Year: 2026

Senate Democrats blocked a Department of Homeland Security funding bill on Feb. 12, forcing a partial shutdown set to begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday that would furlough or curtail TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and portions of federal cybersecurity operations. Democrats said the move pressures Republicans for immigration-reform measures after recent deadly ICE operations, demanding body cameras, identification rules and limits on enforcement near sensitive sites. Schumer called the votes “a shot across the bow” at Republicans. ICE and Customs and Border Protection should continue operating because they already received separate funding, while other DHS functions will be disrupted nationwide. (washingtonpost.com)

On February 12, 2026, Sen. Elissa Slotkin pressed acting ICE Director Todd Lyons at a Senate Homeland Security hearing to pledge under oath that ICE would not deploy agents to polling places, citing fears the administration might surround voters with uniformed immigration officers. Lyons replied “there’s no reason” for ICE to deploy to polling facilities but stopped short of an explicit refusal if ordered, noting Homeland Security Investigations does probe alleged voter fraud. The exchange follows proposals and comments by Trump allies about using federal officers near polls and prompted lawmakers to seek bans on federal patrols of voting sites. (cbsnews.com)

On February 12, 2026, President Trump announced the EPA’s repeal of the agency’s 2009 greenhouse gas endangerment finding, calling it “the single largest deregulatory action in American history.” (epa.gov) EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined him as the final rule rescinded the legal basis for federal greenhouse gas vehicle standards and eliminated related emissions requirements; the agency said the rollback will save Americans about $1.3 trillion. (epa.gov) Environmental and public‑health experts condemned the move, warning it will increase pollution, worsen climate impacts, and harm vulnerable communities. (apnews.com) Advocates said they will sue immediately and seek injunctions nationwide today. (apnews.com)

Israel has joined President Trump’s Board of Peace as a founding member, the Board announced on its official X account. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he signed Israel’s accession ahead of a planned White House meeting with Trump. The Board, chaired by Trump, was created to oversee a Gaza ceasefire, reconstruction and governance and will hold an inaugural session in Washington on February 19. Its formation has provoked controversy: several Western allies declined to join and critics warn it could undermine U.N. authority. Israel’s accession makes it one of the founding partners as the body moves from announcement to implementation. (newsweek.com)

Donald Trump announced that the Republican Party will eliminate mail-in voting for federal elections in all fifty states, with limited exceptions for people with disabilities and military personnel. (politico.com) Lawyers are drafting an executive order to accomplish this. (washingtonpost.com) He also claimed the United States is the only country that uses mail voting—a false assertion. (time.com) Election experts note states control election procedures, so a federal ban would likely face constitutional obstacles. (factcheck.org) Mail and absentee voting are common elsewhere; many democracies including Canada, the United Kingdom and Germany allow postal voting. (euronews.com) Critics warn the move could restrict voter access and face court challenges.

Sources: (congress.gov)

Senators failed 52-47 to advance a bill to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded, teeing up a partial DHS shutdown by the end of the week unless negotiators strike a deal. (cbsnews.com) Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman was the lone Senate Democrat to vote to advance the measure. (yahoo.com) The lapse would not affect ICE and CBP operations, which were already funded from prior legislation, but would disrupt agencies such as TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and cyber‑security programs, forcing many workers to operate without pay until funding is restored. (theguardian.com) Lawmakers remain deadlocked over immigration‑enforcement reforms and talks continue around the clock. (washingtonpost.com)

On February 12, 2026, the U.S. Senate failed to advance a Department of Homeland Security funding bill, falling short of the 60‑vote threshold and ensuring a partial DHS shutdown when funding lapses at 12:01 a.m. Eastern on Saturday. (washingtonpost.com) Every Senate Democrat except John Fetterman opposed the measure; Fetterman was the lone Democrat to vote in favor. (washingtonpost.com) ICE and Customs and Border Protection are expected to continue operating because they received about $75 billion in prior funding, but agencies such as TSA, FEMA and the Coast Guard will face furloughs or unpaid work if the lapse continues. (time.com) Negotiations remain ongoing today.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new U.S. visa policy banning EU and British officials accused of complicit censorship of American speech from entering the United States. (aljazeera.com) The administration identified five Europeans — including former EU commissioner Thierry Breton and leaders of CCDH, HateAid and the Global Disinformation Index — as barred under the policy. (apnews.com) Rubio said foreign demands that U.S. tech platforms adopt global moderation or threats to arrest residents for platform posts are unacceptable and violate U.S. sovereignty. (theguardian.com) European leaders condemned the move as hostile to allies and defended new rules such as the Digital Services Act. (washingtonpost.com)