By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>

WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance broke a tied Senate vote to block advancement of a war powers resolution that would have stopped President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization.

Senate Republicans used a procedural maneuver Wednesday night to halt debate on the Vietnam War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47603" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;that gives Congress a check on the president’s deployments abroad.&nbsp;

Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri flipped on their previous votes to advance the resolution, splitting support at 50-50 — and delivering a victory to Trump, who had strongly criticized Republican senators who earlier defected from the administration.

Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted to keep the effort alive in the Senate. Paul is the only Republican co-sponsor of the bill. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was the leading Democratic co-sponsor.

Young said while he “strongly” believes Congress must be involved in any decisions about the commitment of U.S. troops, administration officials assured him that is not the state of play in Venezuela.

“After numerous conversations with senior national security officials, I have received assurances that there are no American troops in Venezuela. I’ve also received a commitment that if President Trump were to determine American forces are needed in major military operations in Venezuela, the Administration will come to Congress in advance to ask for an authorization of force,” Young said in a written statement after he cast his vote.

The vote came less than a week after Young and Hawley were among the&nbsp; five Senate Republicans who broke with party ranks to move the resolution across an initial procedural hurdle — a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-gop-support-advances-war-powers-resolution-rebuking-trump-venezuela" target="_blank">rare rebuke</a>&nbsp;of Trump from some in his own party.

Trump pointedly attacked the five GOP senators after they voted, writing on his Truth Social platform that the lawmakers “should never be elected to office again.”&nbsp;

Senate Republicans argued a resolution to rein in Trump’s military actions against Venezuela is not relevant because “there’s no troops there, there is nothing to terminate,” as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch said on the floor ahead of the vote.

“Now, I know some of my colleagues will argue that a vote for this resolution is a prospective statement about limiting future action in Venezuela. That’s not what it says. They argue, ‘we still have ships in the Caribbean, and clearly the president is ready to invade again,’ they say. But again, that is not what the resolution says. … No language in this resolution addresses future action,” said Risch, R-Idaho, who moved to table the measure.

The vote came 11 days after U.S. special forces apprehended Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their bedroom during a surprise overnight raid. The couple was wanted by U.S. authorities on federal drug and conspiracy charges.

The vote also comes after a monthslong bombing campaign on small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in which U.S. strikes killed more than 115 alleged “narco-terrorists,” according to U.S. Southern Command.

Within an hour before senators voted to block any advancement of the war powers resolution, Trump posted on social media that he “had a very good call” Thursday morning with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez.

“We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover. Many topics were discussed, including Oil, Minerals, Trade and, of course, National Security. This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!” Trump wrote on his own platform, Truth Social.

Trump hosted oil executives at the White House Friday for a meeting on potential investment in Venezuela’s oil industry. Prior to the meeting, the president announced the South American nation had already agreed to give the U.S. between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil. Trump said he would control the money made from the sale.

Paul and Democratic sponsors of the war powers resolution vehemently disagreed with the GOP statements about the U.S. presence in and around Venezuela.

“You don’t have to be a great expert in military affairs to know that we are heavily engaged,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, ahead of the vote.

“Donald Trump says we’re not engaged in hostilities? Tell that to the 16,000 U.S. service members currently deployed in the Caribbean. Tell that to our service members on the Ford carrier strike force. Look at the Marine expeditionary unit operating in the region,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump is turning the Caribbean into a dangerous powder keg — and Congress must rein him in before one mistake ignites a larger, more unstable conflict.”

Kaine likened the Republicans’ procedural move to “a parliamentary gag rule on discussion of this military operation.”

“If this cause and if this legal basis were so righteous and so lawful, the administration and its supporters would not be so afraid to have this debate before the public and the United States Senate,” Kaine said on the floor ahead of the vote.

Paul said the administration’s claim that Venezuela is not an official war is “an absurdity.”

“The invasion of another country, blockading of a country and removing another country’s leader, to my mind, clearly, is war,” Paul said on the floor ahead of the vote.

U.S. Southern Command declined to confirm Wednesday the exact number of troops and warships present in the region.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said more than 100 were killed in the raid, according to numerous media outlets that posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2026/01/07/venezuela/video/venezuela-ataques-muertos-estados-unidos-diosdado-cabello" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;of his statement. The Cuban government announced on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JzbcBUyHz/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;32 of its citizens were among the dead.

Seven U.S. troops were injured in the incursion, according to the Pentagon. Five returned to work within days after the attack, while two were still recovering as of Jan. 8. Pentagon officials declined to comment further on their conditions Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768445947287.png" alt=" U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28, 2025 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption> U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on June 28, 2025 (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance broke a tied Senate vote to block advancement of a war powers resolution that would have stopped President Donald Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization.Senate Republicans used a procedural maneuver Wednesday night to halt debate on the Vietnam War-era&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47603" target="_blank">statute</a>&nbsp;that gives Congress a check on the president’s deployments abroad.&nbsp;Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Josh Hawley of Missouri flipped on their previous votes to advance the resolution, splitting support at 50-50 — and delivering a victory to Trump, who had strongly criticized Republican senators who earlier defected from the administration.Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted to keep the effort alive in the Senate. Paul is the only Republican co-sponsor of the bill. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia was the leading Democratic co-sponsor.Young said while he “strongly” believes Congress must be involved in any decisions about the commitment of U.S. troops, administration officials assured him that is not the state of play in Venezuela.“After numerous conversations with senior national security officials, I have received assurances that there are no American troops in Venezuela. I’ve also received a commitment that if President Trump were to determine American forces are needed in major military operations in Venezuela, the Administration will come to Congress in advance to ask for an authorization of force,” Young said in a written statement after he cast his vote.<h2>Rare rebuke doesn’t last</h2>The vote came less than a week after Young and Hawley were among the&nbsp; five Senate Republicans who broke with party ranks to move the resolution across an initial procedural hurdle — a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-gop-support-advances-war-powers-resolution-rebuking-trump-venezuela" target="_blank">rare rebuke</a>&nbsp;of Trump from some in his own party.Trump pointedly attacked the five GOP senators after they voted, writing on his Truth Social platform that the lawmakers “should never be elected to office again.”&nbsp;Senate Republicans argued a resolution to rein in Trump’s military actions against Venezuela is not relevant because “there’s no troops there, there is nothing to terminate,” as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch said on the floor ahead of the vote.“Now, I know some of my colleagues will argue that a vote for this resolution is a prospective statement about limiting future action in Venezuela. That’s not what it says. They argue, ‘we still have ships in the Caribbean, and clearly the president is ready to invade again,’ they say. But again, that is not what the resolution says. … No language in this resolution addresses future action,” said Risch, R-Idaho, who moved to table the measure.The vote came 11 days after U.S. special forces apprehended Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their bedroom during a surprise overnight raid. The couple was wanted by U.S. authorities on federal drug and conspiracy charges.The vote also comes after a monthslong bombing campaign on small boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean in which U.S. strikes killed more than 115 alleged “narco-terrorists,” according to U.S. Southern Command.Within an hour before senators voted to block any advancement of the war powers resolution, Trump posted on social media that he “had a very good call” Thursday morning with Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez.“We are making tremendous progress, as we help Venezuela stabilize and recover. Many topics were discussed, including Oil, Minerals, Trade and, of course, National Security. This partnership between the United States of America and Venezuela will be a spectacular one FOR ALL. Venezuela will soon be great and prosperous again, perhaps more so than ever before!” Trump wrote on his own platform, Truth Social.Trump hosted oil executives at the White House Friday for a meeting on potential investment in Venezuela’s oil industry. Prior to the meeting, the president announced the South American nation had already agreed to give the U.S. between 30 million and 50 million barrels of oil. Trump said he would control the money made from the sale.<h2>‘We are heavily engaged’</h2>Paul and Democratic sponsors of the war powers resolution vehemently disagreed with the GOP statements about the U.S. presence in and around Venezuela.“You don’t have to be a great expert in military affairs to know that we are heavily engaged,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, ahead of the vote.“Donald Trump says we’re not engaged in hostilities? Tell that to the 16,000 U.S. service members currently deployed in the Caribbean. Tell that to our service members on the Ford carrier strike force. Look at the Marine expeditionary unit operating in the region,” Schumer said. “Donald Trump is turning the Caribbean into a dangerous powder keg — and Congress must rein him in before one mistake ignites a larger, more unstable conflict.”Kaine likened the Republicans’ procedural move to “a parliamentary gag rule on discussion of this military operation.”“If this cause and if this legal basis were so righteous and so lawful, the administration and its supporters would not be so afraid to have this debate before the public and the United States Senate,” Kaine said on the floor ahead of the vote.Paul said the administration’s claim that Venezuela is not an official war is “an absurdity.”“The invasion of another country, blockading of a country and removing another country’s leader, to my mind, clearly, is war,” Paul said on the floor ahead of the vote.U.S. Southern Command declined to confirm Wednesday the exact number of troops and warships present in the region.Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said more than 100 were killed in the raid, according to numerous media outlets that posted a&nbsp;<a href="https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/2026/01/07/venezuela/video/venezuela-ataques-muertos-estados-unidos-diosdado-cabello" target="_blank">video</a>&nbsp;of his statement. The Cuban government announced on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1JzbcBUyHz/" target="_blank">Facebook</a>&nbsp;32 of its citizens were among the dead.Seven U.S. troops were injured in the incursion, according to the Pentagon. Five returned to work within days after the attack, while two were still recovering as of Jan. 8. Pentagon officials declined to comment further on their conditions Wednesday.

War powers resolution fails after Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley flips his vote

At&nbsp;3:41&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;EST,&nbsp;the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying&nbsp;NASA astronauts <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/people/zena-cardman/" target="_blank">Zena&nbsp;Cardman</a> and&nbsp;Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)&nbsp;astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov&nbsp;splashed down&nbsp;off the coast of&nbsp;San Diego, California, according to a statement from NASA.

This completes a stay&nbsp;in space&nbsp;of&nbsp;167&nbsp;days&nbsp;for&nbsp;the four-person crew.&nbsp;The mission returned to Earth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/nasa-shares-latest-update-on-international-space-station-operations-2/" target="_blank">earlier than originally planned</a>&nbsp;as teams&nbsp;monitored&nbsp;a medical concern with a crew member living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The crew member is stable.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Teams&nbsp;aboard&nbsp;the recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing the SpaceX Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will egress the spacecraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

NASA previously announced all four crew members will be transported to a local hospital for&nbsp;additional&nbsp;evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible.&nbsp;

Following a planned overnight hospital stay, the crew will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families and undergo standard post-flight reconditioning and evaluations. Due to medical privacy, it is not&nbsp;appropriate for&nbsp;NASA to share more details about the crew member.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768444979570.png" alt="The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz" />
 <figcaption>The official portrait of the four members of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-11 mission aboard the International Space Station. From left, are Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui, and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman. NASA/Robert Markowitz</figcaption>
 </figure>At&nbsp;3:41&nbsp;a.m.&nbsp;EST,&nbsp;the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying&nbsp;NASA astronauts <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/people/zena-cardman/" target="_blank">Zena&nbsp;Cardman</a> and&nbsp;Mike Fincke, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)&nbsp;astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov&nbsp;splashed down&nbsp;off the coast of&nbsp;San Diego, California, according to a statement from NASA.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768445083052.png" alt="This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026." />
 <figcaption>This photo provided by NASA shows clockwise from bottom left are, NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov, NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Kimiya Yui gathering for a crew portrait wearing their Dragon pressure suits during a suit verification check inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026.</figcaption>
 </figure>This completes a stay&nbsp;in space&nbsp;of&nbsp;167&nbsp;days&nbsp;for&nbsp;the four-person crew.&nbsp;The mission returned to Earth&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/01/08/nasa-shares-latest-update-on-international-space-station-operations-2/" target="_blank">earlier than originally planned</a>&nbsp;as teams&nbsp;monitored&nbsp;a medical concern with a crew member living and working aboard the orbital laboratory. The crew member is stable.&nbsp;&nbsp;Teams&nbsp;aboard&nbsp;the recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing the SpaceX Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for the recovery effort. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the astronauts inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will egress the spacecraft.&nbsp;&nbsp;NASA previously announced all four crew members will be transported to a local hospital for&nbsp;additional&nbsp;evaluation, taking advantage of medical resources on Earth to provide the best care possible.&nbsp;Following a planned overnight hospital stay, the crew will return to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, where they will reunite with their families and undergo standard post-flight reconditioning and evaluations. Due to medical privacy, it is not&nbsp;appropriate for&nbsp;NASA to share more details about the crew member.&nbsp;

NASA's first medical evacuation: Ailing astronaut returns to Earth early 

Women in nearby states with abortion bans might not have to travel so far for the procedure.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/"></a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The outcome of a trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations could ripple far beyond the state, potentially creating new availability for women in the Midwest and South who can’t access abortion close to home.

As a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/" target="_blank">weighs the constitutionality</a>&nbsp;of a litany of state restrictions on abortion, the stakes are clear for Missouri women: The decision could hamper access for nearly everyone in the state — or greatly broaden it in ways not seen in decades. That would allow women in a dozen nearby states with abortion bans to travel a shorter distance to access the procedure.

“Opening and reestablishing rights in the state of Missouri would help to alleviate some of the pressure that other states have since so many Southern states have banned abortion,” said Julie Burkhart, the co-owner of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois. “It just seems logical that we would see a shift in migration patterns of patients in the country.”

At her clinic, about a 15-minute drive from downtown St. Louis, Missourians account for about half of all patients, Burkhart said. Though Missouri voters in 2024 enshrined a right to abortion in the state constitution, access has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/" target="_blank">highly limited because of restrictive state laws</a>. Only procedural abortions are available on a limited basis across three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.

Many of those state laws face legal scrutiny this week as a Missouri judge weighs the constitutionality of regulations targeting abortion providers. Those include a 72-hour waiting period between initial appointments and procedures, mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions and a ban on telemedicine appointments for medication abortions.

Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri argue state restrictions are unconstitutional under 2024’s voter-approved constitutional amendment. Over decades, state restrictions have gutted Missouri’s provider networks, limited appointment availability and ultimately forced abortions to a halt in 2022, before a limited number resumed after the 2024 vote.

Experts and advocates are closely monitoring the Missouri case, which is expected to be appealed regardless of the outcome, because of its practical implications on access in the region. While many women now rely on abortion medication, procedural abortion is still crucial for those seeking later-term abortions or who prefer an in-clinic procedure.

But the two-week bench trial in downtown Kansas City also tests lawmakers’ ability to put in place rules so restrictive that they effectively ban abortion — a practice used by anti-abortion lawmakers in other states looking to limit access to the procedure.

“Judges do not operate in a vacuum,” Burkhart said, “ … and we know for a fact that judges look outside the borders of their state for information and for guidance. I do see this as having national importance.”

That’s especially true in other states also litigating abortion access, including Arizona, Michigan and Ohio, said Rebecca Reingold, an associate director at Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.

While state judges are not bound by the decisions of judges in other states, their deliberations can be informed by court rulings, particularly involving novel legal questions or areas of the law that are evolving.

“There is little doubt that advocates and decision-makers in other states navigating similar legal challenges are closely monitoring the litigation over Missouri’s abortion regulations,” Reingold said.

In the first days of the trial, Planned Parenthood leaders argued that ever-changing state laws and agency regulations have drastically limited access, caused needless red tape and posed privacy risk for their patients.

Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with St. Louis-based Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the Missouri requirements specifically target abortion rather than all other kinds of medical care.

“I provide vasectomies routinely. … And I am not required to have a complication plan, contact a primary care physician, even ask the patient how many miles they live from the health center.”

Baum said state-mandated reporting rules unique to abortion require clinicians to ask the race, education level, marital status and specific location of each patient — none of which is relevant to their care.

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers would like to offer abortion services in Springfield, Baum testified. Access in that region would provide an option for rural Missourians, and also could help serve residents in nearby Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, where abortion is almost universally banned.

But the organization’s facilities there do not meet state abortion regulations for physical attributes, including hallway size, doorway size and the number of recliners in recovery rooms, Baum testified.

Lawyers for the state defended Missouri’s restrictions as commonsense safeguards aimed at protecting vulnerable women. The attorney general’s office argued that complication risks of abortion justify additional state regulation — despite professional medical associations saying it’s generally safe. The AG’s office also maintained that Planned Parenthood faced a conflict of interest because of its financial motivations.

“Abortion is a business,” Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue said during a procedural argument on Monday. “Your Honor, the plaintiffs are asking to deregulate their profession in order to make more money.”

The state was expected to call as witnesses anti-abortion doctors and activists later in the trial.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned federal constitutional protections for abortion in June 2022, the number of abortions has increased slightly across the country, according to the health research nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/abortion-trends-before-and-after-dobbs/" target="_blank">KFF</a>.

The group points to expanded telehealth, which can offer medication abortion more affordably through virtual appointments.

Since the 2022 ruling and subsequent state abortion bans, patients have experienced higher travel costs for abortions and delays in care, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/07/16/travel-time-costs-for-abortions-increased-after-state-bans-researchers-find/">research</a>&nbsp;published in the American Journal of Public Health in July.

Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that travel time to access abortion increased from 2.8 hours to 11.3 hours for residents in states with abortion bans. Travel costs increased from $179 to $372. And more than half of survey respondents said their abortion care required an overnight hotel stay, compared with 5% before an abortion ban.

In 2024, an estimated 7,880 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 3,960 traveled to Kansas to access abortion, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research and policy organization focused on advancing reproductive rights.

Those Missourians were among the approximate 155,000 people who crossed state lines to access abortion care that year, representing 15% of all abortions provided in states without total bans.

Regardless of its outcome, the Missouri case is expected to be appealed. Even if the plaintiffs are ultimately successful, it may take a long time to restore care networks across the state, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute.

“And that’s particularly the case when there are states that have a lot of legal uncertainty or restrictions coming into effect and then coming out of effect,” he said. “It’s not quick to open up a clinic. It’s not quick to even necessarily expand the kinds of services, or the kinds of the number of people that a clinic can see.”

Kimya Forouzan, the organization’s principal state policy adviser, said Missouri’s landscape is evidence that lawmakers can drastically curb abortion access without total bans. And despite an overwhelming vote to amend the constitution, legal battles can follow.

Even if the state’s laws are found unconstitutional, Forouzan said, lawmakers will likely still push anti-abortion measures. She noted that several bills have already been introduced in this year’s just-convened legislative session, and that Republican lawmakers are pushing a ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/04/missouri-appeals-court-rejects-abortion-ban-ballot-language/" target="_blank">measure to repeal</a>&nbsp;2024’s reproductive rights amendment.

“There’s very much a push to pass as many restrictions as possible and kind of see what happens later and how things shape up later. … Time will tell, but we do know that they’re still pushing forth restrictions,” she said.

Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>. Missouri Independent reporter Anna Spoerre can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aspoerre@missouriindependent.com">aspoerre@missouriindependent.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768404776458.png" alt="A trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations began Monday at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo. Experts are watching the case, which could impact abortion access across the Midwest and South. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline)" />
 <figcaption>A trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations began Monday at the Jackson County Courthouse in Kansas City, Mo. Experts are watching the case, which could impact abortion access across the Midwest and South. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Women in nearby states with abortion bans might not have to travel so far for the procedure.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/author/khardy/">Kevin Hardy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/"></a><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The outcome of a trial over Missouri’s abortion regulations could ripple far beyond the state, potentially creating new availability for women in the Midwest and South who can’t access abortion close to home.As a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2026/01/12/missouri-abortion-rights-trial-focuses-on-two-decades-of-state-restrictions/" target="_blank">weighs the constitutionality</a>&nbsp;of a litany of state restrictions on abortion, the stakes are clear for Missouri women: The decision could hamper access for nearly everyone in the state — or greatly broaden it in ways not seen in decades. That would allow women in a dozen nearby states with abortion bans to travel a shorter distance to access the procedure.“Opening and reestablishing rights in the state of Missouri would help to alleviate some of the pressure that other states have since so many Southern states have banned abortion,” said Julie Burkhart, the co-owner of Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois. “It just seems logical that we would see a shift in migration patterns of patients in the country.”At her clinic, about a 15-minute drive from downtown St. Louis, Missourians account for about half of all patients, Burkhart said. Though Missouri voters in 2024 enshrined a right to abortion in the state constitution, access has remained&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/" target="_blank">highly limited because of restrictive state laws</a>. Only procedural abortions are available on a limited basis across three Planned Parenthood clinics in the state.Many of those state laws face legal scrutiny this week as a Missouri judge weighs the constitutionality of regulations targeting abortion providers. Those include a 72-hour waiting period between initial appointments and procedures, mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions and a ban on telemedicine appointments for medication abortions.Planned Parenthood affiliates in Missouri argue state restrictions are unconstitutional under 2024’s voter-approved constitutional amendment. Over decades, state restrictions have gutted Missouri’s provider networks, limited appointment availability and ultimately forced abortions to a halt in 2022, before a limited number resumed after the 2024 vote.Experts and advocates are closely monitoring the Missouri case, which is expected to be appealed regardless of the outcome, because of its practical implications on access in the region. While many women now rely on abortion medication, procedural abortion is still crucial for those seeking later-term abortions or who prefer an in-clinic procedure.But the two-week bench trial in downtown Kansas City also tests lawmakers’ ability to put in place rules so restrictive that they effectively ban abortion — a practice used by anti-abortion lawmakers in other states looking to limit access to the procedure.“Judges do not operate in a vacuum,” Burkhart said, “ … and we know for a fact that judges look outside the borders of their state for information and for guidance. I do see this as having national importance.”That’s especially true in other states also litigating abortion access, including Arizona, Michigan and Ohio, said Rebecca Reingold, an associate director at Georgetown University’s O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law.While state judges are not bound by the decisions of judges in other states, their deliberations can be informed by court rulings, particularly involving novel legal questions or areas of the law that are evolving.“There is little doubt that advocates and decision-makers in other states navigating similar legal challenges are closely monitoring the litigation over Missouri’s abortion regulations,” Reingold said.<h2>Restrictions targeting abortion</h2>In the first days of the trial, Planned Parenthood leaders argued that ever-changing state laws and agency regulations have drastically limited access, caused needless red tape and posed privacy risk for their patients.Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with St. Louis-based Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, said the Missouri requirements specifically target abortion rather than all other kinds of medical care.“I provide vasectomies routinely. … And I am not required to have a complication plan, contact a primary care physician, even ask the patient how many miles they live from the health center.”Baum said state-mandated reporting rules unique to abortion require clinicians to ask the race, education level, marital status and specific location of each patient — none of which is relevant to their care.Planned Parenthood Great Rivers would like to offer abortion services in Springfield, Baum testified. Access in that region would provide an option for rural Missourians, and also could help serve residents in nearby Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, where abortion is almost universally banned.But the organization’s facilities there do not meet state abortion regulations for physical attributes, including hallway size, doorway size and the number of recliners in recovery rooms, Baum testified.Lawyers for the state defended Missouri’s restrictions as commonsense safeguards aimed at protecting vulnerable women. The attorney general’s office argued that complication risks of abortion justify additional state regulation — despite professional medical associations saying it’s generally safe. The AG’s office also maintained that Planned Parenthood faced a conflict of interest because of its financial motivations.“Abortion is a business,” Deputy Solicitor General Peter Donohue said during a procedural argument on Monday. “Your Honor, the plaintiffs are asking to deregulate their profession in order to make more money.”The state was expected to call as witnesses anti-abortion doctors and activists later in the trial.<h2>Patients traveling for care</h2>Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that overturned federal constitutional protections for abortion in June 2022, the number of abortions has increased slightly across the country, according to the health research nonprofit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/abortion-trends-before-and-after-dobbs/" target="_blank">KFF</a>.The group points to expanded telehealth, which can offer medication abortion more affordably through virtual appointments.Since the 2022 ruling and subsequent state abortion bans, patients have experienced higher travel costs for abortions and delays in care, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://stateline.org/2025/07/16/travel-time-costs-for-abortions-increased-after-state-bans-researchers-find/">research</a>&nbsp;published in the American Journal of Public Health in July.Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco found that travel time to access abortion increased from 2.8 hours to 11.3 hours for residents in states with abortion bans. Travel costs increased from $179 to $372. And more than half of survey respondents said their abortion care required an overnight hotel stay, compared with 5% before an abortion ban.In 2024, an estimated 7,880 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 3,960 traveled to Kansas to access abortion, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/monthly-abortion-provision-study" target="_blank">Guttmacher Institute</a>, a research and policy organization focused on advancing reproductive rights.Those Missourians were among the approximate 155,000 people who crossed state lines to access abortion care that year, representing 15% of all abortions provided in states without total bans.<h2>Ongoing uncertainty</h2>Regardless of its outcome, the Missouri case is expected to be appealed. Even if the plaintiffs are ultimately successful, it may take a long time to restore care networks across the state, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist at the Guttmacher Institute.“And that’s particularly the case when there are states that have a lot of legal uncertainty or restrictions coming into effect and then coming out of effect,” he said. “It’s not quick to open up a clinic. It’s not quick to even necessarily expand the kinds of services, or the kinds of the number of people that a clinic can see.”Kimya Forouzan, the organization’s principal state policy adviser, said Missouri’s landscape is evidence that lawmakers can drastically curb abortion access without total bans. And despite an overwhelming vote to amend the constitution, legal battles can follow.Even if the state’s laws are found unconstitutional, Forouzan said, lawmakers will likely still push anti-abortion measures. She noted that several bills have already been introduced in this year’s just-convened legislative session, and that Republican lawmakers are pushing a ballot&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/04/missouri-appeals-court-rejects-abortion-ban-ballot-language/" target="_blank">measure to repeal</a>&nbsp;2024’s reproductive rights amendment.“There’s very much a push to pass as many restrictions as possible and kind of see what happens later and how things shape up later. … Time will tell, but we do know that they’re still pushing forth restrictions,” she said.Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:khardy@stateline.org">khardy@stateline.org</a>. Missouri Independent reporter Anna Spoerre can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:aspoerre@missouriindependent.com">aspoerre@missouriindependent.com</a>.

Missouri trial could affect abortion access across the Midwest and South

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — A pair of blockbuster cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court could carry far-reaching implications for transgender rights, even as the Trump administration during the past year has rolled out a broad anti-trans agenda targeting everything from sports to military service.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a>

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>

The court on Jan. 13 will hear challenges to laws in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/07/03/u-s-supreme-court-takes-up-trans-athlete-ban-in-idaho-west-virginia/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/07/03/scotus-to-take-up-west-virginias-transgender-athlete-ban/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Both cases center on whether the laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The West Virginia case before the Supreme Court also questions whether the state’s law violates Title IX — a landmark federal civil rights law that bars schools that receive federal funding from practicing sex-based discrimination.&nbsp;

Lower court rulings have temporarily blocked the states from implementing the bans, to varying extents, and Republican attorneys general in Idaho and West Virginia have asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;

“We know we have an uphill fight, and our hope is certainly that we prevail,” Joshua Block, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT &amp; HIV Project, who will be presenting oral arguments in the West Virginia case, said at a Jan. 8 ACLU press briefing.&nbsp;

“But we also hope that regardless of what happens, this case isn’t successfully used as a tool to undermine the rights of transgender folks more generally in areas far beyond just athletics.”&nbsp;

The outcome of the oral arguments before a court dominated 6-3 by conservative justices will be closely watched. Nearly 30 states have laws that ban trans students’ participation in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">Movement Advancement Project</a>, an independent think tank.

The justices are taking up both cases in one day. First will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-38.html" target="_blank">Little v. Hecox,&nbsp;</a>which contests a 2020 Idaho law that categorically bans trans athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;

Lindsay Hecox sued over the ban in 2020, just months before the law was set to take effect.&nbsp;

Though Hecox wanted to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University, the Idaho law — the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/sports/transgender-idaho-ban-sports.html" target="_blank">first of its kind</a>&nbsp;in the nation — would have prevented her from doing so because she is transgender.&nbsp;

A federal court in Idaho halted the law from taking effect later that year. A federal appeals court initially upheld the ruling in 2023 but later adjusted the scope of it in 2024 to only apply to Hecox, not other athletes.&nbsp;

Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court in July 2024.

Since that time, Hecox has asked both an Idaho federal court and the Supreme Court to drop the case.&nbsp;

An&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/15/idaho-federal-judge-keeps-transgender-athletics-lawsuit-open/" target="_blank">Idaho federal judge</a>&nbsp;in October rejected that attempt, but the Supreme Court deferred the request until after oral argument — meaning justices could still dismiss the case.

“The Supreme Court is trying to decide whether Idaho can preserve women’s sports based on biological sex, or must female be redefined based on gender identity,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said at a Jan. 8 press briefing ahead of the oral arguments.

“I think Idaho is just trying to protect fairness, safety and equal protection for girls and women in sports,” Labrador said at the briefing alongside West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, hosted by the conservative legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom.&nbsp;&nbsp;

After the Idaho case, the justices will hear arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-43.html" target="_blank">West Virginia v. B.P.J.</a>, which centers on a 2021 Mountain State law that also bans trans athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;

McCuskey argued that his state’s law “supports and bolsters the original intent and the continuing intent and purpose of Title IX.”&nbsp;

McCuskey said the law complies with the Equal Protection Clause because it “treats all biological males and all biological females identically” and “doesn’t ban anyone from playing sports.”&nbsp;

Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, wanted to try out for the girls’ cross-country team when starting middle school, but would have been prevented from doing so under the West Virginia law because she is transgender.&nbsp;

A federal appeals court in 2024 barred West Virginia from enforcing the ban, prompting the state to ask the nation’s highest court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

White House, Congress zero in on trans athletes

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps at the federal level to prohibit trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports teams aligning with their gender identity.&nbsp;

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-executive-order-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;in February 2025 that banned such participation and made it the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;of the United States to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2025/2/6/media-center-ncaa-announces-transgender-student-athlete-participation-policy-change.aspx" target="_blank">NCAA promptly changed its policy</a>&nbsp;to comply with the order, limiting “competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”&nbsp;

In late 2024, prior to the policy shift, NCAA President Charlie Baker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6062855/2025/01/14/ncaa-transgender-athlete-policy-charlie-baker/" target="_blank">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that of the more than half-million total athletes in NCAA schools, he knew of fewer than 10 who were transgender.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-banning-trans-athletes-competing-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">GOP-led House</a>&nbsp;passed a measure in January 2025 that would bar transgender students from participating on women’s school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.&nbsp;

But Senate Democrats in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-democrats-block-bill-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">blocked an attempt</a>&nbsp;at imposing such a ban and codifying Trump’s executive order.&nbsp;

Forty-eight GOP members of Congress argued in a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/375168/20250919112943701_CongressIdaho_Amicus%20Document%20September%2019%202025%20EFile.pdf" target="_blank">amicus brief</a>&nbsp;supporting Idaho and West Virginia that “if allowed to stand, the interpretation of the lower courts will unsettle the very promises that Congress made to generations of young women and men through Title IX.”&nbsp;

On the flip side,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-43/384769/20251117150239241_MembersofCongressAmici.pdf" target="_blank">130 congressional Democrats</a>&nbsp;stood behind the two transgender athletes in a November amicus brief, noting that “categorical bans preventing transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity impose significant harm on all children — especially girls.”&nbsp;

The group argued that such bans “do not meet the standards this Court has put in place to assess discrimination based on sex — whether as a matter of Title IX or under the Equal Protection Clause.”&nbsp;

Trump’s broader anti-trans agenda has extended beyond athletic participation in the nearly one year since he took office.&nbsp;

He signed executive orders that:<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">&nbsp;make it</a>&nbsp;the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female;” restrict access to<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/newest-round-trump-moves-targets-federal-employees-care-transgender-kids" target="_blank">&nbsp;gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for kids; and aim to bar openly<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-issues-order-prohibiting-openly-transgender-service-members-military" target="_blank">&nbsp;transgender service members</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. military.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes" target="_blank">Human Rights Campaign</a>, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, has noted that there has been “considerable disinformation and misinformation about what the inclusion of transgender youth in sports entails” and that trans students’ sports participation “has been a non-issue.”

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/backgrounder-supreme-court-to-hear-oral-arguments-for-west-virginia-v-bpj-and-little-v-hecox-key-cases-on-the-inclusion-of-transgender-youth-in-sports" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;ahead of oral arguments, HRC’s senior director of legal policy Cathryn Oakley said “every child, no matter their background, race, or gender, should have access to a quality education where they can feel safe to learn and grow — and for many kids that involves being a part of a school sports team.”

Oakley added that “to deny transgender kids the chance to participate in school sports alongside their peers simply because of who they are is textbook discrimination — and it’s unconstitutional.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768315435044.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — A pair of blockbuster cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court could carry far-reaching implications for transgender rights, even as the Trump administration during the past year has rolled out a broad anti-trans agenda targeting everything from sports to military service.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-38">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in Little vs. Hecox</a><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2025/24-43">Click here to listen to a replay of the argument in West Virginia vs. B.P.J.</a>The court on Jan. 13 will hear challenges to laws in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/07/03/u-s-supreme-court-takes-up-trans-athlete-ban-in-idaho-west-virginia/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://westvirginiawatch.com/2025/07/03/scotus-to-take-up-west-virginias-transgender-athlete-ban/" target="_blank">West Virginia</a>&nbsp;banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports. Both cases center on whether the laws violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.The West Virginia case before the Supreme Court also questions whether the state’s law violates Title IX — a landmark federal civil rights law that bars schools that receive federal funding from practicing sex-based discrimination.&nbsp;Lower court rulings have temporarily blocked the states from implementing the bans, to varying extents, and Republican attorneys general in Idaho and West Virginia have asked the Supreme Court to intervene.&nbsp;“We know we have an uphill fight, and our hope is certainly that we prevail,” Joshua Block, senior counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union’s LGBT &amp; HIV Project, who will be presenting oral arguments in the West Virginia case, said at a Jan. 8 ACLU press briefing.&nbsp;“But we also hope that regardless of what happens, this case isn’t successfully used as a tool to undermine the rights of transgender folks more generally in areas far beyond just athletics.”&nbsp;The outcome of the oral arguments before a court dominated 6-3 by conservative justices will be closely watched. Nearly 30 states have laws that ban trans students’ participation in sports consistent with their gender identity, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lgbtmap.org/equality-maps/youth/sports_participation_bans" target="_blank">Movement Advancement Project</a>, an independent think tank.<h2>Idaho case&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>The justices are taking up both cases in one day. First will be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-38.html" target="_blank">Little v. Hecox,&nbsp;</a>which contests a 2020 Idaho law that categorically bans trans athletes from competing on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;Lindsay Hecox sued over the ban in 2020, just months before the law was set to take effect.&nbsp;Though Hecox wanted to try out for the women’s track and cross-country teams at Boise State University, the Idaho law — the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/sports/transgender-idaho-ban-sports.html" target="_blank">first of its kind</a>&nbsp;in the nation — would have prevented her from doing so because she is transgender.&nbsp;A federal court in Idaho halted the law from taking effect later that year. A federal appeals court initially upheld the ruling in 2023 but later adjusted the scope of it in 2024 to only apply to Hecox, not other athletes.&nbsp;Idaho appealed to the Supreme Court in July 2024.Since that time, Hecox has asked both an Idaho federal court and the Supreme Court to drop the case.&nbsp;An&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/10/15/idaho-federal-judge-keeps-transgender-athletics-lawsuit-open/" target="_blank">Idaho federal judge</a>&nbsp;in October rejected that attempt, but the Supreme Court deferred the request until after oral argument — meaning justices could still dismiss the case.“The Supreme Court is trying to decide whether Idaho can preserve women’s sports based on biological sex, or must female be redefined based on gender identity,” Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said at a Jan. 8 press briefing ahead of the oral arguments.“I think Idaho is just trying to protect fairness, safety and equal protection for girls and women in sports,” Labrador said at the briefing alongside West Virginia Attorney General John McCuskey, hosted by the conservative legal advocacy group Alliance Defending Freedom.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>West Virginia case</h2>After the Idaho case, the justices will hear arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-43.html" target="_blank">West Virginia v. B.P.J.</a>, which centers on a 2021 Mountain State law that also bans trans athletes from participating on women’s and girls’ sports teams.&nbsp;McCuskey argued that his state’s law “supports and bolsters the original intent and the continuing intent and purpose of Title IX.”&nbsp;McCuskey said the law complies with the Equal Protection Clause because it “treats all biological males and all biological females identically” and “doesn’t ban anyone from playing sports.”&nbsp;Becky Pepper-Jackson, who was 11 at the time, wanted to try out for the girls’ cross-country team when starting middle school, but would have been prevented from doing so under the West Virginia law because she is transgender.&nbsp;Her mother sued on her behalf in 2021.A federal appeals court in 2024 barred West Virginia from enforcing the ban, prompting the state to ask the nation’s highest court to intervene.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h2>White House, Congress zero in on trans athletes</h2>Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s administration has taken steps at the federal level to prohibit trans athletes’ participation in women’s sports teams aligning with their gender identity.&nbsp;Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-signs-executive-order-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;in February 2025 that banned such participation and made it the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/02/keeping-men-out-of-womens-sports/" target="_blank">policy</a>&nbsp;of the United States to “rescind all funds from educational programs that deprive women and girls of fair athletic opportunities, which results in the endangerment, humiliation, and silencing of women and girls and deprives them of privacy.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncaa.org/news/2025/2/6/media-center-ncaa-announces-transgender-student-athlete-participation-policy-change.aspx" target="_blank">NCAA promptly changed its policy</a>&nbsp;to comply with the order, limiting “competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only.”&nbsp;In late 2024, prior to the policy shift, NCAA President Charlie Baker&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6062855/2025/01/14/ncaa-transgender-athlete-policy-charlie-baker/" target="_blank">told Congress</a>&nbsp;that of the more than half-million total athletes in NCAA schools, he knew of fewer than 10 who were transgender.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-banning-trans-athletes-competing-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">GOP-led House</a>&nbsp;passed a measure in January 2025 that would bar transgender students from participating on women’s school sports teams consistent with their gender identity.&nbsp;But Senate Democrats in March&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-senate-democrats-block-bill-banning-transgender-athletes-womens-school-sports" target="_blank">blocked an attempt</a>&nbsp;at imposing such a ban and codifying Trump’s executive order.&nbsp;Forty-eight GOP members of Congress argued in a September&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-38/375168/20250919112943701_CongressIdaho_Amicus%20Document%20September%2019%202025%20EFile.pdf" target="_blank">amicus brief</a>&nbsp;supporting Idaho and West Virginia that “if allowed to stand, the interpretation of the lower courts will unsettle the very promises that Congress made to generations of young women and men through Title IX.”&nbsp;On the flip side,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/24/24-43/384769/20251117150239241_MembersofCongressAmici.pdf" target="_blank">130 congressional Democrats</a>&nbsp;stood behind the two transgender athletes in a November amicus brief, noting that “categorical bans preventing transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity impose significant harm on all children — especially girls.”&nbsp;The group argued that such bans “do not meet the standards this Court has put in place to assess discrimination based on sex — whether as a matter of Title IX or under the Equal Protection Clause.”&nbsp;Trump’s broader anti-trans agenda has extended beyond athletic participation in the nearly one year since he took office.&nbsp;He signed executive orders that:<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/" target="_blank">&nbsp;make it</a>&nbsp;the “policy of the United States to recognize two sexes, male and female;” restrict access to<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/newest-round-trump-moves-targets-federal-employees-care-transgender-kids" target="_blank">&nbsp;gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;for kids; and aim to bar openly<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-issues-order-prohibiting-openly-transgender-service-members-military" target="_blank">&nbsp;transgender service members</a>&nbsp;from the U.S. military.&nbsp;<h2>‘Textbook discrimination’&nbsp;</h2>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/resources/get-the-facts-about-transgender-non-binary-athletes" target="_blank">Human Rights Campaign</a>, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, has noted that there has been “considerable disinformation and misinformation about what the inclusion of transgender youth in sports entails” and that trans students’ sports participation “has been a non-issue.”In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hrc.org/press-releases/backgrounder-supreme-court-to-hear-oral-arguments-for-west-virginia-v-bpj-and-little-v-hecox-key-cases-on-the-inclusion-of-transgender-youth-in-sports" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;ahead of oral arguments, HRC’s senior director of legal policy Cathryn Oakley said “every child, no matter their background, race, or gender, should have access to a quality education where they can feel safe to learn and grow — and for many kids that involves being a part of a school sports team.”Oakley added that “to deny transgender kids the chance to participate in school sports alongside their peers simply because of who they are is textbook discrimination — and it’s unconstitutional.”&nbsp;

🎧Landmark cases on transgender athletes at the US Supreme Court 

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.

U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.

U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.

The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.

As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:

As of Monday, January 12, Turkish land border crossings with Iran remain open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow). &nbsp;For U.S. citizens seeking to depart Iran by land via these border gates:&nbsp;

U.S.-Iranian dual nationals who plan to enter Türkiye on Iranian or Turkish passports do not require advance approval.&nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to enter Türkiye using their U.S. passports&nbsp;and those who lack a valid travel document should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ankara American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ankara-ACS@state.gov">Ankara-ACS@state.gov</a>:

As of Monday, January 12, Turkmenistan’s land borders are open, but U.S. citizens need special authorization from the Government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Ashgabat must facilitate this approval. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to request entry into Turkmenistan should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov">AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov</a>:

U.S. citizens with an urgent need to depart Iran via Azerbaijan should be aware that entry into Azerbaijan from Iran has been restricted for U.S. citizens during periods of heightened tension, such as the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should consider alternative routes for departure from Iran.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Pakistan-Iran border area.

The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.&nbsp;The Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.

Embassy of Switzerland – Foreign Interests Section in Tehran:

&nbsp;Protests across Iran are escalating and may turn violent, resulting in arrests and injuries.&nbsp;Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing.&nbsp;The Government of Iran has restricted access to mobile, landline, and national internet networks.&nbsp;Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Iran: Protests across Iran are escalating. Increased security measures, road closures, public transportation disruptions, and internet blockages are ongoing. Airlines continue to limit or cancel flights to and from Iran, with several suspending service until Friday, January 16.… <a href="https://t.co/AneGPdfn6I">pic.twitter.com/AneGPdfn6I</a>&mdash; TravelGov (@TravelGov) <a href="https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/2010830259177078931?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. citizens should expect continued internet outages, plan alternative means of communication, and, if safe to do so, consider departing Iran by land to Armenia or Türkiye.Actions to Take:<ul>
 <li>Leave Iran now.&nbsp;Have a plan for departing Iran that does not rely on U.S. government help.</li><li>If you cannot leave, find a secure location within your residence or another safe building.&nbsp;Have a supply of food, water, medications, and other essential items.</li><li>Avoid demonstrations, keep a low profile, and stay aware of your surroundings.</li><li>Monitor local media for breaking news.&nbsp;Be prepared to adjust your plans.</li><li>Keep your phone charged and maintain communication with family and friends to inform them of your status.</li><li>Enroll in the&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fmytravel.state.gov%2Fs%2Fstep/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/8tdhdWC4d9I3snKIoOKaEAq7jOeNNyDTNdyQ_n3axoE=439" target="_blank">Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)&nbsp;</a>to receive the latest updates on security in Iran.</li>
 </ul>If You Plan to Leave Iran:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals&nbsp;must&nbsp;exit Iran on Iranian passports. &nbsp;The Iranian government does not recognize&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Ftravel.state.gov%2Fen%2Finternational-travel%2Fplanning%2Fpersonal-needs%2Fdual-nationality.html/1/0101019bb41844ac-eebb16c6-5ecb-42fe-8769-e4b2bec38e1c-000000/UFwE19dzLrxqMM2owcWBVy91WFujudbOfFb7r85b8-Q=439" target="_blank">dual nationality&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;and will treat U.S.-Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens.&nbsp;U.S. nationals are at significant risk of questioning, arrest, and detention in Iran.&nbsp;Showing a U.S. passport or demonstrating connections to the United States can be reason enough for Iranian authorities to detain someone.The U.S. government cannot guarantee your safety if you choose to depart using the following options.&nbsp;You should leave only if you believe it is safe to do so.As of Monday, January 12, the Armenian land border at Agarak/Norduz&nbsp;remains open.&nbsp;U.S. citizens entering Armenia from Iran need a valid U.S. passport and may stay for up to 180 days visa-free. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who require assistance&nbsp;should send the following to the&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Yerevan American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:ACSYerevan@state.gov">ACSYerevan@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkish land border crossings with Iran remain open (Gürbulak/Bazargan, Kapıköy/Razi, and Esendere/Serow). &nbsp;For U.S. citizens seeking to depart Iran by land via these border gates:&nbsp;U.S.-Iranian dual nationals who plan to enter Türkiye on Iranian or Turkish passports do not require advance approval.&nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to enter Türkiye using their U.S. passports&nbsp;and those who lack a valid travel document should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ankara American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:Ankara-ACS@state.gov">Ankara-ACS@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>As of Monday, January 12, Turkmenistan’s land borders are open, but U.S. citizens need special authorization from the Government of Turkmenistan before approaching the border.&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. Embassy Ashgabat must facilitate this approval. &nbsp;U.S. citizens who plan to request entry into Turkmenistan should send the following to the U.S. Embassy Ashgabat American Citizens Services Unit at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov">AshgabatUScitizen@state.gov</a>:<ul>
 <li>Name, DOB, passport information (number and dates of issue/expiration), border crossing, and a photograph of the passport biodata page</li>
 </ul>U.S. citizens with an urgent need to depart Iran via Azerbaijan should be aware that entry into Azerbaijan from Iran has been restricted for U.S. citizens during periods of heightened tension, such as the June 2025 conflict between Iran and Israel.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should consider alternative routes for departure from Iran.&nbsp;U.S. citizens should not travel to Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Pakistan-Iran border area.The U.S. government does not have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.&nbsp;The Swiss government, acting through its embassy in Tehran, serves as the protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran.Embassy of Switzerland – Foreign Interests Section in Tehran:<ul>
 <li>Phone(s):+98-21-22-54-21-78+98-21-22-56-52-73+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>+98-21-22-54-21-78</li><li>+98-21-22-56-52-73</li><li>+98-21-22-77-24-63</li><li>Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch">tehran.fi@eda.admin.ch</a></li>
 </ul>

 U.S. State Department issues security alert for Iran

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations

KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.

On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.

“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;

As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.

“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.

Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;

Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.

Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;

This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;

But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.

These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;

Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.

The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;

If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.

The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;

“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.

The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768301874356.png" alt=" Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Dr. Margaret Baum (center), chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, speaks to reporters following the opening day of a trial litigating Missouri’s abortion regulations on Monday, Jan. 12, 2025, in front of the Jackson County courthouse in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a><h2>The Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its attempts to access abortion patient records as the state tries to build a case in favor of strict abortion regulations</h2>KANSAS CITY — Attorneys for Missouri’s only abortion provider presented a timeline Monday of two decades of restrictions on the procedure, laid out for a crowded courtroom across four easels.On the opening day of what promises to be a 10-day trial over which regulations should remain in place under Missouri’s voter-approved abortion rights amendment, lawyers for Planned Parenthood argued the restrictions were “petty, demanding and increasingly aggressive,” and became increasingly so as more anti-abortion lawmakers were elected to the statehouse.“The most consistent thing about abortion provisions in Missouri is that it’s been inconsistent,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, which operates clinics in Columbia and the Kansas City area, testified Monday.&nbsp;As the trial kicked off in a Jackson County courtroom, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office renewed its plea for access to abortion patient records, including patient complaints and ER transfers. So far, a judge has denied the state’s attempt to access these records.“We’ve had to fight tooth and nail to find smoking gun evidence,” Peter Donohue, an assistant attorney general, said Monday after appealing the court’s decision to allow Planned Parenthood to submit a summary chart of patient complications rather than records.Vanessa Pai-Thompson, an attorney with Planned Parenthood Federation of America, called the state’s continued efforts “a last-ditch attempt to find a there there.”&nbsp;Assistant Solicitor General Alexandria Overcash painted for the judge a picture of a hypothetical woman faced with an unintended pregnancy. Maybe she’s young and lacks a strong safety net. Maybe she can’t afford a baby, or is unsure if she is ready to be a mother.Then Overcash detailed a world where the woman goes to an abortion provider and is shown an ultrasound. A state-mandated informed consent booklet is handed to her with other options and she is required to wait 72-hours before she can get an abortion.&nbsp;This scenario, Overcash said, exists if the state’s current abortion regulations are upheld as part of a system designed to protect women in “emotionally fraught and medically-risky circumstances.”&nbsp;But the first two witnesses in the case, called by Planned Parenthood, said dozens of unnecessary restrictions ensure access to abortion remains limited, if not impossible. As a result,<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/12/05/missouri-abortion-legal-access-hinges-courts-rebuilding/">&nbsp;only a few dozen in-clinic abortions</a>&nbsp;were performed in recent years, as restrictions continued to pile up, compared to more than 20,000 a few decades earlier. Medication abortion remains inaccessible.These restrictions came to a head in 2022, when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion and Missouri’s trigger law banning nearly all abortions went into effect.&nbsp;Two years later,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/11/05/missouri-legalized-abortion-1-year-ago-ban/">52% of Missourians voted to add reproductive health care protections</a>, including access to abortion up to the point of fetal viability, into the state constitution. The amendment prevents the state from denying, interfering with or otherwise restricting abortion.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood and the ACLU of Missouri sued the state a day after the vote, asking that a few dozen abortion regulations, commonly referred to as “targeted regulation of abortion providers” or TRAP laws, be struck down as unconstitutional under the new amendment.The regulations, which will be dissected in court over the next two weeks, include:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>The state’s near-total abortion ban, as well as gestational limits on abortion.</li><li>The required distribution of&nbsp;<a href="https://health.mo.gov/living/families/womenshealth/pregnancyassistance/pdf/Mo.InformedConsentBooklet-Revisedpgs.12-15August2019jkOGCReviewed.pdf" target="_blank">Missouri’s informed consent booklet&nbsp;</a>prior to an abortion.</li><li>A 72-hour waiting period between an initial appointment and an abortion.</li><li>A requirement that the same doctor who saw the patient at the initial appointment also provide the abortion.</li><li>A ban on prescribing medication abortion to patients via telemedicine.</li><li>A requirement that only doctors be able to provide abortions.</li><li>Abortion facility licensing requirements, including building specifications.</li><li>Mandatory pelvic exams prior to the administration of medication abortion.</li><li>Admitting privileges and a written transfer agreement at a nearby hospital.</li><li><a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/09/11/laws-regulations-medication-abortion-mifepristone-misoprostol-missouri/">Complication plan for medication abortion</a>&nbsp;that must be approved by the state health department.&nbsp;</li><li>Providers who prescribe medication abortion must carry tail insurance that is effective for 21 years after the abortion takes place.&nbsp;</li><li>All pregnancy tissue removed during procedural abortions must be submitted to a pathologist for review.</li>
 </ul>If the courts decide to strike down these regulations, Missourians will be able to access abortion closer to home and earlier in pregnancy, Dr. Margaret Baum, chief medical officer with Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, based in eastern Missouri, Springfield and Illinois, testified Monday.The regulations being challenged in the lawsuit caused frustration for patients and made it difficult to hire and retain staff, Wales testified, especially for providers under the threat of criminalization.&nbsp;“I felt under a microscope. I felt targeted. This is nothing like what I’ve experienced in a nursing home or hospital,” Wales recalls clinic staff saying.The trial will resume Tuesday morning, when several more Planned Parenthood employees are expected to testify.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Opening day of Missouri abortion-rights trial focuses on decades of state restrictions

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s feud with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has escalated into a Department of Justice investigation, raising alarm bells among some Republicans in the Senate, where Trump will need broad backing from GOP lawmakers to get his choice for the next Fed chairman approved after Powell’s term ends in May.

Retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who sits on the narrowly divided Banking Committee that will hold hearings on the next nominee, wrote in a statement he won’t approve anyone to fill Powell’s seat if Trump or administration officials try to further erode its independence.&nbsp;

“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote. “It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”

Tillis added he plans to “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”

Trump has criticized Powell repeatedly since retaking the Oval Office in January, pressing him to reduce interest rates faster and signaling he wanted to fire him.&nbsp;

Powell said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;released this weekend that Justice Department officials on Friday “served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June.”

Powell alleged the DOJ investigation is not purely about oversight of the multi-year renovation project at the Fed’s offices in Washington, D.C., but “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.”

“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-nomination-jerome-powell-chairman-board-governors-federal-reserve-system/" target="_blank">first nominated</a>&nbsp;Powell to be chairman of the Federal Reserve in November 2017 for a four-year term that began in February 2018, writing in a statement that Powell had “demonstrated steady leadership, sound judgment, and policy expertise.”

“Mr. Powell will bring to the Federal Reserve a unique background of Government service and business experience,” Trump wrote. “He previously served as Under Secretary at the Department of Treasury in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Mr. Powell also has nearly three decades of business experience.”

The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1152/vote_115_2_00019.htm" target="_blank">voted 84-13</a>&nbsp;in January 2018 to confirm Powell to the role.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden re-nominated Powell in November 2021 for another four-year term that began in May 2022 after the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00176.htm" target="_blank">voted 80-19</a>&nbsp;to confirm him for a second time.&nbsp;

Trump hasn’t said publicly whom he will nominate to succeed Powell as Fed chairman, but whoever he picks will need to move past the Senate Banking Committee in order to receive a confirmation vote on the floor and actually take on the role.&nbsp;

The Banking Committee holds 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats, giving Tillis considerable leverage to block any Trump nominee from advancing if all of the Democrats on the panel also vote against reporting that person to the floor.&nbsp;

Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, ranking member on the committee, wrote in a statement that “Trump is abusing the authorities of the Department of Justice like a wannabe dictator so the Fed serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends.”&nbsp;

“As Donald Trump prepares to nominate a new Fed Chair, he wants to push Jerome Powell off the Fed Board for good and install another sock puppet to complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank,” Warren wrote. “This Committee and the Senate should not move forward with any Trump nominee for the Fed, including Fed Chair.”

Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., had not released any public statements about the Department of Justice investigation into Powell as of Monday morning.&nbsp;

Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who isn’t on the committee, released a written statement after speaking with Powell on Monday morning, saying “it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.”&nbsp;

“If the Department of Justice believes an investigation into Chair Powell is warranted based on project cost overruns—which are not unusual—then Congress needs to investigate the Department of Justice,” Murkowski wrote. “The stakes are too high to look the other way: if the Federal Reserve loses its independence, the stability of our markets and the broader economy will suffer. My colleague, Senator Tillis, is right in blocking any Federal Reserve nominees until this is resolved.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a statement the Justice Department’s actions represent “the kind of bullying that we’ve all come to expect from Donald Trump and his cronies.”&nbsp;

“Anyone who is independent and doesn’t just fall in line behind Trump gets investigated,” Schumer wrote. “Jay Powell and the Fed aren’t the reason Trump’s economy and his poll numbers are in the toilet. If he’s looking for the person who caused that he should look in the mirror.”

Former Federal Reserve chairmen, Treasury secretaries and White House economic advisers released&nbsp;<a href="https://jointstatement.substack.com/p/statement-on-the-federal-reserve" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that the Fed’s “independence and the public’s perception of that independence are critical for economic performance, including achieving the goals Congress has set for the Federal Reserve of stable prices, maximum employment, and moderate long-term interest rates.”

“The reported criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine that independence,” they wrote. “This is how monetary policy is made in emerging markets with weak institutions, with highly negative consequences for inflation and the functioning of their economies more broadly. It has no place in the United States whose greatest strength is the rule of law, which is at the foundation of our economic success.”

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">Jennifer Shutt</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s feud with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has escalated into a Department of Justice investigation, raising alarm bells among some Republicans in the Senate, where Trump will need broad backing from GOP lawmakers to get his choice for the next Fed chairman approved after Powell’s term ends in May.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell: <a href="https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX">https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX</a> <a href="https://t.co/O4ecNaYaGH">pic.twitter.com/O4ecNaYaGH</a>&mdash; Federal Reserve (@federalreserve) <a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve/status/2010510130970849338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Retiring North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who sits on the narrowly divided Banking Committee that will hold hearings on the next nominee, wrote in a statement he won’t approve anyone to fill Powell’s seat if Trump or administration officials try to further erode its independence.&nbsp;“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis wrote. “It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”Tillis added he plans to “oppose the confirmation of any nominee for the Fed—including the upcoming Fed Chair vacancy—until this legal matter is fully resolved.”<h2>Powell fights back in a video</h2>Trump has criticized Powell repeatedly since retaking the Oval Office in January, pressing him to reduce interest rates faster and signaling he wanted to fire him.&nbsp;Powell said in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/powell20260111a.htm" target="_blank">a video</a>&nbsp;released this weekend that Justice Department officials on Friday “served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas, threatening a criminal indictment related to my testimony before the Senate Banking Committee last June.”Powell alleged the DOJ investigation is not purely about oversight of the multi-year renovation project at the Fed’s offices in Washington, D.C., but “a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.”“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/president-donald-j-trump-announces-nomination-jerome-powell-chairman-board-governors-federal-reserve-system/" target="_blank">first nominated</a>&nbsp;Powell to be chairman of the Federal Reserve in November 2017 for a four-year term that began in February 2018, writing in a statement that Powell had “demonstrated steady leadership, sound judgment, and policy expertise.”“Mr. Powell will bring to the Federal Reserve a unique background of Government service and business experience,” Trump wrote. “He previously served as Under Secretary at the Department of Treasury in the administration of President George H.W. Bush. Mr. Powell also has nearly three decades of business experience.”The Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1152/vote_115_2_00019.htm" target="_blank">voted 84-13</a>&nbsp;in January 2018 to confirm Powell to the role.&nbsp;President Joe Biden re-nominated Powell in November 2021 for another four-year term that began in May 2022 after the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1172/vote_117_2_00176.htm" target="_blank">voted 80-19</a>&nbsp;to confirm him for a second time.&nbsp;<h2>Tillis leverage on committee</h2>Trump hasn’t said publicly whom he will nominate to succeed Powell as Fed chairman, but whoever he picks will need to move past the Senate Banking Committee in order to receive a confirmation vote on the floor and actually take on the role.&nbsp;The Banking Committee holds 13 Republicans and 11 Democrats, giving Tillis considerable leverage to block any Trump nominee from advancing if all of the Democrats on the panel also vote against reporting that person to the floor.&nbsp;Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, ranking member on the committee, wrote in a statement that “Trump is abusing the authorities of the Department of Justice like a wannabe dictator so the Fed serves his interests, along with his billionaire friends.”&nbsp;“As Donald Trump prepares to nominate a new Fed Chair, he wants to push Jerome Powell off the Fed Board for good and install another sock puppet to complete his corrupt takeover of America’s central bank,” Warren wrote. “This Committee and the Senate should not move forward with any Trump nominee for the Fed, including Fed Chair.”Chairman Tim Scott, R-S.C., had not released any public statements about the Department of Justice investigation into Powell as of Monday morning.&nbsp;<h2>Murkowski sees ‘attempt at coercion’</h2>Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who isn’t on the committee, released a written statement after speaking with Powell on Monday morning, saying “it’s clear the administration’s investigation is nothing more than an attempt at coercion.”&nbsp;“If the Department of Justice believes an investigation into Chair Powell is warranted based on project cost overruns—which are not unusual—then Congress needs to investigate the Department of Justice,” Murkowski wrote. “The stakes are too high to look the other way: if the Federal Reserve loses its independence, the stability of our markets and the broader economy will suffer. My colleague, Senator Tillis, is right in blocking any Federal Reserve nominees until this is resolved.”Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote in a statement the Justice Department’s actions represent “the kind of bullying that we’ve all come to expect from Donald Trump and his cronies.”&nbsp;“Anyone who is independent and doesn’t just fall in line behind Trump gets investigated,” Schumer wrote. “Jay Powell and the Fed aren’t the reason Trump’s economy and his poll numbers are in the toilet. If he’s looking for the person who caused that he should look in the mirror.”Former Federal Reserve chairmen, Treasury secretaries and White House economic advisers released&nbsp;<a href="https://jointstatement.substack.com/p/statement-on-the-federal-reserve" target="_blank">a written statement</a>&nbsp;that the Fed’s “independence and the public’s perception of that independence are critical for economic performance, including achieving the goals Congress has set for the Federal Reserve of stable prices, maximum employment, and moderate long-term interest rates.”“The reported criminal inquiry into Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell is an unprecedented attempt to use prosecutorial attacks to undermine that independence,” they wrote. “This is how monetary policy is made in emerging markets with weak institutions, with highly negative consequences for inflation and the functioning of their economies more broadly. It has no place in the United States whose greatest strength is the rule of law, which is at the foundation of our economic success.”

​​US Senate Republicans defend independence of the Fed after DOJ launches Powell probe

By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/brianmartucci/">Brian Martucci</a>- <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>

Federal immigration authorities intensified a weekslong operation in the Twin Cities over the weekend following the Wednesday killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross.

Residents pushed back, led by a growing network of rapid responders hounding U.S. ICE and Border Patrol vehicles and agents across the metro area.

Thousands&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/10/thousands-march-in-minneapolis-to-protest-ice-after-shooting/">marched peacefully</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis Saturday to remember Good and protest the Trump administration’s expanding immigration crackdown. Many marchers stopped to pay their respects as the procession moved from Powderhorn Park past the intersection where the fatal shooting occurred.

Saturday’s protest, the largest since Good’s killing, was more subdued than a Friday evening gathering outside downtown Minneapolis hotels where ICE agents were said to be staying.

Protesters blew whistles, banged drums and shouted taunts outside the hotels for hours before some tried to force their way into the Canopy by Hilton at 700 Third Street South, causing about $6,000 in damage, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-ice-protest-friday-night-arrests-damage-no-injuries/601561757" target="_blank">Star Tribune&nbsp;reported</a>. City and state police ordered protesters to disperse around midnight and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h6jSaT1Qy3k?si=1vXpli_jiJ9nNRQL" target="_blank">arrested about 30 people</a>&nbsp;without incident, officials said Saturday.

Near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a smaller group braved chilly winds to maintain a near-permanent presence outside an ICE operations hub and detention center.

U.S. Reps.&nbsp; Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison said they were denied entry to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building shortly after arriving for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/us-reps-ilhan-omar-angie-craig-say-they-were-turned-away-from-ice-facility-mn/89-c71bf6c9-f7a0-459f-aee5-c62ea6858d56" target="_blank">what they called an oversight visit</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.

Later in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/10/minnesota-democrats-ice-00721211" target="_blank">Politico reported</a>&nbsp;that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — who oversees ICE and said this weekend she’d ordered hundreds more agents to join at least 2,000 already in the Twin Cities — signed an order on Thursday requiring a week’s notice for Congressional visits to immigrant detention centers.

Multiple people released from Whipple told independent journalists that they’d been&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/gbrockell.bsky.social/post/3mc6zl5qsns2k" target="_blank">verbally or physically abused</a>&nbsp;in or en route to detention there. Two said agents used demeaning language to describe Good and suggested she’d deserved her fate.

The&nbsp;Reformer&nbsp;has not independently verified the Whipple detainees’ claims. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/1qa3pmm/boxed_in_by_ice/" target="_blank">separate video</a>&nbsp;posted on Sunday by a Minneapolis Reddit user, an ICE agent tells a driver to “[g]o home to your children…have you not learned from what just happened?”

Sunday saw more reports of federal law enforcement activity in St. Paul. One&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/saintpaul/comments/1qaaww4/greg_bovino_has_officially_kicked_off_door_to/" target="_blank">bystander video</a>&nbsp;purported to show agents going “door to door” on Thomas Avenue near Victoria Street, possibly making good on Vice President JD Vance’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/08/jd-vance-promises-aggressive-immigration-enforcement/88086884007/" target="_blank">promise earlier this week</a>&nbsp;of house-by-house immigration operations. Armed personnel&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattprivratsky.bsky.social/post/3mc6cp7f4pc2g" target="_blank">questioned shoppers</a>&nbsp;at a nearby Target. And a crowd heckled agents as they appeared to pull a man out of his car at a gas station on Snelling Avenue.

A multi-agency operation that at times felt like an outright occupation had many Twin Cities residents — not just hardened activists — calling for ICE to withdraw and deeper reform of federal immigration policy.

On Sunday, outgoing U.S. Sen. Tina Smith&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-minnesota-senator-ice-has-a-role-in-our-country-11342339" target="_blank">told CNN</a>&nbsp;that she was listening, but stopped short of promising to lead the “abolish ICE” movement in Washington.

“It is hard for me to imagine how I could vote to support a budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security, given how the Department of Homeland Security is functioning right now in my community,” she said. “I want to see work done that would bring some serious reforms to ICE.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1768243967494.png" alt=" Thousands of people march Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 from Powderhorn Park to the site where an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, protesting the killing and also the drastic surge in ICE agents deployed to the state in recent weeks. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)" />
 <figcaption> Thousands of people march Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 from Powderhorn Park to the site where an ICE agent shot and killed Renee Good, protesting the killing and also the drastic surge in ICE agents deployed to the state in recent weeks. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/author/brianmartucci/">Brian Martucci</a>- <a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/">Minnesota Reformer</a>Federal immigration authorities intensified a weekslong operation in the Twin Cities over the weekend following the Wednesday killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agent Jonathan Ross.Residents pushed back, led by a growing network of rapid responders hounding U.S. ICE and Border Patrol vehicles and agents across the metro area.Thousands&nbsp;<a href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2026/01/10/thousands-march-in-minneapolis-to-protest-ice-after-shooting/">marched peacefully</a>&nbsp;in Minneapolis Saturday to remember Good and protest the Trump administration’s expanding immigration crackdown. Many marchers stopped to pay their respects as the procession moved from Powderhorn Park past the intersection where the fatal shooting occurred.Saturday’s protest, the largest since Good’s killing, was more subdued than a Friday evening gathering outside downtown Minneapolis hotels where ICE agents were said to be staying.Protesters blew whistles, banged drums and shouted taunts outside the hotels for hours before some tried to force their way into the Canopy by Hilton at 700 Third Street South, causing about $6,000 in damage, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-ice-protest-friday-night-arrests-damage-no-injuries/601561757" target="_blank">Star Tribune&nbsp;reported</a>. City and state police ordered protesters to disperse around midnight and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/shorts/h6jSaT1Qy3k?si=1vXpli_jiJ9nNRQL" target="_blank">arrested about 30 people</a>&nbsp;without incident, officials said Saturday.Near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, a smaller group braved chilly winds to maintain a near-permanent presence outside an ICE operations hub and detention center.U.S. Reps.&nbsp; Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison said they were denied entry to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building shortly after arriving for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/us-reps-ilhan-omar-angie-craig-say-they-were-turned-away-from-ice-facility-mn/89-c71bf6c9-f7a0-459f-aee5-c62ea6858d56" target="_blank">what they called an oversight visit</a>&nbsp;on Saturday morning.Later in the day,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/10/minnesota-democrats-ice-00721211" target="_blank">Politico reported</a>&nbsp;that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem — who oversees ICE and said this weekend she’d ordered hundreds more agents to join at least 2,000 already in the Twin Cities — signed an order on Thursday requiring a week’s notice for Congressional visits to immigrant detention centers.Multiple people released from Whipple told independent journalists that they’d been&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/gbrockell.bsky.social/post/3mc6zl5qsns2k" target="_blank">verbally or physically abused</a>&nbsp;in or en route to detention there. Two said agents used demeaning language to describe Good and suggested she’d deserved her fate.The&nbsp;Reformer&nbsp;has not independently verified the Whipple detainees’ claims. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/Minneapolis/comments/1qa3pmm/boxed_in_by_ice/" target="_blank">separate video</a>&nbsp;posted on Sunday by a Minneapolis Reddit user, an ICE agent tells a driver to “[g]o home to your children…have you not learned from what just happened?”Sunday saw more reports of federal law enforcement activity in St. Paul. One&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/saintpaul/comments/1qaaww4/greg_bovino_has_officially_kicked_off_door_to/" target="_blank">bystander video</a>&nbsp;purported to show agents going “door to door” on Thomas Avenue near Victoria Street, possibly making good on Vice President JD Vance’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/01/08/jd-vance-promises-aggressive-immigration-enforcement/88086884007/" target="_blank">promise earlier this week</a>&nbsp;of house-by-house immigration operations. Armed personnel&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/mattprivratsky.bsky.social/post/3mc6cp7f4pc2g" target="_blank">questioned shoppers</a>&nbsp;at a nearby Target. And a crowd heckled agents as they appeared to pull a man out of his car at a gas station on Snelling Avenue.A multi-agency operation that at times felt like an outright occupation had many Twin Cities residents — not just hardened activists — calling for ICE to withdraw and deeper reform of federal immigration policy.On Sunday, outgoing U.S. Sen. Tina Smith&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-minnesota-senator-ice-has-a-role-in-our-country-11342339" target="_blank">told CNN</a>&nbsp;that she was listening, but stopped short of promising to lead the “abolish ICE” movement in Washington.“It is hard for me to imagine how I could vote to support a budget bill for the Department of Homeland Security, given how the Department of Homeland Security is functioning right now in my community,” she said. “I want to see work done that would bring some serious reforms to ICE.”

ICE intensifies Twin Cities operation after killing of Renee Good, protests

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753406431605.png" alt="FILE - President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell look over a document of cost figures during a visit to the Federal Reserve, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Washington.-image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>FILE - President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell look over a document of cost figures during a visit to the Federal Reserve, Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Washington.-image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell: <a href="https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX">https://t.co/5dfrkByGyX</a> <a href="https://t.co/O4ecNaYaGH">pic.twitter.com/O4ecNaYaGH</a>&mdash; Federal Reserve (@federalreserve) <a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve/status/2010510130970849338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 12, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Fed Chair responds to Trump DOJ investigation, indictment threat

By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post

The FBI Omaha Field Office reported a year of expanded enforcement activity and major investigative outcomes in 2025, highlighting efforts to reduce violent crime, combat national security threats, and strengthen accountability across Nebraska and Iowa.

“These results represent an incredible amount of grit, perseverance, and initiative by our special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, along with strong and enduring partnerships at every level of law enforcement," said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. "We owe a debt of gratitude to our local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement colleagues for their teamwork apprehending violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, corrupt public officials, malicious cyber hackers, spies, fraudsters, human traffickers, child predators, terrorists, and other subjects harming our community. FBI Omaha’s successes this past year simply would not have been possible without these partnerships. Our accomplishments reflect the deep impact we had across Nebraska and Iowa combatting the most pressing criminal and national security threats affecting our region. Our work continues in 2026, as we’ll continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement and community partners to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”

According to the FBI, collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal partners resulted in more than 548 arrests, a 20 percent increase compared to 2024. Of those arrests, 58 involved violent crimes against children and human trafficking, leading to more than 1,000 combined years in sentencing, including two life sentences without parole and an additional 30-year sentence with lifetime parole.

Agents also seized more than 240 firearms and conducted over 900 searches with a warrant or court order, marking a 23 percent increase from the previous year.

Among the most significant cases in 2025 were the federal indictments of 54 individuals connected to the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, accused of participating in an ATM jackpotting scheme that stole millions of dollars. Charges included conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, bank fraud, bank burglary, computer-related fraud, and money laundering.

In another national security case, David Franklin Slater pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully disclose classified national defense information after sharing classified material on a foreign online dating platform.

In December, 13 Chinese nationals were arrested across five states in connection with a racketeering and money laundering conspiracy involving the interstate theft and transport of used cooking oil, which investigators say was refined into biodiesel fuel and resold.

By Allison Peck | North Platte Post/Sandhills Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1644004912344.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The FBI Omaha Field Office reported a year of expanded enforcement activity and major investigative outcomes in 2025, highlighting efforts to reduce violent crime, combat national security threats, and strengthen accountability across Nebraska and Iowa.“These results represent an incredible amount of grit, perseverance, and initiative by our special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, along with strong and enduring partnerships at every level of law enforcement," said FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. "We owe a debt of gratitude to our local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement colleagues for their teamwork apprehending violent criminals, gang members, drug traffickers, corrupt public officials, malicious cyber hackers, spies, fraudsters, human traffickers, child predators, terrorists, and other subjects harming our community. FBI Omaha’s successes this past year simply would not have been possible without these partnerships. Our accomplishments reflect the deep impact we had across Nebraska and Iowa combatting the most pressing criminal and national security threats affecting our region. Our work continues in 2026, as we’ll continue standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our law enforcement and community partners to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution.”According to the FBI, collaboration with federal, state, local, and tribal partners resulted in more than 548 arrests, a 20 percent increase compared to 2024. Of those arrests, 58 involved violent crimes against children and human trafficking, leading to more than 1,000 combined years in sentencing, including two life sentences without parole and an additional 30-year sentence with lifetime parole.Agents also seized more than 240 firearms and conducted over 900 searches with a warrant or court order, marking a 23 percent increase from the previous year.Among the most significant cases in 2025 were the federal indictments of 54 individuals connected to the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua, accused of participating in an ATM jackpotting scheme that stole millions of dollars. Charges included conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, bank fraud, bank burglary, computer-related fraud, and money laundering.In another national security case, David Franklin Slater pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully disclose classified national defense information after sharing classified material on a foreign online dating platform.In December, 13 Chinese nationals were arrested across five states in connection with a racketeering and money laundering conspiracy involving the interstate theft and transport of used cooking oil, which investigators say was refined into biodiesel fuel and resold.The FBI Omaha SWAT team also arrested MS-13 leader Gerson Emir Cuadra Soto in Grand Island. According to a criminal complaint, Cuadra Soto was allegedly part of a professional assassination squad for the gang and had previously been charged in Honduras in connection with a quadruple homicide.Other major cases included the life sentence of Carl Dale Markely, a former nurse practitioner convicted of sexually abusing and trafficking dozens of victims; the conviction of two men linked to the 2019 disappearance of Sunny Sramek; and the 262-month federal sentence of Kevin Stanley Harris Jr., a high-level fentanyl dealer tied to the Black P Stones gang.Authorities also disrupted a human trafficking ring operating in Omaha-area and central Nebraska hotels, arrested five suspects, and secured lengthy sentences in multiple child exploitation and drug trafficking cases, including a 50-year sentence for Lucas Oliver Knowles and a 27-year sentence for Guadalupe Ramirez.Throughout the year, FBI Omaha participated in operations such as Operation Restore Justice, Operation Summer Heat, and Operation Relentless Justice, resulting in more than 30 additional arrests.The FBI encourages anyone with information about federal crimes to contact law enforcement by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov.