All articles tagged with #government policy
Federal immigration officers are detaining more migrants who lack a criminal record than at any point since Trump returned to the White House, with last month’s detainees more than half non-criminal; the shift in targets and tactics is being driven by new DHS partnerships and data obtained via FOIA, signaling a broader crackdown on non-criminal arrivals.
The Trump administration suspended all immigrant visa applications at U.S. embassies and consulates to tighten restrictions and ensure stricter, more consistent screening, with interviews canceled and rescheduled after mandatory in-depth training. The move forms part of broader efforts to limit entry, including potential visa revocations for some asylum seekers, social-media screening, and higher processing costs, drawing criticism from advocates who warn of disruption to legitimate applicants.
A Washington Post report based on a leaked diplomatic memo shows the United States opposing binding limits on plastic production in global plastics treaty negotiations, seeking a broad national-security exemption to bypass the treaty and arguing for economic and petrochemical interests, as talks reach a critical phase.
The August 26 Social Security payments go out this week; beneficiaries born between the 21st and month-end receive on Aug. 26, with the standard Wednesday schedule depending on birthdate. SSI recipients typically get payments on the first business day of the month (August’s SSI was issued July 31 since the 1st fell on a Saturday); remaining 2026 SSI dates are Sept. 1, Oct. 1, Oct. 30, Dec. 1, and Dec. 31. The piece also notes an expected Social Security funding shortfall by 2032 and policy ideas, including capping annual benefits at $100,000, to shore up the trust fund.
At a White House gathering with Coinbase, Ripple and other crypto executives, President Trump urged Congress to pass the industry-backed Clarity Act to regulate digital assets, a move that would split oversight between the SEC and CFTC and impose ethics rules on federal officials, a proposal that ties the crypto industry’s legitimacy to Trump’s own business interests.
The White House released a presidential memorandum that would enable vetted tech and security companies to conduct state-approved cyberattacks against foreign criminal networks, with oversight by the DOJ and DHS through a National Coordination Center; firms would undergo rigorous vetting and contractual requirements and could coordinate surveillance or disabling actions, but only after defined consensus procedures ensure legality and avoid interfering with ongoing intelligence efforts.
The U.S. State Department says it has revoked more than 175,000 visas since President Donald Trump took office, including travel documents from foreigners charged with crimes and those who celebrated the killing of Charlie Kirk. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly made determinations to revoke visas for Cuban and Iranian nationals with ties to their governments. Officials say the moves defend U.S. foreign policy interests and national security, with revocations rising from an estimated 8,000 per month to about 10,000 per month after January’s total of 100,000.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to introduce legislation to create a new federal Anti-Corruption Bureau with broad investigative powers, aiming to tackle corruption across administrations (including the Trump era) and potentially absorb existing watchdogs, as part of Democrats’ midterm agenda, though the proposal faces significant hurdles in a divided Senate.
A Federal Reserve economist argues the U.S. homeownership rate is mismeasured, proposing the homeowners-to-population ratio (HPOP) which puts ownership at roughly 53% of adults and highlights factors like adults living with relatives, aging homeowners, and slower gains for younger buyers.
President Donald Trump said he will impose a 50% tariff on most Canadian goods in 30 days unless Canada drops what the administration calls discriminatory trade barriers against U.S. products; a senior official emphasized the move is unrelated to Canada’s wildfires and the tariffs would target goods under USMCA, potentially escalating U.S.-Canada trade tensions.
President Trump said he will seek a rehearing at the Supreme Court to overturn its birthright citizenship ruling, a move unlikely to succeed since the Court rarely grants rehearings (last done in 1965).
Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable were taken offline after Amazon flagged a jailbreaking flaw, triggering a rapid, multi-agency push that led to sweeping export controls. Over three weeks, government and industry officials—spanning Commerce, NSA, OSTP, the Treasury, and White House aides—pushed for fixes and alignment before the models were relaunched on July 1. The episode underscored tensions between safety, policy, and innovation, and leaves open how future AI releases will be coordinated across nations and labs like OpenAI and Google.
The Trump administration lifted a two-week export ban on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable AI models, allowing the company to resume offering these AI tools to customers worldwide; Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed the reversal, signaling a shift in tech regulation while noting ongoing regulatory decisions around other AI systems like OpenAI’s GPT-5.6.
President Trump said East Potomac Golf Links will undergo a sweeping renovation with a Sept. 1 start, a timeline that also must navigate regulatory reviews whose details officials have yet to clarify.
Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon’s policy chief under Trump, has become the central figure in a battle to define the future of America First foreign policy, fueling a GOP rift over troop withdrawals and U.S. defense strategy.