America's primary border control agency under DHS
The USS Abraham Lincoln has left the Middle East after a record nonstop deployment of more than 200 days and is scheduled to make a brief stop in Thailand for rest and logistical support for about 5,000 sailors and Marines. Reports this month have raised concerns about morale, mental health and supply shortages aboard the carrier; Pentagon officials have disputed those accounts.
The Trump administration has relaunched its tariff agenda under Section 301 and Section 122, targeting 60 economies including the EU and allies. Courts are weighing legal challenges as refunds of billions in tariffs previously deemed illegal are being processed. The debate centers on leverage in trade negotiations and the pace of reliquidation.
Senate and House debates intensify over a $70 billion three-year funding package for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol, with lawmakers grappling over a controversial $1.8 billion settlement fund for Trump allies. The measure has sparked intra-party divisions and a series of amendments as leadership seeks to finalize funding through the end of Trump’s term.
Authorities have issued a regulatory waiver expanding border-security infrastructure across 100-plus miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, including Big Bend. CBP plans a mix of barriers, roads and surveillance technology near Big Bend National Park, while lawmakers and environmental groups raise concerns about land access, ecosystems and public lands.
Protests across the Big Bend region intensify as officials waive environmental laws to expedite a border-wall project tied to a $46.5 billion federal package. Local residents, activists, and officials say the plan threatens wildlife, river access, and regional tourism while the CBP defends phased deployments and reviews.
A coalition of 25 US states has filed suit in the US Court of International Trade to stop 10–12.5% tariffs that took effect in July on goods from about 60 trading partners. Plaintiffs say the administration has used forced‑labour claims to recreate broad levies courts have already struck down; the White House says the duties are lawful under Section 301.
DACA recipient Jessica Treviño has had her status terminated after an immigration violation, prompting a federal lawsuit seeking her return and restoration of DACA. The case is part of a broader pattern of DACA enforcement actions that have affected families near the border.
The government has ordered a halt to drilling new wells in New Mexico while a groundwater strategy is developed with state and federal agencies. Ranchers warn that pumping could threaten livestock and livelihoods as drought presses on; officials say all non-tribal wells require permits, and eight wells have been found drilled without authorization along the Roosevelt Reservation.
The Trump administration has refunded about $100 billion of pre-cut tariff revenue after a Supreme Court ruling invalidated much of the IEEPA-based tariff regime. Refunds are continuing as trade authorities review remaining claims and importers provide banking details, while lawsuits challenge new duties.
Shippers including FedEx, UPS and DHL are distributing government tariff refunds to customers who paid duties direct. The process follows a Supreme Court ruling that struck down broad Trump-era tariffs and ordered refunds for money collected before the ruling. While about $100 billion has been refunded to companies, most Americans will not see direct refunds as most duties were paid indirectly.