U.S. Capitol flags will be raised to full-staff on January 20 to mark President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th President of the United States. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the decision Tuesday, temporarily suspending President Joe Biden’s proclamation for flags to remain at half-staff to honor former President Jimmy Carter, who passed away on December 29.
Washington State Senator Rebecca Saldaña (D-Seattle) has introduced a bill that would allocate state funds to provide unemployment benefits to illegal immigrants, despite the state's $10-17 billion budget deficit. The proposed legislation, SB 5023, aims to create a separate program for workers ineligible for federal unemployment insurance due to their immigration status.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Monday evening that its Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA) program will extend hotel stays for over 3,000 eligible residents in western North Carolina until January 25. The decision comes amid ongoing recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which struck in late September.
A federal judge in Vermont sentenced Luis Fernando Barragan-Palacios, 29, to 18 months in prison for smuggling nearly 100 migrants across the Canadian border into the United States. Barragan-Palacios, originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, earned approximately $500,000 from the human smuggling operation over a five-month period. He is expected to be deported upon completing his sentence.
Florida district judge Aileen Cannon has approved the Justice Department’s plan to release the first part of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on the investigation into President-elect Donald Trump’s alleged election interference in 2020.
Homeland Security and Border Patrol agents discovered a sophisticated smuggling tunnel connecting Mexico to El Paso, Texas. The tunnel, equipped with electricity and ventilation, was found during a routine inspection of a storm drain.
California Democrats have reportedly reached an agreement to allocate $50 million to the state's budget as part of a legal fund to combat incoming president Donald Trump's policies in the state.
