ICE Resistance is Working as Trump Support Wobbles
Friday, January 16, 2026
Welcome to The Instrum-Intel Daily, where we break down what you need to know, and why, using What? So What? Now What?.
Jump to Section:
Politics • The Trump Administration • Climate • AI & Tech • Culture • Education • What the Right is Reading • Etc.
Politics
Headline: Scott Ritter says he was 'de-banked' | Bignewsnetwork
What?
Scott Ritter, former US Marine intelligence officer and critic of US foreign policy, reported in January 2026 that Citizens Bank ended its relationship with him and zeroed out his accounts, a move he suspects was influenced by US federal authorities amid an ongoing investigation linked to allegations under the Foreign Agents Registration Act.
So What?
This case highlights how financial institutions, possibly pressured by federal law enforcement, can disrupt the economic rights of political critics, raising concerns about civil liberties and the weaponization of financial systems against dissenting voices.
Now What?
Watch for developments in legal actions or government disclosures related to the investigation of Ritter and similar "de-banking" cases, along with further analysis on the implications for political expression and financial freedom, such as coverage by civil rights organizations and media outlets tracking surveillance and targeted harassment .
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: NY Sanctions a Nonprofit Domestic Terrorist Organization | Darryllkjones
What?
The article discusses the author's argument against allowing tax exemption for nonprofit organizations that promote hate speech, specifically relating to a recent sanction by New York against a nonprofit identified as a domestic terrorist entity.
So What?
This raises critical implications for how the government handles tax policy related to hate groups, highlighting tensions between free speech protections and preventing state subsidies for harmful ideologies, which is key for progressive efforts to curtail organized hate.
Now What?
Future developments to watch include how legal interpretations of tax exemptions evolve concerning hate speech, alongside related policy debates and enforcement actions against nonprofits classified under domestic terrorism, with further context available through legal analyses of tax exemption and civil liberties like those by Eugene Volokh and studies on stochastic terrorism.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Eighteen House Ratings Shift Toward Democrats | Cook Political Report
What?
Cook Political Report shifted 18 House seats toward Democrats on January 15, 2026, due to Trump's approval and GOP candidate issues.
So What?
A potential Democratic House majority would act as a primary check on the Trump administration's power.
Now What?
Watch the generic ballot and upcoming redistricting battles for further map shifts.
Headline: Newsom Rejects Louisiana’s Bid to Extradite Healdsburg Doctor | Gov.CA.Gov
What?
Governor Newsom blocked Louisiana's request to extradite Dr. Remy Coeytaux for providing legal abortion medication.
So What?
Defending state shield laws is vital for protecting reproductive care against interstate legal overreach.
Now What?
Monitor for retaliatory arrest warrants and travel risks for healthcare providers.
Headline: Goldman Sachs Profit Rises on Dealmaking, Trading Strength | NYT
What?
Goldman Sachs profit rose to $4.38B in Q4 2025, benefiting from a pro-merger regulatory environment under Trump.
So What?
Corporate windfalls highlight the administration's economic priorities toward deregulation and large-scale M&A.
Now What?
Track the impact of proposed credit card interest rate caps on banking sector profits.
The Trump Administration
Headline: Trump faces internal concern as support for immigration policies falls amid ICE backlash | Axios
What?
In January 2026, President Trump's team reviewed private GOP polling showing declining support for his immigration enforcement tactics amid protests in Minnesota against ICE actions and internal debate about adjusting the approach.
So What?
This signals cracks within Trump's coalition due to aggressive immigration tactics that raise civil liberties concerns and create openings for progressive campaigners to mobilize moderate and minority voters opposed to militarized enforcement.
Now What?
Watch for potential shifts in Trump’s immigration strategy and growing public scrutiny of ICE enforcement tactics, alongside coverage of political fallout in the 2026 midterm elections; related context can be found in Axios's reporting on immigration enforcement and political polling trends.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
What?
Following the January 7, 2026, fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, federal ICE agents involved in "Operation Metro Surge" have been accused of detaining, threatening, and abusing legal observers and bystanders monitoring their immigration enforcement actions across Minnesota.
So What?
This escalation in federal agents’ aggressive tactics against legal observers raises urgent concerns about civil liberties, surveillance abuses, and unchecked power that progressive communicators and campaigners can highlight to demand accountability and protect First Amendment rights.
Now What?
Attention should be given to the outcome of the ongoing federal court case seeking to restrict ICE’s use of force in Minnesota and any further reports of federal overreach or retaliation against observers, with relevant context available from ACLU and National Press Photographers Association briefs on similar enforcement dynamics.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Mike Johnson Gaslighting on ICE Takes Truly Vile Turn | The New Republic
What?
House Speaker Mike Johnson blamed shooting victim Renee Good for her own death, claiming she was "taunting" and "impeding" ICE agents despite video evidence to the contrary.
So What?
This rhetorical shift attempts to justify federal violence against civilians and weaponize "patient" law enforcement narratives to silence dissent.
Now What?
Watch for the state of Minnesota to potentially bypass federal investigations and pursue independent prosecution of the shooter.
Headline: ELITE: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid | 404 Media
What?
A new investigative report reveals that ICE is using a Palantir-built application called "ELITE" to conduct "complete target analysis" of entire populations.
So What?
The use of high-tech surveillance to map neighborhoods for raids represents a massive expansion of the surveillance state and a direct threat to the privacy and safety of all residents.
Now What?
Monitor for proposed legislation aimed at reigning in ICE's facial recognition and tracking apps.
Headline: Trump’s Immigration Plan and Project 2025 | Times of San Diego
What?
The Trump administration is accelerating interior enforcement and mass removals as the new year begins, following a 2025 playbook established in California.
So What?
The expansion of warrantless stops and appearance-based profiling from rural towns to nationwide urban centers erodes the rule of law and Fourth Amendment protections.
Now What?
Watch for new legal battles over sanctuary laws and attempts to expand detention capacity in California and New York.
Headline: California and New York are Next | Wired
What?
States like California and New York are preparing for a massive escalation in federal immigration tactics following the violent precedents set in Minnesota.
So What?
The administration's focus on blue states signals a strategy of using federal personnel to override local authority and create political conflict in sanctuary cities.
Now What?
California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state is "ready for anything" as they assume Minnesota-style tactics could move west.
Headline: Miller Accuses Minnesota Officials of Insurgency | The Hill
What?
Stephen Miller and other top officials are framing local government opposition to ICE tactics as an illegal "insurgency" to justify the use of the Insurrection Act.
So What?
By labeling elected officials as "insurgents," the administration creates a pretext for military intervention and the subversion of the democratic order.
Now What?
Look for further executive orders that might expand the definition of "insurgency" to include peaceful non-cooperation by states.
Headline: DHS ICE White Nationalist Neo-Nazi | The Intercept
What?
Reports indicate a disturbing presence of white nationalist and neo-Nazi ideologies within the Department of Homeland Security and ICE, influencing the brutality of enforcement operations.
So What?
The infiltration of extremist ideologies into federal law enforcement undermines the rule of law and ensures that state violence is targeted with racial animus.
Now What?
Watch for further investigations into internal agency communications and the "Schedule F" purging of dissenters.
Headline: ‘ELITE’: The Palantir App ICE Uses to Find Neighborhoods to Raid | 404media
What?
Palantir developed a mapping tool called ELITE for ICE that identifies potential deportation targets by aggregating personal data and scoring address accuracy, used amid immigration enforcement operations in the U.S.
So What?
This technology intensifies surveillance and targeting by ICE, raising significant civil liberties concerns and illustrating how private tech companies amplify state power over vulnerable immigrant communities.
Now What?
Watch for further disclosures about ELITE’s impact on immigrant communities and legal challenges to ICE’s use of surveillance technology, with additional context available at 404 Media and related immigration justice reports.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: North Minneapolis Chases Out ICE | Crimethinc
What?
On the night of January 14, 2026, in north Minneapolis, community demonstrators confronted and expelled ICE agents following a shooting incident, forcing federal and local police to retreat amid tear gas and flashbang assaults.
So What?
This event highlights grassroots resistance reclaiming public space from militarized federal forces and underscores the complicity of local police in sustaining state violence, offering a critical moment for progressive organizers to strengthen opposition against immigration enforcement tactics and state repression.
Now What?
Watch for ongoing community mobilizations and local government responses in Minneapolis as well as broader campaigns addressing federal occupation and police collaboration, with relevant context available through coverage of the George Floyd uprising and ICE actions in the Twin Cities.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Renee Good was a casualty of Trump's order against 'political violence' | Reason
What?
In January 2026 in Minneapolis, ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Good during a traffic blockage, with federal officials labeling her a terrorist under policies stemming from Trump's National Security Presidential Memorandum on political violence.
So What?
This incident reveals how federal policies conflating protest and dissent with terrorism enable law enforcement to criminalize and violently suppress left-wing activism, raising urgent civil liberties and accountability concerns for progressive campaigners.
Now What?
Watch the FBI investigation's focus on Good's activism versus law enforcement justification, alongside potential escalations in domestic terrorism labels against nonviolent protesters, with context available through further analysis of NSPM-7 and DOJ directives like Attorney General Pam Bondi's memo.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
AI & Tech
Headline: Reprompt: AI's Dangerous Prompt Injection Attack | Varonis
What?
Varonis describes "Reprompt," a prompt injection technique where attackers embed malicious instructions in retrieved content to manipulate AI model outputs.
So What?
As AI assistants integrate with corporate data systems, prompt injection vulnerabilities create security risks for progressive organizations deploying AI tools.
Now What?
Watch for: Enterprise AI security guidance updates; incidents involving compromised AI systems; vendor responses to prompt injection threats. Further reading: Varonis.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Sahil Bloom's Vision AI Thread | X
What?
Entrepreneur Sahil Bloom shares a thread about vision AI capabilities and their implications for productivity.
So What?
Growing accessibility of vision AI tools raises questions about workplace surveillance, accessibility equity, and privacy in professional settings.
Now What?
Watch for: Enterprise vision AI deployments; labor organizing responses to AI-powered workplace monitoring; accessibility advocacy around vision AI tools. Further reading: X.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Meta's AI Glasses Mistake Desert Rock Formation for Aliens | Futurism
What?
Futurism reports Meta's AI-powered smart glasses misidentified natural desert formations as extraterrestrial phenomena in a demonstration.
So What?
The error highlights reliability concerns with AI vision systems being marketed for real-world navigation and information gathering, particularly for accessibility and safety applications.
Now What?
Watch for: Consumer protection responses to AI product marketing claims; documentation of AI vision system failures; updated guidance on AI-assisted navigation tools. Further reading: Futurism.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: OpenAI Reportedly Developing AI Earbud Wearable | TechRadar
What?
TechRadar reports leaked information suggests OpenAI is developing an earbud-style wearable device with integrated AI capabilities.
So What?
The expansion into consumer hardware accelerates AI integration into daily life, raising concerns about continuous data collection, accessibility equity, and the digital divide.
Now What?
Watch for: Official product announcements from OpenAI; privacy advocacy responses; labor implications for customer service and translation industries. Further reading: TechRadar.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: New York Tells Data Centers They Must Pay More for Power | Bloomberg
What?
Bloomberg reports New York regulators are requiring data centers to pay increased rates for electricity consumption amid growing demand from AI infrastructure.
So What?
The decision establishes precedent for pricing AI's environmental costs into infrastructure expenses, potentially slowing AI expansion while funding grid improvements.
Now What?
Watch for: Other states adopting similar utility rate structures; data center industry lobbying responses; impacts on AI company expansion plans. Further reading: Bloomberg.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Claude Code for Writers: Tips and Ideas | Platformer
What?
Platformer explores how writers are using Anthropic's Claude Code tool for content creation and editing workflows.
So What?
Writer adoption of AI coding tools signals shifting professional boundaries and raises questions about attribution, copyright, and the changing nature of editorial labor.
Now What?
Watch for: Journalism unions developing AI use policies; debates over AI disclosure in published work; impacts on freelance writing rates and assignments. Further reading: Platformer.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: AI Journalism Startup Symbolic AI Signs Deal with News Corp | TechCrunch
What?
TechCrunch reports Symbolic AI, an AI journalism startup, has signed a partnership with Rupert Murdoch's News Corp to provide AI-generated content.
So What?
The deal represents a major media conglomerate legitimizing AI-generated journalism, potentially accelerating newsroom job losses and concentrating media power with tech companies.
Now What?
Watch for: Other major publishers signing similar deals; journalism union responses; quality and accuracy issues with AI-generated news content. Further reading: TechCrunch.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Google Introduces TranslateGemma for Developers | Google Blog
What?
Google announces TranslateGemma, a new translation model for developers integrating AI-powered translation into applications.
So What?
Expanded AI translation tools create both accessibility opportunities and threats to professional translation jobs while raising questions about linguistic accuracy and cultural context.
Now What?
Watch for: Adoption rates in government and nonprofit services; translation worker organizing responses; documentation of translation errors with policy implications. Further reading: Google Blog.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Climate & Environment
Headline: Nuclear Reactors on the Moon: NASA and Dept. of Energy Take First Step with MOU | Lexology
What?
On January 13, 2026, NASA and the US Department of Energy signed a memorandum of understanding to develop and deploy a nuclear fission power system on the Moon by 2030 to support sustained lunar exploration and infrastructure.
So What?
This initiative shifts space power dynamics by enabling continuous energy independent of solar cycles, raising concerns about nuclear safety, environmental impact, and geopolitical control that progressive communicators must monitor and challenge to protect civil liberties and promote equitable space governance.
Now What?
Watch for updates on reactor design, safety protocols, Artemis mission involvement, and international treaty negotiations as the project advances toward 2030, with further context available from the December 2025 Executive Order on American Space Superiority and analyses of space nuclear policy frameworks.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
Headline: Trump Admin Redirects Carbon Capture Funds to Prop Up Old Coal Plants | E&E News
What?
The Energy Department is shifting $525 million in carbon capture funds to restart and maintain aging coal plants.
So What?
Using clean energy appropriations to subsidize fossil fuels bypasses congressional intent and accelerates environmental harm.
Now What?
Watch for lawsuits from lawmakers and activists challenging the repurposing of 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds.
Headline: The Trump Administration’s Rapid Implementation of Project 2025 on Public Lands | Western Priorities
What?
A new report shows Trump has implemented over 80% of Project 2025’s public lands goals in his first year back.
So What?
The rapid rollout of these policies proves the administration is following the Heritage Foundation's blueprint for privatization and deregulation.
Now What?
Monitor the ongoing exodus of career civil servants reclassified under Schedule F.
Headline: Environmental Groups Challenge Interior Department’s New NEPA Procedures | JD Supra
What?
NGOs are suing the Interior Department for scaling back public comment and environmental review requirements for natural resource projects.
So What?
Reducing transparency in federal permitting limits the right to protest and weakens the rule of law regarding environmental protection.
Now What?
Look for a court ruling in the Northern District of California that could vacate the new 'Interim Final Rule.'
Headline: Record Heat Rolls On: UN Confirms 2025 Among the Hottest Years Ever Recorded | FundsForNGOs
What?
The WMO confirmed 2025 ranked among the top three warmest years ever, with temperatures 1.44°C above pre-industrial levels.
So What?
The data highlights the extreme urgency of the climate crisis at a time when U.S. policy is actively retreating from international commitments.
Now What?
The State of the Global Climate 2025 report will be released in March with comprehensive data on ocean heat.
Culture & Media
Headline: Stars and Stripes Prepares for Move Under Pentagon Control | The Washington Post
What?
The Trump administration is moving the editorially independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes under the direct control of the Pentagon’s public affairs office.
So What?
The loss of editorial independence for military media erodes transparency within the armed forces and risks turning the outlet into an administration mouthpiece.
Now What?
Watch for legislative amendments to the next defense authorization bill to protect the paper's independence and staff departures.
Education
Headline: Fed Regulation of AI Is Virtually Nonexistent. Is This a Problem for Schools? | Education Week
What?
Education Week examines the absence of federal AI regulation and its implications for K-12 schools rapidly adopting AI tools without clear oversight frameworks.
So What?
The regulatory vacuum leaves schools exposed to privacy risks, algorithmic bias, and vendor accountability gaps while AI companies market directly to cash-strapped districts.
Now What?
Watch for: State-level AI regulation proposals; district AI adoption policies; student data privacy incidents; federal regulatory signals from the Department of Education. Further reading: Education Week.
Headline Haiku
Alternative Headline
What the Right is Reading
Headline: Trump Rolls Out ‘Great Healthcare Plan,’ Urges Congress to Slash Costs | WhiteHouse.gov
What?
President Trump introduced a healthcare plan on January 15, 2026, proposing direct payments to citizens and "most-favored-nation" drug pricing.
So What?
Sending subsidies directly to patients instead of insurers could dismantle the ACA's infrastructure and further centralize executive power.
Now What?
Watch for Congressional GOP reactions as the January 30 government shutdown deadline approaches.
Headline: Trump Nemesis Leads Multi-State Challenge to Gender Order | The Daily Signal
What?
NY AG Letitia James and 11 other states sued the Trump administration on January 14, 2026, to block an order tying federal funds to binary sex definitions.
So What?
The case tests whether the administration can use federal grant conditions to force states to abandon LGBTQ+ protections.
Now What?
Look for a ruling from the Rhode Island district court on a preliminary injunction.
Headline: NY Sanctions a Nonprofit: Domestic Terrorism or Political Suppression? | Substack
What?
New York is investigating a nonprofit's tax status under domestic terrorism grounds, following a trend of using 501(c)(3) revocations as a political tool.
So What?
Using anti-terrorism laws to target civil society organizations poses an existential threat to the right to protest and organize.
Now What?
Monitor for similar "terrorist-supporting" designations being applied to climate and land-use NGOs.
