Year: 2026

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)

Mid January 2026 protests in Minneapolis over recent federal immigration agent shootings drew families, and videos circulated showing some people bringing babies and toddlers near confrontations with federal officers. Critics on social media accused protesters of using children as human shields, while participants and local reporters said some parents brought children to show community and witness events. Footage and news reports show tear gas and flashbang munitions affecting bystanders; one family was filmed leaving an SUV filled with gas. Clashes around the Whipple Federal Building intensified debate about protest tactics, child safety, and law enforcement crowd control and political polarization. (news.meaww.com)

On February 11, 2026, Rep. Ted Lieu accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of lying under oath during a heated House Judiciary Committee hearing, after showing video and documents from the DOJ’s recently released Epstein files. (axios.com) Lieu cited a witness statement to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center — allegedly from a limo driver who claimed to overhear incriminating remarks and said a woman later died — and urged the DOJ to interview the witness. (indy100.com) Bondi, defending President Trump and denying evidence of criminality, snapped, “Don’t you ever accuse me of a crime,” and faced calls from Democrats for her resignation. (yahoo.com)

Rep. Nancy Mace told Piers Morgan she has reviewed the DOJ’s unredacted Jeffrey Epstein files and called the names she saw “shocking.” (independent.co.uk) She said the list includes Republicans and Democrats—”prime ministers, former prime ministers, former presidents,” and media personalities—and called heavy redactions “one of the greatest cover-ups in American history.” (mediaite.com) The Justice Department released millions of pages last month but has allowed members of Congress limited in‑person reviews amid fierce criticism. (independent.co.uk) Attorney General Pam Bondi and ex‑FBI official Kash Patel have faced scrutiny over sparse or withheld records in the release. (axios.com) Lawmakers, survivors and Mace are demanding immediate transparency and subpoenas now. (theguardian.com)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R‑Alaska) publicly rejected the Trump‑backed SAVE America Act, calling a nationwide requirement that voters show proof of citizenship to register and government photo ID to vote “federal overreach.” (newsweek.com) The House passed the measure narrowly, 218–213, after proponents argued it protects election integrity; opponents warn it would disenfranchise millions and force states to scramble before upcoming elections. (apnews.com) Murkowski said one‑size‑fits‑all federal mandates undermine states’ authority over election “times, places, and manner.” (yahoo.com) The bill faces an uphill path in the Senate because of the 60‑vote filibuster threshold and broad criticism from voting‑rights groups. (washingtonpost.com) Legal challenges are likely to follow.

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At a House Judiciary Committee hearing on February 11, 2026, Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and said, “there is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime.” Representative Ted Lieu played a Trump–Epstein video and cited a redacted FBI witness statement alleging an assault and uninvestigated leads. Lieu told Bondi, “I believe you just lied under oath,” played evidence he said contradicted her testimony, and called for her resignation. Bondi denied the accusation, sparred with lawmakers while survivors watched, and the exchange intensified outrage over redactions and alleged DOJ failures. (theguardian.com)

At a marathon House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Jeffrey Epstein files, Rep. Becca Balint (D‑Vt.) erupted after Attorney General Pam Bondi challenged her record and invoked antisemitism, telling Balint she had voted against a resolution condemning antisemitism. Balint, whose grandfather died in the Holocaust, shouted “Are you serious?!” criticized Bondi’s line of attack as inappropriate, then rose and stormed out of the hearing. The confrontation occurred amid broader bipartisan clashes over the Justice Department’s handling of Epstein documents and Bondi’s combative testimony. Committee leaders attempted to restore order as the exchange drew national attention and video widely circulated online. (apnews.com)

At a February 11, 2026 House Judiciary Committee hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi was grilled over the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files, including problematic redactions that exposed victims while obscuring possible co‑conspirators. Lawmakers — Democrats and some Republicans — pressed whether any co‑conspirators have been investigated or charged; Bondi repeatedly dodged, refused a direct apology to survivors and deflected by touting stock‑market gains (“Dow over 50,000,” S&P near 7,000, Nasdaq records). Critics accused the DOJ of a cover‑up; Bondi said the department will review and correct redactions while sparring with members such as Raskin and Nadler on Wednesday. (theguardian.com)

On February 11, 2026, during a House Judiciary Committee hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Rep. Jasmine Crockett accused the DOJ of mishandling FBI files on Jeffrey Epstein and challenged Bondi over redactions and protections for figures. (washingtonpost.com) Crockett said, “I’m not saying the president is a pedophile, but there is a lot of evidence in these files that suggests that he is very close friends with a lot of men who are pedophiles,” and cited thousands of references to the president in the released records. (thegrio.com) She called the administration complicit, walked out of the hearing, and Democrats pressed Bondi for answers. (cbsnews.com)