Saturday, February 14, 2026

Limited government shutdown likely to linger for at least 10 days as Congress takes break

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/14/limited-government-shutdown-congress 

The DHS was the recipient of enormous funds from last year’s budget bill.

Limited government shutdown likely to linger for at least 10 days as Congress takes break

13% of federal civilian workforce is affected, although DHS – which spurred budget standoff – remains funded

A limited US government shutdown came into effect on Saturday – the third of Donald Trump’s second term – after negotiations between the White House and Democrats in Congress failed to agree on new restrictions for federal immigration agents.

The shutdown affects about 13% of the federal civilian workforce and is confined to agencies under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which screens airline passengers.

The latest shutdown is unlikely to be lifted soon – US lawmakers have left Washington DC for a 10-day break.

However, Republican leaders in Congress have said that negotiations would continue, and that members should be ready to return to Washington subject to an agreement.

In November, a different set of issues caused a broader shutdown of the federal government for a record 43 days.

Despite the lapse in DHS funding, work at the department is not expected to be widely disrupted. But travelers in the US could see screening delays at airports. Disaster relief and immigration enforcement could also be affected if the funding stoppage becomes prolonged.

At the center of the dispute are demands by Democrats for new restrictions on immigration agents following the fatal shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis last month by federal immigration agents. The restrictions include mandating that agents perform operations without face masks and first obtain judicial warrants to make home arrests – demands Republicans largely reject.

However, the shutdown does not halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement or Customs and Border Protection operations because they were amply funded as part last year’s budget bill.

Ahead of the shutdown, the House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, criticized his counterpart, House speaker Mike Johnson, for adjourning Congress rather than keeping lawmakers in Washington to continue negotiations.

“We’ve drawn a hard line in the sand on behalf of the American people, and we’re not going to allow the Congress to cross it,” Jeffries told reporters on Friday. “ICE needs to be dramatically reformed. Period. Full stop.”

After Democrats rejected a White House offer on Thursday, the Senate minority leader called it “not serious, plain and simple.”

Schumer later posted a video on X that showed federal immigration agents pushing people to the ground and pepper-spraying them. “This is why Democrats voted NO on more funding for ICE. And we will continue to do so until ICE is reined in and the violence ends.”

But the Senate majority leader, John Thune, said: “What it appears to me, at least at this point, is happening is the Democrats, like they did last fall, they really don’t want the solution. They don’t want the answer. They want the political issue”.

Donald Trump told reporters Friday: “We’re talking, but we have to protect law enforcement. I know what they want, I know what they can live with. The Democrats have gone crazy.”

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A cartoon by Pedro Molina

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2026/2/13/2368457/-Cartoon-Un-American-logic?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=top_news_slot_6&pm_medium=web 

 no image description available

ICE’s Largest Prison Contractors Hail ‘New Growth Opportunities’ as Revenue Reaches All-Time High

https://time.com/7378284/ice-immigration-detention-contractors-record-revenue/

ICE’s Largest Prison Contractors Hail ‘New Growth Opportunities’ as Revenue Reaches All-Time High

Two of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) biggest contractors for building and managing detention centers have posted record revenue in 2025, as companies are expanding their facilities nationwide to hold more immigrants apprehended by the Trump Administration. 

GEO Group, which operates 19 facilities for ICE around the country, reported $2.6 billion in total revenue in 2025, up 6% from $2.43 billion in 2024. CoreCivic, which owns and operates at least ten ICE detention facilities, reported $2.2 billion in total revenue in 2025, up 13% from $1.96 billion in 2024. 

Read more: ICE Is Seeking to Build New Detention Centers Around the U.S. Here’s How Communities Are Battling to Stop It

During their earnings calls, both companies hailed the rapid expansion of their facilities, marking it a “significant growth opportunity,” and said they are working to reactivate facilities that were previously phased out under the Biden Administration to meet ICE’s increasing detention demands. The two companies have told ICE that, together, they can hold an additional population of 19,000 if needed. 

Asked by one caller about how he views the current rate of ICE detentions—which, at  fewer than 100,000 immigrants a day, the caller described as “below what investors thought [it] was going to be”— CEO of CoreCivic Patrick Swindle responded by assuring investors that the immigration crackdown will pick up pace.

Trump Administration announces end to surge in immigration enforcement in Minneapolis

“When you’re looking at the way that ICE approaches enforcement action, nothing occurs immediately,” Swindle said. “So, as we think about timing, it does take time because it is a very complex ecosystem, and as that ecosystem grows, it’s gonna result in additional bed demand.”

In addition to the expansion of its immigrant detention facilities, GEO Group also saw an increase in ICE’s use of its surveillance devices, which the agency uses to monitor some immigrants as an alternative to detention. During the call, incoming GEO Group CEO George Zoley said the number of participants on GPS ankle monitors has increased from approximately 17,000 in early 2025 to more than 42,000 today. 

According to Zoley, ICE is currently holding approximately 70,000 immigrants in 225 separate jails or detention centers, nearly double the number of immigrants detained and the number of available facilities from last year.

The Washington Post reported that, thanks to an unprecedented $45 billion budget approved by Congress, ICE intends to expand immigrant detention to parts of the country where none are currently located while building new detention facilities in populous states like California and Texas. The plan would double the agency’s number of large-scale, mega-detention centers—the kind that are contracted out to GEO Group and CoreCivic—as well as building makeshift “soft-sided” structures that can be built in a few weeks. 

One of the plans that ICE is pursuing in this effort to build massive detention facilities is acquiring warehouses and turning them into jails, despite protests in local communities. GEO Group said it is “cautiously participating in this process,” despite having little experience in renovating warehouses.

“We’ve only had one experience in renovating a warehouse, and that occurred maybe 30 years ago. So it’s more complicated than you may think,” Zoley said during the earnings call.

“As a 40-year partner to ICE, we expect to be a part of this solution,” he added. 

For-profit detention centers hold the overwhelming majority of immigrants who are detained by ICE, according to data from TRAC Immigration. They have also been the site of most of the fatalities in federal immigrant detention that have occurred in recent months: Of the 38 people who died in ICE custody from January 2025 to now, 71 percent were held in for-profit facilities, according to data collected by independent journalist Andrew Free.


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Patti Smith and Joan Baez ' 'People Have The Power' Stockholm Music and Arts 20160731

 



Friday, February 13, 2026

the 40 days of trumpmas - a surreal serial poem

 guyhair1_517UcgHYK3L._AC_UL320_SR256_320_.png 

Remember, remember! The fifth of trumpvember

 the 40 days of trumpmas - a serial poem

 

for 40 days the trumpeter reigns,

his lies and hate on whom he disdains,

but election day will come so soon,

we'll no longer hear the orange baboon;

 

in 39 days full of world wide problems.

we could elect him to get rid of the muslims,

but as he'll rant on trivialities of his presidential life,

what could be worse? - you could be his wife;

 

in 38 days just what will you do?

the donald has said he likes lgbtq,

but as he bullies his women and all his men too,

if youre questioning, what stops him from bullying you?

 

in just 37 days, some people are saying,

(or pleading or hoping or some even praying)

the duke of prunes will dye his forelock purple my friend,

and thus make america grape again,

 

our days are down to just 36,

before our problems the don will fix,

he will on day one do what hes said - true,

he'll wall out our enemies - and fat women too!

 

on the 35th day of trumpmas

yes just five weeks remain!

will the polls and tallies deliver us

donald with his golden mane?

 

34 days and the vice-pipers have piped,

though pence didnt say why donalds suit shouldnt be striped,

he wouldnt defend his master's string pulling,

to make america great? - who do they think they're fooling?

 

just 33 days till the macho tornado,

unless its blown away by hurricane machado,

with women and voters he has so much to loose.

keep your mouth shut donald (unless youre changing your shoes)

 

32 days and we’ve been hit by the big blowhard,

donald spoke here in fla (oh, we had a hurricane too)

this administration gives us playing the race card, a weak economy, and unemployment

but if you want a job you could be donald’s campaign manager (unless youre a jew)

 

31 days, just a month, remains;

will the donald say hes sorry, and his baser impulses restrain?

or keep blaming bill clinton for our moral demise;

when trump speaks to us, our NO votes must be our replies!

 

election comes this time (in 30 days) each 4 years,

time for praise and tears and fears;

as polls will open in many states,

vote early, please dont vote late!

 

down to 29, just a leap february,

and theres still the donald quite

contrary;

donald donald, how does your garden grow?

quoth the master debater, "with pretty maids groped in a row"

 

just 28 days - later or soon,

and the zombies will rise, led by the big goon;

unless everyone gets a reality inoculation,

i might have to move to canada for a well deserved vacation; 

 

now just 27, less than 4 weeks,

no time for you to say 'yikes!' or 'eeeks!'

obama wants to go to mars and colonize it for man,

lets send trump tomorrow! and colonize it for orangutan!

 

26 days are all that remain,

will our democracy and economy go down the drain?

if we all keep listening to the blustering oaf,

will he give jobs and prosperity? - or just half a loaf

 

25 days - will more women speak?,

of the antics of donald who the presidency seeks,

dating 14 year old girls or groping their mothers,

how did the gop pick him over the others?,

 

24 days - were down to two dozen,

the next woman who speaks just might be your cousin,

or mother or sister, aunt, niece, even daughter,

describing the circumstance in which donald caught her,

 

23 days left and trump doesnt yet have as many accusers,

as cosby, but he assures us that they are all really losers,

sent by bankers or hillary with secret agendas,

to disrupt our election of him - our defender!,

 

22 days and we know charity begins at home,

but donalds attention is so prone to roam,

his gift that disappeared to 911 survivors from his foundation?,

oops! maybe donald spent it on a vacation,

 

21 days and trump says the election may be rig-ly,

if hes not the winner and his total's not big-ly,

tremendously higher than hillary gets,

he warns his supporters may all lose their wits,

 

20 days left and while george zimmerman still walks free,

the man who shot at HIM got 20 years - while trayvon got eternity,

trump wants us to support our cops and maintain law and order,

he'll put all the inner city dwellers in jail, and send the immigrant criminals far across the border,

 

19 days left till we all go to pretend,

to elect someone to lead us, as if on it our lives depend,

but wise man, donald trump, already really knows,

who we really voted for - a wolf in president's clothes?,

 

18 days and we bad hombres demand a rebate,

on the ill feelings left since the comments of one candidate,

the debaters have met in their final grudge match,

but only donald can say from whose hands victory will be snatched,

 

17 days and our government is corrupt with quid pro quo,

did you take latin at wharton? is that how you know?,

donald wants us to fire at them all - the bureaucrats lined up in rows,

and believe me, corruption is a subject. that donald really knows,

 

16 days - lets set term limits on all our office holders,

and put all our women in binders - or maybe in folders,

donalds endless complaints are becoming a sour whine,

have a little cheese with that, from wisconsin, where 

hillary's doing fine,

 

15 days and on stocking covered thighs did linger,

two miniature hands with two thumbs and eight tiny fingers,

they belonged to the donald who believed that he owned,

any thing that he wanted - or anyone he got alone,

 

14 days yes only two weeks,

till the duke of orange assends to the throne he seeks?,

to rule all americans, the strong and the weak?,

and dominate the globe with power that's peak?,

 

the 13th day to go - does that seem unlucky?,

not for donald whos lately been appearing quite plucky,

claiming media, polls, and parties are against him,

and rallying his multitudes with wit waxing dim,

 

on the 12th day of trumpmas donald awoke with a jerk,

promptly fired his latest campaign manager (who considered that a perk),

if youre "AAAfroAAAmurikan" and unemployed i can put you to work,

barked donald the businessman from behind his sly smirk,

 

it's the 11th and engineer casey trump is in the caboose,

i hear some of you saying oh no! what's the use,

our campaign will probably just go off the tracks,

but donald says its ok - cause he's got "the blacks",

 

just ten days left yes only one-zero,

til donald is hoping that he'll be your hero,

as new hillary emails come under investigation,

donald hopes to rename camp david to camp donald for

his vacations,

 

like a cat has nine lives we're left with only 9 days,

till we're subject to donald? and his old wicked ways,

on foreign affairs he says he'll save us from isis,

but his domestic affairs are misogyny and crisis,

 

our days are numbered - yes only eight,

till once again we make america great,

by getting rid of candidates who have nothing to add,

goodbye donald you wont make america sad,

 

just one week to go - its day minus seven,

till america's lifted above - to trumpty dump heaven?,

where for rich folks like donald opportunity abounds,

and we keep the working poor with a wall that surrounds,

 

how the time it does fly its already day 6,

till americans problems the donald will fix,

his solutions begin on trumpday number one,

dont you like them? they'll come at the barrel of a gun,

 

Five days to go, baby, One in five,

No one here gets out alive, now,

david dukes not opposed to all jews,

he backs trump - who are you going to choose?,

 

only 4 days left till the armaged-don,

he'll seize power by the horns once he has won,

and donnie will be what he longs for - a winner,

using the FBI to wreak havoc on hillary the sinner,

 

only three left, just a triad of days,

and the donald his supporters continues to amaze,

with hoopla and folderoll made up in his head,

his winning temperament will leave us all dead,

 

just a pair of days - 2 - till trump paradise,

since these words you're reading please heed my advice,

the creatures that surround us are beginning to bite,

'blacks for trump' fear the Illuminati so lets turn out their light,

 

just a single day left till our thanksgiving,

deliver us from donald and preserve the living,

forget sanity and disgard your misgivings,

but pray hard to your gods that they'll be forgiving,

since we've got the nukes why can't we use'em?,

on the road to 2016 why couldn't we lose HIM?,

 

and trumpmas now has finally come,

the tallies will count up to a winning sum,

unless the earth is struck soon by a cataclysmic comet,

to elect a candidate who just makes you want to vomit?,

we wish you a merry trumpmas at this time each 4 years,

if you have'nt voted you've lost the chance to mitigate your fears,

cause donald duck is ready to lead, forget your crocodile tears,

so you'd better get the vaseline and lubricate your rears!