Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Court addresses unlawful detentions by ICE — U.S. District Judge Jerry Blackwell criticized the Department of Justice and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for detaining individuals without lawful authority, stating that such actions constitute a constitutional injury. He emphasized the need for compliance with constitutional limits during immigration enforcement operations.

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• FBI seizes 2020 ballots and election materials in Fulton County, Georgia — The FBI seized 2020 ballots and election materials in Fulton County, Georgia, described as "the top target of Trump's multi-year, conspiracy theory-fueled campaign against the 2020 presidential election." The operation involved Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. intelligence director, who is leading the Trump administration's effort to re-examine the 2020 election based on claims it was stolen due to alleged foreign government interference.
• FBI raided Fulton County election office and seized 2020 ballots — The FBI raided an election office in Fulton County, Georgia, and seized ballots from the 2020 election. The raid occurred less than one week before Trump's public statements encouraging federal takeover of state elections.
• Court documents reveal FBI Fulton County raid based on debunked 2020 fraud claims — Unsealed court documents show that the FBI raid on a Fulton County, Georgia warehouse that seized 700 boxes of ballots and election-related materials was based on debunked claims of 2020 election fraud from election deniers. The search warrant affidavit was submitted by Kurt Olsen, a lawyer who worked with Trump to overturn the 2020 election and whom Trump recently appointed director of election security and integrity. Olsen recycled numerous debunked fraud theories in the affidavit. Legal analysis indicates the statute of limitations has likely expired on any potential election crimes, and both the Republican-led Georgia General Assembly and State Election Board found no intentional fraud or misconduct in Fulton County's 2020 ballot counting.

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• Trump posts racist imagery depicting Obama as apes — President Trump posted content on Truth Social depicting former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes, described as a "laundry list of debunked claims concerning the 2020 election." The post was later removed after drawing backlash from both Democrats and Republicans. The White House initially defended the post as an "internet meme video" and characterized criticism as "fake outrage."
• Trump posts racist video on social media — President Donald J. Trump’s social media account posted a video containing debunked claims about the 2020 presidential election, featuring an altered image of Barack and Michelle Obama. After backlash from Republican senators regarding the racism of the post, Trump deleted it but later claimed he had posted it himself and refused to apologize. This incident reflects ongoing racial tensions and attempts to fracture coalitions against him.
• Trump refuses to apologize for racist Obama image — President Trump was asked directly whether he would apologize for posting a racist image depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their faces photoshopped onto apes. Trump refused to apologize and instead attempted to justify the post by claiming it was a "takeoff on The Lion King" and describing it as "very strong in terms of voter fraud."
• Trump's Truth Social account posted racist video depicting Obamas as apes — Trump's Truth Social account posted a video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. After public outcry, the video was removed. A White House official stated, and Trump later confirmed, that the video was posted by a staffer rather than Trump himself. Trump refused to apologize for the post.
• Thomas Massie condemns Trump's racist Obama posts — Republican Congressman Thomas Massie condemned President Trump for posting racist content depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. Massie stated that Trump should apologize and that attacks on spouses and racist tropes cross basic lines of decency.
• Trump attacked Bad Bunny halftime show on Truth Social, calling performance unintelligible — President Trump posted criticism of the Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny on Truth Social, stating "nobody understands a word this guy is saying" and other insults. The performance centered Puerto Rican identity and Spanish-language music. Trump's public attack characterized multilingual American culture as something to ridicule rather than celebrate, drawing bipartisan concern about presidential rhetoric toward cultural expression.
• Trump posted racist video depicting Obamas as apes to Truth Social account — A video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes—a racist trope—was posted to Trump's Truth Social account. Reuters reported Trump refused to apologize and suggested an aide posted it without him watching the full clip. The post was later removed. Trump's response treated the official presidential channel as something that could be disowned on technicalities, eroding accountability and normalizing extremism through ambiguity.
• Racist video of Obamas posted on Trump's Truth Social account — A racist video depicting the Obamas as apes appeared on President Trump's official Truth Social account. The video was removed, but Trump refused to apologize and claimed a staffer posted it without review. The incident occurred on an official presidential account.

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• DOJ removes Epstein prosecution memo from website — An 86-page Department of Justice prosecution memo related to the Epstein case, which listed possible coconspirators and detailed victims' allegations, disappeared from the DOJ website after the Miami Herald questioned the Department about the document. The memo had been marked as privileged attorney work product and subject to federal grand jury rules. Under the Epstein Transparency Act, much of the material was supposed to be produced with only identifying information about victims protected. The DOJ is now claiming deliberative process privilege over essentially all content and has removed the document from public view.
• Calls for Release of Epstein Files and Public Hearings — There is a growing demand for the release of the full Epstein files and for public hearings to be held. These files reportedly contain information on a network of powerful individuals involved in criminal activities. Advocacy groups are urging the public to contact their US Representatives and Senators to push for transparency and accountability in this matter.

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• Pentagon ends all military training, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Pentagon is terminating all Professional Military Education, fellowships, and certificate programs with Harvard University, characterizing the institution as "woke" and a center of "Hate America activism." Hegseth stated that within two weeks, all military departments will evaluate existing graduate programs for active-duty service members at Ivy League and other civilian universities. The move follows months of Trump administration threats, lawsuits, and demands against Harvard, including Trump's claim seeking $1 billion in damages over alleged antisemitism enablement.

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• Trump Proposes "Federalizing" Elections in 15 States — Former President Trump has proposed "federalizing" elections in 15 states, a move that is considered unconstitutional and illegal. This proposal has sparked concerns about federal overreach and the potential undermining of state-controlled election processes. Advocacy groups are mobilizing to resist this effort and protect state election autonomy.
• FBI sent email to state election administrators inviting them to federal coordination meeting, triggering concerns about federal election interference — The FBI's Election Executive Kellie Hardiman sent a routine-appearing email to state election administrators inviting them to a call to discuss election cycle preparations. Multiple secretaries of state, both Democratic and Republican, interpreted the outreach as threatening given recent federal actions: the FBI's seizure of 2020 election materials in Georgia and Trump's stated desire to "nationalize" elections, a power reserved to states under the Constitution. Election officials reported destroyed trust in federal election authorities and expressed concern that federal officials may be attempting to rig elections themselves. Several officials indicated they may not attend the scheduled February 25 meeting out of fear their information could be weaponized against them.
• Trump announced desire to "nationalize" elections and created standing White House working group to investigate past elections and reform future processes — Trump has stated his intention to "nationalize" elections, a power constitutionally reserved to states. Inside the White House, he established a standing working group that meets regularly to coordinate federal efforts to investigate past elections and reform future election processes. Trump has also called for greater use of voter identification, a ban on mail voting, and prohibition on certain voting equipment types. He has stated he will accept election results only "if the elections are honest" and mused that "we shouldn't even have an election" given typical midterm losses for the sitting president's party.

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• Department of Homeland Security issued interim final rule restricting immigration appeals — The Department of Homeland Security issued a new interim final rule making sweeping changes to Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) procedures. The rule reduces the time for immigrants to file appeals after receiving a deportation order from 30 days to 10 days and mandates dismissal of all cases within 15 days unless a majority of BIA members vote to accept the appeal. Immigration lawyer Craig Relles warned the rule will "flood the federal courts" and result in more immigrants being detained by ICE.

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• House Republicans advanced new voter ID requirement — House Republicans introduced a new version of the SAVE Act with stricter voter ID requirements. The new requirement mandates that voters demonstrate U.S. citizenship at the polls using photo ID that proves citizenship. Only two types of ID prove citizenship: a U.S. Passport or an "Enhanced" driver's license, offered by only five states (Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington). Voters with regular driver's licenses would be required to bring birth certificates or other citizenship documents to the polls on Election Day—a brand-new requirement for federal elections in all 50 states.

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• Florida mandates English-only driver's license testing — As of February 6, 2026, Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles eliminated multilingual driver's license examinations, requiring all knowledge and skills tests to be conducted in English only. Previously, noncommercial exams were offered in Spanish, Haitian Creole, and Portuguese. Translation services and printed exams in other languages are now prohibited. Critics argue the policy disproportionately affects immigrant communities and non-English speakers, including U.S. citizens, and creates barriers to essential services.

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• Trump revokes fishing restrictions in Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument — President Trump issued Proclamation 11009, revoking Proclamation 10287 and reinstating Proclamation 10049 to permit commercial fishing within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The 4,913-square-mile monument, originally designated by President Obama under the Antiquities Act, had been closed to commercial fishing by President Biden in 2021. Trump's proclamation asserts that existing federal fisheries laws and environmental statutes provide adequate protection for marine resources and that well-regulated commercial fishing poses no significant risk to the monument's scientific and historic objects.
• Trump revokes Biden proclamation, reopens Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing — President Trump issued a proclamation on February 6, 2026, revoking Proclamation 10287 (issued by President Biden on October 8, 2021) and reinstating Proclamation 10049 (issued by Trump on June 5, 2020), which permits commercial fishing within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The proclamation covers approximately 4,913 square miles of waters and submerged lands. Trump's order states that existing federal laws, including the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act and the Endangered Species Act, provide sufficient protection for marine resources and that "appropriately managed commercial fishing would not put the objects of historic and scientific interest that the monument protects at risk."
• White House issued fact sheet promoting proclamation opening Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument to commercial fishing — The White House published a fact sheet on February 6, 2026, promoting a proclamation signed by President Trump that revokes protections on the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (4,913 square miles off New England), restoring commercial fishing access. The fact sheet states the proclamation removes restrictions established by President Obama in 2016 and reinstated by President Biden in 2021, claiming the action supports coastal fishing communities and economic growth while asserting that commercial fishing restrictions are unnecessary for monument management.

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• Congress struggled to avoid DHS shutdown — Congress is struggling to make progress in negotiations to avoid a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security scheduled for the following week. The House and Senate left town for a long weekend without resolving the impasse. If the deadline is missed, DHS will shut down. Operations the Trump administration deems essential—TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard—would continue, but employees would go without pay. ICE was allocated $75 billion under Trump's "big, beautiful bill" and would be unaffected by a shutdown.

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• AOC called for preventing ICE deployment at polling sites — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated that preventing ICE agents from deploying near polling sites in November must be part of DHS shutdown negotiations. She characterized ICE agents as "killing US citizens."

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• Trump signed Executive Order 14385 authorizing DHS to access DOJ criminal history records and share felony conviction data with foreign governments for border security and immigration screening. — President Trump signed Executive Order 14385 on February 6, 2026, directing the Attorney General to provide the Department of Homeland Security maximum access to criminal history record information (CHRI) maintained by the Department of Justice. The order further authorizes DHS to exchange felony conviction records with Visa Waiver Program countries, countries with serious crime agreements with the U.S., and other trusted allies, on a reciprocal basis under bilateral or multilateral agreements with privacy safeguards. The stated purpose is to enhance border security and immigration screening by identifying foreign nationals with criminal histories.
• Trump issues executive order on criminal alien screening and felony record sharing with foreign governments — President Trump issued an executive order on February 6, 2026, directing the Department of Homeland Security to access criminal history records maintained by the Department of Justice for immigration screening purposes, and authorizing DHS to exchange felony conviction records with Visa Waiver Program countries and other trusted allies under bilateral or multilateral agreements with privacy safeguards. The order frames the policy as protecting national security and public safety from criminal actors, including foreign nationals with criminal histories who have entered or remained in the United States in violation of immigration law.
• Executive Order 14385: Criminal History Record Information Sharing with DHS and Foreign Governments — The White House issued Executive Order 14385 on February 6, 2026, directing the Attorney General to provide the Department of Homeland Security with access to criminal history record information (CHRI) maintained by the Department of Justice to the maximum extent permitted by law. The order also authorizes DHS to exchange felony conviction records with Visa Waiver Program countries, countries with serious crime agreements with the U.S., and other trusted allies, on a reciprocal basis under bilateral or multilateral agreements with privacy safeguards.

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• Trump demanded renaming of Penn Station and Dulles Airport as condition for infrastructure funding — Trump told Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) last month that he would release appropriated funds for the $16 billion Gateway tunnel under the Hudson River connecting New York and New Jersey if Schumer agreed to rename Penn Station in New York City and Dulles Airport outside Washington, D.C., after Trump. Schumer refused. Following the refusal, Trump's social media account accused Schumer of "holding up" the project. The Gateway tunnel is a major infrastructure project important to the entire region.
• Democratic representatives rejected Trump's infrastructure naming demand — Representatives Ritchie Torres (D-NY), Rob Menendez (D-NJ), and Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) publicly rejected the Trump administration's demand to rename federal properties in exchange for Gateway project funding. Menendez stated he is "a no on this 'deal'" and expressed confidence that New York and New Jersey will "win in court" with a new lawsuit against the administration aimed at unblocking the funds. Subramanyam characterized the demand as "holding critical infrastructure funding hostage for more vanity projects."
• Trump administration conditioned infrastructure funding on naming federal properties after Trump — The Trump administration asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to rename Dulles Airport and New York's Penn Station after Trump in exchange for releasing $16 billion in federal funds for the Gateway project, a long-delayed tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York under the Hudson River. The administration halted funding at the start of the government shutdown in fall 2025. Despite the shutdown ending in November and appropriations passing this week, the administration has not released the funds. The Gateway project warned it will halt construction Friday if funding does not flow, forcing thousands of construction workers to be laid off.

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• Democrats issue 10 demands for ICE reforms, threaten to block DHS funding — Following fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries issued a formal letter to GOP leadership on February 5, 2026, laying out 10 conditions Democrats will require before supporting long-term Department of Homeland Security funding. The demands include judicial warrant requirements for property entry, prohibition on agent masks, mandatory ID display, protection of sensitive locations, racial profiling bans, use-of-force standards, state/local coordination, detention safeguards, body-camera mandates, and restrictions on paramilitary equipment. Democrats signaled intent to introduce legislation codifying these proposals.
• Democrats demand conditions on DHS funding including warrant requirements and agent accountability — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) sent Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) a letter outlining conditions Democrats demand be incorporated into DHS appropriations legislation. Demands include requiring judicial warrants for home entry, visible agent identification, prohibition of racial profiling, restrictions on raids of sensitive sites (schools, churches, polling places, courts), use-of-force policies, body cameras, and state jurisdiction over federal agents who break the law. Republicans called the demands "unrealistic" and "radical."
• Democratic leaders released 10-point DHS funding negotiation list with immigration enforcement safeguards — House and Senate Democratic leaders submitted a formal list of 10 policy demands to Republican leadership for DHS funding negotiations, including judicial warrant requirements, prohibition of enforcement in schools and churches, ban on race-based stops, mandatory body cameras, officer identification requirements, use-of-force standards, detention standards, state investigation authority, and prohibition of officer masks. Republican leaders dismissed the demands as unrealistic and a non-starter, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and GOP Whip Tom Barrasso claiming the list had expanded and represented radical demands designed to appease left-wing groups.
• Senate Minority Leader Schumer detailed ICE enforcement abuses — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described widespread ICE enforcement abuses across U.S. cities, including warrantless arrests, detention in "dark chambers" without phone access, and two American deaths. Schumer stated that 90% of Americans surveyed had viewed videos of the enforcement operations and rejected them as un-American. He outlined Democratic objectives: stopping roving patrols, prohibiting enforcement in sensitive locations, establishing accountability mechanisms, and requiring officer identification and body cameras.

Supporting reports

• Democrats warn they will subpoena Trump and his family following Comer precedent — Following House Oversight Committee Chair Comer's subpoena of the Clintons, Democratic members of Congress stated they will follow the precedent when they regain control of the House. Representative Ted Lieu (D-CA) said "We are absolutely going to have Donald Trump testify under oath." Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL) said Democrats will follow Comer's precedent and subpoena Trump, his children, and others. Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) warned that Comer's actions will become his legacy when Democrats use the same tactics against Trump family members and their business interests.
• House Oversight Committee Chair Comer subpoenas Clintons to testify about Epstein files — House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) subpoenaed former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to testify under oath about their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Comer stated he does not need to subpoena Trump for the same purpose because Trump is answering questions for reporters. The Clintons agreed to testify publicly, with Hillary Clinton posting on social media that they will appear before cameras. This establishes a precedent that Congress can force past presidents and their families to testify under threat of contempt.
• Trump expressed concern about prosecution of Bill Clinton — In the NBC interview, Trump expressed concern about congressional investigations of Bill Clinton, stating "It bothers that they're going after Bill Clinton. I like Bill Clinton. Reporter: What do you like about him? Trump: He got me. He understood me." The statement followed House Judiciary Committee Chair James Comer's establishment of precedent for hauling former presidents before congressional committees to testify.

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• GOP Whip Barrasso claimed Democratic DHS demands numbered 23 items — GOP Whip Tom Barrasso stated he had identified 23 demands in the Democratic list (accounting for subsections), characterizing them as "radical Democrat demands" that continued to grow. Barrasso's statement escalated Republican framing of the Democratic proposals as excessive and unreasonable.
• Senate Majority Leader Thune rejected Democratic DHS demands as unrealistic — Senate Majority Leader John Thune publicly dismissed the Democratic 10-point list as unrealistic, stating the demands had expanded from 3 to 10 items and contained non-starters designed to satisfy left-wing special interest groups like MoveOn. Thune's statement framed the Democratic proposals as evidence of bad-faith negotiation and suggested Republicans would not seriously consider the safeguards.

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• Senate Democrats considered second DHS continuing resolution — Multiple Senate Democrats, including some who voted to end the previous government shutdown, did not rule out another short-term continuing resolution for DHS funding to extend negotiations. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) stated the need to "keep as many options on the table as possible," while Senate Majority Leader Thune suggested a yearlong continuing resolution might be necessary. The approach contrasted with other Democrats who immediately rejected further extensions.

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• Trump posted racist video depicting Obamas as apes — Trump posted a video clip depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes on social media. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed criticism as "fake outrage," claiming it was a Lion King meme, without apologizing or confirming removal. Republican senators Tim Scott, Susan Collins, Roger Wicker, and Pete Ricketts publicly called for the video's removal and an apology. Following their pressure, Trump removed the video. The White House then blamed the post on "a staffer" with access to Trump's account, still offering no apology.
• Trump removed racist video following Republican pressure — Following public statements from Republican senators calling for removal, Trump took down the racist video. The White House then issued a second statement blaming the post on "a staffer" who had access to Trump's personal account, still offering no apology.
• White House Press Secretary issued statement on racist video — Karoline Leavitt issued a statement characterizing the racist video as a Lion King meme depicting Trump as "King of the Jungle" and Democrats as characters, dismissing public outrage as "fake outrage." She did not deny Trump posted it, did not confirm its removal, and did not apologize.
• Trump delivered racist tirade against immigrants at National Prayer Breakfast — On Thursday morning, Trump delivered a racist tirade against immigrants while speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast. The remarks represent part of a broader pattern of inflammatory rhetoric from the president targeting immigrant communities.
• Trump posted AI-generated racist video of Obamas on Truth Social — On Thursday evening, Trump posted an AI-generated video depicting Barack and Michelle Obama as apes on Truth Social. The White House initially blamed a "staffer" for the post, though reporting indicates Trump's posts typically undergo approval processes including from the president himself. The incident represents an escalation in racist rhetoric from the White House.
• Trump posts racist video depicting Obamas as apes, refuses apology — Donald Trump posted a video to his Truth Social account on Thursday evening showing Barack and Michelle Obama's faces superimposed on ape bodies in a jungle setting, set to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." The video was part of a longer clip promoting false 2020 election claims. Trump initially claimed he had not seen the offensive portion, then contradicted himself by saying he approved posting it. When asked to apologize, Trump refused, stating "No, I didn't make a mistake." The post was later deleted after White House claims it was posted by a staffer without authorization.
• Trump posted racist video depicting Obamas as apes on social media account — Late on February 6, President Trump's social media account posted a video containing debunked claims about the 2020 election and an image depicting former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama with their heads attached to ape bodies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt initially dismissed criticism as "fake outrage." After Republican senators Tim Scott, Pete Ricketts, and Roger Wicker called out the racism, the White House claimed a staffer had made the post erroneously. Trump later stated on Air Force One that he had posted it himself and refused to apologize, saying "No, I didn't make a mistake."
• Republican senators publicly called for removal of racist video — Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) issued public statements condemning the racist video and calling on Trump to remove it and apologize. Scott called it "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House." Wicker called it "totally unacceptable." Ricketts noted the "racist context" and urged the White House to "remove this and apologize."

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• Trump administration arrests journalist Don Lemon and searches reporter Hannah Natanson's home — The Trump administration arrested former CNN anchor Don Lemon in January 2026 and conducted an FBI search of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson's home, seizing electronic devices. Nancy Pelosi characterized these actions as "an affront to press freedom meant to scare, chill and silence." The arrests and searches occurred amid broader concerns about press freedom and were cited by Pelosi as evidence that the First Amendment is "under siege."

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• Trump claims he won 2020 election and needed victory for his ego at National Prayer Breakfast — At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump made a rambling speech claiming "they rigged the second election" and stating he had to win it "for my own ego," adding "I needed it for my own ego. I would've had a bad ego for the rest of my life." He also falsely claimed to have won the popular vote in 2016, contradicting the documented fact that Hillary Clinton won by approximately 2.9 million votes. Trump attributed his false claims about undocumented immigrant voting to this popular vote loss.
• Trump repeats election lies at National Prayer Breakfast — On February 5, President Trump repeated his election lies and grievances about losing to former President Joe Biden at the National Prayer Breakfast, a traditionally nonpartisan event. Trump stated "They rigged the second election" and claimed he needed to win "for my own ego," conflating personal grievance with claims of electoral fraud.
• Trump spoke at National Prayer Breakfast and made false election claims — At the National Prayer Breakfast, Trump claimed the 2020 election was rigged, framed his obsession with "winning" as a matter of ego, portrayed himself as a victim despite economic hardship facing working families, and questioned how "a person of faith" could vote for a Democrat. He also boasted about his appearance at Davos. The event was intended to be bipartisan and reflective but was converted into a political attack.

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• White House announced 700-agent drawdown from Minnesota — White House border czar Tom Homan announced on February 4 that 700 immigration agents would leave Minnesota immediately. However, as of the article date, fewer than 1,000 agents remain in the state, not zero. Court filings confirm thousands of federal agents were assigned to Operation Metro Surge at various points, described by DHS as its largest enforcement operation ever. Legal observers continue reporting enforcement activity in suburbs despite the announced drawdown.
• White House border czar announces partial withdrawal of federal agents from Minnesota — Tom Homan, White House border czar, announced that approximately 700 federal immigration agents would be withdrawn from Minnesota, reducing the surge but leaving roughly 2,000 agents in the state—far above historical levels. The reduction is contingent on county jails agreeing to hold immigrants for up to 48 hours after their release dates to facilitate federal pickup. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated the drawdown is insufficient and called for complete withdrawal of Operation Metro Surge, citing two killings of U.S. citizens by federal agents in January and widespread community fear.
• Tom Homan replaces Gregory Bovino as federal immigration enforcement lead in Minnesota — Trump's "border czar" Tom Homan announced a drawdown of 700 federal immigration officers in Minnesota while maintaining roughly 2,000 officers in the state—far above the typical 150. Homan, replacing Gregory Bovino following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and mounting local backlash, stated the operation remains focused on deporting all undocumented immigrants regardless of criminal history. He emphasized "unprecedented collaboration" with county sheriffs to access local jails for ICE notifications, though major Minnesota counties have not confirmed participation.

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• Judge considers temporary restraining order on federal agents' use of force at Portland ICE protests — A federal judge is weighing whether to issue a temporary restraining order restricting federal officers' ability to use force during protests in Portland, Oregon, following weekend demonstrations at an ICE facility. Federal agents deployed teargas, pepper balls, and flash-bang grenades on crowds that included children and elderly people. The ACLU of Oregon filed a class-action lawsuit in November alleging sustained retaliatory violence by federal officers. A judge indicated a ruling would come on Tuesday.
• Federal judge temporarily restricts ICE use of teargas and projectiles against Portland protesters — U.S. District Judge Michael Simon issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting ICE officers from using chemical or projectile munitions against protesters outside the ICE building in Portland, Oregon, unless the targeted person poses an imminent threat of physical harm. The ruling followed a weekend protest on January 31 in which federal agents fired teargas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets at a crowd including children, which local officials described as peaceful. The order also restricts munitions targeting the head, neck, or torso unless deadly force is legally justified. The restraining order remains in effect for 14 days.

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• Steve Bannon stated ICE will surround polls in November — Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon stated on his podcast that "we're going to have ICE surround the polls come November" and added "we're not going to sit here and allow you to steal the country again." The statement preceded the White House press secretary's refusal to rule out ICE presence at voting sites.
• Steve Bannon calls for ICE presence at polling sites during midterm elections — Steve Bannon, former White House strategist and influential far-right podcast host, publicly stated on his War Room show that immigration agents should "surround the polls" during November's midterm elections. The statement repeats false claims about undocumented voter participation. Election officials nationwide have expressed concern about potential Trump administration interference in voting, particularly ICE presence at polling places, which can intimidate voters and suppress turnout. Courts have already blocked portions of Trump's citizenship-requirement executive order.
• Steve Bannon announces ICE will surround polls in November — Trump ally Steve Bannon stated on his podcast that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will surround polling places in November, framing it as prevention of election theft. Bannon declared "we will never again allow an election to be stolen," echoing rhetoric used to justify the 1898 Wilmington coup and signaling intent to use federal law enforcement to intimidate voters.
• Steve Bannon calls for ICE to surround polling places in November — On his podcast on February 4, 2026, Steve Bannon openly stated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) should surround polling places in November to prevent what he falsely characterizes as a stolen election. This statement constitutes a direct threat to free and fair elections and voter access. Bannon's statement has received minimal media coverage despite its severity and Trump's continued public association with Bannon.
• White House press secretary declined to rule out ICE presence at polling locations — During a White House briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she could not guarantee that ICE would not be present at voting sites during the November midterm elections, though she claimed Trump has no "formal plans" to deploy federal immigration agents to polling locations. Leavitt dismissed the question as "very silly," "hypothetical," and "disingenuous." The statement followed comments from former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who said on his podcast that "we're going to have ICE surround the polls come November" and "we're not going to sit here and allow you to steal the country again."

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• Fulton County files motion to challenge FBI document seizure — Fulton County attorneys filed a motion in federal court requesting an order mandating the return of property seized during the FBI raid. County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr. argued that the FBI violated a prior judicial order by Judge Thomas W. Thrash that had denied them access to original election documents, and that the statutes cited in the criminal warrant are misdemeanors with expired statutes of limitations, making prosecution impossible.
• Fulton County files motion to unseal FBI warrant affidavit and return election documents — Fulton County Commission Chair Robb Pitts announced at a press conference that the county filed a motion requesting the return of seized 2020 election documents and the unsealing of the FBI's warrant affidavit. The affidavit remains sealed, preventing public disclosure of the justification for the raid. Pitts stated the county would use all available resources to challenge the seizure and protect voting rights.