Voices, The Peoples News
February 19, 2026
Published by Jedi Selman Since March 2000 to Inform and Educate
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This daily Voices, The Peoples News is posted through the blog function of www.MPEN-Ohio.net
# Indigenous
‘A State of Panic’: Native Americans Left in the Dark Weeks After ICE Arrests. For Native American leaders, the recent wave of immigration arrests has felt less like an isolated enforcement effort and more like a pattern: federal action first, explanations later.
https://time.com/7379166/ice-native-american-arrests-minneapolis-oglala-sioux-tribe/
# Border / Immigration / ICE / Migrants / Gangs
‘Scary thing’: MAGA voters furious as kids may now see Trump’s brutal crackdown up close
https://www.rawstory.com/ice-prisons/
State Department imposes visa restrictions on 18 Iranian regime leaders following violent crackdown
https://thenewregion.com/posts/4622
ICE ignored increase in use of force reports among its agents
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/ice-ignored-increase-force-reports-214247865.html
Criminals Promised, Volume Delivered: Inside ICE’s Enforcement Model. How a public-safety pledge became a numbers-driven dragnet
https://thefulcrum.us/governance-legislation/ce-enforcement-volume-vs-safety
DHS defends locking up critically ill baby by blaming migrant mother: ‘The mother chose’: . The case, involving a baby named Juan Nicolás and his family at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, has intensified scrutiny of medical care and conditions for children in federal immigration custody.
https://www.rawstory.com/ice-2675281127/
ICE staff accused of raiding children’s dorms and mercilessly ripping up letters begging for freedom. Staff at the Dilley Family Detention Center in Texas allegedly raided cells to confiscate and destroy letters from children inside the facility, according to leaked video
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/ice-blasted-destroying-childrens-letters-36742569
Federal Judges Have Ruled Over 4,400 Times That Trump’s ICE Is Detaining Immigrants Unlawfully — Administration Keeps Jailing People Anyway
https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/courts-have-ruled-4400-times-that-ice-jailed-people-illegally-it-hasnt-stopped-2026-02-14/
Understanding the history of ICE’s current repression: ICE Explained: Why It Exists, How It Changed, and Why This Moment Feels Different. This video isn’t a hot take or a political rant.
It’s a calm, non-partisan breakdown of: • why ICE was created • how its role expanded after 9/11 • how pressure and quotas change enforcement behavior • the difference between Border Patrol and ICE
• the spectrum of immigration status (not just “legal” vs “illegal”) • why our economy depends on low-wage labor without providing a legal pathway • and why moments like the recent shooting in Minneapolis feel so troubling
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1urFeepaayY
Weaponizing the System: One Year of Trump’s Attacks on Due Process: In just one year, Trump has turned the U.S. immigration system into a weaponized force of exclusion, harming community members, sidelining values core to the functioning of a healthy democracy, and posing grave threats to noncitizens and citizens alike.
https://www.vera.org/explainers/weaponizing-the-system-one-year-of-trumps-attacks-on-due-process
Documents Show ICE Agents Were Trained on Law and Deescalation. They’ve Ignored It. Materials obtained in a FOIA request show ICE agents have grossly ignored their training this past year.
https://truthout.org/articles/docs-show-ice-agents-were-trained-on-law-and-deescalation-theyve-ignored-it/
# Economy / Finance / Trade / Banking / Taxes / IRS / Cryptocurrencies
U.S. Rep. Kiley launches CalPERS ESG probe after The Center Square investigation. “What we seem to be seeing is an entirely different agenda driving some of those decisions, potentially in violation of the law and to the detriment of Californians,” said Kiley
https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_f3f7d213-1e3a-444f-893d-74847f047c47.html
‘When People Can’t Afford Rent, Groceries, Insurance, Or Prescriptions, Nothing Else Matters’ — Kevin O’Leary On Issues Trump Must ‘Own.’ O’Leary’s concerns aren’t just for consumers; they extend to small businesses that he credits with creating up to 70% of U.S. jobs.
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/people-cant-afford-rent-groceries-213109402.html
Fact Check: Trump Says He Cut the Deficit by 27%. The Real Number Is 2.3%. And the CBO Says His New Law Will Add $4.1 Trillion in Debt
https://www.factcheck.org/2018/02/trumps-deficit-reduction/
More Price Increases Are Coming in 2026. Higher tariffs, labor and health-insurance costs have pushed many businesses to raise prices
https://www.axios.com/2026/02/03/trump-tariffs-supreme-court-fed
# Food / Farming / Agriculture / SNAP [Food Stamps] / FDA / USDA
As Food Fears Rise, Big Firms Ask States for Cover. Big business is hatching a new plan to protect itself from the backlash of angry buyers. The old school “buyer beware” is being replaced with a new “government okayed” line of thinking.
https://www.theepochtimes.com/opinion/as-food-fears-rise-big-firms-ask-states-for-cover-5982910
Confusion and ‘More Chaos’ as States Implement SNAP Food Restrictions
Five states have already implemented bans on soda and candy through federal food assistance programs, with over a dozen more set to take effect this year.
https://civileats.com/2026/02/18/confusion-and-more-chaos-as-states-implement-snap-food-restrictions/
Colorado’s food relief organizations said they fear Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding would be withheld from the states, including Colorado, amid a dispute between the Trump administration and states that refuse to hand over certain data.
https://www.coloradopolitics.com/2025/12/15/colorado-food-relief-groups-fear-snap-funding-could-be-withheld-amid-federal-dispute/
# General News / Boat Strikes
US launches strikes on alleged drug boats, but 11 deaths in one day are raising legal alarms
https://www.military.com/feature/2026/02/17/us-military-boat-strikes-kill-11-operation-southern-spear.html
# General News / Epstein / Maxwell
Former Prince Andrew arrested over alleged Epstein misconduct. He has not responded to requests for comment following the latest Epstein files published by the U.S. Justice Department.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2026/02/19/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-epstein/88753446007/
Melinda French Gates reacts to ex-husband in Epstein files. She told an NPR podcast she felt “unbelievable sadness”, and that “whatever questions remain” needed to be answered by those named in the records, including her ex-husband.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4kyk9nv5lo
DOJ’s Epstein files release sparks chaos, leaving a critical flaw exposed as public disapproval skyrockets. Trump administration has faced a lot of criticism for how it’s managed the Epstein investigation overall.
https://attackofthefanboy.com/politics/dojs-epstein-files-release-sparks-chaos-leaving-a-critical-flaw-exposed-as-public-disapproval-skyrockets/
‘I’m beyond broken’: Diary in Epstein files details abuse girl says she endured. In a style reminiscent of teenage scrapbook collages, the girl glued magazine words onto pages to describe her abuse. “Tomorrow is the halfway ultrasound for Jeffrey. This one stuck. After they took the first baby who survived in the early miscarriage, I think it was called, I no longer feel like a person, but a vessel. Will they take this one too?”
https://www.wrtv.com/us-news/crime/epstein-files/im-beyond-broken-diary-in-epstein-files-details-abuse-girl-says-she-endured
Police call for witnesses after human trafficking claims appear in Epstein files. Surrey Police said the allegations have not yet been reported to them. Multiple UK police forces are reviewing information contained within the millions of pages of files released over the past few weeks.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/surrey-police-metropolitan-police-rachel-reeves-andrew-mountbattenwindsor-essex-police-b2922817.html
# Gov / Politics
RNC sues Virginia to stop state’s Democratic redistricting push. The Republican National Committee (RNC) sued Wednesday in the hopes of stopping Virginia Democrats from moving forward with their new congressional map.
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5744400-rnc-sues-virginia-redistricting/
RNC sues Virginia to stop state’s Democratic redistricting push
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/02/19/RNC-sues-Virginia-redistricting/7211771489812/
As Trump Marches US Toward Iran War, Critics Ask: Where’s the ‘Pushback’ From Dems and Media? “It’s astonishing that we’re building up for a significant military clash, and Congress isn’t involved, no real case is being made to the public, and the average American has no clue.”
https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-iran-war-pushback
Both the US and Iran Have Incentives to Escalate Conflict, Expert Warns. “Both sides actually believe that a short, intense war may improve their negotiating position,” says Trita Parsi.
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/2/18/trita_parsi_iran_nuclear_negotiations_sanctions
Neo-Nazi influencer ‘can’t wait’ to see Trump and Cabinet impeached after ‘betraying’ MAGA
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/far-right-influencer-says-he-can-t-wait-to-see-trump-and-cabinet-impeached/ar-AA1WxPXP
‘Corrupt bargain’: Foreign billionaire used illegal ‘straw donor’ scheme to purchase pardon from Trump by donating to leading MAGA super PAC, federal complaint says
https://campaignlegal.org/update/seeking-pardon-foreign-billionaire-allegedly-funneled-millions-trump-super-pac
# Gov / Politics / Global
U.S.-Indicted Official With Active Bounty for Money-Laundering Named to Senior Government Job in Venezuela. The appointment also raises concerns since Alfredo Motta Dominguez’s tenure overseeing Venezuela’s electricity system is broadly considered one of the worst infrastructure crises in the country’s history
https://www.latintimes.com/us-indicted-official-active-bounty-money-laundering-named-senior-government-job-venezuela-594684
Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and the Future of U.S. Counterterrorism in Afghanistan: Al-Qaeda still under ‘patronage’ of Taliban as UN team warns of ‘multipolar’ global jihad threat
https://extremism.gwu.edu/al-qaeda-the-taliban-and-future-of-us-counterterrorism
# Law / Law Enforcement / Prisons / FBI / CIA / ATF / DEA
In Colorado, the owners of a small Christian bookstore could be punished with heavy fines or even jail time for using biologically accurate language. The state has launched a censorship campaign that attacks truth and freedom of speech, the cornerstone of free societies.
https://adflegal.org/support/born-again-used-books/?sourcecode=11039324_r850&utm_source=epochtimes&utm_medium=email-acquisition&utm_campaign=born-again-used-books&reference_code=11039324
# Legal / DOJ / ICJ / International Criminal Court [ICC] / Supreme Court
Lawyers shocked Trump DOJ forged ahead with charges — but couldn’t name a violated statute. In an article published on February 18, The New Republic’s Greg Sargent stresses that while the grand jury’s decision is “good news,” the “details of how this indictment came together should caution us against letting Trump and (federal prosecutor Jeanine) Pirro’s pie-in-the-face antics distract from how grave an abuse of power this truly was —and continues to be.”
https://www.alternet.org/trump-kelly-pirro/
Shortly after she was confirmed, Attorney General Pam Bondi told lawyers at the Department of Justice that it was their job to “zealously advance, protect and defend” the policies of the United States, as set by the president.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-trump-and-bondi-transformed-the-doj-to-push-his-agenda-and-challenge-detractors
War declared on Trump DOJ’s ‘abnormal’ behavior by fed-up attorneys: President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice has been heavily scrutinized for filing frivolous charges against perceived political enemies.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-2675282565/
# Media / Press / Mail / Radio / TV
Money And Power Converge As CBS Becomes Trump State Media. Late night talk show host Stephen Colbert gave a lesson to his network and the Trump administration on how not to try to censor political content, after he publicly alleged that CBS told him he could not air an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico.
https://www.aol.com/articles/money-power-converge-cbs-becomes-222459835.html?utm_source=spotim&utm_medium=spotim_recirculation&spot_im_comment_id=sp_IjnMf2Jd_23501346_c_4CW0lC&spot_im_highlight_immediate=true
Tucker Carlson interrogated in Israel, has passport seized after interviewing US ambassador. The conservative journalist, who has condemned Israeli influence in Washington, says Israeli security took his whole team in for questioning
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/tucker-carlson-interrogated-israel-passport-seized-us-ambassador-interview
Colbert debacle backfires spectacularly on CBS (and Trump)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FycXJp39nEw
# Medicare / Medicaid / Disability Benefits / Health and Human Services [HHS]
South Florida Health Care Facility Owner Sentenced To 20 Years in Prison for Role in Largest Health Care Fraud Scheme Ever Charged By the Department Of Justice
https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/enforcement/south-florida-health-care-facility-owner-sentenced-to-20-years-in-prison-for-role-in-largest-health-care-fraud-scheme-ever-charged-by-the-department-of-justice-2/
# Medical / Science / Research / Nursing / Biologicals / Pharmaceutical
Stalled bill allowing health care providers to deny treatment based on their beliefs will return. A bill allowing health care providers to refuse to give treatment based on deeply held beliefs — including their religion or conscience — failed in committee on Wednesday, but could come back with enough support to advance.
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/stalled-bill-allowing-health-care-providers-deny-treatment-based-their-beliefs-will-return
# Medical Recalls / Alerts
FDA Recalls Blood Pressure Drugs: A New Jersey drug maker has voluntarily recalled thousands of bottles of a combination high blood pressure medication over concerns the product could be cross-contaminated with another drug
https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/recalls/high-blood-pressure-med-recall/
# Military / Department of Defense [DOD]
U.S. to withdraw all forces from Syria: Trump administration is looking to strengthen diplomatic relations with country’s new leaders
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/18/us-is-withdrawing-all-1000-troops-from-syria-wsj-report
# Military / Global
Is China Running Bioweapons Labs in the US?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeZl2ZPsEv0
Did China Just Violate the Biological Warfare Convention? . The evidence suggests that Yunqing Jian, 33 and Zunyong Liu, 34 acted fraudulently, intentionally attempting to conceal the importation of the fungus into the United States.
https://lieber.westpoint.edu/did-china-just-violate-biological-warfare-convention/
# Technology / AI / Robotics / Social Media Platforms
Donald Trump ‘interested’ in national social media ban – after US states blocked cellphones by law
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15570657/Trump-social-media-ban-American-kids.html
# Travel / Tourism / TSA
TSA’s ‘secret policy’ sees agents seize travelers’ money after American woman had dad’s life savings taken at US airport. They let her go, but the Drug Enforcement Agency stopped her at the gate and confiscated the $82,000 from her. Neither she nor her dad was arrested or charged with a crime.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/15960422/tsa-secret-policy-cash-seized/
# Veterans / VA
New veterans rule ‘effective immediately’ sparks anger at ‘lower’ benefits for American heroes. Veterans furious over a new disability-pay rule they say could slash checks for “American heroes,” and it’s already in force. Advocates warned the change could pressure vets to choose between staying stable on medication and keeping their benefit level.
https://www.the-sun.com/news/15962610/veterans-disability-compensation-lower-payments/
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Attention Readers:
Due to the nature of independent content, Voices, The Peoples News cannot guarantee content validity.
NOTE: Material appearing here is distributed without profit or monitory gain to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the material for research and educational purposes. At any point, you can select the link in every email to subscribe, unsubscribe, or send news items: j.selman.1234@livingston.net
All content is owned by author exclusively. Expressed opinions are not necessarily the views of Voices, The Peoples News, other authors, affiliates, advertisers, sponsors, partners or technicians. Some content may be satirical in nature. Articles are reprinted under Fair Use Doctrine of International Copyright Law.
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
This email cannot be considered spam as long as we include: Contact information & a Remove Link. Reprinted under the Fair Use Law: Doctrineof international copyright law. http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html
At any point, you can select the link in every email to subscribe, unsubscribe, or send news items: jporterselman@gmail.com