WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.

Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.

It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b">rejected prosecutors’ initial bid</a>&nbsp;to charge the journalist.

Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.

“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”

Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrest of Lemon and three others who were present during the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.

“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.

Since he left CNN, Lemon has joined the legion of journalists who have gone into business for himself, posting regularly on YouTube. He hasn’t hidden his disdain for Trump. Yet during his online show from the church, he said repeatedly, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him, and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.

Shortly after the first attempt to charge him fell through, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.

“And guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. That’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead, make me into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">the new Jimmy Kimmel,</a>&nbsp;if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

A prominent civil rights attorney and two other people involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-church-protest-history-58817d7033c6b83867131f4cee87256a">disrupting the Cities Church service</a>.

The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.

“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media post last week.

Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.

The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights probe into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-minneapolis-protests-ice-immigration-41437baa4b349279cf8abfaf1076162c">37-year-old Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;by federal officers.

“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769780098867.png" alt="Statement from Lemon's attorney on the arrest" />
 <figcaption>Statement from Lemon's attorney on the arrest</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in connection with an anti-immigration protest that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-protest-church-minneapolis-fcc97a29b9c4434c665d76d4811c5a3e">disrupted a service</a>&nbsp;at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, his lawyer said Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/moL7xr4jZJ">pic.twitter.com/moL7xr4jZJ</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2017277024235040888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. More details soon.&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/2017238803639845115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769780223167.png" alt="File -Don Lemon from a 2022 interview-&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File -Don Lemon from a 2022 interview-&nbsp; photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When life gives you lemons... ⛓️ <a href="https://t.co/wxry0fudOj">pic.twitter.com/wxry0fudOj</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2017248964878143741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon is facing in the Jan. 18 protest. The arrest came after a magistrate judge last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-minnesota-church-disruption-bondi-ed084f5005187f58eabe0cc627d1862b">rejected prosecutors’ initial bid</a>&nbsp;to charge the journalist.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/Yy9IOZRpJU">pic.twitter.com/Yy9IOZRpJU</a>&mdash; CNN Communications (@CNNPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/2017257849592721642?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to the organization that went into the church and that he was there as a journalist chronicling protesters.“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no different than what he has always done,” Lowell said in a statement. “The First Amendment exists to protect journalists whose role it is to shine light on the truth and hold those in power accountable.”Lowell added that “Don will fight these charges vigorously and thoroughly in court.”Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media Friday morning confirming the arrest of Lemon and three others who were present during the protest at Cities Church in St. Paul, where a local official with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement serves as a pastor.“At my direction, early this morning federal agents arrested Don Lemon, Trahern Jeen Crews, Georgia Fort, and Jamael Lydell Lundy, in connection with the coordinated attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota,” Bondi said.Since he left CNN, Lemon has joined the legion of journalists who have gone into business for himself, posting regularly on YouTube. He hasn’t hidden his disdain for Trump. Yet during his online show from the church, he said repeatedly, “I’m not here as an activist. I’m here as a journalist.” He described the scene in front of him, and interviewed churchgoers and demonstrators.Shortly after the first attempt to charge him fell through, he predicted on his show that the administration would try again.“And guess what,” he said, “here I am. Keep trying. That’s not going to stop me from being a journalist. That’s not going to diminish my voice. Go ahead, make me into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jimmy-kimmel-suspension-supporters-94b79634a19b2c4ce70a2b4195ef1175">the new Jimmy Kimmel,</a>&nbsp;if you want. Just do it. Because I’m not going anywhere.”A prominent civil rights attorney and two other people involved in the protest were arrested last week. Prosecutors have accused them of civil rights violations for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-church-protest-history-58817d7033c6b83867131f4cee87256a">disrupting the Cities Church service</a>.The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation after the group interrupted services by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">37-year-old mother of three</a>&nbsp;who was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis.“Listen loud and clear: WE DO NOT TOLERATE ATTACKS ON PLACES OF WORSHIP,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote in social media post last week.Cities Church belongs to the Southern Baptist Convention and lists one of its pastors as David Easterwood, who leads an ICE field office. Many Baptist churches have pastors who also work other jobs.The Justice Department’s swift investigation into the church disruption stands in contrast to its decision not to open a civil rights investigation into Good’s killing by an ICE officer. The department has not said whether it will open a civil rights probe into the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shooting-minneapolis-protests-ice-immigration-41437baa4b349279cf8abfaf1076162c">37-year-old Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;by federal officers.“Instead of investigating the federal agents who killed two peaceful Minnesota protesters, the Trump Justice Department is devoting its time, attention and resources to this arrest, and that is the real indictment of wrongdoing in this case,” Lowell said.

Former CNN anchor arrested after protest that disrupted church service

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against a federal official.

According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.&nbsp;

On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.&nbsp;

“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. &nbsp;“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. &nbsp;Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”

Police arrested Osborn and he was booked into the Butler County jail, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769719866807.png" alt="Osborn is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Osborn is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against a federal official.According to court documents, Adam Lee Osborn, 60, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure and one count of influencing, impeding, and retaliating against a federal official by threatening.&nbsp;On January 23, 2026, Osborn allegedly indicated via social media that he intended to murder Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.&nbsp;“Threats of political violence will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. &nbsp;“In a democracy, we settle our differences at the ballot box after robust public debate. For our system of government to work, it’s vital that certain lines are not crossed when it comes to self-expression. &nbsp;Threats of political violence destabilize the very core of our system of governance.”Police arrested Osborn and he was booked into the Butler County jail, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of threat to kill Congresswoman

SEDGWICK COUNTY – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against federal law enforcement..

Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening, according to the United State's Attorney.

On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on TikTok threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita.&nbsp; On the he threatened to shoot ICE agents “point blank” in Wichita, according to criminal complaint filed in connection with the case.

“If I see ICE activity in Wichita, Kansas, there’s gonna be hell to pay,” he said in the video, according to the complaint.

On January 23, Law enforcement arrested Hernendez and he was transferred from the Sedgwick County Jail to another federal holding facility, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769719600425.png" alt="Hernandez photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with&nbsp;threatening violence against federal law enforcement..Joaquin Hernandez, 23, of Wichita was indicted on one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of retaliating against a federal official by threatening, according to the United State's Attorney.On January 22, 2026, Hernandez is accused of posting a video on TikTok threatening to assault and murder federal law enforcement agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) carrying out their duties in Wichita.&nbsp; On the he threatened to shoot ICE agents “point blank” in Wichita, according to criminal complaint filed in connection with the case.“If I see ICE activity in Wichita, Kansas, there’s gonna be hell to pay,” he said in the video, according to the complaint.On January 23, Law enforcement arrested Hernendez and he was transferred from the Sedgwick County Jail to another federal holding facility, according to online jail records.

Indictment: Kansas man on TikTok threatened to shoot ICE agents 

JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations

On Tuesday, Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives served a search warrant at 17839 W. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse&nbsp; The search warrant was issued as a result of a drug investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Rachel Deanne Butts, of Mayetta and 47-year-old Jim Bob Jeffries, of Silver Lake.  Butts and Jeffries were both booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652746375.png" alt="Jeffries photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Jeffries photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on multiple allegationsOn Tuesday, Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives served a search warrant at 17839 W. Road in rural Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse&nbsp; The search warrant was issued as a result of a drug investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652727176.png" alt="Butts photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Butts photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sheriff’s Office arrested 50-year-old Rachel Deanne Butts, of Mayetta and 47-year-old Jim Bob Jeffries, of Silver Lake. Butts and Jeffries were both booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Couple jailed after drug bust at Kansas home 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and White House have struck a deal to avert a partial government shutdown and temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security as they negotiate new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, the two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund DHS for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The potential deal comes after Democrats voted to block legislation to fund DHS on Thursday.

Trump said in a social media post that “Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September,” while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had been “vehemently opposed” to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”

Democrats have requested a short extension—two weeks or less—and say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill if their demands aren’t met,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and potentially triggering a shutdown.

Republicans were pushing for a longer extension of the Homeland Security funding, but the two sides were “getting closer,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The rare bipartisan talks between Trump and his frequent adversary, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;in Minnesota over the weekend and calls by senators in both parties for a full investigation. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”

“The American people support law enforcement. They support border security. They do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.

With no final agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.

The fall shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.

Democrats have laid out several demands, asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.

They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.

The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms,” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said.

“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does,” said Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota. “There has to be accountability.”

Earlier on Thursday, Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, stated during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are developing a plan to reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but this would depend on cooperation from state authorities.

As the two sides narrowed in on a spending deal, the length of a temporary extension for Homeland Security funding emerged as a sticking point. Thune said Thursday that two weeks wasn’t enough time to negotiate a final compromise.

“We’ll see where discussions are going between (Democrats) and the White House on that,” Thune said.

Even if the two sides strike a deal, negotiations down the road on a final agreement on the Homeland Security bill are likely to be difficult.

Democrats want Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown to end. “If the Trump administration resists reforms, we shut down the agency,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

But Republicans are unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats' demands.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to requiring immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.

“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home,” Tillis said.

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the Democratic proposals “make sense,” such as better training and body cameras. Still, he said he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes to the funding bill, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

“I think the best legislative solution for our country would be to adopt some of these reforms to ICE and Border Patrol,” Graham posted on X, but also end so-called “sanctuary city” policies.

Across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.

“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” they wrote.

Speaker Johnson appeared open to the changes, albeit reluctantly, and told the AP he would want to approve the bills “as quickly as possible” once the Senate acts.

“The American people will be hanging in the balance over this,” Johnson said. “A shutdown doesn’t help anybody.”

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315687610.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats and White House have struck a deal to avert a partial government shutdown and temporarily fund the Department of Homeland Security as they negotiate new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/9dbuKSbncT">pic.twitter.com/9dbuKSbncT</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2017013245102432511?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, the two sides have agreed to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund DHS for two weeks while they debate Democratic demands for curbs on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The potential deal comes after Democrats voted to block legislation to fund DHS on Thursday.Trump said in a social media post that “Republicans and Democrats have come together to get the vast majority of the government funded until September,” while extending current funding for Homeland Security. He encouraged members of both parties to cast a “much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ vote.”Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told The Associated Press on Thursday that he had been “vehemently opposed” to breaking up the funding package, but “if it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible. We can’t have the government shut down.”Democrats have requested a short extension—two weeks or less—and say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill if their demands aren’t met,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and potentially triggering a shutdown.Republicans were pushing for a longer extension of the Homeland Security funding, but the two sides were “getting closer,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.<h2>Rare bipartisan talks</h2>The rare bipartisan talks between Trump and his frequent adversary, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, came after the fatal shooting of 37-year-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;in Minnesota over the weekend and calls by senators in both parties for a full investigation. Schumer called it “a moment of truth.”“The American people support law enforcement. They support border security. They do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.With no final agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown, just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies. That dispute closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.The fall shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.<h2>Democrats lay out demands</h2>Democrats have laid out several demands, asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.They also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms,” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said.“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does,” said Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota. “There has to be accountability.”Earlier on Thursday, Tom Homan, the president’s border czar, stated during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are developing a plan to reduce the number of agents in Minnesota, but this would depend on cooperation from state authorities.<h2>Still far apart on policy</h2>As the two sides narrowed in on a spending deal, the length of a temporary extension for Homeland Security funding emerged as a sticking point. Thune said Thursday that two weeks wasn’t enough time to negotiate a final compromise.“We’ll see where discussions are going between (Democrats) and the White House on that,” Thune said.Even if the two sides strike a deal, negotiations down the road on a final agreement on the Homeland Security bill are likely to be difficult.Democrats want Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown to end. “If the Trump administration resists reforms, we shut down the agency,” said Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal.“We need to take a stand,” he said.But Republicans are unlikely to agree to all of the Democrats' demands.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to requiring immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home,” Tillis said.South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham said some of the Democratic proposals “make sense,” such as better training and body cameras. Still, he said he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes to the funding bill, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.“I think the best legislative solution for our country would be to adopt some of these reforms to ICE and Border Patrol,” Graham posted on X, but also end so-called “sanctuary city” policies.<h2>Uncertainty in the House</h2>Across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” they wrote.Speaker Johnson appeared open to the changes, albeit reluctantly, and told the AP he would want to approve the bills “as quickly as possible” once the Senate acts.“The American people will be hanging in the balance over this,” Johnson said. “A shutdown doesn’t help anybody.”___Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Stephen Groves, Joey Cappelletti, and Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

Dems, White House strike spending deal to avert government shutdown

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Joshua Davis, Violate offender registration Act, arrested 01/26

Trevion Johnson, Transporting an open container of alcohol; DUI-Liquor/Drugs; Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/27

Riley Ellis, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28

Joseph Mason, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28

Nolan Stutler, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, arrested 01/28

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720447162.jpeg" alt="Deontae Baker, Resisting arrest; Interference with LEO; Battery against a law enforcement officer; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/26" />
 <figcaption>Deontae Baker, Resisting arrest; Interference with LEO; Battery against a law enforcement officer; DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 01/26</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720570871.jpeg" alt="Jocelyn Quarcoo, Failure to appear, arrested 01/26" />
 <figcaption>Jocelyn Quarcoo, Failure to appear, arrested 01/26</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720603704.jpeg" alt="Cinderella Jackson, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/26" />
 <figcaption>Cinderella Jackson, Unlawful damage to property, arrested 01/26</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720664491.jpeg" alt="Vanessa Nixon, Possession of hallucinogenic drug; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Criminal trespass, arrested 01/26" />
 <figcaption>Vanessa Nixon, Possession of hallucinogenic drug; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Criminal trespass, arrested 01/26</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720812973.jpeg" alt="Clifford Collier, Arrest by LEO; Warrant arrest, arrested 01/27" />
 <figcaption>Clifford Collier, Arrest by LEO; Warrant arrest, arrested 01/27</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720847927.jpeg" alt="Manuel Quinonez, Interference with LEO; Obstruct/resist/oppose misdemeanor warrant service or execution; Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>Manuel Quinonez, Interference with LEO; Obstruct/resist/oppose misdemeanor warrant service or execution; Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720909938.jpeg" alt="Jerry Hiatt, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>Jerry Hiatt, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769720996191.jpeg" alt="Christopher Brantley, Taxation, Drug, No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana; Failure to appear, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Brantley, Taxation, Drug, No drug tax stamp for marijuana or controlled substance; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana; Failure to appear, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769721110581.jpeg" alt="Jimmy Dodson, Probation violation, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>Jimmy Dodson, Probation violation, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769721121703.jpeg" alt="DeAnthony Jones, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>DeAnthony Jones, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769721133479.jpeg" alt="Melissa Oquist, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28" />
 <figcaption>Melissa Oquist, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769721143350.jpeg" alt="Derrick Ferris-Workman, Driving while license cancelled/ suspended / revoked, arrested 01/29&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Derrick Ferris-Workman, Driving while license cancelled/ suspended / revoked, arrested 01/29&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Joshua Davis, Violate offender registration Act, arrested 01/26Trevion Johnson, Transporting an open container of alcohol; DUI-Liquor/Drugs; Possession of drug paraphernalia; Possession of marijuana, arrested 01/27Riley Ellis, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28Joseph Mason, Failure to appear, arrested 01/28Nolan Stutler, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, arrested 01/28Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos Jan. 27-29, 2026

WASHINGTON (AP)—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warns Iran, saying U.S. military is 'prepared to deliver whatever the president expects,” just a day after Trump warned Iran to “make a deal” on its nuclear program.

Hegseth cited this month’s U.S. military raid to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his warning to Iran.

“They have all the options to make a deal,” Hegseth said at a Cabinet meeting, referring to Iran. “They should not pursue nuclear capabilities.”

Hegseth said the military was ready to deliver what Trump wants “just like we did this month.”

An aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived in the Middle East this week.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East on Wednesday over the threat of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-mural-protests-military-4b2ceb8aff9dc448036341e86023b6c8">possible U.S. military strike</a>&nbsp;on the country, while the value of Iran's currency reached a new low a month since the start of protests that spread nationwide and sparked a bloody crackdown.

Two nations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have signaled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack. But America has moved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-iran-protests-us-military-58e6da912f9167df94f913d7dafe5af4">the USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided missile destroyers</a>&nbsp;into the region, which can be used to launch attacks from the sea.

Iran’s currency, the rial, fell to a record low of 1.6 million to $1, according to local currency traders. Its value has been plunging since late last year, and is down from about 32,000 to $1 a decade ago. Economic woes had sparked the protests that broadened into challenging the theocracy.

It remains unclear what U.S. President Donald Trump will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">decide about using force,</a>&nbsp;though he has threatened to use it in response to the killing of peaceful demonstrators and over possible mass executions. At least 6,373 people have been killed in the protests, activists said.

Trump also indicated Wednesday that he wants movement toward a deal that his administration has been seeking with Tehran over its nuclear program.

“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!”

Mentioning the June strikes on Iran as the U.S. inserted itself in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-explosions-israel-tehran-00234a06e5128a8aceb406b140297299">Israel's 12-day war</a>&nbsp;on the Islamic Republic, Trump wrote: “The next attack will be far worse!”

Iran's mission to the United Nations was quick to respond to Trump, posting on X that “Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the increasing military presence in the Middle East has been put in place “to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel” -- a message that stands in contrast to Trump’s continuing threats to strike Iran if it does not yield to his demands.

“I think it’s wise and prudent to have a force posture within the region that could respond and ... if necessary, preemptively prevent the attack against thousands of American servicemen and other facilities in the region and our allies,” Rubio told Congress.

He was cautious regarding the prospect of a change in government, though he described the theocracy as “probably weaker than it has ever been.”

Iran's state-run media, which now only refers to protesters as “terrorists,” remains the sole source of news for many as Tehran cut off access to the global internet some three weeks ago. But Iranians have become angry and anxious, seeing footage of protesters shot and killed while worrying about what may happen next as the economy sinks further.

“I feel that my generation failed to give a better lesson to younger ones," said Mohammad Heidari, a 59-year-old teacher in Tehran. “The result of decades of teaching by my colleagues and me led to death of thousands, and maybe more injured and prisoners.”

Rapid diplomacy between Iran, Arab nations

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty, separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to “work toward achieving calm, in order to avoid the region slipping into new cycles of instability.”

Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and Trump's friend, had earlier negotiated over Iran's nuclear program.

The Turkish foreign minister also spoke by phone with Araghchi about reducing regional tensions. Turkish officials have expressed concern that intervention in Iran could spark instability or trigger a refugee influx.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the kingdom would “not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin.” That follows a similar pledge by the UAE.

Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE host U.S. air assets and troops. Iranian officials also called Qatar, which hosts a major U.S. base in the Mideast.

“Our position is exactly this: Applying diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective or constructive,” Araghchi told journalists Wednesday outside of a Cabinet meeting. “If they want negotiations to take shape, they must abandon threats, excessive demands and the raising of illogical issues.”

While the protests have been halted for weeks after the crackdown, information trickling out of Iran via Starlink satellite dishes is reaching activists, who have been trying to tally the carnage.

On Wednesday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, said the at least 6,373 dead it counted included at least 5,993 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 113 children and 53 civilians who weren’t demonstrating. More than 42,450 have been arrested, it added.

The group verifies each death and arrest with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given that authorities cut off the internet and disrupted calls into the Islamic Republic.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">Iran’s government</a>&nbsp;has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The protests began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread. The country has faced nearly three weeks of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-internet-business-costs-a0bd2df1d13355dcc28f46e5b5b3c893">internet blackout</a>&nbsp;— the most comprehensive in its history.

WASHINGTON (AP)—Secretary of War Pete Hegseth warns Iran, saying U.S. military is 'prepared to deliver whatever the president expects,” just a day after Trump warned Iran to “make a deal” on its nuclear program.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke about Iran and Venezuela during today’s Cabinet Meeting alongside President Donald J. Trump and other senior members of the Trump Administration: “Same thing with Iran right now, ensuring that they have all the options to make a… <a href="https://t.co/HNq11Dcjof">pic.twitter.com/HNq11Dcjof</a>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/2016943067253919996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Hegseth cited this month’s U.S. military raid to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in his warning to Iran.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“…Hopefully Iran will quickly “Come to the Table” and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties. Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL…” - President DONALD J. TRUMP <a href="https://t.co/H6qLbw3Ndi">pic.twitter.com/H6qLbw3Ndi</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/2016485714930569524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 28, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“They have all the options to make a deal,” Hegseth said at a Cabinet meeting, referring to Iran. “They should not pursue nuclear capabilities.”Hegseth said the military was ready to deliver what Trump wants “just like we did this month.”An aircraft carrier and accompanying warships arrived in the Middle East this week.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iranian officials reached out to the wider Middle East on Wednesday over the threat of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-trump-mural-protests-military-4b2ceb8aff9dc448036341e86023b6c8">possible U.S. military strike</a>&nbsp;on the country, while the value of Iran's currency reached a new low a month since the start of protests that spread nationwide and sparked a bloody crackdown.Two nations, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have signaled they won't allow their airspace to be used for any attack. But America has moved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/aircraft-carrier-iran-protests-us-military-58e6da912f9167df94f913d7dafe5af4">the USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided missile destroyers</a>&nbsp;into the region, which can be used to launch attacks from the sea.Iran’s currency, the rial, fell to a record low of 1.6 million to $1, according to local currency traders. Its value has been plunging since late last year, and is down from about 32,000 to $1 a decade ago. Economic woes had sparked the protests that broadened into challenging the theocracy.It remains unclear what U.S. President Donald Trump will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-middle-east-iran-protests-b7a56659d708f2f11f66a18135f44c40">decide about using force,</a>&nbsp;though he has threatened to use it in response to the killing of peaceful demonstrators and over possible mass executions. At least 6,373 people have been killed in the protests, activists said.Trump also indicated Wednesday that he wants movement toward a deal that his administration has been seeking with Tehran over its nuclear program.“Hopefully Iran will quickly ‘Come to the Table’ and negotiate a fair and equitable deal - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS - one that is good for all parties,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Time is running out, it is truly of the essence!”Mentioning the June strikes on Iran as the U.S. inserted itself in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-explosions-israel-tehran-00234a06e5128a8aceb406b140297299">Israel's 12-day war</a>&nbsp;on the Islamic Republic, Trump wrote: “The next attack will be far worse!”Iran's mission to the United Nations was quick to respond to Trump, posting on X that “Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests—BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!”<h2>Rubio comments on Iran</h2>U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the increasing military presence in the Middle East has been put in place “to defend against what could be an Iranian threat against our personnel” -- a message that stands in contrast to Trump’s continuing threats to strike Iran if it does not yield to his demands.“I think it’s wise and prudent to have a force posture within the region that could respond and ... if necessary, preemptively prevent the attack against thousands of American servicemen and other facilities in the region and our allies,” Rubio told Congress.He was cautious regarding the prospect of a change in government, though he described the theocracy as “probably weaker than it has ever been.”Iran's state-run media, which now only refers to protesters as “terrorists,” remains the sole source of news for many as Tehran cut off access to the global internet some three weeks ago. But Iranians have become angry and anxious, seeing footage of protesters shot and killed while worrying about what may happen next as the economy sinks further.“I feel that my generation failed to give a better lesson to younger ones," said Mohammad Heidari, a 59-year-old teacher in Tehran. “The result of decades of teaching by my colleagues and me led to death of thousands, and maybe more injured and prisoners.”<h2>Rapid diplomacy between Iran, Arab nations</h2>Egypt's Foreign Ministry said its top diplomat, Badr Abdelatty, separately spoke with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff to “work toward achieving calm, in order to avoid the region slipping into new cycles of instability.”Witkoff, a billionaire real estate developer and Trump's friend, had earlier negotiated over Iran's nuclear program.The Turkish foreign minister also spoke by phone with Araghchi about reducing regional tensions. Turkish officials have expressed concern that intervention in Iran could spark instability or trigger a refugee influx.Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, saying the kingdom would “not allow its airspace or territory to be used for any military actions against Iran or for any attacks from any party, regardless of their origin.” That follows a similar pledge by the UAE.Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE host U.S. air assets and troops. Iranian officials also called Qatar, which hosts a major U.S. base in the Mideast.“Our position is exactly this: Applying diplomacy through military threats cannot be effective or constructive,” Araghchi told journalists Wednesday outside of a Cabinet meeting. “If they want negotiations to take shape, they must abandon threats, excessive demands and the raising of illogical issues.”<h2>Activists offer new death toll</h2>While the protests have been halted for weeks after the crackdown, information trickling out of Iran via Starlink satellite dishes is reaching activists, who have been trying to tally the carnage.On Wednesday, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran, said the at least 6,373 dead it counted included at least 5,993 protesters, 214 government-affiliated forces, 113 children and 53 civilians who weren’t demonstrating. More than 42,450 have been arrested, it added.The group verifies each death and arrest with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given that authorities cut off the internet and disrupted calls into the Islamic Republic.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-araghchi-trump-threat-crackdown-299375ebfd004dd6098c77a6bb8079a5">Iran’s government</a>&nbsp;has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labeled the rest “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding the 1979 Islamic Revolution.The protests began on Dec. 28, sparked by the fall of the Iranian currency, the rial, and quickly spread. The country has faced nearly three weeks of an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-crackdown-internet-business-costs-a0bd2df1d13355dcc28f46e5b5b3c893">internet blackout</a>&nbsp;— the most comprehensive in its history.___

🎥: Hegseth: We are ready to deliver what Trump expects on Iran

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.

Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. 

He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September 2020 attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.

Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.

Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.

At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.

In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.

Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601904705441.png" alt="Johnson-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September 2020 attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas sex offender going back to prison for rape, kidnapping

Republican Senators voting no included Tedd Budd of North Carolina; Ron Johnson of Wisconsin; Mike Lee of Utah;&nbsp; Ron Paul of Kentucky; Ashley Moody and Rick Scott of Florida and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.&nbsp; Majority Leader Thune also voted no in order to make a motion to reconsider.

By MARY CLARE JALONICK, KEVIN FREKING and SEUNG MIN KIM&nbsp;

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats voted to block legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies Thursday as they continued to negotiate with Republicans and the White House on new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.

Thursday’s 45-55 test vote came as Democrats have threatened a partial government shutdown when money runs out on Friday. But Trump said just ahead of the vote that “we don’t want a shutdown” and the two sides were discussing a possible agreement to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund it for a short time.

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of demands on Wednesday, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest. If those are not met, Democrats say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and triggering a shutdown.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said that Democrats won't provide needed votes until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled" and that this is “a moment of truth.”

Schumer has pushed Republicans and the White House to strip the Homeland Security funding from the rest of the bill, which includes money for the Defense Department and other agencies. In the deal under discussion, Homeland Security would still be funded but for a short time to allow for negotiations on the Democrats' demands. Other agencies included in the bill would be funded through the end of September.

Still, with no agreement and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies, a dispute that closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.

That shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk and find agreement.

“We’re getting closer,” the GOP leader said on the Senate floor Thursday morning.

Kicking off a Cabinet meeting, Trump said his administration is speaking with congressional Democrats.

“We’re working on that right now,” Trump said while declining to go into specifics. He added: “We don’t want a shutdown.”

There’s a lot of “unanimity and shared purpose” within the Democratic caucus, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith said after a lunch meeting Wednesday.

“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does," Smith said. "There has to be accountability.”

Earlier Thursday, Tom Homan, the president's border czar, said during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are working on a plan to begin drawing down the number of agents in Minnesota but that it would depend on cooperation from state authorities.

It's unclear how far those assurances will go in satisfying Democrats. Amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Schumer said Democrats are asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.

Democrats also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.

The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said, as he has pushed for the Homeland Security spending to be separated out to avoid a broader shutdown.

As the two sides negotiated, it was unclear whether they could agree on anything that would satisfy Democrats who want Trump's aggressive crackdown to end.

As the negotiations continued, it was unclear whether all Democrats would agree to a temporary extension of the funding. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, has said that Congress should not send “another penny" to ICE until Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is fired.

And across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.

“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” according to the letter.

Just ahead of the Senate vote, Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, called for Democrats to vote to move forward on the bill so they could negotiate the changes ahead of final passage.

“This morning's vote is about taking the first step, not the final step," Collins said.

Several Republican senators have said they would be fine with Democrats’ request to separate the Homeland Security funds for further debate and pass the other bills in the package. But it might be more difficult for Democrats to find broad GOP support for their demands on ICE.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to the Democrats’ proposal to require the immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.

“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home," Tillis said. "And that’s just the reality of the world that we’re in.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham posted on X that he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.

“It is truly a moral moment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “I think we need to take a stand.”

Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are threatening to block legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies Thursday, potentially bringing the government a step closer to a partial shutdown if Republicans and the White House do not agree to new restrictions on President Donald Trump's surge of immigration enforcement.

As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of demands ahead of a Thursday morning test vote, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest. If those are not met, Democrats say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and triggering a shutdown at midnight on Friday.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Democrats won't provide needed votes until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled.”

“The American people support law enforcement, they support border security, they do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.

There were some signs of possible progress as the White House has appeared open to trying to strike a deal with Democrats to avert a shutdown. The two sides were talking as of Wednesday evening, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who requested anonymity to speak about the private talks. One possible option discussed would be to strip the funding for the Homeland Security Department from the larger bill, as Schumer has requested, and extend it for a short period to allow time for negotiations, the person said. The rest of the bill would fund government agencies until September.

Still, with no agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies, a dispute that closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.

Amid the administration’s immigration crackdown, Schumer said Democrats are asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.

The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said, as he has pushed for the Homeland spending to be separated out to avoid a broader shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has indicated that he might be open to considering some of the Democrats' demands, but he encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk and find agreement.

As the two sides negotiated, it was still unclear whether they could agree on anything that would satisfy Democrats who want Trump's aggressive crackdown to end.

The White House had invited some Democrats for a discussion to better understand their positions and avoid a partial government shutdown, a senior White House official said, but the meeting did not happen. The official requested anonymity to discuss the private invitation.

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed</a>&nbsp;the six remaining funding bills last week and sent them to the Senate as a package, making it more difficult to strip out the homeland security portion as Democrats have demanded. Republicans could break the package apart with the consent of all 100 senators or through a series of votes that would extend past the Friday deadline.

Even if the Senate can resolve the issue, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they have passed. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the president and ICE.

Several Republican senators have said they would be fine with Democrats’ request to separate the Homeland Security funds for further debate and pass the other bills in the package. But it might be more difficult to for Democrats to find broad GOP support for their demands on ICE.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he’s OK with separating the bills, but is opposed to the Democrats’ proposal to require the immigration enforcement officers to unmask and show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said that “what happened over the weekend is a tragedy,” but Democrats shouldn't punish Americans with a shutdown and a “political stunt.”

Associated Press writer Michelle Price in Washington contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/10/1759315749226.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Republican Senators voting no included Tedd Budd of North Carolina; Ron Johnson of Wisconsin; Mike Lee of Utah;&nbsp; Ron Paul of Kentucky; Ashley Moody and Rick Scott of Florida and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama.&nbsp; Majority Leader Thune also voted no in order to make a motion to reconsider.By MARY CLARE JALONICK, KEVIN FREKING and SEUNG MIN KIM&nbsp;WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats voted to block legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies Thursday as they continued to negotiate with Republicans and the White House on new restrictions for President Donald Trump’s surge of immigration enforcement.Thursday’s 45-55 test vote came as Democrats have threatened a partial government shutdown when money runs out on Friday. But Trump said just ahead of the vote that “we don’t want a shutdown” and the two sides were discussing a possible agreement to separate homeland security funding from the rest of the legislation and fund it for a short time.As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of demands on Wednesday, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest. If those are not met, Democrats say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and triggering a shutdown.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said that Democrats won't provide needed votes until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled" and that this is “a moment of truth.”“The American people support law enforcement. They support border security. They do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.Schumer has pushed Republicans and the White House to strip the Homeland Security funding from the rest of the bill, which includes money for the Defense Department and other agencies. In the deal under discussion, Homeland Security would still be funded but for a short time to allow for negotiations on the Democrats' demands. Other agencies included in the bill would be funded through the end of September.Still, with no agreement and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies, a dispute that closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.That shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk and find agreement.“We’re getting closer,” the GOP leader said on the Senate floor Thursday morning.Kicking off a Cabinet meeting, Trump said his administration is speaking with congressional Democrats.“We’re working on that right now,” Trump said while declining to go into specifics. He added: “We don’t want a shutdown.”<h2>Democrats lay out their demands</h2>There’s a lot of “unanimity and shared purpose” within the Democratic caucus, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith said after a lunch meeting Wednesday.“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does," Smith said. "There has to be accountability.”Earlier Thursday, Tom Homan, the president's border czar, said during a press conference in Minneapolis that federal immigration officials are working on a plan to begin drawing down the number of agents in Minnesota but that it would depend on cooperation from state authorities.It's unclear how far those assurances will go in satisfying Democrats. Amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, Schumer said Democrats are asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.Democrats also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said, as he has pushed for the Homeland Security spending to be separated out to avoid a broader shutdown.<h2>Many obstacles to a deal</h2>As the two sides negotiated, it was unclear whether they could agree on anything that would satisfy Democrats who want Trump's aggressive crackdown to end.As the negotiations continued, it was unclear whether all Democrats would agree to a temporary extension of the funding. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, has said that Congress should not send “another penny" to ICE until Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is fired.And across the Capitol, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed last week</a>. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the Republican president and ICE.“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” according to the letter.Just ahead of the Senate vote, Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, called for Democrats to vote to move forward on the bill so they could negotiate the changes ahead of final passage.“This morning's vote is about taking the first step, not the final step," Collins said.<h2>Still far apart on policy</h2>Several Republican senators have said they would be fine with Democrats’ request to separate the Homeland Security funds for further debate and pass the other bills in the package. But it might be more difficult for Democrats to find broad GOP support for their demands on ICE.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he is opposed to the Democrats’ proposal to require the immigration enforcement officers to show their faces, even as he blamed Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home," Tillis said. "And that’s just the reality of the world that we’re in.”South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham posted on X that he was putting his Senate colleagues “on notice” that if Democrats try to make changes, he would insist on new language preventing local governments from resisting the Trump administration’s immigration policies.Democrats say they won’t back down.“It is truly a moral moment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “I think we need to take a stand.”___Associated Press writers Michelle L. Price and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to this report.--------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are threatening to block legislation that would fund the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies Thursday, potentially bringing the government a step closer to a partial shutdown if Republicans and the White House do not agree to new restrictions on President Donald Trump's surge of immigration enforcement.As the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-alex-pretti-minneapolis-immigration-0b34386da0bb3eeac939d9f934680b6c">country reels</a>&nbsp;from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-b0cec9d1c5bae4b62469011775082300">deaths of two protesters</a>&nbsp;at the hands of federal agents in Minneapolis, irate Senate Democrats laid out a list of demands ahead of a Thursday morning test vote, including that officers take off their masks and identify themselves and obtain warrants for arrest. If those are not met, Democrats say they are prepared to block the wide-ranging spending bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/democrats-vow-to-oppose-homeland-security-money-increasing-shutdown-chance-7a801adfdd27455082fa9e26e612795d">denying Republicans the votes they need to pass it</a>&nbsp;and triggering a shutdown at midnight on Friday.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday that Democrats won't provide needed votes until U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “reined in and overhauled.”“The American people support law enforcement, they support border security, they do not support ICE terrorizing our streets and killing American citizens,” Schumer said.There were some signs of possible progress as the White House has appeared open to trying to strike a deal with Democrats to avert a shutdown. The two sides were talking as of Wednesday evening, according to a person familiar with the negotiations who requested anonymity to speak about the private talks. One possible option discussed would be to strip the funding for the Homeland Security Department from the larger bill, as Schumer has requested, and extend it for a short period to allow time for negotiations, the person said. The rest of the bill would fund government agencies until September.Still, with no agreement yet and an uncertain path ahead, the standoff threatened to plunge the country into another shutdown just two months after Democrats blocked a spending bill over expiring federal health care subsidies, a dispute that closed the government for 43 days as Republicans refused to negotiate.That shutdown ended when a small group of moderate Democrats broke away to strike a deal with Republicans, but Democrats are more unified this time after the fatal shootings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-enforcement-minnesota-protester-alex-pretti-15ade7de6e19cb0291734e85dac763dc">Alex Pretti</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-minneapolis-minnesota-9aa822670b705c89906f2c699f1d16c5">Renee Good</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-alex-pretti-their-own-words-27b7233380c68306a64317b3bf2aa4a3">federal agents</a>.<h2>Democrats lay out their demands</h2>There’s a lot of “unanimity and shared purpose” within the Democratic caucus, Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith said after a lunch meeting Wednesday.“Boil it all down, what we are talking about is that these lawless ICE agents should be following the same rules that your local police department does," Smith said. "There has to be accountability.”Amid the administration’s immigration crackdown, Schumer said Democrats are asking the White House to “end roving patrols” in cities and coordinate with local law enforcement on immigration arrests, including requiring tighter rules for warrants.Democrats also want an enforceable code of conduct so agents are held accountable when they violate rules. Schumer said agents should be required to have “masks off, body cameras on” and carry proper identification, as is common practice in most law enforcement agencies.The Democratic caucus is united in those “common sense reforms” and the burden is on Republicans to accept them, Schumer said, as he has pushed for the Homeland spending to be separated out to avoid a broader shutdown.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has indicated that he might be open to considering some of the Democrats' demands, but he encouraged Democrats and the White House to talk and find agreement.<h2>Many obstacles to a deal</h2>As the two sides negotiated, it was still unclear whether they could agree on anything that would satisfy Democrats who want Trump's aggressive crackdown to end.The White House had invited some Democrats for a discussion to better understand their positions and avoid a partial government shutdown, a senior White House official said, but the meeting did not happen. The official requested anonymity to discuss the private invitation.The House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/homeland-security-government-funding-bills-d7ca791c2d1aa81d2982239f81bc86be">passed</a>&nbsp;the six remaining funding bills last week and sent them to the Senate as a package, making it more difficult to strip out the homeland security portion as Democrats have demanded. Republicans could break the package apart with the consent of all 100 senators or through a series of votes that would extend past the Friday deadline.Even if the Senate can resolve the issue, House Republicans have said they do not want any changes to the bill they have passed. In a letter to Trump on Tuesday, the conservative House Freedom Caucus wrote that its members stand with the president and ICE.“The package will not come back through the House without funding for the Department of Homeland Security,” according to the letter.<h2>Republican opposition</h2>Several Republican senators have said they would be fine with Democrats’ request to separate the Homeland Security funds for further debate and pass the other bills in the package. But it might be more difficult to for Democrats to find broad GOP support for their demands on ICE.North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said he’s OK with separating the bills, but is opposed to the Democrats’ proposal to require the immigration enforcement officers to unmask and show their faces, even as he blamed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for decisions that he said are “tarnishing” the agency’s reputation.“You know, there’s a lot of vicious people out there, and they’ll take a picture of your face, and the next thing you know, your children or your wife or your husband are being threatened at home," Tillis said. "And that’s just the reality of the world that we’re in.”Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said that “what happened over the weekend is a tragedy,” but Democrats shouldn't punish Americans with a shutdown and a “political stunt.”Democrats say they won’t back down.“It is truly a moral moment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “I think we need to take a stand.”___Associated Press writer Michelle Price in Washington contributed to this report.

8 GOP Senators vote with Dems to block gov't funding to avert a shutdown

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child and have made two arrests.

Just before 6:30p.m. Tuesday, police t responded to a medical call in the 500 block of SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, Topeka Police Department officers located a 5-year-old girl who was transported by AMR to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. She was pronounced deceased.

As a result of the investigation, 24-year-old Lia Corbin and 25-year-old Kyle Valle, both of Topeka, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of First Degree Murder, Aggravated endangering of a child and Abuse of a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652518585.png" alt="Valle photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Valle photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child and have made two arrests.Just before 6:30p.m. Tuesday, police t responded to a medical call in the 500 block of SW Buchanan Street in Topeka, according to a media release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769652056338.png" alt="Corbin photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Corbin photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon arrival, Topeka Police Department officers located a 5-year-old girl who was transported by AMR to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. She was pronounced deceased.As a result of the investigation, 24-year-old Lia Corbin and 25-year-old Kyle Valle, both of Topeka, were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of First Degree Murder, Aggravated endangering of a child and Abuse of a child.

Kansas couple accused in abuse death of 5-year-old

LONDON (AP) — The crime was in London, the suspect was Russian and the witness who saw the beating on a video call was in the United States and happened to be the youngest son of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Barron Trump called police in the British capital and his intervention more than a year ago led Wednesday to the assault conviction of Matvei Rumiantsev, who admitted he was jealous of his girlfriend's friendship with Trump.

Trump said he placed a late night FaceTime call to the victim, a woman he met on social media, and was startled when it was answered by a bare-chested man.

“This view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline,” Trump told police. “The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian.”

The call was hung up after a few seconds and Trump then phoned London police in a recording in which Trump desperately pleaded for help as the dispatcher insisted he answer basic questions about the victim.

"How do you know her?” the operator asked after a back-and-forth dialog.

“I don’t think these details matter, she’s getting beat up," Trump said.

“Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions?" the dispatcher said. "If you want to help the person, you’ll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. So how do you know her?”

Police went to the address on Jan. 18 and arrested Rumiantsev, 22, a receptionist who lived in London.

He was acquitted in Snaresbrook Crown Court of rape and choking the woman on the night Trump called police, and an additional rape and assault alleged in November 2024.

Rumiantsev testified that he was jealous of Trump but that he also felt badly for him because he thought that his girlfriend was leading him on.

Defense lawyer Sasha Wass said that Trump didn't know the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in five or seven seconds of video.

Wass said that the woman exploited her ties to Trump to make her boyfriend envious in a “relationship full of dramas.”

Trump, 19, the only child of Donald and Melania Trump, didn't testify in the case.

Justice Bennathan advised jurors before they began deliberating to treat Barron Trump's accounts — on the recording of his call to police and his follow-up email to investigators — with caution because he hadn't been subjected to cross-examination.

“If he had done so, no doubt, he could have been asked about things such as whether he ever got a good view of what happened, whether he actually saw (the woman) being assaulted, or jumped to this conclusion on the basis of her screams," Bennathan said. “He might also have been asked whether his perception was biased because he was close friends with (her)."

Rumiantsev was also convicted of perverting the course of justice, because he sent the woman a letter from jail asking her to retract her allegations. He's scheduled to be sentenced on March 27.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2026/1/1769627597370.png" alt="File image Barron Trump image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image Barron Trump image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — The crime was in London, the suspect was Russian and the witness who saw the beating on a video call was in the United States and happened to be the youngest son of U.S. President Donald Trump.Barron Trump called police in the British capital and his intervention more than a year ago led Wednesday to the assault conviction of Matvei Rumiantsev, who admitted he was jealous of his girlfriend's friendship with Trump.Trump said he placed a late night FaceTime call to the victim, a woman he met on social media, and was startled when it was answered by a bare-chested man.“This view lasted maybe one second and I was racing with adrenaline,” Trump told police. “The camera was then flipped to the victim getting hit while crying, stating something in Russian.”The call was hung up after a few seconds and Trump then phoned London police in a recording in which Trump desperately pleaded for help as the dispatcher insisted he answer basic questions about the victim."How do you know her?” the operator asked after a back-and-forth dialog.“I don’t think these details matter, she’s getting beat up," Trump said.“Can you stop being rude and actually answer my questions?" the dispatcher said. "If you want to help the person, you’ll answer my questions clearly and precisely, thank you. So how do you know her?”Police went to the address on Jan. 18 and arrested Rumiantsev, 22, a receptionist who lived in London.He was acquitted in Snaresbrook Crown Court of rape and choking the woman on the night Trump called police, and an additional rape and assault alleged in November 2024.Rumiantsev testified that he was jealous of Trump but that he also felt badly for him because he thought that his girlfriend was leading him on.Defense lawyer Sasha Wass said that Trump didn't know the woman had a boyfriend and questioned how much he could have seen in five or seven seconds of video.Wass said that the woman exploited her ties to Trump to make her boyfriend envious in a “relationship full of dramas.”Trump, 19, the only child of Donald and Melania Trump, didn't testify in the case.Justice Bennathan advised jurors before they began deliberating to treat Barron Trump's accounts — on the recording of his call to police and his follow-up email to investigators — with caution because he hadn't been subjected to cross-examination.“If he had done so, no doubt, he could have been asked about things such as whether he ever got a good view of what happened, whether he actually saw (the woman) being assaulted, or jumped to this conclusion on the basis of her screams," Bennathan said. “He might also have been asked whether his perception was biased because he was close friends with (her)."Rumiantsev was also convicted of perverting the course of justice, because he sent the woman a letter from jail asking her to retract her allegations. He's scheduled to be sentenced on March 27.

Assailant convicted after Barron Trump calls London police to report crime

Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1601904705441.png" alt="Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo&nbsp; Kansas Sex offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is going back to prison for sex crimes committed in 2020 and two other crimes.Judge Kathleen Watson sentenced 39-year-old Darrius Johnson to&nbsp;serve 308 months in the custody to the Kansas Department of Corrections.according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;He received a 55‑month sentence for the case involving an abduction and rape in September. He pleaded guilty in that case.On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.In addition to the 55 months for the crime in 2020, Johnson was sentenced to 253 months for two counts of rape, attempted rape, and attempted aggravated criminal sodomy for crimes that occurred in December 2018.Johnson was also sentenced to 18 months for violating the Offender Registration Act for the crime that occurred in 2018, according to the district attorney's office.---------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender is scheduled to learn his fate in connection with sex crimes committed in 2020.Darrius Johnson, 39, is scheduled to make an appearance in Judge Kathleen Watson's courtroom for sentencing, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He pleaded guilty to charge of&nbsp;rape and kidnapping in connection with a September attack on a woman in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In December, Johnson asked to withdraw his guilty plea and face a jury trial. The judge rejected the request.On September 22, 2020, police were dispatched to a sexual assault case in the 800 block of South Sylvan in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.Upon arrival, a 48-year-old female victim, told police she was walking in the area of Lincoln and Oliver when a suspect later identified Johnson approached and grabbed her, forcing her into his Toyota Camry.Johnson drove the victim to a separate location and sexually assaulted her. Johnson then drove the victim back to Lincoln and Oliver where she was released. Through the investigation and examination of evidence, Johnson was determined to have been involved in the attack.Police arrested Johnson October 1, 2020 in the 2100 block of South White Oak in Wichita without incident.&nbsp;&nbsp;Johnson has a previous felony conviction in 2010 for attempted aggravated sexual battery where victim is overcome by force or fear, according to the KBI offender registry.At the time of his arrest, Johnson was out on bond for a separate alleged sex crime, according to Cruz.