Mexico

A House Judiciary Committee report led by Rep. Jim Jordan and Rep. Tom McClintock alleges that police and sheriff's departments in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego rejected nearly 9,000 ICE detainer requests in recent years, with Los Angeles honoring roughly 0.1% of those it received. The report also cites ICE figures claiming California authorities released over 4,500 sought immigrants since January 2025, and highlights several high-profile killings involving previously deported individuals to argue sanctuary laws like the Trust Act and California Values Act endanger public safety.

Newsom's office has disputed similar claims previously, saying California has transferred thousands of inmates to ICE custody since 2019. Republicans are pushing the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act to bar such local restrictions.

Texas's Rio Grande Valley, a heavily Hispanic region that backed Trump in 2024 after decades as a Democratic stronghold, is showing signs of swinging back toward Democrats in the 2026 midterms. Reporting from the area finds frustration with aggressive ICE enforcement — including arrests of longtime residents without criminal records — compounding concerns over the cost of living and housing. Voters interviewed describe disillusionment with both parties rather than renewed partisan loyalty, suggesting a persistently volatile swing bloc.

Key races, including Texas's 15th and 34th Congressional Districts, illustrate Republicans distancing themselves from Trump's immigration policies while Democrats highlight ICE overreach and affordability as central campaign themes.

In Clearcreek Township, Ohio, artist Stan Herd carved a 1-acre earthwork into a Warren County hayfield depicting a farmer, a cow and a sign reading "Not for Sale to Data Centers." Commissioned by Data Center Payoffs, a group tracking industry political donations, the piece was unveiled at an Oct. 24 rally attended by Rep. Greg Landsman and built with help from neighbors across party lines.

Ohio has 257 data centers in development, the fifth-most nationally, with an estimated $40 billion in planned investment by 2030. Rural land use, water and energy demands have fueled backlash, and voters in 18 municipalities, including Trenton and Wilmington, will decide related zoning ballot measures in November.

A Des Moines family is coping with the deportation of Juan Lopez, who lived in the U.S. for nearly 40 years before immigration officers arrested him on his way to work in September. Lopez, who officials say had a felony record including assault and burglary, left behind seven children and 14 grandchildren, all U.S. citizens. His children say the deportation has brought emotional and financial strain, with two sons now helping cover the family mortgage. University of Iowa researchers note that immigration enforcement can affect children's health and development even before birth. Brookings estimates more than 200,000 children nationwide have had a parent detained since early last year.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins says Washington will exempt several Canadian products, including corrugated paper, plastic boxes, and machinery, from tariffs, citing benefits for her state's agricultural sector. The announcement comes ahead of next month's midterms, with Collins facing a close race against Democrat Troy Jackson. President Trump said the U.S. is close to deals with both Canada and Mexico, though Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa is willing to wait for a future administration if needed. Talks collapsed in August, triggering steep tariffs from both sides, and Canada's chief negotiator says there is no set timeline for resuming formal negotiations.

Orange County Dist. Atty. Todd Spitzer is campaigning for reelection with the slogan "#NoLAinOC," framing Los Angeles — and its progressive district attorney George Gascón — as a cautionary example of what he says Orange County must avoid. Critics, including his opponent Pete Hardin, a former O.C. prosecutor, argue the messaging distracts from problems within Spitzer's own office, including harassment lawsuits filed by staff prosecutors. Spitzer denies the slogan is an attack on L.A., citing his UCLA education and police career there. The slogan revives a long pattern of O.C. politicians contrasting the county favorably against L.A., even as data shows homelessness, crime, and population loss trends in Orange County are comparable to or worse than those in L.A. County.