NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-30-2026 2AM EST

Episode Date: January 30, 2026

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This week on the NPR Politics Podcast. For months, the president's immigration strategy has been on full display. Now some Republicans are having a hard time defending it. Yeah, I think that's a good weather vein for where the politics are headed in all of this. Cracks in the MAGA Coalition this week on the NPR Politics podcast. Listen on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Trump administration borders are Tom Holman is striking a new tone on the immigration crackdown in Minnesota.

Speaking Thursday in Minneapolis, Homan seemed to acknowledge missteps. No agency organization is perfect. President Trump and I, along with others in the administration, have recognized that certain improvements could and should be made. That's exactly what I'm doing here. Coleman said the administration could cut the number of immigration enforcement officers, but he also made clear that the operation in Minnesota is not ending anytime soon. A spending deal that would keep the government open is on the table. The deal addresses democratic demands for curbs on aggressive immigration enforcement tactics.

It would separate homeland security funding from a package of five other bills that need congressional approval by midnight Friday. Powder outages linger in parts of the southeast from last weekend's winter storm, crews working to restore power. but some are afraid to seek help amid immigration crackdowns from member station WPLN in Nashville. Mariana Bacquiao reports. It's Tennessee's political, not literal climate that has some people staying in their homes, even as the overnight lows continue to dip below freezing.

Lisa Sherman Luna with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition says many people without legal status have avoided calling 911 or taking advantage of warming shelters in the cold at a fear of being deported. All of us should be really disturbed right now that we have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because they're having to make tough choices like stay in their homes and not go to a warming center

and the risk that that puts on people. As the winter weather continues, some households are now marking their fourth day without power. For NPR news, I'm Mariana Bakeyau in Nashville. A white former sheriff's deputy has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of an unarmed black woman in her Illinois home almost two years ago. From Emmer station WBEZ, Mama Iqbal reports. 36-year-old Sonia Massey had called 911 to report a potential prowler.

Then Officer Sean Grayson responded to the call. That encounter ended with him shooting her in the face. Police body cam video showed things began calmly but escalated quickly. At trial, Grayson said he feared that she was going to scald him with a pot of boiling water. He was convicted of second-degree murder, and his 20-year sentence is the maximum allowed for that crime. Donna Massey, Sonia's mom, says she's feeling grateful Grayson got a hefty sentence. Everybody who went out in the streets and in the rain, sleeting snow, this was a group effort, and we did it. And I'm happy.

Before receiving his sentence, Grayson apologized to the family. His defense team says he's currently battling advanced colon cancer. Friend Pairn News, I'm Mawa Iqbal in Springfield, Illinois. This is NPR. The Justice Department has charged the man who used a syringe to squirt liquid on Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during a town hall event Tuesday evening. The man is facing a charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding, and intimidating Omar. Authorities have determined that liquid he squirted was diluted apple cider vinegar. He appeared briefly in federal court Thursday.

The Library of Congress has announced the latest additions to the National Film Registry. The library picks 25 films every year to be preserved, as NPRSneta-Ullavi reports. More than 130 years of filmmaking are represented in the registry. The oldest movie added this year was a silent film comedy from 1896. Other films added to the collection include two musicals starring Bing Crosby, one a holiday classic. And two more recent dramas, The Laudolfia and Glory, that starred Denzel Washington. The National Film Registry also added classic films for Generation X, such as The Karate Kid and Clueless, and an iconic film for Baby Boomers, The Big Chill.

Netta Ulibe, NPR News. There's a new record on the books of the National Hockey League. Detroit Red Wings' right-winger, Patrick Kane, is now the all-time points leader among American-born players, a second period assist in Thursday night's game against the Washington Capitals, Pookane at 1,375 career points. I'm Jail Snyder. This is NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps.

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