ICE Doubled in Size in One Year. Here’s the Legal Framework That Allowed It.
The immediate questions were obvious: How did this happen? Who authorized it? But there was another question, less dramatic but more structurally important: How did ICE suddenly have 2,000 officers…
When Federal Agents Kill Citizens During Raids, These Programs Offer Recourse
Two Americans dead within three weeks. Both shot by federal agents during immigration raids in Minneapolis. Both families now facing a legal system that makes accountability maddeningly difficult to achieve.…
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An Independent Team to Decode Government
Our articles are referenced by trusted think tanks and publications including Brookings, CNN, Forbes, Fox News, Pew Research, Snopes, The Hill, and USA Today.
Your Money & Home
How CFIUS Reviews Dual-Use Technology Mergers for National Security
A small federal committee called CFIUS has the power to reshape, delay, or kill Elon Musk's $1.25 trillion merger between…
FCC Spectrum Limits Were Designed for Dozens of Operators. One Wants Millions of Satellites.
SpaceX operates over 9,400 satellites. When Elon Musk announced the company's acquisition of xAI in a deal valued at $1.25…
Can the FTC Block Private Company Mergers? The Authority Is Murky.
Elon Musk announced a $1.25 trillion deal in early February 2026: SpaceX would acquire xAI. The deal raised a question…
Your Health & Safety
How State Criminal Cases Can Jump to Federal Court—And Why It Rarely Happens
A federal judge in Manhattan heard arguments about something that almost never happens in American criminal law: whether to move…
The Supreme Court Immunity Ruling Now Complicating Trump’s Hush Money Case
On January 10, 2025, a New York judge sentenced Donald Trump to an unconditional discharge—a sentence with no punishment at…
What Happens to a Conviction If a Case Moves to Federal Court After Trial
A former president sits convicted in New York state court while a federal judge decides whether that conviction should be…
Your Voice & Rights
What Role Does the Intelligence Director Play in Domestic Law Enforcement?
FBI agents backed trucks up to the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operations Center in Georgia on January 28, 2026,…
The Constitutional Limits on Federal Control of State Elections
But there's a problem. The Constitution might not allow it. The question isn't whether these policies are good or bad—though…
Voter Roll Purges: What Due Process Protections the Law Requires
The Make Elections Great Again Act, introduced by House Republicans in late January 2026 under the leadership of Rep. Bryan…
Your World
The Obscure 1977 Law at the Center of Trump’s Tariff Battle
Hundreds of billions of dollars in tariffs hang in the balance. The Supreme Court is deciding whether a president can…
Major Questions Doctrine: The Supreme Court Tool Reshaping Presidential Power
The federal government has collected $287 billion in customs duties in 2025 alone—a 192% increase over the previous year—while the…
New START Expires: The 50-Year History of U.S.-Russia Arms Control Treaties
For the first time since Richard Nixon met Leonid Brezhnev in Moscow, the United States and Russia have no active…
Without a Treaty, How Does the U.S. Track Russia’s Nuclear Arsenal?
On February 5, 2026, New START expired without replacement. For fifteen years before that, U.S. inspectors had walked through Russian…
Trending Federal Guidance
Understanding the Social Security Earnings Limit
You can receive Social Security retirement or survivor benefits while still employed. However, if you begin receiving benefits before reaching your Full Retirement Age (FRA), specific rules limit how much…
Understanding Your Passport Costs: A Clear Guide to Fees
Getting a U.S. passport is your ticket to international travel, but understanding the associated costs…
USPS Package Size Limits
Whether you're shipping products nationwide as a small business owner or sending gifts to loved…
Step-by-Step Guide for Applying for Social Security Benefits
Navigating Social Security benefits doesn't have to be complicated. This guide breaks down the application…
USPS Media Mail Rules and Restrictions
Media Mail is an economy shipping service provided by the USPS specifically for sending media…
Other Top Federal Guidance
Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees: Understanding Your Rights Under the FLSA
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is the cornerstone of federal wage and hour law in the United States. Enacted…
Need More Time? Get a Tax Filing Extension
The annual tax deadline, typically April 15th, can approach quickly. Life happens, documents might be missing, or your tax situation…
Getting the Maximum Social Security Benefit
This guide provides a thorough overview, based on official information from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Internal Revenue…
Challenges for the U.S. Department of Education
The U.S. Department of Education building in Washington, D.C., houses the federal agency overseeing national education policy. Established in 1979,…
Guide to Employment Eligibility Verification
Ensuring a legally compliant workforce is a fundamental responsibility for all employers operating within the United States. A critical component…
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If the Supreme Court Sides with Trump, Congress Loses Its Oldest Power
When the First Congress convened in 1789, it didn't start with grand speeches about democracy or the rights of man. It passed a tariff bill. The Tariff Act of 1789…
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President Trump imposed broad tariffs in 2025 using emergency powers. The Supreme Court will soon decide whether he exceeded his authority. But here's what matters more: even if the justices…
What New START’s Expiration Means for Nuclear War Risk
On February 5, 2026, the last treaty constraining the nuclear arsenals of the world's two largest nuclear powers expired at midnight. For the first time since the early 1970s, the…
Can a President Let a Senate-Ratified Treaty Expire Without Congressional Approval?
At midnight on February 5, 2026, the world's last remaining major arms control pact expired. No replacement exists. What makes this moment matter for how our government works isn't the…
When Presidents Call Foreign Leaders: How the State Department Preps These Calls
When Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 4, 2026, the call itself lasted perhaps an hour. The preparation consumed days. Dozens of government employees across the…
Presidential Foreign Policy Powers Have Few Limits. Here’s Why.
On February 4, 2026, President Donald Trump spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping for 90 minutes—discussing Taiwan's future, Iranian nuclear threats, and trade—without asking Congress for permission. Congress learned about…
The Federal Reserve Was Built to Be Independent. Here’s How That Works.
When federal prosecutors served the Federal Reserve with grand jury subpoenas in January 2026, most news coverage focused on the constitutional drama: Could a president investigate the nation's central bank…
DOJ Probes Fed Chair Powell: What’s at Risk When Criminal Law Meets Central Banking
In January 2026, the Department of Justice launched a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell over his congressional testimony about a building renovation. Nearly every mainstream economist and…
No Fed Chair Has Faced Criminal Investigation Before. Why This Is Unprecedented.
Federal prosecutors issued legal orders demanding Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell appear before a grand jury on Friday, January 10, 2026, threatening to formally charge him with a crime. The…
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In January 2026, the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for statements he made to the Senate Banking Committee about a building renovation.…
Can State Prosecutors Charge a President? The Constitutional Question at Stake
The Second Circuit's November 2025 order doesn't cancel Trump's 34-count felony conviction for falsifying business records. But it does something that could matter more: it forces a federal judge to…