Alligator Alcatraz Was Built on Secrecy, Expansive Emergency Powers, and an Unprecedented State Power Grab
Shadowy deals and unilateral powers created Florida's notorious immigration detention camp.
Federal government
Photo: Trump Sends His Drug Cops To See the Sights in D.C.
Rather than targeting cartels, DEA agents are patrolling tourist areas, setting up checkpoints, and even cleaning up litter.
Afghan Man Freed After Viral Arrest and Over 100 Days in ICE Custody
“I still believe in America. I do not feel betrayed. I feel hopeful because of how many Americans stood up for me when I was arrested.”
No Calamity
Plus: Mamdani wants to cut gifted programs, Tyler Cowen's AI film takes, Newsom's revenge, and more...
Deploying Federal Troops Is Not a Sustainable Solution to Crime in American Cities
Federal officers policing Washington, D.C., on Trump's orders appear to be driving crime down, but the plan is neither constitutionally sound nor viable in the long term.
The Government Shutdown Won't Stop Trump's Immigration Enforcement Campaign
The Department of Homeland Security will retain 95 percent of its employees if the government shuts down and remain funded in large part by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Could This Be the Best Government Shutdown Ever?
Take your opportunities for smaller government where you find them.
Immigrants Arrested During Federal Takeover of D.C. Police Are Suing ICE and Other Federal Agencies
Five plaintiffs are arguing that several mass immigration arrests in the nation’s capital were made without probable cause.
Gift to Trump
Plus: Robert Munsch chooses Canadian healthcare, Argentina in trouble, ignoring Greta, and more...
Brendan Carr Says Networks Must Serve the 'Public Interest.' What Does That Mean?
Congress placed the term in the law but chose not to define it, leaving that task for future regulators.
Alcohol Escapes a Government Crackdown—for Now
A quiet push to declare “no safe level” of drinking has officially fizzled.
The Trump Administration Misses Key Deadlines for Imposing Restrictions on Gain-of-Function Research
Biosafety advocates worry the administration is backtracking on its promise to implement meaningful restrictions on the type of research that likely caused the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump Is Embracing 'Daddy State' Economics
Markets thrive on predictable rules, but when the president takes equity stakes or pressures firms at will, investment and risk-taking give way to hesitation.
Trump Threatens Another Federal Takeover of D.C. While Planning Memphis Crackdown
Trump’s emergency order in the nation’s capital expired last week, but he has already rolled out a plan to crack down on crime in Memphis.
Florida Applies for Federal Reimbursement for 'Alligator Alcatraz' Costs Despite Court Warning
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promised that the federal government would reimburse the state for the costs of "Alligator Alcatraz," but doing so would make the detention facility subject to environmental reviews Florida ignored.
FBI Blunders and Internet Panic: How the Search for Charlie Kirk's Killer Went Off the Rails
The alleged shooter was turned in by his family and roommates while the surveillance state remained clueless.
Lawmakers Want To Shield Kids From AI Chatbots. But Restricting Them Could Cut Off a Mental Health Lifeline.
Crackdowns on AI chatbots over perceived risks to children's safety could ultimately put more children at risk.
Immigration Agents Held a U.S. Citizen—and Veteran—for 3 Days Without Checking His ID
George Retes was denied access to an attorney, wasn’t allowed to make a phone call, was not presented to a judge, and was put in an isolation cell before being released with no charges.
Washington Says Tax Breaks Help People. Instead, They're Corroding the Tax Code.
The expenditures are often costly privileges for special interests that mask the true size of government and fail to deliver the promised bang for the buck.
The Feds Own Half the Western U.S.—and Can't Take Care of It
Selling just a fraction of the land would reduce our enormous debt.
Before Trump Had Elon Musk, Nixon Had Howard Phillips
Nixon's director of the Office of Economic Opportunity set out to shrink government, mostly failed, and was gone in less than a year. Sound familiar?
Trump Says Tariffs Make Us Richer. So, Why Are Most Countries With High Tariffs So Poor?
The U.S. is risking its liberty and its prosperity with such high tariffs.
She Wrote a Bad Check 17 Years Ago and Still Can't Own Guns. This Trump Order Could Help People Like Her.
The Justice Department has proposed a pathway to restore gun rights for millions of Americans.
Trump Says America Would Be 'Destroyed' if Americans Don't Pay His Tariffs
The administration says the country faces complete destruction if it's forced to pay back money it hasn't yet received.
After Years of Abuses, Approval of the FBI and DOJ Depends on Who Is in Power
With government agencies turned into partisan weapons, trust is a tribal matter.
Federal Appeals Court Says Trump's Tariffs Are Unlawful, Allows Them To Remain in Place
Trump went "beyond the authority delegated to the President," the court ruled, but it vacated an injunction that could have provided immediate tariff relief to American businesses.
Neither Cranks Nor Hacks Should Head HHS
RFK Jr. has had a crazy week. It will not be his last, alas.
Trump's Fed Coup
Plus: Beachy vignettes, Smithsonian scrutiny, Gavin Newsom might not be the Democrats' great new hope, and more...
Will SCOTUS Let Trump Fire Lisa Cook From the Federal Reserve?
Or will the justices say that Trump fired her for illegal reasons?
We Don't Need More Federal Intervention in U.S. Cities
The use of government force to achieve political advantage is dangerous and sets a bad precedent.
Few Americans Trust the Federal Government
Perversely, distrust may encourage the government to grow bigger and more intrusive.
Trump's Ineffective D.C. Crackdown: Nearly 2,000 Officers Made Fewer Than 400 Arrests in 10 Days
And a lot of those were for drug possession, gun possession, and other minor offenses.
The Government Sent '20 Police Officers' With Riot Gear To Rearrest D.C. Sandwich Thrower, Says Attorney
A video by the White House corroborates that account, calling into question just how serious the president is about actually addressing crime.
D.C. Sues Pam Bondi and the Trump Administration for Replacing Police Commissioner
The latest escalation in the showdown between the Trump administration and D.C. elected officials
D.C. Residents Are Right To Protest Unconstitutional Police Roadblocks
Checkpoints for general crime control are illegal and smack of a police state.
Colorado's AI Law Is a Cautionary Tale for the Nation
A rushed attempt to regulate artificial intelligence has left lawmakers scrambling to fix their own mistakes.
Hostile Takeover: Trump Federalizes Law Enforcement and Deploys National Guard in D.C.
Despite an apparent drop in the city’s violent crime, President Donald Trump announced a “public safety emergency” in D.C., deploying 800 of the city’s National Guard and over 450 federal law enforcement officers.
Science Needs Dissent: NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya on COVID, Autism, and Climate Change
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya defends open disagreement, criticizes groupthink, and argues that democracy depends on our ability to speak and listen across political and scientific divides.
A Cop Lied, Fabricated a Sex-Trafficking Case, and Jailed a Teen on False Charges—and Still Can't Be Sued
The case is a baffling reminder that the more power a government official has, the harder it is for a victim to get a shot at justice.
Shattering Norms: Federal Immigration Agents Aren't Afraid to Smash Your Car Window
Immigration officers are using more forceful tactics to keep up with the Trump administration’s mass deportation goals.
The National Debt Is Becoming Your Local Problem
Federal overspending is squeezing states and cities, forcing them to raise taxes, slash services, or pile on more debt.
The IRS Is Now 25 Percent Smaller (and, Hopefully, Less Dangerous)
We still need real tax reform and much lower federal spending.
Why Does the Government Run Air Traffic Control?
Air traffic control is simply too important to leave up to the politicians.
The FBI Seized Her $40,000 Without Explaining Why. She Fought Back Against That Practice—and Lost.
The twist underscores just how little accountability exists in civil forfeiture, which allows law enforcement to seize assets without charging the owner with a crime.
Abolish the U.S. Surgeon General
This “public health” position has long been a sinecure for professional activists.
A Social Security Bailout Would Cost Younger Workers $157,000 in Higher Taxes
To keep Social Security solvent without cutting benefits would require a massive hike in payroll taxes, which would fall entirely on working Americans.
