Up First from NPR - House Shutdown Vote, Minneapolis Immigration Operations, Trump Kennedy Center Closure

Episode Date: February 2, 2026

A partial government shutdown is under way after Congress missed its funding deadline, with lawmakers advancing a plan to reopen most agencies while negotiations over Homeland Security and immigration enforcement continue.A federal judge ruled the Trump administration can keep its immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis going, even as plans to draw down agents haven’t materialized and residents see ongoing arrests and protests.And President Trump says the performing arts center built as a memorial to President John F. Kennedy will close for two years for a massive renovation.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yukhananov, Russell Lewis, Mohamad ElBardicy and Adrianna Gallardo.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ava Pukatch and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.(0:00) Introduction(01:54) House Shutdown Vote(05:34) Minneapolis Immigration Operations(09:16) Trump Kennedy Center ClosureLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Parts of the federal government are shut down this morning, but lawmakers say a deal to reopen agencies could move fast. The deal only funds the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks while Congress debates immigration enforcement reforms. So what are Democrats demanding? I'ma Martinez. That's Michelle Martin, and this is up first from NPR News. A federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can keep its immigration operation going in

Minneapolis. Despite talk of a drawdown, arrests and daily protests continue. as residents push back against the presence of federal agents. And in a surprise move, President Trump says the Kennedy Center will close for two years starting this summer. He says that's for a massive renovation. What is Trump planning for the National Memorial? Say with us, we'll give you news you need to start your day. This message comes from Aalian's travel insurance.

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You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart. Get Wise. Download the Wise app today. or visit wise.com. T's and Cs apply. A large chunk of the federal government is shut down today. Congress missed its Friday deadline to fund the government after Senate Democrats demanded immigration enforcement reforms before they would support funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Those who work at other key agencies like the Pentagon and departments of transportation,

labor, and education are either furloughed or working without pay. The partial shutdown comes less than three months after the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. But this time, officials in the White House and lawmakers in Congress say the pause in funding will be short-lived. NPR's Luke Garrett is here. So we just heard Michelle mention that there's confidence. This will be less shutdown and more pause. That's right. So the Senate has already advanced a massive funding package to reopen the government. And they did that Friday night after President Trump and Senate Democrats struck a deal. The agreement would reopen those shutdown agencies you mentioned, like the Pentagon and departments of transportation among others. but the legislation would only fund the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks.

Minority leader Chuck Schumer demanded limiting DHS funding after its agents shot and killed two Minnesotans. The idea is only authorizing two weeks of DHS funding will force negotiation over department policy. And over in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson told NBC News he can get this passed by midweek. Our intention is by Tuesday to fund all agencies of the federal government except for that one and then we'll have two weeks of good faith negotiations to figure it out. But not all House members, Republicans, and Democrats are pleased with two weeks of DHS funding. Ah, now to the sticking points. That's right. It is Washington. On the right, some members don't want any DHS reforms,

and they want to include election integrity legislation that requires proof of citizenship. This would require the legislation go back to the Senate, prolonging the shutdown. On the left, some House Democrats don't even support two weeks of DHS funding. And yet, Speaker Johnson is confident it'll pass this week. Right. And the reason is, you know, Trump, basically. Speaker Johnson said President Trump negotiated this Senate funding package. The deal is Trump's deal. House Republicans will fall in line, Johnson said, and they will have enough votes to reopen the government even without Democrat support. But I should note, a Democrats

held a caucus call last night. And some are considering supporting the funding bill, according to a source not authorized to share those details publicly. Okay. So assuming they pass this massive funding package, by Tuesday, Congress will only have a couple of weeks to agree on DHS funds. So what changes are on the tape? Well, Speaker Johnson told Fox News, he and Trump, support some changes to DHS. For example, we want body cameras on immigration and custom enforcement agents. But Johnson made clear the GOP won't budge on issues of DHS agents hiding their identities with masks,

citing officer safety. This doesn't line up with the changes Democrats want. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries gave his list of demands on ABC News. Body cameras should be mandatory. Masks should come off. Judicial warrants should absolutely be required, consistent with the Constitution in our view before DHS agents or ICE agents are breaking into the homes of the American people or ripping people out of their cars. So, A, even if the House reopens to government this week, the fight over

DHS will continue on Capitol Hill and we might have yet another partial shutdown on our hands. Each, another one. Okay, before we even get to that, what are the impacts of this one? So Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Votes sent a letter to affected agencies on Friday. He directed those workers to, quote, undertake orderly shutdown activities like gathering belongings from work and pausing ongoing projects. And the Department of Transportation sent out guidance that nearly 14,000 air traffic controllers will continue to work without pay, starting today. But lawmakers on Capitol Hill hope these impacts will be minimal

with a quick reopen before those first paychecks are due. All right, that's NPR's Luke Garrett. Luke, thanks. You bet. The Trump administration can continue its immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis after a ruling from a federal judge on Saturday. Borders are Tom Homan said, last week there are plans to draw down the federal government

operation there, but many residents in Minneapolis tell NPR they don't feel like anything has changed on the ground as arrests and protests against them continue each day. Here to talk about all of that. It's NPR's Kat Lonstarf, who's in Minneapolis. Kat, good morning. Hey, good morning. So there have been a number of lawsuits directed at DHS. So can you just remind us what this court case was about? Yeah, state and city officials had wanted an immediate pause to this federal military style operation here, which has been going on for nearly two months. Attorneys representing Minnesota and the Twin Cities had argued in court that the federal actions were violating constitutional protections and causing, quote, tremendous damage. And it asked for a temporary restraining order. But on Saturday, U.S. District

Judge Kate Menendez, a president Biden appointee, denied that request after reviewing it for quite some time. Her ruling really focused on the state's argument and whether it was likely to succeed in court. And ultimately, she said she didn't think it would. Did she rule on the merits? I mean, I guess did the judge think that Trump administration's actions were justified? Right. This wasn't a ruling on the merits of the case just on the temporary restraining order, but it dealt with huge constitutional questions and implications for the federal government, and the judge acknowledged that. But at the same time, she wrote about the strain this operation has put on people here, saying it, quote, has had and will likely continue to have profound and even heartbreaking consequences for the state of Minnesota.

Meanwhile, a different judge in Texas made another ruling over the weekend, ordering that a five-year-old boy and his father be released from federal custody. what can you tell us about that? Yeah, this is five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Coneo Arias. Michelle, you've probably seen the picture of little Liam wearing a bright blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack surrounded by immigration and customs enforcement officers as he was detained in a Minneapolis suburb. Liam and his dad had then been sent to a detention facility in Texas. And on Saturday, U.S. District Judge Fred Beery, appointed by President Clinton, wrote a scathing opinion ordering their release.

He wrote that, quote, the case had its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children. And he ended it, quote, with a judicial finger in the constitutional dyke, it is so ordered. And yesterday, the father and son, with his fluffy hat and backpack, returned to Minnesota. And you're there. So what are people in the street saying about the continued presence of immigration agents? Yeah, not a single person I've talked to here in the past few days feels like, like they trust comments from Trump officials that the number of federal agents in the city will go down. There doesn't seem to be any relief.

There are still arrests happening daily. There are still protests happening daily too. On Friday, thousands and thousands of people were downtown taking up the streets for blocks, chanting in support of immigrants. And smaller protests are organized throughout the city every single day in parks or even on frozen lakes. There's a sense here that people will keep pushing back and protecting their neighbors for as long as needed. even as we've seen two U.S. citizens doing that killed by federal agents. One person told me that Minnesotans have a new way of saying goodbye to each other right now.

Stay warm and stay safe. That is. NPR's Kat Lonsdorf in Minneapolis. Kat, thank you. Thank you. And for more of our ongoing coverage of the Trump administration's immigration operations in Minnesota, hit the follow button wherever you listen to up first. The day's top stories will be waiting for you when you wake up. President Trump says,

He wants to close down the performing art center built as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. He says he wants to close it down for two years. Trump announced his plans in a social media post Sunday night saying that shutting down, starting this summer, would be the best way to conduct a massive renovation project, a project to transform the center into what he describes as a new and spectacular entertainment complex with the highest level of success, beauty, and grandeur. But there's more going on here. We are joined now by Empire Senior White House correspondent Tamara Keith. Kim, good morning. Good morning. This is just the latest in a series of big changes that Trump has already made to the Kennedy Center during this term.

So perhaps maybe remind people of what's happened before this. Yet the biggest thing is adding his own name to the building. Trump had already replaced the majority of the Kennedy Center board with loyalists and put an ally in charge of operations. Oh, and made himself chairman of the board. Also, weeks before the vote to add his name, Trump joked about it. Then you have a big event on Friday at the Trump Kennedy Center. Oh, excuse me, at the Kennedy Center. Pardon me, I've such a terrible mistake.

There's a lawsuit challenging the legality of the name change. And the level of backlash from performers and patrons has been epic. Yeah, it's been remarkable, which is why the question has to be asked. Is it possible that this shutdown really isn't about a remodeling project at all? In late December, when it was renamed the Trump Kennedy Center, what had been a trickle of artists pulling out of performances turned into a flood. Just last week, the composer Philip Glass withdrew from the world premiere of his new symphony, which is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. He said the values of the Kennedy Center today are in direct conflict with the message of the symphony. Members of the public have been canceling their memberships and refusing to buy tickets.

And as a result, there have been growing questions about how the Kennedy Center. Center could continue to sustain itself. Democratic Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, who is an ex-officio member of the board, said in a statement, quote, America's artists are rejecting this attempted takeover and the administration knows it, adding that is why they are now scrambling for cover. Do we know what President Trump wants to do for this renovation? I mean, some people think the Kennedy Center is already pretty spectacular. Yeah, Trump secured more than $250 million in funding for the work as part of the one big, beautiful bill act. But there are some inconsistencies. At times, he has already claimed to have saved the Kennedy Center. And in December, he gave a far shorter

timeline than the two years he now says are needed. The Kennedy Center is going to be incredible. Within 10 months, I mean, you're going to see, we've already done tremendous amounts of work, but within 10 months, you're going to see something that you really be amazed at. Until last night, Trump had never said anything publicly about how. having to close for construction. The closure is set to start July 4th, pending approval from the board. In terms of what will be done, Trump has said it needs a new roof, a new air conditioning. He called it a revitalization and complete rebuilding and recently posted images of potential marble armrests for the seating at the center, writing, unlike anything ever done or seen before, exclamation point.

One puzzling thing is that the Kennedy Center has long had gold columns, accenting the white exterior of the building. But earlier this year, the gold was covered up with white paint, which is so off brand for a president who has put his gilded stamp all over the White House and is trying to remake Washington in his aesthetic. All right. Lots to keep an eye on there. That is NPS Tamara Keith. Tam, Tim. Thanks. You're welcome. And that's up first for Monday. February 2nd. I'm Michelle Martin. And I'm May Martinez. If you enjoy starting your day with a first, please consider signing up for NPR Plus, your subscription will help keep the NPR network strong and support local public

radio stations through our recurring monthly donation. And you get some cool perks with it, too, such as ad-free listening, bonus episodes and early access to some NPR content. Visit plus.mpr.org to sign up. Today's episode of Up First was edited by Anna Yucanavre, Russell Lewis, Muhammad ElBarisi, and Adriana Gallardo. It was produced by Zied Butch, Ava Pukatch, and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Nisha Highness and our technical director is Carly Strange. We hope you'll join us again tomorrow.