Savannah Guthrie pleads for mother’s return; Democrats set DHS demands

Savannah Guthrie breaks her silence and makes a direct plea as investigators pursue new leads in her mother’s suspected abduction.

Plus, President Donald Trump, calling the Minneapolis deaths “very sad,” says they shouldn’t have happened and signals expanded immigration enforcement in other cities.

And the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) takes Nike to court, alleging possible discrimination against white employees in hiring, promotions and layoffs.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, February 5, 2026.

Savannah Guthrie urges abductors to show proof her mother is alive

“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are god’s precious daughter, Nancy.”

An emotional plea from the children of Nancy Guthrie, as the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie remains missing after what authorities believe was an abduction from her Arizona home.

The urgent search continues for Nancy, as concern grows over her health and safety and as her family makes a direct appeal to whoever took her.

“Our mom is our heart and our home. She’s 84 years old. Her health, her heart, is fragile,” Savannah said. “She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”

In a video posted to Savannah’s Instagram account, the family confirmed they are aware of reports that a possible ransom letter was sent to a local media outlet and obtained by TMZ.

View this post on Instagram

Authorities have not confirmed the letter’s authenticity. The family is now asking whoever sent it to contact them directly.

“We, too, have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media. As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk,” Guthrie said. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive. And that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.”

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at around 9:45 p.m. Saturday night. She was reported missing on Sunday after failing to show up for church. Investigators believe she was taken from her bed in the middle of the night.

Authorities say small amounts of blood were found at her home, and they are working to recover and review the surveillance footage.

President Donald Trump, who spoke with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday, says federal forces are being deployed to assist in the search. In a post on social media, the president wrote that he is directing all federal law enforcement to be at the family’s and local law enforcement’s complete disposal.

As the search continues, Savannah Guthrie, along with her sister Annie and brother Camron, delivered one final message, directly to their mother:

“Everyone is looking for you, mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment. And we pray without ceasing, and we rejoice in advance for the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you, Mom.”

Congress deadlocks over ICE as DHS funding deadline looms

The clock is ticking on funding for the Department of Homeland Security. With a Feb. 13 deadline looming, Democrats and Republicans are locked in a standoff over immigration enforcement.

Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries say they won’t support a full-year DHS funding bill unless it includes new guardrails on ICE and Customs and Border Protection. Their list includes 10 demands — from mandatory body cameras to limits on agents wearing face masks, roaming patrols and warrantless actions.

Democrats say the push for reforms intensified after two deadly shootings involving federal agents in Minneapolis in January.

“Taxpayer dollars should be used to make life more affordable for everyday Americans, not to brutalize or kill them,” Jeffries said. “Ice is completely and totally out of control. Immigration enforcement should be just, it should be fair, and it should be humane. That is not what is taking place right now.”

Jeffries argued DHS enforcement needs “dramatic changes,” so ICE and other agencies operate like other law enforcement.

Republicans say some reforms could be on the table, like training and body cameras, but they’re drawing hard lines on two key Democratic demands: requiring judicial warrants and banning agents from wearing masks.

“No secret police,” Schumer said. “ I find it amazing that the speaker of the house, who are saying there shouldn’t be — they should be allowed to have masks. This group, which needs to be identified more than any other group, should have a standard much more lenient and hidden than other police forces?”

“They need identification and no masks except in extraordinary and unusual circumstances,” Schumer added.

SENATE AND HOUSE DEMOCRATS ARE UNITED ON REINING IN THE ABUSES OF ICE.

Americans have watched in horror as ICE has terrorized communities across the country.

Federal agents can’t continue to cause chaos in our cities while more Americans are killed. We must rein in ICE.

Here’s… pic.twitter.com/J1eEA203T0

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) February 5, 2026

If there’s no deal by Feb. 13, the consequences extend far beyond immigration enforcement.

A DHS funding lapse would ripple across TSA, FEMA, the Secret Service and the Coast Guard. ICE, however, may experience less immediate impact.

ABC News reported that the agency has access to some fiscal-year funds and a ten-year, $75 billion infusion from the already-passed “Big beautiful bill,” meaning ICE operations would continue even if the rest of DHS goes dark.

Trump says he personally withdrew 700 immigration agents from Minneapolis

Trump says it was his decision to pull 700 ICE agents out of Minneapolis. Border Czar Tom Homan announced the move on Wednesday as the administration tries to dial down tensions after federal immigration agents shot and killed two people in the city over the past month.

In a sit-down interview with NBC News anchor Tom Llamas, the president blamed his predecessor, Joe Biden, for what he called an open-border policy, saying that millions had entered the country and that it’s now his job to remove them.

Asked what he’s learned from the chaos in Minneapolis, Trump said, “I learned that maybe we could use a little bit of a softer touch. But you still have to be tough. These are crim— we’re dealing with really hard criminals.”

The president called the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Petti, both of whom were killed during confrontations with ICE and border patrol agents, very sad incidents that should not have happened.

“Well, look — I’m not happy with the two incidents. It’s not — you know, it’s — both of ‘em. Not one or the other. Uh — he was not an angel, and she was not an angel. You know, you look at some tapes from back — but still, I’m not happy with what happened there. Nobody can be happy and ICE wasn’t happy either. But I’m gonna always be with our great people of law enforcement. ICE, police, we have to back them. If we don’t back them, we don’t have a country.”

— President Donald Trump

Trump also said five other cities are now on the list for expanded ICE operations, with announcements expected soon.

When pressed on whether his goal is to deport everyone in the country illegally or only those who committed crimes, Trump said the focus is on “really bad criminals.” 

The interview then turned to polling, with Trump repeatedly disputing surveys showing public disapproval of his immigration policies, including his handling of the situation in Minneapolis.

Supreme Court clears new California map that endangers GOP seats

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for California to use a new congressional map, a move that undercuts Trump’s effort to lock in GOP control of the House.

In a brief, unsigned order, the justices rejected an emergency appeal from California Republicans seeking to block the map before the midterms. The court offered no explanation, and no dissents were filed. The decision allows a map that puts five Republican-held seats in play.

The fight is part of a broader mid-decade redistricting battle that began after Trump urged Texas Republicans to redraw their map to gain five seats. In California, Democrats and Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by redrawing their own congressional map.

Justice Samuel Alito, joined by Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, was blunt about what’s driving these maps, writing in a concurring opinion that the impetus for the maps was “partisan advantage, pure and simple.”

Federal courts don’t police partisan gerrymanders; they police only racial ones.

California Republicans argued that race was a factor here. Lower courts disagreed, saying the record showed a political power play rather than racial discrimination.

Newsom didn’t hide the stake, framing it as a direct response to Trump. He said in a statement, “Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more congressional seats in Texas. He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”

EEOC targets Nike DEI, alleges discrimination against white employees

Nike faces a major escalation from the federal government as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) moves to force the company to turn over years of employment data in response to allegations that it discriminated against white workers.

The EEOC has filed a subpoena enforcement action in federal court, alleging that Nike may have engaged in a pattern or practice of race-based disparate treatment across hiring, promotions, layoffs, internships and leadership development programs.

The agency has demanded records dating back to 2018, including how Nike tracks race and ethnicity, how it selected employees for layoffs and details about 16 mentorship and career programs the EEOC says may have been racially restricted.

Nike has pushed back, calling the move “surprising and an unusual escalation” in a statement to Straight Arrow News. The company said it has already provided thousands of documents and participated in the investigation in good faith.

The EEOC’s new chair, Andrea Lucas, who was appointed by Trump and has made DEI programs a top priority, has led the investigation. In a statement, she said, “Thanks to President Trump’s commitment to enforcing our nation’s civil rights laws, the EEOC has renewed its focus on evenhanded enforcement of Title VII.”

Lucas has been explicit about that shift, even posting on X in December, encouraging white male workers to file discrimination claims.

Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex?
You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws. Contact the @USEEOC as soon as possible.

The EEOC is committed to identifying, attacking, and eliminating ALL race… pic.twitter.com/BYjbld5zdv

— EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas (@andrealucasEEOC) December 17, 2025

For now, this is an investigation, not a lawsuit. However, the EEOC has asked a judge to compel compliance. And if the court sides with the agency, it could open the door to similar probes across corporate America.

2026 Olympic medals hit record value as gold, silver prices soar

This year’s Olympic medals are now more valuable than ever due to the surge in precious metal prices.

From figure skating and hockey to curling and bobsledding, more than 700 gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy.

The materials inside them have never been more valuable. Gold prices have nearly doubled over the past year, rising from about $2,800 an ounce to more than $5,000. 

Silver has surged even further, now nearly $90 an ounce, representing a more than 180% increase over the past year. Each silver medal weighs approximately 500 grams — over 17 ounces — and contains about $1,500 worth of pure silver.

Gold medals start with the same silver core, then are plated with six grams of gold, increasing their overall metal value to approximately $2,700. That makes these the most expensive Olympic medals ever. 

As for the bronze medal, it’s still bronze. It’s plentiful, practical and a lot less pricey.

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More from Straight Arrow News:

Does your state partner with ICE? Here’s who does, who doesn’t, who’s wavering

As scrutiny of how law enforcement agencies collaborate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement increases, some are signing new contracts, seeing it as a public-safety tool. Still, activists criticized the program, fearing racial profiling by agents.

Public reaction to how local law enforcement interacts and works with ICE has become tense in some places as people point to the killings of 37-year-olds Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota. States like Maryland are having second thoughts about police enrolled in the program. Meanwhile, Texas has mandated that all sheriff’s offices with jails sign agreements, KXAN reported. Read the full story now>

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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief