The Biden administration brought 36 migrants back to the U.S. for court hearings on Monday under the reimposed Remain in Mexico program and expanded its enforcement of that program into San Diego, even as it continues efforts to end the policy, administration officials told reporters on a call.
The big picture: The administration has asked the Supreme Court to intervene to allow them to end what's formally known as the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP), which forces asylum seekers at the southern border to wait in Mexico while their cases are heard.
Former President Donald Trump endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for re-election Monday, throwing his "complete support" behind the nationalist leader.
Why it matters: Orbán, a far-right, populist leader who says he's turned Hungry into an "illiberal state," has changed election laws to benefit his party, the New York Times notes.
Texas has added 36 more deaths to the official death toll from the winter storm that swept across the state in February, bringing the total number of lives lost to 246.
Why it matters: The storm left millions without power as people faced single-digit temperatures and sub-zero wind chill.
The jury in the criminal fraud trial of former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes informed the judge that it has been unable to reach a unanimous verdict on three of the case's 11 counts.
The latest: The jury notified U.S. District Judge Edward Davila of the deadlock in a note Monday morning, though they did not specify which of the three counts were disputed, the New York Times reported.
Ontario, the most populous province in Canada, will delay the return to in-person school and will move to online learning, as well as close all restaurants, gyms and movie theaters due to the rapid spread of the Omicron COVID variant, Ontario's Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday.
Why it matters: Omicron is causing a record number of new infections and leading to concerns about hospital capacity, per AP. Hospitals will also be forced to pause all "non-emergent and non-urgent" surgeries.
Bridgewater Associates CEO David McCormick stepped down from his post to consider joining the Republican primary for an open U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, the world's largest hedge fund announced Monday.
Why it matters: The race to replace Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who is retiring at the end of his term, is expected to be one of the most competitive in the country and could determine control of the Senate.
The Capitol's attending physician on Monday urged congressional offices to shift towards remote work due to a skyrocketing coronavirus positivity rate among staff.
Why it matters: The push comes as the highly infectious Omicron variant has caused a resurgence of the pandemic across the country.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued subpoenas for two of former President Trump's children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, as part of a civil investigation, according to court documents filed Monday.
Why it matters: The move represents another escalation in the attorney general's investigation into the former president's business practices. James requested a deposition from Trump in early December.
Senate Democrats will use Thursday's anniversary of the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol to propel their efforts to pass sweeping voting rights legislation.
Driving the news: In a letter to colleagues Monday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the Senate will debate and vote on changing Senate rules if Republicans block a vote on the Freedom to Vote Act backed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). Schumer promised a vote on Senate reforms by Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Jan. 17.
The Biden administration will offer $1 billion to help independent meat and poultry producers in its latest measure to fight inflation, the White House announced Monday.
Driving the news: The Biden administration has argued that large corporations and corporate monopolies are responsible for rapidly rising prices. It specifically blames four monopolists in the meat-processing industry for increasing meat prices.
Monopolies cause inflation — so cracking down on monopolies will cause inflation to decline. That's the claim of the Biden administration, anyway.
Why it matters: It's very hard to find good-faith arguments on any side of this debate. But one thing is clear: The U.S. government is currently being broadly blamed for rapidly rising prices. If inflation does decline, for any reason, then it will surely claim credit.
New York City's charismatic new mayor, Eric Adams, was sworn in just after midnight on New Year's Day, promising to bring a fresh set of eyes to a thankless job in a crime-ridden and COVID-weary town.
Why it matters: New York's urban problems — always a national bellwether — have spiraled during the pandemic. This tough-on-crime mayor, a longtime NYC police captain, vows to clean things up but has his hands full.
