On Politics

Wed Jan 29 2025

Rebecca Morin | Senior National News Reporter

@RebeccaMorin_

Hi there! It's Rebecca Morin, senior national news reporter at USA TODAY. Can you believe it's still January?

Trump zeroes in on immigration – from Laken Riley Act to Guantanamo Bay detention facility

President Donald Trump's cornerstone issue, immigration, has been front and center since his inauguration. On Wednesday, the president signed the Laken Riley Act into law, which empowers immigration officers to detain unauthorized immigrants when they're arrested for crimes. The act is the first law that Trump signed in his second term as president. Read more.

Trump also signed a memorandum ordering his administration to begin preparation to build a detention facility at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The facility will house up to 30,000 migrants detained for being in the U.S. illegally. Read more.

•	What to know about immigration raids and arrests across the country. The USA TODAY's Network breaks down major immigration actions happening in key states in recent days.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also announced Wednesday that the Trump administration is revoking Temporary Protected Status for more than 600,000 Venezuelans.

President Donald Trump signs the Laken Riley Act, the first piece of legislation passed during his second term in office, in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday.

Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

A politics pit stop

•	Who is Karoline Leavitt, the White House's youngest press secretary?
•	Mark Milley's security detail and clearance removed by Pentagon
•	Watch: Transgender troops react to Trump order restricting transgender people in military
•	After a political standoff, travel from Colombia is fraught. Can Americans still go?
•	Greenlanders overwhelmingly oppose becoming part of the US, poll shows

RFK Jr. grilled by senators at fiery confirmation hearing

From his opposition to vaccines and abortion to his stance on junk food, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, faced a contentious confirmation hearing. Kennedy, who is facing widespread opposition from Democrats and potential objections from some Republicans, will be back on Capitol Hill on Thursday for another hearing. Read more.

•	RFK Jr. takes jab at Trump's diet, says he doesn't want to take away your cheeseburger
•	'You frighten people': 4 takeaways from RFK Jr's contentious confirmation hearing

White House rescinds freeze memo on federal grants

After a firestorm on Capitol Hill and a legal battle in courts, the Trump administration has rescinded a memo freezing grants and loans. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement that the Office of Management and Budget is pulling back its memo "to end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage." Read more.

Got a burning question, or comment, for On Politics? You can submit them here or send me an email at rdmorin@usatoday.com.