NPR News: 01-27-2026 8AM EST

Summary

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NPR News: 01-27-2026 8AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Date: January 27, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise roundup of major news stories for the morning of January 27, 2026. The bulletin covers significant legal actions regarding ICE compliance, a high-profile contract cancellation linked to a data leak scandal, severe winter weather and its aftermath, a ban on certain Chinese tech in Texas, the announcement of the US Olympic team for the Winter Games, and the latest awards in children’s literature.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Judge Orders ICE Director to Appear in Court

• [00:16 - 01:12]

  • Judge Patrick Schultz in Minnesota orders the acting ICE Director, Todd Lyons, to personally appear in court this Friday.
  • ICE is alleged to have ignored dozens of court orders, specifically failing to release detainees or provide them with bond hearings, including the case of Juan Hugo Tobe Robles.
  • Schultz warns, “the court’s patience is at an end” as ICE has repeatedly not complied.
  • Background:
    • Judge Schultz was appointed by President George W. Bush and previously clerked for Justice Antonin Scalia.

  Quote [00:48]:
  "Schiltz writes the court's patience is at an end."
  – Matt Sepik, NPR Minneapolis

2. Border Patrol Leadership Change in Minneapolis

• [01:12 - 01:46]
  • Greg Bovino, a key figure in the Trump administration's immigration policies in Minneapolis, is leaving; Trump appoints border czar Tom Homan as his replacement.
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reports discussing the situation with President Trump.

3. Treasury Cancels Booz Allen Contracts After Tax Data Leak

• [01:46 - 02:28]

  • The Treasury Department canceled 31 contracts (worth $21 million) with Booz Allen due to the company’s failure to protect sensitive taxpayer information.
  • A Booz Allen contractor, Charles Edward Littlejohn, leaked confidential data leading to major news reports on billionaire tax avoidance (Trump, Musk).
  • Littlejohn pleaded guilty and is sentenced to five years in prison.
  • Booz Allen claims surprise at the contract cancellations, asserts it condemned and helped investigate the breach.

  Quote [01:57]:
  "Those records were the basis of explosive stories in the New York Times and ProPublica showing how wealthy Americans like Donald Trump and Elon Musk managed to pay little or no income taxes."
  – Scott Horsley, NPR

4. Aftermath of the Mammoth Winter Storm in the South

• [02:28 - 03:41]

  • A major winter storm departs the East Coast; frigid air from Canada prevents melting of widespread ice, especially in southern states.

  • David Lumpkin, landscaper in Little Rock, Arkansas, describes the challenging ice conditions:

    Quote [02:51]:
    "I've spent two hours just clearing two parking spots with a piece of heavy equipment ... there's no traction because it's so slippery."
    – David Lumpkin, Little Rock, AR

  • Power outages affect about half a million, especially in Mississippi and Tennessee.

5. Texas Bans State Use of Certain Chinese Tech Firms

• [03:00 - 03:41]
  • Governor Greg Abbott is barring state employees from using products from firms like Alibaba, Shein, and a Chinese drone maker, citing privacy concerns.

6. U.S. Olympic Team Announced for Winter Games

• [03:41 - 04:25]

  • Over 230 American athletes will participate in the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, February 6–22.

  • Notable athletes:

    • Abby Winterberger, 15, (freestyle skiing) – youngest athlete
    • Rich Rouenen, 54, (curling) – oldest athlete
    • Mikaela Shiffrin returns for alpine skiing (fourth Olympics).

    Quote [04:01]:
    "Generally, it's just a really cool time for alpine ski racing and our team is bringing big energy into Milan Cortina."
    – Mikaela Shiffrin

  • New Olympic sport: Ski mountaineering to debut.

7. Top Children’s Literature Awards Announced

• [04:25 - 04:55]
  • The Newbery Award goes to Renée Watson for “All the Blues in the Sky,” a novel about grief.
  • The Caldecott Medal is awarded to Katia Chien for illustrating “Fireworks,” a story about children and a summer day’s fireworks show.

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “The court’s patience is at an end.”
  – Judge Schultz (reported by Matt Sepik) [00:48]
• “I've spent two hours just clearing two parking spots with a piece of heavy equipment ... there's no traction because it's so slippery.”
  – David Lumpkin, Little Rock, AR [02:51]
• “Generally, it's just a really cool time for alpine ski racing and our team is bringing big energy into Milan Cortina.”
  – Mikaela Shiffrin, Olympic skier [04:01]

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Notable Timestamps

• 00:16 – Judge orders ICE director to court
• 01:12 – Border Patrol leadership change in Minneapolis
• 01:46 – Treasury cancels Booz Allen contracts over tax leak
• 02:28 – Winter storm aftermath in the South; ice and power outages
• 03:00 – Texas bans Chinese tech firms for state use
• 03:41 – U.S. Olympic team named; athlete profiles
• 04:25 – Top children’s books honored (Newbery, Caldecott)

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This episode succinctly covers pressing developments in law, government policy, weather impacts, tech regulation, international sports, and literature, providing listeners with a comprehensive morning briefing.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Korva Coleman. A federal judge in Minnesota is ordering the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to personally appear in a Minneapolis courtroom this Friday. The the judge says ICE has failed to comply with dozens of court orders. From Minnesota Public Radio, Matt Sepik reports.

[Matt Sepik]

Two weeks ago, Judge Patrick Schultz ruled that Juan Hugo Tobe Robles, whom immigration authorities arrested, is not subject to mandatory, prolonged detention. But Shiltz says ICE is not complying with his order to provide a bond hearing or release the man or with dozens of similar orders, the judge ordered acting ICE Director Todd Lyons to appear in court personally on Friday to answer why he shouldn't be held in contempt. Schiltz was appoint President George W. Bush and clerked for the late conservative U.S. supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in a Monday order. Shultz writes the court's patience is at an end. For NPR News, I'm Matt Sepik in Minneapolis.

[Korva Coleman]

Meanwhile, the top Border Patrol official in Minneapolis is leaving the city. Greg Bovino has been the public face of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. President Trump says he is sending border czar Tom Homan to the city instead. Minnesota Governor Tim Wall said he spoke with President Trump yesterday to discuss the situation. The Treasury Department is canceling millions of dollars worth of contracts with the consulting firm Booz Allen. NPR Scott Horsley reports. The move comes after a Booz Allen contractor leaked confidential taxpayer information.

[Scott Horsley]

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant canceled a total of 31 contracts with Booz Allen totaling $21 million, saying the company failed to safeguard sensitive information, including hundreds of thousands of taxpay. Those records were the basis of explosive stories in the New York Times and ProPublica showing how wealthy Americans like Donald Trump and Elon Musk managed to pay little or no income taxes. A Booz Allen contractor, Charles Edward Littlejohn, pleaded guilty to leaking the confidential data to reporters. He was sentenced to five years in prison. Booz Allen says it's consistently condemned Little John's breach and assisted in the government's investigation. The company says it's surprised by the contract cancellations. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

The mammoth winter storm has pulled away from the east coast, but behind it, frigid Arctic air has surged south from Canada. That means any ICE that formed during the storm is not going to melt anytime soon. Southern states got the worst ice. David Lumpkin is a landscaper in Little Rock, Arkansas. He's been trying to clear entrances to a building.

[David Lumpkin]

I've spent two hours just clearing two parking spots with a piece of heavy equipment and opened up an entrance closest to it. You know, just there's no traction because it's so slippery.

[Korva Coleman]

The tracking site poweroutage US says about half a million customers are still in the dark, mostly in the South. The worst affected states are Mississippi and Tennessee. You're listening to NPR News. Texas Governor Greg Abbott is barring state employees from using technology from several Chinese based tech companies. These include Alibaba and Shein. And as well as a drone maker. The Texas governor says he is moving to protect the privacy of Texas residents from the Chinese government. The US Olympic team is set for the upcoming Winter Games in Italy. NPR's Ping Huang has more.

[Ping Huang]

More than 230 U.S. athletes are headed to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics. They range in age from 15 year old Abby Winterberger, a free skier from California, to rich Rouenen, a 54 year old curler from Minnesota. Two time gold medalist Mikayla Schiffrin is back representing the US In Alpine skiing for her fourth Olympics.

[Mikayla Schiffrin]

Generally, it's just a really cool time for alpine ski racing and our team is bringing big energy into Milan Cortina.

[Ping Huang]

Other athletes are returning to compete in snowboarding, bobsledding, ice hockey and figure skating. A new sport this year is ski mountaineering. The Winter Olympics kicks off with the opening ceremony on February 6 and runs through February 22. Ping Huang, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The American Library association has awarded its top medals for children's literature. This year's Newbery Award goes to Renee Watson. She authored all the Blues in the Sky, a novel dealing with grief. The Caldecott Award for Illustration has been presented to Katia Chien for illustrating the children's book Fireworks. It's about children playing on a summer day culminating in a fireworks show. This is NPR News.

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