Tuesday, January 27, 2026
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A View From the Ground
News and information about politics, government, civic participation and engagement from URL Media's network of Black and Brown publishers.
This week, let’s talk about Donald Trump vs. Lisa Cook, civil rights activists in Minnesota, a new TSA fee and more. And as always, we’re bringing you the latest updates at url-media.com.
One woman vs. Trump's Fed takeover
The Supreme Court just heard a case that could literally reshape how money works in America. On the surface, it's about whether Trump can fire Lisa Cook, the first Black woman on the Federal Reserve Board. But everyone knows what's really at stake: Can the president fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell and take control of the central bank?
If that happens, economists warn we could see Turkish-style inflation and potentially lose the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency. That means everything from your grocery bill to your rent could skyrocket. Even Republican lawmakers are pushing back against the administration's moves.
Cook refused to resign after unproven fraud allegations, and her lawsuit is now the only thing standing between presidential power and Fed independence. Former Fed chairs showed up to watch. Justice Kavanaugh seemed skeptical of the government's argument. The decision could affect your wallet for decades, whether you know Cook's name or not.
Source: Outlier Media / Cydni Elledge
A new TSA fee, the arrests of Minnesota activists, California vs. ICE and more stories from the URL Media network
TSA’s $45 fee starts next month: Starting February 1, if you show up to the airport without a REAL ID or other acceptable identification, TSA will charge you $45 to use their new ConfirmID system. The agency is also cracking down on carry-on bags in 2026, measuring everything including wheels and handles. Plus new rules about portable chargers, peanut butter (yes, really), and battery-powered devices. Over 94% of travelers already have compliant IDs, but if you're in that 6%, expect serious delays and extra costs. Keep reading at Black Voice News.
Political retaliation or justice?: Two St. Paul, Minn., civil rights activists were arrested by federal agents, jailed, then released after a judge called the government's case "speculative." Nekima Levy Armstrong and Chauntyll Allen organized a protest at a St. Paul church demanding a pastor resign because he also runs the local ICE office. The Trump administration celebrated their arrests on social media with photos and AI-altered images. Their lawyer calls it political retaliation, not law enforcement. Federal prosecutors claimed the women were flight risks because they stayed at a hotel, but they were actually hiding from death threats. Keep reading at Sahan Journal.
New rules fast-track toxic plants: The Trump administration just stopped calculating how many lives are saved by cutting air pollution, valuing health benefits at zero while fast-tracking permits for pipelines and data centers. The EPA previously estimated every dollar spent reducing pollution saved up to $77 in health costs. Now those benefits don't count in federal decisions, even though Black Americans are three times more likely to die from particle pollution than white Americans. The same week, the U.S. withdrew from the UN climate treaty. Communities already dealing with asthma rates triple the national average are bracing for what comes next. Keep reading at Capital B.
California claps back at ICE: California lawmakers are fighting back after ICE agents killed two people and started arresting people at courthouses. Three new bills aim to let you sue federal agents who violate your rights, ban cops from moonlighting with ICE, and stop agents from ambushing people at court. One bill already passed committee after an agent shot Renee Good in Minneapolis while she was reversing her car. Another targets the Trump admin's lawsuit against California's law banning ICE agents from covering their faces. Videos of aggressive ICE tactics keep going viral as tensions escalate nationwide. Keep reading at Black Voice News.
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