Latest News Digest - January 30, 2026

National News

Fatal Shootings by Federal Immigration Agents Spark Outrage and Protests — Federal agents in Minneapolis fatally shot two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, during immigration enforcement operations this month, intensifying national debates over ICE and CBP tactics, prompting widespread protests.  Two of the ICE agents involved in Pretti’s shooting have been placed on leave.  Now a video has emerged showing Pretti confronting ICE agents one week prior to his death.  The video appears to show Pretti spitting at agents and kicking out the taillights of their vehicle. - apnews.com

Trump Dispatches Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to Oversee Federal Response to Protests — Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and escalating protests against ICE and CBP operations in Minneapolis, President Trump directed newly appointed Border Czar Tom Homan to travel to Minnesota on January 29, 2026, to personally take charge of federal immigration enforcement in the state.  Homan will coordinate with DHS leadership, review ongoing operations, and address what the White House described as “organized interference” with federal agents. - Truth Social Post of Donald J. Trump, usatoday.com

FBI Opens Investigation into Signal Chat Group That Was Targeting ICE Agents in Minnesota - Fox News reported that “Independent journalist Cam Higby posted a viral thread on X that said people were using the encrypted messaging app to share information about agents’ movements.”  Higby had infiltrated multiple Signal groups over several days and documented that the groups were highly coordinated and used license plate information to dox ICE vehicles.  FBI Director Kash Patel has opened an investigation and may bring charges if individuals are found to have conspired to impede federal law enforcement officers.  Foreign funders are alleged to be involved, including an American billionaire Neville Roy Singham who now lives in Shanghai, China. - nypost.com, foxnews.com

Don Lemon Arrested for Storming Cities Church in St. Paul, MN - Don Lemon and three other protesters were arrested on January 30^th for the January 18^th protest inside Cities Church in St. Paul during their Sunday services.  Lemon and the others are being charged with conspiracy to deprive civil rights and FACE Act violations.  Lemon is a journalist best known for being a host on CNN from 2014 - 2023. - WhiteHouse.gov, X Post of Attorney General Pam Bondi

Senate Deal Averts Partial Government Shutdown Amid DHS Funding Dispute — Lawmakers may have reached a bipartisan agreement to advance spending bills and prevent a partial government shutdown.  The agreement separates the controversial Department of Homeland Security funding tied to immigration enforcement controversies, following threats from Democrats and some independents to block the package over concerns about federal agent actions. - apnews.com

Massive Winter Storm Paralyzes Much of the U.S. — A powerful winter storm swept across the central and eastern United States starting January 25, delivering heavy snow, sleet, freezing rain, and Arctic cold, leading to dozens of deaths, over 800,000 power outages, thousands of flight cancellations, and hazardous conditions across multiple states. The severe cold is persisting and forecasters are tracking another potential East Coast storm.- cbsnews.com

FBI Seizes 2020 Election Records in Fulton County Georgia - After several major errors have been reported in Fulton County’s 2020 election processes, FBI agents executed a search warrant at the Fulton County Election Hub and Operation Center on January 28^th.  Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, was also on the scene of the search which sought ballots, tabulator tapes, digital data and voter rolls. - reuters.com

Federal Reserve Keeps Rates Unchanged - At their January 28^th meeting, the Federal Reserve held interest rates steady as the economy was described as solid by U.S. central bank chief Jerome Powell.  The benchmark interest is currently 3.5%-3.75% while the national average on a 30-year fixed mortgage APR is 6.24%.   President Trump has been highly critical of Powell and the Fed’s decisions, saying that they are costing Americans billions.  A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas as part of a criminal investigation of Powell tied to a $2.5 billion renovation of the Federal Reserve headquarters. - bankrate.com, cnbc.com

California News

Trump Issues Executive Order to Federalize and Accelerate Rebuilding in Los Angeles County Wildfire Zones — President Donald Trump signed an executive order on January 27^th aimed at overriding state and local permitting requirements to expedite reconstruction in areas devastated by the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which destroyed nearly 13,000 homes and displaced thousands.  The order criticizes California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for bureaucratic delays that have resulted in only a fraction of rebuild permits issued and fewer than a dozen homes fully reconstructed one year later, directs federal agencies to bypass "obstructive" regulations including environmental and historic preservation laws, assumes greater federal control over permitting for federally funded projects, and mandates an audit of billions in prior federal hazard mitigation funds allocated to the state.  California officials denounced the move as a political stunt, insisting that insufficient federal disaster aid and insurance payouts—not permitting—are the primary barriers to faster recovery. - whitehouse.gov, latimes.com

Dr. Oz Uncovers $3.5 Billion in Fraud in Healthcare System in California - Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz has sent California Governor Gavin Newsom a 6-page letter requesting he provide detailed information regarding program integrity for Medicaid payments. Dr. Oz stated, "The number of home health agencies in California almost doubled between 2019 and 2024." A video posted by Dr. Oz on X highlights massive fraud in Los Angeles, tied to the Russian-Armenian mafia. In a four-block area in Van Nuys, CA, Dr. Oz states he found 42 hospice agencies. The owner of one of the hospice locations stole $16 million and went to jail for only 2 years. Similarly, 400 medicaid businesses have been found in one industrial building in Minnesota. - X post of DrOzCMS, Wall Street Apes

Surge in ICE Arrests in San Diego Region — Since President Trump's inauguration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested nearly 5,000 people in San Diego and Imperial counties, reflecting intensified federal immigration enforcement efforts in the border area and contributing to broader national tensions. - calmatters.org

Open-Ended Strike at Kaiser Permanente Facilities — Thousands of healthcare workers, impacting around 31,000 employees, launched an open-ended strike on January 26^th at Kaiser Permanente locations across California, protesting working conditions and contracts in one of the state's largest labor actions this period. - apnews.com

Anduril Industries Announces $1 Billion Expansion — Defense technology company Anduril revealed plans for a $1 billion investment to build a major new campus in Southern California, just north of Long Beach Airport.  Anduril expects the campus will directly employ about 5,500 people.  - la.urbanize.city