Homan dispatched to Minneapolis, Bovino exits; Millions dig out amid deep freeze
President Donald Trump is sending Tom Homan to Minneapolis as tensions increase over federal enforcement in the Twin Cities. The White House states that this action is intended to reduce tensions after Trump personally intervened to speak with the governor and mayor.
Plus, the massive winter storm is easing, but millions are still dealing with deep snow, power outages and brutal cold. From the Midwest to New England, cleanup is slow, and forecasters warn the deep freeze isn’t over yet.
And Venezuela released hundreds of political prisoners, a move Trump called a “humanitarian gesture.” But interim President Delcy Rodríguez is now pushing back, saying she’s had enough of America’s orders.
These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, January 27, 2026.
Trump sends border czar to Minneapolis after deadly shooting
The Trump administration faces growing backlash over a third immigration enforcement officer-involved shooting in as many weeks. President Donald Trump has dispatched border czar Tom Homan to the Twin Cities to “continue the discussion” after speaking with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Gov. Tim Walz on Monday evening.
Trump said Homan will now oversee the immigration crackdown in Minnesota and will report directly to the White House.
Meanwhile, protests continue as calls mount for ICE to leave Minnesota altogether.
Overnight, dozens of people held a demonstration outside a hotel in a Minneapolis suburb where federal agents, including top Border Patrol official Greg Bovino, were believed to be staying.
Bovino is anticipated to depart from the city on Tuesday as the administration seeks to change its leadership due to public outcry.
That outcry intensified after Bovino made unsubstantiated claims that the man killed in the latest shooting, 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, was trying to “massacre” law enforcement officers.
Several videos of the incident, combined with witness testimonies, contradict Bovino’s statements as well as those of other senior Trump administration officials, such as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. They asserted that Pretti was “brandishing” a gun and assaulting immigration officers.
CBS News reported that there is frustration within the Department of Homeland Security over how the situation is being handled and over the decision to make public statements before any investigation was completed.
Meanwhile, a growing number of Republicans are also criticizing the Trump administration’s response to Pretti’s death.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said on his podcast the Trump administration needs to improve “the tone with which they’re describing this.”
“Escalating the rhetoric doesn’t help, and it actually loses credibility,” Cruz said. “And so I would encourage the administration to be more measured, to recognize the tragedy and to say, we don’t want anyone, anyone’s lives, to be lost, and the politicians who are pouring gasoline on this fire, they need to stop.”
Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, called out Noem directly, writing in a social media post: “I disagree with Secretary Noem’s premature DHS response, which came before all the facts were known and weakened confidence.”
Curtis says he wants to see a “transparent, independent investigation” of the incident and is calling for accountability.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-S.C., also weighed in, calling for an impartial investigation and accusing the administration of trying to “shut down an investigation before it begins.”
Frigid temperatures move in as cleanup begins following winter storm
Most of the U.S. is recovering from a severe winter storm, and for many areas, the biggest impact isn’t just the snowfall itself, but the lingering effects. The storm is now moving out of the northeast, but bitter cold is settling in behind it. Dangerous wind chills are extending from the Midwest to New England.
More than a foot of snow fell across a 1,300-mile swath of the country, and some places north of Pittsburgh saw close to 20 inches. At least 30 people are now confirmed dead from hypothermia, crashes, snowplow accidents and even sledding mishaps.
Meanwhile, millions are still digging out. In New Jersey, neighborhoods like Montvale remain buried. Others are sitting in the dark.
Roughly half a million customers remain without power, especially in parts of the south, due to ice-covered trees toppling power lines.
In some places, help had to come from the National Guard.
Not everyone is miserable, though. In Texas, one family made the most of it, sledding through fresh snow with their two daughters after a rare winter blast hit Denton.
In New York City, Central Park turned into a full-blown playground, with kids sledding, families building forts and tourists soaking in a snow day the city has not seen in years.
Even the animals are getting in on it. A polar bear at the Memphis Zoo was seen rolling around in the snow, clearly living its best life.
Venezuela’s interim president rebukes American demands
Venezuela’s interim leader is drawing a line with Washington, even as her government quietly moves to meet one of the United States’ key demands.
Delcy Rodríguez, who took over after Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. forces earlier this month, is pushing back against American pressure, telling workers she’s had “enough” of what she called Washington’s orders over Venezuelan politics.
Her message comes as the Trump administration continues to squeeze Caracas, pressing for oil production, political reforms, and the release of hundreds of political prisoners.
And on that last front, there is movement.
Over the weekend, the government freed more than 100 detainees from prisons across the country. It was part of what human rights groups say is one of the largest single-day releases in years.
We’re seeing emotional scenes of families reunited, former prisoners hugging relatives and tearful celebrations outside prison gates.
But not everyone is home yet.
In Caracas Monday, the mother of one still-detained man chained herself outside a police detention center, begging for her son’s release as other families gathered with photos of their loved ones.
The releases appear aimed at easing U.S. pressure. Trump took to Truth Social to thank Rodriguez, calling the releases a powerful humanitarian gesture.
Trump hikes tariffs on South Korea to 25% over stalled trade deal
Trump is increasing pressure on US ally South Korea regarding the trade deal from last year by implementing new tariffs on the country. The president is raising tariffs on autos, lumber and pharmaceutical drugs from 15% to 25%.
Trump wrote on Truth Social, “South Korea’s Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States. President Lee and I reached a Great Deal for both Countries on July 30, 2025, and we reaffirmed these terms while I was in Korea on October 29, 2025. Why hasn’t the Korean Legislature approved it?”
South Korean lawmakers are now considering nearly six bills, including one that proposes $350 billion in investments into the U.S. economy. This investment package forms a key component of the trade agreement.
Seoul responded to Trump’s tariff threats by saying there will be swift debate and action on the bills in the National Assembly. The government also said it will send a top official to Washington to meet with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and reaffirm its commitment to the agreement.
Ex-Olympian Ryan Wedding pleads not guilty, denies drug and murder charges
Former Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding, who competed for Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympics, pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges of running a billion-dollar drug-trafficking operation and ordering multiple murders.
U.S. prosecutors say Wedding moved as much as 60 tons of cocaine between Colombia, Mexico, Canada and Southern California, operating under the protection of Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel.
Authorities say he had been living in Mexico for more than a decade. The FBI added him to the Ten Most Wanted list last year, offering a $15 million reward for his capture.
Wedding was arrested in Mexico last week and flown to Southern California, where he appeared in court Monday in a jail jumpsuit and leg shackles.
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Ryan Wedding, a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder accused of becoming a cocaine smuggling kingpin linked to multiple drug-related murders, is escorted by FBI agents as he arrives handcuffed at Ontario International Airport, in California, U.S., January 23, 2026, in this screengrab taken from video. FBI/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY -
Ryan Wedding, a Canadian former Olympic snowboarder, attends a hearing where he pleaded not guilty to charges of becoming a cocaine smuggling kingpin responsible for multiple drug-related murders in a U.S. federal court in Santa Ana, California, U.S. January 26, 2026 in a courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Mona Edwards NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.
A judge ordered him held without bail, saying he could not find conditions that would ensure public safety. Wedding is due back in court on Feb. 11, and his trial is set for March 24.
Team USA roster announced for Milan-Cortina Olympics
The U.S. has named the 233 athletes who will represent the U.S. at the Milan-Cortina Olympics. The team comprises 117 men and 115 women, including the youngest competitor, 15-year-old free skier Abby Winterberger, and the oldest, 54-year-old curler Rich Ruohonen.
It’s their first Olympics for both. Ruohonen will also be the oldest American to compete in the Winter Olympics.
They will join seven seasoned athletes making their fifth appearance at the games, including skier Lindsey Vonn, bobsledders Kaillie Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor, hockey player Hilary Knight, figure skater Evan Bates and snowboarders Faye Thelen and Nick Baumgartner.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for next Friday, Feb. 6, in Milan. However, some competitions will start two days earlier, on Feb. 4.
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TOPSHOT – USA’s bronze medallist Lindsey Vonn tears up on the podium during the medal ceremony for the alpine skiing Women’s Downhill at the Pyeongchang Medals Plaza during the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang on February 21, 2018. (Photo by JAVIER SORIANO / AFP via Getty Images) -
YANQING, CHINA – FEBRUARY 14: (L-R) Silver medallist Elana Meyers Taylor of Team United States and Gold medallist Kaillie Humphries of Team United States celebrate during the Women’s Monobob medal ceremony on day 10 of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at National Sliding Centre on February 14, 2022 in Yanqing, China. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images) -
GANGNEUNG, SOUTH KOREA – FEBRUARY 22: Gold medal winner Hilary Knight #21 of the United States celebrates after defeating Canada in a shootout in the Women’s Gold Medal Game on day thirteen of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games at Gangneung Hockey Centre on February 22, 2018 in Gangneung, South Korea. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) -
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – MARCH 23: Madison Chock and Evan Bates of the United States pose in the Ice Dance medal ceremony during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Centre Bell on March 23, 2024 in Montreal, Quebec. (Photo by Joosep Martinson – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images) -
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 28: Nick Baumgartner poses for a portrait during the Team USA Media Summit ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games on October 28, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
These games will be the most geographically spread out in Olympic history, with Milan acting as a hub for hockey, figure skating and speed skating. Meanwhile, Cortina and neighboring mountain venues will host skiing, snowboarding, the biathlon and a new Olympic event: ski mountaineering.
According to a report from the Associated Press, ICE agents will have a security role during the winter games.
Federal ICE agents would support diplomatic security details and not conduct any immigration enforcement operations. During previous Olympics, several federal agencies have supported security for U.S. diplomats, including the investigative component of ICE, Homeland Security Investigations, the sources said. They could not be named because they are not authorized to speak publicly.
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Some still tout ivermectin as a cure-all. Here’s what the science says
In early 2020, as the U.S. recorded its first confirmed COVID-19 cases and the scale of the unfolding pandemic came into focus, scientists and clinicians around the world raced to understand the unfamiliar virus. Researchers immediately began testing whether existing drugs — such as ivermectin, chloroquine and even the diabetes drug metformin — could be repurposed to treat the rapidly spreading SARS-CoV-2.
At the time, a growing body of evidence suggested that ivermectin, a drug primarily used to kill parasites, might also be an effective antiviral. Previous studies suggested that ivermectin might quell infections caused by all sorts of viruses: chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile, Zika.
In April — one month after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic — Australian researchers reported that a single dose of ivermectin successfully killed SARS-CoV-2 in a petri dish within 48 hours.
Early studies showed antiviral activity in vitro — meaning in isolated cells under artificial conditions — but they did not establish whether ivermectin could safely or effectively treat COVID-19 in people.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
