The Trump administration announced on Friday it completed the first 100 miles of barrier wall along the southwest border.
What he's saying: From Yuma, Arizona, Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf touted the new 30-foot wall and responded to critics who claim it only replaces previously existing fencing. "We have replaced 1970s-era landing mat fence that was easy to compromise, or vehicle barriers that were easy to defeat, with state-of-the-art infrastructure and detection capabilities," Wolf said.
California's youth population dropped by more than 400,000 throughout the past 10 years to 8.9 million young people, attributed, in part, to a drop in immigrant inflows and the state’s lowest birth rate in history, Bloomberg reports, citing the latest Census data.
The big picture: The youth slump is a trend across the U.S., where 30 states noted a dip in the under-18 age group between 2010 and 2019, newly released data shows.
Democratic votersremain stubbornly divided on the top candidates in the four critical early states — and basically split in half between liberal and more centrist candidates.
Why it matters: A slew of new polls illuminates why many top Democrats think the 2020 race will be a long slog — and culminate with a fierce ideological battle between Sanders-style socialism and Biden-style tempered liberalism.
President Trump and other Republicans allies sound confident about his impeachment trial, but some key Republican senators plan to push for witnesses, which could result in a new chance for Democrats to sway public opinion.
The big picture: "There’s a growing sense among senators ... that there will be some witnesses," the New York Times reports.
White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien tells Axios that despite predictions to the contrary, he's convinced Iran is more likely to return to the negotiating table since the U.S. killed Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani.
What he's saying: The strike will "reset deterrence," O'Brien added.
Bernie Sanders' response to the Trump administration's strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani generated far more attention than his 2020 Democratic rivals, according to data from NewsWhip provided exclusively to Axios.
Why it matters: The numbers point to Sanders' elevated stature as an anti-interventionist voice in the race — one that has been sharpened nationally going back to his campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Sen. Bernie Sanders has gained momentum to become the first choice among likely Iowa caucus-goers three weeks before the nation's first presidential contest, while Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg have slowed in the latest poll from The Des Moines Register, Mediacom and CNN.
Why it matters: But taking the margin of error into account, the poll shows the Vermont senator in a statistical dead heat with Warren, Buttigieg and former Vice President Joe Biden.
The U.S. made an unsuccessful attempt to kill a senior Iranian official in Yemen on the same day that top Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed in an American airstrike, the New York Times and Washington Post report.
Why it matters: This second operation, targeting Abdul Reza Shahlai, could indicate that killing Soleimani "was part of a broader operation than previously explained, raising questions about whether the mission was designed to cripple the leadership of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or solely to prevent an imminent attack on Americans," the Post reports.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is the only Republican governor so far to stop accepting refugees following President Trump’s executive order that allows state and local governments to block refugee resettlements.
The big picture: While Republicans widely support Trump’s restrictive immigration policies, local and state officials in many states have been unwilling to push out those who have been forced from their homes and gone through stringent vetting processes required to become a U.S. refugee.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on Friday that the state will not accept any refugees this year, AP reports.
Why it matters: Abbott is the first governor to take President Trump up on his executive order allowing state and local governments to block refugee resettlements. Other Republican governors have publicly welcomed refugees. In 2019, Texas received more refugees than any other state.
Editor's Note: Williamsondropped outof contention for the Democratic presidential nomination on Friday, Jan. 10, 2020. Below is our original article on her candidacy.
Author Marianne Williamson's presidential campaign announced on Friday that she has dropped out of the 2020 race.
The big picture: Williamson, a Democrat, was considered an outlier in a field mostly comprised of longtime politicians. She built her career as a spiritual guru and never held public office. Despite penning 13 books, four of which were New York Times bestsellers, she came into the race with little political name recognition compared to her competitors.
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) apologized on Friday for saying Democrats are in love with terrorists, a comment he said was in response to the war powers resolution introduced at the time.
The big picture: The House voted 224-194 on Thursday, directing President Trump to halt the use of military force against Iran unless he obtains approval from Congress. The war powers resolution is unlikely to pass the Senate.
Mike Bloomberg will pay for the nearly 500 staffers on his presidential campaign to continue working through November to support whoever wins the 2020 Democratic nomination, even if it's not him, NBC News reports.
Why it matters: The former New York mayor is focused on getting President Trump out of the White House, and his vast operation — focused beyond the traditional early states — could provide a strong foundation in key battleground states, like North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Swing voters here are standing behind President Trump's decision to launch an airstrike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, but if it leads to all-out war they'd question the president's wisdom and handling of national security.
Why it matters: Their comments suggest these voters back Trump on the Iran strike more solidly than the public at large — though some are weary of foreign wars and made it clear they want them to end.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 race on Thursday, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Why it matters: California is one of the most coveted primary state wins, offering 416 delegates on the highly anticipated Super Tuesday. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has also pledged her support for Biden in the presidential. A win in the state could serve as a huge step for Biden to secure the Democratic nomination.
