Trump Urges ICE to Continue Traffic Stops After Fatal Shootings, Appearing to Reverse Agency's Operational Pause

President's comments reignite debate over immigration enforcement tactics as former federal law enforcement trainers question the role of routine traffic stops in ICE operations following deadly incidents in Maine and Texas.

WASHINGTON | President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to continue conducting traffic stops, appearing to contradict a recently issued operational pause that followed two fatal officer-involved shootings during immigration enforcement operations in Maine and Texas.

The remarks came just days after ICE leadership reportedly directed officers within Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) to suspend most routine vehicle stops while the agency reviews its tactics and provides additional training. The temporary pause includes exceptions for criminal warrants and coordinated operations with other law enforcement agencies.

In a social media post, Trump described traffic stops as one of ICE's most effective crime-fighting tools, arguing that abandoning the tactic would make it more difficult to locate individuals who are the subject of immigration enforcement efforts.

The debate intensified after two separate incidents in which ICE officers fatally shot motorists during enforcement operations. One shooting occurred in Houston, Texas, while another took place in Biddeford, Maine. According to published reports, neither individual killed was the primary target of the underlying enforcement operation, prompting renewed scrutiny from lawmakers, civil rights advocates, and former federal officials.

Lindsey Graham’s Enduring Legacy: How a South Carolina Senator Became One of Washington’s Most Influential—and Most Polarizing—Power Brokers

From military service and bipartisan dealmaking to his evolution into President Donald Trump’s closest Senate ally, Lindsey Graham’s career reshaped U.S. foreign policy, judicial politics and the Republican Party for more than two decades.

WASHINGTON | The death of longtime Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at age 71 closes one of the most consequential and debated careers in modern American politics. Graham, who died Saturday following a brief illness, leaves behind a legacy defined by military service, legislative influence, judicial battles, foreign policy advocacy and one of the most remarkable political transformations of the Trump era.

For more than 23 years in the U.S. Senate, Graham stood at the intersection of national security, judicial confirmations and Republican politics. His influence extended far beyond South Carolina, earning him a reputation as a trusted adviser to presidents, a leading voice on defense policy and, in later years, one of President Donald Trump's closest allies in Congress.

From Humble Beginnings to National Influence

Born in Central, South Carolina, Graham's early life was shaped by hardship. After losing both parents while still a young man, he helped raise his younger sister, Darline, before attending the University of South Carolina and later serving in the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's Corps.

His military background profoundly influenced his worldview. Throughout his congressional career, Graham consistently argued that American leadership abroad remained essential to global stability, making national defense and foreign policy the defining themes of his public service.

Rajoy's Remarks Ignite Political Firestorm Ahead of Spain-France World Cup Clash

Former Spanish prime minister's comments about France's multicultural squad draw widespread condemnation as politics and football collide on the global stage

As anticipation builds for Tuesday's blockbuster FIFA World Cup showdown between Spain and France, controversy has erupted off the pitch after former Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy drew sharp criticism for comments questioning the French national team's identity, prompting condemnation from political leaders in both countries.

The remarks have fueled an already emotionally charged rivalry, with lawmakers, political parties, and fans denouncing the statements as racist and contrary to the multicultural values that have defined modern international football.

Lindsey Graham Dies at 71, Ending Decades-Long Career That Shaped Republican Foreign Policy

Veteran South Carolina senator, longtime Trump ally, and influential national security voice dies after office announces ‘brief and sudden illness’

WASHINGTON | U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the veteran South Carolina Republican whose career spanned more than three decades in Congress and who became one of the Republican Party's most influential voices on foreign policy and national security, has died at the age of 71 following what his office described as a "brief and sudden illness."

Graham's office announced that he passed away Saturday evening, requesting privacy for his family and offering no additional details regarding the cause of death. The news immediately prompted tributes from political leaders across the United States and abroad, underscoring Graham's outsized role in shaping Republican policy and U.S. international engagement.

President Donald Trump, one of Graham's closest political allies in recent years, called the senator "one of the greatest people and Senators I have ever known," praising his patriotism and decades of public service. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster also honored Graham's legacy, describing him as a steadfast advocate for both his home state and the nation.

Alaska Senate Race Ads Mislead on Peltola’s Votes on Military Pay Raise

Ads in the Alaska Senate race are trading competing claims about former Rep. Mary Peltola’s votes on military pay raises.

In late 2023, Peltola, a Democrat, voted in favor of a compromise defense bill that included a 5.2% pay increase for members of the military. Earlier that year, she voted against a House version of the bill that included several Republican amendments she opposed.

TV ads from Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan and a super PAC supporting him exploit that bit of legislative messiness to make misleading claims that Peltola opposed military pay raises. She didn’t.

Rather, her votes reflect the political reality at the time. The House was controlled by Republicans, and the Senate by Democrats (including the independents who caucused with them). In the House bill, Republicans added several amendments, which Peltola and other Democrats criticized as partisan “poison pills.” Many of those Republican amendments were stripped away in a compromise conference report negotiated between the House and Senate.

Peltola, who served for two and a half years in the House, is now challenging Sullivan for his Senate seat. An open “jungle” primary guided by Alaska’s ranked-choice voting will be held on Aug. 18. The top four vote-getters will advance to the November general election. The race is rated a toss-up by Cook Political Report.

Democratic Group Makes False Claim in Insider-Trading Ad Attacking Susan Collins

Sen. Susan Collins helped pass a 2012 law affirming that members of Congress are not exempt from insider-trading laws and requiring them to disclose their stock and other investment trades more promptly. But an ad from a pro-Democrat group falsely claims that the Republican senator “doesn’t think” that insider trading “should be illegal.”

The TV ad from Majority Forward, an issue advocacy organization, goes on to say that Collins, who is running for reelection in Maine, “is trying to keep it so senators can get rich playing the stock market.” And a spokesperson for the group criticized the effectiveness of the 2012 law, telling us in a statement that Collins is “blocking the only thing that would actually work” to stop Congress from profiting on insider information – “a ban on members trading individual stocks.”

It’s true that Collins does not support a complete ban on stock trading by representatives and senators. A spokesperson for her Senate campaign told us that she believes they should still be able to maintain a stock portfolio “managed by an outside advisor who makes the decisions independently and without consultation with the member.”

But that’s not the same as thinking that insider trading should be legal.