Virginia state Senator Saddam Azlan Salim filed three bills in January 2026 aimed at curbing ICE activity and limiting local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. SB351 would bar certain civil immigration arrests in and around courthouses; SB352 would restrict law-enforcement facial coverings; and SB783 would place conditions on 287(g)-style agreements, prohibit schools and health providers from sharing immigration data without judicial warrants, and limit use of state or local funds for enforcement. Salim said the measures respond to recent ICE arrests and mask‑wearing by agents and aim to protect immigrant communities’ access to courthouses and services and reduce fear locally. (vadogwood.com)
On January 27, 2026, during a campaign stop in Urbandale, Iowa, President Trump declared, “We’ve taken in $600 billion in tariffs,” and added, “I gave the farmers $12 billion last week,” presenting the payments as funded by tariff receipts. He repeated the $600 billion figure on Truth Social and defended tariffs as vital to U.S. financial strength and national security. Reporters and analysts immediately questioned the math: government tariff revenue is far lower, and reporting shows the recent $12 billion in farm aid was disbursed through other federal programs and appropriations, not directly from tariff receipts, and drew mixed reactions. (kcci.com)
On January 27, 2026, more than 100 New Yorkers staged a sit‑in occupying the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn in Tribeca, accusing the hotel of housing ICE agents and demanding it stop accommodating federal immigration officers. (apnews.com) Protesters chanted, wore “Hilton houses ICE” shirts and refused police orders to disperse, prompting the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group to arrest dozens — reports cite about 65 people taken into custody. (amny.com) Hilton and federal authorities declined to confirm whether agents were staying at the site. (abcnews.go.com) The action follows nationwide outrage over recent federal immigration operations and deadly encounters in Minneapolis, fueling similar demonstrations in cities. (theguardian.com)
On January 27, 2026, dozens of demonstrators occupied the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn in Tribeca, Manhattan, around 6 p.m., protesting the alleged presence of federal immigration officers and recent deadly encounters in Minneapolis. Police ordered the crowd to disperse and, after 45 minutes, the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group arrested those who remained; sources report between 40 and 66 people were taken into custody. Witnesses said hundreds had gathered inside and outside the hotel chanting against ICE. Hilton declined immediate comment, and the Department of Homeland Security said it would not disclose whether agents were staying at the property. (abcnews.go.com)
BREAKING: Texas man set for execution in fatal shooting of ex and her boyfriend
Ecuador has issued a formal protest after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian Consulate in Minneapolis without permission. Ecuadorian diplomats said the attempt violated international consular protections. Consulate officials blocked the entry and activated an emergency alert at emergency pic.x.com/UU9WgfN9dVV. The protest demands clarification, accountability, and assurances that consular premises and personnel will be respected; Quito called for an investigation and for U.S. authorities to prevent recurrence. Minneapolis officials and ICE have not publicly commented in detail. The incident has raised diplomatic tensions and questions about adherence to consular immunity, protocol, and transparency and oversight.
On January 27, 2026, Rep. Ilhan Omar was sprayed with an unknown liquid during a Minneapolis town hall after she urged abolition of ICE and called for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation. Video shows a man rush the lectern and use a syringe to spray a dark, vinegar‑smelling substance; security subdued and Minneapolis police arrested him on third‑degree assault charges. Omar, who was checked by medical staff, continued the meeting and said she was OK. The attack, captured publicly, prompted bipartisan condemnation and renewed concern about violent threats against lawmakers amid heated political rhetoric, and calls for accountability now. (aljazeera.com)
Ben Cohen, co‑founder of Ben & Jerry’s, said on X that he had planned to create an ice cream to memorialize Renee Nicole Good, the 37‑year‑old woman shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis on January 7, but that he could not go forward after the weekend killing of 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol agent. In a posted video Cohen called the deaths and government falsehoods “standard operating procedure,” demanded ICE be defunded and disbanded, and said the twin shootings made it impossible for him to commemorate Good with a new flavor or release it. (foxnews.com)
