The true cost of ICE’s massive budget

And top DOJ officials quit after their division refused to probe Minnesota ICE shooting |

VIEW IN BROWSER MS NOW DAILY Understand today's news Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026   THE LATEST Trump's latest vengeance quest could break the economy By Hayes Brown Trump's latest vengeance quest could break the economy By Hayes Brown The Trump administration's legal threat against Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell is as unprecedented as it is ham-fisted. Powell revealed in a video statement Sunday that the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation into him over the renovations of the Washington headquarters of the independent agency he runs. Although everyone can see through the stated reason for the lawsuit to the president's obsession with interest rates — which Powell articulated sharply — it's startling that the Justice Department is willing to risk colossal damage to the U.S. economy to further President Donald Trump's agenda. Especially considering it still might not even accomplish the latter.   As a criminal matter, the investigation makes little sense. Federal prosecutors are examining whether Powell lied to Congress about the scope of the project or did not obtain the proper permits to undertake the $2.5 billion renovations, The Wall Street Journal reported. The project has run over budget, but the Fed has been transparent about where the additional costs have come from, and which features from an earlier proposal that drew criticism had been nixed. It's hard to see how benefit Powell could have benefited from this situation.   The Justice Department's involvement makes slightly more sense when the source of the probe is considered. The New York Times reported that the "inquiry, which includes an analysis of Mr. Powell's public statements and an examination of spending records, was approved in November by Jeanine Pirro, a longtime ally of President Trump" who was appointed U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia last year.   But the timing of the investigation remains baffling.   This is a preview of Hayes Brown's latest column. Read the full column here. TOP STORIES PHILIP BUMP How the money in ICE's ballooning budget could have been used to help Americans Had the Trump administration spent on assistance for Americans in need, rather than on a punitive effort to uproot immigrants — here's how it might have looked. Read more. CAROL LEONNIG & KEN DILANIAN Top DOJ officials quit after their division refused to probe Minnesota ICE shooting At least four leaders of the Civil Rights Division resigned because the section's head, Harmeet Dhillon, decided not to investigate shooting of Renee Good. Read more. VAUGHN HILLYARD Trump's autocratic moves begin to backfire The president's increasingly brazen assertions of power are producing consequences that could undermine his own policy goals. Read more. JORDAN RUBIN Trans female athletes' best real hope could be that SCOTUS doesn't decide the issue at all The legal question of mootness and whether the court prematurely granted review lurks in the appeals set for oral argument Tuesday. Read more. TOP VIDEOS WAY TOO EARLY Minnesota sues DHS over surge of federal forces WATCH NOW KATY TUR What would U.S. involvement in Iran mean? Trump weighs military options WATCH NOW RACHEL MADDOW Maddow: Repeated bungling exposes cluelessness of Trump's ICE secret police WATCH NOW THE LAST WORD WITH LAWRENCE O'DONNELL Lawrence: Sen. Kelly puts Pete Hegseth on the defensive by making him a defendant WATCH NOW MORE FROM MS NOW Subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for ad-free listening to all of MS NOW original podcasts, including "The Best People with Nicolle Wallace" and all of Rachel Maddow's chart-topping series, including her most recent podcast, "Burn Order." Plus, enjoy new episodes of your favorite shows like "Morning Joe" and "The Briefing with Jen Psaki," all ad-free. And, get bonus content and early access to select shows. Right now, we're offering a 3-month free trial for subscribers who sign up through the end of January. Sign up now. This week on "The Best People," Nicolle Wallace speaks with American historian Heather Cox Richardson to discuss a political era that adheres more to autocratic leaders like Vladimir Putin than it ever has before, and the need for "We The People" to harness our inherent power. Listen now, and subscribe to MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts for early access, ad-free listening and bonus content. 229 West 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 PRIVACY | CONTACT | UNSUBSCRIBE