Powell Says He Will Remain at the Federal Reserve Until Investigation Concludes

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell made it clear on Wednesday that he has no plans to step down for now. After the Fed once again kept interest rates steady, Powell told reporters he intends to remain on the Board of Governors, even as he prepares to hand over the chairmanship to Kevin Warsh next month. He stated he plans to maintain a 'low profile.' 'My concern really lies with the series of legal attacks against the Fed, which threaten our ability to conduct monetary policy without political considerations,' Powell told the press, referring to the Justice Department's criminal investigation against him, which has already been dismissed. However, the Justice Department has indicated it would reopen the investigation if circumstances warranted.

Powell Accuses Trump of Putting Federal Reserve Independence 'At Risk'

Washington — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell stated on Wednesday that the institution's independence is 'at risk' due to legal actions taken by President Donald Trump's administration, including a criminal investigation against Powell that appears to have clear political motivations. 'I believe the Fed's independence is at risk,' Powell said during a press conference in response to a journalist's question. 'I think these legal challenges, if you want to call them that, are punishing the institution because of these issues,' the economist added. Powell, 73, is set to step down as Fed chairman on May 15 but announced that, contrary to tradition, he will remain on the board of governors at least until the investigation initiated by Trump against him is 'concluded definitively and transparently.' It is also believed that Powell's decision reflects his commitment to safeguarding the Fed's independence in monetary policy during a time when the president is fixated on lowering interest rates.

Democrats hold 10-point edge over Republicans ahead of midterm elections: Poll

Democrats hold a 10-point advantage over Republicans on a generic congressional ballot, according to the latest in a series of polls showing the party in a strong position ahead of November’s midterm elections. In a three-day Emerson College Polling survey, conducted this past weekend, 50 percent of likely voters said they would back a generic

Supreme Court Limits Use of Race in Redistricting in Victory for Republicans

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court further weakened the Voting Rights Act on Wednesday by ruling that a congressional map in Louisiana constitutes unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, even though it was designed to comply with the historic law aimed at protecting minority voters. In a 6-3 decision led by the conservative majority, the justices indicated that states can almost never consider race when drawing maps to comply with Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which was created to safeguard minority voters who have long faced electoral discrimination. Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, stated that while there may be extreme situations where the use of race is justified in map drawing, this was not the case in Louisiana. As a result, the new map was deemed an 'unconstitutional racial gerrymander,' he added. In a separate concurring opinion, conservative Justice Clarence Thomas, a longtime critic of the Voting Rights Act, argued that the ruling should 'largely put an end' to a system that he believes illegally divides people into districts based on race. The three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Elena Kagan warning that the 'consequences are likely to be broad and severe.'

Interest Rates Expected to Remain Stable Following Federal Reserve Meeting

The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates steady this Wednesday, likely marking the final monetary policy meeting under Chairman Jerome Powell at the helm of the world's most influential central bank. Last week, the path was cleared for Kevin Warsh—President Donald Trump's nominee to succeed Powell—to be confirmed by the Senate after the Department of Justice announced the closure of a criminal investigation involving Powell and the central bank. The Senate Banking Committee is expected to vote Wednesday morning to advance Warsh's nomination to the full Senate for final confirmation.

Key Day: Trump’s Attempt to End TPS for Haitians and Syrians Reaches Supreme Court

WASHINGTON — Addressing one of the most contentious aspects of the Trump administration's policies, the Supreme Court will discuss this Wednesday its attempt to eliminate legal protections for thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants in the United States. If the government wins the case, it will be able to proceed with its plan to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. For now, the protections remain in place. The Trump administration has also sought to revoke TPS for immigrants from other countries, including El Salvador, Honduras, Nepal, and Afghanistan. The Supreme Court's decision could impact pending lower court cases involving countries such as Somalia, Myanmar, and Ethiopia.

Texas DACA recipient will be allowed to return after Trump administration deported him

The Trump administration is allowing a South Texas resident to return to the U.S. after immigration officials deported him earlier this year, despite being a recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals — an immigration status that protects immigrants from deportation. José Contreras Diaz, 30, was arrested and quickly deported from the Rio Grande Valley

Alamo city commissioners appoint acting city manager in special meeting

ALAMO, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Alamo city commissioners voted unanimously to terminate its city manager without cause in a special meeting on Tuesday evening. A one-hour-long executive session of the special meeting was held to discuss the city manager role, formerly held by Bobby Salinas. The unanimous vote to terminate Salinas came after the executive session. The

Texas DACA recipient will be allowed to return after Trump administration deported him

Disaster declarations ripple through South Texas amid water crisis

Alamo commissioners vote to terminate city manager contract without cause

Appeals court rejects Trump no-bond immigration detentions, setting stage for Supreme Court review

14 border county judges ask feds to include them in wall talks

All 14 county judges from the Texas border sent a letter to the head of the Department of Homeland Security asking "to serve as partners" in matters concerning security along the border with Mexico, including border wall construction.

Border Report Live: 'What are they hiding?'

During a recent congressional oversight visit to a migrant detention facility in San Benito, Texas, where pregnant youth are held, U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Oregon, says she didn't see one child.

Brownsville's International Boulevard opening postponed for second time

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Texas Department of Transportation has postponed the opening of Brownsville's International Boulevard for the second time. According to a news release from TxDOT, the full width of State Highway 4, also known as International Boulevard, between I-69E and Wilson Street, was initially scheduled to open on April 22, before being rescheduled

SDTX Hits 20,000 Cases in Border Enforcement Push

Since the implementation of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed a total of 20,069 cases against 20,374 individuals in immigration and related matters.

White House Pressures ABC to Fire Jimmy Kimmel Over Comment About First Lady

The White House escalated pressure on ABC Tuesday to fire late-night host Jimmy Kimmel over a comment he made about First Lady Melania Trump last week, with a senior advisor stating the comedian 'should be sidelined for the rest of his life.' In a post on X, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung used strong language to criticize Kimmel for making a 'disgusting joke' and 'doubling down on it instead of doing the decent thing and apologizing.' 'ABC must fire him immediately,' Cheung said, echoing a demand made by President Donald Trump. The president and first lady have strongly condemned Kimmel for referring to her as a 'widow-in-waiting' during last Thursday's episode. Two days later, a gunman opened fire outside the White House Correspondents' Association dinner in Washington. The Trumps and senior administration officials were evacuated from the Washington Hilton ballroom. The suspect faces three charges, including attempted assassination of the U.S. president. Kimmel addressed the wave of criticism at the start of his Monday show, framing his 'widow' comment as a joke about the 23-year age gap between the Trumps. 'It was a very light roast-style joke about the fact that he’s nearly 80 and she’s younger than me. By no means, under any definition, was it a call for murder,' Kimmel said, adding that he believes the country should reject 'hateful and violent rhetoric.' Kimmel's latest monologue had surpassed 2.2 million views on the 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' YouTube channel as of Tuesday morning. ABC and its parent company, The Walt Disney Co., have remained publicly silent regarding the war of words between the White House and Kimmel. The network and media giant did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The criticism of Kimmel comes seven months after ABC briefly suspended his talk show amid a media storm over his comments about the political motivations of the man accused of murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Utah. During that controversy, Nexstar and Sinclair — two major owners of local TV stations — pulled Kimmel's show from their programming for nine days. (Together, Nexstar and Sinclair own 70 ABC affiliates across the U.S.) Nexstar and Sinclair did not immediately respond to NBC News' inquiries about whether they plan to interrupt Kimmel's show again. Kimmel's remarks about the suspect in Kirk's murder also drew scrutiny from Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and the top federal regulator of the broadcasting sector. Carr accused Kimmel of exhibiting 'the most sickening behavior imaginable.' On Tuesday, the FCC is expected to issue an order requiring Disney-owned and directly operated TV stations to submit their broadcast license renewal applications ahead of schedule, according to a source familiar with the matter. The source called the move 'unprecedented' and noted it was tied to a year-long investigation into Disney's diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, though the uproar over Kimmel's comments accelerated the process.

U.S. to Issue Commemorative Passports Featuring Trump’s Photo for 250th Independence Anniversary

The U.S. Department of State announced Tuesday that it is preparing a limited edition of commemorative passports to celebrate the country’s 250th Independence anniversary. These passports will feature an image of President Donald Trump, making him the first living president to appear on the travel document. The special passport design, including an illustration of Trump with a stern expression, underwent months of consideration before being approved late Monday. Between 25,000 and 30,000 of these passports will be available shortly before July 4th at the Washington, D.C. passport office. This initiative is part of a broader trend of incorporating Trump’s name and image into high-profile tributes, including proposals to feature his signature on new U.S. paper currency and his image on a commemorative gold coin marking the nation’s founding. The commemorative passport will be the default option for applicants visiting the Washington office in person, while standard passports will remain available online or at other locations. "To celebrate the United States commemorating its 250th Independence anniversary in July, the Department of State is preparing to issue a limited number of U.S. passports with a special design to mark this historic occasion," said Tommy Pigott, spokesperson for the Department of State. The limited-edition passport will include Trump’s photo over a gold seal of his signature on an interior page, while the cover will feature the words "United States of America" in gold at the top and "Passport" at the bottom, reversing the standard design. Additionally, the back cover will display a small gold plate with the U.S. flag and the number 250 surrounded by stars. The Bulwark previously reported on the commemorative passports. Currently, the only presidents featured in U.S. passports are depicted in a two-page illustration of Mount Rushmore: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Other representations include the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall in Philadelphia, along with scenes of the Great Plains, mountains, and islands. Current passports also include quotes from Martin Luther King Jr. and presidents Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Dwight Eisenhower. The addition of Trump’s photo and signature to the passport booklet is the latest move by his advisors to enhance the president’s visibility, including naming the U.S. Institute of Peace building and the Kennedy Center’s performing arts venue after him. Trump has also sparked controversy with plans for a new White House ballroom and a massive arch to be built at one of Washington’s entrances from Virginia.

Eastland family, DSHS set to testify in 2nd day of legislative hearing on deadly July 4 floods

Tuesday marks the second day of a legislative hearing on the July 2025 floods, which resulted in the death of 25 Camp Mystic campers, two counselors, and the operator of Camp Mystic, Dick Eastland.