There’s still no deal to fund the DHS. Now it faces a shutdown.

Summary

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Apple News Today

Episode: There’s still no deal to fund the DHS. Now it faces a shutdown.
Date: February 13, 2026
Host: Cecilia Ley (in for Shamita Basu)

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Episode Overview

On this episode, Cecilia Ley discusses the Congressional impasse over DHS funding, President Trump’s drastic climate policy reversal, controversy at the Winter Olympics ice dancing, and notable judicial and sports headlines. The episode provides a snapshot of American political and cultural news, highlighting key voices from lawmakers, journalists, and athletes.

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Congressional Stalemate on DHS Funding

[00:04 – 03:15]

Main Theme: A partial government shutdown looms as Congress reaches a critical deadline without a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The deadlock centers on Democratic demands for reforms targeting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), including greater oversight and policy changes.

Key Points:

• Democratic Position: Most Democrats block the DHS funding bill, demanding reform for ICE as a condition for support.

  • Notable reforms proposed include tighter warrants and banning masks for ICE officers.
  • Chuck Schumer criticizes Republicans:
    “Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos.” (00:14)
    “If Republicans want to keep DHS funded, they need to get serious. They need to sit down. They need to negotiate in good faith, produce legislation that actually reigns in ICE and stops the violence.” (01:13)

• Republican Position:

  • John Thune (paraphrased) on Fox News: Refuses further deadline extensions and accuses Democrats of political maneuvering.
  • Unnamed Democratic Lawmaker:
    "It seems to me, at least right now, that what they're looking for here is not really a solution, but it's more of a political opportunity..." (01:31)

• Short-Term Impact:

  • Sahil Kapoor (NBC):
    “The Trump administration has $75 billion in funding for ICE in particular under the so called one big beautiful bill that is not impacted by appropriations at all. So there could be a funding lapse and the president would still have access to those 75 billion to carry on with his ICE agenda.” (01:53)
  • Short-term services like TSA, FEMA, and the Coast Guard could be affected if a shutdown persists.

• Catalyst:

  • The debate is fueled by a deadly and controversial ICE operation in Minnesota, which is now winding down after public outcry.
  • Tom Homan (Trump’s Border Czar):
    “A significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue to the next week.” (02:41)
  • Gov. Tim Walz (Minnesota): Criticizes federal government for economic damage from ICE presence.
    "The federal government needs to be responsible. You don't get to break things and just leave..." (03:04)

• Outcome:

  • Public opinion has shifted after fatal shootings attributed to ICE enforcement, giving Democrats further leverage.
  • Some Republicans hope ending the ICE operation in Minnesota will reduce Democratic pressure.

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Trump Revokes Landmark Climate Rule

[03:15 – 07:02]

Main Theme: President Trump annuls the EPA’s 2009 “endangerment finding,” a bedrock for federal regulation of greenhouse gases—signaling a major policy reversal.

Key Discussion Points:

• Announcement:

  • Obama-era EPA policy empowered the agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions using the Clean Air Act.
  • Democratic Lawmaker:
    “We are officially terminating the so called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers.” (04:02)

• What It Means:

  • Marianne Lovell (Inside Climate News):
    “By rescinding that finding, what the Trump administration is doing is really relieving itself of the obligation to... issue any regulations to control greenhouse gases.” (04:48)
  • Automakers predicted this policy shift, slowing the transition to electric vehicles.
  • Lovell:
    “The analysts don't expect the electric vehicle revolution to end, but they do expect it to slow down very significantly in the United States. And that's already happening because the automakers saw this coming down the track.” (05:25)

• Potential Consequences:

  • Around 20% of US greenhouse emissions come from passenger vehicles.
  • While Trump claims manufacturing costs will fall, studies argue car owners may face higher expenses long-term and US vehicles may lose global competitiveness.
  • EPA Position: The Clean Air Act applies only to toxic pollutants, not greenhouse gases.

• Scientific Consensus:

  • Lovell:
    “There was Hurricane Helene, there was the LA fires last year... All of these are the impacts of what the scientists say is the warming atmosphere.” (06:33)
  • Environmental groups preparing legal challenges; case likely to reach the Supreme Court.

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Olympic Ice Dancing Controversy

[07:02 – 10:17]

Main Theme: France's surprise ice dancing gold at the Milan Winter Olympics reignites debate on subjective judging and transparency.

Key Discussion Points:

• Results:

  • France’s Fournier Beaudry & Cizerone clinch gold over American favorites Madison Chock & Evan Bates, who led on most judges’ cards.
  • The French judge notably gave the US team a much lower score.

• Scoring Debate:

  • Rohan Nadkarni (NBC Sports):
    “Madison Chock and Evan Bates were actually first place on five of the nine judges’ scorecards... but they still didn’t win.” (08:18)
  • The French judge scored the Americans 7+ points below the winners (08:36).

• Calls for Change:

  • Chock (via CBS News):
    “It would definitely be helpful if it’s more understandable for the viewers... and I think it’s also important for the skaters that the judges be vetted and reviewed to make sure that they are also putting out their best performance...” (08:47)

• Structural Issues:

  • Nadkarni: Explains that artistic and technical scoring is inherently subjective and even fundamental elements may be judged differently by separate panels (09:25).

• Emotional Impact:

  • “It should be a cause for celebration, but it’s clearly taken an emotional toll on them.” (10:05)

• Official Response:

  • The International Skating Union reviews the process and defends the outcome.

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Other Notable Stories

[10:17 – 12:36]

Trump Administration v. Sen. Mark Kelly

• A federal judge ruled in favor of Senator Mark Kelly, blocking Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s effort to reduce Kelly’s rank for criticizing unlawful military orders.
  • Judge Leon: “Our retired veterans deserve more respect from their government.”

Chloe Kim’s Olympic Halfpipe Silver

• Chloe Kim loses her bid for a third consecutive gold, earning silver to South Korea’s Gawon Choi.
  • Kim, recovering from a recent shoulder dislocation, said:
    “A month ago I wasn’t even sure if I would be here... so this medal means so much to me.” (12:24)
  • Choi becomes first South Korean woman to win Olympic snowboarding gold.

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Chuck Schumer:
  “Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos.” (00:14)
• Sahil Kapoor:
  “There could be a funding lapse and the president would still have access to those 75 billion to carry on with his ICE agenda.” (01:53)
• Gov. Tim Walz:
  “You don’t get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it.” (03:04)
• Marianne Lovell:
  “Analysts don’t expect the electric vehicle revolution to end, but they do expect it to slow down...” (05:25)
• Rohan Nadkarni:
  “Chock and Bates were actually first place on five of the nine judges’ scorecards... but they still didn’t win.” (08:18)
• Chloe Kim:
  “A month ago I wasn’t even sure if I would be here... this medal means so much to me.” (12:24)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• DHS Shutdown Stalemate: 00:04 – 03:15
• Revocation of EPA Endangerment Finding: 03:15 – 07:02
• Olympic Ice Dancing Scandal: 07:02 – 10:17
• Mark Kelly Military Rights Ruling: 10:17 – 11:32
• Chloe Kim’s Silver Medal & Choi’s Victory: 11:32 – 12:36

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This episode expertly blends urgent political news with cultural and sports stories, spotlighting the people and policies shaping America in early 2026.

Transcript

[Cecilia Ley]

Good morning. Another partial shutdown appears all but certain as a deadline for a deal arrives.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

These employees at any of these agencies shouldn't be held hostage.

[Chuck Schumer]

Yet again, Democrats will not support a blank check for chaos.

[Cecilia Ley]

In a major announcement, President Trump revokes a landmark climate ruling. Inside Climate News explains what it means and some unusual scoring at the Winter Olympics. Ice dancing cost Team USA and stirs plenty of controversy. It's Friday, February 13th. I'm Cecilia Ley in for Shamita Basu and this is Apple News. Today, Barring any dramatic last minute reversals, Congress appears to be at a stalemate in funding negotiations. Democrats have been pushing for ICE reform in order to fund the Department of Homeland Security. All but one Democratic senator voted to block a bill to fund the department. And the leadership rejected a White House proposal. Democrats are pushing for a number of reforms, including tighter rules on warrants and a ban on masks for ICE officers. Here's Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

[Chuck Schumer]

If Republicans want to keep DHS funded, they need to get serious. They need to sit down. They need to negotiate in good faith, produce legislation that actually reigns in ICE and stops the violence.

[Cecilia Ley]

But his Republican counterpart, John Thune, told Fox News they refused to extend the deadline.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

It seems to me, at least right now, that what they're looking for here is not really a solution, but it's more of a political opportunity because clearly if they wanted a solution, they would at least allow additional time to negotiate.

[Cecilia Ley]

In the short term, the real world political impact is likely to be Limited. As NBC's Sahil Kapoor told us, immigration enforcement has plenty of money already available.

[Political Analyst or Commentator]

The Trump administration has $75 billion in funding for ICE in particular under the so called one big beautiful bill that is not impacted by appropriations at all. So there could be a funding lapse and the president would still have access to those 75 billion to carry on with his ICE agenda.

[Cecilia Ley]

Over time, though, various important agencies within the department like tsa, FEMA and the Coast Guard could take a hit if a shutdown lasts. While there's been little movement in Congress, the widely protested and deadly ICE operation in Minnesota which sparked all of this does appear to be coming to an end.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude a significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue to the next week.

[Cecilia Ley]

That's Trump's border czar Tom Homan speaking yesterday. The scale and speed of change on the ground remains to be seen. Local officials like Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Walz urged people to remain vigilant as immigration officials continue to leave the state. He believes the federal government should foot the bill for what he said was economic damage caused by ICE's presence.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

The federal government needs to be responsible. You don't get to break things and then just leave without doing something about it. So we're going to be asking the federal delegation to be investing and doing the things necessary.

[Cecilia Ley]

The fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Preddy appear to have shifted public opinion against ICE enforcement, emboldening Democrats to take a firmer line over this standoff. Some Republicans hope ending the ICE operation in Minnesota might undermine Democratic leverage in negotiations. A person close to the Trump administration told Politico they hoped the retreat from Minneapolis would keep immigration enforcement quote, off the front pages. It was a landmark finding that has sparked over a decade of executive action on climate change. But yesterday, President Trump announced he would be eliminating the legal basis for regulating emissions.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

Under the process just completed by the epa. We are officially terminating the so called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers.

[Cecilia Ley]

Back in 2009, the EPA was empowered with the authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions that are dangerous to public health and welfare. Up to that point, President Obama was struggling to get any climate laws through Congress. But the EPA's endangerment finding concluded that the 1970 Clean Air act could be drawn upon for a series of executive policies. Instead, it led to new standards for vehicle and power plant emissions. Marianne Lovell is the D.C. bureau chief for Inside Climate News.

[Marianne Lovell]

And so by rescinding that finding, what the Trump administration is doing is really relieving itself of the obligation to to issue any regulations to control greenhouse gases.

[Cecilia Ley]

Industry groups have wanted this reversal for a long time. It stands to be more consequential than any of the other regulatory rollbacks announced during Trump's first term. Leavell told us for now, the most immediate changes would be the elimination of standards for vehicles, and that will have a big impact for any transition to EVs.

[Marianne Lovell]

One of the first things that is going to change because of the repeal of the endangerment finding is what's happening in the car market. The analysts don't expect the electric vehicle revolution to end, but they do expect it to slow down very significantly in the United States. And that's already happening because the automakers saw this coming down the track.

[Cecilia Ley]

At least 20% of the heat trapping gases emitted in the US come from the tailpipes of passenger vehicles. Trump said that scrapping regulations will cut manufacturing costs, but some studies suggest that it could create some longer term expenses for car owners as well. There's also potential risk for carmakers in the U.S. international markets might not want to buy American cars that are less fuel efficient. Trump's EPA chief says the Clean Air act was only intended to target harmful toxic air pollutants, not greenhouse gases, as the Supreme Court ruled back back in 2007. As Laval told us, scientists agree that the harmful consequences of climate change are already here.

[Marianne Lovell]

There was Hurricane Helene, there was the LA fires last year, hurricanes that intensify very rapidly and that break up very slowly. All of these are the impacts of what the scientists say is the warming atmosphere. And this of course is increasing risks and costs for communities and environmental groups.

[Cecilia Ley]

Will point to those costs as they gear up to challenge the EPA's arguments in lawsuits. That battle and the fate of Trump's decision will almost certainly end up at the Supreme Court. Unlike a football or basketball game where everyone agrees who won in the world of ice dancing, it's way more subjective.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

That's enough. The gold medal goes to the team from France, Corne Beaudry Cicerone the gold, Chalk and Bates of the US the silver.

[Cecilia Ley]

On Wednesday, France's newly paired ice dancing duo Laurence Frank Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume CizerOne defeated the US power couple Madison Chalk and Evan Bates, who had been the gold medal favorites. France's victory has sparked controversy, reigniting debates about how ice dance competitions are scored and judged.

[Rohan Nodkarny]

What a lot of people noticed after the skating was done was that the French team got a really great score from the French judge, while the United States team did not.

[Cecilia Ley]

Rohan Nodkarny is a sports reporter for NBC News covering the Winter Games in Milan.

[Rohan Nodkarny]

Madison Chalk and Evan Bates were actually first place on five of the nine judges scorecards on Wednesday night, which is obviously a majority, but they still didn't win. And it's not uncommon for figure skating to kind of see these gaps sometimes. It was certainly catching the eye of a lot of people.

[Cecilia Ley]

The French judge scored the Americans more than seven points lower than the French duo. It's led to calls for more transparency, including from Chalk herself who said this to CBS News.

[Chloe Kim]

I think it would definitely be helpful if it's more understandable for the viewers to just see more transparent judging and understand what's really going on. And I think it's also important for the skaters that the judges be vetted and reviewed to make sure that they are also putting out their best performance because there's a lot on the line for the skaters when they're out there giving it their all, and we deserve to have the judges also giving us their all and for it to be a fair and even playing field.

[Cecilia Ley]

While this incident did lead to scrutiny over the judging process, Nod Kearney told us this is how the judging of ice dancing usually works.

[Rohan Nodkarny]

There's an artistic component to the sport that's a little bit open to interpretation and, you know, judges are kind of within their rights to decide. Did this piece athletically match up with what it was trying to convey artistically? Sometimes Even things that seem obvious are sometimes judged differently by different judges.

[Cecilia Ley]

That open interpretation is pretty broad, nodkarny says. Some judges might see things very differently, like what is or isn't considered a fall. To account for that, the sport features large panels of judges to serve as a check against a situation like what happened Wednesday night. For the Americans, it's a complicated moment.

[Rohan Nodkarny]

This has clearly been a very difficult time for them and it's their best finish at the Olympics ever. They've never medaled it individually. They won a silver. It should be a cause for celebration, but it's clearly taken an emotional toll on them.

[Cecilia Ley]

The International Skating Union said in a statement that it had full confidence in the scores. And finally, a few A few other stories were following In a setback for the Trump administration. A federal judge blocked the Pentagon from punishing Democratic Senator Mark Kelly for calling on troops to reject unlawful orders. Kelly and other senators posted a social media video in November that reminded service members of their duty.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

This administration is pitting our uniformed military.

[Political Analyst or Commentator]

And intelligence community professionals against American citizens like us.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

You all swore an oath to protect.

[Chloe Kim]

And defend this Constitution.

[Democratic Senator or Representative]

And right now, the threats to our Constitution aren't just coming from abroad, but.

[Political Analyst or Commentator]

From right here at home.

[Cecilia Ley]

Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had sought to reduce the military rank in pension pay for Kelly, a retired Navy captain. But on Thursday, U.S. district Judge Richard Leon ruled that the secretary's actions impeded Kelly's First Amendment rights. In his ruling, Leon added that, quote, our retired veterans deserve more respect from their Hegseth said he would appeal the ruling. In a stunning upset, snowboarding icon Chloe Kim lost her bid to become the first snowboarder to win three consecutive Olympic half pipe titles. She was beaten by a South Korean teenager named Gawon Choi. 25 year old Kim had previously won gold for the US in the women's halfpipe in 2018 and 2022 and was the overwhelming favorite to have a historic win. Despite Kim's lead with a best score of 88 points. During Thursday's halfpipe final, 17 year old Choi's heroic third run after a first run crash scored 90.25 points, bumping Kim to second place. A month earlier, Kim had dislocated her shoulder during training and had returned to halfpipe just two weeks ago wearing a brace. In an interview after the competition, Kim said that she still considers winning silver one of her proudest achievements.

[Chloe Kim]

A month ago I wasn't even sure if I would be here and so God, I could get emotional thinking about it, but I really worked so hard to get here and so this medal means so much to me.

[Cecilia Ley]

Kim had mentored Choi leading up to the Games. Choi is the first South Korean woman to win an Olympic snowboarding gold. The bronze medal went to Japan's Mitsuki Ono. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the News app right now, stick around for the latest episode of Apple News in Conversation. It's about the ownership battle in Hollywood for the iconic Warner Bros. Studio and one of its major players, David Ellison, the CEO of Paramount Skydance. David is the son of Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle and currently the sixth richest person in the world. Shamita sat down with New York Magazine writer Reeves Weideman to talk about the Ellison's father and son dynamic and what it might mean for us watching at home.

[Political Analyst or Commentator]

There is no way to separate David Ellson's rise in Hollywood from his father and the impact his father has had on his career funding his efforts in Hollywood.

[Cecilia Ley]

If you're listening in the podcast app, you can follow Apple News and Conversation to find that episode. Enjoy the weekend and we'll be back with the news on Monday.