A Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines flight at Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. From what we know, 60 passengers and four crew members were with American Airlines, and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. No survivors are expected. It is the first domestic airline crash in the United States since Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed in 2009, and likely the deadliest crash on American soil since 2001. Follow developing updates here.
- Former Senator Bob Menendez got an 11-year jail sentence after being found guilty of all 16 counts for accepting bribes from Egypt and Qatar. The former high-ranking Senate Democrat claims he will appeal and maintains his innocence. He's started praising Donald Trump, claiming he is "right" about the justice system. Observers see this as Menendez angling for a pardon. Read more.
- Donald Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law. It's the first piece of legislation he's signed since entering office. The law directs ICE to detain illegal immigrants who are arrested or charged with theft-related crimes or those accused of assaulting police. The bill also allows states to sue DHS for harm to their citizens due to illegal immigration failures by the federal government. It passed with wide bipartisan support, and Democrats like John Fetterman attended the signing. Read more.
- The largest federal contractor for immigration was busted. The Acacia Center for Justice receives $769 million in federal immigration contracts that provide lawyers for unaccompanied adults and children in the court system. The group claims "no immigrant should be detained" and opposes the use of police to detain illegal aliens. That places the group at direct odds with the current administration's objectives. Read more.
U.S. News:
- The House plans to buy back the Panama Canal. In a leaked memo, House Republicans lay out their plan to get the canal back. Read more.
- Meta is paying Trump a $25 million settlement for shutting his accounts on Facebook and Instagram after January 6. Read more.
- A man whose protests consisted of Quran burning is dead. He was shot dead in Sweden in what authorities say could involve "foreign powers." Read more.
- Donald Trump is sending criminal illegal aliens to Guantanamo Bay. The plan is for the prison to take on 30,000 migrants. Read more.
- Idaho asks the Supreme Court to revisit its gay marriage ruling. The Idaho House passed a measure requesting the highest court to revisit it. Read more.
- FEMA homes sit empty in North Carolina despite housing needs. Over 2,700 families remain homeless in the region. Read more.
Pop Culture News
- Netflix is rebooting 'Little House On the Prairie.' It's the focus for the streaming giant because the original is one of the most viewed titles in the Peacock library. Read more.
- Hollywood producer David Pearce is charged with murder. Prosecutors allege he drugged and killed two women in L.A. Read more.
What I'm reading...
- How I'll Rebuild Public Trust in the FBI. Kash Patel has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal laying out his vision as Trump's FBI pick. Read it here.
- What Happened When DEI Came to the Military? An investigation shows how veterans were whistleblowers against Biden's regulations. Read it here.
