Federal Judge Denies Request to Block ICE Surge in Minnesota
A federal judge on Saturday denied a request from the state of Minnesota to block the Trump administration's deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. District Court Judge Katherine Menendez acknowledged that the immigration enforcement operation "has had, and will likely continue to have, profound and even heartbreaking, consequences on the State of Minnesota," but stated that state officials had not proven the surge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents was unlawful, according to BBC World.
The ruling came amid nationwide protests against ICE, as reported by BBC World. The state government argued that the surge would strain resources and create fear within immigrant communities.
Pentagon Defends Media Restrictions
In other news, the Pentagon defended its restrictions on media organizations in a court filing late Friday, calling them a reasonable initiative to balance national security with media access, according to The New York Times. The filing was in response to a lawsuit filed in December by The New York Times.
The Pentagon stated that the purpose of the policy is to secure the Pentagon and stop activity that could compromise national security. The policy outlines explicit and clear standards for conduct at the Pentagon, the filing said. The rules require reporters to sign a 21-page form that sets restrictions on journalistic activities, including requests for story tips and inquiries to Pentagon sources. Reporters who do not comply can lose their press passes, according to The New York Times. The restrictions replaced a far more streamlined process.
Israel Eyes Regime Change in Iran
Amid global speculation over U.S. military build-up in the Middle East, Israel is eyeing regime change in Iran and counting on President Trump to make it happen, according to BBC World. Despite the tensions, Israeli leaders have remained unusually silent, aside from some remarks in support of Iran's anti-government protests this month.
Danny Citrinowicz, who served for 25 years in Israel's Defence Intelligence, and is now senior Iran researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies, told BBC World that the silence "shows you the importance Netanyahu puts on this moment." Iranian officials have warned of an "immediate and unprecedented" response to any U.S. attack, according to BBC World.
Hassett's Loyalty to Trump a Liability in Fed Race
Kevin A. Hassett's loyalty to President Trump, once seen as his most valuable asset in the race to lead the Federal Reserve, ultimately became his biggest liability, according to The New York Times. Mr. Hassett lost out on one of the most powerful roles overseeing the U.S. economy on Friday.
President Trump's decision evinced both the risk and reward for an economist whose previous views had morphed in service of the White House and its economic agenda, according to The New York Times. The president did not want to lose one of his most forceful champions, whose full-throated advocacy had won deep praise from Mr. Trump but had fueled fears that Mr. Hassett could not guide monetary policy while resisting political influence.
New Epstein Files Released
The Department of Justice on Friday released the largest batch of Jeffrey Epstein files to date, including three million more pages of documents and thousands of videos and images, according to The New York Times. The documents shed new light on the disgraced financier’s relationships with several prominent figures, including Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. They also contain a significant number of uncorroborated tips to law enforcement.
President Trump was mentioned in more than a dozen tips received by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, but the released files contained no corroborating evidence, according to The New York Times.
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