In Washington, there are safe picks, and then there are statements. The nomination of Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security definitely falls into the latter category. On paper, it’s the kind of move that makes half the room cheer and the other half reach for antacids. Supporters see a tough, no-nonsense outsider…
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: A Fix for Housing… or a Detour to Nowhere?
Housing policy is one of those issues everyone agrees is broken, but the moment someone proposes a fix, half the room suddenly decides the cure is worse than the disease. Enter the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a Trump-backed proposal that just cleared the Senate but is already running into skepticism from House Republicans.…
To Mask or Not to Mask: Should ICE Agents Hide Their Faces?
Every so often a political controversy pops up that sounds oddly specific but actually points to a much bigger question about power, accountability, and public trust. The latest example revolves around a surprisingly simple issue: Should ICE agents be allowed to wear masks during enforcement operations? On its face, the question might sound trivial. After…
The 2020 Election Zombie
American politics has always had a tendency to hold grudges, but the lingering battle over the 2020 election might be one of the most stubborn political aftershocks in modern history. Most elections fade into the background once the ballots are counted, the lawsuits are resolved, and the next cycle begins. The 2020 election, however, has…
Trump’s “Shield of the Americas”: Bold Strategy or Just Another War on Drugs?
Every few decades, Washington rediscovers something that most Americans already know: drug cartels are violent, wealthy, and deeply embedded in international networks that are extremely difficult to dismantle. The rediscovery is usually followed by a familiar sequence of events: stern speeches, bold promises, and a new policy initiative with a name designed to sound decisive.…
Should the DOJ Be Suing New Jersey?
The Department of Justice has decided to sue the State of New Jersey over Executive Order No. 12, signed by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. The order restricts when and how federal immigration officers can access nonpublic state property—like state-run facilities—unless they have a judicial warrant. Now, should the DOJ sue? Legally speaking, it absolutely can. Immigration…
SCOTUS Draws a Hard Line on Tariffs
The Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down President Trump’s sweeping emergency tariff program wasn’t some vague procedural technicality. It was a direct constitutional confrontation over who has the authority to impose tariffs and how far a president can stretch an emergency statute to achieve economic policy goals. In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, the Court…
Bond Hearings, Borders, and Biblical Justice
The recent federal court ruling requiring bond hearings for many detained migrants has added even more fuel to the immigration debate. A federal judge pushed back on a broad executive interpretation that effectively denied bond to wide categories of migrants, ruling that many are entitled to individualized bond hearings before an immigration judge. In plain…
Why Is the DOJ Tracking Lawmakers’ Epstein File Searches?
The latest eyebrow-raising twist in the Epstein saga isn’t just about what’s buried inside the files. It’s about reports that the Department of Justice has been tracking lawmakers’ searches of those very records, monitoring who’s looking, and possibly what they’re looking for. Let that sink in. Members of Congress—people with oversight authority over federal agencies—access…
When Politics Meets the Chain of Command
There are political skirmishes that flare up, dominate a news cycle, and disappear. Then there are moments that quietly test the structural integrity of the republic. This controversy falls into the second category. Last fall, six Democratic lawmakers appeared in a video urging U.S. service members to refuse illegal orders. That message, resurfacing in today’s…
The Independent Christian Conservative 