Shutdown

The month of October 2025 began with a government shutdown, caused by Republicans refusing to negotiate with Democrats to extend enhanced health insurance subsidies and exacerbated by the Trump administration’s usurpation of congressional appropriations. Within the first 72 hours of the shutdown, Project 2025 architect Russ Vought cut tens of billions of dollars of funding for blue state projects, including $18 billion for two infrastructure projects in New York City, $8 billion for clean energy projects across the country, and $2.1 billion for the Chicago transit system.

President Trump himself recognized that many of the programs and projects unilaterally cut by Vought were approved by bipartisan acts of Congress, admitting that his administration is unconstitutionally impounding funds: “We’re getting rid of problems that we didn’t like, but that were negotiated in, but we didn’t like. We’re terminating those programs. And they’re gonna be terminated on a permanent basis.”

Instead of working to end the impasse and alleviate the suffering of the hundreds of thousands of federal employees either furloughed or working without pay, Trump has been busy doing his best imitation of tyrannical English king, Charles I.

Oct. 11: Trump illegally directed the Pentagon to raid Defense Dept. research funding in order to pay military members during the shutdown.

Oct. 15: Trump approved $40 billion in “aid” to Argentina to help ally President Javier Milei win re-election.

Oct. 18: The Department of Homeland Security revealed that the Coast Guard is spending $172 million to buy Secretary Kristi Noem two private jets.

Oct. 20: Trump demolished the entire East Wing of the White House to build a $300 million ballroom (funded by corporations and ultra-wealthy donors), without the approval of Congress or relevant oversight organizations. He then fired all sitting members on the Commission on Fine Arts, an independent agency expected to review his construction projects.

Oct. 24: The Pentagon accepted a $130 million donation from an anonymous Trump donor (later revealed to be billionaire Timothy Mellon) in order to pay troops.

Oct. 29: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) backtracked on its earlier promise to use contingency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running during the shutdown, as intended by Congress. Two judges later ruled that the contingency funds must be dispersed; the administration says doing so will take weeks and only result in partial benefits for recipients.

Oct. 31: The Pentagon announced it will be pulling funds from three different accounts to pay active-duty military members their second paycheck during the shutdown.

Oct. 31: Trump posted pictures of his full marble renovation of the Lincoln Bathroom and, later that day, held a Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago.

Nov. 1: SNAP benefits lapsed.

Nov. 4: Trump posted on social media that, contrary to what the USDA told two federal judges, his administration will not be complying with court orders to fund SNAP during the shutdown.

Unlike the millions of people going without food benefits, and the countless federal workers going without pay, Trump has moved around money Congress never appropriated in order to pay federal employees with guns. In addition to the military, ICE and the various agencies assigned to assist them in Trump’s mass deportation scheme have not missed a single paycheck. Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, meanwhile, seems perfectly fine abdicating his responsibility by keeping the chamber out of session in order to avoid a costly political vote on releasing the Epstein files.

“I’m the speaker and the president,” Mr. Trump has joked, according to two people who heard the remark and relayed it on the condition of anonymity because of concern about sharing private conversations with him.

Immigration

Surveillance

Oct. 3: “ICE Wants to Build Out a 24/7 Social Media Surveillance Team: Documents show that ICE plans to hire dozens of contractors to scan X, Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms to target people for deportation,” Wired

Oct. 3: “Apple removes ICE tracking apps after Trump administration says they threaten officers,” CNN

Oct. 3: “Google Calls ICE Agents a Vulnerable Group, Removes ICE-Spotting App ‘Red Dot’,” 404 Media

Oct. 14: “Facebook suspends popular Chicago ICE-sightings group at Trump administration’s request,” Chicago Sun Times

Oct. 16: “ICE, Secret Service, Navy All Had Access to Flock’s Nationwide Network of Cameras,” 404 Media

Oct. 17: “ICE amps up its surveillance powers, targeting immigrants and antifa: Iris scanners, facial-recognition apps, phone-hacking software and cellphone location data are among the agency’s recent technological purchases,” WaPo

Oct. 24: “DHS Tries To Unmask Ice Spotting Instagram Account by Claiming It Imports Merchandise,” 404 Media

Oct. 28: “CBP Searched a Record Number of Phones at the US Border Over the Past Year,” Wired

Oct. 29: “ICE and CBP Agents Are Scanning Peoples’ Faces on the Street To Verify Citizenship,” 404 Media

Oct. 30: “Details of DHS Agreement Reveal Risks of Trump Administration’s Use of Social Security Data for Voter Citizenship Check,” ProPublica

Oct. 31: “You Can’t Refuse To Be Scanned by ICE’s Facial Recognition App, DHS Document Says: Photos captured by Mobile Fortify will be stored for 15 years, regardless of immigration or citizenship status, the document says,” 404 Media

Oct. 31: “DHS Wants States to Hand Over Driver’s License Data for Citizenship Checks,” ProPublica

Policy

Oct. 3: “Trump administration to offer undocumented minors $2,500 to voluntarily return home,” Texas Tribune

Oct. 3: “Trump Administration Taps Army Reserve and National Guard for Temporary Immigration Judges,” AP

Oct. 4: “Judge blocks Trump policy to detain migrant children turning 18 in adult facilities,” AP

Oct. 13: “ICE tickets Chicago man with legal residency $130 for not having his papers on him: ‘It’s not fair…I’m a resident’,” Chicago Tribune

Oct. 16: “We Found That More Than 170 U.S. Citizens Have Been Held by Immigration Agents. They’ve Been Kicked, Dragged and Detained for Days,” ProPublica

Oct. 21: “Trump put a new fee on asylum seekers. Many say they don’t know how to pay,” Politico

Oct. 21: “Cubans with criminal records in the U.S. are being quietly deported to Mexico,” Miami Herald

Oct. 22: “Some new ICE recruits have shown up to training without full vetting,” NBC

Oct. 22: “Homeland Security Won’t Stop Lying About Who Immigration Enforcers Are Arresting,” Reason

Oct. 22: “Pregnant women describe miscarrying and bleeding out while in ICE custody, advocates say,” NBC

Oct. 27: “Trump administration quietly purges ICE leaders in five cities,” Washington Examiner

• “Trump plans to install Border Patrol officials to lead a more aggressive migrant crackdown,” NBC

Oct. 30: “Trump sets 7,500 annual limit for refugees entering US. It’ll be mostly white South Africans,” AP

Oct. 30: “ICE Wants to Build a Shadow Deportation Network in Texas: A new ICE proposal outlines a 24/7 transport operation run by armed contractors—turning Texas into the logistical backbone of an industrialized deportation machine,” Wired

Oct. 30: “ICE violates its own policy by holding people in secretive rooms for days or weeks,” Guardian

Oct. 31: “ICE Plans Cash Rewards for Private Bounty Hunters to Locate and Track Immigrants,” Intercept

Other stories

• “Feds charge Kat Abughazaleh, other political candidates in indictment tied to Broadview protests,” Chicago Sun Times
• “37 people arrested and American kids separated from parents after ICE raid at Chicago apartments,” CNN
• “DHS, pressing to deport Kilmar Abrego Garcia, says Liberia has agreed to accept him,” ABC
• “Spanish-language journalist arrested while covering protest near Atlanta deported to El Salvador,” AP
• “Federal agents held him in a hospital for 37 days, at times shackled to his bed, without charging him,” LA Times
• “Ald. Jessie Fuentes handcuffed by ICE while asking agents for patient’s warrant at Humboldt Park hospital,” Chicago Sun Times
• “Teachers Scrambled After ICE Released Tear Gas Outside a Chicago Elementary School,” Intercept
• “Federal agents barrel into band at Portland ICE protest, arrest clarinetist, accuse her of assault,” OregonLive
• “13-Year-Old Boy Arrested by ICE in Massachusetts and Transferred Over 500 Miles From Family,” Reason
• “Deputy US marshal and man shot during Ice operation in Los Angeles,” (clarification: shot by ICE officer), Guardian
• “A DACA recipient objected to ICE’s detention of a community member. He’s now facing deportation,” CNN
• “A Federal Agent Shot at a Driver in D.C. An MPD Officer Was Told To Omit the Shooting from His Report,” Washington City Paper
• “Man deported to Laos despite US court order blocking his removal, attorneys say,” Guardian

Latin America

The U.S. military conducted 11 strikes in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean in October, killing at least 45 people who the Trump administration alleges were smuggling drugs. They have provided no evidence of any crime, and, even if guilt were established, are still committing murder and war crimes by killing civilians.

Oct. 2: “Trump Declares He Can Wage Secret Wars Against Anyone He Calls an Enemy,” Intercept

...the notice from the Department of War to the Congress committees marks a fundamental change in official policy, which states that Trump has unilaterally “determined” that cartels are “nonstate armed groups” whose transport of drugs constitutes “an armed attack against the United States.”

Oct. 2: “Venezuela says it detected 5 US ‘combat planes’ flying 75km from its coast, calls it a ‘provocation’,” CNN

Oct. 8: “US strike in Caribbean may have killed Colombian citizens, president says,” AP

• CNN: “The boat was suspected of carrying Colombians affiliated with Colombian terrorist organizations, the sources said, but the Pentagon was unable to determine the individual identities of each person on the boats before they struck them.”

Oct. 15: “Trump Administration Authorizes Covert C.I.A. Action in Venezuela,” NYT

Oct. 16: “US Navy commander overseeing Venezuelan boat strikes steps down,” Navy Times

Oct. 19: “US returning Caribbean strike survivors to Colombia and Ecuador, Trump says,” Reuters

• “Ecuador releases survivor of US strike on alleged drug-trafficking submarine,” Guardian

**Oct. 24: “Pentagon deploys top aircraft carrier as Trump militarisation of Caribbean ratchets up,” Guardian

Oct. 24: “US imposes sanctions on Colombia’s president and family members over drug trade allegations,” AP

Oct. 28: “US military officials required to sign NDAs tied to Latin America mission, sources say,” Reuters

Oct. 29: “Trump administration cuts Democrats out of a briefing on US military strikes, top Senate Dem says,” CNN

Oct. 31: “U.S. poised to strike military targets in Venezuela in escalation against Maduro regime,” Miami Times

Oct. 31: “As U.S. ramps up pressure, Venezuela pleads with Moscow and Beijing for help: Documents show Maduro drafted letter asking Russia for missiles, radars and upgraded aircraft as U.S. forces amass in the Caribbean,” WaPo

Department of Justice

Oct. 2: “US scraps Justice Department task force that took on cartels, documents show,” Reuters

Oct. 4: “Fired national security prosecutor warns colleagues in note on way out,” Guardian

Oct. 8: “Comey pleads not guilty in case his lawyers say is politically motivated,” PBS

Oct. 16: “Ex-Trump national security adviser Bolton charged with storing and sharing classified information,” AP

Oct. 17: “Lindsey Halligan fires more prosecutors in key US attorney’s office,” CNN

Oct. 20: “Trump admin. fires 2 prosecutors who opposed charges against N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James, source says,” CBS

Oct. 20: “James Comey asks judge to toss criminal case, says Trump-picked prosecutor Lindsey Halligan was appointed unlawfully,” CNBC

Oct. 23: “Evidence appears to undercut claims against Letitia James, prosecutors found: Sources,” ABC

Oct. 28: “Trump-appointed acting US attorney disqualified from cases for ‘unlawfully serving’, rules judge,” Guardian

Oct. 29: “2 U.S. prosecutors suspended after describing Jan. 6 attack as carried out by ‘mob’,” WaPo

Societal control

Universities

“Trump Administration Asks Colleges to Sign ‘Compact’ to Get Funding Preference,” NYT

• Op-ed: “Trump’s ‘Compact’ With Universities Is Just Extortion,” NYT

“University of Virginia agrees to Trump administration demands over admissions and hiring,” Guardian

“7 universities reject White House funding deal with attached demands. Other schools have yet to respond,” CNN

Media

“Bari Weiss is the new editor-in-chief of CBS News after Paramount buys her website,” AP

“CBS News staffers lose jobs in ‘bloodbath’ as part of sweeping cuts from Paramount,” Guardian

“David Ellison may have a ‘Trump card’ — literally — in Warner Bros. Discovery pursuit,” CNN

“NBC News’ 150 Layoffs Gut Black, Latino, Asian American and LGBTQ+ Diversity Teams,” The Wrap

Law firms

“Three US law firms sidestep lawmakers’ queries on Trump-related deals,” Reuters

“Nation’s biggest law firms back off from challenging Trump policies,” WaPo

The American Bar Association, which joined or filed four lawsuits against the Trump administration, “has experienced difficulty finding previously willing law firms to represent it,” its attorneys wrote in court papers. In one case, the organization said, it was unable to join a lawsuit challenging the administration because it could not get attorneys in time.

Miscellaneous

“Trump pardons convicted founder of crypto exchange Binance,” NBC

• “’No idea who he is,’ says Trump after pardoning crypto tycoon,” BBC

“RFK Jr fires top NIH scientist weeks after she files whistleblower complaint,” Guardian

“Threat to US vaccines as CDC staff supporting key advisory panel laid off,” Guardian

“The CDC Buried a Measles Forecast That Stressed the Need for Vaccinations,” ProPublica

“Trump Administration Plans Deep Cuts to Social Security Disability Insurance, Particularly for Older Workers,” Center for Budget and Policy Priorities

• “Red State Workers Could Lose Out on Disability Benefits as Trump Administration Rewrites Eligibility Rules,” ProPublica

“US archivist ousted after refusing to let Trump give Eisenhower’s sword to King Charles,” Guardian

“Lack of weather data due to Trump’s budget cuts impacted forecast for deadly Alaska storm,” CNN

“FCC Republicans force prisoners and families to pay more for phone calls,” Ars Technica

“Trump Administration Cuts Cyberdefense Even as Threats Grow,” NYT

“Leaked documents detail Trump’s plans to open East and West coasts to offshore oil drilling,” Houston Chronicle

“Trump Opens Pristine Alaska Wilderness to Drilling in Long-Running Feud,” NYT