Happy Friday! It’s been another eventful week, so here’s something new we’re trying. As always, commenters are welcome to discuss any topic of interest.
Watching today
U.S.-Russian summit in Alaska: President Donald Trump is meeting with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
Legal battles
Federal takeover of Washington, D.C. police: D.C. sued to block Trump’s takeover of its police department on Friday after U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as the city’s “emergency police commissioner.” A federal judge on Friday evening said the order by Bondi was unlawful. (Washington Post)
Social media regulation: The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a Mississippi law requiring users to verify their ages before using social media sites, stirring debate about free speech and child safety online. (NPR)
Immigration
ICE pursues new marketing tactics: The agency is looking for a “women-owned small business” to launch a marketing campaign through social media and streaming services in an effort to recruit applicants as it plans to hire 14,050 new employees. (The San Francisco Standard)
ICE’s bigger budget: With a new $45 billion budget, ICE officials are considering “opening or expanding 125 facilities this year” to hold more than 107,000 people. (Washington Post)
Los Angeles students return with caution: Schools in Los Angeles opened Thursday for the fall semester amid concerns that they may become targets for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown after a summer of raids. (CNN)
Deportation Depot: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Thursday his plans to open a second immigration detention facility he called “Deportation Depot” at a state prison as “Alligator Alcatraz” faces two separate lawsuits. (AP)
Redistricting
California’s redistricting effort: Governor Gavin Newsom announced his plans Thursday to redraw California’s congressional maps in response to a Republican-led effort in Texas that state Democrats interrupted when they broke quorum last week. Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is recruiting Republicans to build opposition to the gerrymandering bill. (Politico)
Texas tries again: Governor Greg Abbott called a second special session today to continue plans to redraw congressional maps to secure up to five more Republican seats in the U.S. House. Texas Democrats who fled the state last week signaled yesterday their plan to return. (The Hill)
Indiana: The White House is pressuring Indiana Republicans to begin their own redistricting plan. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Economy, trade, and tariffs
Rising prices: U.S. wholesale prices saw their biggest monthly increase in three years, raising inflation worries. (BBC)
Consumer sentiment falls: Anxiety about the impact of tariffs led to the first drop in U.S. consumer sentiment since April. More than half of the consumers surveyed by the University of Michigan said they would cut back on spending, as they expect both inflation and unemployment to rise.
Business loyalty: The White House created a “scorecard” that rates hundreds of companies and trade associations on how well they supported Trump’s recent tax and spending legislation. (Axios)
Semiconductor tariffs: Trump announced on Friday that he would impose tariffs in the coming weeks on imports of steel and semiconductor chips. (Bloomberg)
Tariff extension: Trump signed an executive order on Monday extending a trade truce between the U.S. and China for three months.
Climate and science
Atlantic hurricane season begins: Hurricane Erin became the first hurricane of the Atlantic season Friday morning. It is forecast to bring heavy rain to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and is predicted to become at least a Category 3 hurricane by Sunday.
Hurricane Barbara: The Category 1 hurricane, which formed off the southwest coast of Mexico, was the first of the Pacific season.
Tick check: Scientists raised alarms about invasive ticks in the U.S. NBC News reported that according to the C.D.C., “there were more emergency room visits in July for tick bites than the past eight Julys.” Scientists point to warming temperatures as the primary cause for the species’ geographic spread and extended season.
F.D.A. and natural drugs: The F.D.A. issued a warning about unapproved thyroid pills, but reversed it under pressure from the “Make America Healthy Again” movement. (NBC News)
Kudos to Halina on really goosing the engagement numbers this week. [ed: Her first full week!]
No offense to Ben, blessed be his memory, but Matt *can’t* be paying you enough. Ask for a raise, we’ll have your back!
I am beyond horrified by this:
The White House created a “scorecard” that rates hundreds of companies and trade associations on how well they supported Trump’s recent tax and spending legislation.