Here are today's featured stories, posted by DU members and curated by the Administrators. More news items can be found in our Latest Breaking News forum, and for all the most up-to-the-minute stories that are being talked about by DU members, visit the Latest Discussions page.
January 28, 2026
Man douses Ilhan Omar with unknown substance at town hall in Minneapolis
(USA Today) Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat born in Somalia and rhetorical target for President Donald Trump, was sprayed with an unknown substance by a man at a town hall event in Minneapolis late on Jan. 27. The man who sprayed the substance rushed the U.S. congresswoman as she called for ICE to be abolished and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached. The man spoke to Omar as he sprayed the material at her torso; it’s unclear what he said or what he sprayed.
Go to discussionTrump insists shakeup in MN immigration operations isn't a 'pullback'
(USA Today) President Donald Trump said he wants to "de-escalate" the explosive situation in Minnesota after federal agents fatally shot two people in recent weeks, insisting a shakeup in leadership of his immigration enforcement team in the state was not a "pullback" by the administration. The Trump administration has been reeling from intense backlash to its operations in Minnesota after federal agents killed Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti this month.
Go to discussionPolice arrest protesters outside Minnesota hotel believed to house ICE agents
(Scripps) Police in suburban Minneapolis took 24 people into custody Monday evening outside a hotel where Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were believed to be staying. Hotels believed to house ICE agents have been frequent targets of protesters, who use whistles and other noisemakers in an effort to disrupt agents’ sleep. Video from outside the SpringHill Suites showed dozens of people banging pots and pans, beating drums and using other noisemakers.
Go to discussionICE agent rebuffed after attempting to enter Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis
(AP) Ecuador's minister of foreign affairs has filed a protest with the U.S. Embassy after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tried to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission Tuesday. A video of the attempt on social media shows a consulate staffer running to the door to turn the ICE agents away, telling them, "This is the Ecuadorian consulate. You're not allowed to enter." One ICE officer can be heard responding by threatening to "grab" the staffer if he touched the agent before agreeing to leave.
Go to discussionGermany Issues Formal Travel Advisory For US
(Newsweek) Germany has issued a travel advisory to its citizens travelling to the United States, citing risks linked to immigration enforcement and public-order situations. Germany’s Federal Foreign Office said on Tuesday that German citizens should be aware of demonstrations and clashes with American migration and security authorities.
Go to discussion
Stephen Miller Blames CBP
(Politico) In a statement, Miller said that the White House told DHS to use the extra personnel sent to the state from Customs and Border Protection to keep protesters away from fugitive apprehension operations — suggesting the confrontation that led to Pretti’s death violated those instructions. “We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,” he said.
Go to discussionKristi Noem blames Trump, Miller
(Mediaite) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is chalking up her actions in office to the direction of President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller. Noem, Miller, and others in the administration have faced backlash over their description of the circumstances surrounding federal agents shooting and killing 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Go to discussionRepublican candidate challenges Tuberville residency, says he appears to live Florida, not Alabama
(AP) A Republican opponent is challenging U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s eligibility to run for governor of Alabama, accusing the football coach-turned-politician of not meeting the legal requirement to have lived in the state for seven years. Ken McFeeters, who is running against Tuberville for the Republican nomination for governor, filed the challenge Tuesday with the Alabama Republican Party. McFeeters in a phone interview said he believes Tuberville lives in a multimillion-dollar beach home in Florida instead of a smaller home that he has listed as his residence in Auburn, Alabama.
Go to discussionMelania Documentary Flops as Crew Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Chaos
(New Republic) Melania Trump’s new documentary, Melania, is looking like an opening-week box office flop—after Amazon’s MGM studios paid tens of millions of dollars for the rights to it. The documentary detailing the first lady’s return to the White House is projected to make just $1 million in its first week. While documentaries generally do worse at the box office, the sheer amount of money Amazon spent—$40 million for the rights, $35 million for an aggressive marketing blitz—and the constant stream of Truth Social posts from President Trump make this a particularly pitiful showing.
Go to discussion