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Wednesday, February 11, 2026
18 minutes ago
Crime
Immigration

Walz Expects ICE to Leave Minnesota in ‘Matter of Days.’

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz (D) expressed optimism that a federal immigration crackdown in the state could conclude within “days, not weeks and months.”

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Governor Tim Walz, White House Border Czar Tom Homan, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

📍WHEN & WHERE: Recent discussions took place in late January and early February 2026, with updates provided during a press conference at The Market at Malcolm Yards in Minnesota.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re very much in a trust but verify mode. It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done.” — Gov. Walz

🎯IMPACT: The DHS confirmed it has arrested more than 4,000 illegal immigrants in Minnesota since the launch of Operation Metro Surge in late 2025.

IN FULL

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) says he believes the federal immigration enforcement actions in his state will wind down in a matter of days and not weeks. The Democrat governor and failed vice presidential candidate said this timeline was based on recent discussions with Trump White House Border Czar Tom Homan and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.

“We’re very much in a trust but verify mode,” Walz said, continuing, “It would be my hope that Mr. Homan goes out before Friday and announces that this thing is done, and they’re bringing her down and they’re bringing her down in days.”

Walz confirmed that while 700 federal agents have left Minnesota, around 2,300 remain as part of ongoing immigration enforcement actions. The National Pulse previously reported that Homan attributed the drawdown of federal agents to increased cooperation from county jails in handing over illegal immigrants when they are detained by local law enforcement.

Still, Gov. Walz says he is demanding the federal government broaden its collaboration into the investigations of two fatal shootings of anti-ICE agitators by federal officers.

The National Pulse reported last week that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed it has arrested more than 4,000 illegal immigrants in Minnesota since the launch of Operation Metro Surge in late 2025. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, “Despite coordinated attacks of violence against our law enforcement, our officers have made more than 4,000 arrests of illegal aliens including murderers, pedophiles, rapists, gang members, and terrorists in Minnesota since Operation Metro Surge began.”

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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1 hour ago
NatSec

U.S. War Department Downs Mexican Cartel Drones Over El Paso.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The White House attributed the temporary closure of U.S. airspace over El Paso, Texas, to drone activity from Mexican drug cartels.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of War (DOW), and Mexican cartels.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Wednesday morning over El Paso, Texas, and parts of southern New Mexico.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.” – White House statement to Newsweek.

🎯IMPACT: Airspace restrictions were lifted after authorities determined no remaining threat to commercial air travel.

IN FULL

The Trump White House is pointing to drone activity from Mexican drug cartels as the reason for the sudden closure of U.S. airspace over El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) initially issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting flights for ten days, but the airspace has since been reopened, with officials stating there is no ongoing threat to commercial aviation.

In a statement, the White House said, “Mexican cartel drones breached U.S. airspace. The Department of War took action to disable the drones.” The FAA echoed this sentiment on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted. There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.”

The NOTAM halted flights to and from El Paso International Airport and covered a significant portion of southern New Mexico.

Notably, the FAA applied “NTL defense airspace” considerations, warning that pilots who violated the order could face interception, detention, and questioning by law enforcement. Such an action over a major U.S. city is rare and has not occurred since the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks.

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2 hours ago
Economy

Trump Economy Revives as Jobs Numbers Beat Expectations.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The U.S. labor market showed stronger-than-expected performance in January 2026, with unemployment ticking down and job creation exceeding Wall Street expectations.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), President Donald J. Trump’s administration, and various employment sectors.

📍WHEN & WHERE: January 2026, with the report released on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

🎯IMPACT: The jobs numbers provide a much-needed boost to the Trump administration’s economic messaging as the 2026 midterm elections loom.

IN FULL

The U.S. economy in January was far more robust than originally expected, with unemployment falling and the number of jobs added beating Wall Street expectations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. added 130,000 jobs over the month, far exceeding consensus forecasts of 70,000 jobs.

This marks a significant improvement compared to December’s 48,000 jobs and November’s 41,000, which were revised down by 17,000. January’s job growth is also higher than the 111,000 jobs added in January 2025, making it the strongest start to a year since 2023, when payrolls increased by 444,000 amid the pandemic recovery.

The unemployment rate dipped from 4.4 percent in December to 4.3 percent in January. The Trump administration had faced concerns over a potential economic slowdown, but these numbers suggest that the storm may have already been weathered.

The BLS attributed the job gains to growth in sectors such as health care, social assistance, and construction. Health care added 82,000 jobs, well above last year’s monthly average of 33,000. Social assistance and construction also saw significant increases, adding 42,000 and 33,000 jobs, respectively. Federal government employment decreased by 34,000 due to deferred resignations, and the financial activities sector lost 22,000 jobs, continuing its decline since May.

Image by Tony Webster.

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3 hours ago
Crime
Immigration
UK

Afghan Convicted for Kidnap and Repeated Rape of 12-Year-Old.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: An Afghan asylum seeker was found guilty of abducting and raping a 12-year-old girl in a targeted attack in Nuneaton, England.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Afghan national Ahmad Mulakhil, 23, was convicted of multiple offences. His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, was acquitted of all charges.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred last summer in Nuneaton. The trial took place at Warwick Crown Court.

💬KEY QUOTE: “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” – Judge Kristina Montgomery KC

🎯IMPACT: The case sparked protests and calls for more transparency from public figures regarding the immigration status of offenders.

IN FULL

Ahmad Mulakhil, a 23-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, has been convicted of multiple serious offences following a targeted attack on a 12-year-old girl in Nuneaton, England, last summer. A jury at Warwick Crown Court found him guilty of rape, two counts of sexual assault, child abduction, and taking an indecent video of the child. He had also admitted to an additional rape charge before the trial began.

Mulakhil arrived in Britain around four months before the attack after submitting an immigration application that referred to unspecified “problems” in Afghanistan. Although the jury was not told how he entered the country, it later emerged that he had arrived illegally on a small boat.

His co-defendant, Mohammad Kabir, also an Afghan asylum seeker, was cleared of all charges, including intentional strangulation, attempted child abduction, and committing an offence with intent to commit a sexual offence. Kabir denied any wrongdoing, telling the court that he “never touched the victim and had no sexual intentions toward her.” He claimed to be 22, while court records listed his age as 24.

Remanding Mulakhil in custody ahead of sentencing, Judge Kristina Montgomery KC said, “He will plainly receive a substantial custodial sentence which will automatically make him liable for deportation at its conclusion.” This does not mean he definitely will be deported, however, with many foreign sex offenders in Britain able to use human rights laws to stay in the country.

The convictions drew sharp reactions from senior political figures. Reform Paarty leader Nigel Farage and Warwickshire County Council leader George Finch accused authorities of a “cover-up” over how details of the case were handled publicly. Farage renewed calls for police to routinely disclose the immigration status of criminal suspects, something that is not standard practice despite being permitted under current guidance “if deemed necessary for legitimate policing purposes.”

The case has added to wider debate following other recent reports involving Afghan nationals in the United Kingdom and the United States, including prosecutions for serious sexual offences, fatal stabbings, and alleged terror threats.

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15 hours ago
Health
News

Now Canadian Doctors Want to Euthanize Infants.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Physicians in Quebec, Canada, have suggested extending the country’s euthanasia program to include infants.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Quebec College of Physicians, Canadian lawmakers, and euthanasia prevention advocates.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Canada, ongoing discussions in 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain.” – Quebec College of Physicians

🎯IMPACT: The proposal has reignited the debate over euthanasia laws in Canada becoming a “slippery slope.”

IN FULL

Canada’s so-called medical assistance in dying (MAID) euthanasia program is facing renewed scrutiny after the Quebec College of Physicians suggested it could be extended to infants, supposedly in cases of “extreme” suffering. The organization said, “Medical assistance in dying may be an appropriate treatment for babies suffering from extreme pain,” and proposed that parents be given the option to request the procedure for their child.

The comments have reopened a debate many believed was settled years ago. MAID was legalized in Canada in 2016 and initially restricted to adults with terminal illnesses whose deaths were reasonably foreseeable. Over time, eligibility has expanded to include non-terminal conditions, and the number of assisted deaths has risen steadily. Federal data shows 16,499 MAID deaths were reported in 2024 alone, bringing the cumulative total to 76,475 since legalization. By early 2026, at least 94,000 deaths had occurred under the program, according to Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition.

The idea of extending MAID to infants is not new. In 2022, Dr. Louis Roy of the Quebec College of Physicians testified before Parliament’s Special Joint Committee on Medical Assistance in Dying that the program could apply to “babies from birth to one year of age” with severe deformities or disabilities.

The issue resurfaced last fall after attracting international attention. A feature in The Atlantic titled “Canada is Killing Itself” compared aspects of Canada’s euthanasia policies to historical practices in Nazi Germany, prompting backlash from euthanasia advocates and intensifying public debate.

MAID has also drawn controversy beyond the infanticide proposal. Reports have highlighted cases involving organ donation following euthanasia and allegations that safeguards have failed vulnerable individuals. In one recent case, the mother of a 26-year-old man claimed her son, who was physically healthy but suffered from depression, was euthanized under MAID, despite federal plans to delay eligibility for mental illness alone.

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17 hours ago
News

Only 4% of Calls to Help Homeless Answered During Deadly Storm in Mamdani’s NYC.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: A shocking 96 percent of pleas for assistance to help homeless New Yorkers during a recent cold snap went unanswered.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: City Council members, outgoing Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park, Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol, and Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The events unfolded following a January 24 winter storm in New York City, with hearings held Tuesday to address the crisis.

💬KEY QUOTE: “These deaths are not inevitable. They are the result of gaps and outreach, shelter capacity, mental health services and follow-up.” – Julie Menin, City Council Speaker

🎯IMPACT: At least 15 of 18 deaths during the deep freeze were directly linked to hypothermia, raising concerns over the city’s response to the homeless crisis.

IN FULL

New York City officials are facing mounting scrutiny after a deadly winter cold snap exposed major failures in the city’s response to homeless residents in crisis. Data from the city’s 311 system showed that 96 percent of calls requesting homeless assistance during the freeze went unresolved. The city’s medical examiner later confirmed that 15 of the 18 deaths recorded during the cold spell were caused by hypothermia.

At a City Council hearing, outgoing Department of Social Services Commissioner Molly Wasow Park and Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol said the extreme weather made it difficult to locate people living outdoors. Council leaders rejected that explanation. Council Speaker Julie Menin said the deaths were avoidable. “These deaths are not inevitable. They are the result of gaps and outreach, shelter capacity, mental health services, and follow-up,” she said.

Council member Phil Wong highlighted delays in handling emergency calls, noting that overnight reports of homeless individuals in distress were initially routed through the non-emergency 311 system rather than 911. He said the lag in upgrading the response during the freeze likely cost lives.

After January 31, the city shifted overnight homeless assistance calls to 911 under an enhanced “Code Blue” alert, which is triggered when temperatures fall below freezing. Critics said the move came too late and argued that Code Blue alerts alone are ineffective without rapid, proactive outreach. Medical professionals echoed those concerns.

The crisis has unfolded amid broader criticism of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration. Following the major winter storm, critics accused the city of failing to promptly clear garbage and slush from streets, while the mayor’s Gracie Mansion residence was kept “pristine.”

The immigrant mayor has also drawn controversy for appointing Cea Weaver as executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants, despite the fact she has previously said she wants to “impoverish the white middle class.”

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17 hours ago
Health
News

Trump Admin Unveils Plan to Cut Healthcare Costs Even More.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed new regulations for 2027 aimed at cutting health care costs, expanding consumer options, and cracking down on fraud.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: CMS, insurers, agents, brokers, and U.S. taxpayers.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Proposed regulations for 2027, with public comments open until March 11, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We are cracking down on improper and misleading practices while giving states and health plans more room to innovate and compete.” – Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS Administrator

🎯IMPACT: Potentially lower health care costs, expanded plan options, and stricter fraud prevention measures.

IN FULL

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed regulations for 2027 to further reduce health care costs while giving consumers more choices. The plan also focuses on safeguarding taxpayer dollars by strengthening efforts to combat fraud, reduce improper enrollments, tighten verification procedures, and ensure that subsidies are provided only to those who qualify.

One major element of the proposal would give insurers greater flexibility in designing health plans. CMS is considering allowing catastrophic plans to extend for as long as 10 years, removing standardized plan requirements to encourage innovation, and broadening hardship exemptions so more individuals can qualify for catastrophic coverage.

CMS also proposes allowing some plans that rely on non-network providers to count as Qualified Health Plans (QHPs), provided enrollees still have adequate access to providers. At the same time, the agency would impose tougher standards on agents and brokers to address misleading marketing and unauthorized changes to consumer coverage.

Additional provisions would strengthen income and eligibility verification for subsidies, align subsidy eligibility with federal immigration law by excluding certain lawfully present immigrants, and reinstate state oversight of provider networks and access to Essential Community Providers (ECPs).

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz highlighted the balance the agency is aiming to strike, saying, “We are cracking down on improper and misleading practices while giving states and health plans more room to innovate and compete.” CMS will accept public comments on the proposed rules through March 11, 2026, before finalizing regulations for implementation in 2027.

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18 hours ago
William Upton
World

Colombia’s Anti-Trump Leftist President Claims He Survived an Assassination Attempt on Monday.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro claimed on Tuesday that he survived an attempted assassination late Monday night as he traveled by helicopter.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Gustavo Petro, ex-FARC leader Ivan Mordisco, and Colombian drug cartels.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The attempted assassination was claimed by Petro on Tuesday, with it allegedly taking place the day before, on Monday, February 9, 2026.

💬KEY QUOTE: “We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren’t supposed to go, escaping from being killed.” — Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

🎯IMPACT: In recent weeks, Colombia has seen an explosion of political violence—something not entirely unusual in the country during an election cycle. Notably, Petro made a similar assassination claim in 2024.

IN FULL

Colombia’s left-wing President Gustavo Petro, who publicly referenced “getting rid of” U.S. President Donald J. Trump last year, claimed on Tuesday that he survived an attempted assassination late Monday night as he traveled by helicopter. According to Petro, the helicopter was unable to land at its destination along Colombia’s Caribbean coast over fears that drug traffickers “were going to shoot” at it or the president as it attempted to touch down.

“We headed out to open sea for four hours and I arrived somewhere we weren’t supposed to go, escaping from being killed,” Petro claimed during a televised meeting of his cabinet on Tuesday. The claim comes as Colombia enters its presidential election cycle, where Petro’s leftist Colombia Humana party is expected to lose power. Notably, Petro himself is term-limited and cannot seek re-election.

In recent weeks, Colombia has seen an explosion of political violence—something not entirely unusual in the country during an election cycle. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald J. Trump has accused the Colombian leader of colluding with violent drug cartels to facilitate the trafficking of illegal narcotics through neighboring Venezuela and then onwards to Mexico, the United States, and Europe.

Petro has denied these allegations, going so far as to claim that the cartels have been targeting him since 2022, when he took office as Colombia’s president. He claims that ex-FARC leader Ivan Mordisco specifically wants to see him dead over Petro’s—a former member of FARC—role in brokering an agreement which saw FARC disarm in 2016.

Notably, Petro made a similar assassination claim in 2024.

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18 hours ago
Corruption
Immigration

Colony Ridge Migrant Haven Settles With Paxton for $68 Million.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Colony Ridge, a Texas neighborhood marketed primarily to illegal immigrants, agreed to pay $68 million in penalties as part of a settlement with the Trump administration and the State of Texas.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Trump administration, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Colony Ridge developers, and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

📍WHEN & WHERE: The settlement was filed in federal court on February 10, 2026. Located just north of Houston, the settlement follows investigations into Colony Ridge’s practices, which were first exposed in 2023.

💬KEY QUOTE: “Colony Ridge endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. Now, it’s time for those responsible to pay a steep cost for their unlawful actions,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

🎯IMPACT: The settlement includes measures to prevent loans to illegal immigrants, boost deportations, and address safety and infrastructure issues in the community.

IN FULL

The infamous Colony Ridge development in Texas has reached a preliminary settlement agreement with the State of Texas an the Trump administration’s Department of Justice (DOJ) over allegations of corrupt business practices, including accusations that the developers marketed explicitly to illegal immigrants. According to the settlement, filed in a federal court in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the Colony Ridge developers have agreed to pay $68 million, halt new land sales for three years, adhere to strict buy identification and verification requirements, and submit to stricter lending, foreclosure, and advertising rules.

“Colony Ridge endangered American citizens by allowing illegal aliens to run rampant on its streets, in its schools, and in its community. Now, it’s time for those responsible to pay a steep cost for their unlawful actions,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said of the settlement, adding, “My office will continue to bring the full force of the law against anyone who threatens the safety of our state or creates a safe harbor for illegals.”

Most importantly, the proposed settlement—which still requires court clearance but is likely to be approved—will require purchasers to possess a valid Texas-issued identification card or valid immigration documents. This means that Colony Ridge properties can no longer be sold to illegal immigrants, which is how developers previously sought to rapidly expand property sales.

Notably, state and federal prosecutors detailed how Colony Ridge properties were advertised almost exclusively through Spanish-language media, with a strong focus on foreign nationals. This allowed strategy resulted in Colony Ridge becoming the “fastest growing development” in the United States, though the properties were not being sold to U.S. citizens.

In addition, the developers behind Colony Ridge have agreed to pay $68 million as part of the settlement. This includes $48 million earmarked for road, drainage, and flood control maintenance. Another $20 million will be set aside to cover law enforcement costs, including immigration operations. Notably, the Colony Ridge development has been plagued with incidents of crime—often attributed to its large illegal immigrant population.

Image by Gage Skidmore.

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19 hours ago
Health

MAHA: The FDA is Reviewing This Food Additive Over Cancer Risk.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has begun steps to review and potentially ban BHA, a food additive used in processed foods, citing concerns over its potential link to cancer.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the food industry.

📍WHEN & WHERE: The announcement was made on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, with the review process set to begin immediately across the U.S.

💬KEY QUOTE: “This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

🎯IMPACT: The review could lead to changes in the use of BHA in processed foods and aligns with broader efforts to remove harmful chemicals from the food supply.

IN FULL

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday that it is initiating a safety review of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), a food additive commonly used in processed foods such as frozen meals, bread, and breakfast cereals. BHA has been in use for decades, having been approved as a food additive in 1961 to prevent fats and oils from spoiling. However, concerns over its potential carcinogenic effects have prompted the agency to take a closer look.

The FDA’s decision follows earlier findings from the 1990s by the National Toxicology Program, which identified BHA as “reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen” based on animal studies. California has also listed BHA as a known carcinogen under Proposition 65. While there is limited research on its effects in humans, studies from the 1980s and 1990s have linked BHA to cancer in animals. The FDA is now requesting public and industry input on the use of BHA and its safety profile.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. welcomed the move, stating, “This reassessment marks the end of the ‘trust us’ era in food safety.” Kennedy has been vocal about reducing harmful chemicals in the food supply as part of his “Make America Healthy Again” initiative. Last year, he proposed phasing out artificial dyes in foods, citing their potential link to behavioral problems in children. The FDA has since approved natural alternatives such as beetroot red and spirulina extract for use as color additives.

The move is also receiving praise from prominent figures in the field of nutrition. Marion Nestle, a professor emerita of nutrition at New York University, notes that BHA has been on the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s “avoid” list for years. “It’s about time the FDA got to it,” she said. Nestle added that while toxicology studies on animals have provided some insights, human studies on BHA would be difficult to conduct due to ethical and logistical challenges. She expressed interest in seeing how the FDA evaluates the additive’s safety.

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