GovBrief Today header

What Happened Today – April 11, 2026

The majority of voting Americans believed Donald Trump when he said he would only deport criminals.

Two Venezuelan doctors in South Texas have been jailed this week despite having valid permits and active cases. Two international students whose only offenses were writing a campus editorial and attending a protest were jailed, then freed by immigration judges who have now been fired for their rulings.

They join tens of thousands of people in custody tonight who are not the criminals this country was told would be removed. Call your representatives through Resistbot and 5 Calls and demand congressional oversight of immigration court firings. When the punishment for ruling against this administration is losing your job, judges are employees.

We’ve emailed 6,900+ stories over 436 straight nights. The algorithm doesn’t always show them to you. Subscribe now at govbrief.today

#GovBriefToday #Resist

🟑 GovBrief Intensity Score 91
Typical range for this administration.
Volume: Low (7)
Severity: Moderate (2.14)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🟠124|🟠116|🟑88|🟒68|🚨182
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
You can’t send the two real estate developers to negotiate a peace with another region.
Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) on April 11, 2026, criticizing the continued use of Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as Trump's diplomatic envoys
Yesterday's Most Read

Federal grand jury subpoenas Reddit to unmask anonymous user who criticized ICE online after the agency's earlier court attempt to identify them failed.

Today’s GovBrief News


War 1 of 7

Vance leaves Pakistan after 21-hour face-to-face talks with Iran collapse over Tehran's refusal to abandon nuclear weapons.

Lebanon death toll surpasses 2,000

Source: The Associated Press

April 11, 2026

Military 2 of 7

FAA reverses course and approves military use of high-energy anti-drone lasers in U.S. airspace, two months after shutting down border flights over safety concerns.

Tested at White Sands last month

Source: The New York Times

April 11, 2026

Criminal Justice 3 of 7

Manhattan DA opens investigation into Rep. Swalwell's alleged sexual assault of a former staffer at a New York City hotel in 2024.

Source: WNBC New York

April 11, 2026

Social Security 4 of 7

Social Security Administration appeals arbitrator's order to restore telework, sending the case to a labor board with a majority of Trump appointees.

https://go.govbrief.today/ssa-telework-appeal

Source: Federal News Network

April 11, 2026

Immigration 5 of 7

ICE detains second Venezuelan doctor in South Texas in a week, separating an ER physician with a valid work permit from her 5-year-old U.S. citizen daughter.

Federally designated underserved medical area

Source: The New York Times [gift link]

April 11, 2026

Immigration 6 of 7

Trump administration fires two immigration judges who blocked deportations of pro-Palestinian students Rumeysa Ozturk and Mohsen Mahdawi.

Most recent of 100 immigration judges fired

Source: The New York Times [gift link]

April 11, 2026

Oversight 7 of 7

Appeals court allows White House ballroom construction to continue until Thursday, ordering lower court to examine Trump's national security claims.

3 judge panel made ruling

Source: UPI

April 11, 2026

Share this brief:

Get the daily brief in your inbox

Subscribe Free