Cato Institute

52 House Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, urged President Donald Trump to let the Jones Act waiver expire, arguing it creates a loophole for adversarial countries. The waiver, which allows foreign ships to transport goods between U.S. ports, has facilitated over 136 voyages since March 2024, reducing fuel costs and improving supply chains, particularly for gasoline and propane. Analysis shows no significant threat to U.S. maritime dominance, with only one Chinese-flagged vessel among the voyages.

The US, Canada, and Mexico are beginning negotiations to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a trade pact that replaced NAFTA in 2020. The process faces challenges as the US pushes demands that could disrupt North American auto supply chains and raise car prices, while President Trump threatens to withdraw from the agreement. The pact requires renewal every six years, with a deadline of July 1, but no immediate resolution is expected.

The US, Canada, and Mexico have begun negotiations to renew the USMCA trade pact, facing challenges including US demands that could disrupt supply chains and raise car prices. President Trump has threatened to withdraw from the agreement, adding tension to the process.

The US, Canada, and Mexico are beginning complex negotiations to renew the USMCA trade pact, which replaced NAFTA in 2020. The process faces challenges as the US seeks changes that could disrupt supply chains and raise car prices, while President Donald Trump threatens to withdraw from the agreement. The pact, requiring renewal every six years, is unlikely to be extended unchanged beyond the July 1 deadline.

The Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that states can count mail ballots postmarked by Election Day even if they arrive later, rejecting a Republican-led challenge. Justice Amy Coney Barrett authored the majority opinion, while President Donald Trump criticized the decision and reiterated calls for the SAVE America Act. The ruling preserves current ballot rules ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Claire Valdez, the Democratic nominee for New York's 7th Congressional District, faces backlash for past remarks calling to abolish TSA PreCheck and nationalize the airline industry, which resurfaced after her primary victory. Critics including Marc Molinaro and Tré Easton mocked her proposals, while Valdez defended them as responses to airline profits and weak consumer protections.

The Supreme Court's decision in Mullin v Doe enables the Trump administration to deport hundreds of thousands of temporary refugees from Haiti and Syria. Critics argue that temporary protected status allows refugees to live and work in the U.S. without fully assimilating, causing strain on local resources and communities. The article highlights tensions between immigrant integration and refugee resettlement impacts, particularly in towns like Springfield, Ohio.

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposes expanding state aid to over 1 in 4 Covered California enrollees to offset rising health insurance costs after federal subsidies expired. California faces a $2.5 billion funding gap, while other states like New Mexico, Massachusetts, and New Jersey also use state funds to maintain Affordable Care Act affordability. Critics argue subsidies drive healthcare costs higher.

President Trump signed an executive order establishing a voluntary framework for the federal government to vet advanced AI systems for national security risks before public release, with a 30-day review period. The order follows Trump's earlier cancellation of a ceremony due to concerns about potential impacts on America's technological leadership.

President Trump signed an executive order establishing a voluntary framework for the federal government to review national security risks of advanced AI systems before public release. The order allows a 30-day evaluation period for AI models developed by companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google, with participation by developers being optional.

The Trump administration introduced a policy requiring most green card applicants to initiate the process overseas unless under 'extraordinary' circumstances, causing uncertainty for industries reliant on nonimmigrant visas like H-1B and L-1 holders. While USCIS claims the policy targets fraud and won't affect law-abiding skilled workers, immigration lawyers argue the memo explicitly applies to H-1B and L-1 visa holders, prompting expected legal challenges.

The Trump administration faces limited options to address inflation fueled by tariffs and the Iran war, with consumer sentiment at record lows and political resistance hindering potential solutions. Experts suggest marginal measures like rolling back certain tariffs or waiving the Jones Act, but these face backlash and minimal impact.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has nearly ceased granting green cards, signaling a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy. The change, reported by the Cato Institute, reflects broader administrative priorities and could impact lawful permanent residency pathways.

A House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing discussed immigration and deportation policies, with testimony from Cato Institute expert David Bier, who argued against mass deportation. Senator Mike Lee countered that 20% of Fairfax residents being illegal immigrants justifies increased deportation efforts. The debate centered on the potential harm to Americans and communities.

A House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing examined allegedly lax prosecutions by Fairfax County prosecutor Stephen Descano involving illegal immigrants, prompting Senator Mike Lee to demand increased deportations. David Bier, a policy analyst at the Cato Institute, argued that mass deportation would harm Americans and is impractical. The debate highlights the ongoing controversy over immigration policies in the US.

A recent POLITICO Poll reveals sharp differences in Republican and Democratic fears about election integrity, with many Americans distrustful of the system heading into November. More than one-third say it is likely the 2026 midterms will be stolen, and one in four say they don’t expect the elections to be fair. The poll highlights disagreements between Democrats and Republicans on core problems with U.S. elections.

The FBI increased its immigration-related workforce by 23 times in the first nine months of Trump's second term, from 279 to over 6,500 personnel. Experts criticize the redirection as diverting resources from criminal investigations to civil immigration enforcement under Director Kash Patel.

President Trump's administration has sharply reduced legal immigration despite his past rhetoric supporting it, cutting legal immigration twice as much as illegal immigration. Policies include slashing refugee admissions from 125,000 to 7,500, ending asylum opportunities, and banning visas for over 90 nationalities, disproportionately affecting families and workers.

Spirit Airlines is in advanced talks with the Trump administration for a potential $500 million government loan, which could give the U.S. government up to 90% ownership. The move has sparked debate over economic interventionism and parallels to past bailouts, with critics arguing it creates unfair competition and supporters emphasizing job preservation.

The Supreme Court is set to rule on the legality of geofence warrants, which allow law enforcement to obtain bulk digital data from device users in a specific time and location. The case, Chatrie v. United States, centers on whether these warrants violate the Fourth Amendment, with privacy advocates and civil liberties groups supporting the petitioner against the government's argument.

President Trump is considering extending a waiver on the Jones Act to ease oil shipping costs amid rising fuel prices from the Iran war. The 60-day waiver, issued on March 18, allowed 40 foreign-flagged tankers to transport 9 million barrels of oil between U.S. ports, reducing costs, particularly in Alaska. However, the policy faces opposition from protectionists who argue it harms U.S. shipping industries, while libertarians criticize it as a burdensome law.

President Trump claimed the Trump administration's southern border management is the best in U.S. history, citing a 99.9% decline in legal immigration. The Cato Institute, a libertarian think tank, is disputing this assertion, pushing back against Trump's interpretation of its immigration data.