.
The <a href="https://www.cookpolitical.com/ratings/governor-race-ratings">Cook Political Report</a> ranks the race as “Likely Democrat.” A Klobuchar victory would also create a vacancy in Minnesota&#8217;s U.S. Senate delegation, allowing her to appoint an interim replacement until a special election is held. Klobuchar was re-elected to the Senate in 2024 with more than 56% of the vote, defeating Republican Royce White, a former NBA player.
There’s already a closely watched Senate race in the state with the retirement of Democratic Sen. Tina Smith, as Rep. Angie Craig and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are in a heated Democratic primary, and former sports reporter Michele Tafoya and White are seeking the Republican nomination. The contest is currently ranked “Likely Democrat,” but it’s caught the attention of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is backing Tafoya.
The electoral fireworks come at a serious moment for the state. Border czar Tom Homan has taken charge of Operation Metro Surge following the controversial fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents. The surge has led to widespread arrests of illegal immigrants and sparked protests, legal challenges, and sharp criticism from state and local officials who are calling for the federal presence to be scaled back.
Democratic leaders, such as Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Walz, have been at odds with the Trump administration over how to tackle immigration enforcement in the state.

Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate In Charleston Ahead Of SC Primary

Amy Klobuchar Jumps Into Governor’s Race As Minnesota Remains Under Federal Scrutiny

Amy Klobuchar

Fraud

Tim Walz

The partisan battle lines are being drawn as a federal government shutdown on Friday appears increasingly likely.
Democrats have said that they want the DHS funding bill separate from other spending bills, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a list of immigration-related demands on Wednesday during a press conference on Capitol Hill, including no more masking of agents, no “roving patrols,” and more accountability measures like body cameras and clearer identification of authorities.
“No more anonymous agents. No more secret operatives,” he said, claiming that Democrats are “united” behind the proposals.
“These are common-sense reforms – ones that Americans know and expect from law enforcement,” Schumer continued.
“Let me be clear: Democrats stand ready today to pass the five bipartisan bills in the Senate, but the DHS bill needs serious work,” he said. Some Democrats were invited to the White House to discuss ways to avert a shutdown, but they did not take the offer up, according to <a href="https://x.com/AlexMillerFox1/status/2016614243462713633?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a>.
In addition, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) has posted on X that he will not support DHS funding until key Trump adviser Stephen Miller is fired from the White House. Many Democrats and a small number of Trump-critical Republicans, such as Sens. Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Thom Tillis (NC), have publicly stated they would like to see leadership changes made following the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis amid Homeland Security&#8217;s Operation Metro Surge.
As for Republicans, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) indicated that there is some GOP support for separating the DHS funding component from the other spending bills needed to keep the federal government funded, according to <a href="https://x.com/alexanderbolton/status/2016596283197194658?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hill</a>.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said a lot of the discussion about dividing up the spending bills to isolate the DHS funds is “all hypotheticals at this point. And I would reserve optionality to consider that,” <a href="https://x.com/ChadPergram/status/2016599586626760706?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> reported.
“But I think the best path forward, as I said, is to keep the package intact [&#8230;] if the bill goes back to the House of Representatives [&#8230;] who knows what happens with it over here,” he continued. However, the lawmaker said he wants to get the six spending bills approved without the legislation needing to go back to the House, which is out of session this week anyway.
Earlier this week, Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) pushed back against the possibility of a “mob veto” by Democrats, as the administration warns that a lapse in funding will harm the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Much of the funding for the president’s immigration goals was already signed into law in July under the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
If the government does close, it would be the second time in just three months — and some are still recovering from the nation’s longest government shutdown, which lasted for 43 days in the fall. That shutdown revolved around Affordable Care Act subsidies — and a solution still has not been reached on that front.

US Government Shutdown Looms With Trump, Democrats At Odds

Schumer Makes Bold Immigration Enforcement Demands As Shutdown Odds Increase

President Donald Trump blasted Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) as “losers” after the two Republicans called for the removal of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid scrutiny over Minneapolis immigration operations that resulted in the fatal shooting of a leftist protester.
&#8220;Well, they&#8217;re both losers. You know, what can I tell you? They&#8217;re terrible senators. One is gone and the other should be gone,&#8221; he told <a href="https://x.com/rachelvscott/status/2016487301942022340?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a> on Wednesday morning, referring to Tillis&#8217;s announcement last year that he would not seek re-election.
&#8220;In the meantime, I have a border that&#8217;s perfect – the strongest, one of the strongest borders anywhere in the world. We went from the weakest border in the world to one of the strongest borders in the world,” the president added. “So what Murkowski says –  she&#8217;s always against the Republicans anyway. And Tillis decided to drop out. So you know, he lost his voice once he did that.&#8221;
On Tuesday, the president said “no” outright when asked whether Noem would step down and that he stood by her performance, echoing similar sentiments about the border now being much calmer than under the Biden administration.
Murkowski and Tillis have at times openly criticized the president, breaking with much of the GOP, as Democrats have predictably called for Noem&#8217;s removal in recent days.
“We would be better served with new leadership at [the] department,” Murkowski told <a href="https://x.com/mychaelschnell/status/2016301844809580658?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MS NOW</a>, noting that it’s ultimately up to the president to decide.
A DHS spokesperson slammed Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) after he called for Noem to be “immediately fired” on Tuesday.
“DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don’t like those laws, changing them is literally their job,” the department said in a statement to The Daily Wire.
Still, a government shutdown looms as a larger fight over DHS funding brews — and Democrats in Congress have indicated that a change in leadership is not enough to change course, instead hoping for serious immigration policy changes.
Several Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, have urged Senate Republicans to separate DHS funding from the broader spending package to limit the impact of a potential shutdown, a move widely viewed as unlikely to succeed. Any changes to DHS funding or other provisions would require the legislation to return to the House of Representatives, which has already approved the spending bills and is out of session this week. Even if the Senate reaches an agreement on amended legislation, the House&#8217;s absence makes a government shutdown on Friday increasingly likely.
The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti intensified internal debates over leadership and execution of Trump’s immigration agenda over the weekend, prompting the White House to deploy border czar Tom Homan to Minneapolis. Homan was tasked with coordinating and communicating with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, on a path forward in the region.
Trump told ABC News, “We’d like to finish the job and finish it well, and I think we can do it in a de-escalated form. A lot of the hardest work is already done.” However, he warned in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that Frey is “PLAYING WITH FIRE,” to which Frey replied on X that “the job of [Minneapolis] police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws.”
DHS’ Operation Metro Surge has resulted in thousands of arrests of people in the country illegally, including those with other criminal charges and convictions.

UK Hosts President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump For State Visit – Day Three

Trump Fires Back At GOP ‘Losers’ Demanding Noem’s Removal

Kristi Noem

President Donald Trump issued a strong warning to Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey on Wednesday morning after the mayor doubled down on refusing to cooperate with federal immigration agents.
After speaking with Trump by phone on Monday and meeting with border czar Tom Homan on Tuesday, Frey <a href="https://x.com/MayorFrey/status/2016241048209518736">said</a> Minneapolis would not cooperate in enforcing federal immigration laws. Trump blasted the mayor over the remark, which he called &#8220;a very serious violation of the Law.&#8221;
&#8220;Surprisingly, Mayor Jacob Frey just stated that, &#8216;Minneapolis does not, and will not, enforce Federal Immigration Laws.&#8217; This is after having had a very good conversation with him,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115972940749866695">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;Could somebody in his inner sanctum please explain that this statement is a very serious violation of the Law, and that he is PLAYING WITH FIRE!&#8221;
Frey <a href="https://x.com/MayorFrey/status/2016517831538446802">shot back</a> at Trump on Wednesday morning, saying, &#8220;The job of our police is to keep people safe, not enforce fed immigration laws. I want them preventing homicides, not hunting down a working dad who contributes to [Minneapolis] &amp; is from Ecuador. It’s similar to the policy your guy Rudy [Giuliani] had in NYC. Everyone should feel safe calling 911.&#8221;
Democrat-run Minneapolis has long been considered a &#8220;sanctuary city&#8221; as it has enacted laws limiting how local authorities can work with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Minneapolis revised its &#8220;<a href="https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Download/FileV2/52757/Revised%20Separation%20Ordinance.pdf">separation ordinance</a>&#8221; in December to state that the city would &#8220;vigorously oppose any effort to require the use of city resources for the enforcement of civil federal immigration laws.&#8221; The revised ordinance also states that city property and facilities cannot be used to enforce federal immigration laws.
Frey met with Homan in Minneapolis on Tuesday as more chaos has erupted in the city after Border Patrol shot and killed anti-ICE demonstrator Alex Pretti during a confrontation. Frey said he &#8220;shared with Mr. Homan the serious negative impacts&#8221; of the Trump administration&#8217;s immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, &#8220;as well as the strain it has placed on our local police officers.&#8221;
&#8220;I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe,&#8221; Frey added. &#8220;City leaders will continue to stay in conversation with Mr. Homan and his team.&#8221;
Trump sent Homan to Minneapolis in a shift in strategy on the enforcement operation there as the administration faces criticism for its response to the shooting death of Pretti. The move effectively sidelined Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem&#8217;s role there, and Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino, who had been leading the Minneapolis deployment, was reassigned.
&#8220;I don’t think it&#8217;s a pullback, it&#8217;s a little bit of a change,&#8221; Trump told Fox News host Will Cain. &#8220;Everybody in this room that has a business, you make little changes.&#8221;
&#8220;You know, Bovino is very good, but he&#8217;s pretty out-there kind of a guy. In some cases, that&#8217;s good. Maybe it wasn&#8217;t good here,&#8221; he added.
Both Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said that they made progress in their talks with the Trump administration after Homan arrived in Minneapolis, but the Democratic leaders continue to call for federal immigration agents to leave the city and the surrounding area.
&#8220;Tom Homan&#8217;s a professional, which is a lot more than Bovino and Kristi Noem,&#8221; Walz <a href="https://x.com/Breaking911/status/2016518629433471339">told</a> CNN on Tuesday night. &#8220;But look, I think the thing we said is we&#8217;re very clear about this: we need these folks out of Minnesota and we need justice for Renee Good and for Alex [Pretti].&#8221;

Jacob Frey/Donald Trump

‘Playing With Fire!’: Trump Warns Minneapolis Mayor After He Doubles Down On Sanctuary Policy

Donald Trump

jacob frey

Sanctuary Cities

President Donald Trump touts his first-year economic wins as American allies make trade deals behind the scenes, the White House switches things up in Minnesota, and another government shutdown looms as Senate Dems hold up a funding bill.
It’s Wednesday, January 28, 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/trumps-economic-line-minnesota-tactic-shift-1-28-26/id1576594336?i=1000746991084" 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;">Trump Sells Economy While Europe Turns To India</h2>
President Trump hit the campaign trail Tuesday to tout his economic agenda, as Europe finds a new trading partner, and sends a message to Washington. Trump has traveled the country in recent months, working to convince the American people that he has made progress on the economy. While he won’t be on the ballot, he is fighting to maintain control of the Senate. He delivered a speech on Tuesday in Iowa, where an open Senate seat is up for grabs. Meanwhile, Europe is pivoting away from the United States in trade, thanks in part to the president&#8217;s aggressive trade wars. On Tuesday, the European Union announced the framework of a massive trade deal with India, the world’s most populous nation. The agreement will eliminate or significantly reduce nearly all tariffs between the two sides, mainly on agricultural products, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, and allow Europe to finally sell its cars on the Indian market. 
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Changes Tack After Pretti Killing</h2>
President Trump is shuffling his personnel and changing his administration’s message after Border Patrol agents shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. But he remains committed to deporting illegals in Minnesota. As Trump looks to shift his strategy on mass deportations, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing criticism for labeling Pretti a domestic terrorist and claiming he showed up armed to massacre federal agents. Some Congressional Democrats, including Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have called on Trump to oust Noem. Trump, however, appears to be standing his ground. Meanwhile, in Minnesota, Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, has begun settling in and meeting with state and local officials, including Democratic Governor Tim Walz. They agreed to an “ongoing dialogue” on continued federal immigration operations.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">DC Stares Down A Shutdown</h2>
In Washington, the government is inching closer to a partial shutdown on Friday as the Senate debates funding for Homeland Security. As funding runs out, the House is out of town this week, even though it already approved the funding bills. But since Border Patrol agents shot and killed Pretti, an ICU nurse, the tone on Capitol Hill has shifted, and Democrats want a shutdown over DHS funding because they want strings attached. It is unclear if there could be any deal that would avoid even a short shutdown. Democrats want DHS funding separated from other bills to prevent a broader shutdown. Many Democrats have called for “constraints” on ICE and Border Patrol, as Sen. Fetterman and House Democrats have called for Homeland Security Secretary Noem to be fired. Senate Republican Conference Chairman Tom Cotton of Arkansas has warned against a “mob veto.”

MRN_260128_V1

Morning Brief: Trump’s Midterm Pitch, Minnesota Tactic Shift, & Shutdown Showdown

Morning Brief: Trump’s Midterm Pitch, Deportation Shuffle, And DC Heads Toward A Shutdown

European Union

Morning Wire

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is calling on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be “immediately fired” as the federal government approaches a possible partial shutdown over DHS funding, but Trump outright said “no” on Tuesday when asked about whether she will leave the role.
The moderate Pennsylvania Democrat could be a key swing vote as a second shutdown in just three months looms, and his post on X on Tuesday was meant to be a “direct appeal” to President Donald Trump.
“Americans have died. She is betraying DHS’s core mission and trashing your border security legacy,” Fetterman posted. “DO NOT make the mistake President Biden made for not firing a grossly incompetent DHS Secretary.” Trump and Fetterman notably met at Mar-a-Lago early last year.
However, the departure of Noem does not seem likely based on public statements currently available, including from the president on Tuesday.
&#8220;I think she&#8217;s doing a very good job &#8230; the border is totally secure. You know, you forget, we had a border that I inherited where millions of people were coming through. Now, we have a border where no one is coming through,” Trump said on Tuesday before leaving to speak at an event in Iowa.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that the secretary “still has the utmost confidence and trust.”
It’s unclear if it could become a point of leverage for Democrats in the government funding fight, but many Democrats have indicated they want to see changes beyond just leadership. Meanwhile, House Democratic leadership is asking for Noem to &#8220;be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives&#8221; – a move that could face difficulty with a Republican-majority Congress. The Republican-majority congress successfully impeached then-DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in 2024 as the southern border crisis raged on.
Most of the funding for major immigration goals of the Trump administration, such as increasing the number of ICE officers, was already signed by the president last year with the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Over the weekend, DHS and the White House pointed out to The Daily Wire that other funding for emergency management and TSA would be impacted if DHS were not funded.
Democrats are calling for the DHS funding to be separated from other spending bills to minimize the impact of a shutdown, but top lawmakers like Senate Republican Conference Chair Tom Cotton (R-AR) have said there will be “no mob veto.”
“If Senate Republicans refuse to strip out the DHS bill to put real constraints on ICE — and hold hostage the vast majority of government funding — then Republicans are complicit in the chaos and own the potential government shutdown,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) posted. “It’s time to stop ICE’s violence.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported on Monday that there has been some internal debate over the best approach moving forward regarding mass deportations, as Trump sends White House Border Czar Tom Homan to meet with Minnesota Democratic leaders. Tensions hit a breaking point following the Border Patrol-involved shooting of Alex Pretti.
On Tuesday evening, a DHS spokesperson responded to the comments made by Fetterman.
“DHS enforces the laws Congress passes, period. If certain members don’t like those laws, changing them is literally their job. Secretary Noem oversees the Department of Homeland Security, and she is very happy that Tom Homan, who is a great asset to the President, and has a great depth of experience and insight, will be overseeing Minneapolis operations,&#8221; the spokesperson stated. &#8220;Secretary Noem also oversees FEMA where she has been living there for the last three days.  Her portfolio also includes the US Coast Guard, US Secret Service, TSA, CISA, CBP, ICE and 23 total components. Under her leadership, DHS law enforcement have arrested and deported over 700,000 criminal illegal aliens. Over 2 million self-deportations and we will continue with that work.”

John Fetterman

Fetterman Calls On Trump To Fire Noem As Shutdown Fears Grow

Department of Homeland Security

President Donald Trump met with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for nearly two hours in the Oval Office on Monday evening, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/26/us/noem-trump-meeting-minneapolis-ice.html">reported</a>. Trump and Noem met shortly after the president sent his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis in an apparent shakeup of immigration enforcement in Minnesota.
The Oval Office meeting was requested by Noem, according to two people who spoke to the Times on the condition of anonymity. Corey Lewandowski, a top Trump adviser and temporary government employee, was also in the meeting. During the meeting, Trump did not suggest that Noem&#8217;s job was at risk, the Times reported. The Daily Wire reached out to the White House for comment.
Noem and Lewandowski are on one side of a growing divide in the Trump administration over how it handles immigration operations, while Homan and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons are on the other side, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids">reported</a> on Monday. Homan and Lyons have opposed some of Noem&#8217;s theatrical tactics and would rather focus on arresting violent, illegal immigrant criminals.
Trump&#8217;s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, and Communications Director Steven Cheung were also in the meeting on Monday evening.
On Monday, the administration reportedly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/border-patrol-commander-greg-bovino-relieved-of-post-amid-minnesota-scandal?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Border+Patrol+Commander+Greg+Bovino+Relieved+Of+Post+Amid+Minnesota+Scandal">relieved</a> Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino of his duties of overseeing operations across the country. Bovino, who had been in Minneapolis, will now head back to the El Centro sector of the California border. Bovino has sided with Noem and against Homan over how to handle immigration operations. After he was relieved of his duties on Monday, Bovino was also locked out of his official social media accounts, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/26/politics/gregory-bovino-minnneapolis-exit-ice">reported</a>. Bovino and some Customs and Border Protection agents are expected to leave Minneapolis on Tuesday.
The shakeup comes shortly after an armed Minneapolis resident was shot and killed by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday. The resident, Alex Pretti, was shot around 10 times in five seconds during an alleged confrontation with federal agents during an immigration operation. The shooting and the Department of Homeland Security&#8217;s response sparked backlash, even among some Republicans.
After the shooting, Secretary Noem called Pretti a &#8220;domestic terrorist&#8221; and suggested that carrying a firearm at a protest meant he was there &#8220;to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement.” So far, there is no evidence that Pretti planned on using his firearm against federal agents, and video appears to show that he was disarmed before he was shot. An investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Sources inside Noem&#8217;s department <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/inside-the-trump-administrations-growing-divide-over-mass-deportation-raids?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=Original&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Inside+The+Trump+Administration%E2%80%99s+Growing+Divide+Over+Mass+Deportation+Raids">told</a> Daily Wire reporter Jennie Taer that the Homeland Security secretary&#8217;s comment &#8220;was a horrible response.&#8221;
“It was a horrible response,” said one official. “Many people I’ve heard from say it was unprofessional. She doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
“The people in DHS are frustrated with Secretary Noem and the way DHS is handling the media,” the official added. “The employees want a more professional response, not memes and one-liners.”
Leavitt said on Monday that Homan taking the point in Minneapolis does not mean Noem&#8217;s job is in jeopardy, adding that Noem &#8220;will continue to lead the Department of Homeland Security with the full trust and confidence of the president.&#8221;
“Tom Homan is uniquely positioned to drop everything and focus solely on Minnesota to solve the problems that have been created by the lack of cooperation from state and local officials,&#8221; Leavitt added.

Donald Trump/Kristi Noem

Trump Holds Lengthy Meeting With Kristi Noem After Minnesota Immigration Enforcement Shakeup

Corey Lewandowski

Tom Homan

Trump Administration

Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino will reportedly leave Minnesota immediately as the Trump administration handles fallout from a fatal agent-involved shooting.
Bovino will exit the state along with a portion of Border Patrol agents, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/minneapolis-shooting-alex-pretti/card/gregory-bovino-to-leave-minnesota-imminently-administration-officials-say-frrOvYHhip0aGJEmPlz5?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos3">The Wall Street Journal</a>. President Donald Trump has said that he will recall all Border Patrol agents from Minnesota if the state agrees to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that if Minnesota and local authorities change their approach to ICE and agree to assist federal authorities in apprehending illegal aliens, the president would withdraw Border Patrol from the state.
“If Governor [Tim Walz] and Mayor [Jacob Frey] implement these common sense cooperative measures that, I will add, have already been implemented in nearly every single other state across the country, Customs and Border Patrol will not be needed to support ICE on the ground in Minnesota,” <a href="https://x.com/atrupar/status/2015853983022137651">said</a> Leavitt. “ICE and local law enforcement can peacefully work together as they are effectively doing in so many other states and jurisdictions.”
Tensions in Minneapolis have exploded after two immigration enforcement-involved shootings this month. On Saturday, a Customs and Border Protection agent shot and killed Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse at a VA hospital, who was allegedly interfering with immigration operations in the city. Pretti’s death came just weeks after Renee Good was shot and killed in her vehicle after appearing to drive in the direction of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Minneapolis.
As Bovino withdraws from the state, border czar Tom Homan is traveling to Minnesota to take the lead in mediating between state and local authorities and federal immigration authorities, the White House announced on Monday.
“Mr. Homan is the point-person in cooperating with state and local authorities and corresponding with them, again, to achieve this level of cooperation to subdue the chaos on the streets of Minneapolis,” <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2015858143268360266">said</a> Leavitt.
The president spoke with Walz and Frey over the phone on Monday and had positive reports about both calls. Of Walz, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115962378381121858">said</a> that he and the Minnesota governor “seemed to be on a similar wavelength” regarding the future of immigration operations in the state. Of Frey, Trump described the conversation as “very good” and said the mayor would be meeting with Homan on Tuesday.
Rhetoric from state leaders and administration officials flared in the aftermath of the Good and Pretti shootings. On Sunday, Walz suggested that illegal aliens in his state were experiencing a version of the tragedy of Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who hid from the Nazi regime in an attic for over two years before dying in a concentration camp during the Holocaust.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suggested that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist.”
“Violence against a government because of ideological reasons and for reasons to resist and to perpetuate violence. That is the definition of domestic terrorism,” <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/25/trump-officials-stick-terrorist-label-on-americans-killed-by-dhs">said</a> Noem.

Gregory Bovino

Border Patrol Partially Withdraws From Minnesota After Pretti Shooting

Border Patrol

Illegal Immigration

U.S.

Senate Republicans seem unlikely to budge on funding for the Department of Homeland Security as a partial government shutdown approaches on Friday.
Democrats have called for DHS funding to be held up unless there are serious strings attached related to immigration enforcement amid tensions in Minnesota rising higher after the shooting of Alex Pretti. The House already approved spending bills, but they are not in Washington this week, so changes that would be made would need to be sent to them – likely triggering a shutdown in the interim.
“Democrats want to shut down the government—again—unless ICE is defunded. Not a chance,” the Senate Republicans account posted on Monday morning. “There can be no mob veto on enforcing the law.”
However, much of the funding for the president’s immigration goals was already approved in the One Big Beautiful Bill in July, including more funding for the border and hiring more ICE personnel. Still, many Democrats believe that scrutinizing DHS funding would be necessary to reforming federal immigration operations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) has indicated that he will be leading the charge in &#8220;rejecting this DHS spending bill,&#8221; according to a recent social media post, and he&#8217;s called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – a key Democrat who helped end the government shutdown in the fall over the Affordable Care Act subsidies – wants the DHS funding to be &#8220;separate&#8221; from the five other spending bills to avert another closure and for the House to come back in session as &#8220;reforms&#8221; to the department are debated, according to <a href="https://x.com/AndrewDesiderio/status/2015849148444996060?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Punchbowl News</a>.
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) posted to X an unofficial list of demands if the DHS bill returns to the House, including ICE and CBP exiting Minneapolis, &#8220;full, independent investigation into the killings,&#8221; &#8220;no more detaining and deporting U.S. Citizens&#8221; and no masks for immigration authorities and &#8220;mass arrest quotas and warrantless arrests end.&#8221;
On Sunday, a White House official told The Daily Wire on background that “Democrats were equal partners in negotiating these bills, which are the product of a bipartisan, collaborative process.”
“Now, after a week spent celebrating their successes in the process, and in the midst of a winter storm, they’re holding emergency response funding hostage to score political points. We hope cooler heads prevail, and the country does not have to endure another damaging shutdown,” the official added.
In addition, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire that a holdup on the department’s funding would create hurdles with emergency management and TSA.
“While politicians in the Senate play games with Americans’ safety, they are blocking vital DHS funding that keeps our country secure and its people safe—from TSA and FEMA to the US Coast Guard and Border Patrol,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “This funding supports national security and critical national emergency operations, including FEMA responses to a historic snowstorm that is affecting 250 million Americans. Washington may stall, but the safety of the American people will not wait.”
The Daily Wire reached out to several GOP lawmakers who have called for an investigation into Pretti’s death, and asked if that has influenced their stance on DHS funding. Sen. Pete Ricketts&#8217; (R-NE) office pointed to his post on X, stating that his “support for funding ICE remains the same” while calling for “prioritized, transparent investigation.”

Longest Shutdown Tests Air Travel, Federal Workers And Patience

‘No Mob Veto’: Partial Shutdown Increasingly Likely As GOP Slams DHS Funding Criticism

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