U.S.
Chinese Pastor Ezra Jin Released From Detention, Arrives in Los Angeles After Trump Raised Case With Xi
Zion Church founder Jin Mingri was freed after roughly nine months in Chinese custody and reunited with his family in the U.S.; at least eight of his fellow church leaders remain detained.
Fourth of July Weekend Shootings Across Several U.S. Cities Kill at Least Six, Wound Dozens
Gunfire at Independence Day gatherings in Brooklyn, Pensacola, Chicago and other cities left at least six dead and dozens wounded, including children, reviving a partisan divide over whether the cause is lax gun laws or urban lawlessness.
Aspen Acres Fire in Southern Colorado Reaches About 87,000 Acres, Ranking Among State's Largest
A human-caused wildfire near Rye and Beulah has destroyed roughly 180 structures and displaced about 11,000 people, with containment beginning as reinforcements arrive.
Department of Government Efficiency Reaches Built-In End Date; Savings and Impact Disputed
DOGE, created by a January 2025 executive order with a two-year expiration, formally closed July 4, 2026, with the administration and critics offering sharply different accounts of what it saved and cost.
Washington's July 4 Celebration Designated a National Special Security Event for the First Time
The Department of Homeland Security named the National Mall's Independence Day fireworks and a speech by President Trump a top-tier security event, raising screening amid a dispute over cost, access, and politics.
Pope Leo XIV Accepts Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, Urges 'Moderation' as U.S. Marks 250th Anniversary
In a video address on the eve of July 4, the first U.S.-born pope praised America's founding ideals and its history of welcoming immigrants, against a backdrop of open disputes between the Vatican and the Trump administration.
Treasury Begins Depositing $1,000 Into New 'Trump Accounts' for Children Born 2025–2028
The federal child investment program launches July 4, 2026, seeding tax-advantaged accounts that supporters call a national head start on saving and critics call a Wall Street-tilted benefit that favors wealthier families.
Divided Fifth Circuit Panel Requires Bond Hearings for Immigrants Detained More Than 90 Days
A 2-1 New Orleans appeals panel held that the Fifth Amendment requires the government to justify prolonged detention of undocumented immigrants at an individualized hearing, deepening a circuit split likely bound for the Supreme Court.
Federal Data Show ICE Made About 10,000 Arrests in Five Days, With About 39,000 Entering Detention in June
Immigration and Customs Enforcement roughly doubled its daily arrest pace to about 2,000 a day in late June 2026, part of a broader Trump administration deportation drive that supporters call overdue enforcement and critics call indiscriminate.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill Indicted on 16 Counts Tied to New Orleans Court-Clerk Fight
An Orleans Parish grand jury charged the Republican attorney general with eight counts of malfeasance and eight of intimidation over letters warning city officials they could be removed; Gov. Jeff Landry says he will pardon her and has the case investigated.
Trump Makes First Flight on Qatar-Donated Air Force One to Dedicate Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
The president flew a refurbished, Qatari-gifted Boeing 747 to North Dakota on July 1 to dedicate a new presidential library, reviving a long-running dispute over the aircraft's origins and cost.