Author Archive

Ariana Figueroa

Reporter, States Newsroom

Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.
Ariana covers the nation's capital for States Newsroom. Her areas of coverage include politics and policy, lobbying, elections and campaign finance.
Oversight

Task force probing Trump assassination attempt to expand to include Florida incident

“We have a responsibility here in Congress to get down to the bottom of this, to figure out why these things are happening and what we can do about it,” the House speaker said in a statement.

News

Man arrested after poking rifle onto Trump golf course charged with federal gun crimes

The incident is being investigated as the second assassination attempt against the former president in two months.

News

Gunshots fired near Trump in Florida; campaign says former president is safe

Secret Service officials said “a protective incident” involving Trump occurred near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, two months after an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

Management

Federal judge pauses a program that grants protections for undocumented spouses

A Homeland Security Department spokesperson said the agency will defend the program, known as Keeping Families Together, in court. DHS is still allowed to collect applications, but not allowed to approve them.

News

House Judiciary files suit to obtain audio tapes of Biden special counsel interview

The suit, filed against Attorney General Merrick Garland in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, asks to overturn Biden’s assertion of executive privilege over the recordings of his interviews with Robert K. Hur.

Management

Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border signed by Biden

The White House order would cap asylum requests at the southern border at 2,500 daily crossings.

Management

The Biden administration seeks to speed up some asylum cases with a new immigration docket

Homeland Security and DOJ announced a similar process in 2021 where a dedicated docket applied to migrant families that arrived between ports of entry at the Southwest border.

Management

Biden administration to roll back the Betsy DeVos Title IX rules

New Education Department regulations would undo Trump administration changes to sexual discrimination policies at U.S. colleges and universities, now requiring the schools to have in place measures to offer support to students and employees alleging discrimination.

Oversight

Senate rejects impeachment articles against DHS Secretary Mayorkas

In a 51-49 vote along party lines, Senate Democrats dismissed impeachment charges Wednesday against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for not meeting the threshold of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Management

Senate Republicans push for Mayorkas impeachment trial

Democrats say the charges are based on policy disputes rather than the “high crimes and misdemeanors” threshold of an impeachable offense.

Management

Senate action on DHS chief impeachment coming this week

With the slim majority Democrats have in the Senate, it’s likely the two articles of impeachment go nowhere and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas remains in his role.

Management

House Speaker to deliver Mayorkas impeachment articles to the Senate in early April

It’s unlikely the Homeland Security secretary will be removed from office, but the push for a trial is a mark of House Republicans’ escalation of their opposition to the White House’s immigration policy.

Oversight

House GOP move forward with drive to impeach DHS secretary over immigration policy

Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee argued that Alejandro Mayorkas has not upheld his oath of office because he enforces Biden administration border policies

News

After three weeks of stalemate, Louisiana's Mike Johnson is elected speaker of the House

Johnson, who does not have a strong bipartisan track record, will be tasked with working with the Democratic-controlled Senate on a quickly approaching Nov.17 government funding deadline.

News

Jordan’s bid to be House speaker ends after rejection by GOP in closed meeting

The closed-door meeting came after Rep. Jim Jordan’s third attempt to win sufficient support from Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the House.

News

House stalled again after rejecting Jim Jordan as speaker a second time

Jordan plans to talk with the Republicans who voted against him and hopes to win those who flipped Wednesday back to his side.

News

Ohio’s Jim Jordan fails in bid for U.S. House speaker, leaving chamber paralyzed again

Jordan was unable to clinch the votes needed to hold the gavel amid concerns about his agenda and frustrations with his history inside and outside of Congress.

News

Jim Jordan gains support as vote nears for U.S. House speaker, but outcome still in doubt

The Ohio congressman will need the backing of nearly all the chamber’s 221 GOP lawmakers in order to hold the highest office in Congress.

News

Scalise nominated by U.S. House GOP as speaker in closed-door meeting

The nominee picked in the conference meeting only needed to get the backing of a majority of the 221 House Republicans, but Scalise will need about 217 on the floor before he can hold the gavel.