The Hound | Feb. 13

DHS is in the crosshairs, Senate Democrats blocking its funding, a Marine claiming federal agents copied his phone without a warrant, and a shooting victim's lawyers claim the Department is lying about its investigation.

February 13, 2026

Hi there,

It’s Friday. Senate Democrats have blocked DHS funding, meaning there will likely be a partial government shutdown over ICE’s tactics. A Marine who was detained in Minneapolis says federal agents copied his phone without a warrant, and lawyers of a Chicago woman shot by federal agents say DHS is lying about its investigation. In addition, Trump border czar Tom Homan announced the Minnesota immigration surge is ending.

The Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota was sold as a crime-fighting and immigration enforcement success, but after weeks of mass detentions, community resistance, and the deaths of two U.S. citizens, federal officials have announced they are withdrawing or winding down the surge of ICE and DHS agents. Despite this retreat being driven by backlash and protest, much of the coverage still treats the operation as a legitimate policy effort rather than a highly flawed and dangerous escalation. When press coverage amplifies official talking points without sustained scrutiny, it normalizes fear-based policing strategies and obscures the fact that the operation is ending not because it worked, but because it became politically and socially untenable.

Read about this, and more, with today’s stories:

Tracking Habeas Cases (ProPublica)

Until next time,

Harry from The Hound

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