Stories

Browse major news stories and see what officials have said.

May 26, 2026· Updated

ICE Pepper-Sprays Senator at Delaney Hall as NJ Governor Denied Entry Amid Detainee Hunger Strike

Over Memorial Day weekend 2026, more than 300 detainees at Delaney Hall — a 1,000-bed private ICE detention facility in Newark, NJ operated by GEO Group — launched a hunger and labor strike protesting spoiled food, inadequate medical care, and lack of due process. New Jersey lawmakers attempted oversight visits and were blocked from entering; on May 26, Sen. Andy Kim was pepper-sprayed by ICE agents in riot gear as he tried to de-escalate clashes between protesters and officers outside the facility. Governor Mikie Sherrill was formally denied entry when she attempted to inspect the facility on May 25. Sen. Cory Booker, Rep. Rob Menendez, Rep. LaMonica McIver, and Rep. Frank Pallone also visited and condemned conditions. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin flatly denied a hunger strike was occurring and accused the lawmakers of staging a "political stunt" for "fundraising clicks."

“What I witnessed and experienced today was shameful. Delaney Hall is a failure; it's this administration's failure. The only way to make this right for our communities is to shut it down and make sure the failures we've seen never happen again.”
Andy Kim (D-NJ) · May 26, 2026

May 26, 2026· Updated

Alabama and Tennessee Call Special Sessions to Redraw Congressional Maps After Callais Ruling

Following the Supreme Court's April 29 ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee both announced special legislative sessions in early May 2026 to redraw congressional maps — part of a broader Republican-led redistricting wave sweeping the South before the 2026 midterms. Ivey called Alabama's session on May 1, initially having said the state was "not in position" for a special session before reversing course. Alabama's situation is complex: the state has an existing federal court injunction blocking the legislature from redrawing its map before 2030, stemming from a prior Voting Rights Act violation. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall separately asked the Supreme Court to lift that injunction. Alabama Republicans have targeted the state's majority-Black 7th Congressional District, held by Rep. Terri Sewell. The special session kicked off May 5. Tennessee announced its session on May 1, with Republicans planning to redraw the US House district covering majority-Black Memphis — currently represented by Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen — which had been redrawn after Shelby County v. Holder but may now be vulnerable post-Callais. Civil rights advocates and Democratic officials condemned both sessions as attempts to disenfranchise Black voters under cover of the Supreme Court's ruling.

“A federal court confirmed what we have said all along: Alabama's 2023 congressional map was intentionally designed to discriminate against Black voters and dilute our political power. While we know that this legal battle is far from over, today's ruling sends a clear message — Black voters in Alabama cannot and will not be silenced.”
Terri Sewell (D-AL) · May 26, 2026

May 25, 2026· Updated

Trump Says Iran Deal "Largely Negotiated" — GOP Senators Call It a Disaster

On May 23, 2026, President Trump announced on Truth Social that a memorandum of understanding to end the US-Iran war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz is "largely negotiated," with Secretary of State Rubio confirming "a pretty solid thing on the table." The reported deal terms — a 60-day ceasefire extension, Iran retaining uranium enrichment capabilities, and Iran maintaining a role in the strait — immediately drew sharp Republican opposition. Senators Graham and Wicker, chairs of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees respectively, called a 60-day ceasefire with Iran "a disaster." Sen. Ted Cruz warned that any deal leaving Iran with enrichment capabilities and effective control of the Strait of Hormuz would be "a disastrous mistake." Sen. Thom Tillis said the deal was "doomed to fail" without congressional oversight. Democrats also weighed in, with Sen. Cory Booker calling the framework hypocritical given the Trump administration's rejection of the Obama-era nuclear deal. Speaker Johnson and Rep. Massie were among the minority of Republican voices expressing support for or openness to a deal.

“[Johnson predicted that a deal with Iran would bring gas prices down and be "a big thing" for the US midterm elections.]”
Mike Johnson (R-LA) · May 25, 2026

DOJ Scrubs January 6 Press Releases, Calls Them "Partisan Propaganda"

The Trump Justice Department removed hundreds of press releases documenting the charges, convictions, and sentencings of January 6 Capitol riot defendants from its official website on May 23, 2026, with the DOJ defending the purge as "stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda."

“Nothing 'quiet' about it. We are proud to reverse the DOJ's weaponization under the Biden administration. We will do everything in our power to make whole those who were persecuted for political purposes. This includes stripping DOJ's website of partisan propaganda.”
Todd Blanche (R) · May 23, 2026

January 6

DOJ

Department of Justice

3 statements

May 22, 2026

Tulsi Gabbard Resigns as Director of National Intelligence

Tulsi Gabbard resigned as Director of National Intelligence on May 22, 2026, citing her husband Abraham Williams' diagnosis with an extremely rare form of bone cancer. Her last day is June 30, 2026. Principal Deputy DNI Aaron Lukas will serve as acting director.

“After having done a great job, Tulsi Gabbard will be leaving the Administration on June 30th... Her wonderful husband, Abraham, has been recently diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer, and she, rightfully, wants to be with him, bringing him back to good health as they currently fight a tough battle together. Tulsi has done an incredible job, and we will miss her.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · May 22, 2026

House Republicans Cancel Iran War Powers Vote, Shielding Trump from Rebuke

House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a scheduled May 22 vote on a war powers resolution that would have compelled President Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, after it became clear they lacked the votes to defeat it. A previous House vote on a similar measure ended 212-212 with three Republicans crossing over in favor. Democrats erupted on the floor — Rep. Jim McGovern delivered a fiery speech calling Republicans cowardly — and the vote is now expected to be rescheduled for June after recess.

“House Republicans cowardly pulled a scheduled vote on a War Powers Resolution. House Republicans refuse to show up and be accountable to the brave service members that have been recklessly put in harm's way.”
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) · May 22, 2026

May 21, 2026· Updated

DOJ Indicts Raúl Castro; Trump Threatens Military Action Against Cuba

On May 20, 2026, the Justice Department unsealed a superseding indictment charging former Cuban President Raúl Castro and five Cuban regime co-defendants with murder and conspiracy for ordering the 1996 shootdown of two Brothers to the Rescue civilian aircraft over international waters, killing four people including three U.S. citizens. The announcement came as the USS Nimitz carrier strike group arrived in the Caribbean, and President Trump threatened he would be "the one" to intervene in Cuba. Democrats Kaine, Schiff, and Gallego responded by reintroducing a war powers resolution to block unauthorized military action.

“It looks like I'll be the one that does it.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · May 21, 2026

May 21, 2026· Updated

Government Drops All Tax Claims Against Trump in Expanded IRS Settlement

A one-page settlement document posted to the DOJ website on May 19, 2026 reveals the U.S. government is "forever barred and precluded" from examining or prosecuting President Trump, his sons, and the Trump Organization on their current tax issues. The provision dramatically broadens the prior day's IRS lawsuit settlement — going far beyond Trump merely dropping his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS to the government permanently surrendering its own enforcement rights against Trump's taxes. Democrats called it unprecedented self-dealing; one Republican, Sen. Ron Johnson, backed it.

“Now, he is making his sycophants at the Department of Injustice sell out the American people and funnel billions into a slush fund designed to reward violent January 6 insurrectionists and other loyalists. Instead of using taxpayer dollars to make life more affordable and better for the American people, Donald Trump is abusing his power to corruptly enrich himself, his family and his billionaire friends.”
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) · May 21, 2026

Republicans Push Second Reconciliation Bill; Medicaid Cuts Spark GOP Revolt

With the 2025 "One Big Beautiful Bill" already cutting ~$1 trillion from Medicaid, House Republicans and Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham pushed in early 2026 for a second reconciliation package focused on immigration enforcement funding. But a bloc of GOP senators — Collins, Murkowski, Moran, Hawley — warned against further Medicaid cuts, especially to rural hospitals. The bill stalled in May 2026 amid Republican infighting.

“Maybe he doesn't think he needs us. But I don't know. Last I checked, the laws don't just appear before his desk to be signed.”
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) · May 20, 2026

Trump Defeats Rep. Thomas Massie in Kentucky GOP Primary

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), one of Trump's most vocal Republican critics, was defeated 55-45 by Trump-endorsed Navy SEAL veteran Ed Gallrein in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District primary on May 20, 2026. The race — the most expensive House primary in U.S. history at over $32 million spent — was widely seen as a referendum on Trump's hold over the Republican Party, coming after Massie broke with the president on Iran, the "One Big Beautiful Bill," and the Epstein files. The result continued Trump's successful primary purge campaign, following prior victories over Sen. Bill Cassidy and five Indiana state senators.

“He was a bad guy. He deserves to lose.”
Donald Trump (R-FL) · May 20, 2026

May 20, 2026· Updated

Senate Republicans Advance $72 Billion ICE and CBP Reconciliation Bill

Senate Republicans advanced a nearly $72 billion budget reconciliation package to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement ($38.2B) and Customs and Border Protection ($26B) through FY2029, plus $1 billion for White House security upgrades. The Senate Homeland Security Committee approved its portion 8-7 on May 19, 2026, followed by the Budget Committee advancing the bill 11-10 on May 20, clearing it for a Senate floor vote before the planned June 2 recess. The package — the largest immigration enforcement funding proposal in U.S. history — advances via reconciliation, requiring only 51 votes and bypassing a Democratic filibuster.

“I didn't come prepared with the long list of victims of illegal immigrant crime: Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, and a very long list of … I don't have the list of the literally tens of thousands, I think over hundreds of thousands, of children lost, immigrant children shuffled through the system, probably into the hands of sex traffickers.”
Ron Johnson (R-WI) · May 20, 2026

Senate Advances Iran War Powers Resolution 50-47 in Historic First

The Senate voted 50-47 on May 19, 2026 to advance a war powers resolution directing the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran — the first time such a measure succeeded after seven prior failed attempts. Four Republicans crossed party lines: Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, and Bill Cassidy (who flipped after losing his Louisiana GOP primary). Sen. John Fetterman was the lone Democrat to oppose. The resolution must still pass a final vote and clear the House before reaching President Trump, who is expected to veto.

“I think it would be best if everybody hung together and supported the president.”
John Thune (R-SD) · May 19, 2026

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