U.S.
CDC Director Nominee Erica Schwartz Questioned by Senators on Vaccine Policy and Independence From HHS Secretary Kennedy
At her July 15 confirmation hearing, Dr. Erica Schwartz praised vaccines but declined to say whether she would resist political direction from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Justice Department Appeals Court Order to Release More Unredacted Epstein Records
A federal judge ordered the DOJ to unredact additional Epstein files or justify each redaction; the department declined by the deadline, defended its redactions as victim protection, and is appealing.
FBI Reportedly Shifted Probes of ICE Shootings to ICE's Own Investigative Unit; Justice Department and DHS Deny Any Change
News reports citing anonymous sources say the FBI told managers it would stop investigating assaults and shootings involving immigration officers, moving that work to ICE's Homeland Security Investigations; the Justice Department and DHS say oversight has not changed.
Pentagon Extends Washington, D.C. National Guard Deployment Through January 2029 as Court Fight Continues
The Defense Department says the roughly 5,000-strong deployment, begun in August 2025 under a declared crime emergency, will run until Inauguration Day 2029 or until the President ends it, while the D.C. attorney general's lawsuit against it proceeds.
Rhode Island Judge Declines to Pause His Order Requiring USCIS to Resume Immigration Processing for 39 Countries
U.S. District Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. denied the government's request to halt his ruling while it appeals, leaving in place an order that USCIS restart asylum, green-card and naturalization cases for nationals of dozens of countries.
Congressional Democrats Seek DHS Records on ICE Hiring After Reports Detail Maine Officer's History
New reporting that the ICE officer who fatally shot a Colombian man in Biddeford, Maine, had a documented history of mental-health and violence allegations has prompted Democratic lawmakers to demand records on the agency's vetting and training.
Renewed Flooding Across Texas Hill Country Collapses Uvalde County Bridge; State Reports 2 Deaths and Hundreds of Rescues
Record and near-record river crests hit the same region devastated by the July 2025 floods, testing warning systems installed in the past year.
House Republicans Introduce Stopgap Bill to Fund Government Through December 4
The continuing resolution, unveiled July 17, would extend current spending past the September 30 deadline and past November's midterm elections while full-year appropriations remain unfinished.
ICE on Pace for Record Monthly Arrests in July, Averaging More Than 1,400 a Day
Federal data and news reports show immigration arrests running at their highest level of the Trump administration, sharpening disputes over who is being detained and how.
Interior Department Finalizes Rule Ending Automatic Endangered Species Act Protections for Newly Listed Threatened Species
The July 17, 2026 rule replaces a default "blanket" shield with species-by-species plans and lets regulators weigh economic costs in habitat decisions; conservation groups have sued the administration over a related Endangered Species Act rule change and say they plan to challenge this rule in court as well.
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Pushes Air-Quality Alerts Across Midwest and Northeast; Trump and GOP Lawmakers Blame Canada, Ottawa Cites Climate Change
Smoke from hundreds of active Canadian wildfires triggered health alerts for well over 100 million Americans in July 2026, reviving a dispute over whether forest management or a warming climate is the primary cause.