Poli Alert Politics & Civics

President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order directing the U.S. government to rename Lake Ontario “Lake America,” turning one of North America’s most recognizable bodies of water into the latest front in his increasingly bitter feud with Canada. “This is official, effective immediately,” Trump said in the Oval …

Sen. Josh Hawley is launching an investigation into Flock Safety’s sprawling network of license-plate cameras, demanding answers about who can access the personal data collected on millions of Americans as they drive around the country. Hawley, R-Mo., chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, sent a letter …

A Maryland judge has temporarily blocked a Democratic-backed redistricting referendum from appearing on the November ballot, dealing a significant setback to the party’s effort to reshape the state’s congressional map before the 2028 elections. The ruling by Circuit Court Judge Robert J. Thompson, an appointee of former Republican Gov. Larry …

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has agreed to an approximately $18 billion settlement with California and other states over allegations that its social media platforms were designed to keep children and teenagers hooked. The sweeping agreement would also force Meta to make some of its biggest …

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested nearly 50,000 people in July, the highest monthly total of President Donald Trump’s second term, as the administration expands its mass deportation campaign through traffic stops, local police partnerships and community arrests. ICE recorded 49,571 arrests in July, a 15% increase from 43,021 in …

Voters elected Darline Graham to take her late brother’s place on November ballots, as the full backing of President Donald Trump helped overcome criticism of her political inexperience. When The Associated Press called the GOP runoff election at 9 p.m., Graham had 52% of the vote over U.S. Rep. Ralph …

Fewer inspectors. Major food recalls. And now an administration-backed beef import plan that has left consumers with unanswered questions about where their meat comes from. That combination is fueling a growing debate over the Trump administration’s approach to food safety as federal agencies responsible for inspecting food, tracking outbreaks and …

President Donald Trump ordered flags lowered across the United States for a week to honor Dolly Parton, the legendary country singer, songwriter and philanthropist who died Tuesday at age 80. Trump recognized Parton’s death in a post on Truth Social, calling her “one of the greatest Country singers” ever and …

The Trump administration is threatening for the first time to demolish the Kennedy Center if the arts institution cannot proceed with its plans to close the facility, undertake sweeping renovations and add President Donald Trump’s name to the building. The warning came in a Justice Department court filing Monday as …

The Trump administration is preparing to revoke the business and tourism visas of as many as 200,000 foreign nationals who have applied for or are seeking asylum in the United States, a move that could become the largest mass visa revocation in U.S. history and is likely to face legal …

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday announced a sweeping new economic pressure campaign against Iran, calling it Operation Economic Outcast and promising to target the financial networks, banks and businesses helping Tehran withstand the U.S.-Iran war. The initiative, launched at President Donald Trump’s direction, expands the use of secondary sanctions …

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to move forward, for now, with plans to restrict mail-in voting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, handing the White House a significant legal victory while leaving the ultimate fate of the policy unresolved. The divided court issued an unsigned emergency …

President Donald Trump announced Monday that the United States will raise tariffs on Canadian automobiles, steel, automotive parts and trucks to 50% beginning Jan. 1, 2027, escalating a trade dispute that erupted after U.S.-Canada negotiations collapsed last week. Trump said the new tariffs would apply to “all Cars, Trucks, both …

Fentanyl seizures decreased by 39% during the first year of the second Trump administration after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement shifted the Department of Homeland Security’s criminal investigations arm to conducting immigration enforcement, according to a report government investigators published Friday.  Agents with Homeland Security Investigations, a subagency of DHS’s …

Canada is preparing to impose dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods beginning Sept. 8, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday, escalating a trade war with Washington after last-minute negotiations failed to prevent new American tariffs on Canadian products. Carney said Canada’s retaliation will target a broad range of U.S. exports, …