The Daily Brief

The latest on cuts to public health funding, the looming government shutdown, and more

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DHS Faces Shutdown as Senate Democrats Block Funding Bill

The Department of Homeland Security is headed for a partial shutdown early Saturday after Senate Democrats blocked a key funding bill, leaving less than 36 hours for Congress to make a deal before lawmakers leave Washington for a one-week recess.

The Senate vote to fund DHS failed 52–47 today. It needed 60 votes to move forward. The bill would have funded the department through September without adding new limits on immigration enforcement. Funding runs out at midnight Friday. Even though lawmakers are set to begin recess, they could be called back within 24 hours if talks restart.

The standoff centers on immigration enforcement, and follows two fatal shootings involving federal officers in Minneapolis last month. Democrats want new limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP). They are pushing for judicial warrants before agents enter homes, clearer identification, and stricter use-of-force rules. They also want to ban agents from wearing masks and end roving patrols.

President Trump’s administration sent a proposal this week. Democrats rejected it. The offer included limited concessions, but details were not disclosed. “We will not support an extension of the status quo,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the White House proposal a “reasonable good-faith offer” and said there ought to be “an understanding that these discussions need to continue” to “keep the government open.”

If funding lapses, agencies including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secret Service, and the Coast Guard, could face disruptions. Essential personnel, including TSA agents, ICE officers, and Customs and CBP officers, would continue working without pay.

Operation Metro Surge Ends

The Trump administration is ending Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, border czar Tom Homan announced today. He said a “significant drawdown” of federal officers is already underway. A small team of federal ICE and Homeland Security Investigations agents will remain to finish ongoing criminal and fraud cases that fall under federal jurisdiction, while local police focus on community safety and coordination. Homan didn’t specify how many agents would remain.

The operation began late last year with more than 3,000 agents. Its stated goals were to arrest undocumented immigrants with criminal records, reduce public safety threats, and remove what Homan called the “worst of the worst” from the streets.

Nationwide ICE figures show that only about 14% of detainees nationwide had been charged or convicted of violent crimes. The operation also detained citizens and children, disrupted schools and businesses, caused widespread protest, and stopped people from leaving their homes due to widespread fear.

Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed by federal officers last month while the operation was underway. Their deaths sparked widespread outrage and intensified protests, drawing national attention to Operation Metro Surge.

EPA Ends Climate Protection Rule

The Trump administration has repealed a key EPA rule that officially stated greenhouse gases threaten health, giving the agency the ability to regulate them. The 2009 rule, known as an “endangerment finding,” has been the legal backbone for US climate rules, covering car emissions, power plants, and greenhouse gases.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin joined President Trump at the White House to formalize the decision, calling it “the single largest deregulatory action in the history of the United States.” Trump called the rule a “disastrous Obama-era policy” and labeled it part of the “Green New Scam,” adding that it would free consumers and businesses, including auto manufacturers, from costly regulations.

Democratic leaders and environmental groups, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit that fights for clean air, water, and climate protections, promise legal challenges.

These lawsuits will ask courts to decide whether the EPA has the authority to undo rules that protect public health, including the 2009 endangerment finding and related emissions regulations. Any rulings will almost certainly be appealed.

“This EPA would rather spend its time in court working for the fossil fuel industry than protecting us from pollution and the escalating impacts of climate change,” said Gina McCarthy, a former EPA administrator who served as White House climate adviser in the Biden administration.

El Paso Airport Shutdown

El Paso International Airport in Texas abruptly shut down Tuesday night, raising questions and causing widespread confusion. Customs and Border Protection fired an anti-drone, high-energy laser near the airport as part of a military counter-drone test, targeting what they thought was a cartel drone. It turned out to be a party balloon. CPB had received the laser on loan from the Department of Defense.

Citing urgent safety concerns, the FAA announced a 10-day airspace closure but lifted it within hours, noting that they acted because the test had not been fully coordinated with the agency to ensure that civilian flights were protected.

El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said the shutdown “should’ve never happened” and called the lack of communication “unacceptable.” He added, “This unnecessary decision has caused chaos and confusion in the El Paso community. You cannot shut down a major city in the United States for 10 days.” Medical evacuation flights were diverted, and surgical equipment failed to arrive.

Trump Faces Rare GOP Defiance on Canada Tariffs

The House voted Wednesday to roll back President Trump’s tariffs on Canada, 219-211, marking a rare Republican break with the president. Six GOP lawmakers joined Democrats:Thomas Massie, Don Bacon, Brian Fitzpatrick, Jeff Hurd, Kevin Kiley, and Dan Newhouse.

Trump imposed the tariffs last February, citing a national emergency over fentanyl and trade deficits, but experts say Canada contributes little to America’s fentanyl problem. The tariffs hit most Canadian goods with a 25% tax and Canadian energy with 15%.

“This was a resolution regarding the emergency declared by the president over fentanyl from Canada,” said Kiley. “Congress has an obligation under the National Emergencies Act to evaluate every six months if the emergency still exists. Canada has now significantly cracked down on fentanyl.”

The vote is largely symbolic. The resolution now moves to the Senate, where it does not face a bright future. Trump could still veto the measure if it ever reaches his desk.

Judge Stops Pentagon from Targeting Mark Kelly

A federal judge temporarily blocked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly over a video telling service members they can refuse illegal orders.

Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former astronaut, appeared in the November video with Senator Elissa Slotkin and other lawmakers with military or intelligence backgrounds. They warned that “threats to our Constitution” could come from within the country and urged troops to follow the law.

Judge Richard Leon wrote that Hegseth’s attempt to cut Kelly’s retirement benefits “trampled on Senator Kelly’s First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees.” He added that he hopes his ruling “will in some small way help bring about a course correction in the Defense Department’s approach to these issues.”

The block is temporary. The Pentagon could appeal, and Kelly’s case over retirement rank and benefits will continue in court.

Public Health Cuts Lawsuit

Four states are suing the Trump administration to block it from cutting about $600 million in public health grants.

California, Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota say the Department of Health and Human Services is illegally withholding funds approved by Congress. Their lawsuit argues that the administration is cutting the funding based on political animus, it exceeds the agency’s authority, and they cannot legally withhold funds appropriated by Congress.

Some grants could end as soon as Thursday. The funds were approved by Congress under the Biden administration and were meant to run for several years. The money flows through the CDC, and programs affected include HIV prevention for Black women, LGBTQ support programs, and outreach to Latino and African American men.

An HHS spokesperson said, “These grants are being terminated because they do not reflect agency priorities.”

Instagram CEO Denies Social Media Is Addictive

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri told a Los Angeles court Wednesday that social media is not “clinically addictive for users in general,” though he acknowledged “problematic use happens.” He compared it to “watching TV for longer than you feel good about.”

The case centers on a 20-year-old plaintiff, referred to by the initials KGM to protect her privacy because the lawsuit involves events from when she was a minor. She claims Meta and YouTube designed apps to hook teen users, causing anxiety, depression, body-image issues, bullying, sextortion, and excessive time spent on the app. The lawsuit is the first of more than 1,500 similar suits and could establish a legal precedent for social media companies to be held responsible for their impact on youth mental health.

Mosseri defended Instagram’s safety measures, saying teen accounts have privacy protections and restrict adult content. He denied the platform targets teens for profit, noting, “Teens don’t click on ads and they don’t have much expendable income.

Next week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is expected to testify. The jury will weigh whether Instagram was a “substantial factor” in KGM’s struggles as a teen user.