1. Trump has made his Supreme Court pick.
President Donald Trump has nominated Colorado federal appeals court judge Neil Gorsuch for the US Supreme Court. If confirmed by the Senate, the 49-year-old would restore the court's conservative majority, lost with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia.
At 49, Gorsuch is the youngest Supreme Court nominee in a quarter-century. He’s known on the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals for clear, colloquial writing, advocacy for court review of government regulations, defense of religious freedom and skepticism toward law enforcement.
2. There are “hardship” exemptions for refugees.
The Trump administration says 872 refugees will be allowed into the country this week despite his presidential order suspending the U.S. refugee program.
Kevin McAleenan, the acting head of Customs and Border Protection, said Tuesday that the refugees were already traveling and stopping them would cause "undue hardship." Their admission comes despite President Donald Trump's warnings that refugees like these, vetted under the Obama administration, were not adequately screened to ensure they are not potential terrorists.
3. Californialawmakers are eyeing countermeasures on immigration.
Democrats in the California Senate have ramped up their fight against President Donald Trump, advancing bills that would create a statewide sanctuary for people in the country illegally, provide money to pay lawyers for immigrants facing deportation and hamper any attempt to create a Muslim registry.
The moves in the nation's largest state — home to an estimated 2.3 million immigrants without legal authorization — come days after Trump launched his crackdown on immigration and sanctuary cities across the nation.
The city of San Francisco sued Trump on Tuesday, claiming his executive order that would cut funding from sanctuary cities is unconstitutional and a "severe invasion of San Francisco's sovereignty."
4. A bill extending Super Bowl bar hours is on its way.
Preparations for next year’s Super Bowl include a legislative push to give football fans more time in local bars, which got a positive reception Tuesday from a Senate committee.
After this Sunday’s Super Bowl in Houston on Sunday, attention will shift to Minneapolis as the 2018 host. The Senate Commerce Committee reviewed the bill that would tack on two hours of alcohol serving time for bars during four days around the event. It was lined up for potential inclusion in a broader liquor bill.
Sen. Karin Housley’s bill would let Hennepin and Ramsey County bars that pay an extra licensing fee of up to $250 to remain open until 4 a.m. Housley, R-St. Marys Point, said cities in the counties would decide whether to opt in.
5. Thousands turned out yesterday in Minneapolis to protest Trump’s immigration order.
Thousands of people showed up outside the Federal Building in downtown Minneapolis yesterday evening to protest President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration and refugees. The Anti-War Committee organized the protest.
The protesters are marching from the Federal Building through the streets of downtown and back. The protest started around 4:30 p.m. A spokesperson from the Anti-War Committee explained that the group wants to send a message to President Trump and stand in solidarity with their immigrant sisters and brothers.