NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-03-2026 3AM EST

Episode Date: February 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump says a new requirement that all federal agents in Minneapolis were body cameras was Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Nome's decision to make. Well, it wasn't my decision. I leave it to her. They generally tend to be good for law enforcement because people can't lie about what's happening. Secretary Nome made the body cam announcement on social media Monday, saying the requirement will be expanded nationwide as funding. becomes available. The move comes amid calls for accountability following the shooting deaths of two U.S.

citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis and the subsequent partial government shutdown over Homeland Security funding. Meanwhile, immigration agents in Minnesota have arrested more than 100 refugees despite their legal status. MPR. Jennifer Lutton reports it's part of a larger administration plan to re-examine refugee cases. When ICE agents arrested one 20-year-old refugee. His mother says she felt the same fear her family had fled in Venezuela. Their massed paramilitary groups kidnap people, she says. She did not want to use her name for fear of retaliation. The Trump administration says it's reviewing refugee cases for potential fraud. But Jane Gropman, with the International Institute of Minnesota, says they are already intensely vetted.

You know, the FBI's already checked them. They've had biometric screenings. Many have been detained in Texas then released with no charges. A class action lawsuit calls arresting refugees unlawful, and a judge has ordered them stopped while the case plays out. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Minneapolis. The federal judge has blocked a Trump administration plan to end legal protections for some 350,000 Haitians. The Homeland Security Department sought to terminate Haiti's temporary protected status, but a judge in Washington, D.C. granted a request to pause the termination while a class action lawsuit. It plays out. Justice Department has removed Ed Martin from a working group set up to review alleged misconduct by prosecutors under the Biden administration. Martin has defended January 6 rioters,

and over the past year has emerged as a controversial figure of the Justice Department. Here's him here's Ryan Lucas. President Trump initially tapped Ed Martin to be U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., but pulled his nomination after it was clear Martin didn't have enough support to win Senate confirmation. Martin was then appointed to serve as the Justice Department's pardon attorney and to lead the department's weaponization working group. That body was established under the Trump administration to review, among other things, former special counsel Jack Smith's investigations of Trump. Martin is now out from his leadership role on the working group, but he remains pardon attorney for the department. A DOJ spokesperson says Martin, quote, continues to do a great job in that role. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

And you're listening to NPR News. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard says President Trump specifically directed her to be on hand in Georgia last week to observe the execution of a search warden at the Fulton County Election Office. And in a letter to the top Democrats on the Senate and House Intelligence Committees, Gabbard said she facilitated a brief phone call for Trump to thank FBI agents for their work. Cabra posted the letter on social media after the Democrats had expressed concerns about her appearance in Fulton County. Two U.S. oil producers are combining one of the largest oil mergers in several years. It comes as relatively low crude prices have cut into oil profits.

And Piers Kamila Dominovsky reports. Devin Energy, based in Oklahoma City, will purchase Kota Energy of Houston in an all-stock deal. The deal is pending antitrust and shareholder approvals. 2023 and 2024 saw a lot of oil mergers, especially from producers in the Permian Basin. Smaller, scrappier companies pioneered the shale revolution, but now that shale is booming, bigger companies are enjoying advantages. Andrew Dittmer, principal analyst at various intelligence research, says the wave of consolidation isn't finished yet, but might move slowly now because there aren't many obvious targets left for companies to buy.

Camila Dominovsky, NPR News. Now to global financial markets, regaining some momentum. South Korea's benchmark surged to a record closed today, advancing nearly 7% in Tuesday trading. Shares in Japan gained nearly 4% also closing at its highest level ever. I'm Giles Snyder. NPR News.