U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) faced an unprecedented surge in violence and hostility over the past year, a trend that culminated in a volatile demonstration at Foley Square in Manhattan on Thursday night, where leftist activists chanted slogans such as “Save a life, kill an ICE,” and “Kristi Noem will hang.” Following the shooting death of anti-ICE protester Renee Good in Minneapolis, leftists have protested against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in various cities. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has directly linked this environment of animosity to the rhetoric of “sanctuary politicians” and certain media narratives. According to DHS data, assaults against ICE agents skyrocketed by more than 1,300% during the first year of the second Trump administration. Between January 20 and December 31, 2025, physical assaults rose from 19 in the previous year to 275. The violence has taken many forms, including a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks, with 66 recorded incidents of suspects using cars as weapons. Death threats against agents saw a staggering 8,000% increase. Specific acts of violence reported by DHS include a sniper opening fire on a Dallas ICE facility — killing two detainees — and a gang member ramming a law enforcement vehicle into a tree. In other instances, agents were hammered in the face, bitten, or targeted with Molotov cocktails. “This unprecedented increase in violence against law enforcement is a direct result of sanctuary politicians and the media creating an environment that demonizes our law enforcement and encourages rampant assaults against them. Dangerous criminals – whether they be illegal aliens or U.S. citizens – are assaulting law enforcement and turning their vehicles into weapons to attack law enforcement,” Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin stated. “Still, the brave men and women of DHS will not be deterred and will continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Anyone who attacks law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Some examples of incendiary rhetoric have included Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz calling ICE law enforcement the “modern-day Gestapo,” Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey calling for ICE to “get the f*** out of Minneapolis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) calling for people to “fight” President Trump’s agenda “in the streets,” Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker claiming the United States is “essentially” becoming Nazi Germany, and Boston Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu compared mask-wearing ICE agents to a Neo-Nazi group.

American forces seized another sanctioned oil tanker early Friday morning that had departed Venezuela after dodging a United States blockade, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said. The Coast Guard boarded the Motor Tanker Olina without incident and took control of the vessel, which was believed to be carrying embargoed oil.  “The world’s criminals are on notice,” Noem said, sharing a video of the operation on X. “Early this morning, the [Coast Guard] executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed Venezuela attempting to evade U.S. forces.” The world’s criminals are on notice. Early this morning, the @USCG executed a boarding and seizure of the Motor Tanker Olina in international waters east of the Caribbean Sea. As another “ghost fleet” tanker ship suspected of carrying embargoed oil, this vessel had departed… pic.twitter.com/vvS3u3nrvl — Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 9, 2026 The operation was a joint effort between the State Department, War Department, and the Department of Homeland Security. Earlier this week, the Coast Guard seized two other sanctioned oil tankers.  “The ghost fleets will not outrun justice. They will not hide under false claims of nationality,” Noem said. “The Coast Guard will seize sanctioned oil tankers, enforce U.S. and international law, and eliminate these funding streams for illicit activity including narco-terrorism.” The ship, which was sanctioned for carrying Russian oil, was previously known as the Minerva M. U.S. Southern Command also posted footage of the seizure, noting that Marines and sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear were involved in the operation. The troops were launched from the USS Gerald R. Ford, Southern Command said.  “The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,” Southcom said.    Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.” In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS… pic.twitter.com/1ASoajGVHG — U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026 On Wednesday, the Coast Guard seized two additional oil tankers, including one flying a Russian flag that had previously bypassed an American blockade. The ship, the Marinera, had been on the run for two weeks and was set to be escorted by a Russian submarine and warships.  Russia protested the seizure, claiming that “no state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in other states’ jurisdictions.”  The second ship, the Bella 1, was seized after it was sanctioned for transporting oil to Iran.

WASHINGTON, Jan 9 (Reuters) – U.S. employment growth slowed more than expected in December amid job losses in the construction, retail and manufacturing sectors, but a decline in the unemployment rate to 4.4% suggested the labor market was not rapidly deteriorating. The Labor Department’s closely watched employment report on Friday also showed solid wage growth last month, bolstering economists’ expectations the Federal Reserve would leave interest rates unchanged at its January 27-28 meeting. Businesses are also holding back on hiring, unsure of their staffing needs as they invest heavily in artificial intelligence. The economy is experiencing a jobless expansion, with growth and worker productivity surging in the third quarter, which was partly attributed to AI. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 50,000 jobs last month after a downwardly revised rise of 56,000 in November, the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a gain of 60,000 jobs after a previously reported increase of 64,000 in November. The labor market lost considerable momentum last year, with only 584,000 jobs added, averaging 49,000 positions per month. Roughly 2 million jobs were created in 2024, though this number could be revised lower when the Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes its payrolls benchmark revision next month with the January employment report. The bureau has estimated about 911,000 fewer jobs were created in the 12 months through March 2025 than previously reported. The overcounting has been blamed on the birth-death model, which is used by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate how many jobs were gained or lost because of companies opening or closing in a given month. The bureau said last month that it would, starting in January, change the birth-death model it uses by incorporating current sample information each month. On Friday, President Donald Trump’s Labor Department focused on 2025 net job growth going to American-born workers. “Under President Trump, we’re recovering from the economic disaster left by Joe Biden and AMERICANS are coming FIRST. Last year, ALL net job growth went to American-Born Workers in the Private Sector,” the Labor Department said. “More progress to be made this year, but we’re getting our nation back on track.” The Trump administration’s claims of “all net job growth” going to Americans are disputed by some economists, but Trump’s immigration policies are resulting in a decrease in foreign born workers in the American workforce. DECEMBER JOB GROWTH LIMITED TO HANDFUL OF INDUSTRIES Job gains last month were confined to a few industries, with employment at restaurants and bars increasing by 27,000 positions. Healthcare industry payrolls rose by 21,000, with most of the gains occurring at hospitals. The increase was well below the average monthly gain of 34,000 jobs in 2025 and 56,000 in 2024. The social assistance sector added 17,000 jobs last month. The retail industry shed 25,000 jobs, while manufacturing lost another 8,000 positions. Economists have attributed factory job losses to the Trump administration’s tariff increases. Trump has ironically defended the import duties as necessary to revive the manufacturing industry. Construction payrolls decreased by 11,000 in December. Wages increased 3.8% on a year-over-year basis after rising 3.6% in November, helping to underpin the economy through consumer spending. U.S. stocks were trading largely flat. The dollar rose against a basket of currencies. U.S. Treasury yields were mixed. Together with the December employment report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics published annual revisions to the household survey data for the past five years. The unemployment rate is calculated from the household survey. The annual population control adjustments, normally incorporated with the January employment report, will be released in March. The unemployment rate for November was revised down to 4.5% from the previously reported 4.6%. Economists had expected the jobless rate to ease to 4.5% in December. Some economists say low supply has prevented a sharp rise in the unemployment rate. They estimated that between 50,000 and 120,000 jobs need to be created each month to keep up with growth in the working-age population. The Fed cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to the 3.50%-3.75% range in December, but U.S. central bank officials indicated they were likely to pause further reductions in borrowing costs for now to get a better sense of the economy’s direction. With factors like tariffs and AI preventing companies from hiring more workers, economists increasingly view the labor market’s challenges as more structural than cyclical, which would make rate cuts less effective to stimulate job growth. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci, Chizu Nomiyama and Paul Simao)

The fallout from a fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis intensifies, the anniversary of the Los Angeles wildfires brings troubling revelations, and unrest swells in Iran as the Islamic regime phones for foreign support. It’s Friday, January 9, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below: Protests In Minneapolis After Fatal ICE Shooting Forty-eight hours after the deadly shooting of an ICE agitator, demonstrations have once again gripped Minneapolis, the site of the 2020 George Floyd riots. Large crowds congregated outside of ICE detention facilities across the area, attempting to block the street and clashing with federal officers. Footage showed chaos as protesters threatened to kill ICE agents. In preparation for the situation to escalate, Minneapolis Public Schools cancelled classes on Thursday and Friday, and Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz ordered the state’s National Guard to prepare for mobilization if widespread rioting occurs. ICE agents in Portland, Oregon shot a suspected member of the Tren De Aragua gang who attempted to run them over with his car, further heightening tension in Minneapolis. LA Fires Rebuilding Controversies One year after devastating fires swept Los Angeles, revelations have surfaced of an apparent cover-up and the much-criticized, painfully slow rebuilding effort. These fires devastated parts of Los Angeles County, specifically the Altadena and the Pacific Palisades areas, and killed 31 people. Altogether, more than 18,000 structures were destroyed or damaged. At the time, there was a lot of scrutiny over how this was handled, including the absence of L.A. Democratic Mayor Karen Bass and an $18 million budget cut to the fire department just months before the fires. But some controversies have worsened. For instance, text messages obtained by the Los Angeles Times reveal that fire crews handling a small blaze known as the Lachman Fire were ordered to pack up and leave the scene despite visible smoldering and hot terrain, and over firefighter objections. Secondly, an official LAFD after‑action report was edited multiple times to soften or remove language critical of department leadership before its release to the public. Iran Protests Intensify Protests in Iran close in on the two-week mark, while pressure mounts against the regime. Part of that pressure comes from Washington, where President Donald Trump continues to threaten action over the treatment of demonstrators. The strength of the protests has fluctuated day to day, but demonstrations have continued consistently across dozens of cities and towns. Economic concerns that sparked the unrest have only gotten worse. Last week, Iran’s central bank decided to end subsidies that gave importers and producers access to cheaper U.S. dollars, which put further upward pressure on prices amid already steep inflation. President Trump has threatened that the United States might get directly involved if the Iranian regime starts killing protesters. The regime’s response has appeared restrained so far, but that could change quickly as Iranian officials have sent out calls for help from its allies.

President Donald Trump said Friday that he had canceled a “previously expected” second wave of attacks targeting Venezuela, citing what he described as signs of cooperation from the country’s leadership.  Trump said Venezuela is “releasing large numbers of political prisoners,” calling the move a gesture of goodwill toward the United States. He had previously declined to rule out follow-up strikes after American forces captured dictator Nicolás Maduro. “Venezuela is releasing large numbers of political prisoners as a sign of ‘Seeking Peace.’ This is a very important and smart gesture. The U.S.A. and Venezuela are working well together, especially as it pertains to rebuilding, in a much bigger, better, and more modern form, their oil and gas infrastructure,” Trump wrote in an early morning Truth Social post. “Because of this cooperation, I have cancelled the previously expected second Wave of Attacks, which looks like it will not be needed, however, all ships will stay in place for safety and security purposes.” The prisoners freed by Venezuela reportedly included political figures who opposed Maduro, activists, and journalists. Political figures released included Biagio Pilieri, who worked on the presidential campaign of María Corina Machado, and Enrique Márquez, a 2024 presidential candidate.  “Consider this a gesture by the Bolivarian [Venezuelan] government, which is broadly intended to seek peace,” said Jorge Rodríguez, president of the Venezuelan National Assembly.  Trump added that American energy companies are expected to invest at least $100 billion to help rebuild Venezuela’s oil industry and that executives from U.S. oil firms would meet with him at the White House on Friday.  A White House official told The Daily Wire that the meeting would take place at 2:30 local time and include Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.  “Following the announcement of President Trump’s historic energy deal with Venezuela, American oil companies will come to the White House to discuss investment opportunities that will restore Venezuelan oil infrastructure,” said White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers. “The American people, energy companies, and the Venezuelan people will all greatly benefit from these new, unprecedented investments in Venezuela’s oil infrastructure thanks to President Trump.” More than a dozen companies will attend the meeting, including representatives from Chevron, Exxon, ConocoPhillips, Valero, Marathon, and Shell. Trump has said that American companies may be reimbursed by the government for their investments in Venezuela or earn revenue from oil production.