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What Happened Today – February 8, 2026

Democrats have five days to negotiate ICE reforms before the only leverage they have disappears until fall.

The Fifth Circuit ruled 2-1 that anyone who entered the country without going through a port of entry can be held without a bond hearing for the duration of their case, overruling more than 350 federal judges who had already ruled that they couldn’t. That’s the law for now in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

The ruling came down hours after tuberculosis was confirmed in a Fort Bliss tent city where a detainee’s homicide had been covered up as “medical distress.” Maryland’s governor had already mobilized his AG over a $102 million detention warehouse not zoned for human habitation, and a congresswoman flew to Dilley to physically walk an Oregon family out of a facility where ICE sent them after grabbing their 7-year-old at an emergency room.

People are pushing back where they can. The courts will eventually rule again. But the gap between what Americans want and what two judges just allowed Trump’s DHS to do to millions of people has never been wider.

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🟢 GovBrief Intensity Score 48
Quiet Day. Weekend and holiday level.
Volume: Low (6)
Severity: Low (1.33)
Defining Moments: 0
Previous 5 Days
🔴133|🚨208|🟠128|🚨168|🟠112
100 = normal day. Volume is headline count. Stories weighted by significance. Defining Moments are the ones history remembers.
Today's Quote
Take the [measles] vaccine, please. We have a solution for our problem.
Medicare head Dr. Mehmet Oz speaking on CNN on February 8, 2026.
Yesterday's Most Read

Fifth Circuit rules Trump can hold immigrants arrested anywhere in the U.S. without bond hearings, reversing decades of detention policy in a 2-1 decision.

Today’s GovBrief News


Dissent 1 of 6

Trump calls Olympic skier Hunter Hess "a real Loser" after Hess said wearing the American flag doesn't mean he represents everything happening in the U.S.

3 Team USA athletes criticized administration

Source: Politico

February 8, 2026

Health 2 of 6

Medicare chief Oz urges Americans to get measles vaccine after U.S. hits 12 consecutive months of transmission, meeting criteria for losing disease elimination status.

95% of cases unvaccinated

Source: The Hill

February 8, 2026

Congress 3 of 6

Ghislaine Maxwell expected to invoke Fifth Amendment during closed-door House Oversight deposition Monday, as DOJ says it removed thousands of previously published files that may identify Epstein victims.

Clinton testimony end of month

Source: Spectrum News

February 8, 2026

Congress 4 of 6

Jeffries says Democrats have not heard back from White House or congressional Republicans on ICE reform demands as DHS funding deadline hits Friday.

ICE/CBP funded regardless via OBBBA

Source: CBS News

February 8, 2026

Propaganda 5 of 6

Trump calls Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance "an affront to the Greatness of America," criticizing the Puerto Rican singer's use of Spanish.

"Nobody understands a word this guy is saying"

Source: USA Today

February 8, 2026

Grift 6 of 6

Group organizing America's 250th birthday celebration offers access to Trump for $1 million donations, with speaking roles at July 4th events starting at $2.5 million.

$10 million top sponsorship tier

Source: The Independent

February 8, 2026

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