House Republicans have passed a nearly $70 billion bill to fund immigration enforcement agencies for the next three years and the rest of President Donald Trump's term in office. The bill now goes to Trump to be signed into law. Democrats oppose the measure, with Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries saying the money would further fund Trump's “violent mass deportation machine.” Meanwhile, Republicans said they were fulfilling their duty to safeguard the nation and support the men and women charged with enforcing the law. The funding comes on top of the nearly $140 billion that the Republican-controlled Congress gave ICE and Customs and Border Protection last year as part of Trump’s massive tax and spending cuts bill.
The Chicago Bears are looking to build a stadium in Northwest Indiana after a proposal to provide financial incentives for the NFL team to build its new home in Illinois stalled in the state legislature. The Bears’ board of directors voted Thursday to move forward with a stadium development project in Hammond, Indiana. The team had been doing its due diligence on a tract of land near Wolf Lake, but it says an exact site has not been selected. The Bears say in a team statement that a stadium in Northwest Indiana "will bring Chicagoland together and deliver new opportunities to its residents and businesses.” Indiana Gov. Mike Braun welcomed the team’s announcement.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says the Trump administration is scrapping plans to create a $1.8 billion fund meant to compensate allies of the Republican president after widespread political backlash and setbacks in the courts. “We are not moving forward with the fund, period,” Blanche said. Blanche’s comments during a House committee hearing came in response to mounting pressure from Republicans for reassurances that the Justice Department’s plans were off the table before they would move forward with legislation funding President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement agencies. Blanche said the Justice Department was not abandoning an element of a settlement with the IRS that gave Trump and his family immunity from tax audits.
The Chicago Bears are sticking with their current timeline for selecting a site for a new stadium amid an uncertain future for a proposal in the Illinois state legislature that would provide incentives for the NFL team to build its new home in the state. The Illinois Senate has passed a bill that would clear the way for Arlington Heights and Chicago to create local stadium authorities, creating a pathway for the Bears to avoid paying property taxes on a new stadium in Illinois. But the House has adjourned without taking up the measure. The Bears say they are finalizing their evaluation of possible stadium sites in Arlington Heights and Hammond, Indiana.
California voters face a crowded ballot with 61 names during Tuesday's primary to replace outgoing Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. The race has no clear front-runner and includes a mix of Democrats and Republicans. The primary operates under a "jungle" system, meaning the top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the general election. Key contenders include Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former U.S. House member and Biden cabinet member, and billionaire Tom Steyer, known for his climate change advocacy. Republican Steve Hilton, endorsed by Trump, is emphasizing lower taxes and smaller government.
A residential treatment center in Missouri advertises to adoptive parents that it can help heal struggling children. Calo Programs is part of the so-called troubled teen industry that has been quietly institutionalizing adopted children at extraordinarily high rates. How Calo makes money and what happens to kids there offers a window into a larger phenomenon. Some youth treatment centers depend on government funding despite limited oversight. Calo is facing more than a dozen lawsuits and parents describe a chaotic environment that left their children more traumatized than before. Calo denies wrongdoing and says its treatment has helped many children.
Many for-profit residential facilities in the so-called troubled teen industry nationwide that claim to treat severe mental and behavioral health issues in children and teens are deftly tapping into taxpayer money meant for students with disabilities. An Associated Press investigation finds that even amid increasing scrutiny, this money continues to flow given the fractured bureaucracy of the special education system. The playbook to profits include operating on stand-alone contracts with individual school districts and drawing out-of-state kids. Both strategies dilute regulatory oversight. Residential centers also capitalize on a catch-all disability category and rely on a shadow network of educational consultants who help generate business.
The Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 reported record revenues for the 2024-25 sports season, though those lag behind massive gains for their Big Ten and Southeastern Conference peers. In annual 990 tax filings this month, the ACC reported about $826.5 million in revenue and a sixth straight year with a record total. The Big 12 reported $610.9 million. Those fillings covered from July 2024 to June 2025, coinciding with national realignment that formed four superconferences. The ACC paid an average of nearly $47.1 million to its schools receiving full-distribution shares. The Big 12 paid an average of $39.5 million.
President Donald Trump has begun testing his midterm message, focusing on the economy. But in New York, he quickly veered off-topic, discussing voter ID, crime and transgender women in sports. He eventually highlighted his tax cuts, claiming Democrats opposed them. Trump appeared with Republican Rep. Mike Lawler, praising him for supporting the tax law that expanded state and local tax deductions. Lawler, up for reelection, said he will embrace Trump to energize Republican voters. The White House aims to spotlight Trump's economic achievements amid declining approval ratings.