11 attorneys general say their states' resources will not be used for mass deportations
The attorneys general of 11 states issued a stark warning to the Trump administration today, saying they will not allow the federal government to employ state resources for the purpose of carrying out mass deportations and other federal immigration enforcements.
“Despite what he may say to the contrary, the President cannot unilaterally re-write the Constitution,” New York Attorney General Letitia James wrote in a statement joined by the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The attorneys general wrote that “the U.S. Constitution prevents the federal government from commandeering states to enforce federal laws.”
The letter was written in response to a memo from acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove that instructed officials to investigate state and local officials who resist enforcement of federal immigration laws. In his own statement earlier today, California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the memo a “scare tactic,” saying “the President is attempting to intimidate and bully state and local law enforcement into carrying out his mass deportation agenda for him.”
James echoed that sentiment in the joint letter, saying Trump has made troubling threats to weaponize the DOJ’s prosecutorial authority and resources to attack public servants acting in compliance with their state laws.
“Right now, these vague threats are just that: empty words on paper,” the attorneys general wrote. “But rest assured, our states will not hesitate to respond if these words become illegal actions.”
James noted that state attorneys generals' chief responsibility is to enforce state laws and said they will continue to prosecute crimes, without distraction from Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Speaker Mike Johnson signs the Laken Riley Act
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., signed the Laken Riley Act, which now heads to President Trump’s desk.
Standing behind Johnson were the Republican members of the Georgia delegation, including Rep. Mike Collins, the sponsor of the bill.
Laken Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student who was kidnapped and killed in Georgia last year in a case that captivated public attention and became a cornerstone of the GOP's hard line on immigration ahead of the presidential election.
Jose Antonio Ibarra, a Venezuelan citizen who entered the U.S. illegally in 2022, was convicted of murder and other crimes in Riley's death and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
The House voted on Wednesday to pass the act, 263-156. Almost 50 Democrats Democrats voted in support of this version of the bill. No Republicans voted against it.
Sen. Susan Collins says she will vote no on Hegseth's nomination
Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, announced that she will vote no on Hegseth's nomination to become the next secretary of defense in a post on X.
"After careful consideration, I have decided to vote against Pete Hegseth’s nomination for Secretary of Defense. While I appreciate his courageous military service and his ongoing commitment to our servicemembers and their families, I am concerned that he does not have the experience and perspective necessary to succeed in the job," she wrote.
If another Republican announces their opposition, Vance could break a tie. If two more Republicans announce their opposition, it would tank Hegseth’s nomination.
Yesterday, Collins said it was "troubling" that the FBI background check into Hegseth provided by the Trump transition team was incomplete.
Pete Hegseth’s nomination to lead the Pentagon clears a key hurdle in the Senate
The Senate on Thursday voted to advance Pete Hegseth’s nomination to be President Donald Trump’s defense secretary, setting up a final confirmation vote for the end of the week.
Senators voted by the narrowest of margins, 51 to 49, to advance Hegseth’s bid to lead the Pentagon, with just two Republicans — moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine — voting with all 47 Democrats to try to block Hegseth. A simple majority was needed.
Shortly before the vote, Murkowski became the first Republican to publicly oppose Hegseth’s nomination, saying that some of the past behavior he has admitted to demonstrates a “lack of judgment” and is “unbecoming of someone who would lead our armed forces.”
State Department employees told to return to in-person work March 1
The State Department is telling all employees teleworking from home that they must return to the office full-time beginning March 1, according to a memo obtained by NBC News.
“We must strive for 100 percent in-office attendance to further the critical mission of the Department,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote in the memo. The notice was sent department-wide to domestic and overseas posts Wednesday.
Those with remote work arrangements have until July 1, 2025, to return in-person, according to the memo. Accommodations will be made for those with disabilities or any other arrangements required by law. Separate guidance will be issued on how more senior officials such as assistant secretaries, assistant secretary-equivalents and senior bureau officials can request to maintain an existing remote work arrangement, the note said.
Senate voting now on ending debate for Hegseth's nomination
The Senate is voting now on a key procedural motion to end debate on Pete Hegseth’s nomination for secretary of defense.
This motion needs a simple majority to pass, and if it passes, it would trigger 30 hours of debate, meaning the final confirmation vote for Hegseth would be around 9 p.m. on Friday.
Arizona attorney general says 'no president can change the constitution on a whim'
In a statement, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes applauded a judge's decision to temporarily block Trump's executive order that aims to limit birthright citizenship.
"Today’s ruling by Federal District Court Judge John C. Coughenour is a win for the rule of law and the U.S. Constitution," Mayes said.
She described the decision as "the first of many wins to come as my office fights instances of executive overreach and any illegal actions the new administration may take."
Arizona was one of four states — including Washington, Illinois and Oregon — that joined a lawsuit to sue to block Trump's executive order. The lawsuit is one of five that have been filed by immigrant rights organizations and Democratic attorneys general challenging the executive order.
Mayes added, "No president can change the constitution on a whim and today’s decision affirms that."
Senate confirms John Ratcliffe as CIA director
The Senate has confirmed John Ratcliffe to serve as CIA director in a 74-25 vote. His confirmation required only a simple majority vote.
He served as director of national intelligence under the first Trump administration and previously served in the House representing a district in Texas.
Sen. Schumer says he's voting no on Ratcliffe
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he is voting no for Ratcliffe to be CIA director in a post on X. He cited Ratcliffe's answers about his concerns about Tulsi Gabbard.
“For John Ratcliffe as CIA Director, those are precisely the moments he’d have to hold firm and speak truth to power. But when I met with Ratcliffe, the answers I got about Gabbard were insufficient,” he wrote.
Lawmakers have raised concerns about Gabbard parroting Russian propaganda, her past meetings with Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, and her support of whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Vance to headline March for Life
Vice President JD Vance's first big speaking engagement since taking office will come Friday at the March for Life rally in Washington.
"We are thrilled that Vice President Vance has chosen the National March for Life for his first public appearance in his new role — a sign of his commitment to standing up for life," the anti-abortion group's president, Jeanne Mancini, and president-elect, Jennie Bradley, said in a joint statement.
"President Trump governed as a pro-life president during his first term which resulted in a long list of accomplishments," they added. "We look forward to working with him and Vice President Vance as they dismantle the Biden Administration’s aggressive and unpopular abortion agenda and once again put wins on the board for vulnerable unborn children and their mothers."
As a senator in Ohio, Vance was known for his staunch anti-abortion views, though he acknowledged in an interview with NBC News last August that a majority of his constituents felt differently, having codified abortion rights in the Ohio Constitution via an amendment passed overwhelmingly in 2023.
"I am pro-life, and I do care about the issue," Vance said then. "I do want to save as many babies as possible. I also remember here that voters get to make these decisions, and I advocated very strongly for voters to vote no [in Ohio], and we got our asses handed to us. And so I think all of us who are pro-life have to kind of step back and say, 'How can we better make a case to the American people here?'"