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The latest on the fight over DHS funding in Congress, the Epstein files fallout, and more

Feb 09, 2026

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Homeland Security Funding

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expires Friday at midnight, and negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms have stalled. Senate Democrats sent Republicans a draft bill this weekend. It would fund DHS for the full year and include limits on ICE and CBP agents wearing masks during routine enforcement operations, require body cameras, and mandate judicial warrants for some arrests.

The masked federal officers have become a flashpoint. Democrats say unmasking officers is crucial for accountability. Republicans argue masks protect agents and their families from threats.

DHS has been running on short-term funding since last week. A shutdown would halt most operations, including Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service. Immigration enforcement would continue because of prior funding.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned, “Either they’re going to agree to dramatically reform the way in which ICE and other immigration enforcement agencies are conducting themselves… or they’re making the explicit decision to shut down the Coast Guard, shut down FEMA, and shut down TSA, and that would be very unfortunate.”

Epstein Files Investigation

Ghislaine Maxwell appeared virtually today for a House Oversight Committee deposition but invoked her Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination. Her lawyer, David Oscar Markus, said, “Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump. Only she can provide the complete account. Some may not like what they hear, but the truth matters.

For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing.” He added, “Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.” Maxwell is serving a 20-year federal sentence for sex trafficking and is pursuing legal efforts to overturn her conviction.

Maxwell could name other co-conspirators, explain how Jeffrey Epstein’s network of wealthy and powerful contacts operated, and clarify her own interactions with prosecutors. That information might show why some allegations were pursued and others were not, and guide potential policy changes to protect survivors. Rep. Robert Garcia, the committee’s top Democrat, said Maxwell “answered no questions and provided no information about the men who raped and trafficked women and girls.”

An Associated Press review shows that while investigators collected ample proof Epstein sexually abused underage girls, they found little evidence he ran a sex trafficking ring for powerful men. Videos, photos, and financial records did not implicate others. Some claims of “loaning” victims to influential men could not be verified, according to internal DOJ memos.

Maxwell’s deposition coincides with members of Congress being allowed to review unredacted Justice Department files on Jeffrey Epstein. The files include more than three million pages of emails, photos, videos, and documents. Lawmakers can view them in person and take notes, but cannot make copies or bring others into the room.

Measles Shots

Americans should get vaccinated against measles, Dr. Mehmet Oz, head of Medicare and Medicaid Services, said Sunday. “Take the vaccine, please. We have a solution for our problem.”

Measles is spreading across multiple states. Arizona, South Carolina, and Utah report a combined 1,410 cases since last year. The CDC confirms 733 US cases so far in 2026, mostly in unvaccinated children. An 8-year-old in Texas died last April after not being vaccinated.

Oz emphasized the importance of measles vaccination: “Not all illnesses are equally dangerous, and not all people are equally susceptible to those illnesses. But measles is one you should get your vaccine [for].”

Oz’s boss, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has long expressed skepticism about vaccines, though he has urged measles vaccination during outbreaks.

Oz noted Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and marketplace plans cover the MMR shot. “There will never be a barrier to Americans [to] get access to the measles vaccine. And it is part of the core schedule,” he said.

Savannah Guthrie’s Mom

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, remains missing as a ransom deadline looms at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT today. Authorities have not identified any suspects or revealed any leads.

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home on Jan. 31 after visiting her daughter for dinner. Blood matching her DNA was found on her front porch. Authorities do not know whether she is still alive.

Multiple ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin have surfaced. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information and is vetting the notes.

The family has pleaded publicly for her return. In a video posted over the weekend, Savannah Guthrie said, “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. We will pay.”

The family posted another video today, calling for public help. On their behalf, Savannah said, “We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help…if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there’s anything at all that seems strange to you.” She added, “We believe our mom is still out there.”

Nancy Guthrie’s health is a concern. She needs daily medication and relies on a pacemaker.