Politics and views in the United States

The White House refuses to say if ICE will be at polling places in November. A bill to ease display of the Ten Commandments in schools stalls in Indiana and union leaders call for the restoration of federal worker employment protections. 

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2026 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We're gonna have ice surround the polls come November.

We're not gonna sit here and allow you to steal the country again.

And you can whine and cry and throw your toys out of the pram all you want, but we will never again allow an election to be stolen.

Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon says the administration will send armed federal police to the polls during the upcoming midterms.

President Donald Trump recently called for Republicans to quote, nationalize voting and take running of elections away from targeted locations.

He continues to repeat false claims of widespread voting by undocumented migrants, which he blames for his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020.

Republican and Democratic state election officials have repeatedly debunked the claim.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt says they have no plans to send ICE to election sites but also refused to rule it out.

The administration has finalized rules making it easier to fire thousands of government employees.

But labor unions that represent federal workers are calling on Congress to pass a bill that would restore rights to collective bargaining.

The Protect America's Workforce Act passed the U.S.

House in December, with 20 Republicans voting alongside Democrats.

Doreen Greenwald with the National Treasury Employees Union says employment rights for federal workers actually help protect everyone in the country. make sure that there are safeguards in place for the public as well so that they know that they have people there based on skill and not the old spoil system that was in place prior to having these kind of rights in the workplace.

Republican Georgia Congressman Barry Loudermilk says he won't seek re-election.

He's the 29th Republican to announce retirement or to leave their House seat to campaign for higher office.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton have agreed to testify before House Oversight in its investigation of sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Clintons are calling for a public hearing rather than a closed door deposition.

Advocates for separation of church and state notched a victory in Indiana this week.

Lawmakers there let die a bill to protect public school teachers who display the 10 commandments in the classroom.

Presbyterian Minister Timothy McNinch testified against it. - How are Hoosier first graders supposed to understand on their own what to make of commands about adultery or graven images, or Sabbath keeping, or coveting your neighbor's property, such as their wife. - The legislators could still revive the legislation.

Supporters argue the commandments are a historical document, not a religious one.

Some Florida voters are suing Republican Governor Ron DeSantis over calling for a special legislative session for mid-decade redistricting.

The suit argues DeSantis doesn't have the authority to order new maps.

Virginia State Democratic legislators have agreed to a map that would cut to one the number of Republican-leaning districts.

The state's 11 seats are nearly evenly divided now.

I'm Zamone Perez for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.