Center Square
Lawmakers react to U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Prop. 50
California lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are responding to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday to not hear an appeal challenging the state’s contentious Proposition 50 election.
Republicans challenged the congressional redistricting measure favoring Democrats in a lawsuit filed late last year.
“This is just a denial of the emergency injunction, and I really just thank the court for providing clarity,” Assemblymember David Tangipa, R-Fresno, who brought the lawsuit, told The Center Square.
Part of Tangipa’s argument included that racial gerrymandering was at play in how the Prop. 50 election maps were drawn. He said he still believes racial gerrymandering was a factor.
“This doesn’t mean there was or wasn’t racial gerrymandering. It just means they didn’t see that they needed to necessarily act right now, and the lower courts need to rule on the case itself,” Tangipa said about the Supreme Court ruling.
The Prop. 50 special election, which passed in November with nearly 65% of the vote, has faced multiple legal challenges. A federal district court in Los Angeles heard the case, deciding to uphold the proposition. Tangipa and other California Republicans then filed an appeal they hoped would be heard in the U.S. Supreme Court.
Prop. 50 was initially a response to Texas’ mid-decade redistricting effort, which gave Republicans the opportunity to pick up five more seats in Congress in the 2026 mid-term elections. California’s Prop. 50 election was meant to give Democrats the chance to pick up five new seats themselves in the mid-terms.
“It’s an amazing day for California and this country that the Supreme Court struck down a meritless lawsuit,” Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, D-Santa Cruz and chair of the Assembly Elections Committee, told The Center Square. “The voters of California have spoken, but California will stand up to the intimidation, the bullying and the inhumanity of the Trump administration.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a brief statement on Wednesday in response to the U.S. Supreme Court declining to hear the appeal.
“Donald Trump said he was ‘entitled’ to five more Congressional seats in Texas,” Newsom said Wednesday. “He started this redistricting war. He lost, and he’ll lose again in November.”
A lawmaker who sits on an election committee responded to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday.
“This is a huge win for California, for California voters and democracy,” Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco and chair of the Senate Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee, told The Center Square on Wednesday. “We certainly did not want to have to go down the mid-decade redistricting route, but President Trump and Texas forced our hand.”
The U.S. Department of Justice, which was among the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging Prop. 50, did not respond to The Center Square on Wednesday.
WATCH: Senators slam fraud, call for welfare scrutiny in Minnesota
U.S. Senators on Wednesday called for more scrutiny over welfare payments and railed against allegations of fraud in Minnesota and across the country.
The senators hosted individuals to testify about allegations of fraud in Minnesota and elsewhere. The senators accused elected officials in Minnesota of knowingly covering up fraudulent payments to daycare centers and allowing welfare recipients to funnel money abroad.
“In Minnesota, a welfare system designed to uplift the most vulnerable children was treated like an open ATM, exploiting both taxpayers and the public trust extended to immigrant communities,” U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said.
Cruz claimed Minnesota officials ignored more than a decade of media reports and state audits that claimed hundreds of millions of dollars were lost to fraudulent payments. He said legislators in Minnesota did not enforce laws to crack down on fraudulent payments.
“They treated legislation as a press release, not a mandate, providing political cover while allowing the money to keep flowing,” Cruz said.
He cited reports that found Somali children were more likely to be diagnosed with autism compared to the general population. He said children were diagnosed in this way to funnel federal dollars into autism care.
“Doing that for financial enrichment is not merely fraud, it is the deliberate exploitation of children and the calculated betrayal of parents,” Cruz said.
Cruz also cited reports of billions of dollars in welfare payments that were sent abroad to support the Somali-based terror organization Al-Shabaab. He said Somalis in the United States sent more than $2 billion back to Somalia in 2023.
“When billions of dollars are stolen from US welfare programs and sent abroad, there is no credible way to ensure those funds do not enrich jihadists within Al-Shabaab,” Cruz said.
Democrat Senators on the panel called for a renewed focus on the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minnesota instead of fraud. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., pointed to the deaths of two American citizens in Minneapolis at the hands of federal agents enforcing immigration laws.
Whitehouse also called attention to Trump administration policies he described as “a carnival of fraud and self-dealing.” He pointed to energy policy reversals from the administration that he said would cost millions for taxpayers due to climate-related disasters.
“Now we’re in the most dangerous stage where the corruption is so entrenched that the fossil fuel industry can infiltrate and weaponize the federal government as its own industry tool to defeat energy competitors whose product is cleaner, safer, and cheaper,” Whitehouse said.
Witnesses on the panel also said the fraud in Minnesota had been occurring for decades. They called on senators to do more extensive background checks on welfare and federal grant recipients.
Minnesota state Rep. Kristin Robbins, R-Maple Grove, called on senators to do aggressive audits of welfare and grant recipients to receive federal funds.
“We also need the federal government to require documentation, not just attestation for eligibility in these programs,” Robbins said.
David Hoch, a witness on the panel who has investigated allegations of fraud in Minnesota, said fraud estimates could be as much as $80 billion in Minnesota alone. He called for more investigative forces and measures to counter fraud in the state.
Senators on the committee appeared to be in favor of Robbins’ proposals. U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham called for stricter scrutiny to SNAP recipients and those on federal healthcare programs.
“If I’m going to give you money, is it too much to ask to prove you exist,” Graham asked. “No, that’s why we need documentation.”
“Bottom line is we’re going to find a way to help the taxpayer,” Graham said. “I like feeding kids who are hungry and can’t afford to get a meal unless they get one at school. I don’t mind helping medicate people to get to where they want to go. I do mind when we’re getting ripped off; and to the leadership of Minnesota, your day is coming.”
Nurses demand inclusion in professional degree definition
The American Nurses Association is urging the public to call for nurses to be added back into the definition of “professional degrees” after the Trump administration removed the designation amid new federal loan borrowing caps.
The ANA has launched an online public comment forum for nurses, employers, educators, patients and advocates to urge the U.S. Department of Education to re-include nursing in the professional degree category.
Starting July 1, 2026, Grad PLUS loans will be capped. New borrowers pursuing professional degrees, such as law, will face a lifetime limit of $200,000, while those in other graduate programs will be restricted to $100,000.
Concerns have risen over the change of some graduate degrees not included in the definition of “professional degree.” Those excluded include degrees for nursing, physician assistants, physical therapy, audiology, social work, counseling or therapy, and speech pathology.
Nurses deserve to make financial decisions about their education and receive the same support that is afforded to other included professional degrees, the ANA said in a statement this week.
“Excluding nursing from the professional degree category has the potential to put patient care at risk, especially in areas where nurses are the only healthcare providers in their communities. We urge the Department to correct this proposal and explicitly include nursing as a professional degree before the rule is finalized,” said Jennifer Mensik Kennedy, president of the American Nurses Association.
The U.S. Department of Education says there should not be any concerns regarding the new student loan caps. It argues most nursing students won’t be affected because 95% already borrow less than the annual loan limit. The department also says the caps could push graduate nursing programs to lower tuition, helping students avoid excessive debt.
New limits on graduate student loans aim to reduce program costs, the department states. Even with these limits, graduate nursing students can still borrow up to $100,000 in federal loans for their programs, or $20,500 annually.
Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show the average annual cost for nurses pursuing graduate degrees exceeds $30,000.
“Support for education and training needs in the nursing profession, including the pursuit of higher degrees, is widely recognized as among the highest priorities for our nation’s health system,” said Victor Dzau, president of the National Academy of Medicine.
Trump tells Iranian leaders they ‘should be very worried’
Iran’s leadership “should be very worried,” President Donald Trump warned Wednesday amid conflicting reports that talks between the U.S. and the Islamic Republic had been called off.
Despite reports circulating Wednesday that the talks had been cancelled, a White House official confirmed with The Center Square that the talks remain on track and leaders will meet Friday in Oman.
Trump made the comments during an interview with NBC Wednesday at the White House, warning the Islamic Republic against restarting its nuclear program.
“I’m hearing that Iran wants to restart the new program. If that’s the case, we’ll send the forces to do the job again. They tried to go back to the site, but they couldn’t access it. We discovered that they wanted to open a nuclear site in another part of the country. I said, ‘You do that—we’ll do very bad things to you,’” said Trump.
The president insists Operation Midnight Hammer, when the U.S. struck Iran’s nuclear sites in June, was a necessary step in pursuing peace in the Middle East.
“If we didn’t take out that nuclear, we wouldn’t have peace in the Middle East, because the Arab countries could’ve never done that. They were very afraid of Iran. They’re not afraid of Iran anymore,” said Trump.
During a press conference at the State Department Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared less optimistic that the U.S. and Iran could reach a deal.
“If the Iranians want to meet, we’re ready…I’m not sure you can reach a deal with these guys, but we’re going to try to find out…This is a president that always prefers a peaceful outcome to any conflict or any challenge,” said Rubio.
The talks come as a large armada of U.S. Naval ships has been and is moving closer to the Islamic Republic. On Tuesday, the U.S. confirmed it had shot down two Iranian drones flying near the USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier sailing in the region.
The president continues to cite the increasingly significant naval presence in the region, hoping to pressure the Islamic Republic to “make a deal.”
“It is moving quickly, with great power, enthusiasm, and purpose. It is a larger fleet, headed by the great Aircraft Carrier Abraham Lincoln, than that sent to Venezuela. Like Venezuela, it is ready, willing, and able to rapidly fulfill its mission, with speed and violence, if necessary,” Trump previously posted on Truth Social.
The president is calling on Iran to “come to the table and negotiate a fair and equitable deal,” underscoring that the Islamic Republic cease trying to rebuild its nuclear program.
“Time is running out, it is truly of the essence! As I told Iran once before, MAKE A DEAL! They didn’t, and there was ‘Operation Midnight Hammer,’ a major destruction of Iran. The next attack will be far worse! Don’t make that happen again,” Trump wrote.
Iran’s delegation to the UN hit back at the president’s warnings, pointing to the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq – indicating another war could be costly for American taxpayers and lives.
“Last time the U.S. blundered into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it squandered over $7 trillion and lost more than 7,000 American lives. Iran stands ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and interests – BUT IF PUSHED, IT WILL DEFEND ITSELF AND RESPOND LIKE NEVER BEFORE!” the Iran delegation posted on X.
The president’s comments come amid multiple reports within Iran that the regime is continuing its brutality against anti-regime protesters.
Trump has expressed support for the protesters, offering help if the regime fails to cease executions.
“Iranian Patriots, KEEP PROTESTING – Take OVER YOUR INSTITUTIONS!!! Save the names of the killers and abusers. They will pay a big price,” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this month. “I have cancelled all meetings with Iranian Officials until the senseless killing of protesters STOPS…MIGA [Make Iran Great Again].”
In recent weeks, Trump has told reporters that the U.S. is weighing “strong options” against the Islamic Republic’s regime, inching closer to striking the country for a second time within a year.
Earlier in January, the president issued another stern warning to the regime if it retaliated against protesters.
“If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United State of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” the president posted on his Truth Social account.
During the last week of December, Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, when the two leaders reportedly discussed the potential of future strikes on Iran if the Islamic Republic attempts to rebuild its nuclear capabilities.
“I hear Iran is looking to rebuild its facilities again, and if they do we will have to knock them down again,” the president told reporters during a news conference in late December. “We’re going to have no choice but very quickly to eradicate that build up. So I hope Iran is not trying to build up, as I’ve been reading.”
The civil uprising in Iran follows a pattern of Iranian citizens protesting the brutal regime’s grip on its citizens.
It is unclear whether the talks in Oman will include discussions with protesters. The White House didn’t respond to questions from The Center Square regarding the protesters.
Antitrust concerns in Netflix proposed Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition
A bipartisan group of lawmakers grilled leaders of Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery Tuesday about antitrust concerns over their planned merger .
Netflix seeks to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery for nearly $83 billion, merging their resources and streaming services. Critics say the proposed merger would reduce competition, raise consumer prices, and hurt movie theaters. Netflix is already the largest global streaming platform.
“One might say that Netflix seeks to become the one platform to rule them all, or at least exercise a significant amount of market dominance,” U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah said at Tuesday’s hearing of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Antitrust subcommittee.
In a bit of a twist, one of those in attendance appeared to be dressed as Mr. Monopoly, the mustachioed, top hat-wearing character from the game Monopoly.
Ted Sarandos, Netflix Co-CEO, claimed the merger would create more jobs, would lower costs of both streaming services, and provide more accessibility for consumers to view preferred content.
“This media merger will be different than any of the others, because we actually need these people. We need those movies, we need those series. So we’re going to keep them all operating, and I want them to compete with one another, just as if we didn’t own them,” Sarandos said.
A bipartisan group of Judiciary senators present at the hearing were not reassured. Sen. Cory Booker, D-NJ, raised concerns over Netflix potentially getting more power over consumers and leaving fewer alternatives for streaming platforms.
“Our antitrust laws are designed to ensure that independent studios, smaller streaming services and new entrants are not shut out and left unable to compete with companies that control both content and distribution,” Booker said.
Many of the Republican senators questioned the liberal ideology portrayed in much of Netflix’s current content, even as Sarandos insisted that Netflix is not political. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo was one of many Republicans who confronted Sarandos about the liberal-leaning actions of Netflix employees and content produced.
“Why in the world would we give a seal of approval or a thumbs up to make you the largest behemoth on the planet related to content? It seems as though you have engaged in creating not only a monopoly of content potentially, but the wokest content in the history of the world,” Schmitt said.
Sarandos said parents could restrict unwanted content on the service in an attempt to reassure conservatives.
“We have state‑of‑the‑art tools for you to manage those choices for your children and to block any title that you might be offended by for any reason,” Sarandos said.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, asked Sarandos about entertainment versus propaganda being pushed by Netflix, to which Sarandos again insisted Netflix had no political agenda.
“We would fail pushing a political view or propaganda. We deliver entertainment to consumers,” Sarandos said. “And if we fail to entertain them, by trying to promote propaganda or something, anything other than entertainment, we fail.”
First lady meets with former Oct. 7 hostages
American citizen and Chapel Hill, N.C. native, Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva focused their Wednesday meeting with First Lady Melania Trump on hope and a mission to give back following their harrowing ordeals, highlighting an unbreakable bond and hopeful spirit.
The Siegels were among more than 250 hostages taken in Gaza by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Keith was held captive by the terror organization for 451 days, Aviva 51.
In the Blue Room of the White House, they explained how the first lady had forged a relationship with Aviva prior to Keith’s release. And the role of second-term Republican President Donald Trump in securing the release of Keith shortly after taking office.
Keith, marking a year of freedom on Sunday, told reporters gathered he has committed himself to partnering with Israel and an Israeli humanitarian organization “to help restore hope for others.”
He added that giving back is a vital part of his “recovery and rehabilitation.” He and Aviva recently went to Kenya, where an Israeli humanitarian group is providing clean water, sanitation, hygiene and education to refugees in the African nation.
“The work of Israel has inspired me and given me a new sense of person, of purpose,” Keith said. “What a remarkable and amazing accomplishment, bringing all of the hostages home and we have a mission ahead of us to help others that are struggling, and this is our new mission in life. This is the road we are on. This is our journey.”
Melania Trump credited her meeting with Aviva as being behind his eventual release, eventually leading to the president’s commitment to bring every hostage home dead or alive, within the first year of his presidency.
“That first meeting with Aviva Siegel served as a catalyst to the events leading up to Keith’s freedom,” said the first lady. “It was clear that day in New York City that Aviva Siegel’s human spirit would move mountains to rescue her husband.”
Aviva told the first lady that she left their meeting with hope, knowing the president would hear their personal story.
“When we met, before we came home, you gave me so much hope, and I could feel your heart with me, and I knew how important it was for you to go back home and talk to President Trump and share your feelings,” Aviva told the first lady.
During the first meeting, Aviva presented Trump with a handmade book about her husband and the events of Oct. 7, which she ultimately dedicated to her grandchildren.
Keith Seigel was one of 12 Americans captured on Oct. 7. The last surviving American hostage, Edan Alexander from New Jersey, was released May 12, 2024, after being held captive for 584 days.
U.S. regulator licenses deepwater port in Gulf for oil exports
Texas GulfLink has received a license to build and operate a deepwater port in the Gulf of America, marking the first such approval in the Trump administration’s effort to speed a process that has moved slowly for decades.In January, federal licensing of offshore deepwater port facilities shifted from the Coast Guard to the U.S. Maritime Administration, a change mandated in the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 intended to speed the approval of facilities that can accommodate the largest vessels transporting crude oil and natural gas.”The Texas GulfLink project is proof that when we slash unnecessary red tape and unleash our fossil fuel sector, we create jobs at home and stability abroad. This critical deepwater port will allow the U.S. to export our abundant resources faster than ever before,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a news release.The port, which will be located approximately 27 nautical miles off the coast of Brazoria County, Texas, is designed to export up to 1 million barrels of crude oil per day.The approval follows a six-year review process that began in May 2019, when an application was submitted to the Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration.”To restore our maritime dominance, we must have the modern infrastructure capable of handling the demands of global trade,” said Maritime Administrator Capt. Stephen Carmel. “Texas GulfLink provides a critical offshore logistical asset that keeps our nearshore waterways safer and allows American energy to reach the global market with unprecedented speed and efficiency.”Texas GulfLink is designed to accommodate Very Large Crude Carriers, or VLCCs, thereby reducing vessel congestion near the coast. Loading these massive vessels offshore is faster, cheaper and more efficient than transferring cargo in nearshore waters.The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, or LOOP, is the only deepwater facility now operating in U.S. waters.The Sea Port Oil Terminal, or SPOT, which would be located off the Texas coast, received a federal license in April 2024 but has not yet begun construction.
Read MoreSupreme Court declines challenge to California’s congressional map
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to California’s redistricting bid that would add more Democrat-majority districts in the state.
In November, California voters approved Proposition 50, a ballot measure that allowed mid-decade congressional redistricting. The measure was proposed by the Democrat-led General Assembly to add as many as five congressional districts in favor of Democrats.
The California Legislature took up the effort after legislators in Texas redrew congressional maps to add as many as five districts in favor of Republicans. However, lawyers for the Trump administration urged justices on the Supreme Court to strike down California’s map.
The lawyers argued Prop. 50, the California ballot measure to approve the new congressional district lines, made distinctions on race and should be classified as racial gerrymandering. Prop. 50 passed with nearly 65% of the vote in the Nov. 4 general election.
“An injunction effectively requiring California to return to its earlier map would be less disruptive to the State’s election apparatus than allowing the Prop 50 map to go into effect,” the lawyers wrote.
“Under the proposed lines, Democrats could gain up to 5 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives,” California Democrats wrote. “With a majority in the House, Democrats can fight back against Trump and Republicans’ MAGA agenda.”
Tillis probes ICE practices after calling Noem a ‘sycophant’
A Republican Senator wants answers about reports of U.S. citizens being detained as part of President Donald Trump’s widespread immigration enforcement campaign.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem seeking answers about U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement operations around the country, including in Minneapolis.
The letter seeks records of every ICE interaction in the field, including those involving U.S. citizens. Tillis said he wants those records by March 2, the day before Noem is set to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Tillis praised Trump’s border efforts but criticized other enforcement operations as less successful.
“Recent operations raise serious questions that require direct oversight,” Tillis wrote in the letter.
He said these concerns include Operation Charlotte’s Web in North Carolina.
“Multiple public reports allege that U.S. citizens were detained, subject to force, and experienced damage to personal property,” Tillis wrote. “I seek clarification as to whether these reports are merely disingenuous accounts from partisans who do not share our commitment to a secure border, or if they reflect substantiated incidents.”
He raised similar concerns about Minneapolis but did not refer to the two high-profile shooting deaths of U.S. citizens.
“Similar concerns have since emerged in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where DHS enforcement actions reportedly involved U.S. citizens, use of force, reliance on administrative warrants, and unclear predication for initial engagements,” he wrote.
Tillis also asked Noem how many people were apprehended and released in Operation Charlotte’s Web, including their criminal histories.
Tillis will retire at the end of his term. He has strongly criticized Noem and White House aide Stephen Miller, calling both “sycophants.”
The letter comes as the White House withdraws some troops from Minnesota. White House Border Czar Tom Homan said Wednesday that 700 federal agents assisting immigration enforcement in Minnesota will return home.
GOP lawmakers urge Thune to tweak filibuster rules to pass voter ID bill
Dozens of Republicans are demanding that the U.S. Senate take up House-passed legislation implementing election security reforms – and they’re willing to restructure filibuster rules to ensure it succeeds.
The SAVE Act passed the lower chamber with slim bipartisan support last April. The bill would require Americans to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote, necessitate in-person voter registration for federal elections, and require states to remove all noncitizens from their voter rolls.
Yet after 300 days, the Senate Rules Committee has still made no move to bring it to the floor. More than 30 House Republicans, led by Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, sent a scathing letter to committee Chairman Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., demanding action.
Forty-eight Republican senators have cosponsored the legislation, and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, says he received commitments from 50 senators to vote for it. But with Senate Democrats pronouncing the bill “dead on arrival” if it reaches the floor, GOP lawmakers are once again debating whether to change the Senate’s 60-vote threshold.
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has stated on social media that “the historical norm” required senators who wish to filibuster a bill to speak on the floor.
He condemned the current 60-vote threshold requirement, where senators use cloture as the only method of advancing most legislation.
“Cloture—which allows for a supermajority of senators to end the talking filibuster—first became available in 1917, but still wasn’t used routinely,” Lee argued. “The Zombie Filibuster—in which senators could have the benefit of ongoing debate without actually speaking—has now become the norm[.]”
Despite pressure from Lee and others, Senate Majority John Thune, R-S.D., has remained noncommittal on the issue. He told reporters Tuesday that leaders will “talk about that idea and determine how they want to proceed.”
“We will vote on the SAVE Act — but a talking filibuster has ramifications everybody needs to be aware of,” Thune added. “That would tie the floor up, with unlimited debate and amendments.”
If filibuster rules are not changed, the SAVE Act will almost certainly fail the Senate, where Republicans have up to 53 votes.
Democrats have called the legislation an act of voter suppression, saying that federal law already prohibits noncitizens from voting and the SAVE Act will simply make it harder for veterans, the disabled, minorities, and women who change their last names to register to vote.
Under the legislation, people would not be able to register to vote with only their drivers license, since noncitizens can obtain that. They must instead present documents proving U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate or U.S. passport.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and other Republicans say the requirements are “eminently reasonable.”
“Common sense requirements to prove your eligibility to vote in federal elections are not ‘Jim Crow 2.0.,” Graham said on social media Wednesday. “Every time we try to bring rationality to the debate around illegal immigration, the Democrats let the radical, left-wing nut jobs take over for them – but they won’t for us.”