Morning Announcements

Today’s Headlines: U.S. immigration enforcement is under intense scrutiny after another person was shot and critically injured during a Border Patrol–involved incident in southern Arizona. Details remain limited, with officials declining to identify the victim or explain how the shooting unfolded. Meanwhile in Minnesota, Rep. Ilhan Omar was attacked during a town hall after a man lunged at her and appeared to spray an unknown, foul-smelling substance from a syringe before being arrested on assault charges. Five days after the fatal shooting of Minnesota nurse Alex Pretti during an ICE encounter, the public still doesn’t know who pulled the trigger — even as DHS has acknowledged that two ICE agents fired their weapons. The department is facing growing backlash after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem falsely claimed Pretti intended to “massacre” agents, a statement the White House has since tried to walk back while shifting blame internally. Minnesota is now suing the federal government for failing to preserve evidence from the shooting, with federal lawyers arguing they aren’t required to do so. Criticism of ICE has also intensified following the death of 30-year-old U.S. citizen Wael Tarabishi, who relied on his father as a primary caregiver before his father was detained by ICE. Tarabishi died after weeks in the hospital, and ICE has refused to temporarily release his father to attend the funeral. Politically, Noem is facing impeachment pressure from House Democrats, while a Minnesota judge has ordered ICE’s acting director to appear in court over repeated failures to comply with court orders. Internationally, the Trump administration is reportedly planning to send ICE personnel to the Winter Olympics in Milan, a move sharply criticized by the city’s mayor. Separately, families of two Trinidadian men killed during U.S. boat strikes in the Caribbean have filed a lawsuit accusing the administration of extrajudicial killings. On the economic front, health insurance stocks fell after the administration declined to increase Medicare Advantage subsidies, as consumer confidence dropped to a 12-year low. Ending on a brighter note, Yale University announced it will make tuition free for families earning up to $200,000 a year, expanding access amid rising college costs.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NBC News: One person in critical condition after being shot in incident involving Border Patrol in Arizona

The Daily Beast: Trump Sparks Fresh Outrage With Secret Bid to Send ICE to the Olympics

ABC News: Experts say the divide between Minnesota and federal authorities is unprecedented

WFAA: Disabled son of ICE detainee dies after 30 days of hospitalization

Axios: Jeffries' threat to Trump: Fire Kristi Noem or we move to impeachment

Axios: Acting ICE director faces contempt hearing

WSJ: Families of Two Men Killed in Boat Strikes Sue U.S.

WSJ: Stock Market Today: UnitedHealth Weighs on Dow as Health-Insurance Stocks Slide

Axios: Consumer confidence plunges to 12-year low

WSJ: Yale Will Go Tuition-Free for Families Making Up to $200,000

NBC News: Man lunges at Rep. Ilhan Omar during town hall and tries to spray her with unknown substance

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: The Trump administration is facing growing bipartisan backlash over aggressive ICE enforcement following recent shootings in Minnesota. Texas Governor Greg Abbott said the federal government needs to “recalibrate” its approach, while Republican Minnesota gubernatorial candidate Chris Madel dropped out of the race, calling the immigration operation an “unmitigated disaster” and condemning what he described as racial profiling. The criticism has spread beyond Democrats, with the Libertarian Party calling for ICE to be abolished and the Wall Street Journal editorial board urging ICE to pause operations in Minnesota. Amid mounting pressure, the administration demoted Customs and Border Protection official Greg Bovino and reassigned ICE personnel out of Minneapolis, signaling a temporary de-escalation. Border czar Tom Homan has been sent to oversee the situation as Trump publicly emphasized cooperation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. New reporting raises concerns about ICE activity elsewhere, including allegations that agents in Colorado left so-called “death cards” in vehicles after detentions. Separately, documents reveal ICE is using a Palantir-built surveillance tool to map neighborhoods for immigration raids using data from multiple federal agencies. Internationally, Trump said negotiations with Iran remain “in flux” as the U.S. increases its military presence in the region. Israel confirmed the return of the final hostage’s remains, allowing the Gaza ceasefire to move toward its next phase. Trump also announced higher tariffs on South Korean imports, cited the use of a secret weapon in the raid that captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, and commented on allegations that a top Chinese general leaked nuclear secrets to the U.S. Meanwhile, a massive winter storm across 19 states has been linked to at least 22 deaths, with hundreds of thousands still without power. Congress is also racing to avoid a potential government shutdown tied to funding for the Department of Homeland Security and ICE oversight.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Houston Public Media: Greg Abbott says White House needs to ‘recalibrate’ ICE following fatal Minneapolis shooting

NBC News: Minnesota Republican drops out of governor's race, citing GOP's handling of immigration enforcement

The Hill: Libertarian National Committee chair: ‘Abolish ICE’

WSJ: Time for ICE to Pause in Minneapolis

The Atlantic: Yes, It’s Fascism

The Atlantic: Greg Bovino Loses His Job

The Denver Post: ICE investigates after Colorado group says agents left ‘death cards’ in arrested immigrants’ abandoned cars 

404 Media: ‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid

Axios: Exclusive: Trump says Iran wants a deal as U.S. "armada" arrives

Axios: Exclusive: Trump says Hamas helped find last hostage, now must disarm

NYT Post: Trump reveals to The Post secret ‘discombobulator’ weapon was crucial to Venezuelan raid on Maduro

AP News: Trump threatens to hike tariffs on South Korean goods over inaction on trade deal

WSJ: China’s Top General Accused of Giving Nuclear Secrets to U.S.

NYT: Storm’s Death Toll Climbs as Officials Warn of Frigid Cold Ahead

WSJ: Risk of a Partial Government Shutdown This Weekend Is Rising. Here’s Why.

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: Things escalated fast in Minnesota this weekend after ICE officers fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse and veterans’ affairs worker, during a chaotic confrontation caught on multiple videos. Witnesses say Pretti was directing traffic and filming on his phone while trying to help someone else, and that his legally owned firearm had already been taken by agents before he was tackled. Federal officials initially labeled him a “domestic terrorist,” a claim sharply contradicted by video evidence and eyewitness affidavits. The shooting has triggered a major political and legal backlash. Minnesota officials say DHS and DOJ blocked state investigators from accessing the scene, even with a warrant, and the state has filed suit to prevent the destruction of evidence. Governor Tim Walz has ordered an independent investigation into both the killing and the federal government’s public statements about it. The controversy deepened after Attorney General Pam Bondi sent a letter threatening not to end federal operations in Minnesota unless the state hands over Medicaid, SNAP, and voter data and rolls back sanctuary policies—moves critics call political extortion. Meanwhile, tensions are rising nationally. Protesters braved extreme cold across Minnesota, businesses staged a general strike, and more than 60 major Minnesota-based companies urged de-escalation. Additionally, the detention of a U.S. Army veteran observing ICE activity, the assault of Rep. Maxwell Frost, a massive sewage spill in Washington, DC, and renewed debate over vaccine mandates round out a very chaotic weekend. President Trump has largely praised federal agents’ actions, even as his administration faces lawsuits, congressional infighting over ICE funding, and growing international criticism ahead of the World Cup.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

WSJ: Border Patrol Agent Fatally Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Escalating State-Federal Standoff

Axios: Trump officials stick "terrorist" label on Americans killed by DHS

Politico: Bovino claims Border Patrol agents are ‘the victims’ in deadly Minneapolis shooting

NYT: Pam Bondi letter to Tim Walz

NBC News: White House shares an altered photo of arrested Minnesota protester Nekima Levy Armstrong

ABC News: Army vet detained by ICE for 8 hours says he wasn't allowed to call an attorney

Axios Local: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vows state investigation into shooting amid "lies" from DHS

NYT: CEO's of Target and Minnesota's biggest companies call for 'De-escalation' 

Axios: Democrats threaten government shutdown over ICE funding

Axios: Court docs reveal new details of alleged assault on Maxwell Frost

AP News: Massive sewage spill flowing into Potomac River upstream from Washington

AP News: German soccer federation official wants World Cup boycott considered because of Trump

FOX News: Trump says it 'is too late' to stop the White House ballroom construction amid lawsuit

WaPo: Trump hosts ‘Melania’ screening as Minnesota shooting fallout roils nation

AP News: Massive winter storm dumps sleet, freezing rain and snow around much of US

WSJ: Trump Says Administration Is ‘Reviewing Everything’ About Minneapolis Shooting

WSJ: TikTok Finalizes Deal to Keep Operating in the U.S.

NYT: Rejecting Decades of Science, Vaccine Panel Chair Says Polio and Other Shots Should Be Optional

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: At Davos, Trump hosted the signing of his new “Board of Peace,” a pay-to-play lineup including Belarus, Hungary, Egypt, Qatar, and Kazakhstan, with countries reportedly paying about $1 billion to join. Several European nations declined, warning the board looks like an attempt to sideline the UN. Jared Kushner also floated a vague, zone-based plan for rebuilding Gaza. Back home, Trump filed a $5 billion lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase and CEO Jamie Dimon, claiming he was “debanked” after January 6. JPMorgan says the case has no merit. In other news, former DOJ special counsel Jack Smith testified to Congress, warning of serious threats to democracy and criticizing mass pardons for January 6 defendants. Trump responded by publicly calling for Smith to be prosecuted. In Minnesota, ICE detained a 5-year-old child and his father outside their home, while school officials confirmed multiple students have been taken into custody, some on their way to school. Local police chiefs also say ICE has stopped off-duty officers based solely on skin color. DHS announced the next enforcement push will be in Maine. The New York Times reports the Trump family made at least $1.4 billion in 2025, driven by overseas real estate, crypto, settlements, and foreign gifts. A growing pardon-for-hire industry has wiped out hundreds of millions in restitution owed to victims. A new analysis found Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok generated millions of sexualized deepfake images in just nine days. And finally, a massive winter storm named Fern is expected to hit much of the U.S. this weekend, potentially affecting over 230 million people.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

T

he Guardian: Davos onlookers notice Trump’s ‘board of peace’ logo resembles UN emblem | Donald Trump

CNBC: Trump sues Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase over debanking the suit calls 'political'

CNN: Live updates: Jack Smith testifies in House Judiciary hearing

NBC News: ICE detains 4 Minnesota students, including 5-year-old, school district says

USA Today: ICE agents drew guns on off-duty officer in Minnesota, chief says

ABC News: DHS launches 'Operation Catch of the Day' enforcement action in Maine

NYT: Opinion | How Trump Has Used the Presidency to Make at Least $1.4 Billion

NBC News: Trump's pardons forgive financial crimes that came with hundreds of millions in punishments

NYT: Trump Sets Fraudster Free From Prison for a Second Time

WSJ: Inside the New Fast Track to a Presidential Pardon

NYT: Musk’s Chatbot Flooded X With Millions of Sexualized Images in Days, New Estimates Show

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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Today’s Headlines: President Donald Trump remains in Davos, where he delivered an 80-minute speech packed with familiar grievances, questionable claims — including that “Canada lives because of the United States” — and repeatedly mixed up Iceland and Greenland. For now, he’s pulled back threats of military action and additional tariffs on Europe, claiming instead that he’s reached a vague “framework” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte over Greenland, which he described as an “infinite deal,” without offering details. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with Trump to discuss U.S. security guarantees and post-ceasefire reconstruction, while Trump’s unofficial envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with a Putin-linked negotiator in Davos and are headed to Moscow for more talks. Back in the U.S., tensions are escalating in Minnesota. Alongside 1,500 troops already on standby, the Pentagon has placed roughly 300 additional soldiers at Fort Bragg on notice in case Trump invokes the Insurrection Act amid ongoing Minneapolis protests. In Congress, the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt over their refusal to testify about Jeffrey Epstein, while declining to hold Attorney General Pam Bondi in contempt for failing to release the Epstein files. Ghislaine Maxwell is scheduled to give a virtual deposition on February 9. Meanwhile, the administration admitted in court that Elon Musk’s DOGE-linked team improperly accessed and shared Americans’ Social Security data, and a federal judge ordered the FBI to temporarily stop searching devices seized from Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson and return them pending further review.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

Reuters: Trump backs down on Greenland tariffs, says deal framework reached

Politico: Trump and Zelenskyy to meet Thursday at Davos

MSNOW: Pentagon orders more active-duty soldiers to ready for possible Minneapolis deployment

PBS News: WATCH: House Oversight advances resolution on holding Clintons in contempt

The Guardian: Doge improperly shared sensitive social security data, DoJ court filing reveals | Trump administration

WaPo: Judge blocks government from searching data seized from Post reporter

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices