🏛️ State Department Ties Code Pink to Chinese Communist Party Influence Operations
The U.S. State Department delivered a report to Congress detailing how China uses nonprofit groups to push propaganda and sway American opinion. The document highlights far-left outfits like Code Pink and the People’s Forum as key players in these efforts. These organizations routinely bash the United States, gloss over brutality in Marxist systems, and shield China from criticism. They receive substantial funding from networks tied to the Chinese Communist Party, including the so-called Singham network. Under Secretary of State Sarah Rogers called out the hypocrisy of ignoring these ties while obsessing over other foreign meddling. The department promises more scrutiny and demands openness about who bankrolls these activist networks.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The New York Post
⚠️ Senate Democrats Force Partial DHS Funding Lapse Over ICE Demands
Senate Democrats blocked a stopgap funding measure for the Department of Homeland Security on February 12, 2026, in a 52-47 procedural vote that failed to reach the required 60 votes, pushing the agency toward a partial funding lapse beginning Saturday. Most law enforcement activities at ICE and CBP are classified as essential services and will continue uninterrupted due to separate long-term appropriations from prior legislation, meaning core border security, deportations, and enforcement operations remain largely unaffected. The Democrat-caused lapse will primarily impact civilian employees and non-essential functions across other DHS components such as TSA airport screening, FEMA disaster response coordination, and certain Coast Guard administrative roles, potentially disrupting services for over 260,000 personnel while leaving frontline officers on the job. Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, insisted on policy concessions like unmasking federal agents, mandating judicial warrants for deportations, and tighter use-of-force guidelines before supporting the bill, framing their stance as a response to recent fatal incidents involving ICE. Republicans dismissed the conditions as overreach, with Majority Leader John Thune suggesting the move was more about scoring political points than achieving workable reforms, leaving no immediate path to resolution as Congress heads into recess.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, The New York Post
🚨 ICE Monitors 1.6 Million Illegals with Final Removal Orders, Half with Criminal Convictions
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons informed a Senate hearing that ICE is tracking approximately 1.6 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. who hold final orders of removal, meaning each has received due process under immigration law through proceedings before an immigration judge, including opportunities to present their case and appeal before the order became final. Of these, about 800,000 have criminal convictions. The numbers underscore persistent enforcement hurdles like sanctuary jurisdictions and limited resources that delay actual deportations for those already adjudicated removable.
Sources: US Dept of Homeland Security, The Post Millennial
🏛️ GOP Senators Push DOJ to Recover Fraudulent Obamacare Subsidies
Senate Republicans, led by John Cornyn of Texas and joined by 13 colleagues, sent a letter to the Department of Justice demanding action to claw back millions in taxpayer-funded Affordable Care Act subsidies improperly paid to insurance companies during the Biden administration. The lawmakers highlight rampant fraud involving fake identities, unauthorized enrollments, and subsidies to ineligible or deceased individuals, pointing to a GAO report showing billions in unreconciled payments and specific cases like $94 million to dead enrollees and over $180 million in one scheme alone. They praise recent criminal convictions of brokers but argue the government must pursue civil remedies, such as under the False Claims Act, to recoup funds from insurers who benefited from the waste, fraud, and abuse tied to expanded subsidies that lacked proper safeguards.
Sources: The Daily Caller, The Washington Times
⚖️ Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon Effort to Dock Sen. Mark Kelly’s Retired Rank and Pay
A federal judge in Washington, D.C., issued a ruling on February 12, 2026, temporarily blocking the Pentagon from reducing Sen. Mark Kelly’s retired military rank of captain or cutting his associated pension pay. This stems from a censure initiated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over Kelly’s participation in a November video, alongside other Democratic veterans in Congress, urging service members to refuse unlawful orders—a standard reminder under military law. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon, a George W. Bush appointee, found the Pentagon’s actions violated Kelly’s First Amendment free speech rights, describing them as trampling on constitutional protections and threatening the liberties of millions of military retirees; the order prohibits enforcement of the censure or related punitive steps while litigation continues.
Sources: The New York Post, Military.com
⚠️ Seattle Activists Push to Normalize Adult Attraction to Minors
A small activist group called Beyond the Plus has set up informational booths in Seattle’s Cal Anderson Park to promote acceptance of adults sexually attracted to those under 18, labeling them as “minor-attracted persons” or MAPs and framing the attraction as an unchosen sexual orientation akin to others in the LGBTQ+ spectrum, while insisting most such individuals are law-abiding and non-offending; the effort, led by a trans-identifying individual, includes rainbow pamphlets, paraphilia-symbol buttons, and references to fringe observances like Alice Day, aiming to reduce stigma around these attractions without endorsing illegal acts.
Sources: The Post Millennial, Reduxx.info
📉 Violent Crime Plunges to Historic Lows in Major Cities Under Trump Policies
Violent crime in major U.S. cities dropped sharply in 2025 and early 2026, with murders falling 19% in 2025 according to the Major Cities Chiefs Association, robberies declining 20%, and aggravated assaults decreasing nearly 10%. Standout reductions occurred in cities like Orlando and Tampa with over 50% homicide drops, while others, such as Denver, Seattle, Honolulu, and Albuquerque, saw significant declines, marking the largest single-year homicide drop on record and the lowest murder rate in at least 125 years. Additional improvements included fewer rapes, the lowest shooting deaths since 2015, an 80-year low in on-duty law enforcement deaths, reduced traffic fatalities, and a 20% drop in overdose deaths per Council on Criminal Justice data. The Trump administration attributed these gains to surging federal resources into high-crime Democrat-led cities, deporting criminal illegal immigrants, supporting police and prosecutors, and rejecting soft-on-crime approaches that fueled spikes during the prior administration. Operations like “Make D.C. Safe & Beautiful” in Washington, D.C., resulted in over 8,400 violent fugitive arrests and 856 gun seizures, contributing to early 2026 drops of 80% in homicides, 58% in robberies, and 57% in motor vehicle thefts there.
Sources: ZeroHedge, The New York Post
💰 States Eye New Taxes on Millionaires in Washington and Illinois
Washington state Democrats have advanced a bill for a 9.9 percent tax on annual income exceeding $1 million, which cleared a key Senate committee this week and could start in 2028 if enacted, while Illinois faces renewed pushes from former officials and unions for a 3 percent surtax on millionaires or wealth taxes on billionaires, all amid warnings that such moves risk driving away high earners and businesses in already high-tax environments. The Washington proposal aims to fund education and other services without affecting most residents, but critics note it layers onto existing levies and challenges the state’s long-standing aversion to broad income taxes. Illinois efforts seek property tax relief or other funding but contend with the state’s flat tax constitution and history of population outflows due to fiscal pressures.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, Bloomberg
⚖️ Obama-Appointed Judge Orders Release of Four Convicted Criminal Illegal Immigrants from ICE Custody
An Obama-appointed federal judge in Louisiana’s Middle District, John deGravelles, ordered the release of four illegal immigrants from ICE detention on February 6, 2026, despite their serious criminal convictions including homicide and child sex offenses. The individuals—three from Cuba with murder-related convictions and one other with a pedophile offense—had been held in the “Louisiana Lockup” facility at Angola prison. The ruling stemmed from findings that ICE unlawfully detained them indefinitely without foreseeable deportation prospects, violating due process and lacking meaningful explanation for re-detention after prior community release periods. DHS officials condemned the decision as reckless, emphasizing risks to public safety under the current administration’s enforcement stance.
Sources: The Post Millennial, US Dept of Homeland Security
🤥 New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani Backs Off Rental Voucher Expansion Due to Soaring Costs
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who campaigned on expanding the CityFHEPS rental assistance voucher program to combat homelessness and affordability issues, now says he will not push for its full growth. In his second month in office, facing a projected $7 billion budget deficit over two years, he indicated during a recent news conference that the program’s expansion—already costing over $1 billion and upheld by court rulings on a City Council plan—proves too expensive amid fiscal realities. This shift highlights the gap between campaign rhetoric and the demands of running a high-cost city government, with the administration instead focusing on preventing homelessness through more sustainable means.
Sources: The Post Millennial, The Gothamist
🚨 The United States Plans to Deploy 200 Troops to Nigeria for Military Training Against Islamists
The United States intends to send approximately 200 troops to Nigeria in the coming weeks to train the country’s military in combating Islamist militants such as Boko Haram and ISWAP affiliates. This move supplements a small existing U.S. team already providing support, follows recent American airstrikes ordered by President Trump on claimed Islamic State targets, and comes amid ongoing pressure over security issues in Nigeria’s northwest. Nigerian officials emphasize that the U.S. personnel will focus solely on technical training and advisory roles without engaging in combat, with full command authority remaining with Nigerian forces at the invitation of Abuja to bolster longstanding bilateral military cooperation.
Sources: Reuters, The Wall Street Journal
🏝️ Mexican Navy Ships Deliver Aid to Cuba Amid Tightened U.S. Energy Squeeze
Two Mexican Navy vessels, the Papaloapan and Isla Holbox, docked in Havana on February 12, 2026, carrying over 800 tons of humanitarian supplies, including food staples like rice, beans, milk, and canned goods, plus hygiene items to help ease Cuba’s mounting hardships. The delivery follows Mexico’s halt on oil shipments to the island earlier this year after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened tariffs on nations providing fuel to Cuba, a move that has worsened blackouts, rationing, and disruptions to daily life, transportation, and tourism as the communist government blames an intensified U.S. blockade for the energy crunch.
Sources: The Winnipeg Free Press, Reuters
🚢 Russia Plans Oil Shipment to Cuba as Humanitarian Aid Amid U.S. Energy Squeeze
Russia is gearing up to deliver crude oil and petroleum products to Cuba in the near future, framing the move as humanitarian assistance while the island grapples with severe fuel shortages that have triggered blackouts, flight cancellations, and emergency rationing measures. The Russian embassy in Havana confirmed the planned supply via statements to media outlets, though specifics on volumes, exact timing, or vessels remain undisclosed; this follows Moscow’s criticism of U.S. policies that have curtailed shipments from traditional suppliers like Venezuela (after U.S. actions against its leadership) and Mexico (halted under tariff threats), exacerbating Cuba’s energy crisis and prompting Russia to discuss aid options despite Washington’s warnings of potential repercussions for those enabling the communist regime.
Sources: The Moscow Times, ZeroHedge
⛔ Italy’s Meloni Government Advances Naval Blockade Plan Against Illegal Migration
Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pushed forward a new migration bill approved by her cabinet on February 11, 2026, that grants authorities the power to impose temporary naval blockades on migrant vessels attempting to reach Italian shores during periods of exceptional migratory pressure or serious threats to public order and national security. The measure, which requires parliamentary approval to take effect, allows for blockades of up to 30 days (extendable to six months in some drafts), with violators facing hefty fines and potential vessel seizures, while intercepted migrants would be redirected to third countries under specific agreements rather than immediately to their origins. This step continues Meloni’s efforts since 2022 to tighten borders through faster repatriations, harsher penalties for smugglers, and cooperation with EU mechanisms, fulfilling a long-standing campaign promise to curb mass illegal sea arrivals that critics call overly repressive while supporters view as necessary border security.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, AP News
🌐 Switzerland to Vote on Capping Population at 10 Million Amid Immigration Debate
Switzerland’s government has scheduled a June 14 referendum on the Swiss People’s Party (SVP) initiative “No to a 10 Million Switzerland,” which seeks to constitutionally limit the permanent resident population to no more than 10 million before 2050. With the current population around 9.1 million and about 27% foreign-born, the proposal would trigger restrictions on immigration, asylum, family reunification, and residency permits once numbers approach 9.5 million, potentially requiring withdrawal from the EU free-movement agreement if the cap is hit and other measures fail. The SVP, the largest party in parliament, gathered sufficient signatures to force the vote despite opposition from parliament, the federal council, and business groups worried about labor shortages and economic impacts.
Sources: The UK Telegraph, Reuters